Arsenal draw against Man City in WSL thriller

Published

3 hours ago

September 23, 2024

Arsenal draw against Man City in WSL thriller

Watch highlights as Manchester City’s Vivianne Miedema scores against her former club Arsenal in thrilling 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium.

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Where did it go wrong for Naismith & what's next for Hearts?

Published

4 mins ago

September 23, 2024

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Where did it go wrong for Naismith & what's next for Hearts?

BBC Sport Scotland analyses the reasons behind Steven Naismith’s sacking and considers what might come next for Heart of Midlothian.

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WSL agrees new £45m sponsorship deal with Barclays

Published

21 mins ago

September 23, 2024

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WSL agrees new £45m sponsorship deal with Barclays

A new three-year agreement has been reached with Barclays to remain the title sponsor of the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship.

The deal is understood to be in the region of £15m a year, including investment and marketing, double the previous arrangement which runs out at the end of this season.

It is the first major contract secured by the WSL’s new takeover company, Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL).

Barclays became the title sponsors in 2019 and the renewal is said to be the biggest deal in women’s domestic football.

There has been a continual increase in viewing figures and attendances across the WSL over the past few years.

WPLL chief executive Nikki Doucet said: “Barclays has been a leading light when it comes to supporting women’s football and they become a founding partner for WPLL as we embark on a transformational journey to grow the game.

“This record multi-year investment demonstrates long-term commitment and is important because it provides positive endorsement and increased support for what we are trying to accomplish.”

Barclays has also extended its partnership with the Premier League, agreeing a new four-year deal.

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Sport

Australia: Tony Popovic named head coach after Graham Arnold exit

Published

47 mins ago

September 23, 2024

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Australia: Tony Popovic named head coach after Graham Arnold exit

Former Crystal Palace defender Tony Popovic has been named Australia’s head coach following the resignation of Graham Arnold.

Arnold stepped down last Friday after six years in the role following a shock 1-0 home defeat against Bahrain and a draw against Indonesia in World Cup qualifying earlier in September.

Those results have left Australia fifth in the Asia standings, with only the top two teams automatically qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

The 51-year-old, who played 58 times for the Socceroos, has signed a two-year deal.

“It’s a role that comes with great responsibility, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity,” said Popovic.

“This is undoubtedly a very proud moment for myself and my family. To be entrusted with guiding our national team is a privilege I do not take lightly.”

Popovic spent five years with Crystal Palace before leaving in 2006.

He played for the Socceroos in the 2006 World Cup and has coached in Australia, Turkey and Greece since retiring in 2008.

Australia host China in Adelaide on 10 October in their next World Cup qualifier.

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Sport

Weekly football quiz: Who manages Chelsea women?

Published

1 hour ago

September 23, 2024

NewsAdmin

Weekly football quiz: Who manages Chelsea women?

How closely have you been paying attention to what’s been going on over the past week in football?

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Football

Mbappé

Published

1 hour ago

September 23, 2024

NewsAdmin

From Paris suburbs to the pinnacle of football, a look at a once-in-a-generation talent.

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Sport

‘Mentally, physically and tactically, Arsenal show why they are a force’

Published

1 hour ago

September 23, 2024

NewsAdmin

'Mentally, physically and tactically, Arsenal show why they are a force'

It was hardly surprising that it was a set-piece that gave Arsenal the lead against City. Everyone knows how dangerous they are now, particularly at corners, but because they are so good at them, they are still very difficult to stop.

As a player, I always knew there would always be opportunities in these situations, if not for me then for one of my team-mates.

My old Newcastle boss Bobby Robson would tell us “there is always one dope who falls asleep” and we would try to pick out the opposition player who would be slow to react or forget his job.

That’s not what happened against City, though, whether for Arsenal’s first corner against them – when Gabriel escaped Jeremy Doku and headed over – or for the next one, where he got away from Kyle Walker and powered the ball into the net.

Instead, while everyone knew what Gabriel was doing and where he wanted to go, his sensational movement meant they could not stop him, and he was also only one part of Arsenal’s plan.

So many things had to happen, in a certain order and in the space of a couple of seconds, for the ball to end up in the net and I know from experience they are not easy to put together. You have to work extremely hard at all of them to make them work.

Firstly you need a precise delivery, which is what Bukayo Saka provided here, then you have to execute the block, with four Arsenal players coming in from the back post and standing in the middle of the goal, in front of Ederson, to impede him and to nudge other defenders out of the way too.

Gabriel has to time his run perfectly and come through all of that crowd and then, if he does get on the end of the cross, execute his finish correctly too. He didn’t quite manage it with his first go, but he made no mistake a few minutes later.

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