ATLETICO MADRID 1 - 0 BAYERN MÜNCHEN: Match Report

And it is a loss for Bayern München

Atletico Madrid took a major step towards the last 16 of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over German champions Bayern Munich at the Vicente Calderon.

The draw for the group stage brought together two heavyweights of European football and they did not disappoint in a pulsating contest.

Atletico ended Bayern's dreams of a sixth European Cup title at the semi-final stage of last season's competition and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco's first-half strike set the Spanish side on course for a repeat of their victory on home soil in April.

Bayern had reeled off 11 successive wins in all competitions since that aggregate defeat but they could not force an equaliser as Atletico saw the game out despite Antoine Griezmann's late penalty miss.

Fernando Torres had an early sight of goal after dispossessing Javi Martinez but the Bayern defender recovered well to prevent the Spaniard from getting a shot away.

Thomas Muller tested Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak with a well-struck volley from Thiago's lofted ball into the box, while at the other end Carrasco's fierce drive was kept out low down by Manuel Neuer.

Torres passed up a glorious opportunity to open the scoring when, unmarked, he somehow headed against a post after Koke's corner was inadvertently flicked on by Robert Lewandowski to the back post.

Lewandowski headed straight at Oblak from Philipp Lahm's cross and Torres could only hit the side-netting from an acute angle as the sides continued to trade chances in an end-to-end first half.

The deadlock was finally broken 10 minutes from the break when Carrasco became just the second player this season to breach Bayern's defence.

Photocredit: goal.com

The Belgium international was allowed to run into space by a clever Griezmann pass and he reached the edge of the box before firing a left-footed strike across Neuer and in off his left-hand post.

Franck Ribery dragged a good chance wide as Bayern sought an immediate response while Muller headed off target from a corner just after the break.

The hosts rarely threatened in the early stages of the second period but midway through the half Carrasco tested Neuer with a curling 25-yard effort.

Bayern were doing most of the running without posing much of a threat and they were almost caught on the break when Griezmann looped a header onto the roof of the net from Torres' ball in.

The visitors upped the pace as full-time loomed, with Lewandowski heading wide and Arjen Robben sending a shot just wide after a one-two with Arturo Vidal.

Griezmann was presented with the perfect opportunity to wrap up the win from the penalty spot six minutes from time after Vidal's rash challenge on Luis but his spot-kick hit the bar with Neuer rooted to the spot.

The France international's miss mattered little in the end as Atletico comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to make it two wins from two in Group D.

Arsenal vs Basel match report: Theo Walcott maintains impressive start with brace in Gunners win

Photo credit: goal.com

Theo Walcott stole the show as Arsenal sauntered to their first Champions League win of the season. Picking up where he left off against Chelsea, Walcott put Basel to the sword with two first-half goals amid one of his finest Arsenal displays. Walcott, 27, confirmed on the eve of this routine 2-0 victory over a limited Basel here at the Emirates that he just wishes he had seen the light earlier in his career. Last season he only started one of Arsenal’s last 14 games. He has started all but one this and now has five goals to his name after scoring the two goals against the Basel.

Arsenal has now gone eight matches unbeaten in all competitions and are now joint leaders with PSG who was victorious over Ludogorets in the Group A table
Cazorla's lofted pass picked out the run into the left channel by Sanchez, who produced a slick cross that left Walcott with the simple task of nodding the ball into the net from close range and he added a second with a low drive after a smooth one-two with Sanchez.

Photo credit: independent.co.uk

Photo credit: bleacherreport.com

The Basel kept the score still with god saves from Bellerin, Ozil, Montreal and Sanchez. The score could have been anything at half-time and, although the tempo dropped after the break, this was still an emphatic Arsenal victory.

With such ability and mobility that Arsenal seemed to have put in this season, they could go a long way in Europe.

Borrusia Dortmund draws with Real Madrid thanks to Dortmund's Schurrle

Real Madrid could have won in Germany but, again, at the end of the game, the rival scored the draw. Los Blancos dominated the game, scored first twice but couldn’t obtain the victory for the first time in the history in the Westfallen Stadium.

Keylor Navas started for the first time in the season and was one of the protagonist of the game, both for his mistake in the first goal and for the many saves. Cristiano Ronaldo also played better than Las Palmas answering to all the criticism in these past weeks.

Real Madrid started the game quite well. The midfielders had the ball and Los Blancos took the control, even Cristiano could score from a free kick. However, in the minute 10th, Borussia Dortmund started to arrive to Keylor Navas’ goal, who was great to save a couple of chances. But Real Madrid took the lead quite quickly, in the 17th minute, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo. The game was quite balanced but a mistake was made and Aubameyang scored the draw.

Photo credit: goal.com

 In the last minute of the first half, Cristiano scored from a header but he was in offside.In the second half, Real Madrid looked for the second goal and tried harder and harder. Finally, Varane scored the second goal after a missed chance from Benzema. The French guy was one of the worse players of the team, but Zidane didn’t change him until the end. Borussia Dortmund pushed for the goal but Keylor Navas answered to all the chances. However, in the 86th minute, Schurrle scored thanks to a great shot with the left.

Photo credit: goal.com

Finally, a good draw for Real Madrid and good result after playing much better but, again at the end, couldn’t held the result. Los Blancos are in the second position of the group stage after Borussia Dortmund with the same points -4-. Then, Sporting Lisbon with 3 points and Legia Warsaw with 0 points close the group.

Leicester win their first home game in the Champions League

Islam Slimani scores the only goal for the Foxes with a header

Photo credit: BBC Sports News

Leicester beat Porto in their first home Champions League game to maintain the winning start to their first season in UEFA Champions League competition.

     Leicester's new signing Islam Slamini, who had an impressive scoring record against Porto FC in his former club, Sporting Gijon gave the foxes their second win out of two games in the UCL with a header which was the only goal for the match.
The header came as a result of a curly and superb cross from Riyad Mahrez with came around in the 25th minute.

     Albrighton's pass picked out the Algerian on the right, and his pinpoint cross into the six-yard box was buried by his international team-mate Slimani with a flying header.

goal.com

     Porto went so close to an equaliser 10 minutes later as Miguel Layun's free-kick clipped the side-netting, but that was only a rare threat from the visitors in the first half. Also, Porto substitute Jesus Corona hit the post, but the Foxes held on.

     By contrast, Leicester continued to look dangerous and Casillas saved well from Mahrez's low drive just prior to the hour.

     Slimani, who was signed very last by the Foxes tormented Porto so much during his time with Sporting that he earned the nickname "the Dragon Slayer". This header makes it his third header in four games and it took his tally to six goals in four games against Porto in 2016.
      Leicester lead Group F by just two points from second-placed FC Copenhagen, who they meet on 18 October. It will certainly be a match to decide who will remain on top of the group. Anticipate!!!

London to host Gymnastics World Cup event in 2017

     Amongst those competing at this event are Team GB Amy Tinkler and Max Whitlock at London's 02 Arena in April.
The men will compete on six apparatus- pommel horse, floor, parallel bars, rings, vault and high bars while the women will compete on four apparatus- vault, uneven bars, floor and beam.
     The competition forms a part if the World Cup Series that is to begin in the United States then move to Stuttgart, Germany before concluding in London.
     The event will take place on April 8, 2017 with the women competing in the afternoon and the men in the evening session. The event will be broadcasted by Sky Sports throughout.

Photo Credit: British Gymnastics

     The World Cup of Gymnastics to hold in London forms a part of the 2017 International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) individual all-round World Cup Series. 

Gymnasts are given medals at each competition and also rank up points from the three competitions to crown the Champion of the World Cup Series.
     Tickets will go on general sale at midday on September 30, 2016. Prices start from £30 per session, with family tickets available from £99 (for the whole day). Platinum VIP packages also are available from £200 per session for an individual.

West Ham United 0-3 Southampton: Southampton defeats West Ham with ease.

      Southampton picks up second win of the season defeating a sorry West Ham at London Stadium on Sunday. For West Ham it is a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches – and 11 goals conceded in their past three alone - as they were booed off at the final whistle. With just three points the pressure is now mounting on manager Slaven Bilic who will be horrified by his team’s shambolic defending.

Charlie Austin, Dusan Tadic and James Ward-Prowse got the goals to seal a fourth win in a row in all competitions for Claude Puel's side, who have kept clean sheets in all of those successes.

PhotoCredit: Telegraph.co.uk

          West Ham applied some pressure early in the second half, but a dreadful lapse in defence allowed Tadic to wrong-foot goalkeeper Adrian and finish into the unguarded net to put Southampton in cruise control and Ward-Prowse capped a thorough beating in stoppage time.
The West Ham fans headed for the exits long before the end. “You should have stayed at the Boleyn,” sang the Southampton supporters to rub salt in their wounds.

Jubilant Southampton players after an amazing match

Bilic feeling terrible after another disgraceful defeat

Manchester United 4-1 Leicester City: Rooney watches on as Pogba inspires demolition Manchester United 4-1 Leicester

http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/goal_uk/f2/71/hd-manchester-united_58eayq0jt0hh1tvd8tsz69s62.jpg?t=1546434303&w=620&h=430

The Red Devils scored all four goals in the first half at Old Trafford as they got back to winning ways in the Premier League with their captain named on the bench

Wayne Rooney watched from the Manchester United bench as Paul Pogba inspired a 4-1 dismantling of champions Leicester City in Saturday's Premier League clash at Old Trafford.

The world's most expensive player headed in his first goal for the club after Chris Smalling, Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford had all found the net in United's first-half rout to help banish thoughts of back-to-back defeats to Manchester City and Watford.

Jose Mourinho caused a stir by dropping out-of-sorts captain Rooney to the bench, though he stuck with the same 4-2-3-1 system, with Pogba - who has also faced criticism - excelling in a deeper role alongside Ander Herrera.

Any concerns over a repeat of the turgid performance away to Watford were soon dispelled, as United's pace and power pinned Leicester back before Smalling's header gave them a deserved lead.

The home side showed glimpses of flair play seldom seen under Louis van Gaal or David Moyes, and Mata made it 2-0 when he completed a fine team move on 37 minutes.

A shell-shocked Leicester soon found themselves out of the game, as Rashford and the brilliant Pogba pounced from two corners in quick succession to give United a first four-goal half-time lead in a home league game since their 6-1 thrashing of Arsenal in February 2001.

Demarai Gray's sensational strike on 59 minutes gave Leicester the slenderest of lifelines, but United held firm to move temporarily to within three points of league leaders City, while the champions now have just seven points from six games.

United were rewarded for a bright and busy start in the 22nd minute when Smalling rose unchallenged at the far post to head down and beyond former Red Devil Ron-Robert Zieler from Blind's corner. Rashford sliced high and wide when Ibrahimovic sent him clean through on goal, before the big Swede spun and volleyed over the crossbar after Pogba's glorious chip, as United began to play with some long-awaited flair.

And some more fine team play brought a second goal in the 37th minute. 

Pogba and Mata combined on the edge of the area, Jesse Lingard flicked the ball back into the latter's path, and the Spaniard arrowed his shot beyond the right hand of Zieler.

The home side had a third three minutes later. Blind caught Leicester cold with a quickly taken short corner to Mata, who had plenty of time to pick out Rashford to slide the ball home.

Old Trafford was in full voice by this point, but the noise reached deafening levels just two minutes later when Pogba powered Blind's corner beyond Zieler to get off the mark for United.

Ranieri - most likely with one eye on the Champions League clash with Porto on Tuesday - took off Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy at half-time, and substitute Gray gave the travelling fans something to cheer when he cut in from the left 30 yards out and lashed an unstoppable shot beyond David de Gea and into the top corner.

De Gea clawed another Gray effort away from the top corner before Rooney was given a 10-minute run-out in the closing stages, as United saw out a morale-boosting win that will raise plenty of questions over the future of the captain.

THOMPSON EQUALS 100M MEETING RECORD IN BRUSSELS – IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE

https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeL/2fdcf5f9-0be0-449d-b293-435d62891c77.png?v=97439068

When quizzed about whether she had Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s AG Insurance Memorial Van Damme meeting record of 10.72 in mind as she went into her last race of the season, Elaine Thompson said that she just wanted to run fast and professed not to even be aware of what her compatriot had run three years ago.

However, her indifference on Thursday had certainly melted away ahead of the gun going at the IAAF Diamond League final on Friday (9).

The Netherlands’ European champion Dafne Schippers had a good start by her standards and pushed Thompson all the way to 40 metres but then the Jamaican seemed to have several more gears and just flew away from the Dutchwoman over the second half of the race to equal her compatriot’s 2013 time of 10.72 and clock the third-fastest time of her career.

The win also sealed the Diamond Race in the short sprint for Thompson.

“I wanted to run faster however, I felt something in my hamstrings at the very end of the race," said Thompson. "Now, I can finally go back home and celebrate. I keep on smiling because this season was really great."

Schippers was a distant second in 10.97 but need not reproach herself as Thompson was in irresistible form.