LEEDS, England-- Leicester City's veteran striker Jamie Vardy came off the bench to break his long scoring drought and earn his side a 1-1 draw with a late equaliser in a crunch relegation battle away to Leeds United in the Premier League on Tuesday. Leeds were closing in on a much-needed three points in their quest for safety thanks to Luis Sinisterra's 20th-minute header after Leicester's Youri Tielemans had a goal ruled out. The 36-year-old Vardy, who came on in the 70th minute, had other ideas though and fired past Leeds keeper Illan Meslier from James Maddison's pass to rescue his side. It was his first league goal since October and the former England striker thought he had given Leicester the lead shortly afterwards but his effort was ruled out for offside.
A frantic finale saw Leicester keeper Daniel Iversen make an outstanding save to keep out Marc Roca's close-range header before Leeds striker Patrick Bamford scuffed a glorious opportunity wide. The result did little to ease either side's relegation fears with Leicester remaining in 17th place with 29 points, one point ahead of third-from-bottom Everton who would move above them if they avoid defeat by Newcastle United on Thursday. Leeds have 30 points. Second-from-bottom Nottingham Forest could also leapfrog Leicester if they win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday. Vardy Razor Sharp Vardy, whose goals powered Leicester to a fairytale title in 2016, has cut a frustrated figure this season and had not scored in any competition since a League Cup game in December. But he looked razor sharp after interim manager Dean Smith sent him on and he drilled a low shot into the corner after a sweeping Leicester move ended with Maddison playing him in.
"It could be massive. We have five cup finals left. We'll enjoy the point tonight, then get back in and recover," Vardy said. "I can't say what I want to say on TV because I'll get done but it's been a weird season for me. Hopefully the goals keep coming." Defeat would have been harsh on Leicester who were denied an early lead when Tielemans seized on a loose ball and sent an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Sadly for the Belgian, a VAR check deemed Boubacary Soumare had been slightly offside in the build-up. There was a nervous energy around Elland Road after three successive defeats but there was an explosion of relief when a superb move down the right saw Jack Harrison deliver a superb curling cross that Sinisterra headed down and into the net.
Javi Gracia's Leeds seemed content to try to hang on to their slender advantage in the second half and, with Maddison pulling the strings, Leicester took charge. Meslier twice denied Kelechi Iheanacho, who went off injured, before Vardy's crucial contribution. It was arguably a better point for Leicester who should have a smoother run-in than Leeds who still have to play Manchester City and Newcastle United in their last five games. "We try to put the past behind us, learn from our mistakes and continue on in a positive way," Harrison said. "We're looking for every point we can get in this moment in time. It's not what we wanted but we will take it."
CLEVELAND --Jurickson Profar homered and drove in three runs as the visiting Colorado Rockies snapped a three-game losing skid with a 6-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday. Mike Moustakas had three hits and Ezequiel Tovar had two RBIs for Colorado, which had lost 11 of its previous 12 games.
Austin Gomber (1-4) allowed three hits over five shutout innings for his first win since July 12, 2022. Cleveland was limited to four hits and lost for the sixth time in their last eight games. Steven Kwan had three of the hits and Myles Straw added a leadoff single in the eighth. Profar gave the Rockies a quick lead with a one-out homer in the first against Cal Quantrill (1-2). The 347-foot shot to right field was Profar's third of the season.
Colorado knocked Quantrill out of the game with four runs in the fourth inning. Tovar's one-out single drove in two runs before Charlie Blackmon walked to load the bases again. After Profar followed with a single to left field that scored two runs, Nick Sandlin relieved Quantrill and struck out the next two batters to end the inning. Quantrill allowed five runs on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Colorado tacked on another run in the fifth against Tim Herrin when Moustakas delivered a one-out double and scored on Alan Trejo's single to left field.
The Rockies received a solid outing from Gomber, who issued three walks and struck out three while throwing 83 pitches. Jake Bird, Pierce Johnson and Justin Lawrence combined for four scoreless innings of relief. The Guardians' best scoring threat came with two runners on and one out in the fifth inning. Gomber induced a double-play grounder by Amed Rosario to escape the jam. Colorado center fielder Brenton Doyle made his major league debut and went 0-for-3 with a walk while batting eighth. Rockies right fielder Kris Bryant returned after missing one game due to lower-body pain and had two singles and a walk.
AZ Alkmaar's Vangelis Pavlidis scores their first goal against Anderlecht during their Europa Conference League Quarter Final Second Leg match at at AFAS Stadion, Alkmaar, Netherlands
ALKMAAR--AZ Alkmaar has reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals after a penalty shootout win over Anderlecht. The clash finished 2-2 on aggregate after a 2-0 win for AZ.
Down 2-0 from the first leg, AZ needed a quick start, That was exactly what they did as Vangelis Pavlidis netted twice in the opening 15. minutes.
The first goal for the home side was a penalty after a foul by Michael Murillo, before the striker finished off a well-crafted move started by an excellent pass from Tijjani Reijnders.
Pavlidis scuffed a chance to score a hattrick and Milos Kerkez also missed a big chance as AZ went into the break 2-0 ahead. Pavlidis did not reappear for the second half after an injury and Mayckel Lahdo came on.
AZ remained in control but they could not find the third goal with Kerkez hitting the post, while Bart Verbruggen also made a number of saves.
The game headed to extra time during which Jens Odgaard thought he had won the game for AZ, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
A penalty shootout was needed in which AZ came out on top as they netted all four of their spot kicks. The winning penalty was netted by young striker Mexx Meerdink, who will now start for AZ’s Under 19s in their UEFA Youth League semi-final against Sporting Portugal, today, Friday.
AZ will face West Ham United in the Europa Conference League’s semi-final.
Brighton & Hove Albion's Robert Sanchez in action as Manchester United's Marcel Sabitzer scores a penalty in the shootout during their FA Cup Semi Final match at Wembley Stadium in London.
LONDON, England-- Manchester United beat Brighton & Hove Albion in a thrilling penalty shootout after their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Sunday finished 0-0 after extra time to set up the first all-Manchester clash in the final. Solly March, Brighton's seventh player to step up to the spot in the shootout, launched the ball over the bar, before Victor Lindelof found the net to secure a 7-6 shootout victory for United. "It felt great," Lindelof told the BBC. "It was a great relief and we're glad to be in the final. "I have confidence in myself and I knew which penalty I wanted to take and that's what I did." The nail-biting finale was a fitting ending after 120 goalless minutes of wild swings in a game that careened from end to end all night. The quality of the penalties in a torrential downpour was superb with United finding the net with all seven of their spotkicks. Brighton's first six efforts were equally impressive until March fired wildly off target. "They were great penalties," United keeper David De Gea said. "I was prepared as always. I tried to put pressure on the takers. "There's still a long way to the final but it will be a big game against one of the best teams in Europe and the world." Erik ten Hag's United, 12-times FA Cup winners, are chasing a cup double after winning the League Cup in February. Treble-chasing Manchester City await in the final after they beat Sheffield United 3-0 in their semi on Saturday. "We showed at home we can beat them (Manchester City) so let's hope," De Gea said. United beat City 2-1 in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Jan. 14. "We are on the right track. One trophy, another final and fighting for the top four. It's not enough but it's a big step from last season." Sunday's semi was a rematch of the 1983 final, when Brighton lost to United in the south coast side's only appearance in the showcase game. It had fans on the edge of their seats at Wembley with numerous chances for both sides to break the deadlock, including several in extra time. Marcus Rashford's deflected shot in the extra period was pushed wide by Brighton's diving keeper Robert Sanchez, and then he fired a long shot that sailed just wide. Kaoru Mitoma nearly won it for Brighton late in extra time, but collided with De Gea in the box. "It was a very tight game we played a very good team," De Gea said. "Brighton play really good football. We are now in the final but we have another big game on Thursday (against Tottenham in the Premier League) so we need to go home and recover." The loss ended Brighton's superb run and ended The Seagulls' hopes of clinching a first-ever major trophy. The FA Cup final is on June 3 at Wembley.
MUNICH, Germany-- 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.
