Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years.
Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four.
Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London.
Photo: Reuters
Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that made him one of England’s brightest stars prior to his steep decline over the past two years.
Amid concerns over his attitude and off-field behavior, Rashford was deemed expendable by United head coach Ruben Amorim, after also clashing with former Old Trafford head coach Erik ten Hag.
The 27-year-old had not scored since netting for United against Everton on Dec. 1 last year.
Deployed in the central striker’s role that often seemed to dent his confidence at United, Rashford was too dynamic for second-tier Preston to handle in the latest sign that his career might not be destined to end in disappointment after all.
“It’s a great feeling, I feel like I’ve been getting fitter and playing better football since I’ve been here. It’s always nice for a forward to get a goal, so hopefully it continues,” Rashford said. “I missed a lot of football before joining up with Villa. It’s step by step. My body feels good and I’m enjoying my football for now. We’re very ambitious. We’ll see where it takes us.”
While struggling United have been mired in turmoil, Rashford has benefited from moving to upwardly mobile Villa.
Unai Emery’s side have enjoyed a memorable run to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they face Paris Saint-Germain. They also have an outside chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Rashford could be part of a memorable climax to the campaign for Villa, who have not won the FA Cup since 1956-1957, with their last final ending in defeat against Arsenal in 2014-2015.
“His commitment to work, to adapt quick is very important, and he’s doing it,” Emery said. “To feel comfortable, playing in his best level, there is still work, but today he did one step forward, getting confident, scoring goals. He was obviously getting better, but this was one more step in his adaptation and helping us.”
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
RSS