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Belfast Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Kai Rooney's Manchester United defeat Rangers in front of bumper SuperCupNI crowd at Coleraine Showgrounds
Kai Rooney did swagger and sway past the Rangers defence, often at will, with some of his trickery and skills very reminiscent of his famous father Wayne. As Manchester United beat Rangers 2-0 to move to the cusp of topping Group C of the Premier section, Kai was outshone by one of his Red Devils team-mates. If this performance is anything to go by, the name Abdoulaye Douka Nkoto is one to watch out for in the future; his two second-half goals being just as spectacular as his acrobatic celebrations after he broke the deadlock early in the second-half. Those who packed into the stand and filled the terraces will be keeping an eye out for him in the future. The Rangers performance was again lit up by the lively Kyle Glasgow in midfield, but the best he could do on the night was a shot that was well-saved by the Manchester United goalkeeper. Rooney did have a chance to add to the goal he scored on opening night against West Cork Academy, but when he stepped up to take the penalty that his initial shot helped win, Rangers stopper Sam Reid dived to his right to save. Reid had conceded the penalty when he initially saved a low shot from Rooney, who had cut in from the right, with his dive towards the ball as it spilt from his grasp bringing down a United attacker as he tried to pounce on it. Rooney's first involvement saw him pick up the ball on the right and jink inside, just like his father did many times at Old Trafford, then making robust challenges of the type that Wayne was known for as well. It wasn't until the second-half of the match, though, that fans really got excited thanks to Nkoto. Rangers Luca Rankin had just clipped the bar with a free-kick at one end when United's No.7 unleashed a thunderbolt from just outside the box and then celebrated in style with a couple of backflips more reminiscent of another United old boy, Portuguese winger Nani. Rooney did fire an effort over the bar from close range after a low cross was driven in from the left — he had just a split second to take the shot — before that missed penalty midway through the second-half. As it was, Nkoto still had more class to show when, just a couple of minutes from the end, he weaved his way through on the left before arrowing a shot just inside the far post from a tight angle. The fans might have come hoping for a Rooney show, but it was Nkoto who provided the thrills and spills. County Tyrone are next up for Manchester United, and they will go into that game with renewed confidence after beating West Cork Academy 1-0. A 3-0 victory over 2024 winner Brighton has put County Down on course for the SuperCup Semi-Finals. They face a derby against County Armagh, who had an exciting 2-2 draw with Intercontinental. Hamilton Academical have put themselves into top spot in Group B thanks to a 4-0 win over AFC Bournemouth, and they now go up against County Fermanagh, who got their first point when drawing 3-3 with Tigres. Southampton are likely to emerge as Group D winners after they defeated County Londonderry 2-0, and in the same group, County Antrim lost 3-0 to UAE visitors Ichifuna. Junior Blackburn Rovers Junior coach Daniel Stubberfield is using the famous names from the SuperCup NI's past to inspire his team as they seek to win this year's tournament. In the future, it could be Ty Livesey who is doing that to the next generation after he scored his second hat-trick of the week when Rovers defeated County Tyrone 5-0. The striker showed that there is much to his all-round game with three different types of finish, the best being a stunning free-kick that arrowed into the top corner. The talented Charlie Taulty had put Blackburn into an early lead with a beautiful curling shot and the powerful Darnell Williams had added the third before Livesey netted his two late strikes to secure the match ball. 'We're really pleased with the start. I came last year and we really underperformed in the group,' said Stubberfield. 'We are here to win it. We have high hopes for this group of players. We think we've got a really strong group this year. 'We've got a lot of goals; the two games that we've played, you can see that. We've got a lad who's got two hat-tricks and must have a fighting chance of competing for the leading goalscorer trophy. 'We're very blessed as coaches, we've got a really good mix of players that should give them a chance of doing well in every game. 'You've only got to look at Facebook and see pictures or videos of David Beckham, Marcus Rashford and all these guys who have been here and had the experience that our boys are getting this week. 'For us to do that, that would be incredible for the club. 'We've won a tournament in Portugal previously that the club were really proud of and made a big deal of. 'There's a long way to go, but it would be a huge moment for the club if it was to happen. It's a very famous competition and we're really privileged to be here.' County Armagh set up a Group A decider with Blackburn thanks to a fantastic 5-0 win of their own over Crewe Alexandra. Alfie Davidson, Ryan Savage, Eoghan Mallon and Carter Walker all scored in the first 30 minutes of a superb performance. County Antrim are on course to top Group B after they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 thanks to goals from Michael Mulholland and Noah Stewart, while County Londonderry drew 3-3 with Charlton Athletic. Celtic are well-placed to take first place in Group C following a 4-1 win over Bohemians and they now face County Fermanagh, who were 4-0 winners against Chicago City. A 2-0 win over Plymouth Argyle keeps County Down's hopes of topping Group D alive, although they will have to beat West Ham United, who were 3-1 winners against St Patrick's Athletic. Minor Kieran O'Connor was beaming with pride after his Cliftonville Minor team booked their place in the Semi-Finals of the SuperCup NI, hailing their performance as one of the best he has seen from any team at Irish League level. His praise was fully justified, too, as the Reds responded within two minutes of going behind against Surf Select before completing an impressive 6-2 win. Keegan O'Connor, Rylan Perry, Aidan Green and Shea McCarthy to put Cliftonville in a comfortable position after Giovanni Reilly had opened the scoring. Even after Moses Moshkovsky had given the American side some hope, McCarthy added a second before Ronan Smith completed the six-hit. 'Two wins out of two and mathematically in the draw for the Semi-Final, we have to be delighted and we're really looking forward to tomorrow now against Leeds,' said O'Connor. 'We have to be quietly confident. We have quality, we have heart and desire and you just don't know in tournament football.' 'Particularly the first-half, that's as good as I've seen from a local team in terms of the quality of the ball, their positioning and quality off the ball and moving the ball on a very sticky, slow pitch was fantastic.' Loughgall Youth grabbed a last-minute 1-1 draw against English giants Leeds thanks to Daniel Farrell. Shamrock Rovers moved to the brink of securing their passage to the Semi-Finals from Group A when they defeated Ballmena United 5-2, and Crusaders kept their hopes alive with a 3-0 success against Ross County. Linfield will go head-to-head with Al Jazira Club for top spot in Group B after the Blues emerged 3-2 winners over Kilmarnock while Al Jazira won 3-1 against Glenavon. Blackburn Rovers are favourites to win Group D after a 2-0 win against Coleraine and the Bannsiders will face IDA Bermuda, who beat Shankill Juniors 3-0, in a battle for second spot. In the Girls Premier Section, Northern Ireland suffered a 2-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers, while Manchester United defeated Northeast Rush 4-1. Brighton and Aston Villa are joint top of their group after a 2-2 draw. In the Girls Junior Section, Manchester United claimed a resounding 7-1 win over FC United, Larne and Surf Select drew 2-2, and Crusaders had a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock. Girls It was another eventful day in the Girls' Sections of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI, with plenty of footballing talent on display. After easing to a victory yesterday, hopes were high in the Premier section that Northern Ireland could have claimed a second win on the trot against Irish side Shamrock Rovers, but the League of Ireland outfit had other plans. After an open start to the game at Monkstown where both sides tested the other in defence, it was Northern Ireland who opened the scoring in the eighth minute. Ruby Adair was the girl who broke down the right wing before firing an effort across the keeper from an acute angle that found its way into the net. However, on 24 minutes the scores were back level. Kassie McLoughlin raced onto a long ball, running into the Northern Ireland box before tucking a superb finish into the bottom right-hand corner. Just as the home team pushed for a winner 16 minutes into the second period, they were dealt a blow at the other end as Rovers grabbed a winner. Matylda Stemaszlek drilled home from 10 yards after the Northern Ireland defence had cleared off the line from Lara Dallaghan to send the visiting support into widespread cheers around the ground. Elsewhere in the Premier section Manchester United crushed Northeast Rush 4-1, while American side Surf Select ran out 2-0 winners against Irish team Finn Harps. In the evening kick-off at Dixon Park in Ballyclare, Brighton and Aston Villa played out an enjoyable 2-2 draw in front of a crowd that enjoyed another dose of summer night football. In the Junior section, there were more goals at Monkstown in the early kick-off with Manchester United sinking FC United 7-1. There were draws for two of the local sides, with Larne finishing 2-2 against Northeast Rush and Crusaders managing a 1-1 draw with Scottish side.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Celtic outbid for target, Rangers deal hampered, Lennon Miller bids, Hibs get Triantis answer
Latest transfer news and speculation in Scottish football Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Here is your Tuesday evening transfer bulletin featuring Celtic being outbid for a key target, how the deal could impact Rangers, Lennon Miller developments and a resolution in Hibs' pursuit of Nectar Triantis. Celtic outbid for target Celtic have been told to up their transfer bid for Jakob Breum after Go Ahead Eagles revealed they have already turned down a higher offer for the midfielder from one of their Dutch rivals. The Hoops have had three bids rejected for Breum, according to reports in the Netherlands, with an initial bid of £1.3million swiftly rejected, while the most recent offers also fell well short of his club's valuation. The 21-year-old, who is under contract until 2027, joined Go Ahead as a left winger from Odense two years ago but was transformed into a central attacking midfield player. The Denmark Under-21 international delivered 10 goals and five assists in the Eredivisie last season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Celtic target Jakob Breum (left) in action for Go Ahead Eagles against Ajax in February. (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images) | ANP/AFP via Getty Images Addressing the interest from Celtic, Go Ahead CEO Jan Willem van Dop confirmed that the club had already knocked back a higher offer from FC Twente. "There was a question (from FC Twente), and that was about Jakob Breum. That's negotiable, but only if the price is right. And we couldn't reach an agreement on that. What I did find positive was that his thoughts were certainly higher than the official offer Celtic ever made. "I've told Celtic that we won't be accepting their offer. I spoke to Breum's agent on the phone Monday morning, and he hopes he'll go that certainly not the most difficult club, but it has to be a good fit. And if we can't reach a financial agreement, we also have the right to say: well, it's not going to happen." Rangers deal hampered Celtic's pursuit of Jakob Breum could provide a stumbling block to Rangers' attempts to sign his Go Ahead Eagles team-mate Oliver Antman. Finnish international winger Antman is reportedly on Russell Martin's radar as he looks to bolster his attacking options for his maiden season in charge. However, Go Ahead CEO Jan Willem van Dop has intimated that the club will only sell one of Antman and Breum this summer. With Breum already the subject of interest from Celtic and Twente, it could hamper Rangers move for Antman. Asked about interest from the Glasgow giants in Breum and Antman, van Dop responded: "Those are the guys who are in the spotlight. I think one of them will ultimately leave." Rangers target Oliver Antman. Cr: Getty Images. | AFP via Getty Images Meanwhile, Russell Martin has indicated he would be keen to add Mikey Moore to his squad amid speculation Rangers are poised to sign the Tottenham teenager. The 17-year-old has made 21 appearances for Spurs but their new manager Thomas Frank explained on Tuesday he would like to 'find the right option' for the attacker to get the necessary game time to accelerate his development. When asked about Moore at his pre-match media briefing on the eve of Wednesday's Champions League qualifier with Panathinaikos in Athens, Gers boss Martin said little to dispel suggestions he is set to move to Ibrox. I think I've said to you all the way along that as soon as it's done you'll be the first guys to know,' Martin said on Tuesday. 'There's lots of players we like, lots that we're linked to. He's a really good player and if at any point he becomes a Rangers player we will let you know.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lennon Miller bids Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou conceded there is 'a high probability' that prized asset Lennon Miller will be sold this summer. Askou revealed on Tuesday that the Lanarkshire club have received offers for the 18-year-old Scotland international, who is currently recovering from a minor injury, and that he may have played his last game for the Steelmen. 'Yeah, he's still here, he's training, we're trying to get him back into full training after he's had a minor thing here over the summer and there's been some bids on him recently and it's something the board is working with,' the manager told Sky Sports. 'I'm trying with the staff here to get the team ready for Saturday, so it's going on in the background and will probably intensify here in the coming days. Who knows how long it's going to take, there's been a lot of speculation, a lot of rumours, a lot of interest in him for a long time and of course it's intensifying now.' Motherwell have received offers for Scotland international Lennon Miller. | Getty Images Bologna and Udinese are among the clubs reportedly leading the chase for Miller, who has also been linked with Celtic. Asked if he expected the teenager to remain at Motherwell beyond the end of the transfer window, Askou said: 'We'll see. Obviously there's a high probability that he will move this summer, but nothing is finalised yet. Obviously there's concrete things going on which we expected at the moment, so it's going to be interesting to see how it's all turning out. For now he's still a Motherwell player and he's doing his best to get back to full training so we can maybe see if we see him on the pitch again or not, but we're trying our best to get him ready.' Hibs get Triantis answer
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Djeidi Gassama 'ready' for Rangers start as glaring clues on XI to face Panathinaikos emerge
Russell Martin has big calls to make going into the second leg at Ibrox Russell Martin certainly wouldn't have hand-picked the searing heat of Athens and 40,000 Panathinaikos fanatics as his first-ever away game in Europe as a gaffer. On top of that, he'll turn up at the Olympic Stadium in Greece's capital with a crucial - but precarious - 2-0 lead from the first-leg of their Champions League qualifier at Ibrox. So the pressure's on, for Rangers ' new boss. But at his pre-match press conference in the bowels of the stadium, you wouldn't have known it. Physically, Martin was roasting after coming off a flight from Glasgow to be met by near 40 degree temperatures. But mentally, the manager was cool, calm and collected in his analysis of their victory a week ago - and what's required to finish the job here in Athens. Martin has become renowned for his unwavering belief in his system, style and philosophy. And despite the hostile atmosphere here created by the home support - that won't change come kick-off. Of course, he knows that he'll have to rely on his players to get a result and progress to the next phase of Champions League qualifying. But if his squad are as confident and measured as their boss, Rangers should be well equipped to qualify. Ahead of the second-leg tie against the Greeks, Martin said: 'The players need to display courage, discipline, aggression in the right areas, intensity, all of that. 'And nothing will change. We can talk about the approach for this game, but it's not going to change. 'We have to be the team we always want to be. I think this football club demands that. 'Late on in the game, you have to manage it as well as you possibly can depending on the situation. 'But the approach going into it has certainly not been any different. For me it's the same situation we found ourselves in before the first game. 'It's a tough match against a good opponent that we have to be ready for. I think we'll be better than we were last week. 'We have to be, and it's down to the players when they step out over the white line to make sure we stick to the work, the detail - and really believe in what we're doing. 'Can the players cope with the atmosphere? I hope so. We have a lot of international players. I think we have to manage the game and take the crowd out of it as much as we possibly can by doing it our way and trying to dominate in as many aspects as we can. 'I'm actually looking forward to the atmosphere. It'll be a really good experience for the guys. 'But we have a lot of players who have played in big games and big occasions for this football club. 'I'm really confident the guys can handle it.' One player who made a huge impact in the first game at Ibrox was new boy Djeidi Gassama, who arrived from Sheffield Wednesday. The French winger came off the bench and was explosive in his attacking play - scoring the vital second goal with a wonder strike off the bench. Martin couldn't contain his excitement about the potential in the 21-year-old - and warned Panathinaikos he's preparing to unleash him at the Olympic Stadium. He said: 'I think he's ready to start. He made a big impact for us when he came on last week. 'You saw plenty of the reasons why we wanted to sign him. 'We had the luxury of working with him in pre-season, behind closed doors, seeing him every day and understanding the talent and ability he has. 'And he felt this environment would be perfect for him to grow and continue improving. It's early days. But Gass is a player that really excites us and I think can make a big difference for us. 'Hopefully, he does the same again tomorrow night.' If Martin can navigate this tie, he'll secure European group phase football this season, whether it's in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference. Given where he's at in his Ibrox rebuild, he believes it would be a significant achievement - not for him personally but for the club as a whole. And he's determined to get over the line by seeing off the Greeks and giving Rangers fans something to shout about early in his tenure as manager. He said: 'We have a chance to give the travelling fans - and they will travel in their numbers everywhere for this football club - a night to remember. 'And we want a night to remember ourselves. I think it would be huge for the club to go through. It's not about me, it's about the club. 'It's about the players, the team, the fans. So, take anything personally out of it, it would be brilliant for the football club if we win. 'This was a tough draw for us, for sure, but we have to make sure that's the case. We have to bring our own game plan and try to instil it as much as we possibly can. 'The opportunities in the game need to be ones that we create. I don't expect to be given anything and I don't expect us to give them anything either. 'We took a lot, so much learning from last Tuesday night. We have to make sure we take that into tomorrow.'
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Jesurun Rak Sakyi to Rangers faces major hurdle as Crystal Palace change transfer rules
A winger is high up on Russell Martin's Ibrox shopping list this summer In-demand Jesurun Rak-Sakyi appears to have had the door slammed shut on a move to Rangers by Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner. The Scottish Premiership side are keen to sign the England youth international on an initial loan with a £10million option to buy. Rangers have already seen their bid to land the wide man thrown into doubt after the 22-year-old limped off during Palace's friendly clash with Crawley Town. And while the full extent of the injury has get to emerge, Eagles' boss Glasner has moved to close the door on any more departures ahead of the Community Shield showdown with Liverpool on August 10 - unless new faces are brought in. He told Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung: 'Even though all the players are still here, we haven't made the most of the transfer window so far. "I was promised that we would be more active and bring in the new players earlier this year. 'As of now, I have 17 outfield players. I hope we don't lose any more. "If that happens and we get four new ones on deadline day like last year, another false start is possible.' The latest set-back in the pursuit Rak-Sakyi comes after Rangers boss Russell Martin admitted he's a player both he and the club's decision makers are keen to land. Martin, speaking to Sky Sports News last week, said: "He's a player I like. We tried to take him to Southampton, it didn't quite happen. I like him and the recruitment staff like him, but how far that's gone... I'm not too sure. "He's a really good player. We look at all sorts of different profiles that we think can help the team, it doesn't necessarily have to be one type of profile. Players are very different. "We just need the ones with the right mentality who are desperate to come and play here. We'll see where we end up in four weeks' time." Since then, alternative deals for wingers have emerged with Tottenham's teenage star Mikey Moore set to join the Glasgow giants on loan. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Celtic page, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season.
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Mikey Moore Rangers transfer situation addressed as Russell Martin spells out Panathinaikos plan
Rangers head coach answers questions on links to Spurs teenager Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Russell Martin indicated he would be keen to add Mikey Moore to his squad amid speculation Rangers are poised to sign the Tottenham teenager. The 17-year-old has made 21 appearances for Spurs but their new manager Thomas Frank explained on Tuesday he would like to 'find the right option' for the attacker to get the necessary game time to accelerate his development. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When asked about Moore at his pre-match media briefing on the eve of Wednesday's Champions League qualifier with Panathinaikos in Athens, Gers boss Martin said little to dispel suggestions he is set to move to Ibrox. Rangers head coach Russell Martin during a training session on Tuesday ahead of the trip to Greece. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group) | SNS Group 'I think I've said to you all the way along that as soon as it's done you'll be the first guys to know,' Martin said on Tuesday. 'There's lots of players we like, lots that we're linked to. He's a really good player and if at any point he becomes a Rangers player we will let you know.' Martin has made no effort to downplay the level of transfer activity he expects in his first transfer window in charge as he bids to get his squad to the level he wants. 'I think we still have a few areas we need to strengthen and put a bit more depth in for sure,' said the former Scotland international. 'I think some areas are more obvious than others but I think we're still looking to add to the squad. I keep saying that we will add to the squad but it has to be the right ones and definitely in the right areas.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Martin's plan of attack in Athens The Rangers squad arrived in Athens on Tuesday without summer signing Thelo Aasgaard and striker Hamza Igamane, who have missed out through injury. Gers are aiming to protect a 2-0 advantage in the Olympic Stadium, and Martin has told his players they must be even better in the Greek capital than they were in the home leg. From left: Mohamed Diomande, Nicolas Raskin, Cyriel Dessers and James Tavernier arrive for a Rangers training session on Tuesday. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group) | SNS Group 'For me, it's the same situation we found ourselves in before the first game,' said. 'It's a tough game against a good opponent that we have to be really ready for and I think we'll be better than we were last week, we have to be. 'I think at this football club you have to try and win every single game. I think that has to be the mentality of our team. I don't believe in going into something and trying to avoid something. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We try and work towards something rather than work away from it. We'll work hard to try and win the game and we have to be very, very good to do that. I'm looking forward to it.' Athens has been basking in temperatures in the mid-30s this week and it is forecast to be almost 30C come kick-off time, but Martin is unfazed by such a prospect. 'I think we had an extremely hot week in St George's (at their pre-season base in England) where the guys had to work really, really hard and cover a lot of distance,' he said. 'I think that will help prepare us, but it's the same for both teams. We have to manage the game in the best way possible, in our way, for us, and I think the players are ready for that.
