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EPL: Tottenham Thrash Man United 3-0 To Compound Ten Hag’s Woes

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Tottenham piled more pressure on Erik ten Hag’s position as Man United manager with a dominant 3-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Spurs made a flying start when Brennan Johnson tapped in from Micky Van de Ven’s storming run after three minutes.

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Tottenham should have added to their lead long before Man United were reduced to 10 men when captain Fernandes was shown a straight red card on 42 minutes.

Dejan Kulusevski finally doubled the visitors advantage two minutes into the second half before Dominic Solanke rounded off the scoring.

Ten Hag began the season under scrutiny after surviving an internal review at the end of last season.

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A shock FA Cup final victory over Manchester City was widely credited with saving the former Ajax coach’s job after finishing eighth in the Premier League last season.

A third defeat in United’s first six league games of the new campaign leaves the Red Devils down in 11th and time surely running out for their beleaguered boss.

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United face daunting trips to Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa on league duty next weekend before a two-week international break that clubs often use to implement managerial change.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was himself under pressure just over a week ago.

But Spurs have won four games in 12 days and turned in arguably their best performance of the Australian’s reign.

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Van de Ven’s stunning surge from well inside his own half to the United by-line set the tone as his cross left Johnson a simple task to score for the fourth consecutive game.

Tottenham were without injured captain Son Heung-min and missed the South Korean’s clinical finishing as they tried to kill the game off.

Andre Onana saved one-on-ones from James Maddison and Timo Werner, while Johnson smashed another effort off the post.

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At the other end, Joshua Zirzkee had United’s best chance to equalise when he was denied by a brilliant low save from Guglielmo Vicario.

Any hope of a United fightback was killed off by a moment of madness from their skipper.

READ ALSO: Crystal Palace Thrash Man Utd 4-0 To Leave Ten Hag’s Future In Doubt

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Fernandes slipped as he slid into a challenge with Maddison but raised his studs to catch the England international.

Ten Hag responded by sacrificing his only striker in Zirkzee for the much-criticised Casemiro at half-time.

The Brazilian was one of those at fault for the second Tottenham goal.

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Solanke outmuscled Casemiro to send Johnson tearing down the right and his deflected cross was cleverly flicked beyond Onana by Kulusevski.

Thereafter the 10 men showed plenty of fight and Casemiro came close to halving United’s deficit.

But more calamitous defending allowed Solanke to slide in Tottenham’s third from a corner.

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Solanke should have rubbed salt into United wounds when Onana saved another one-on-one.

READ ALSO: EPL: Ten Hag Reveals Mistake Man Utd Made Against Fulham

The travelling support taunted Ten Hag with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” during the second half.

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United’s new football leadership team handed the Dutchman an extension to his contract less than three months ago.

How quickly they backtrack on that decision now appears a matter of time.

Manchester United’s Dutch manager Erik ten Hag reacts after the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 29, 2024.

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Manchester United’s Portuguese midfielder #08 Bruno Fernandes is sent off by English referee Chris Kavanagh during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 29, 2024.

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Sports Commission Boss Hails Edo Swimmers For Performance At CNS Swimming Tournament

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The Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has commended Team Edo athletes for their performance at the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Junior and Senior Swimming Competition, which came to end Thursday in Asaba, Delta.

In the tournament, Team Edo recorded a total of 5 gold, 14 silver, and 5 bronze medals in the Junior category, while the Senior swimmers secured 2 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals — bringing the team’s total to 31 medals.

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In a statement signed by his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, Enabulele commended the swimmers for their remarkable achievements at the national event.

I am particularly thrilled by Precious Tissa’s exceptional performance, winning three gold medals for Edo State at the CNS Swimming Competition,” he said.

READ ALSO: Enabulele Hails Edo-born Athletes’ International Feats

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He also celebrated the accomplishments of other Edo swimmers, noting, “Athletes such as Forcados Funfumimi, Christian Obomanu, Solid Government, and Victor Uruonah delivered brilliant performances, clinching gold in the Mixed Medley Relay.

“This feat is a clear testament to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s unwavering commitment to grassroots sports development in Edo State.”

Enabulele further highlighted individual successes among the senior athletes: “On Day 3, Peremoboere Kimikiagha took gold in the 200m Freestyle, while Lucky Ayemi won silver in the same event and added another gold in the Under-18 category.”

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He expressed confidence in the team’s future prospects.

He stated, “Our athletes have distinguished themselves at this national championship, and I am optimistic that these victories will inspire even greater performances in upcoming competitions.”

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Ex-Super Eagles Coach, Monday Sinclair, Is Dead

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Former Super Eagles interim head coach, Monday Sinclair, is dead.

Sinclair died at the age of 88.

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His death was confirmed on Wednesday by former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peterside Idah, who played under him at Sharks FC and considered him a mentor.

Peterside wrote in a tribute shared via Facebook on Wednesday, “Our daddy is gone. What a man.

“He signed me to play for Sharks. Gave me my first match against Niger Tornadoes of Minna.

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READ ALSO:JUST IN: Awujale Of Ijebu, Oba Sikiru Adetona, Is Dead

The first day he saw me come to train with Sharks, he said, ‘My friend, are you a boxer?’

“He said I was built like Tyson. From that day, I found me a football father. I became very close to him and his family, with Puppa K as a very close brother.”

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Sinclair, who featured for the Green Eagles in the 1960s, was widely respected for his sharp eye for talent and enduring contribution to football development in Nigeria.

He began his coaching career with the now-defunct Sharks FC of Rivers State, before going on to handle Niger Tornadoes, Enugu Rangers, and Bayelsa United.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Former President Muhammadu Buhari Is Dead

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In 1997, he was appointed interim coach of the Super Eagles and later served as head coach of the Equatorial Guinea national team.

Sinclair was credited with mentoring some of Nigeria’s most iconic footballers, including Peter Rufai, Taribo West, Finidi George, and Peterside himself.

His grassroots influence left an enduring legacy on Nigerian football.

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His passing comes just days after the death of another football legend, Peter Rufai, who battled a long-term illness.

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Messi’s Multi-goal Streak Ends As Cincinnati Beats Miami 3-0

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Lionel Messi’s Major League Soccer-record streak of multi-goal games ended at five on Wednesday as his Inter Miami squad was blanked 3-0 at FC Cincinnati.

The 38-year-old Argentine star forward had scored a brace, two goals, in five consecutive matches for Miami, giving him 16 goals on the season as Inter managed four wins and a draw in the run.

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Not since 2012 when he played for Barcelona had Messi netted a brace or more in five consecutive matches.

But Cincinnati kept Miami to only two shots on goal in the contest.

Clearly today we were outplayed from the beginning of the match,” Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said through a translator.

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It was very difficult for us to win the individual duels. Maybe one of the reasons is that physically we come with a very big hustle and bustle and in the long run we end up paying.

READ ALSO:No Messi Or Ronaldo: Trump Names His Greatest Footballer Of All Time

“Leo suffered a knock at the end but it ended well.”

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US 20-year-old midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring for Cincinnati in the 16th minute.

Brazilian striker Evander followed with a goal in the 50th minute and struck again in the 70th to provide all the scoring the hosts needed.

We didn’t play the game we wanted. They put us under pressure all the time, we weren’t fresh or lucid and they beat us very well,” Mascherano said.

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Miami fell to 11-4 with five drawn for 38 points, fifth in the Eastern Conference and eight points adrift of first-place Philadelphia, the overall MLS leader which beat Montreal to stay one point ahead of Cincinnati in the overall MLS standings.

Inter Miami has three games in hand on both clubs but would need to win them all to overtake their rivals for the overall league lead.

READ ALSO:Messi, Inter Miami Fight Back For 3-3 Draw At Philadelphia

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“The opponent outplayed us from start to finish,” Mascherano said. “The result and the way they beat us obviously worries us. Now we have to rest and think about the next game.”

That will come on Saturday when Miami will visit the New York Red Bulls, who got two goals each from Cameroon’s Eric Choupo-Moting and Sweden’s Emil Forsberg in a 5-3 home win over New England on Wednesday.

– De Paul to join Miami –

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A source close to negotiations told AFP on Wednesday that Inter Miami has agreed on terms with Argentine international Rodrigo De Paul, a midfielder for Atletico Madrid.

The deal is for the next four seasons with De Paul to play the remainder of 2025 in Miami on loan from Atletico Madrid with a subsequent purchase option for Inter worth more than $12 million.

De Paul could play for Miami for the first time on July 30 against Mexican side Atlas in Inter’s debut match in the Leagues Cup, a tournament between MLS and Mexican League clubs.

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READ ALSO:Biden To Honour Messi, Denzel Washington, 17 Others With Top US Award

He will leave Europe after four seasons in Madrid to join countryman Messi 11 months before the World Cup to be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Messi has not said if he will play in the World Cup.

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De Paul and Messi were teammates on Argentina’s 2022 World Cup champions and reuniting them could help entice Messi to sign a new contract with Inter, whose deal with the superstar expires at the end of this year.

The club wants Messi to stay for the 2026 season, in which Inter will open a new stadium in Miami.

DePaul, 31, joins a Miami core that includes Messi, Uruguayan Luis Suarez and Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

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Charlotte was named host city for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday. This year’s all-star matchup will be in Austin, Texas, next Wednesday with the MLS All-Stars facing the Mexican League All-Stars.

 

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