Sport THURSDAY 22 APRIL 2021 Sport world hails Chauvin conviction I was going to make a celebratory tweet but then I was hit with sadness because we are celebrating something that is clear as day. The fact that so many injustices occurred to make us hold our breath toward this outcome is really telling. Naomi Osaka Sport | 21 IPL CSK: 220/3 (F du Plessis 95 not out, R Gaikwad 64) KKR: 202 all out in 19.1 overs (P Cummins 66 not out, A Russell 54, D Chahar 4/29) Son’s late Olunga hat-trick helps Al Duhail penalty revives Tottenham’s edge Esteghlal in ACL thriller top-four hopes AFC – JEDDAH who nodded home the Al Duhail's restart with Esteghlal REUTERS – LONDON equaliser in the 10th Michael Olunga is equalising a second Michael Olunga starred with a minute. congratulated by time as Diabate’s Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed some hat-trick as Al Duhail SC The Kenyan striker team-mates after header from the respite in a tumultuous week for the defeated Esteghlal of Islamic then added his second the Kenyan scored corner was blocked by club as Son Heung-min’s late penalty Republic of Iran 4-3 in Group of the night, pouncing their fourth goal Benatia but fell to club earned them a 2-1 victory over C of the 2021 AFC Champions on a misplaced pass against Esteghlal captain Esmaeili who Southampton yesterday to revive League (ACL) yesterday. from Esteghlal centre- yesterday. sent a diving header their hopes of a top-four finish in the Both sides went into the back Masoud Rigi to Pic: Twitter / into the empty net to Premier League. Matchday Three encounter seize possession inside @DuhailSC make it 3-3 with his After Jose Mourinho’s sacking on hopeful of extending an the box and slot home third goal in as many Monday and Tottenham’s igno- unbeaten record, with Al Al Duhail’s second just games. minious part in the Super League Duhail having collected four before the half-hour Five minutes drama which has rocked football, it points from their opening two mark. before the final was left to 29-year-old caretaker games and Esteghlal having Coach Farhad whistle, Olunga com- manager Ryan Mason to try to steady earned the full six points. Majidi’s men were pleted the first hat- the ship. It looked as though the Esteghlal wasted no time, determined to get back trick of the 2021 AFC former Spurs midfielder, handed the instantly taking the game to into the game and 10 Champions League, reins until the end of the season, their opponents and were minutes before the controlling a cross would suffer defeat when Danny rewarded with the opener half time break, they from substitute Ismael Ings gave Southampton a deserved within four minutes. Seyed had restored parity as Mohammed and halftime lead. But Gareth Bale, who Ahmad Mousavi’s whipped Farshid Esmaeili sup- driving home his side’s Mason restored to the starting cross from the right was con- plied a defence- winner on the turn to line-up for the first time since mid- verted into the back of the net splitting pass to round off an enter- March, curled home an equaliser on through Amir Arsalan Mota- Motahari who squared taining battle for the the hour as Tottenham improved hari’s powerful header. it across the face of top spot in the group. after a dismal first half. Al Duhail’s response did goal for Cheick With the win, Al Son had a goal ruled out for not take long as Abdullah Al Diabate who was left Duhail topple Esteghlal offside but the South Korean gave Ahrak’s long ball into the box with a simple tap-in off the summit of Tottenham much-needed cheer was controlled by Edmilson for his third goal of the Group C as the Qataris when he beat Alex McCarthy from who then fired a left-footed 2021 AFC Champions move to seven points, the penalty spot. effort from six yards out that League. Just before the leaving the Iranians a Victory lifted Tottenham into was parried by goalkeeper referee prepared to blow the Esteghlal area and swept home Qatari side in the lead again. point behind. The two sides sixth place with 53 points, two points Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri half-time whistle, Al Ahrak Mohammad Musa’s low cross The game’s end-to-end lock horns again in three days behind fourth-placed Chelsea who into the path of Michael Olunga found space inside the from the right flank to put the action continued after the time. have a game in hand. THURSDAY 22 APRIL 2021 SPORT 23 European Super League fades away REUTERS – MANCHESTER The dramatic rise The European Super League collapsed yesterday as eight of the 12 and swift fall of founding members from England, Italy and Spain abandoned the breakaway project under massive breakaway league pressure from fans, politicians, soccer AP – GENEVA officials and even the British royals. Founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli told Reuters he was Super League Timeline: reluctantly calling time on the new league after six English clubs 1990s - Wealthy European Soccer withdrew on Tuesday, with Inter clubs make veiled threats of breaking Milan and Atletico Madrid following away into a Super League to pressure suit and AC Milan indicating they UEFA into giving them more Champions would too. League money and format changes in “The voices and the concerns of their favor. fans around the world have clearly been expressed about the Super 2008 - European Club Association League, and AC Milan must be sen- created to make long-term peace with sitive to the voice of those who love UEFA and lock club leaders into Cham- this wonderful sport,” the Italian club pions League consultation. said in a statement. Agnelli said he still believed in the November 2018 - Real Madrid- merits of the Super League despite backed Super League plan revealed in the overwhelming criticism and had Football Leaks series using hacked no regrets about how the breakaway Aston Villa fans display a banner in protest against the European Super League outside Villa Park in Birmingham, documents. had been conducted. Britain, yesterday, before the hosts' match against Manchester City. “I remain convinced of the beauty 2019 - ECA-backed plan for semi- of that project,” Agnelli said, adding structure went against European Henry apologised in a video on the stable foundation for the game, we closed Champions League in 2024 fails that it would have been the best com- football’s long-standing model. club’s website and social media failed to show enough respect for its amid backlash by leagues and mid- petition in the world. Players, fans, pundits and politi- yesterday. deep-rooted traditions - promotion, ranking clubs. Juventus itself stopped short of cians celebrated the U-turns of the “It goes without saying but should relegation, the pyramid - and for that saying the league was dead but said English teams on Tuesday that left be said that the project put forward we are sorry.” October 2020 - Outgoing Bar- it recognised there were limited the league in tatters and pushed other was never going to stand without the Having triggered an enormous celona president Josep Bartomeu reveals chances of the project being com- founding members to jump ship. support of the fans,” he said. backlash, the Super League had said Super League plan in resignation speech, pleted in the form originally “This is the right result for football “I alone am responsible for the late on Tuesday it would reconsider reportedly urged on by Real Madrid pres- conceived. fans, clubs, and communities across unnecessary negativity brought and look to “reshape” the project, ident Florentino Pérez. The Italian club said in a the country. We must continue to forward over the past couple of days. while stopping short of throwing in statement that it was aware certain protect our cherished national game,” It’s something I won’t forget. And the towel. December 2020 - UEFA works on clubs intended to leave but they had British Prime Minister Boris Johnson shows the power the fans have today “What a beautiful day for football. a 36-team Champions League plan to yet to complete the necessary proce- said. and will rightly continue to have.” Let’s keep playing, let’s keep fighting, start in 2024 that gives clubs the extra dures under the Super League The founding members were Manchester United’s co-chairman let’s keep dreaming,” said Manchester games and money they have demanded. agreement. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man- Joel Glazer also apologised in an open City defender Benjamin Mendy. The Super League argued it would chester City, Manchester United and letter to supporters, saying: “We got Amid celebrations over the col- January - Reports emerge of Real increase revenue for the top soccer Tottenham Hotspur from England, it wrong.” lapse of the project, anger remained. Madrid-backed Super League plan with clubs in Europe and allow them to AC Milan, Inter and Juventus from “We continue to believe that Some pundits said the owners of the financier JP Morgan Chase. UEFA and distribute more money to the rest of Italy and Spain’s Atletico, Barcelona European football needs to become English teams would never be FIFA unite to oppose, threaten bans for the game. and Real Madrid. more sustainable throughout the forgiven. players who take part. However, the sport’s governing Barcelona and Real Madrid were pyramid for the long-term. However, “They were going to sell the souls bodies, other teams and fan organi- the only two founders yet to issue we fully accept that the Super League of our major football institutions,” March 8 - ECA chairman Andrea sations said the league would only official statements by Wednesday was not the right way to go about it,” said Liverpool great Graeme Souness.