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Man City ease into Champions League semis after Bayern draw
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AFP
Manchester City cruised into the Champions League semi-finals after a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich on Wednesday secured a 4-1 aggregate win that moved them a step closer to an elusive first title in the competition.
City forward Erling Haaland, who had missed a first-half penalty, made amends in the 57th minute, drilling in his 48th goal in all competitions this season to kill off the tie before Bayern levelled with a Joshua Kimmich penalty in the 83rd.
It was City’s 15th consecutive game without defeat across all competitions and Pep Guardiola’s team, losing finalists in 2021, will next face holders Real Madrid in the last four.
It was also the 10th time Guardiola had reached the semi-finals as a coach, a new record.
“I am so happy to be three in a row semi-finals (with City),” Guardiola said. “I could not expect (Bayern) differently, you saw how good they are.”
“In this competition, it is the details. In these two games in the right moments we were there,” said Guardiola, who coached Bayern from 2013-16.
“In the second half, we adjusted some things and since minute one in the second half we felt were much, much more in control.”
Bayern always had a mountain to climb after losing 3-0 in the first leg, but got off to a strong start.
Kingsley Coman was a constant source of danger on the wing, keeping City defenders busy, and the hosts’ biggest chance came in the 17th minute when Leroy Sane latched on to a Jamal Musiala pass but dragged his shot wide with only keeper Ederson to beat.
The Bavarians, knocked out of the German Cup two weeks ago following coach Thomas Tuchel’s arrival, caught a break a minute later when defender Dayot Upamecano was initially sent off after receiving a straight red card for a last-man foul on Haaland.
A VAR review, however, confirmed the striker was offside and the Bayern defender’s dismissal was overturned.
Upamecano, who had been heavily criticised for his mistake that led to City’s second goal in the first leg, was less fortunate a little later when he was penalised for a handball.
Haaland sent his penalty high over the bar, a rare miss for the Norwegian striker this season, but he did much better after the restart.
After combining well with Kevin De Bruyne, Haaland shook off the embattled Upamecano, before beating keeper Yann Sommer, setting a new record having taken just 27 matches to reach 35 goals in Europe’s premier club competition.
City’s goal was the first Bayern conceded at home in the entire competition this season and the hosts, who have only the Bundesliga title left to play for, got an equaliser when Kimmich converted a spot kick.
“It is really annoying that we didn’t take the lead with all the chances that we had,” Kimmich said. I would have liked to see how this match had gone if we had made it 1-0 in the first half.”
Their frustrating evening was completed when Tuchel was sent off after a second booking in the 86th minute.
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Tributes have poured in after the son of former Chelsea star Eddie Newton was found dead alongside his friend following a hike in the UAE, where temperatures soared to 50C.
Cassius Newton, 34, and his friend Aran Martinson, 33, were found by rescuers on July 18 after setting out on a hike in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region.
The pair, from Dorset and Essex respectively, both lived and worked in the UAE. Their bodies were discovered between 3km and 4km from their vehicle.
According to a report, Chelmsford area coroner Michelle Brown said their provisional causes of death included cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Cassius, a non-league footballer, was the son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, who spent more than a decade with the club.
His wife was in the UK when she became concerned after Cassius failed to contact her following the hike and reported him missing.
The two men had been living at a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Tributes after desert tragedy
Tributes poured in after the deaths.
Aran’s wife described him as “incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious”, saying he had recently begun a new chapter in his career and was excited about the future.
Blackfield & Langley Football Club paid tribute to their former player, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of former player Cassius Newton; our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
National League club Eastleigh, where Cassius had previously played, said it was “deeply saddened” by his death.
Chelsea connection
Cassius’ father Eddie Newton played for Chelsea from 1990 to 2001 and famously scored in the club’s 1997 FA Cup final victory.
The former midfielder also represented Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Barnet.
After retiring as a player, Newton moved into coaching, working as assistant manager at MK Dons and West Brom before returning to Chelsea.
He later served as assistant manager under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benítez.
(With inputs from BBC, The Sun)
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