Sports
Cunha scores first Man Utd goal in win over Brighton | The Express Tribune
MANCHESTER:
Ruben Amorim hailed Manchester United’s 4-2 win against Brighton on Saturday as a “more complete” performance than their impressive victory over Premier League champions Liverpool.
After going eight games in all competitions without a goal following his close-season move from Wolves, Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha netted in the first half at Old Trafford to start repaying his £62.5 million ($83 million) transfer fee.
Casemiro doubled United’s lead before the interval and Bryan Mbeumo was on target in the second half.
Danny Welbeck’s late goal against his former club and a stoppage-time effort from Charalampos Kostoulas came too late for Brighton to snatch a point.
Mbeumo struck again at the death to give revitalised United three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since February 2024 under Amorim’s predecessor Erik ten Hag.
“When you have a different spirit, we are a bit more free playing the game. We have a different confidence,” Amorim said.
“The performance was important but it would not be Manchester United without suffering a bit.”
United’s confident display maintained the momentum from last weekend’s win against Liverpool and the success against Sunderland that preceded their first triumph at Anfield since 2016.
The 2-1 victory against the Premier League champions had given Amorim a much-needed boost after a turbulent start to the season.
Now United’s latest win has lifted them into fourth place in the Premier League ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.
“I never had that feeling of embarrassment of not winning games, I felt (co-owner) Jim Ratcliffe always believed. But to face the fans was difficult in that moment. It’s so hard in football, everything can change in one minute,” Amorim said.
“We are improving in the bad moments and respond in a different way. You can feel it. The team play so much better compared to last season.
“We have players more suited to this type of style. I like more today than last week against Liverpool, it was more complete.”
Clinical United
United were rewarded for their early barrage in the 24th minute as Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro teed up Cunha just outside the Brighton area for a sweet strike that gave Bart Verbruggen no chance as it raced into the far corner.
Since the start of last season, Cunha has scored seven goals from outside the area, more than any other Premier League player in all competitions.
Casemiro joined his fellow Brazilian on the scoresheet in the 34th minute.
If Cunha’s goal was superbly crafted and finished, Casemiro needed a substantial slice of luck to net for the second time this term.
Casemiro’s shot from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection off Brighton’s Yasin Ayari, catching Verbruggen wrong-footed as it tricked apologetically over the line.
Ratcliffe recently said the under-fire Amorim would get three years to put the club back on track after their worst top-flight finish since 1973-74 last season.
While cynics doubted whether Ratcliffe would stick to his word if United continued to struggle, Amorim would have been pleased to hear that his employer was seen clapping and cheering as the hosts took control.
United have never lost a Premier League game at Old Trafford after leading at half time.
Mbeumo ensured that statistic would continue when the Cameroon forward slotted home in composed fashion in the 61st minute, to the frustration of Brighton who claimed Luke Shaw committed a foul in the build-up.
It was Mbeumo’s fourth goal since his close-season move from Brentford as the Cameroon forward maintained the momentum from last weekend’s strike against Liverpool.
When Welbeck struck in the 74th minute with a superb free-kick, United’s nerves began to jangle.
Their pulses were racing even faster after Kostoulas headed in James Milner’s corner in the closing seconds.
But Mbeumo quelled the mounting anxiety with virtually the last kick as he sprinted onto Fernandes’s pass and fired home via the crossbar.
Sports
Mike Trout crushes fifth Yankee Stadium HR in four games
NEW YORK — Mike Trout‘s latest homer against the New York Yankees put him in rare company, and going deep again made history at Yankee Stadium.
Trout homered for the fifth time during a four-game series Thursday, crushing a 446-foot drive in the seventh inning for the Los Angeles Angels in an 11-4 victory.
A three-time MVP, Trout joined Jimmie Foxx (1933), Darrell Evans (1985) and George Bell (1990) as the only players with five homers in a series against the Yankees, according to MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
Trout homered twice Monday before going deep again in the following two games. In the series finale Thursday, Trout drove a 2-2 slider from reliever Angel Chivilli about halfway up the left-field bleachers to give the Angels a 7-4 lead. That shot made Trout the first player to hit five homers in a series in the Bronx.
“I heard that after the game,” Trout said. “It’s pretty surreal. All the great players that came through here, so it’s pretty cool.”
“Honestly, not surprising,” Los Angeles manager Kurt Suzuki said. “When you’re with Mike every day, there’s nothing that you believe that he can’t do.”
Trout also became the first visiting player to homer in four consecutive days at the current Yankee Stadium, which opened in 2009.
Trout went 6-for-16 with five homers and nine RBIs in the series. He also has homered in his past five games at Yankee Stadium and drew an intentional walk in his next plate appearance before Jo Adell hit a grand slam.
“At this point it’s vintage Mike Trout,” Adell said. “When he’s healthy and feeling good, there’s nothing like it. It’s special. It’s one of a kind. So for all of us to experience it, it’s special.”
“He’s unbelievable,” Suzuki said. “He really is. It’s been an amazing week for him.”
Trout is hitting .246 with seven homers and 16 RBIs. He is 9-for-27 (.333) with five homers and 13 RBIs on the Angels’ road trip, which coincides with him making a mechanical tweak.
Trout’s career-high homer streak is seven games, achieved Sept. 4-12, 2022. He has homered in four straight games for the fourth time in his career.
Trout’s homer was part of a four-game series that featured four homers from Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge. Judge homered twice Monday, again Wednesday and went deep in the first inning in the series finale.
“He’s unreal,” designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton said after the Yankees lost for the seventh time in nine games. “Cool showing from him and Judgie all series. Obviously, you don’t want that against us, but you got to acknowledge the greatness.”
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time opposing players who owned multiple MVPs hit at least three homers in the same series.
“It was an impressive show by those two,” Suzuki said.
Sports
2026 NCAA gymnastics championships: Live updates from semifinals
FORT WORTH, Texas — The first semifinal session of the NCAA gymnastics championships included LSU, Florida, Georgia and Stanford — with Florida and LSU advancing to Saturday’s final (4 p.m. ET; ABC).
Next up, Oklahoma, UCLA, Arkansas and Minnesota will compete in Semifinal II, beginning at 9 pm ET (ESPN2). Once again, the top two teams will move on.
Individual event titles and an all-around winner will also be awarded today — but not until both semifinal sessions are complete.
Who will make it to the next round? Will an upset surprise us all? We’ll have you covered with all the action here.
Sports
N.J. governor: FIFA should pay extra train costs to MetLife for World Cup
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill on Wednesday joined U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer in calling on FIFA to contribute toward World Cup transit security costs.
MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup games, including the tournament final. The Athletic reported earlier this week that NJ Transit is considering charging $100 for train tickets to shuttle fans between New York Penn Station and the stadium. Standard fare is $12.90.
Parking will be restricted at the Meadowlands stadium complex compared to NFL games — making public transport one of the only options to attend World Cup matches, which get underway June 11.
“We inherited an agreement where FIFA is providing $0 for transportation to the World Cup,” Sherrill said on X. “And while NJ TRANSIT is stuck with a $48 million bill to safely get fans to and from games, FIFA is making $11 billion. I’m not going to stick New Jersey commuters with that tab for years to come.
“FIFA should pay for the rides. But if they don’t — I’m not going to let New Jersey get taken for one.”
Speaking on WNYC on Wednesday, Sherrill said she would approve the fare increase if FIFA doesn’t step in.
“I will, if that’s what it takes, because I’m not putting this on the back of New Jerseyans,” she said.
On Wednesday, NJ Transit’s board of directors unanimously approved a resolution to set transport prices to “cover any and all costs” to transport fans and comply with Sherrill’s directive.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri on Wednesday said he supported Sherrill’s plea to FIFA and confirmed that commuters would not pay extra costs, according to NJ.com.
“The governor said whatever the fare will be, it will not be cross subsidized by our regular commuters. I’d think every NJ Transit customer would stand behind that,” Kolluri told NJ.com. “It will cost us $48 million. We will charge FIFA fans for those tickets, and it will not be subsidized by our commuters.”
Schumer on Monday said FIFA should be helping pay for World Cup transit security costs.
“FIFA is set to reap nearly $11 billion from this summer’s World Cup, yet New York area commuters and residents are being handed the bill,” Schumer wrote on X. “The least FIFA can do is ensure New York residents can go to the stadium without being gouged at the turnstile. I am demanding FIFA step up.”
We inherited an agreement where FIFA is providing $0 for transportation to the World Cup.
And while NJ TRANSIT is stuck with a $48 million bill to safely get fans to and from games, FIFA is making $11 billion.
I’m not going to stick New Jersey commuters with that tab for years… pic.twitter.com/pugU8davkW
— Governor Mikie Sherrill (@GovSherrillNJ) April 15, 2026
Earlier this month, New Jersey’s host travel committee released a detailed plan for transport and parking during the matches, outlining a park-and-ride plan with specific parking lots and shuttle buses that will run to and from the stadium.
“While rideshare and limited premium parking options will be available, the FIFA World Cup at NYNJ Stadium will be a public transportation first event, largely relying on NJ Transit rail and Host Committee bus shuttles,” Natalie Hamilton, a host committee spokesperson, told NJ.com.
“We are strongly encouraging all ticket holders to utilize expanded NJ Transit rail service and the Host Committee’s Stadium Shuttle.”
A FIFA spokesperson insisted the host city had previously agreed to provide free or at-cost transportation to fans at all matches.
“We are quite surprised by the NJ governor’s approach on fan transportation,” FIFA said in a statement Wednesday.
“The original FIFA World Cup 2026 host city agreements signed in 2018 required free transportation for fans to all matches. Recognizing the financial strain this placed on the host cities, back in 2023 FIFA adjusted the host agreement requirements across all host cities as follows: All match ticket holders and accredited individuals shall be able to access transport [public or additionally planned transport] at cost to allow travel to stadiums on match days.
“Moreover, FIFA has worked for years with host cities on their transportation and mobility plans, including advocating for millions of dollars in federal funding to support host cities for transportation.
“The FIFA World Cup will bring millions of fans to North America along with the related economic impact. Many of these fans will travel to NYNJ to enjoy the eight matches scheduled, including the FIFA World Cup final.
“FIFA is not aware of any other major event previously held at NYNJ Stadium, including other major sports, global concert tours, etc, where organizers were required to pay for fan transportation.”
During the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, ticket holders enjoyed free transport on the city’s Metro system, funded by the country’s government.
UEFA bore the cost of ticket holders using German public transport in host cities on match days during Euro 2024.
Kansas City, where England’s training camp will be based, will offer free bus travel for fans from the airport close to the Fan Festival in the city center, and daily, weekly and tournament passes for unlimited regional travel costing $5.25 and $50, respectively.
Ticket holders will also be able to use a Stadium Direct service, which connects four park and ride locations as well as the Fan Festival to the Arrowhead Stadium for $15 per person, the host city committee said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) said that there will be no fare increases connected to the staging of World Cup matches in Philadelphia.
The spokesperson said most if not all of the added operating costs of running the services during the World Cup would be covered by a recently awarded federal grant.
Information from Press Association and The Associated Press was used in this report.
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