Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Amazing art work in Saarbrucken. Photo by @Urban Contest.
Amazing art work in Saarbrucken. Photo by @Urban Contest.
@urban contest
@chayil$
Arsenal 0-2 Southampton: Saints march into EFL Cup semi-finals
Highlights of the EFL quarter-final clash between Arsenal and Southampton.
Southampton reached the EFL Cup semi-finals for the first time in 30 years by beating Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.
Claude Puel set up his side to play on the counter-attack and the tactics worked brilliantly, Jordy Clasie firing the visitors into a 13th-minute lead.
Arsenal, who made 10 changes from the side that beat Bournemouth in the Premier League at the weekend, went further behind six minutes before half-time after another swift attack which was finished by Ryan Bertrand.
Granit Xhaka and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were introduced from the bench by the hosts but the changes did not have the desired effect for Arsene Wenger with Southampton continuing to create opportunities on the break.
Steven Davis and Shane Long both missed chances but they did not prove to be costly as the Saints held on to book their place in the last four of a major cup competition for the first time since 2003, Liverpool their semi-final opponents.
Jordy Clasie of Southampton celebrates with team mates after scoring against Arsenal
Arsenal, who had their 19-game unbeaten run ended, have now claimed just one win from their last six EFL Cup quarter-finals as Wenger's wait to win the trophy continues.
Before the match got underway there was a minute's silence held in memory of those who died in the Colombia air crash with Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel holding a tribute banner with the message 'Força Chape'.
Arsenal and Southampton also paid tribute ahead of their game
Arsenal bossed the opening exchanges, but it was Southampton - making eight changes of their own from the weekend - who got the early advantage with Clasie opening the scoring.
Sofiane Boufal's shot was initially blocked but the ball dropped to Clasie on the edge of the penalty area, and the Dutch midfielder drilled a brilliant effort past Emiliano Martinez and into the corner of the net.
Jordy Clasie of Southampton celebrates after scoring the opener against Arsenal in the EFL Cup
Despite the set-back, Arsenal continued to dominate the ball but sightings of goal were proving difficult to come by as Lucas Perez failed to trouble Fraser Forster after being crowded out inside the Southampton penalty area.
Southampton, who made eight changes of their own from the weekend victory over Everton, were looking to catch the Gunners on the break at every opportunity with Shane Long the main threat, but the striker's slack pass failed to pick out Davis.
The game plan did work, however, in the 38th minute with the visitors winning the ball off Carl Jenkinson high up the pitch before working it out to Boufal on the left. The Frenchman slid the ball into the box for Bertrand, who took a touch and then fired into the bottom corner from 15 yards.
Ryan Bertrand celebrates scoring Southampton's second goal at the Emirates
Arsenal were forced into a change just before the break with Xhaka replacing the injured Mohamed Elneny and they flew out of the traps early in the second half with Perez and Aaron Ramsey both denied in quick succession by Forster.
With Wenger's half-time words ringing in their ears the Gunners were on the front foot and Forster was forced into action again in the 54th minute, keeping out Xhaka's powerful long-range drive.
But Southampton were still a threat on the counter-attack and Boufal should have put the game to bed after skipping past a couple of challenges, but his shot was deflected wide.
Jeff Reine-Adelaide of Arsenal holds off Southampton's Steven Davis
From the resulting corner Clasie also fired wide, prompting Wenger into bringing on former Saints star Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ainsley Maitland-Niles for Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Jenkinson, who left the field to ironic cheers from the home crowd.
However, Southampton continued to create chances on the counter with Davis' volley landing on the roof of the net before Long fired wide when one-on-one with Martinez.
Arsenal finally created a clear cut opening in the 79th minute and it fell to substitute Oxlade-Chamberlain, but he fired over the bar from 12 yards.
Wenger's men continued to push forward in the closing stages but it proved to be in vain as Southampton held on for a famous victory.
@chayil$
Man Utd 4-1 West Ham: Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic score twice in victory
Highlights of Manchester United’s EFL quarter-final win against West Ham.
Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were in the goals as Manchester United beat West Ham 4-1 in the EFL Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford.
United took the lead after just two minutes through Ibrahimovic, lifting the ball over Adrian after Henrikh Mkhitaryan's superb backheel.
But West Ham equalised later in the first half through former United man Ashley Fletcher, who pounced on David de Gea's fumble from Dimitri Payet's effort.
Martial put the hosts ahead in the third minute of the second half, finding the top-left corner from 14 yards after Mkhitaryan's cut-back.
And the Frenchman made it 3-1 after the hour mark, simply finishing from close range after Antonio Valencia's ball across the face of goal, before Ibrahimovic's stoppage-time goal from close range put the icing on the cake.
Man Utd will now face Hull City in a two-legged semi-final on week commencing January 9 and January 23, with Southampton and Liverpool contesting the other semi-final.
Martial celebrates with team-mate Wayne Rooney
Jose Mourinho was banned from the touchline for the match after kicking a water bottle during the 1-1 draw against the Hammers on Sunday, and made five changes from the weekend.
Wayne Rooney - whose wait to equal Sir Bobby Charlton's club goalscoring record will continue after he picked up a booking to rule him out of Sunday's trip to Everton - came back into the side alongside Luke Shaw, Mkhitaryan, Michael Carrick and Marital, while West Ham also made five changes.
Adrian catches Ibrahimovic as he scores the opener
United sped out of the blocks, and were ahead within 90 seconds. After Rooney found Mkhitaryan with a central ball, the Armenian's backheel set Ibrahimovic through on goal, and the Swede subtly lifted the ball over Adrian.
The Swede was caught nastily by Adrian's trailing foot during the goal, but the Spanish goalkeeper went unpunished.
United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic opens the scoring
Ibrahimovic should have had a second just six minutes later as West Ham backed off the striker, but his left-footed effort and subsequent rebound were saved well by Adrian.
Martial saw an effort from the left of the area again saved by Adrian as United dominated the chances, but West Ham were level on 35 minutes.
Cutting in from the left, Payet's low effort moved slightly, though De Gea should have done better as he fumbled the ball into Fletcher's path.
The 21-year-old, who had been on United's books for seven years from 2009, made no mistake from eight yards.
Former United man Ashley Fletcher equalises for West Ham at Old Trafford
Martial put United back ahead three minutes after the break, finding the top corner with a fine finish after Mkhitaryan had found him with a cut-back, and he should have had a second shortly after, shooting straight at Adrian after being put through on goal by Rooney.
He did get his second and United's third on 62 minutes, finishing off from close range after Valencia's fine centre.
Bastian Schweinsteiger was introduced late in the half for his first appearance since March, and was met with a huge ovation from the home fans.
Jose Mourinho praised Manchester United’s strong home display following their 4-1 EFL quarter-final win against West Ham.
Ibrahimovic forced Adrian to tip his low effort wide from the left of the area late on, but the Swede got his second in stoppage time, slotting home from close range after Ander Herrera had done superbly to get to the byline and cross.
@chayil$
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