Sports
How Aston Villa’s plan paid off to beat Bayern Munich – with a finish fit for a future king
The future King of England, William, Prince of Wales did not leave quietly into the night.
“I’ve lost my voice,” he said. “I can’t quite believe it — 42 years…”
Aston Villa supporters had started to filter out of the stadium even if no one wanted to move. Villa Park was still drinking in Jhon Duran’s magnificent finish, demonstrably a moment in time that gave the club, arguably, its greatest night in 42 years — following the European Cup final triumph against the same opposition in Bayern Munich, and with the same 1-0 scoreline.
“Villa till I die” bellowed. The flags, now famous memorabilia, were being joyously waved. Emiliano Martinez, having pulled off his own acts of heroism with time-stopping saves at the end, kissed the badge. The roars that grew in decibels as Duran’s lob sailed over Manuel Neuer were guttural and piercing. It was almost a disbelieving noise and a realisation that an astonishing goal had marked Villa’s astonishing rise under manager Unai Emery.
Prince William pumps his fists after Villa’s victory (James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Less than two years ago, Villa were outside the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference. Now they had just beaten Bayern in a home Champions League fixture. Emery had spoken about making memories “like that great generation did in 1982” and, under his leadership, Villa continue to break new ground. The sense of occasion was marked, but Emery had long preached Villa needed to show they belonged on the biggest stage. And they did.
“The whole night was special,” Morgan Rogers told The Athletic after. “Walking out to that atmosphere, I’ve never experienced anything like it. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”
“It’s the loudest I’ve ever heard Villa Park,” said Martinez to TNT Sports. “It was hurting my ears at times.”
Walk down Holte Road and you will see a newly painted mural. Emery, rightly so, is at the forefront but there is reference to the 82 triumph and Peter Withe, clad in white and the goalscorer that night in Rotterdam, his hands in the air and feet off the ground. In years to come, Duran clenching both fists and roaring will be synonymous with the second Bayern victory.
Villa Park was raucous all evening, apart from the moments leading up to Duran’s goal. Supporters, perhaps subconsciously, had started to become nervous, knowing the clock was ticking and their team could earn a draw. The only other time the atmosphere lulled was when the stadium fell quiet for the Champions League anthem before kick-off as if it gave time for every fan to absorb the grandiosity of it all. Fireworks were set off and a large Tifo hung from the Holte End. A thirty-metre banner was unfurled at the bottom of the stand and read ‘All heroes are Villans’.
GO DEEPER
Understanding Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran – ‘Nothing he was given was free’
Duran has been described as “a bit nuts” by team-mates, but few doubt his immense talent. His goal, his fifth as a substitute this season, was a crystallisation of all those traits, from having the sheer conviction to lob one of modern football’s most eminent goalkeepers, to having the actual skill to pull it off. He was introduced in the 70th minute after Ollie Watkins’ running battle with Dayot Upamecano and Emery recognised that Duran’s pace, power and natural dare could serve as a point of difference.
Martinez had started off the move, with Pau Torres playing a whipped left-footed pass into the channel where Duran was on the shoulder of Upamecano.
WHAT HAVE WE JUST WITNESSED 🔥
Has Jhon Durán just delivered the moment of the night?! 😮💨
📺 Watch @tntsports and @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/laAj5FwErX
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2024
SUPER-SUB JHON DURÁN PUTS VILLA AHEAD AGAINST BAYERN FROM DISTANCE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Dn53Tsg55Y
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 2, 2024
Curiously, just as the teams came out for the second half, Villa’s individual performance coach, Antonio Rodriguez Saravia, was deep in conversation with Watkins and motioned the precise move that Duran would end up making.
Saravia tapped Watkins to get his full attention before giving an example of a curved run, from right to left, arching his body as if he was sprinting on the outside of a central defender.
Duran had little time to set himself, but went for it anyway. The Colombia striker told U.S. broadcaster CBS Sports after that he did not see Neuer off his line, a sign of his instinctive nature or recalling some of the observations made to him in the morning’s analysis sessions.
“Jhon’s been on fire,” Martinez told TNT. “He’s a super sub. With his first touch, he lobbed Neuer, one of the best keepers in history. We know Neuer plays high and we watched a lot of movies with the manager — an hour and a half this morning.”
Martinez blew kisses to Villa fans after his late heroics (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
“In the analysis, we were speaking about the positioning of Neuer — always high,” said Emery. “I spoke to my assistant coaches about how he (Duran) shoots. Because he had in his mind this possibility. He scored a goal similar last year against Hibernian. Pau Torres made a similar pass and at that moment, he drove at the keeper and shot. This time, he just shot.”
A day earlier, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was asked about Villa’s key strengths. Kompany identified their compact defensive structure and threat on transition.
Rogers was a threat on the counter throughout (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
It was therefore peculiar that Bayern seemed happy to allow Watkins and then Duran a constant one-v-one battle against Upamecano and push so many players into high areas. Villa knew they would have limited possession but were content to stay in shape, closing the distances between the lines and, upon regains, make a couple of short, quick passes before driving into the oceans of space left on transition.
“We knew they were going to have more of the ball so it was about trying to hit them on the counter,” Rogers said to TNT. “It was about allowing them to have the ball in certain areas but when it’s in midfield we had to be at it.”
The only surprise in Villa’s lineup was Jaden Philogene coming in for his first start since rejoining this summer. Players had trained at 5pm the previous evening but most were not told the team until the afternoon of the game, with some excitedly calling family and agents. But given the magnitude of the task, Philogene, who was playing for Hull City in the Championship last season, was told early.
“I found out I was starting yesterday,” he said. “Leon Bailey got injured in training and he (Emery) pulled me into the office. He asked how I was feeling. I said, ‘Yeah, I feel fine’ and he said, ‘Good, because you’re starting tomorrow’. There were no nerves. I just wanted to play football. Unai just told me to play my game and gave me instructions.”
Villa’s analysis sessions are exhaustive and often long. They are admittedly tedious, yet the breadth of detail Emery imparts on his players requires full concentration and buy-in. Duran’s finish was an example of why players remain so enamoured of Emery — because there is continuous evidence his coaching and analysis bring success.
“There were two meetings today. We are used to it. That’s why we win games,” Rogers said. “We go through everything. We know what every player’s traits are.”
“He’s very demanding, focused and knows what he wants,” said Watkins. “You hear about professionals putting in hard work and doing extras, but it’s the same for him. He arrives early and leaves late.”
The explosion of noise that met Duran’s finish and then at the final whistle was a spine-tingling sound that will stick with Villa supporters. A night and a goal fitting of Villa’s extraordinary transformation.
(Top photo: Duran and Lucas Digne celebrate against Bayern. David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)
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Napoleon Solo took home the 2026 Preakness Stakes on Saturday, the 151st running of the race.
The favorite in Taj Mahal, the 1 horse, was in the lead from the start until the final turn until Napoleon Solo made his move on the outside and took the lead at the top of the stretch. As Taj Mahal fell off, Iron Honor, the 9 horse, snuck up, but the effort ultimately was not enough.
Napoleon Solo opened at 8-1 and closed at 7-1. Iron Honor, at 8-1, finished second, with Chip Honcho fishing third after closing at 11-1. Ocelli, one of just three horses to run both the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago and Saturday’s Preakness, finished fourth at 8-1.
A Preakness branded starting gate is seen on track prior to the 151st Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16, 2026 in Laurel, Maryland. For the first and only time, Laurel Park is hosting the Preakness Stakes which is the second race of the Triple Crown jewel due to the traditional home of the race of the Pimlico Race Course undergoing complete renovations. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
A $1 exacta paid out $53.60, while a $1 trifecta brought in $597.10. But someone out there is very lucky, as a $1 superhighfive – picking the top-five finishers in order – paid out $12,015.70.
Even moreso, a 20-cent Pick 6 – picking the winners of the six consecutive races, with the final being the Preakness, paid out $33,842.34.
The race was run without the Kentucky Derby winner for the second year in a row. After Sovereignty did not run the Preakness last year – and wound up winning the Belmont Stakes – the training team of Golden Tempo opted to skip the Maryland race.
From 1960 to 2018, only three Derby winners did not run in the Preakness. Three Derby winners have skipped the Preakness in the last five years, and for the sixth time in eight years, for various reasons, the Triple Crown had already been impossible to accomplish by the time the Preakness even rolled around.
“I understand that fans of the sport or fans of the Triple Crown are disappointed, but the horse is not a machine,” Golden Tempo’s trainer, Cherie DeVaux, told Fox News Digital earlier this week.
Paco Lopez, right, atop Napoleon Solo, edges out Iron Honor, ridden by Flavien Prat, to win the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes horse race, Friday, May 15, 2026, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
CHERIE DEVAUX REFLECTS ON MAKING KENTUCKY DERBY HISTORY AS FIRST FEMALE TRAINER TO WIN THE RACE
Only three horses from two weeks ago – Ocelli, Robusta, and Incredibolt, were back at the Preakness. Corona de Oro, the 11 horse on Saturday, was scratched well ahead of the Derby, and Great White, who reared up and fell on his back after becoming startled shortly before entering the Derby gate, took the 13 post on Saturday.
The Preakness went off roughly 24 hours after a horse died following the completion of his very first race.
Hit Zero, trained by Brittany Russell, came into the race as the favorite. However, he finished last in the race, which was won by another one of Russell’s horses, Bold Fact — and upon crossing the finish line, Hit Zero reportedly began coughing, dropped to his knees, then put his head down and died.
The Preakness took place at Laurel Park as Pimlico undergoes renovations. It was the first time ever that Pimlico did not host the race, moving roughly 20 miles south.
Paco Lopez, atop Napoleon Solo, wins the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes horse race, Friday, May 15, 2026, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
The Belmont Stakes, the final Triple Crown race, will take place on June 6. The race will return to Saratoga for a third year in a row as Belmont Park continues to be renovated.
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HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL
CITY SECTION FINALS
FRIDAY
At Birmingham
DIVISION I
#1 Taft d. #3 Cleveland, 25-23, 25-14, 25-21
DIVISION IV
#7 Maywood CES d. #4 Math & Science College Prep, 25-17, 25-17, 25-23
At Venice
DIVISION II
#4 Marquez d. #6 Narbonne, 23-25, 25-19, 29-27, 25-16
DIVISION III
#13 Birmingham d. #2 Legacy, 25-20, 17-25, 31-33, 25-21, 15-10
SATURDAY
At Birmingham
OPEN DIVISION
#3 Chatsworth d. #1 Granada Hills, 24-26, 25-21, 25-14, 25-18
DIVISION V
314 Franklin d. #13 Rancho Dominguez, 25-18, 25-19, 25-16
SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
THURSDAY
At Home Sites
DIVISION 9
Vasquez d. Tarbut V’ Torah, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-10
FRIDAY
At Cerritos College
DIVISION 1
#1 Mira Costa d. #3 Loyola, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22
DIVISION 4
Sunny Hills d. Royal, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 25-23
At Home Sites
DIVISION 5
Bishop Diego d. St. Anthony, 25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23
DIVISION 8
Temescal Canyon d. West Valley, 24-26, 25-16, 25-19, 25-23
SATURDAY
At Cerritos College
DIVISION 2
Orange Lutheran d. Edison, 3-1
DIVISION 3
Windward d. St, John Bosco, 24-26, 25–21, 25-22, 25-20
DIVISION 6
Culver City d. Garden Grove, 27-25, 25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 15-9
Sports
It’s Game 7, and we have a bet locked in as the Cavaliers and legacies are on the line against the Pistons
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The NBA takes a lot of flak for having meaningless games, and I can definitely understand it, watching on a random Wednesday in January. However, the playoffs have delivered over and over to viewers and rewarded us for putting up with garbage regular-season games.
This will be the fourth Game 7 of the playoffs. Three series have been sweeps, and the other three have been six games. That shows competitive hoops. Now, how do we bet this Game 7 in the Eastern Conference?
The Cleveland Cavaliers blew it. After not winning a road game all postseason, they took Game 5 in surprising fashion. It looked like they were going to win in six games. After all, they hadn’t lost a game at home in the postseason.
Instead, Detroit came out and blitzed the Cavs, never giving them a chance to get their footing. They lost in an ugly fashion and now have to figure out a way to win a game on the road.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half of Game 5 in the second-round NBA playoffs in Detroit on May 13, 2026. (Duane Burleson/AP)
It isn’t just the Cavs’ fate that rests in this game. It is also the legacy of James Harden and, to a lesser extent, Donovan Mitchell.
We know that Mitchell is a very good player, but he isn’t regarded as one of the best players ever. Harden is. Unfortunately, Harden has struggled in Game 7s. He’s averaged 19.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds. That’s not terrible, but looking at his shooting percentages, he is at 35.3% and 22.2% in those games. He actually is 4-4 overall in the games, but in his past three, he has scored a combined 34 points over 113 minutes.
The Detroit Pistons seem to like playing with their backs against the wall. They are a gritty team, so I suppose it makes sense.
Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren reacts after allowing a pass to go out of bounds in the second half of Game 4 of the second-round NBA playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland on May 11, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
Cade Cunningham continues to deliver for the team, and he finally got some help in Game 6 from Jalen Duren. This was never going to be an easy series for Duren, but it feels like he is taking more time to mature than others. He definitely improved this year, but the consistency they need from him just isn’t there yet.
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Now as the team goes home they will need Duren to be a beast on the glass. If he can keep the Pistons in the rebounding battle, they should win this game with ease. They won Game 6 by just three rebounds, but that takes away a big dimension of what Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley do for the Cavs. It isn’t everything, though, as the Pistons won the rebounding battle in both losses in Cleveland.
I don’t see this being a runaway game for the Pistons. Mitchell and Cunningham likely will cancel each other out with scoring. Harden needs to establish himself as the third-best player on the floor. I haven’t seen him do that in the postseason, yet.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden talk during Game 2 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs vs. the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Ohio. (David Dermer/Imagn Images)
This is the second Game 7 of the playoffs for both of the clubs, so it isn’t like either will be caught off guard about what this entails.
If I look at it objectively, I think the Cavs have the better players. However, the Pistons have looked significantly better this season, and definitely in the playoffs overall. Both are prone to issues and slipping. The Cavs shouldn’t be as they are a veteran team.
This game has to be won by Cleveland, though. There is too much riding on the franchise and legacies of guys for them to not prepare properly for it. Maybe that’s weak analysis, but I’m taking the Cavs with the points and I do think they win outright. I expect a monster game from Mitchell, and Harden should get 10+ assists.
Either way, whoever wins will lose to the New York Knicks.
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
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