Inter Milan ease past AC Milan in Champions League semifinal first leg

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Inter Milan beat AC Milan 2-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal as two early goals stunned hosts AC and Inter could have won by more.

[ STATS: AC Milan v Inter Milan hub ]

Edin Dzeko volleyed home after eight minutes and less than three minutes later Henrik Mkhitaryan made it 2-0 as he finished off a fine team move.

Inter should have won by more as Hakan Calhanoglu smashed the post and they cut through the AC Milan defense time and time again.

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However, Milan did improve in the second half as Sandro Tonali hit the post but they have plenty of work to do in the second leg on Tuesday, May 16 to overturn a 2-0 deficit.


Incisive Inter bamboozle AC Milan’s defense

The way Lautaro Martinez, Edin Dzeko and Henrik Mkhitaryan dragged AC Milan’s defense all over the place was a joy to watch. The clever runs, the patience, the speed and the sheer efficiency with which they demolished Milan’s usually solid back four was frightening. In the first half it seemed like Inter would score every single time they came forward (they almost did) as Calhanoglu, Barella, Dumfries and Dimarco surged forward from midfield and wide areas as a unit in devastating fashion. In fact, the only real positive from this first leg for AC Milan is that they are only 2-0 down. The fact Inter also had Romelu Lukaku to come off the bench to cause further havoc underlined the extra firepower they have as Milan missed the injured Rafael Leao badly. There will have to be an early Milan goal in the second leg to make things interesting because from what we saw in the first leg, Inter will create plenty more chances and there is little Milan can do to stop them. On this showing both Real Madrid and Manchester City will be very wary if they do face Inter in the final in Istanbul on June 10.


Stars of the show; AC Milan vs Inter Milan player ratings

Lautaro Martinez: The captain led by example and his movement was incredible. It created so many gaps in the Milan defense.

Edin Dzeko: Brilliant volley for his goal and could have had another in the second half. Showed all of his experience.

Henrik Mkhitaryan: Another Inter attacker who showed off his big-game experience. Lovely calm finish for his goal and went close to scoring another.

AC Milan vs Inter Milan
Graphic via FotMob.com

What’s next?

AC Milan head to Spezia on Saturday, May 13. Inter host Sassuolo on the same day before they host AC Milan in the second leg of this Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, May 16.


How to watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan live, stream link and start time

Kick off: 3pm ET, Wednesday (May 10)
Updates: Via scoreboard on NBCSports.com
How to watchTUDN, Paramount+

FULL TIME: AC Milan 0-2 Inter Milan – After that flurry of early goals Inter were in dreamland and AC never really recovered. Inter should have probably won by more than two goals but they will be very happy with this result. AC sort of froze. Their fans didn’t as they created an incredible atmosphere. Let’s see what Inter’s fans, and the two teams, deliver next Tuesday…

AC Milan doing their best to push for a goal late on but at the moment, as weird as this sounds, it seems like both teams are happy with the 2-0 scoreline. AC know if they open up and let in a third then it is surely game over.

Wow. Substitute Romelu Lukaku does superbly and his cross eventually falls to Darmian and his shot is deflected wide.

The noise coming from inside this famous football cathedral is quite something. The AC Milan fans are doing their best to inspire their team.

POST! Much better from AC Milan as substitute Divock Origi finds Diaz, who finds Giroud and he sets up Sandro Tonali who smashes a low shot off the post and out. Agonizingly close for the home side.

30 minutes to go and things have settled down a little again. Aside from a giant firework just going off in the stands as the fans ramp up the atmosphere once again.

SAVE! What a stop from Mike Maignan. Inter defender Bastoni found himself way up the pitch and set up Dzeko but his shot was smothered by Maignan and the ball loops up and out for a corner.

Two chances in quick succession for AC Milan as first Brahim Diaz curls wide, then Tonali sets up Junior Messias but he curls wide too. That has got the home crowd going again.

We are back underway in the second half and AC Milan have come out with more purpose. They are pushing higher up the pitch and putting Inter under pressure.

HALF TIME: AC Milan 0-2 Inter Milan – An incredible start to the game from Inter as Dzeko and Mkhitaryan both struck inside the first 11 minutes to stun the home fans. They could have had more too! AC Milan looked nervous and slow in their build-up play and Inter were so dangerous and incisive whenever they came forward. Big 45 coming up for AC Milan.

Three more chances for Inter as Dimarco, Martinez and Dumfries go close. What are AC Milan doing!? Every time Inter come forward it looks like they are going to score.

DRAMA! A penalty kick was initially awarded as Lautaro Martinez beat Simon Kjaer inside the box and he goes down under a push from Kjaer and potentially a clip from Fikayo Tomori who fell over. VAR asks the referee to use the monitor and he overturns his original decision. No penalty kick is given. Probably the right call.

AC Milan have settled down a little now but they are struggling to control the tempo. 30 minutes in, Inter are in a great position.

Inter went 2-0 up after just 11 minutes. Ruthless from Simone Inzaghi’s side. Stefano Pioli looks absolutely stunned. As does every AC Milan player and fan. To rub further salt into their wounds, Ismael Bennacer has been forced off through injury.

POST! Hakan Calhanoglu smashes a brilliant effort from distance which hits the post and then Mkhitaryan almost scores on the rebound. Inter are absolutely flying and could be 3-0 up inside the first 15 minutes.

GOALLL! AC Milan 0-2 Inter Milan – Dimarco, Barella, Martinez  and Calhanoglu all involved to set up Henrikh Mkhitaryan to finish. What a start from Inter! Their 7,000 fans in the away section go bonkers.

GOALLL! AC Milan 0-1 Inter Milan – What a finish from Edin Dzeko. A corner is whipped in and the veteran striker holds off Calabria and hammers home a beautiful volley. Wow. The home fans are stunned. They did not expect that.

KICK OFF! The San Siro is looking magnificent and we are underway. What an occasion this is.

The atmosphere is bouncing in Milan ahead of a huge derby! What an occasion this is. From their famous kits to their star players and incredible history, these are two massive clubs and it is great to see both Milan sides back in a Champions League semifinal.


Key storylines & star players

Pioli has one big injury issue to solve as Rafael Leao is out and that could deal Milan’s hopes of reaching the Champions League final a big blow. That said, Olivier Giroud has been clutch throughout the tournament and Brahim Diaz has also been excellent in the attacking midfield role with Sandro Tonali the perfect tempo-setter in midfield.

Inter have a wealth of attacking options firing on all cylinders at the perfect time. Martinez, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Edin Dzeko are their main options, while Romelu Lukaku will be a great option off the bench, and that means Inzaghi can set them up to play very different styles. Inter have impressed throughout this tournament and Barcelona will tell you just how tough this Inter side are to play against.


AC Milan team news, injuries, lineup

OUT: Rafael Leao (thigh)

Inter Milan team news, injuries, lineup

OUT: Milan Skriniar (back)


Leicester vs West Ham, live! Score, updates, stream link, video highlights

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Leicester City needs a win over West Ham United and help or else the Foxes will be relegated from the Premier League on Championship Sunday at the King Power Stadium. 

Leicester is two points back of Everton for 17th place on the Premier League table and needs to beat West Ham and hope the Toffees fail to beat Bournemouth.

STREAM LIVE LEICESTER vs WEST HAM

West Ham, on the other hand, will be forgiven for focusing on the Europa Conference League Final having secured Premier League football with a nine-point cushion on the bottom three heading into Championship Sunday.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Leicester vs West Ham.

[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]


Leicester vs West Ham live score: 2-0


Harvey Barnes goal video: Leicester lifeline!


Wout Faes goal video: Foxes double the lead


How to watch Leicester vs West Ham live, stream link and start time

Kick off: 11:30am ET Sunday
TV Channel: SYFY
Online: Watch live on Peacock + Watch live on NBCSports.com


Key storylines & star players

Leicester would love to see Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi pass fitness checks, but Dean Smith will have rested and ready Harvey Barnes and James Maddison in a bid to score more goals than the Irons.

West Ham could be seeing the penultimate appearance of Declan Rice in an Irons shirt, as the big-money midfielder is being linked to several big clubs in the Premier League.


Leicester team news, injuries, lineup options

OUT: James Justin (calf), Jannik Vestergaard (calf), Wilfred Ndidi (thigh), Caglar Soyuncu (thigh), Ryan Bertrand (other)

West Ham team news, injuries, lineup options

OUT: Gianluca Scamacca (knee)

Everton vs Bournemouth, live! Score, updates, how to watch, videos

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Everton host Bournemouth at Goodison Park on Sunday as the Toffees must win to guarantee Premier League survival on the final day.

STREAM LIVE EVERTON v BOURNEMOUTH

Sean Dyche’s side sit two points above the relegation zone heading into their final 90 minutes of the season and their 1-1 draw at Wolves last time out, courtesy of a 99th minute Yerry Mina goal, gave them an advantage in the frantic relegation scrap. It will be a nervous occasion at Goodison as injuries have piled up and Everton’s 69-year stay in England’s top-flight is still in jeopardy with Leeds and Leicester within touching distance below them.

Bournemouth are safe from relegation and Gary O’Neil’s side have no pressure on them whatsoever. They lost 1-0 at home to Manchester United last weekend but gave it a real go and the Cherries certainly have dangerous players on the counter who can make the most of any defensive mistakes from the Toffees.

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Here’s everything you need for Everton vs Bournemouth.


How to watch Everton vs Bournemouth live, stream link and start time

Kick off: 11:30am ET, Sunday
TV Channel: USA Network
Online: Stream via NBCSports.com

Everton vs Bournemouth live analysis! – By Joe Prince-Wright at Goodison Park 

GOALLLL! Everton 1-0 Bournemouth – Goodison Park has gone bonkers. Abdoulaye Doucoure smashes home a stunner to put the Toffees ahead.

WHAT A CHANCE! A free kick is flicked on and it falls to Demarai Gray 6 yards out. He heads it straight at Travers. Then Bournemouth somehow scramble clear. The home fans can’t believe it.

The second half is underway. No changes for Everton. It is very tense here.

HALF TIME: Everton 0-0 Bournemouth – Half time here at their are loud boos from the home fans.

SAVE! Mark Travers with a good punch away and he then pushes over James Garner’s curling shot from the edge of the box.

BLOCK! What a block from Yerry Mina after Bournemouth made the most of some poor Everton defending. Excellent from David Brooks there.

You get the sense things were very defensive from the start from Sean Dyche as he stated with a back five.

CLOSE! Senesi squirms a shot wide of the far post after Bournemouth cause havoc in the box. The atmosphere is very, very quite here.

First, as it stands of today – Leicester City have gone 1-0 up against West Ham. With Everton drawing here at Goodison against Bournemouth, that means the Toffees are going down. Chants of “going down, going down!” from the Bournemouth fans in the away end. Everton’s fans are stunned.

BIG CHANCEEE! Idrissa Gana Gueye is played in but his shot is tipped over. Should be 1-0 to Everton. Moments later Travers tips away a shot from distance

A cross is whipped into the box but there isn’t an Everton player anywhere near it. Huge roars of discontent from the home fans. They want more attacking intent from their team.

The home fans are driving their team on. Everton seeing a lot of the ball but it is mostly from wide positions.

Demarai Gray with a half chance as he wriggles free but his shot/cross is cleared at the near post.

KICK OFF! We are underway and it has been a tense start. Everton’s fans are urging their team on but they’re in a back five. Bournemouth have had some good chances to whip it in from the right but the quality hasn’t been there on the final ball.

The nerves continue to build here at Goodison. 45 minutes until kick off. Everton fans just want to get this started. This has to be excruciating for them. Meanwhile in the away end the Bournemouth fans are having a lovely time in the sun. Completely opposite atmosphere.

As we sit in the press box in the main stand at Goodison, you can hear a wall of noise approaching the stadium from every angle. Great atmosphere building here.

Team news is out and there are two changes for Everton as Conor Coady comes in for the injured Nathan Patterson. Demarai Gray starts up top in place of the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Looks like Coady is at right back and McNeil is at left back. Bournemouth are without captain and star goalkeeper Neto who misses out due to personal reasons.

Hello and welcome to Goodison Park, where the nerves are jangling, the sun is shining and the flares are plentiful! The equation is simple for Everton: win and they will stay up. Lose or draw and their safety is out of their hands. Get ready for an intense few hours.


Key storylines & in-form players to watch

Everton have really been through it with injuries in recent weeks and the fact that Calvert-Lewin is once again struggling means that Dyche may play without a recognized striker on the final day. Defensively they have issues at full back but they have hung in there and the home crowd has inspired them on several occasions as they are within one win of safety.

Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto has been exceptional, so too has Dominic Solanke and Dango Ouattara at the other end of the pitch as there has been a really nice balance about the Cherries over the last few months as they stayed up without much stress in the end. In the reverse game in November Bournemouth beat Everton 3-0 to spark ugly scenes in the away end as the Everton fans turned on their players and demanded and were hugely disappointed with the display.


Everton team news, injuries, lineup

OUT: Seamus Coleman (hamstring), Dele Alli (groin), Ruben Vinagre (achilles), Andros Townsend (knee), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (thigh), Nathan Patterson (thigh), Tom Davies (thigh), Vitalii Mykolenko (thigh), Ben Godfrey (groin)

Bournemouth team news, injuries, lineup

OUT: Antoine Semenyo (leg), Ryan Fredericks (calf), Junior Stanislas (other), Joe Rothwell (thigh), Hamed Traore (ankle), Marcus Tavernier (thigh), Neto (personal reasons)


Chelsea vs Newcastle, live! Score, updates, stream link, video highlights

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Champions League-bound Newcastle heads to Stamford Bridge for a Championship Sunday meeting with moribund Chelsea. 

The Magpies have already sealed a place in the Champions League, while Chelsea is going to finish the season way off that standard.

STREAM LIVE CHELSEA vs NEWCASTLE

The European regulars will not sniff the continent next season and have won just once since the middle of March.

Frank Lampard’s interim stint could end on a four-match winless run if the Blues can’t rally at home to Newcastle, as Chelsea is 1W-7L-3D dating back to March 18.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Chelsea vs Newcastle.

[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]


Chelsea vs Newcastle live score: 1-1


Anthony Gordon goal video: Magpies shred sleeping Blues


Kieran Trippier own goal video: Sterling pass ricochets in


How to watch Chelsea vs Newcastle live, stream link and start time

Kick off: 11:30am ET Sunday
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Online: Watch live on Peacock


Key storylines & star players

Lewis Hall has been a bright spot for Chelsea in the blowout loss at Manchester United, while Joao Felix and Christian Pulisic showed some things off the bench.

Newcastle is flying through forwards Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak, but the whole club has been solid under Eddie Howe. Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier are getting Best XI mentions, while Sven Botman has been stellar at center back.


Chelsea team news, injuries, lineup options

OUT: Marcus Bettinelli (other), N’Golo Kante (groin), Reece James (thigh), Armando Broja (ACL), Benoit Badiashile (groin), Ben Chilwell (hamstring), Marc Cucurella (quad), Mason Mount (groin).

Newcastle team news, injuries, lineup options

OUT: Joe Willock (thigh), Ryan Fraser (other), Matt Ritchie (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (calf), Emil Krafth (knee), Nick Pope (finger), Joelinton (knock), Javier Manquillo (muscular)

Arsenal vs Wolves, live! Score, updates, how to watch, videos

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Arsenal looks to put some shine back on an impressive season when it hosts Wolves on Championship Sunday at the Emirates Stadium. 

The Gunners led the Premier League for much of the season but have faded badly down the stretch, with just two eight points from their last eight games.

STREAM LIVE ARSENAL vs WOLVES

Wolves have won four times in that same stretch to secure another season in the Premier League, but the club has not secured the services of manager Julen Lopetegui.

The 56-year-old Spaniard needs to know whether Wolves will be able to properly address their squad in the transfer window, citing Financial Fair Play concerns as a possible problem for his future at Molineux.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Arsenal vs Wolves.

[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]


How to watch Arsenal vs Wolves live, stream link and start time

Kick off: 11:30am ET Sunday
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Online: Watch live on Peacock

Arsenal vs Wolves live analysis! – By Joe Prince-Wright

NO GOALLL! Arsenal 3-0 Wolves – Thomas Partey smashes from close range but Wolves want a free kick for a foul on their goalkeeper and they get it.

HALF TIME: Arsenal 3-0 Wolves – The Gunners are in cruise control and are showing just how good they can be.

GOALLL! Arsenal 3-0 Wolves – Bukayo Saka with a brilliant curling shot to extend Arsenal’s lead. They are on fire.

GOALLL! Arsenal 2-0 Wolves – You’re not going to believe this… Granit Xhaka has scored again. What a farewell game he’s having.

GOALLL! Arsenal 1-0 Wolves – Granit Xhaka heads home after a lovely ball from Gabriel Jesus. With Xhaka set to leave this summer, that goal meant so much to him.


Key storylines & star players

Arsenal will want to finish this season with a flourish, and Premier League Best XI favorites Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are the likeliest to look bright no matter the occasion.

Is this Ruben Neves last game of a storied career with Wolves? The Portguese midfielder is desirous of Champions League football and Wolves are in need of money. Let’s watch how he reacts during the game.


Arsenal team news, injuries, lineup

QUESTIONABLE: Reiss Nelson (virus), Bukayo Saka (‘little issue’), Leandro Trossard (‘little issue’) | OUT: Gabriel Martinelli (ankle), William Saliba (back), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Mohamed Elneny (knee)

Wolves team news, injuries, lineup

OUT: Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Chiquinho (knee)