Scott Murray's Blog, page 6

Inter 4-3 Barcelona (aet, 7-6 on agg): Champions League semi-final – as it happened

After both legs produced 3-3 draws, Davide Frattesi struck in extra time to send Inter to the final

20 secs: Inter started quickly in Barcelona; Barca nearly return the favour here. Torres is found in space in the Inter box down the right, but the flag pops up for offside before he can roll a pass across for Raphinha to tap home.

Inter get the ball rolling. Another 3-3 draw, please! We’ll have extra time and possibly penalties if so.

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Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth: Premier League – as it happened

Andoni Iraola’s side came from behind to boost their European hopes with victory at the Emirates

Bournemouth get the ball rolling. Zabarnyi goes long down the right, looking for Tavernier. Too long. Goal kick.

The teams are out! Arsenal in their famous red shirts with white sleeves, Bournemouth in a third kit which [MBM reporter squints, adjusts pince-nez] “draws its inspiration from our seaside roots, finished in deep lagoon green with an aquatic themed design on the front featuring subtle seashells and waves.” We’ll kick off after a verse or two of North London Forever.

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Athletic Bilbao 0-3 Manchester United: Europa League semi-final, first leg – as it happened

Manchester United have one foot in the final after a commanding display against 10-man Bilbao

3 min: … but nothing comes of it, Ruiz De Galarreta attempting a shot from distance that bounces apologetically through to Onana.

2 min: Bilbao on the front foot quickly. Nico Williams makes good down the left and looks for his brother Inaki at the far stick. Dorgu is forced to turn it behind for the first corner of the game.

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Barcelona 3-3 Inter: Champions League semi-final, first leg – as it happened

Lamine Yamal was the star of this six-goal thriller, an instant classic, though Denzel Dumfries and Marcus Thuram weren’t too far behind

Inter get the ball rolling. They’re playing in white this evening. And they’re immediately on the attack …

Here come the teams … and Lamine Yamal, who felt a twinge upon slipping while taking a shot in the warm-up, is still in the Barcelona line-up. He doesn’t look particularly concerned as the Champions League anthem is blasted out, nor when he slaps hands with the Inter players. No Ronaldo-at-the-Stade-de-France-style drama to see here. We’ll be off in a minute, once everyone pays their respects to Pope Francis.

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Crystal Palace 3-0 Aston Villa: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened

Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr scored the goals as Palace routed Villa to reach their third FA Cup final

4 min: Other than that one progressive Kamara pass, nobody’s showing their hand as of yet. A thoughtful start as both teams gently probe.

2 min: Kamara tries to release Cash down the right with a clever first-time pass. Lacroix is on point to usher both opponent and ball out of play for a goal kick. We can just about make this out. A lot of smoke down this end of the pitch, thanks to the tail end of a pre-match pyro party.

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Manchester City 2-1 Aston Villa: Premier League – as it happened

Matheus Nunes scored the winner deep into added time as City put some clear blue light between themselves and Villa in the race for Champions League qualification

17 secs: Ollie Watkins scored after 34 seconds against Newcastle on Saturday. Marcus Rashford nearly does so after half that tonight! He twists and turns down the inside-left channel before threading a shot across Ortega and off the base of the right-hand post!

Villa get the ball rolling. It’s not a sell-out.

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Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle United: Premier League – as it happened

Ollie Watkins was the star turn of a comprehensive Villa victory, as Unai Emery’s team closed the gap on the top five

McGinn tries to release Watkins down the left. Tonali comes across to put a stop to his gallop. But Tonali’s clearance only goes to Tielemans, who immediately returns it down the inside-left channel to Watkins. He shoots. A deflection off Schar sends the ball into the bottom left, past the wrong-footed, and rooted, Pope. What a start!

Newcastle get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Holte End in this first half.

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Manchester United 5-4 Lyon: Europa League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened

United looked like exiting the Europa League meekly before pulling off one of the great comebacks

2 min: A little smoke from the pre-match pyro party still floating about. A couple of early touches for Onana. Casemiro has the opportunity to send Dorgu into space down the left but overcooks the pass and clanks it out for a throw.

A blast of John Denver, then Lyon get the ball rolling, with the aggregate score 2-2 after the first leg. The hosts are kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.

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Aston Villa 3-2 Paris Saint-Germain (agg 4-5): Champions League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened

Villa fell just short of completing one of the great European comebacks with a rousing second-half display

1 min: McGinn loops a pass down the left for Rashford to chase. Hakimi shepherds the ball back to Donnarumma, who blooters clear. From the resulting throw, McGinn wins the first corner of the evening.

Villa kick off. They’re kicking towards the Holte End in this first half. It’s tipping down in Birmingham.

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The Masters 2025: Rory McIlroy seals career grand slam after dramatic play-off – as it happened

Rory McIlroy finally joined the career-slam pantheon after a wild rollercoaster ride around Augusta National

Nothing went right for Justin Rose yesterday. His flat stick was stone cold, he shot 75, he spent a fair proportion of the round grumbling away at his perceived bad luck. But he’s in a much chipper mood this afternoon. Sending your approach on 1 from 162 yards to eight feet, then rolling in the birdie putt tends to help with stuff like that. A little fist pump, then a giggle with his caddie, and he moves to -6. Again, like Collin Morikawa, he’s surely too far behind to have much of a chance of winning, unless both Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau do a Ken Venturi. (Jack Burke Jr came from eight back on Sunday in 1956 to win, but he needed the then-amateur Venturi to collapse to 80 to pip him by a stroke.) Still, let’s rule nothing out yet.

Quite a few experts tipped the in-form Collin Morikawa this week. It’s not quite happened for the 2020 PGA and 2021 Open champion, but he’s not been far off, coming into the final day having posted two level-par rounds of 72 sandwiching a 69. He’s surely too far off the pace to threaten today, unless the wheels come off all three of the leading trio, but he’s just followed up birdie at 2 by stroking a 25-footer across 3 for another. Im Sung-jae meanwhile birdies 2, and these lads are the first pair to make inroads near the top of the leader board.

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