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Crouch make epl history as stoke draw against Brighton

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PETER CROUCH created another piece of Premier League history as he made his 143rd substitute’s appearance to help Stoke to a useful point.

The former England centre-forward has already scored more top-flight headers than any other player and now has another record for his collection.

 Jose Izquierdo scored a vital equaliser for the home side

GETTY IMAGES – GETTY: Jose Izquierdo scored a vital equaliser for the home side
 Chelsea loanee Kurt Zouma headed the Potters in front on the stroke of half time

AFP OR LICENSORS: Chelsea loanee Kurt Zouma headed the Potters in front on the stroke of half time

Yet if Crouch will take a permanent reminder of his special moment back to the Potteries, referee Lee Mason will want to forget his night’s work as soon as possible.

What a pity they didn’t have a video assistant to help out the short-sighted official who missed Ryan Shawcross’ blatant first-half trip on Brighton striker Glenn Murray.

For while Mark Hughes’ team were well worth their point from an unexpectedly entertaining match, there can be no question that the Seagulls were robbed of the victory which would have taken them back to eighth place in the table.

All of the early running came from the visitors, who made their attacking intentions clear from the sixth minute when Mame Diouf’s shot was deflected over by Gaetan Bong.

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 Chuopo Moting fired the Potters ahead with a smart finish in the first half

REUTERS: Chuopo Moting fired the Potters ahead with a smart finish in the first half
 Pascal Gross put Brighton level with a strike that went through Lee Grant's legs

REUTERS: Pascal Gross put Brighton level with a strike that went through Lee Grant’s legs

Shawcross’ powerful back-post header required a sharp save from Matt Ryan before Davy Propper’s slip gave Xherdan Shaqiri another shooting opportunity which Lewis Dunk did well to charge down.

A second Shawcross header was more comfortably dealt with by Ryan as Stoke looked to capitalise on their early dominance.

Yet in their rush to get forward they left the back door wide open and should have paid the price when Propper’s 19th minute through ball gave Jose Izquierdo a clear run on goal.

But with team-mates screaming for a square pass, the Colombian winger went for glory and curled his shot wide of the far post.

Mark Halsey

RYAN SHAWCROSS’ foul on Glenn Murray was a clear penalty.

It’s one of the easiest calls a referee will ever get to make.

Ref Lee Mason was in a great position to spot it but switched off and got it horribly wrong. Then he’s looking at his assistant — I have no idea why!

 Pascal Gross bagged his third goal of the season

GETTY IMAGES – GETTY: Pascal Gross bagged his third goal of the season
 Kurt Zouma and Chuopo Moting celebrate with a few dance moves

HANNAH MCKAY: Kurt Zouma and Chuopo Moting celebrate with a few dance moves

It was a damn sight closer than Izquierdo’s next effort, which went for a throw-in to the amusement of the Stoke fans.

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And those travelling supporters had even more to laugh about when their team seized a 27th minute with a goal of real quality.

Shaqiri’s beautiful pass over the top caught the back-pedalling Brighton defence appealing in vain for offside as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting brought the ball out of the sky with an exquisite first touch before sliding his shot into the bottom corner.

It was the Cameroon striker’s first goal since his double against Manchester United in September and no more than Stoke deserved for their positive approach.

 Peter Crouch created history by coming off the bench in the Premier League for the 143rd time

PA:PRESS ASSOCIATION: Peter Crouch created history by coming off the bench in the Premier League for the 143rd time

But they got away with murder when Murray was sent flying by Shawcross’ mistimed 39th minute challenge.

It was as clear a penalty as you will see all season yet ref Lee Mason and his assistant both failed to spot the blindingly obvious.

Even the mild-mannered Chris Hughton was left fuming by the decision to award a free-kick to Stoke as he delivered an earful to embarrassed fourth official Kevin Friend.

Spurred on by the burning sense of injustice, Brighton forced their way back into the game when Propper’s surging 44th minute run rook him past four Stoke defenders before his low cross was swept inside the near post by Pascal Gross.

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 Stoke players walk off dejected after they concede their second

PA:EMPICS SPORT: Stoke players walk off dejected after they concede their second

But they could not maintain parity for more than a couple of minutes before Darren Fletcher’s corner in first-half stoppage time was nodded across goal by Choupo-Moting for Kurt Zouma to power home.

And Stoke should have extended their lead five minutes after the break when Ramadan Sobhi pounced on another sloppy pass by Propper but was thwarted by Ryan’s charge from his line.

Brighton, though, refused to chuck in the towel and levelled again on the hour.

Zouma’s failure to clear Dale Stephens’ cross allowed Murray to tee up Izquierdo with a cunningly disguised reverse pass.

And though the winger’s attempted pull-back was blocked by Kevin Wimmer, there was no stopping his follow-up effort as he lashed his shot inside the far post.

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Osimhen Crowned 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year

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Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.

Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.

The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.

During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.

Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.

The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”

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Lionel Messi Secures Historic 8th Ballon d’Or Triumph

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Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.

In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.

Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.

His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.

Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.

While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

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His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.

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“B Sample Reveals Presence of Testosterone in Pogba’s Test Results”

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Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.

The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.

The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.

The player’s entourage declined to comment.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.

Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.

Testosterone promotes muscle development.

Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.

Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.

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In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.

Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.

Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.

His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

After the first sample tested positive on September 11,  Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.

 

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