Rob Smyth's Blog, page 3

Arsenal 4-1 London City Lionesses: WSL – as it happened

Olivia Smith scored a spectacular equaliser on debut as Arsenal recovered from a slow start to overwhelm London City Lionesses

5 min London City have made an assured start, with most of the early play taking places in the Arsenal half.

2 min Chloe Kelly, supersub for England and starter for Arsenal, wins the first corner of the game on the left. Caldentey’s inswinger is chested away at the near post.

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World Cup qualifying buildup to England v Andorra, WSL Q&A and Football League – matchday live

Updates ahead of Saturday’s World Cup qualifiers

Get in touch! Email Matchday live here

Feels like international break fatigue is setting in already.

Things you never thought you’d see, and really don’t want to see: Boris Johnson in conversation with Nottingham Forest president Evangelos Marinakis. The Greek tycoon has some interesting views on the Ukraine-Russia war, one that rather contravenes his stance on Morgan Gibbs-White being allowed to join Tottenham.

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Chelsea 2-1 Manchester City: WSL – as it happened

Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano scored to give the champions a hard-fought victory in the WSL season opener

3 min City have started well. Bunny Shaw collects the ball on the left side of the area, shifts the ball to the side and blasts a shot that is pushed away the diving Hampton. Good save.

2 min City captain Alex Greenwood has started at left-back, with Gracie Prior and Jade Rose as the centre-backs. Prior moves forward and gets her head to Hasegawa’s free-kick without being able to direct it on target.

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England thrashed by South Africa with 175 balls to spare: first men’s one-day international – as it happened

England collapsed with the bat at Headingley before Aiden Markram took the debutant Sonny Baker apart

1st over: England 8-0 (Duckett 0, Smith 8) Burger with the first over. Tall, broad, left arm, a shadow of a moustache, a doormat of a goatee, and Smith plays the first three balls watchfully away. Balls five and six however, go for four, one sent away at 27 minutes past the hour, one at 27 minutes to.

Our man on the ground, Simon Burnton, reports a ground half full and filling up quickly, as the players prepare to walk through a welcoming committee of flag-waving women over 40. Just add that to our skill set.

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Chelsea 2-0 Fulham: Premier League – as it happened

Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez scored to give Chelsea the points but Fulham were furious about two VAR interventions

5 min Fulham try to play out from the back and lose the ball. Joao Pedro rakes a left-foot drive from 25 yards that is held to his left by Leno.

2 min Fulham have started with a back three/five, so this is their revised line-up.

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Buildup to Chelsea v Fulham, Bayern agree Jackson loan, Newcastle sign Woltemade – as it happened

With just two days left of the transfer window, Nicolas Jackson neared a loan to Bayern Munich, Newcastle confirmed the arrival of Nick Woltemade and Alejandro Garnacho was spotted at Stamford Bridge prior to Chelsea v Fulham

The Fantasy Football deadline is 11am, so you might want to schedule some last-minute faffing at 10.45am. Since you asked, I’ve brought in Richarlison and Brennan Johnson for Cole Palmer and Jarrod Bowen.

The first Old Firm derby of the season takes place tomorrow. We’ll have a Q&A with Ewan Murray on tomorrow’s matchday live. In the meantime, here’s his preview of a match that is likely to be shrouded in angst and anger.

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Buildup to Chelsea v Fulham, Bayern agree Jackson loan, and more – matchday live

All the latest going into Saturday’s action

Ten things to look out for | Email matchday live

The Fantasy Football deadline is 11am, so you might want to schedule some last-minute faffing at 10.45am. Since you asked, I’ve brought in Richarlison and Brennan Johnson for Cole Palmer and Jarrod Bowen.

The first Old Firm derby of the season takes place tomorrow. We’ll have a Q&A with Ewan Murray on tomorrow’s matchday live. In the meantime, here’s his preview of a match that is likely to be shrouded in angst and anger.

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Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened

Riccardo Calafiori punished an error from Altay Bayindir to give Arsenal victory against a lively Man Utd

We’re at home and we want to get three points. We know that everything is not going to change in four weeks but we have made steps that are really important for the future.

[On Benjamin Sesko’s role as substitute] We picked the starting XI thinking also about the end of the game, so we need to balance that. Ben had a very good week but it’s just one week. We have to remember that there’s a lot of emotion – changing countries, culture, working with new people. The first impression is really important so let the guy settle down. He’s ready to help us in the game.

I’m very excited about the season. We start with a great opportunity at Old Trafford. I know what this game will demand but I’m very excited about what’s coming. What a place to play the first game; we’re ready for it.

[On Viktor Gyokeres] Goals are his main quality. He brings a fear factor as well – it’s not just his ability to put the ball in the back of the net but the feeling he creates in the opposition.

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Sunderland 3-0 West Ham, Tottenham 3-0 Burnley, Brighton 1-1 Fulham – clockwatch as it happened

Richarlison scored twice, including a stunning volley, Fulham equalised in added time and Sunderland roared to victory

GOAL! Wrexham 1-2 West Brom (Wallace 74)

Jed Wallace has given West Brom the lead at the STōK Cae Ras, splashing a shot past Wrexham keeper Danny Ward at the near post.

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Buildup to Premier League, EFL, La Liga action and more – matchday live

Latest news before weekend action begins

Get in touch! Share your thoughts with Barry

Meanwhile in the EFL: Hillsborough stages its first match of the season when Sheffield Wednesday welcome Stoke City this afternoon and more fan protests are expected from the locals as they implore their owner Dejphon Chansiri to sell his beleaguered club for a reasonable asking price before it goes out of business.

Ipswich Town will host Southampton at Portman Road, with Kieran McKenna’s side hoping to get their first win of the season on the board after securing an extremely fortuitous draw agasinst Birmingham City on the opening day of the season, before losing to lowly Bromley on penalties in the League Cup. Southampton, by contrast, are looking for their third consecutive win under Will Still, having already beaten Wrexham in the Championship and seeing off Northampton in the League Cup.

Aston Villa v Newcastle United (12.30pm BST)

Brighton v Fulham (3pm)

Sunderland v West Ham (3pm)

Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley (3pm)

Wolves v Manchester City (5.30pm)

Barney Ronay on the return of the Premier League

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