Gary Lemke looks back at a jam-packed sporting weekend where Manchester United dashed Liverpool's quadruple hopes in the FA Cup, Scottie Scheffler shows why he's world number 1, Italy prove the doubters wrong and more!
RESULTS CAN NEVER TELL THE DRAMA
As a rookie sports journalist, I was taught early that the main things that count in sport are the results. Therefore, the 6pt (small font) was as important, if not more so, as the (6pt (big headline font) in a newspaper. So, in that context, Manchester United beat Liverpool 3-2 after extra-time to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup. If only it was that simple.
The drama! United led 1-0 and then trailed 2-1 until the 87th minute. Extra-time came and they again trailed (3-2) in the 105th minute before Marcos Rashford equalised in the 112th. Amad Diallo then scored in the 121st minute (of the game’s 120) and was red-carded for celebrating. Liverpool’s quadruple dream is over, United now meet Coventry in the semi-finals. How do you explain that in one 6pt font result?
The moment Old Trafford ERUPTED 🔊#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/8az1SFWVOJ
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 17, 2024
GULF BETWEEN PREMIERSHIP AND CHAMPIONSHIP
There were four English Premier League games over the weekend, all of which were washed over by the FA Cup which now sees Man United take on Coventry in the semi-finals and Man City facing Chelsea. A Manchester final derby anyone?
In the League, there was a valuable 2-1 win for Burnley over Brentford, while Luton scraped a late point against Nottingham Forest. The bottom four will now surely provide the three clubs to be relegated: Forest have 25 points, Luton 22, Burnley 17 and Sheffield United 14. The latter three had been promoted from the Championship and this season’s results might be showing the difference in quality that now exists between Premiership and Championship.
Rise and shine 😀 pic.twitter.com/Xo4hmU6Sdp
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) March 17, 2024
SCHEFFLER SHOWS WHY HE’S WORLD NO1
Throw the breakaway LIV players back into the rankings and Scottie Scheffler is still the best golfer in the world right now. He won back-to-back titles at The Players Championship with a final round 64 to lift to a one-shot win over Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele.
They call The Players Championship the “fifth men’s Major” and Scheffler, one of the most grounded guys on the professional tour, now heads to the first official Major of the year, The Masters, in great nick and the bookies’ favourite. The iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass also saw a hole-in-one – Ryan Fox, son of former All Black flyhalf Grant, aced it in the first round.
"Anybody got a chair?"
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 18, 2024
The moment Scottie Scheffler found out he made history as the first back-to-back @THEPLAYERS champion. pic.twitter.com/9wRfh1MPKa
HOW ITALY HAVE PROVED ‘EXPERTS’ WRONG
Well done to Ireland, rugby’s Six Nations champions. Their 17-13 win over Scotland saw them finish their campaign with four wins out of five, with France, who edged England 33-31 second, England third, and Scotland fourth. Italy finished fifth ahead of wooden spoonists Wales after a thrilling and surprising 24-21 win in Cardiff.
Wales lost all five of their games and Italy won two of theirs and drew one (to France). Their defeats came to Ireland (36-0) and England (27-24). It wasn’t long ago that some South African pundits were saying that Italy didn’t deserve to be included in the Six Nations and were weakening the competition. Those pundits clearly hadn’t been looking at what was coming through the youth systems. Like any tomato sauce to go with all the egg on the face, anyone?
🤩 Them post-match scenes from @Federugby 🙌#GuinnessM6N #WALITA pic.twitter.com/OUXmpeDLPg
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 16, 2024
ALCARAZ BACK IN THE TROPHIES
When Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic in last year’s Wimbledon final, people anointed him as the next King of the World let alone the King of Spain. Injury and misfortune however has dogged the (still only) 20-year-old, but he showed glimpses of what he’s all about when beating Daniil Medvedev 7-6 6-1 for his first ATP Tour title since Wimbledon.
He won the Indian Wells tournament for back-to-back success in this Californian event, and some might even argue that his biggest fight this past week was when he was stung on his forehead as. a swarm of bees descended on the court during his quarter-final with Alexander Zverev.
Hoist it up!@carlosalcaraz 🏆 #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/xpYFCnYjtU
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 17, 2024
