Foxes stay in the hunt as Mahrez strike puts Danes to the sword
time when the two sides quibbled over what fee would Chiefs have to pay to facilitate the coach’s release from his United contract.
United chairman Farook Kadodia upped the tempo in April when he blamed Komphela for the team’s poor run of form that saw the club flirting with relegation last season.
“He [Komphela] walked away after committing himself to stay and that is what hurt us. It was the biggest disappointment for me‚” Kadodia was quoted as saying at the time.
And as if to further highlight the tension between the two sides‚ United were not happy with the officiating after losing to Chiefs in a league match last month.
United midfielder Deolin Mekoa also entered the fray this week when he was quoted as saying the visitors are seeking revenge against Chiefs for that league defeat.
‘‘The danger of being too desperate to knock something down‚ just a slight slip‚ you get knocked out‚” warned Komphela.
‘‘So I am very cautious‚ I do not do that‚ I do not deal with emotions‚ I try to be more rational.
‘‘If you become emotional you end up doing and saying things and when you wake up in the morning you say ‘did I say that?’.
‘‘But if you are rational at the back of the emotions‚ you tend to take the right steps.” — TMG Digital RIYAD Mahrez secured another Champions League victory for Leicester City on Tuesday while big boys Real Madrid, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund were also in winning form.
Leicester maintained a perfect record in Group G in their first foray in Europe’s elite club competition by edging FC Copenhagen 1-0 at the King Power Stadium, with Mahrez getting the only goal of the game.
Islam Slimani headed down a Jamie Vardy cross for Mahrez to score with a close-range volley with the outside of his left foot five minutes before halftime.
With Porto winning 2-1 away to Club Brugge in the group’s other game, Claudio Ranieri’s side now know a win away to Copenhagen in their next match on November 2 will secure a place in the last 16. “We’re in a good position now,” said Ranieri. “We knew it would be tough. Copenhagen tried until the end. It was difficult at the start, but the performance was good.”
In Bruges, Jelle Vossen put the home side in front early on but Miguel Layun lashed in the equaliser midway through the second half and Andre Silva scored a stoppage-time winner from the penalty spot.
For Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas it was a 92nd win in the Champions League, allowing him to surpass Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez and establish a new record. Leicester’s Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur found themselves hanging on for a point as they claimed a goalless draw away to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany in Group E.
A Vincent Janssen header that came back off the bar was the closest Spurs came to scoring at the BayArena.
The home side piled on the pressure in the second half but Javier Hernandez was denied by a brilliant save on the line by Hugo Lloris and Stefan Kiessling missed a great chance late on. Lloris said: “We can be pleased with the point. “The game turned in the second half, Leverkusen pressed high and we struggled a bit. I think the draw is a good result for us.”
Just three points separate all four teams in the section, but it is Monaco who are on top after coming from behind to draw 1-1 at CSKA Moscow.
Ivorian striker Lacina Traore, on loan from Monaco, scored against his parent club in the 34th minute but Bernardo Silva equalised for the visitors late on.
Reigning champions Real Madrid cruised to a 5-1 victory at home to Legia Warsaw in Group F, after supporter violence marred the build-up to the game at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Five fans and two police officers were treated for minor injuries following clashes outside the stadium before kick-off.
When the game began, Vadis Odjidja struck the post for the visitors before Gareth Bale fired in the opener and a Marcelo shot went in off Tomasz Jodlowiec.
Miroslav Radovic pulled one back from the penalty spot but Marco Asensio made it 3-1 before the interval and substitutes Lucas Vazquez and Alvaro Morata added further goals in the second half.
Zinedine Zidane’s side are level on seven points at the top of the group with Borussia Dortmund, who were 2-1 winners over Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang burst through for an early opener and a superb Julian Weigl strike made it 2-0 but Dortmund were hanging on after Bruno Cesar reduced the deficit midway through the second half.
In Group H, Juan Cuadrado came off the bench to score a late winner as 10-man Juventus beat Lyon 1-0 in France.
Gianluigi Buffon was in fine form for the Italian champions as he saved a first-half Alexandre Lacazette penalty, while Juve had Mario Lemina sent off early in the second period, which strangely pleased Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Cuadrado netted the winner 14 minutes from the end as the hosts failed to make their man advantage count. — AFP