Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and holders Arsenal reached the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday, with the Gunners progressing after repeating the victory that saw them win the title last year.
Arsenal beat Hull City 2-0 at home in a rematch of last year’s final, which saw Arsene Wenger’s side end their nine-year trophy drought by rallying to win 3-2.
The reunion with Steve Bruce’s Hull was a less dramatic affair: Per Mertesacker headed Arsenal in front from Alexis Sanchez’s 20th-minute corner and the Chilean sealed victory with a precise shot eight minutes from time.
Photo: Reuters
Premier League joint-leaders City got a scare from second-tier Sheffield Wednesday before coming through 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium thanks to a 91st-minute winner from James Milner.
Wednesday lost 7-0 at City in a League Cup match in September last year, but took a 14th-minute lead through Atdhe Nuhiu, only for Milner to equalize in the 66th minute before snatching the last-gasp winner to celebrate his 29th birthday.
City’s cross-town rivals Manchester United also recorded a hard-fought victory over lower-league opposition, winning 2-0 at third-division Yeovil Town.
United manager Louis van Gaal named a strong side featuring Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao — the Colombian’s first FA Cup tie — but had to wait until the 64th for Ander Herrera to put the visitors in front with a glorious long-range strike.
Yeovil continued to press, but United killed the game off in the last minute when Rooney freed substitute Angel di Maria to run through and chip home.
Chelsea enjoyed a rather more straightforward victory, winning 3-0 at home to second-tier Watford courtesy of second-half strikes by Willian, Loic Remy and Kurt Zouma.
It could prove a positive omen for Jose Mourinho’s side, as Chelsea beat Watford en route to glory in the competition in 1970, 2009 and 2010.
Southampton were taken to a replay by Championship side Ipswich Town after a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s, while it took a powerful late effort by Christian Benteke for Aston Villa to beat second-tier Blackpool 1-0.
Non-league Wrexham of the fifth-tier Football Conference came within 10 minutes of creating another piece of FA Cup history, only to lose 3-1 at top-flight Stoke City.
However, Marko Arnautovic stabbed home an equalizer in the 80th minute before Stephen Ireland claimed a late brace to send Mark Hughes’ side through.
Alan Pardew made a winning start to life as manager of Crystal Palace, who won 4-0 at non-league Dover Athletic thanks to a first-half double by centerback Scott Dann and goals from Dwight Gayle and Kevin Doyle.
Meanwhile, Sunderland repeated their victory over Leeds United in the 1973 final with an identical 1-0 home win over the Championship club courtesy of a 33rd-minute effort by Patrick van Aanholt.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
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