logo
Villa denied Champions League spot as Man Utd end woeful season with victory

Villa denied Champions League spot as Man Utd end woeful season with victory

Straits Times25-05-2025

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Amad Diallo scores their first goal REUTERS/Chris Radburn
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Christian Eriksen scores their second goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Chris Radburn
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Amad Diallo in action with Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen REUTERS/Chris Radburn
MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United ended their disappointing season with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday on the final day of the Premier League campaign, denying the visitors a Champions League qualification spot in the process.
United surprisingly dominated the first half against a side chasing a top-five finish, with the hosts' cause aided further after Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sent off just before the break.
Against the run of play, Morgan Rogers appeared to have netted Villa a crucial goal 18 minutes from time, but referee Thomas Bramall ruled that he had fouled United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir before slotting home.
Furious Villa's mood worsened after Amad Diallo immediately headed the hosts in front down the other end, before Christian Eriksen's penalty ensured United finished 15th and sixth-placed Villa had to settle for a place in the Europa League next term. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Haliburton goes down injured in Game 7 of NBA Finals
Haliburton goes down injured in Game 7 of NBA Finals

Straits Times

timean hour ago

  • Straits Times

Haliburton goes down injured in Game 7 of NBA Finals

Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after suffering an injury during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images REUTERS Haliburton goes down injured in Game 7 of NBA Finals Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton left injured midway through the first quarter in the winner-take-all Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. The point guard was off to a terrific start in the decider with three three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game when he slipped and fell while driving toward the basket at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. He slapped his fist and wept as team medical staff rushed to his aid with five minutes left in the quarter. He was later seen gingerly moving to the locker room with the aid of two staff members with a towel over his head. An NBA Finals MVP contender, Haliburton suffered a previous calf injury in Game 5 of the series. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

On brink of making history, Inter Miami to go all in against Palmeiras
On brink of making history, Inter Miami to go all in against Palmeiras

Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • Straits Times

On brink of making history, Inter Miami to go all in against Palmeiras

On brink of making history, Inter Miami to go all in against Palmeiras MIAMI - Inter Miami have no intention to play for a draw when they face Palmeiras in their final Group A game at the Club World Cup on Sunday, a result that would send both teams into the knockout stages. It would be a massive achievement for Inter Miami, who beat Porto and drew against Al Ahly in their first two games. Palmeiras are top of the group on four points, ahead of Miami on goal difference with Porto and Al Ahly both on one point. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT All four teams can still qualify for the last 16 but only Miami and Palmeiras have their fate in their hands. Palmeiras need a draw to qualify top of the group. The group winners will face the second-placed team in Group B, currently led by Botafogo with six points while Champions League winners Paris St Germain are second on three points. KEY QUOTES: Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano: "We're facing possibly one of the most important games in the history of our club. Above all, let that fill us with enthusiasm to be able to play it, let it not be a burden, not a burden, but an excitement and a challenge for this group of players who are also doing well up until now. "It would be a big mistake if we went into it thinking about not playing it and only about the result. I think that when you think about the result and don't go into it, certain things can happen during the game that make it very difficult to get back into the game. In the end, our idea is to go and win the game like we've always done, like every time we go into a game, whether it's in the Club World Cup, MLS, the Champions League, or any other competition we're involved in." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

From fallen giants to giant-killers: Botafogo's remarkable revival
From fallen giants to giant-killers: Botafogo's remarkable revival

Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • Straits Times

From fallen giants to giant-killers: Botafogo's remarkable revival

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group B - Paris St Germain v Botafogo - Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, U.S. - June 19, 2025 Botafogo players celebrate after the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Kirby Lee REUTERS Once Brazilian football royalty, Botafogo had languished for decades as a debt-ridden sleeping giant before they toppled Paris St Germain at the Club World Cup to cap a resurrection tale three years in the making. When American entrepreneur John Textor acquired the club in 2022, fresh from their promotion back to Brazil's first division, he took on a training ground so decrepit that then-coach Luis Castro dismissed it as "good for parking cars," alongside crushing liabilities exceeding one billion reais ($181.39 million). Botafogo were a storied but shattered institution. The club that once nurtured Brazilian greats - Garrincha, Zagallo, Jairzinho and Nilton Santos, architects of three World Cup triumphs - was drowning in debt, having endured the humiliation of relegation three times in just over a decade. On Thursday, they outplayed European champions Paris St Germain to win 1-0 in the Club World Cup's most eye-catching upset, propelling themselves to the top of the tournament's "group of death" and on the verge of the knockout stage. Their squad, assembled through shrewd bargain-hunting in football's forgotten corners, now faces Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in Los Angeles on Monday, sitting comfortably, knowing even a two-goal defeat would still secure their passage to the round of 16. The victory over PSG vindicated Textor's vision, outlined in a Reuters interview three years prior, of "beating the system" through astute scouting in under-explored talent pools. The architects of Thursday's victory exemplified this approach. Match-winner Igor Jesus arrived as a free agent after three anonymous years in the UAE and was transformed into a Brazil international. Argentine defender Alexander Barboza, who neutralised PSG's vaunted attack, was plucked from Paraguay's Club Libertad for nothing. Captain Marlon Freitas came from second-division Atletico Goianiense, while experienced European campaigners Alex Telles and Allan were revitalised after spells in Middle Eastern leagues. Gregore, Jefferson Savarino, John and Cuiabano were all signed for under two million euros ($2.30 million) each. "The goal is to be sustainably competitive every year," Botafogo CEO Thairo Arruda told Reuters. "With a top six payroll, we produce like a top three." The transformation extends far beyond the pitch. Revenues have soared from 140 million reais in 2022 to projected earnings exceeding 1.1 billion by 2025, while liabilities have been slashed by 40%. Textor's Eagle Football empire also encompasses stakes in Ligue 1's Olympique Lyonnais and Premier League Crystal Palace. Botafogo's renaissance - crowned by last year's domestic and continental double - has breathed new life into a club motto once heavy with self-pity: "There are things that only happen to Botafogo." After outclassing Europe's elite, those words now carry an altogether sweeter resonance. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store