Bournemouth delivered a stunning performance against Man City at the Vitality Stadium, handing the defending Premier League champions their first defeat of the 2024 season. Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson scored the goals to secure a historic victory for the Cherries, who had never before beaten Man City in the league. With this loss, Man City dropped to second place in the standings while arch-rivals Liverpool moved to the top after a comeback win against Brighton. Bournemouth's aggressive attacks and relentless pressure proved to be too much for the lackluster Man City side to handle, resulting in a well-deserved victory for the underdogs.
On Saturday, August 26, 2024, Bournemouth pulled off a remarkable upset against defending Premier League champions Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium. The 2-0 triumph marked the Cherries' first-ever win over the Citizens in the top flight.
Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring for Bournemouth in the 25th minute, heading home a cross from Ryan Fredericks. Evanilson doubled the lead in the second half, capitalizing on an error from Man City goalkeeper Ederson.
Despite a spirited fightback from the visitors, Bournemouth held firm to secure a historic victory. The result saw Man City drop to second place in the standings, while Liverpool moved to the summit after a come-from-behind win against Brighton.
Before this match, Bournemouth had never defeated Man City in 10 previous meetings in all competitions. The closest they had come was a 1-1 draw in the 2018-19 Premier League season.
Despite the lopsided head-to-head record, Bournemouth entered the match with confidence after an impressive start to the campaign. They had won three of their first four league games, including a memorable 3-0 victory over Arsenal.
Bournemouth's victory was built on an aggressive and relentless display. They pressed Man City high up the pitch, disrupting their rhythm and preventing them from playing their usual possession-based game.
The Cherries were also clinical in attack, with Semenyo and Evanilson taking their chances well. The defense, led by Marcos Senesi and Lloyd Kelly, stood strong throughout the match, keeping the Man City attack at bay.
In contrast to Bournemouth's exceptional performance, Man City delivered a lackluster display. They struggled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities and looked vulnerable at the back.
Manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged his team's shortcomings after the match, saying, "We didn't play well today. We were too slow, too predictable, and we made too many mistakes."
After losing the Boxing Day Test, India faces a crucial match in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Indian captain Rohit Sharma has opted out due to poor form, with pacer Jasprit Bumrah expected to lead the team. This could mark the end of Rohit's Test career, while Prasidh Krishna's inclusion adds a new dimension to India's pace attack alongside Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. India must win to retain the trophy and keep its chances alive in the World Test Championship. Tune in for the Day 1 play starting at 5:00 AM IST.
After a series of poor performances, Australia's Mitchell Marsh has been dropped from the squad and 31-year-old Beau Webster will make his debut in the final Test against India. Cummins expressed his excitement for Webster's debut and addressed the importance of a strong squad in Australian cricket. Mitchell Starc will also play despite carrying an injury, as Australia looks to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and solidify their position in the World Test Championship.
As the T20 series comes to a close, the Black Caps turn their attention to the ODI series against Sri Lanka. With the return of senior players and the departure of their T20 stars, all eyes will be on bowler Jacob Duffy as he hopes to cement his place in the squad with consistent performances. Kusal Perera's scintillating century helped Sri Lanka avoid a whitewash in the last T20, but the Black Caps will be looking for revenge in the ODI series. With the added pressure of building towards the Champions Trophy, the three-match series starting on Sunday is sure to be an intriguing one.
In a farewell match against Ireland at the T20 World Cup, Tim Southee equals Chris Gayle's record of hitting the most sixes in Tests, with just two short of reaching 100 maximums. However, Gayle's six-hitting prowess is not limited to just Tests as Nicholas Pooran's stats in 2024 have surpassed Gayle's peak performance. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma reaches a new milestone in international cricket with his six-hitting abilities, and former cricket star Shahid Afridi has been named the ICC ambassador for the T20 World Cup, joining other famous sports icons like Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, and Usain Bolt. As the IPL heats up, Virat Kohli leads with the most hundreds while speculations arise about whether former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will play all matches for CSK in IPL 2024. In the exciting world of cricket, the old "jungle rule" of six-hitting teams making it to the finals still prevails.
Indian Test captain Rohit Sharma has informed coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar of his decision to opt-out of the fifth and final Test against Australia. In his place, paceman Jasprit Bumrah is likely to lead the team in the all-important match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). This could also mean that the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne might have been Rohit's last for India, as he may not be a part of the next World Test Championship cycle. Youngster Shubman Gill will replace him in the playing 11, as India aims to level the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma is expected to be given a break for the fifth and final Test match against Australia, with fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah taking over as captain. This decision comes after Rohit's poor performance in the ongoing series and his struggles to make an impact since joining the team. The head coach, Gautam Gambhir, hinted at this during a pre-match press conference, stating that the decision will be based on the pitch. With India trailing in the series and only one game remaining, this match holds great significance in their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship Final.
With the current series against Australia still ongoing, Indian selectors, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and team management are already planning for the future. Tough decisions must be made regarding the form and future of captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have both struggled in recent matches. The selectors are also facing a dilemma over who will be the next captain and whether to continue supporting Kohli or look for an alternative. Rishabh Pant, once a contender for captaincy, has also come under scrutiny for his performance in this series.
New Zealand's T20 team, which has undergone a major overhaul after their disappointing exit from the World Cup, have secured a 3-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka. Led by the impressive performances of four players who were not part of the squad six months ago, the Black Caps have once again dominated their opponents in the third T20. Veteran bowler Jacob Duffy and rookie Zak Foulkes were instrumental in restricting Sri Lanka's chase, while batting contributions from Tim Robinson and Mitch Hay helped the hosts set a challenging total of 186. This victory marks a successful start for the revamped Black Caps lineup, showcasing the potential of the new players who have stepped up in the absence of senior players.
In a thrilling Premier League match, Gabriel Jesus continued his scoring streak as Arsenal came from behind to defeat Brentford 3-1. Despite being 1-0 down at half-time, the Gunners remained composed and fired back with goals from Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli. This victory places them just six points behind league leaders Liverpool and shows that they are serious contenders for the title. Manager Mikel Arteta praised his team's resilience and clinical finishing, particularly highlighting Jesus's impressive form.
Indian Cricket Team superstar Shubman Gill, along with three other Gujarat Titans players, has received summons from the Gujarat CID in connection with a Rs 450-crore Ponzi scam. The players are accused of making investments in Bhupendrasinh Zala's companies, which promised high returns but failed to deliver. However, there is no concrete evidence to suggest Gill's involvement in the scam at this point.