Sports

Jonathan Cook’s World Game Wrap-Up

Posted on | Posted by Jonathan Cook

Bruno at the double for Glory

Perth Glory started their three-game Tasmanian adventure on a winning note thanks to two goals from Bruno Fornaroli at UTAS Stadium.

Former Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge made an appearance off the bench but the plaudits belonged to Fornaroli.

The Uruguayan scored from the penalty spot just eight minutes into Glory’s clash with Brisbane Roar, and then produced a fine finish in the 73rd minute to seal a 2-0 victory.

Glory will remain on the Apple Isle for matches against Macarthur on Wednesday and Western United on Sunday as part of a deal with the Tasmanian State Government.

A COVID-ravaged match schedule has made it impossible to predict how the top six will shape up with clubs having played a varying number of matches.

The win over Brisbane lifted Glory off the bottom of the table to ninth. They are seven points behind third-placed Adelaide United but have five games in hand on the South Australian club.

Scorpion kick stunner

A new pair of boots helped Ben Garuccio break a four-year goal drought in spectacular fashion as Western United beat Western Sydney Wanderers 3-2 at AAMI Park.

Garuccio’s back heel scorpion kick was one of two goals the defender scored as Western United went back to the top of the A-League.

Having not scored since March 2018, when he found the net for Adelaide against Wellington, goals don’t come easily for Garuccio, and his second goal in this match wasn’t easy to produce.

With the a ball played in behind him, Garuccio improvised by flicking his heels behind him and finding the net with an amazing scorpion kick.

There is no doubt he meant it but Garuccio admitted afterwards that he was unlikely to get the same result even if he tried it another 1000 times.

Man Utd survive scare

Manchester United survived a second-half Leeds United fightback to secure three points at Elland Road.

United were cruising with a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes. As is their way under Ralf Rangnick, United allowed the home side back into the game, which was level just nine minutes after the restart.

But goals from Rodrigo and Raphinha, just a minute apart, gave the home side belief that did not last.

Substitute Fred put United in front just three minutes after his introduction from the bench, and Anthony Elanga sealed the win with two minutes left.

Kane on song as City lose

Manchester City went from a crushing 5-0 Champions League victory over Sporting Lisbon to Premier League defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the space of just five days.

Although City strolled against Sporting, both manager Pep Guardiola and midfielder Bernardo Silva had not been entirely happy with the performance.

Whatever cracks they had seen were wedged open by Spurs, who secured a 3-2 win, thanks in large part to Harry Kane.

The England international scored twice, including a stoppage time header, to inflict City’s first defeat in 16 matches.

PSG suffer surprise defeat

Manchester City weren’t the only team suffering a Champions League hangover with star-studded Paris St Germain also finding it tough in their return to domestic action.

After Kylian Mbappe’s dazzling goal earned a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League contest, the French league leaders lost for just the second time this season.

Nantes climbed to fifth on the table after scoring three first-half goals and then holding out for a 3-1 win.

Brazilian star Neymar scored for PSG but also had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Alban Lafont, who had an inspired performance and has now saved three of the last four penalties he has faced in the league.

Despite the defeat, PSG stayed 13 points clear of second-placed Marseille, who lost 2-0 at home to Clermont.

Diaz gets first goal for Reds

Luis Diaz scored his first Premier League goal as Liverpool overcame stubborn Norwich City to take advantage of Manchester City’s slip.

Norwich gave as good as they received and even took the lead against Liverpool when Milot Rashica found the back of the net just three minutes into the second half.

But a spectacular overhead kick from Sadio Mane drew them level before Mohamed Salah scored his 150th Liverpool goal to calm nerves at Anfield.

Diaz, who signed from Porto last month for around AUD$70 million, finished off the 3-1 victory with a clever finish in the 81st minute.

Burnley back in the fight

Burnley boss Sean Dyche will have few regrets about Chris Wood’s departure to Newcastle as the big striker’s replacement settles in at Turf Moor.

Dutchman Wout Weghorst, who signed from Wolfsburg, scored his first Burnley goal and set up another as the Clarets revitalised their survival push with a 3-0 win over Brighton.

Weghorst was brought in for less than half the AUD$47 million Burnley received for the sale of Wood, who is yet to score in five appearances for Newcastle.

The win, which lifted Burnley off the bottom of the table, came despite Dyche’s men having to take a six-hour coach ride to England’s south coast after their flight was cancelled due to bad weather.

Burnley climbed above Norwich on goal difference and are five points behind Newcastle, who are fourth bottom.

Watford also re-joined the battle to stay in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

Inter and AC stumble

Napoli will retake top spot in Serie A if they win away at Cagliari tonight after Italy’s top-two teams dropped points at the weekend.

There was embarrassment on both sides of Milan as AC could only draw with last-placed Salernitana on Saturday before Inter lost 2-0 at home to Sassuolo on Sunday.

The slip-ups allowed Milan to stay top of the table (on 56 points), two points ahead of Inter, but with Napoli (53 points) poised to pounce.

Simeone Inzaghi’s Inter blew their chance to overtake their city rivals in the race for the title when they were undone by goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca.

Aubameyang gets Barca hat-trick

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a hat-trick for Barcelona, including a fortuitous third goal, in a 4-1 La Liga win over Valencia.

There was no doubt about the former Arsenal striker’s first two goals, although his third was originally given to Pedri. Aubameyang was later awarded the goal when officials spotted Pedri’s shot glancing off the back of Barca’s new centre forward.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid made hard work of a 3-0 victory over Alaves to extend their lead at the top to six points over Sevilla.

Real found the breakthrough after 63 minutes through Marco Asensio before Vinicius Junior’s 80th-minute goal gave them breathing space. Karim Benzema scored a stoppage time penalty.

Second-placed Sevilla were held to a 1-1 draw at Espanyol.




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