A website about football in Manchester
ENGLAND 1, ITALY 1
Former Oldham Athletic player James Tarkowski’s remarkable rise and journey from Boundary Park culminated in a first England cap in the draw against Italy at Wembley.
And the 25-year-old Burnley centre-back did not look out of place to stake his claim for a place in the squad for this summer’s World Cup, though he conceded a late penalty to blot an otherwise flawless debut.
Gareth Southgate’s England may have beaten a Netherlands side that failed to reach a second consecutive major football finals but there are signs of green shoots of recovery after a long winter following the sad debacle against Iceland during Euro 2016.
Almost two years after England failed to perform against Iceland in Nice, Southgate has qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the first of four friendlies will help the young England boss decide who will be on the plane in the summer.
ARGENTINA 2, ITALY 0
Lionel Messi, five times world player of the year, didn’t get to play at Manchester City.
The mercurial Messi failed to feature for Argentina against Italy to the huge disappointment of the 18,000 fans at the Etihad.
Messi was named on the bench but was pictured sat in the stand with City’s injured Argentine striker Sergio Aguero.
And though there were chants of “Messi, Messi” from the fans, there was no way he was going to make even the briefest of cameos.
Manchester City have launched a campaign to encourage more girls to play football whatever their background.
The #SameGoals social media campaign – which involves City’s Georgia Stanway – is encouraging girls to send in footage that shows them scoring – or saving – a goal.
The goal can be scored – or saved – anywhere using any kind of ball.
MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 2, LINKOPING 0 (UEFA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL 1ST LEG)
Goals by Nikita Parris and Jane Ross saw Manchester City Women take a solid lead into the second leg of their Women’s Champions League tie with Linkoping but they spurned the chance to finish the tie on a drizzly night in Manchester.
The game changed after Lisa Lantz was sent off for a second bookable offence for the Swedish champions but in truth City could have finished off the tie at home against the disadvantaged visitors with Parris failing to convert when clean through, Georgia Stanway hitting the woodwork twice, and Claire Emslie missing with a free shot late in the game as City put their Continental Cup Final disappointment against Arsenal behind them.
