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EUROPA League

Uefa scraps away-goals rule in all club competitions

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European football governing body Uefa said on Thursday (June 24) it had approved a proposal to remove the away-goals rule from all its club competitions involving men’s, women’s and youth teams, beginning with the qualifying phase of the 2021-22 campaign.

The away-goals rule, introduced by Uefa in 1965-66, has been applied when the score of a two-legged tie is level on aggregate after 180 minutes, with the team scoring more goals away from their home venue declared winners.

But it came under scrutiny last season with some matches being held at neutral venues without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instead, two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played at the end of the second leg, followed by a penalty shoot-out if the teams are still tied.

Explaining the decision, Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin said: “The impact of the rule now runs counter to its original purpose as, in fact, it now dissuades home teams – especially in first legs – from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage.”

He added: “There is also criticism of the unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team have scored.

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“It is fair to say that home advantage is nowadays no longer as significant as it once was.”

UEFA said since away goals will no longer be given additional weight to decide a tie, they would also be removed from the criteria used to determine the rankings when two or more teams are equal on points in the group stage.

-Reuters

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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EUROPA League

Man United edge past Bodo/Glimt to give Amorim first win

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 Europa League - Manchester United v Bodo/Glimt - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - November 28, 2024 Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring their third goal with Alejandro Garnacho REUTERS/Molly Darlington

Manchester United came from behind to beat Bodo/Glimt 3-2 in the Europa League on Thursday and secure their first victory under new manager Ruben Amorim.

United went ahead inside the first minute thanks to a howler from keeper Nikita Haikin, who failed to deal with a back pass and under pressure from Rasmus Hojlund the ball broke free for Alejandro Garnacho to tap in from close range.

The Norwegians scored twice with quick breaks, Hakon Evjen hitting a superb strike into the top corner in the 19th minute and Philip Zinckernagel holding off Tyrell Malacia before beating keeper Andre Onana to stun the Old Trafford crowd.

United equalised just before the break when Noussair Mazraoui’s pass into the area picked out Hojlund who controlled the ball with his first touch before getting a shot away between two defenders into the far corner.

Amorim’s side went ahead five minutes after the break when Manuel Ugarte’s low pass across the area was guided into the net by Hojlund shortly after Mason Mount had hit the crossbar.

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United could not find another goal, however, and needed two good saves from Onana to secure the three points which lifted them to 12th in the standings on nine points, ahead of Bodo/Glimt on seven.

“Of course, I see what everybody sees, good moments, difficult moments,” Amorim told TNT Sports.

“There was some confusion in the end trying to hold the result, but the lads did a great job. They ran, they pressed, they tried to do the things we have worked on in the last three days and we won.

Amorim’s first game in charge was a 1-1 draw in the Premier League against Ipswich Town on Sunday.

“Half of the stadium doesn’t know me, I came from Portugal and I did nothing for this club. Yet the way they make me feel at home is special,” he said.

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“I will keep this to the end of my career.”

Amorim described the game as a roller-coaster.

“Like a real ride. We started well, but then suffered two goals in two transitions. I like the way the players tried to play our game,” he said.

“Sometimes we won the ball and have had problems in the past giving the ball away too much – the mindset is keeping the ball. They are really trying and I think we deserved the win.”

-Reuters

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EUROPA League

Amad double gives Man United first Europa League win this season

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 Manchester United v PAOK - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - November 7, 2024 Manchester United's Amad Diallo scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo scored twice for a 2-0 win over PAOK in the Europa League on Thursday as interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy achieved what the sacked Erik ten Hag failed to do with the club’s first victory in this season’s competition.

United had drawn their three previous Europa League games, but Amad’s looping header back across the goal into the bottom corner from a Bruno Fernandes cross five minutes after the break sent Van Nistelrooy’s side on their way.

The Greek visitors to Old Trafford had chances to take something from the game and United goalkeeper Andre Onana was forced to tip over a shot from Mady Camara in the first half.

PAOK had an excellent opportunity to equalise in the 64th minute but the unmarked Taril Tissoudali could not get enough power in his shot from close range to beat Onana, and Amad made sure of victory 13 minutes from the end.

This time he did it all alone, dispossessing Baba Rahman and holding off the defender’s challenge to reach the edge of the area before unleashing a curling shot which took a slight deflection on its way into the far corner.

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The win leaves United in 15th place in the Europa League standings on six points from four games.

“It’s been a long time since we won in Europe. Today we showed why we are one of the best teams. It was important to win today,” Amad told TNT Sports.

“It is important to score every time. This season I have been unlucky so I am happy to score two today. But the most important thing was to win.”

Van Nistelrooy, the former United striker who will shortly make way for new manager Ruben Amorim, replaced Ten Hag 10 days ago and is unbeaten during his three games in charge.

“It was a pretty poor first half if I’m being nice,” Van Nistelrooy said. “The second half way was better. That was clear.

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“(Amad) made a difference today because of his goals but he was very sharp. Well done to him, good game. Positionally we weren’t good in the first half. We were much better at that in the second half.”

-Reuters

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Osimhen powers Galatasaray to go top in Europa League after downing Spurs

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Europa League - Galatasaray v Tottenham Hotspur - RAMS Park, Istanbul, Turkey - November 7, 2024 Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray inflicted a first Europa League defeat of the season on Tottenham to move top of the table with a 3-2 victory in Istanbul on on Nov 7.

The Turkish champions have 10 points from four games and have all but secured qualification for at least the knock-out play-off round, while Spurs sit in fifth place after losing their 100 per cent record.

Galatasaray took an early lead when Yunus Akgun smashed a sensational long-range volley into the top corner in the sixth minute.

But the visitors hit back just 12 minutes later as teenage striker Will Lankshear marked just his second first-team appearance with a goal by tapping in Brennan Johnson’s pass across goal.

Galatasaray took control before half-time, though, as Osimhen scored twice in the space of eight minutes.

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The Nigerian star fired them back in front just after the half-hour mark, before cleverly volleying Dries Mertens’ cross past Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Osimhen has now scored six goals in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.

The home side passed up several opportunities to put the game out of sight for their opponents, but Spurs’ hopes of a comeback were hit when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow-card offences in quick succession in the second half.

Dominic Solanke pulled one back in the 69th minute, shortly after being brought on by Ange Postecoglou, but Galatasaray held on with relative comfort.

Eintracht Frankfurt are second in the standings, behind Galatasaray on goals scored, after Omar Marmoush’s 13th goal of the season clinched a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague.

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The Egyptian clipped a superb free-kick in off the crossbar shortly after the break.

Athletic Bilbao are in third, separated from Eintracht also by goals scored, after coming from behind to grab a 2-1 success at Ludogorets.

Inaki Williams and Nico Serrano both scored in a two-minute burst from the Basque club.

Roma’s disappointing form this season continued as Kevin Mac Allister’s goal 13 minutes from time secured Union Saint-Gilloise their second point of the competition with a 1-1 draw in Belgium.

-AFP

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