Latest news with #AlfieHouse
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Saints reach landmark Premier League 2 play-offs final in dramatic fashion
SAINTS reached the final of the Premier League 2 play-offs for the first time with a pulsating 2-1 win after extra time at Selhurst Park. The youngsters led twice and beat Crystal Palace, after Derrick Abu set up Dom Ballard's first-half opener and secured victory with a thunder strike. Ademola Ola-Adebomi had pulled Palace level in the 52nd minute, forcing Saints to go the distance for the second time in their play-off campaign. Victories over Leicester City, second-placed Fulham and now the Eagles have booked Calum McFarlane's side a visit to Man City in the final. A date of Thursday, May 22, has been discussed, although details are not confirmed. Man City beat neighbours Man United 2-0 in their semi final. GOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL DERRICK ABU STUNNERRERR!! 1-2!#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) May 12, 2025 Saints are one of England's top under-21 teams, having also reached the semi-final of the Premier League Cup before losing to Brentford. They visited Selhurst Park knowing Palace had smashed Chelsea 6-0 in their previous round, and had the top-end athleticism to blow Saints away. The hosts looked dangerous on the counter attack for much of the first half, with Hindola Mustapha crashing an effort off of the crossbar. Abu capitalised on a defensive mix-up to snatch possession in the Palace box and roll the ball across the goal for Ballard to control and finish. The 32nd minute strike was Ballard's fourth in two matches, after netting a hat-trick against Fulham on his return from loan at Cambridge United. Man City up next. No need to have fear. Go and enjoy it lads! #SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) May 12, 2025 Palace equalised from a short corner routine in the 53rd minute, with a deflected cross reaching Ola-Adebomi to head in at the back post. Saints substitute Will Merry made a positive impact, forcing Palace goalkeeper Louie Moulden into two saves soon after his introduction. Moulden could do nothing about man of the match Abu's fierce strike from outside the area in the first half of an extra 30 minute period. Ballard also had two chances to wrap up the game, including one low effort from inside the box that struck the post and rebounded to safety. Saints survived a goalmouth scramble that saw the woodwork hit in the final 10 seconds of the match to progress to the competition's final two. AS THE FULL TIME WHISTLE GOES. UNBELIEVABLE SCENES. SAINTS INTO THE FINAL WITH A 2-1 WIN!#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) May 12, 2025 Saints: McNamara; Abu, Moore, Payne, Kayi Sanda, Bragg, Robinson, Akachukwu, Ballard, Sesey, Larios. Subs: Abbotson, Dobson-Ventura, O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Merry, Ehibhatiomhan.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Saints officially relegated from Premier League with defeat at Tottenham
SAINTS have been relegated from the Premier League after a record-few 31 matches following their 3-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur. The mostly one-sided encounter in the capital ensured a 22-point gap between Saints and 17th-place Wolves remained with just seven games to play. Wales international Brennan Johnson opened the scoring in the 13th minute and doubled his side's lead before the break to decide the tie as a contest. Johnson's goals sandwiched a four-minute wait to rule out Lucas Bergvall's effort for offside, after Ange Postecoglou's fume at VAR dominated the match build-up. Mateus Fernandes pulled one back right at the end of the regulation 90 minutes but substitute Mathys Tel converted a penalty kick to conclude the game. Despite the result, a sold-out away end enjoyed the sunshine and humour on offer, singing over the silent Spurs fans right up until the bitter last. Saints applauded by most here.#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) April 6, 2025 Ivan Juric made three changes to the team that impressed midweek in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, although two were enforced by injury and suspension. Joe Aribo and Cameron Archer replaced the banned Flynn Downes and Paul Onuachu - fit enough for the bench - while Juric also made a system change. Club captain Jack Stephens made way for Tyler Dibling, as the Croatian matched the shape of 16th-place Spurs and under-pressure Postecoglou. Cristian Romero was determined to relieve some of that pressure on his boss and won three headers in the Saints box in the first half alone. His first was powerful but straight at Aaron Ramsdale, who saved and cleared well, before Saints created their only chance in a dreadful first half. Dibling, a Spurs transfer target, dinked a lovely ball into the back-post, but the angle was too tight for Kamaldeen Sulemana to beat the goalkeeper. The hosts opened the scoring after 13 minutes, when Johnson finished a slick move after his teammates had been granted freedom of the pitch to play. Guglielmo Vicario lofted his goal kick into an unmarked man in the middle and Spurs forced their way down the left for Djed Spence to pull across the box. Ramsdale then denied Romero for a second time, but did not know much about it as the Argentine's powerful effort smashed him straight in the face. Incredible reaction from the fans.#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) April 6, 2025 He could do nothing to stop Romero heading across the box for Bergvall to turn in but VAR stepped in after a lengthy delay to rule the goal out. Three minutes before the interval, the Saints defence stooped to new lows on the day and allowed Johnson the chance to easily prod in from close range. James Maddison was left free to nod a weak headed clearance back over the defensive line for the Welshman, who was more aware than his opponents. Saints had more of the ball after the break but not much happened until Ramsdale denied Dominic Solanke low down to his left after 65 minutes. Returning Ross Stewart was introduced as Juric's fifth and final substitution, making his first appearance since October, in the 84th minute. After a brief welcome back to the Scotsman, the away end sang, "Championship again, ole, ole," to see out the competitive Premier League season. But it was not done - Kamaldeen crossed for Fernandes, who found the time to control, finish and halve the deficit just as four minutes of added time were signalled. Any desperate hope was dashed when Welington lunged in on Johnson inside the box, and Tel powered the spot kick past Ramsdale to make it 3-1. Spurs: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Davies, Spence; Bentancur (Sarr, 57), Bergvall (Bissouma, 79), Maddison (Gray, 79); Johnson, Son (Odobert, 57), Solanke (Tel, 86). Unused subs: Kinsky, Richarlison, Udogie, van de Ven. Booked: Porro. Saints: Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning (Welington, 63); Ugochukwu (Stewart, 83), Aribo (Smallbone, 63), Fernandes; Dibling (Sugawara, 73), Kamaldeen, Archer (Onuachu, 73) Unused subs: McCarthy, Stephens, Bree, Bella-Kotchap. Booked: Ugochukwu. Referee: Michael Salisbury. VAR: Graham Scott.
