Casemiro scored twice on Saturday as Manchester United turned on the style to beat 10-man Reading 3-1 and reach the fifth round of the FA Cup, as Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min ended his recent goal drought.
On a day lacking major shocks, there were wins for English Premier League strugglers Leeds United, Leicester City and Southampton, but Fulham were held by EFL Championship side Sunderland.
United produced more compelling evidence they are back on track under new manager Erik ten Hag.
Photo: AFP
The home side took the lead at Old Trafford in the 54th minute when Anthony produced a defense-splitting pass to find Brazilian teammate Casemiro, who lifted the ball over goalkeeper Joe Lumley.
Four minutes later United were two up, when Casemiro let fly with a stunning strike from outside the box to find the bottom corner.
With the home side brimming with confidence, substitute Fred produced an audacious flick from Bruno Fernandes’ low cross to the near post to make the game safe.
By then ,Reading were down to 10 men after Andy Carroll was sent off for a second booking, but Paul Ince’s side still managed to score a consolation goal.
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire said that former Real Madrid star Casemiro was a “phenomenal player.”
“You don’t win what he’s won without being a top player,” he said. “He’s improved the team, the morale and the performance.”
Harry Kane was left on the bench for Spurs’ match at Preston North End, meaning he missed out on a chance to break his tie with Jimmy Greaves and become Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer.
In the absence of the England captain, Son stepped up with two fine finishes for a much-needed confidence boost.
The South Korean, who shared the Premier League’s Golden Boot last season, had scored just once in his previous 17 appearances for club and country.
Yet 30-year-old Son brought the fourth-round tie to life after a lackluster first half with a sumptuous curling strike with his left foot, and he killed the tie off 21 minutes from time by spinning his marker and firing high past Freddie Woodman.
Arnaut Danjuma then marked his debut for Tottenham with a goal as his scuffed finish from Dejan Kulusevski’s cross found the bottom corner to make it 3-0.
“I needed those goals for my confidence,” Son said. “As a striker or as an attacking player, the important thing is that you get that goal.”
Carlos Alcaraz on Monday powered into the French Open second round with a resounding win to start his title defense, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and is to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. “The first round is never
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
RSS