Mediaboss Marketing

AC Milan held on at the Maradona to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2006-07 after a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Ismael Bennacers goal in the first leg gave Milan something to defend in Naples and they made it a two-goal advantage as Olivier Giroud converted Rafael Leaos feed, and though Victor Osimhen scored late on it would prove to be a mere consolation.

Below are the best stats from the game, via the official website

Olivier Giroud has now been involved in seven goals in the 2022-23 Champions League (five goals, two assists), setting a new personal best in the competition (six in 2020-21 with Chelsea and in 2012-13 with Arsenal).

Milan have reached the Champions League semi-final for the first time since 2006-07. They join Juventus as the Italian team with the most number of appearances at this stage of the competition (seven). If you include the previous European Cup it totals 14.

Only Paolo Maldini against Liverpool in the 2005 final (36y 333d) has scored for Milan in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League at an older age than Olivier Giroud this evening (36y 200d).

Before tonight, Milan had never fielded the same starting eleven in a first and second leg tie against the same opponent in a knockout game in the Champions League/European Cup.

Read the original:
Evergreen Giroud and a club first: All the key stats from Milans draw against Napoli - Yardbarker

Photo Courtesy of Leikwaivion Davis, Truth and Service Players waiting to catch a rebound.

An excited crowd of students filled the Burr gymnasium seats last Wednesday night to show support for their fellow Bison in the midst of Springfest for UGSAs annual Truth and Service basketball game. With music playing and the crowd engaging activities, Howards school spirit was in full effect.

The game also included a Procter and Gamble (P&G) Stem leaders $10,000 scholarship prize for top diverse students in STEM focused curriculum who will bring new perspectives to P&G. The prize was awarded to Trevor Jones, a junior engineering major.

Students played for the Truth team, blue jersey, versus Service team, white jersey. In the first quarter, both teams came out strong on both the offensive and defensive end. The biggest play of the night occurred in the first quarter, as Service player Zach Royster took a fast break to the hoop and flushed an electrifying one-handed dunk on two opposing defenders.

People in the stands stood to their feet to show support in awe with the score after the first quarter, 20-17 with Service in the lead. During the transition into the second quarter, fellow Bison competed in a competitive lay up relay race. Students from the crowd cheered the students on as they ran across the court to see who hit the free throw first.

Midway through the second quarter, the Service team began separating. The team hit deep threes and played solid defense making it difficult for the Truth team to find a rhythm. Turnovers also hurt the Truth team all night.

The halftime show featured a basketball knockout game with students in the crowd being chosen to participate.

Zach Royster, a freshman finance major and a player for team Service, talked about how he felt after the play of the night.

It felt great to be on that side of the interaction. When I went to the games this year as a fan, I would be someone supporting and rooting from the stands whenever there was an electrifying play, Royster said,Being on the receiving end of that support is on another level and just gives you that boost of confidence while playing.

In the second half, it was the same story. The Truth team struggled to produce offensively and was overwhelmed by the Service teams offensive prowess. The Service team exposed gaps in the paint with slashing plays and created turnover after turnover for the Truth team. At the end of the third quarter, the final score was 74-55 with the Service team in the lead.

One player for the Truth team stood out every chance he got the ball. Ahmaz Atias, a senior computer science major, found ways to score effortlessly for the Truth team and ended the game scoring 24 points. From getting to the free throw line to knocking down contested three-pointers, Ahmaz was dominating on the court.

I was trying to do everything possible. I know it was just a game for fun but I hate losing so I was down with doing whatever to win, Ahmaz said. It was a great experience and all for a great cause. I would have been better if we came out with the win but its all good.

The fourth quarter was much of the same, as team Service tumbled over team Truth with a score 90-68. Both teams shook hands at the end of the game with LB Towns Jr. taking home the title as the most valuable player.

The game didnt disappoint with the crowd being engaged every minute. Students were able to come support their fellow Bison during Springfest and come together for this annual gem on campus.

Gabe Sebhatu, a sophomore political science major , shared his experience coming to the game and his favorite moment of the night.

I thought the game was entertaining. It was cool to see both teams were evenly matched so it made it more interesting to watch, Sebhatu said,My favorite moment in the game was probably during halftime when they started to play a knockout game, he added.

Copy edited by Jasper Smith

More here:
Howard University Holds Annual Truth and Service Game - The Hilltop Online

The competition in the Super Cup is heating up as the last matchday of the Group Stage is on the horizon. Mumbai City FC are set to take on Chennaiyin FC in their last Group D game on the 19th of April at the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri, Kerala for a virtual knockout clash between the two ISL clubs.

Mumbai City FC lost 2-1 to NorthEast United FC in their most recent game in the Super Cup, in a game that was thoroughly dominated by the Islanders but were unlucky to lose to a resolute Highlanders side.

While talking about the game against NorthEast United, Mumbai City head coach Des Buckingham spoke about his sides comprehensive performance. He said, I was pleased with how we played. All the internal measures that we have were as high, if not higher in some areas than the marks that we try and hold ourselves to. Unfortunately, the external measure, the end result was 2-1 to NorthEast. We hit the crossbar twice. We had two clear penalties turned down. We had other chances which we could've normally and wouldve scored. So, when I monitor and measure our performances across that game, I was. Very happy with how we played in the game.

The 38-year-old Englishman went on to talk about how his squad is preparing for what will be a virtual knockout game against Chennaiyin FC. Buckingham said, Chennaiyin are at full strength. They're a good team. We've played them twice so far this season in the league, and they were competitive games. As always, we will do what we've done in all the games - make sure we get ourselves as prepared as we can to do what we want to try and do.

Mumbai City FC and Chennaiyin FC have clashed twice in the league and once in the Durand Cup already this season with the Islanders winning all three meetings. Across the three games, the Islanders have scored 13 and conceded 6 goals against Chennaiyin FC. Speaking on what he expects from the game, Des Buckingham said, it will certainly be an exciting one. We know, both teams are going into the game, they need to win it if they want to stand a chance of progressing. Tournament football always sets games up for an exciting 90 minutes.

He concluded by talking about how his young all-Indian squad has been performing in the Super Cup so far, We'll be doing everything we can to showcase our football and showcase how good our players can be and our team can be regardless of what players we field. Whether it's the young ones or the older ones - I say older but we haven't got many older ones in our squad right now - it's a wonderful experience for them to showcase not that they are capable of competing against a good ISL team, also showcasing the style of football that we want to continue playing, regardless of what player takes the pitch.

At HT Sports Desk, passionate reporters work round the clock to provide detailed updates from the world of sports. Expect nuanced match reports, previews,reviews, technical analysis based on statistics, the latest social media trends, expert opinions on cricket, football, tennis, badminton, hockey,motorsports, wrestling, boxing, shooting, athletics and much more....view detail

See original here:
Des Buckingham buoyant ahead of exciting game vs Chennaiyin FC in Super Cup - Hindustan Times

ULSTER backrow David McCann has found the transition from schoolboy rugby to the professional ranks a steep learning curve.

McCann captained RBAI to a Schools Cup semi-final in 2018 and also donned the skippers armband for Ireland at U19 and U20 level.

McCann also led Ulster at A level but has had a battle to secure a place in the provinces backrow which includes South African World Cup winner Duane Vermeulen (below) and Ireland grand slam winner Jordi Murphy.

The flanker has started Ulsters last four games at blindside and has featured in 12 games already this season - his best return in a white shirt since making his debut against Benetton in October 2020.

Its weird being one of the biggest at underage stuff and then you go in and youre the smallest, so you get bullied and thrown about, recalled McCann.

Its good to experience it and it brings you down to earth a wee bit and then slowly youre building up the physicality, size and then experience and thats the big thing - it takes a couple of years for some people. Look at Harry Sheridan, hes fine, other people it takes a bit longer so its an individual path.

Its not a great sensation or feeling when someone is throwing you about, so you need to go and work a bit harder.

Its a good blend of experience and less experienced (in the backrow), but also vying for the same position, its good because it pushes you on and if I start looking behind me thats not going to help me get into the team.

So Sherry (Harry Sheridan) is obviously pushing and there are people in the Academy as well in the back-row who are working hard to get in the team and arent far off and then the likes of Jordi who has 30 caps for Ireland or whatever its hard to get ahead of him and then he obviously pushes you in training.

Playing for his club Banbridge in Division 1B of the All Ireland League has toughened the 22-year-old up for the rigours of professional rugby.

Its definitely a different pace but it gives you an opportunity to work on basic elements of your tackling and your ball-carry, he said.

You might not be getting the same exposure to the pace of the game and lineout etc, but basic things like hitting people hard and getting your entry right, thats pretty valuable.

McCann recently penned a new contract to stay at his childhood club and now after experiencing a European knockout game against Leinster he wants to help Ulster end their long 17 year wait for a trophy by winning the United Rugby Championship.

Obviously growing up watching Ulster and sitting in the stands or on the terrace and then getting the sensation of actually playing its kind of just chasing that for the next two years. But the Leinster game down in the Aviva was a special experience so just representing the team youve watched for your whole life is good, he said.

Weve got a good balance of older guys and younger guys coming through so I dont think anyone would be sticking around if they didnt think there was a chance of winning.

Leinster, its definitely quite a moment to get your first start in Europe and youve got to separate the result sometimes from what the actual experience was like.

The bigger the game, you get a taste for it, and then you just want more and more, he added.

Having experience of that you dont ever want to step back but keep going and building on that and win stuff ultimately.

Link:
Duane Vermeulen and Jordi Murphy inspiring rising Ulster star ... - The Irish News

April 18, 2023 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) - Florida Tropics SC News Release

LAKELAND, Florida - The Florida Tropics had two players as part of the Major Arena Soccer League's post-season awards announced Monday, including Rafa Alves who was named Defender-of-the-Year.

Alves, also a member of the MASL 'Elite Six", joined defender Chad Vandegriffe on the first-team of all-stars. Vandegriffe won Defender-of-the-Year honors last year, and Drew Ruggles won the award in 2019-20 giving a Florida player that honor in three of the last four seasons.

Alves led the MASL with 59 blocked shots in just 18 games played, missing a quarter of the season because of injury. He also chipped in with four goals. For his career, which began in the Tropics first ever season in 2016-17, he has 111 blocks and 23 total points.

He had three or more blocks in a game 11 times this year, including 10 blocks in a 6-5 win in Kansas City. That, and his 59 total blocks, are single season records for Forida.

Vandegriffe, who won the award last year with 54 blocks, followed that up with another 54-block season in 2022-23, good for second most blocks in the MASL. In his nine-year pro indoor career, which started with his hometown St. Louis Ambush, Vandegriffe has 240 career blocks.

"Rafa wand Chad were both fantastic this year. Rafa took his game to a new level altogether, and game in and game out, year in and year out, there's no better defender in our game than Chad," Head Coach Clay Roberts said. "They are both deserving honorees who could be depended on every night to keep opposing forwards in check and anchor our defensive efforts."

Honors were decided in a vote of front office representatives and league broadcasters.

The Tropics were in the post-season for the fourth consecutive season this year, but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semi-finals by the Baltimore Blast. The t wo teams split the first two games of the series, with Baltimore winning the 15-minute knockout game 3-2 to advance.

Discuss this story on the Major Arena Soccer League message board...

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

See the article here:
Alves Is MASL Defender-Of-Year; Vandegriffe Also Honored as ... - OurSports Central