Latest news with #Can'tHelpFallinginLove
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What it was like seeing Sunderland promoted to the Premier League from Wembley
After a stunning and electric victory at Wembley on May 24, the Black Cats are back in the Premier League. Echo reporter Kayleigh Fraser was in the stands as Sunderland secured their ticket to the top flight of English football - here's what it was like. Wandering up Wembley Way, you could have cut the tension with a knife. Two teams, 90 minutes, one spot in the Premier League. The stakes couldn't have been higher. "Are you going to predict the score?", I asked my dad, as we ventured up to the steps at Wembley - darting around fans soaking in the atmosphere, snapping pictures and selfies left and right. Echo reporter Kayleigh Fraser at Wembley. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) He responded with a curt "nope", too nervous to say, gazing at the stadium above us that was, at this point, surrounded in a sea of red and white. We couldn't even joke. We'd only travelled down the night before for the match. But really, this journey for Sunderland was eight years long. Two successive relegations left one of England's iconic clubs wondering how they'd come back. In 2017, the Black Cats were relegated from the Premier League. Then in 2018, the team were relegated to League One where they spent four long years. Now, after a few more years in the Championship, Sunderland were once again gaining momentum. With a new manager at the helm, Regis Le Bris, could we be coming back again? It was too early to say. Sunderland fans holding their scarves. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) But on May 13 when Dan Ballard scored that unbelievable header in the 122nd minute in a nail-biting clash with Coventry, the city of Sunderland dared to dream again. Those dreams took us all, tens of thousands of us, to Wembley on Saturday (May 24) to cheer on the lads that had taken us to the most expensive game in football. After all we had been through, relegations to losses and uncertainty - you could tell how much the club and the fans wanted this. Filing into the Sunderland stands, already draped in red and white flags to wave for kick off, we were apprehensive. I don't mind admitting I was nervous too. I'd never been to Wembley for a football game - and to have my first being one of the biggest Sunderland had faced in a decade was nerve racking. We all knew Sheffield United were the favourites. Chris Wider's Blades had the better track record - and every single pundit video I watched pointed to a Sheffield victory. But as I was sitting in the stands belting out a rendition of Elvis' Can't Help Falling in Love with my fellow Mackems; for just a minute, it felt like it didn't matter. We were the underdogs - a team that had risen from the ashes to be just 90 minutes away from the Premier League. In a way, we had already made it. Getting to the top flight would have been the cherry on the cake. Kick off. Flags waved, chants on - we'd waited for this chance again. Unfortunately, as first halves go, my hope for a Sunderland win was not immediately backed up by our play. "This is embarrassing", a fan near me muttered. Many had their heads held in their hands, only moving their hands away for a second to stare blankly to the empty field as if a goal would appear out of nowhere during half time. Even my dad, who had a season ticket at the Stadium of Light for over a decade had agreed we were done. "That's it now", he shook his head and sat back as Sheffield fans celebrated Tyrese Campbell's 25th minute goal. In a weird way, rather than admitting defeat, I think that spurred us in the stands to ramp it up. Something shifted in the fans when they blew the whistle for that second half. All to play for - we still had a chance, and we had to give the players everything we had as fans. Til' the end. Sunderland fans wave their flags for kick off. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) 76th minute. Just under fifteen minutes left - and in comes Eliezer Mayenda to equalise. What a moment. Fans left their seats and ran up and down the stairs, shirts came off, flares were set alight and we all went wild. Strangers who had never met embraced in long hugs and continued to cheer. We were back in the game. The minutes that followed could only have been described as agony. My stand could only hold our breath any time the ball went out of sight across to Sheffield's end. I felt sick as I looked around. The cheers and chants continued, of course, but I had an awful pit in my stomach that it wasn't going to go my way. That was until Tommy Watson almost flew in to the 95th minute for a goal we'll never forget. I remember seeing the ball move almost in slow motion to the goal - thinking it was gone. I genuinely thought he'd hit the bar and we'd missed our last chance. But as it curved around and hit the back of the net, thousands of us rejoiced in unison. That was it - we'd done it. Fans were jumping around - screaming, crying, we were emphatic. Friends and families hugged one another - no words needed to be said. I had tears even in my own eyes seeing how much it means to this club, to this city, to win this game and secure promotion. If I'm honest, the minutes after that were a blur - when that final whistle blew the carnage just continued to a level I didn't think possible. Sunderland celebrate their victory. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Read more Sunderland fan collapsed at Wembley minutes after CPR demo during half time campaign We asked AI to predict where Sunderland will finish in the Premier League Sunderland co-owner has transfer dream after Premier League promotion Luke O'Nien on his Sunderland love, Wembley joy and pain & 'being in Fantasy Footy' To be there, surrounded by thousands of dreamers was something I will look back on with wonder - to have seen Sunderland's and my city's future change in the blink of an eye. Sunderland AFC has been re-born - this is only the beginning for a new era of the Black Cats. No matter whether we last a year in the Prem or five, we're back - and I know that we'll fight like mad, til' the end, to succeed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sarr's sizzlers send Crystal Palace soaring into FA Cup final dreamland
It was a pinch me moment for the Crystal Palace supporters who had made it a sea of red and blue in the stand behind Emiliano Martínez's goal. A few minutes earlier, the Aston Villa goalkeeper had been pumping his fists in delight after Jean-Philippe Mateta's penalty miss appeared to have kept his side in the game. Yet already leading through Eberechi Eze's stunning goal in the first half, Palace were not to be denied. Ismaïla Sarr thumped the ball past Martínez from distance after another cheap Villa turnover and the Senegal forward was mobbed by his teammates as Oliver Glasner led a group hug with the substitutes on the bench. Related: Eberechi Eze revs up Crystal Palace to 'go all the way' after making FA Cup final There was still more than half an hour to play at Wembley but Unai Emery's side – without the injured Marcus Rashford to call on – already looked well beaten, the rigours of a long campaign having finally caught up with them potentially. Not that Palace will care one bit as they can now look forward to a third FA Cup final in their history, with Sarr adding his second for good measure in stoppage time to round off a perfect day. Perhaps this time their story will have a happy ending. Villa hadn't been past the fourth round since being thrashed 4-0 by Arsenal in the final a decade ago and have now lost seven of their last nine visits to Wembley. Emery's record against Glasner is even worse: four defeats in five meetings during the last 12 months that culminated with this disappointing display on the biggest stage of all. Villa have played at some of Europe's most imposing arenas already this season during their run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League but were second best throughout and must pick themselves up quickly to stand a chance of returning next season via the Premier League. There was a tangible sense of anticipation before kick-off as both sets of supporters made themselves heard. With Palace contesting their third semi-final in the last nine years, a banner quoting Elvis Presley's 'Can't Help Falling in Love' was the centrepiece behind Dean Henderson's goal. The news that Rashford was missing after picking up what Villa described as 'a knock' at least made Emery's team selection straightforward. Ollie Watkins was back to lead the line as one of three changes from the last-minute defeat against Manchester City in midweek, with Marco Asensio and John McGinn also returning. Palace looked happy to try to hit them on the break, with Boubacar Kamara picking up the game's first booking for hauling down the marauding Mateta. He soon had Tyrick Mitchell for company when he was cautioned for impeding Asensio. Related: Crystal Palace 3-0 Aston Villa: FA Cup semi-final – live reaction The first chance of any note fell to Morgan Rogers when Palace were almost caught napping from a throw-in midday through the first half but the England forward could only direct his shot wide. Palace were incensed when the referee, Anthony Taylor, ruled that Mateta had fouled Ezra Konsa after pinching the ball from the Villa defender and finishing past Martínez. Their anger didn't last long, however, as Sarr forced Pau Torres into a mistake and the Senegal forward laid the ball on the plate for Eze to apply the brilliant curling finish. He has now scored four times since breaking his duck for England against Latvia in March, having previously managed only three all season. Villa tried to respond but found Palace's well-organised defence a tough nut to crack, with Konsa denied by the sprawling Henderson after Watkins had won a corner. Palace should have doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time but somehow Mitchell couldn't make proper contact with his right foot after being picked out by Daniel Muñoz. Emery didn't look amused as he marched down the tunnel and Villa's players were sent out early for the second half. They almost found an equaliser within five minutes of the restart but Henderson pushed McGinn's half-volley wide before producing an even better save to deny Lucas Digne. Palace's next chance came from the spot when Kamara brought down Eze inside the area after a clever pass from Adam Wharton and Anthony Taylor had no hesitation in awarding the penalty. Yet Mateta could not make them pay as his effort clipped the outside of the post and went wide, cueing a loud roar of approval from Martínez. His next act, however, was to pick the ball out of his net after another mistake from Villa allowed Wharton to win back possession. Mateta was the provider as Sarr unleashed an unstoppable shot from outside the area before celebrating in front of his adoring fans. Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'. If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you're on the most recent version. In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications. Turn on sport notifications. Emery unloaded his bench and Leon Bailey came closest to making it a nervy finish, only for his goalbound effort to deflect off Torres on the ground and over the bar. This was just one of those days for Villa, who could have lost by more had Sarr not fluffed an easy header before finishing off Eddie Nketiah's pass late on to make it three. Palace will rightly head into next month's final feeling that they are a match for anybody.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sarr's sizzlers send Crystal Palace soaring into FA Cup final dreamland
It was a pinch me moment for the Crystal Palace supporters who had made it a sea of red and blue in the stand behind Emiliano Martínez's goal. A few minutes earlier, the Aston Villa goalkeeper had been pumping his fists in delight after Jean-Philippe Mateta's penalty miss appeared to have kept his side in the game. Yet already leading through Eberechi Eze's stunning goal in the first half, Palace were not to be denied. Ismaïla Sarr thumped the ball past Martínez from distance after another cheap Villa turnover and the Senegal forward was mobbed by his teammates as Oliver Glasner led a group hug with the substitutes on the bench. Advertisement Related: Crystal Palace 3-0 Aston Villa: FA Cup semi-final – live reaction There were still more than half an hour to play at Wembley but Unai Emery's side – without the injured Marcus Rashford to call on – already looked well beaten, the rigours of a long campaign having finally caught up with them potentially. Not that Palace will care one bit as they can now look forward to a third FA Cup final in their history, with Sarr adding his second for good measure in injury time to round off a perfect day. Perhaps this time their story will have a happy ending. There was a tangible sense of anticipation before kick-off as both sets of supporters made themselves heard. Contesting their third semi-final in the past nine years, a banner quoting Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love was the centrepiece behind Dean Henderson's goal. Villa hadn't been past the fourth round since being thrashed 4-0 by Arsenal in the final a decade ago. A record of six defeats from their past eight visits to Wembley was a reason to be fearful for the 35,000 supporters who had made the pilgrimage from the Midlands. But having hauled themselves back into top-five contention in recent weeks and played at some of Europe's most imposing arenas already this season during their run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Villa settled quicker during a scrappy opening period. Advertisement The news that Rashford was missing after picking up what Villa described as 'a knock' at least made Emery's team selection straightforward. Ollie Watkins returned to lead the line as one of three changes from the last-minute defeat against Manchester City in midweek, with Marco Asensio and John McGinn also returning. Palace looked happy to try and hit them on the break, with Boubacar Kamara picking up the game's first booking for hauling down the marauding Mateta. He soon had Tyrick Mitchell for company when he was cautioned for impeding Asensio. The first chance of any note fell to Morgan Rogers when Palace were almost caught napping from a throw-in midday through the first half but the England forward could only direct his shot wide. Palace were incensed when referee Anthony Taylor ruled that Mateta had fouled Ezra Konsa after pinching the ball from the Villa defender and finishing past Martínez. Their anger didn't last long, however, as Sarr forced Pau Torres into a mistake and laid the ball on the plate for Eze to apply the brilliant curing finish. He has now scored four times since breaking his duck for England against Latvia in March having only previously managed three all season. Advertisement Villa tried to respond but found Palace's well-organised defence a tough nut to crack, with Konsa denied by the sprawling Henderson after Watkins had won a corner. Palace should have doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time but somehow Mitchell couldn't make proper contact with his right foot after being picked out by Daniel Muñoz. Emery didn't look amused as he marched down the tunnel and Villa's players were sent out early for the second half. They almost found an equaliser within five minutes of the restart but Henderson pushed McGinn's half-volley wide before producing an even better save to deny Lucas Digne. Palace's next chance came from the spot when Kamara brought down Eze inside the area after a clever pass from Adam Wharton, and Anthony Taylor had no hesitation in awarding the penalty. Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'. If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you're on the most recent version. In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications. Turn on sport notifications. Yet Mateta could not make them pay as his effort clipped the outside of the post and went wide, cueing a loud roar of approval from Martínez. His next act, however, was to pick the ball out of his net after another mistake from Villa allowed Wharton to win back possession. Mateta was the provider as Sarr unleashed an unstoppable shot from outside the area before celebrating in front of his adoring fans. Emery unloaded his bench and Leon Bailey came closest to making it a nervy finish, only for his goalbound effort to deflect off Torres on the ground and go over the bar. This was just one of those days for Villa, who could have lost by more had Sarr not fluffed an easy header before finishing off Eddie Nketiah's pass late on to make it three. Palace will rightly head into next month's final feeling that they are a match for anybody.
The Guardian
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Sarr's sizzlers send Crystal Palace soaring into FA Cup final dreamland
It was a pinch me moment for the Crystal Palace supporters who had made it a sea of red and blue in the stand behind Emiliano Martínez's goal. A few minutes earlier, the Aston Villa goalkeeper had been pumping his fists in delight after Jean-Philippe Mateta's penalty miss appeared to have kept his side in the game. Yet already leading through Eberechi Eze's stunning goal in the first half, Palace were not to be denied. Ismaïla Sarr thumped the ball past Martínez from distance after another cheap Villa turnover and the Senegal forward was mobbed by his teammates as Oliver Glasner led a group hug with the substitutes on the bench. There were still more than half an hour to play at Wembley but Unai Emery's side – without the injured Marcus Rashford to call on – already looked well beaten, the rigours of a long campaign having finally caught up with them potentially. Not that Palace will care one bit as they can now look forward to a third FA Cup final in their history, with Sarr adding his second for good measure in injury time to round off a perfect day. Perhaps this time their story will have a happy ending. There was a tangible sense of anticipation before kick-off as both sets of supporters made themselves heard. Contesting their third semi-final in the past nine years, a banner quoting Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love was the centrepiece behind Dean Henderson's goal. Villa hadn't been past the fourth round since being thrashed 4-0 by Arsenal in the final a decade ago. A record of six defeats from their past eight visits to Wembley was a reason to be fearful for the 35,000 supporters who had made the pilgrimage from the Midlands. But having hauled themselves back into top-five contention in recent weeks and played at some of Europe's most imposing arenas already this season during their run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Villa settled quicker during a scrappy opening period. The news that Rashford was missing after picking up what Villa described as 'a knock' at least made Emery's team selection straightforward. Ollie Watkins returned to lead the line as one of three changes from the last-minute defeat against Manchester City in midweek, with Marco Asensio and John McGinn also returning. Palace looked happy to try and hit them on the break, with Boubacar Kamara picking up the game's first booking for hauling down the marauding Mateta. He soon had Tyrick Mitchell for company when he was cautioned for impeding Asensio. The first chance of any note fell to Morgan Rogers when Palace were almost caught napping from a throw-in midday through the first half but the England forward could only direct his shot wide. Palace were incensed when referee Anthony Taylor ruled that Mateta had fouled Ezra Konsa after pinching the ball from the Villa defender and finishing past Martínez. Their anger didn't last long, however, as Sarr forced Pau Torres into a mistake and laid the ball on the plate for Eze to apply the brilliant curing finish. He has now scored four times since breaking his duck for England against Latvia in March having only previously managed three all season. Villa tried to respond but found Palace's well-organised defence a tough nut to crack, with Konsa denied by the sprawling Henderson after Watkins had won a corner. Palace should have doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time but somehow Mitchell couldn't make proper contact with his right foot after being picked out by Daniel Muñoz. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Emery didn't look amused as he marched down the tunnel and Villa's players were sent out early for the second half. They almost found an equaliser within five minutes of the restart but Henderson pushed McGinn's half-volley wide before producing an even better save to deny Lucas Digne. Palace's next chance came from the spot when Kamara brought down Eze inside the area after a clever pass from Adam Wharton, and Anthony Taylor had no hesitation in awarding the penalty. Yet Mateta could not make them pay as his effort clipped the outside of the post and went wide, cueing a loud roar of approval from Martínez. His next act, however, was to pick the ball out of his net after another mistake from Villa allowed Wharton to win back possession. Mateta was the provider as Sarr unleashed an unstoppable shot from outside the area before celebrating in front of his adoring fans. Emery unloaded his bench and Leon Bailey came closest to making it a nervy finish, only for his goalbound effort to deflect off Torres on the ground and go over the bar. This was just one of those days for Villa, who could have lost by more had Sarr not fluffed an easy header before finishing off Eddie Nketiah's pass late on to make it three. Palace will rightly head into next month's final feeling that they are a match for anybody.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
It's now or never: This Elvis Presley experience is the closest you'll get to seeing him live
You can take a walk in Elvis Presley's blue suede shoes this spring as part of a forthcoming experience that will give fans an insight into the King of Rock 'n' Roll's career. Elvis Evolution, a new multi-sensory immersive experience announced today, will combine physical sets that move, shake and transform with live actors and musicians performing the superstar's hits including 'All Shook Up' and 'Can't Help Falling in Love'. The experience, taking place at London Excel Waterfront this spring, will take visitors on a journey through Elvis's rise to fame, from his humble beginnings in Tupelo to superstar musical icon. Visitors will witness major milestones in the singer's extraordinary career, such as some of his most memorable performances. Images shared by Layered Reality, the immersive entertainment company behind Elvis Evolution, provide a glimpse into the show's journey through time – including the 1960s 'Bob's Burbank Diner' and Elvis's 1968 dressing room. A third image shows backstage at NBC Studios offices, where Elvis recorded his legendary 1968 Comeback Special. The company has used AI to breathe new life into 60-year-old footage, recreating previously unseen moments from home footage and offering fans an intimate view of Elvis the man, as well as the superstar. The space will feature three themed bars, including a 1960s diner where there'll be themed cocktails, plus food at the Blue Hawaii bar. The show will culminate in a performance of Elvis' 1968 song 'If I Can Dream', accompanied by a live band, with the experience ending in the 'All Shook Up' afterparty bar where the celebrations will continue. Tickets are on sale now at
