Liverpool Retain Top-4 Race In EPL, Beat Southampton 2–0
Liverpool retain top-4 race in EPL, beat Southampton 2–0. Liverpool has kept their hopes alive for a place in the top four in the English Premier League (EPL) by beating Southampton 2–0 at Anfield.
Liverpool’s team has managed to register only a second win at home ground in 2021. Sadio Mane from the team scored a header in the 31st minute in the first half to give the team a 1-0 lead in the match.
Then in the second half, Thiago Alcantra scored in the 90th minute to increase the team’s lead to 2–0. After this, both teams could not score a goal and the match was named Liverpool.
Liverpool retain top-4 race in EPL: This is also Alcantara’s first goal from the club.
This win would have boosted the morale of Liverpool players after the team’s poor performance on the home ground in the current season.
The win puts Liverpool in sixth place with 57 points from 34 matches. The team is just one point behind fifth-placed West Ham. At the same time, Southampton remains in 16th place.
Liverpool retain top-4 race in EPL
BFC is skeptical of the AFC Cup playoff match against Eagles FC to be held here on 11 May as the Sports Minister of the host country slammed the ISL team over the alleged violation of the Covid-19 rules, have asked to leave.
This Indian club has also accepted these allegations as true. The true nature of the alleged breach by the BFC has not been revealed, but Sports Minister Ahmed Mahloof termed its unacceptable behavior.
The Bangalore team, led by Indian captain Sunil Chhetri, reached the Maldives on Friday. Club owner Partha Jindal also accepted the allegations as correct.
Earlier there were reports that some players of the club were seen on the streets of Male in violation of quarantine rules.
Jindal apologized for the unforgivable behavior of the three foreign players/employees and promised strict action against them.
Local media reported that BFC players who arrived in the Maldives on Friday were spotted on the streets of Male. Players were not allowed to exit.
Players were given special permission despite the ban on tourists due to the growing case of Coronavirus in India.
The unacceptable treatment of Bengaluru FC violated the stringent guidelines of the Health Protection Agency and AFC (Confederation of Asian Football), Mahloof wrote on Twitter.
We have informed the Maldives Football Association that we cannot organize the match and have asked them to prepare for the departure of Bengaluru FC.
We will talk to the AFC through the Maldives Football Association to postpone the group stage. Despite increasing matters and public pressure, we honored our commitment made a few months ago.
According to a local newspaper report, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) of Maldives had given special approval for the playoff match of the Eagles and Bengaluru FC.
According to its terms, the players and staff were to be confined to the hotel at all times except for going to practice and matches. A picture surfaced showing BFC Australian player Eric Paratalu roaming the streets of Male.
Jindal then apologized for the players’ behavior and said that he would ensure that such an incident does not happen again in the future.
He tweeted, ‘On behalf of Bengaluru FC, I apologize for the unforgivable behavior of my three foreign players/employees in Male.
Strict action will be taken against these players / employees. We have hurt the reputation of the AFC Cup and can only say that it will never happen again.
Maldives has to host all Group-D matches except for the playoff match as the AFC wants to conduct all matches at the same venue given the Covid-19 pandemic.
Two Bagan players are Covid positive: ATK Mohan Bagan players Prabir Das and SK Sahil were found Covid-19 positive hours before the AFC Cup Group-D match was postponed in the Maldives.
The AFC postponed these matches. All ATK Mohun Bagan’s team members were tested at a private hospital in Kolkata, Covid-19, before traveling to Maldives’ capital Male for Group-D matches in which they were found positive.
As per the rules of AFC, competitive players require a Covid-19 negative report two days before their departure from home.
ATK Mohan Bagan was scheduled to leave for Male on Monday, but the plan was canceled following the AFC’s announcement.
The AFC, however, did not give any specific reason for postponing the matches.
ATK Mohan Bagan was to face the winner of the match between Bengaluru FC and Eagles FC, another Indian Super League team, in the first match of Group D on 14 May.
