Latest news with #cupfinal
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Fighting breaks out at Gloucestershire rugby cup final
Two rugby clubs have issued apologies after fighting brought a cup final to a premature violence happened towards the end of the North Gloucestershire Combination Cup Final between Matson RFC and Longlevens RFC, who were named winners as they were so far ahead, at Kingsholm stadium on official statements, Lee Bayliss, chairman of Matson RFC, and the Longlevens Rugby Committee apologised for the behaviour of the fans Police said the incident was dealt with by stadium stewards and only reported when it was over, so there was no need for officers to attend. In an official statement, Mr Bayliss said: "What should have been a great family day out celebrating local rugby was ruined by a few supporters from both sides."We will be meeting as a club to discuss this matter and decide what action we need to take, following review of footage and statements."We would like to reiterate that as a club Matson RFC do not condone this behaviour and take such matters very seriously."We would like to congratulate Longlevens RFC on a well-deserved win in the senior cup and are isappointed for them that they were robbed of a moment to lift the cup at Kingsholm in a joyous celebration." Longlevens Rugby Committee said in its statement it was "disappointed" the events led to "the premature end of what should have been a celebration of grassroots rugby"."This behaviour falls far short of the values we uphold as a club - respect, sportsmanship, and community," they added."Rugby is a game that brings people together, and there is no place for violence, intimidation, or disruption, whether on or off the pitch."
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ross bowing out on a high note was 'the aim' for teammate Wilkinson
Rangers striker Jane Ross, who played her last game in the cup final, tells BBC Scotland: "It's amazing, finishing on a high is all I could ask for."To lift a trophy with this group of players, I'm ecstatic Katie Wilkinson, who played a part in all three goals, tells BBC Scotland: "The aim for us was to win the game."I love scoring goals, I love assisting and contributing, we were able to put three past them, probably could have been a little more."The aim was to win, leave Jane on a high, and we did that."
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pundits react to Aberdeen's penalty shootout heroics
Here's how BBC Scotland's cast of pundits reacted to the Dons' cup final win:Aberdeen legend Willie Miller: "It's brilliant goalkeeping isn't it, from him. He's got a huge stretch, Mitov. He's a tall figure and if he guesses the right way and you're hitting it low then it's going to be really difficult for that to end in the back of the net."The penalty kicks from Aberdeen were quite sensational. Three of them were out of this world. The doubters were all out there. I tell you what, what a magnificent afternoon for my old club."Fantastic for the club, fantastic for Jimmy Thelin, fantastic for Dave Cormack and wonderful for these fans that are down here celebrating. This is something special, 35 years in the making. It's quite incredible."The underdogs, the total underdogs. Nobody including their dogs gave Aberdeen a chance of lifting this trophy, maybe apart from me, and they've done it."Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner: "Well, well, well. What a good save, although it wasn't the best penalty to finish."You could see the nerves, you could see the pressure on Alistair Johnston. Dimitar Mitov comes up with the two big saves in the game."Brilliant penalties. You probably wouldn't expect Aberdeen to hit them so well. The last penalty was a really tired penalty. Callum McGregor's was well struck but it was a good height for the goalkeeper."Aberdeen deserved it from the point of view that of the way that they changed their structure, changed the way they were going to play. They defended their box well when they had to do it. They got their goal and then they hung in there."Celtic had the big chance with Maeda going through. That was the big one and they had the shots off the post and off the crossbar. They had the better chances, Celtic - probably - more control of the game but it just didn't click for them today."Former Scotland forward James McFadden: "Not many people gave Aberdeen any hope of winning this cup today. But when it comes to a cup final, you just never know."It is a time for heroes - Mitov is the hero this afternoon. But it was a monumental effort from Aberdeen as a squad to get over the line."It's been such a long time coming. What a season they've had - up and down, and what an end."Scotland captain Rachel Corsie: "Just listening to Mitov, the credit he gives to the manager. Players don't say that lightly."He pays a lot of testament to the fact players trusted him. He did something different today and it worked."The last few times they've played Celtic, they've been out of it by half time. He knew that wasn't an option today, they couldn't put themselves in that position."Former Scotland and Celtic captain Scott Brown: "Form goes out the window in a cup final. We've all been disappointed after a cup final, it's how Celtic bounce back."Winning trebles isn't easy. Aberdeen needed a bit of luck, but their defensive unit was really good throughout the game and the manager got the tactics spot on."It wasn't pretty over the 120 minutes, but there's no pictures on the cup at the end of the day."Former Scotland international Leanne Crichton: "It really is unbelievable stuff. Look at the fans, the players, they didn't know how to react."That's the beauty of football, that's what makes it so incredible on an afternoon like this."
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Celtic don't do enough on day
This was a Celtic canter in the making, according to almost walkovers against this Aberdeen side suggested no other outcome than another trophy and another treble for script was firmly ripped up and thrown in the was anyone's trophy in the end as the game swung back and forth after Aberdeen's equaliser, even if Celtic still were more on the truth, the Scottish champions didn't do enough and met an Aberdeen side who gave everything to get this famous win over the McGregor's incredible run of cup final wins is over. Rodgers remains tied with Jock Stein on two trebles when it seemed inevitable he'd be out on his publicly declared his intent to remain at Celtic next season, he will surely demand backing to keep winning domestically and build on progress in here is undoubtedly a blow. One that will irk over the summer. A reminder that in cup finals, it's never as straightforward or easy as everyone might the full match report here.
Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Times
Ruben Amorim's failure to fire up side proved he is wrong for Man United
There are 50 ways to leave your lover but perhaps just the two to ensure you win a cup final: make sure everyone connected to your club understands that the trophy matters and acknowledge what changes you need to make to outwit your opponent. The preamble to the Europa League final was dominated by jibes aimed at both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur that it was ludicrous one of them should end up competing in the Champions League given how dreadful their form in the Premier League has been all season. But for the lack of bite of the promoted clubs, both Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou would have been worried all last week about the possibility of being relegated, rather than dreaming of trips to the stadiums of the crème de la crème. However, of the two coaches battling it out in Bilbao on Wednesday evening, only one of them swatted away the insults and made sure their team operated in a bubble of romantic endeavour. Postecoglou showed his players videos in which loved ones shared messages of love and inspiration. The Australian pulled the plug on the naysayers and enveloped the team and the fans with positivity. Heck, he even held the winning of the trophy in such high regard that he completely ditched a football philosophy built upon entertainment and a high line to deliver the dourest performance maybe ever given by a Spurs team. The end justifies the means. The cup meant everything and so we saw men behind the ball, a contorted goalline clearance, an inspired save — acts of derring-do that emerge when you are fired up and believe in the cause. United, by contrast, played mostly the way people behave when on a dull first date, glancing at wrist watches, nodding but not listening, wondering if they booked a nice enough hotel for their next holiday. Amorim had not risen to the bait at all. He agreed with those who said one cup would not make up for such a weak league campaign and so, like a reluctant teenager being dragged around a National Trust garden, turned up in Bilbao a day after the Tottenham contingent. Weirdly, Amorim was not the manager under threat of the axe before kick–off but he behaved as if he had found a note under his pillow, signed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, telling him that he was off the hook, he could leave halfway through the game if he wanted to and need never again navigate his way around the Arndale Centre. It was a limp display unworthy of United's glorious history and it showcased why he was the wrong man to have been tasked with rebuilding the team and improving results. ANDREW MILLIGAN/PA Tottenham had defeated United three times this season before Wednesday night and Amorim seemed to interpret that as a fait accompli. But surely the best managers use defeats to gather intelligence and insight. As coaches like to tell us, you'll learn much more from a loss than a victory. Take Oliver Glasner. His Crystal Palace team lost 5-2 to Manchester City in the league not long before facing them again in the FA Cup final. He whispered in Pep Guardiola's ear that if they were to meet again he would solve the tactical flaws City had exposed. Sure enough, Glaser was much more conservative at Wembley, denying City the pockets of space they adore and banking on the brilliance of his players to make brief possession in transition count. City, like United, had been told in the build-up that a domestic cup would not make up for a relatively disappointing season and were unable to shift up a gear to respond to Glasner's cunning plan. And there United were in northern Spain, looking bereft before a ball was kicked when, really, their players should have been fired up to exploit Tottenham's collective desperation to end the tag of 'Spursiness'. We should have seen a hunger to start the revitalisation there and then. Instead we saw a club collectively shrugging that it would be just fine to defer all that effort until August. Spurs had a planned parade to look forward to, United had a backyard barbecue. Just imagine if the Portuguese had stuck with the energy Alejandro Garnacho had displayed throughout the competition rather than demoting him to the bench. Just imagine if Amorim had recognised that Casemiro was not quite sprightly enough to be effective in midfield. Just imagine if he had stunned Postecoglou by going four at the back instead of sticking with his beloved 3-4-2-1 system. It is a system that works well enough in Europe, replicating the success Amorim had with it at Sporting Lisbon. But this year's Europa League final was not actually a Continental contest at all. It was yet another game against a team that needed to be startled. Instead Spurs, the club most likely to bottle it on the big stage, were allowed to reshape their history by a team incapable of finding the jugular, let alone going for it.
