Chelsea thrash Israeli champions

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Chelsea got their Champions League campaign off to a flying start with a 4-0 thrashing of Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv.

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London - Chelsea forgot their Premier League woes and got their Champions League campaign off to a flying start with a 4-0 thrashing of Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv in their opening Group G match at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Despite Eden Hazard blazing an early penalty high over the bar, Chelsea scored twice in the first half with Willian finding the net with a 30-metre free kick after 15 minutes and Oscar scoring from their second penalty with the last kick of the opening 45 minutes.

Diego Costa, who replaced Willian after the Brazilian was injured after 20 minutes, brilliantly volleyed in Chelsea's third after 58 minutes with Cesc Fabregas finishing off a breakaway for the fourth after 78.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had not seen his team win since Aug. 23 with two successive league defeats in their last two matches but he told reporters afterwards: “I forgot what it was like to win, so it's a good feeling.

“The penalty we missed was a big test for us. When you start a game you have to win and after five minutes you miss a penalty, it is an extra negative episode and our reaction was very good. I am very happy with the performance.”

Maccabi, back in the competition proper for the first time in over a decade after coming through the qualifiers, went close through skipper Eran Zahavi and Nosakhare Igiebor, but Chelsea, 17th in the Premier League with one win from five matches, were never seriously troubled and could have scored seven or eight.

Their manager Slavisa Jokanovic, a former Chelsea midfielder, conceded: “Welcome to the Champions League, it is not the Israeli Premier League.

“They dominated us, but we will learn.”

Mourinho made six changes to the side beaten 3-1 at Everton on Saturday with captain John Terry among those on the bench, although Fabregas, who has lacked his usual creative inspiration, retained his place and had a hand in the third as well as scoring for the first time since April.

The lack of confidence and poor form that has blighted Chelsea's start to the campaign was apparent when Hazard blazed his penalty over the bar.

German referee Felix Zwayer showed leniency to Maccabi's Serbian keeper Predrag Rajkovic though, only giving him a yellow card for bringing down Willian - and the goalie did not have to move as Hazard fired high and wide.

Willian avenged that foul in the 15th minute when his 30-metre free kick bounced once and flew past the slow-moving Rajkovic to give Chelsea a deserved lead.

Chelsea dominated but had to wait until the last kick of stoppage time before doubling the lead when Oscar scored from the spot after former Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim scythed down substitute Costa.

Costa volleyed Chelsea's third on the turn just before the hour mark and Fabregas tapped in a fourth as Chelsea won their opening home Champions League match of the season under Mourinho for the first time, at the fourth attempt. – Reuters



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Giroud sees red as Arsenal lose

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Dinamo Zagreb made a dream start to their Champions League campaign after a goal in each half gave them a 2-1 home win over 10-man Arsenal.

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Zagreb - Dinamo Zagreb made a dream start to their Champions League campaign after a goal in each half gave them a 2-1 home win over 10-man Arsenal in their Group F match on Wednesday.

An Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal followed by a Junior Fernandes header put Dinamo in the driving seat before Theo Walcott pulled one back for the Premier League side, who had striker Olivier Giroud sent off in the first half.

Having failed to advance past the group stage of Europe's elite club competition in their previous four attempts, Dinamo produced a morale-boosting performance in the Maksimir stadium.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger blamed the defeat on bad luck although he might also question his side's poor defending at set-pieces and a lack of creativity in midfield.

“It is not the way we wanted to begin the competition but I think we were a bit unlucky as well today,” Wenger told BT Sport.

“At 2-0 down...we gave it our all against a team that defends in their own half but unfortunately we couldn't get back.”

Organised defending aided by a packed midfield frustrated a disjointed Arsenal and the home side always looked dangerous on the break, with Algeria striker El Hilal Arabi Soudani at the heart of all their moves.

Arsenal held the upper hand in the opening 20 minutes as Giroud missed two good chances, hitting the post with a scuffed effort after Dinamo's Portuguese keeper Eduardo had kept out the Frenchman's header with an acrobatic save.

The Croatian champions took the lead against the run of play with Chamberlain unable to get out of the way of a rebound after Arsenal keeper David Ospina blocked a close-range shot by left back Josip Pivaric.

Worse followed for the visitors when Giroud was shown a second yellow card for a reckless challenge after he was earlier booked for dissent.

Sensing blood, a fired-up Dinamo came storming out after the interval and livewire Soudani, a handful all night for his markers, hit the post with a glancing header barely a minute into the second half.

The home fans were in raptures in the 58th minute when Chilean Fernandes rose at the near post to head home an inviting Paulo Machado corner past a static Arsenal defence.

Wenger then replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain with Walcott and the winger made a quick impact, racing clear of two markers before he beat the advancing Eduardo with a sublime finish in the 79th minute.

But Arsenal could not force a late equaliser and Dinamo's coach Zoran Mamic was elated with the result.

“I hoped secretly we could pull off a miracle because we were really focused on this one,” he told a news conference.

“A debacle was never on my mind because I knew we could stay on the same par physically with a team uncomfortable against rivals who can keep possession.” – Reuters



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Shaw injury puts Van Gaal on defensive

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Luke Shaw's horrific leg break now has Man United fans worrying about the teams defence as well.

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London - Manchester United fans were already concerned about their side's lack of goalscorers but Luke Shaw's horrific leg break, and likely six month absence now has them worrying about the defence as well.

The England left back suffered a double fracture of his right leg in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League defeat at PSV Eindhoven after a scything tackle in the penalty area by Mexican Hector Moreno.

The game was stopped for eight minutes while medical staff attended to Shaw, who was carried off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask strapped to his face.

United said in an update on Wednesday that Shaw had surgery immediately after the match at the St. Anna Hospital in Geldrop and would remain in Eindhoven to continue his recovery.

His team mates returned home on Wednesday.

Moreno, who broke his leg playing for Mexico against United manager Louis van Gaal's Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup and sent a message of support to Shaw via Twitter, went unpunished.

“It is very bad and sad for him, but also for our team,” said Van Gaal, who replaced Shaw with Argentine Marcos Rojo.

“I'm not a doctor so I cannot say but when you have a double fracture it is four to six months... I hope he will play again this season.”

Shaw had been in top form for club and country after a difficult first year at Old Trafford following his 30 million pounds ($46.27 million) plus move from Southampton.

He had started all of United's eight games as well as playing in the Euro 2016 qualifiers against San Marino and Switzerland, with England manager Roy Hodgson seeing him as a stalwart in the same fashion as Ashley Cole.

His prolonged absence will be a blow for Hodgson, even if England's place at next year's finals in France is already secure, as it will for Van Gaal who had spoken last month of how important the player would be in his lineup.

“Luke is a big talent,” the Dutchman, whose side can no longer count on a dominant Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic-like figure in the heart of the defence, had declared. “I think this shall be the season of Luke Shaw - that I believe.”

Shaw had worked hard on his fitness, paying for a personal trainer to accompany him on holiday in Dubai, and had given United pace down the flank.

With Daley Blind and Chris Smalling in the centre and Matteo Darmian on the right, United have looked solid in defence with fans more focused on where the goals might come from after the exit of Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez and Radamel Falcao.

Apart from Premier League leaders and local rivals Manchester City, who have kept clean sheets in winning their five domestic matches so far, United currently boast the second best defensive record in the top tier along with Arsenal.

Despite that record, there has been concern that the lack of defensive reinforcements in the last transfer window has left United vulnerable to injury.

“He (Shaw) has played so well and been an integral part of this decent start by Manchester United because the back four has been settled,” former Liverpool defender Phil Thompson told Sky Sports television on Wednesday.

Van Gaal will have to change that, with Rojo - who plays left back for Argentina - brought on in a central role at PSV while Blind moved to the left back position instead.

Thompson, for one, was not convinced by the changes which led to both of PSV's goals. The first came after a deflection off Blind, the second when Luciano Narsingh was left unmarked by Rojo to head home.

“Blind and Smalling have been very good,” said Thompson. “Why did he move Blind to left back and Rojo to centre back when that has been your rock?”

Reuters



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We have a long season ahead - Coutinho

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Philippe Coutinho has called for calm ahead of Liverpool's visit to France to take on Bordeaux in the Europa League.

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London - Liverpool attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho has called for calm ahead of his club's visit to France to take on Bordeaux in the Europa League on Thursday after suffering back-to-back defeats in the Premier League.

The Brazilian was shown a red card during Liverpool's 3-0 defeat by West Ham United on Aug. 29 and missed the 3-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford, a result that sent the Merseyside club plunging down to 10th place in the league table.

“It is vital to stay calm, mainly because we are just at the beginning in all competitions,” Coutinho, who is likely to return to the starting line-up against French Ligue 1 side Bordeaux, told the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.com).

“We have a long season ahead and many things can happen. The Premier League is tough - all clubs have great teams - and we know twists and turns will happen.”

The 23-year-old said the league defeats would act as motivation for Liverpool who are struggling to create chances and scored only three times in five league games so far.

“We have to look ahead now and get over these two recent games we lost,” Coutinho said.

“After two consecutive defeats, we're conscious there's going to be more pressure from the outside - we have to do things right on the pitch so we can achieve good results.

“It (Bordeaux) is a very important game as it's our first in the Europa League.”

Reuters



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Referee blunder let off Moreno

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Referee Nicola Rizzoli couldn’t have saved Luke Shaw from breaking his leg but he should have punished Hector Moreno.

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London - Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli couldn’t have saved Luke Shaw from breaking his leg but he could and should have punished PSV and their defender Hector Moreno for the terrible tackle which caused the horrific fracture.

Moreno showed no regard for his opponent’s safety when he flew in to the tackle as the United defender burst into the PSV penalty area.

Moreno’s leading leg might have touched the ball but the way he challenged, at pace and off the ground, it was clear he had no control over his actions.

Rizzoli knows the law and, while the tackle might have looked worse in slow-motion replays that the referee does not see, should detect and punish such tackles made with excessive force.

He is one of UEFA’s very best officials but he really missed a poor tackle here which also should have resulted in a penalty for United as well as the red card for Moreno.

The fact that the Mexican then scored the equaliser really did highlight what a costly mistake the referee had made.

@MAIL_GPoll

Daily Mail



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PSV win a timely boost for Dutch game

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PSV's surprise win over Man United in the Champions League has provided the perfect pick-me-up for Dutch football.

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Eindhoven - With Dutch football in the doldrums due to the national side's Euro 2016 qualifying woes, PSV Eindhoven's surprise 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday has provided the perfect pick-me-up.

“I'm really proud of the way the players performed. They fought like warriors, struggling for every metre,” said PSV coach Phillip Cocu after the opening Group B encounter at the Philips Stadium.

“I could go on about what we could have done better. But it was all about keeping fighting to create chances after going a goal down.”

While the game was somewhat overshadowed by a double leg fracture suffered by United defender Luke Shaw, the victory still delivered a boost for Dutch football.

PSV's fighting sprit was in stark contrast to the national team's embarrassing back-to-back defeats in Euro 2016 qualifiers earlier this month.

The Netherlands, who finished third at the World Cup in Brazil last year, were heavily criticised for limp performances against Iceland and Turkey.

The country's faltering UEFA club coefficient now limits the Netherlands to just two Champions League entries. Former winners Ajax Amsterdam were bundled out by Rapid Vienna in this year's preliminary knockout stages.

Reuters



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Jose on the attack as stakes rise

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In isolation, this run of results is a blip and Mourinho is entitled to the occasional downturn. But this is Chelsea...

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London - With the subject turning to third-season syndrome, Jose Mourinho’s veins started to pop and his eyes began bulging out of their sockets at a perceived sleight on his outstanding managerial c.v.

This was the most animated that people had seen Mourinho in weeks, blowing out his cheeks before delivering another reminder of his achievements in the game. It felt as though he had been waiting to get this off his chest.

‘My third season at Porto, I didn’t have a third season and at Inter I didn’t have a third season,’ he began. ‘My third season at Chelsea, the first time, I won the FA Cup and the Carling Cup and played in the Champions League semi-final.

‘My third season at Real Madrid I won the Super Cup, lost the Cup final and went to the Champions League semi-final. These are my third seasons. So click Google instead of asking stupid questions.’

The internet has not been kind to Mourinho (right) in recent weeks, especially after Chelsea were beaten so soundly for the second successive Barclays Premier League fixture against Everton.

In isolation, this run of results is a blip and Mourinho is entitled to the occasional downturn. But this is Chelsea and very little about the workings of this club could be described as normal. Mourinho added: ‘At other clubs you have to go back two, three, five, six, 10 years to remember good results. In our case you have to go back three months.

‘Three months ago we were the best team in the country, with the best manager, the players. So we’re not happy, but we know what we are. Why should I be in trouble? Why? Because I think it’s a good question that you don’t know the answer to.’

The aura is fading fast, with a vulnerability about this team as they prepare for their opening group game of the Champions League against the Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Mourinho has made some changes to his team, the kind of midweek selections that would usually be understandable ahead of a Saturday lunchtime clash with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

This feels different, with a manager looking at other options as he attempts to come up with the winning formula after this baffling start to the season. Mourinho added: ‘It’s not because we start so bad - and it really is so bad - that somebody can steal what we are. Nobody can steal our trophies, our history. Nobody can do that. You can try, but you can’t do that. We know what we are. Champions of England.’

The Champions League is a big competition for Chelsea, one of the top targets for a manager who would dearly love to win it for the third time in his career. He added: ‘In the Champions League we have to qualify. We are a Champions League team, not a Europa League team. So we have to qualify. If we can get three points, it would be the first step to that.

‘It is a new competition and to start well at home is important.After this we go to Porto and Kiev, two difficult matches, so it will be important to start with a win.

‘But I respect Maccabi. I have studied them and I know the team. I also had information that, in the last week, they trained with a different tactical system and will probably come to play with five defenders.

‘Watford did that last season with the same manager (Slavisa Jokanovic), so we are prepared for both. We are also ready.

‘We know that they can beat us, but we know that we are a better team. Football is not maths.’

Unfortunately, something just doesn’t quite add up.

Daily Mail



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Gerrard ‘never liked black people’

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Steven Gerrard was forced to deny an extraordinary allegation by former team-mate El Hadji Diouf that he has 'never liked black people'.

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Steven Gerrard was last night forced to deny an extraordinary allegation by former Liverpool team-mate El Hadji Diouf that he has ‘never liked black people’.

The Senegal forward also accused Gerrard of being jealous of his achievements and said Liverpool do not welcome black foreigners.

The allegations were immediately and categorically rebuffed by Gerrard through his lawyers and the former England captain is understood to be taking legal advice.

Diouf was responding to comments in Gerrard’s new book My Story,

that the former African Player of the Year, 34, was his least favourite signing who put his social life ahead of football.

Diouf told a Senegalese radio station: ‘We all saw how he made life difficult for Mario Balotelli in Liverpool. I warned him. Liverpool are not a team that welcomes black unless they are British.

‘Gerrard has never liked black people.’

Gerrard was scathing about Diouf in his book, writing: ‘A few people have since asked me if I saw any comparison between Diouf and Mario Balotelli — and I’ve always said no. I’ve got respect for Balotelli; I’ve got none for Diouf.

‘For example, the way he spat a huge globule of gunky phlegm at a Celtic fan in a Uefa Cup match at Parkhead in March 2003 summed up his contemptuous and spiteful demeanour.

Liverpool declined to comment about Diouf’s claims yesterday but another black ex-Liverpool player, Ryan Babel, tweeted: ‘I did not get that feeling from Steve G so I think he [Diouf] got it wrong.’ – Daily Mail



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Bale worry for Benitez

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Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez fears Gareth Bale could be set for a significant spell on the sidelines due to a calf muscle injury.

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Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez fears Welsh star Gareth Bale could be set for a significant spell on the sidelines due to a calf muscle injury.

Bale was forced off after just half an hour of Madrid's 4-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk to open the Spanish giants' Champions League campaign on Tuesday.

Karim Benzema opened the scoring before Cristiano Ronaldo struck his second hat-trick in as many games to move clear of Lionel Messi as the competition's all-time leading goalscorer with 80.

“Great win at home to kick off our #UCL campaign, gutted to go off but hopefully nothing too serious,” Bale posted on his official Twitter account.

However, Benitez was more pessimistic over his chances of facing Granada on Saturday.

“Bale had a spasm in his calf muscle,” said Benitez.

“We must wait a day or two to see how serious it is. He had a similar issue last year.”

Bale was sidelined for nearly three weeks with a calf problem last season that forced him to miss the second leg of Real's Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.

Should the injury be more serious, he could also miss out on sealing Wales' qualification for an international tournament for the first time since 1958 when they travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina before hosting Andorra next month.

Defenders Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos also had to be replaced due to minor ankle and shoulder injuries respectively, but Benitez is more confident that they could be fit for the weekend.

“Obviously we have to wait, I said before two of them are knocks. Gareth is the only one that I am a little bit more negative with but I have to wait to see what the doctor says.”

Early season fears that Benitez's Madrid might not have the same attacking prowess as in previous seasons have been dispelled as Los Blancos have now scored 15 times in their last three outings.

However, the former Liverpool and Chelsea boss was also keen to stress the importance of keeping their fourth consecutive clean sheet against a talented Shakhtar side.

“It was a difficult game. They are a team that control the ball well and that makes it more difficult when it comes to defending,” he added.

“They have fast and skillful players. Despite not shining, we had plenty of chances and were clinical.

“I am satisfied to have taken our chances and to not concede any goals. The only negative was the injuries to the three players we had to substitute.” – AFP



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Liverpool’s Ibe commits to England

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Liverpool's Jordon Ibe has confirmed he intends to play for England if called up to the senior side.

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Liverpool's Jordon Ibe has confirmed he intends to play for England if called up to the senior side.

The winger is also eligible to play for Nigeria through his father, but has progressed through England's youth teams and made his under-21 debut for the Three Lions this month.

“It was my choice and it feels the right choice for me,” the 19-year-old told the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.com).

“I was born here and have played in the younger age groups. I want to take it up to the first team one day.”

“You want to represent your country well. Even at times when you've not got games for Liverpool, doing well with England is vital,” he added. – Reuters



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Di Maria scores for PSG

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Angel Di Maria needed only four minutes to make his mark back in Europe's elite competition as Paris St Germain beat Swedish champions Malmo 2-0.

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Paris - Angel Di Maria, playing his first Champions League game since he appeared in the 2014 final with Real Madrid, needed only four minutes to make his mark back in Europe's elite competition as Paris St Germain beat Swedish champions Malmo 2-0 on Tuesday.

The colly efficient nature of their Group A win underlined the belief they are likely to advance from Group A with 10-time European champions Real with Edinson Cavani wrapping up the victory with a 61st minute header at the Parc des Princes.

Di Maria grabbed the spotlight from Zlatan Ibrahimovic who looked a little ring-rusty against his first club after his injury-blighted satart to the season.

He was replaced by Javier Pastore 15 minutes from time.

Malmo thought their moment had come in the 26th minute but Markus Rosenberg's goal was disallowed after the forward had fouled Thiago Silva.

“It's important to start with a win,” said coach Laurent Blanc.

“But in the first half we could have been more patient. At the end of the day we could have scored three or four goals.”

PSG thought they had added a third through Ezequiel Lavezzi at the end but the goal was disallowed when Cavani was adjudged to be in an offside position.

Much of the build up to the match centered on Ibrahimovic facing his boyhood side, but the Swede, who missed the last league game because of an abdominal muscle injury, for once did not take the starring role.

“It was like a dream, playing against them,” said Ibrahimovic afterwards.

But the leading role fell to Di Maria, back in the competition after his miserable season at Manchester United last year.

He showed he has what it takes to lift PSG to the next level after the French champions were knocked out in the quarter-finals in the three previous editions.

The Argentine, who left Manchester for Paris this summer, beat the offside trap to collect Marco Verratti's pass on the right flank and from the inside the box, whipped the ball into the far top corner for his first PSG goal.

Di Maria came close to doubling the tally but his long-range attempt shaved Johan Wiland's right post as PSG imposed their possessive pattern on the game.

Malmo, however, played tighter after the break but they still conceded another just after the hour when Cavani headed home after Maxwell's cross from the left had been deflected into his path by Ibrahimovic.

David Luiz, unmarked at the penalty spot, missed an opportunity to put the hammer down on the game, sending a header straight at Wiland from close range.

The visitors, however, appeared to have abandoned all hope by then and with the three points secured, Blanc substituted Di Maria, who received warm applause from the crowd, with Lavezzi coming on five minutes from time.

Di Maria and PSG travel to Ukraine to face Shakhtar in their next match before he has a chance to repeat his magic against his former club when Real visit the Parc des Princes on October 21. Real started their campaign with a 4-0 win over Shakhtar on Tuesday. – Reuters



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United’s Shaw suffers double break

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PSV Eindhoven fought back to claim victory against a Manchester United side who lost Luke Shaw to a leg fracture.

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Eindhoven, The Netherlands - PSV Eindhoven's Luciano Narsingh struck a second-half winner as they fought back to claim a 2-1 victory against a Manchester United side who lost Luke Shaw to a double leg fracture in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Left back Shaw was taken off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask strapped to his face after suffering the injury to his right leg in the early stages of the Group B game.

The match looked to be heading United's way and their close-season signing from PSV, Memphis Depay, reminded fans at the Philips Stadium of his prowess with a superb 41st-minute opener.

The hosts, however, caught United napping at a corner in first-half stoppage time as Hector Moreno, whose crunching tackle had forced Shaw to leave the pitch, equalised before a swift breakaway set up the 57th-minute winner.

“We are dominating the game, we are creating chances and we are not finishing. The first chance they have, the corner kick, they scored,” said United manager Louis van Gaal.

“The second goal, we were attacking and then we lose the ball in the first phase and they scored. It's fantastic for PSV but for us it is very bad.”

PSV manager Phillip Cocu told a news conference: “We displayed some good football at times but mostly we fought hard. We kept fighting after going behind, fighting to create chances.

“They play so easily, you just don't get many chances against United. But we took ours. The supporters were fantastic. Together they took us over the winning line.”

Depay welcomed

United took the game to PSV with the 21-year-old Depay, warmly welcomed back by the home supporters, and newly-signed former AS Monaco forward Anthony Martial looking dangerous in a two-pronged attack.

Depay's pass set up Martial, the world's most expensive teenager, for what should have been a tap-in from close range after seven minutes but the French youngster failed to put enough force into the effort.

Shaw's injury came after 15 minutes when a burst of acceleration put him through on goal before he was halted by Moreno's poor challenge, which went unpunished.

The match was halted for eight minutes as medics put Shaw on a stretcher and took him off the pitch.

Depay's goal was a breathtaking display of footwork, set up by fellow Dutchman Daley Blind, who was jeered throughout the game because of his previous connection to Ajax Amsterdam.

As the match went into a lengthy period of stoppage time at the end of the first half, Moreno rose to head home a corner, with Blind helping the ball into his own net.

United dominated the exchanges in the second half but were caught out by a sucker punch early on as they pressed high up the pitch.

A searching pass from Andres Guardado in midfield found Maxime Lestienne out on the left and his perfect cross eluded the visiting defence to allow Narsingh to stoop and head home.

Juan Mata should have equalised for United just after the hour mark but let a brilliant lofted pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger slip under his foot with the goal begging.

REUTERS



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De Sa hopes that Ajax learnt from last final

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The stage is set for an intriguing MTN8 final when Ajax Cape Town and Kaizer Chiefs do battle at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

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The stage is set for an intriguing MTN8 final when Ajax Cape Town and Kaizer Chiefs do battle at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon (3pm).

Not only is this fixture one of the more anticipated on the football programme, not only has it produced some epic clashes down the years, but now there’s extra spice added because of Ajax’s displeasure at Chiefs’ proposal to play three home games in the Mother City.

Toss in the fact that Chiefs are defending PSL and MTN8 champions and that much-improved and highly-ambitious Ajax have an exciting squad studded with a host of top-quality young players, and all of this makes for a mouth-watering Cup final in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Ajax coach Roger de Sa is determined that his men go one better this time around.

In May, the Capetonians made it to the final of the Nedbank Cup final, only to lose on penalties to Mamelodi Sundowns. De Sa is of the opinion the experience of that loss will provide motivation ahead of Saturday’s finale against the popular Soweto club.

“I’m hoping that we’ve learnt from the last one,” said De Sa. “If so, we should be able to do better this time, and turn that last result around.

“It’s been tough journey to the final. We had to play Orlando Pirates away from home and win, and then we had a tough games against Wits home and away… we rode our luck at times – but, in football, you need a bit of luck to be successful.”

De Sa rested star teenager Rivaldo Coetzee for the weekend’s 2-1 PSL win over Polokwane City at the Cape Town Stadium, but he’s confident the Bafana Bafana man will be back, fit and raring to go on Saturday.

“I’m sure Rivaldo will be fine,” said De Sa. “We didn’t want to play him too soon after he returned slightly injured from national duty last week. So we gave him some time to rest and recover. He’ll have full training sessions this week and he’ll be okay.”

De Sa, though, admitted that, in Chiefs, they faced a really tough opponent. “Chiefs have a fantastic pedigree,” said the Ajax coach. “They certainly don’t lose too many finals… It’s won’t be easy, that’s for sure. And my players know they are in for a difficult one on Saturday. Chiefs are League and Cup champions…

“But the good thing for the Ajax youngsters is that it is their second Cup final in a very short space of time. They are looking forward to it and eager to be on the winning side.”



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Wilshere set to be sidelined for months

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Arsenal's injury-prone England midfielder Jack Wilshere needs surgery on a shin injury and will be missing for about three months.

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London - Arsenal's injury-prone England midfielder Jack Wilshere needs surgery on a shin injury and will be missing for about three months, the club confirmed on Tuesday.

He has a hairline fracture of the left leg and has not played this season.

“Jack will have surgery in London in the forthcoming days. This will involve inserting a small plate in his left fibula,” the club said on their website (www.arsenal.com). “Jack is likely to be out for approximately three months.”

He will miss England's final European Championship matches next month.

Wilshere, 23, who missed the whole of the 2011-12 season through injury, managed only 14 league games last season.

It is a further blow for Arsenal, whose England striker Danny Welbeck is out for some time following knee surgery. – Reuters



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Chiefs turn to hatchet man Katsande

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Kaizer Chiefs are set to deploy hatchet man Willard Katsande to lessen the impact of Ajax’s creative midfield sparks.

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Kaizer Chiefs game plan to neutralise Ajax Cape Town’s strengths in Saturday’s MTN8 final at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth appears to revolve around the tackling and aggression of combative central midfielder Willard Katsande.

The Zimbabwean strongman was rested in the 4-1 victory over SuperSport United at the weekend. Katsande was on three yellow cards and, because he is such a vital cog in the team’s overall defensive organisation, Chiefs decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Another yellow card and he would have missed the Cup final.

It’s a clear sign that, on Saturday, hatchet man Katsande will be deployed to lessen the impact of Ajax’s creative midfield sparks.

Ironically, it was Ajax who initially brought Zimbabwean Katsande to South Africa, signing him from Gunners FC in 2010. He never really featured much for the Cape side, though – and Chiefs took advantage by poaching the player and turning him into one of the best holding midfielders in the PSL.

Chiefs come off a morale-boosting victory over SuperSport – and the result and performance will certainly inject a measure of confidence going into the final against Ajax.

New Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has done a superb job since taking over from Stuart Baxter. And the 48-year-old former Bafana captain certainly had to earn his salary on Saturday. Down 1-0 to a very strong SuperSport team, Komphela needed all his motivational skill and tactical nous to inspire the Soweto side’s second half fight-back.

“We interpreted the match and came up with solutions,” said Komphela. “We needed more movement, so settled things down in the dressing-room, we changed our structure, and the team then applied itself in the second half… that made all the difference.”

Katsande, too, was all praise for the work done by Komphela this season. “He’s a good coach,” said Katsande. “He’s just followed on from Stuart Baxter last season… Steve’s strength is his motivation and his ability to get the best out of the squad.”

Meanwhile, George Lebese is quickly establishing himself as a player to watch. He netted two goals in the win over SuperSport to continue his magnificent start to the season – and, no doubt, he’ll be the goal-ace Komphela will rely on on Saturday.

“George (Lebese) has a good instinct for goal,” said Komphela.

“He just keeps scoring and, to get that from a wide player, is always a positive.” - Cape Times



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