Mohamed Salah Breaks a Premier League Scoring Record in Liverpool's Opening Game

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Liverpool at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich, England, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Liverpool at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich, England, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
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Mohamed Salah Breaks a Premier League Scoring Record in Liverpool's Opening Game

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Liverpool at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich, England, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Liverpool at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich, England, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Mohamed Salah broke a Premier League scoring record in Liverpool's opening game of the season, The AP reported.
Salah poked home a finish from close range in the 65th minute to take his tally of goals in the opening round of a Premier League season to nine, breaking a tie he had with a trio of English soccer greats in Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer and Frank Lampard.
Five minutes earlier, Salah set up Diogo Jota for the first goal as Liverpool improved after a slow first half in its first competitive game under Slot, who replaced longtime manager Jurgen Klopp during the offseason, according to The AP.
While Liverpool joined Manchester United — a 1-0 winner over Fulham on Friday — in making a triumphant start to the season, it was an early lesson for Ipswich, whose most famous supporter, pop star Ed Sheeran, was cheering the team on from a VIP box at Portman Road.
This is Ipswich’s first season in the top flight since 2002 and the team looks sure to entertain, even if it might concede plenty of goals in the process with its open, expansive style.
There were five more games later Saturday, including Arsenal — the runner-up in the past two seasons — hosting Wolverhampton.
Reigning champion Manchester City begins its title defense at Chelsea on Sunday.

By netting Liverpool's second against Ipswich, the Egypt star took his tally of goals in the opening round of a Premier League season to nine — more than anyone else.

He previously shared the record with Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer.

Salah's goal put Liverpool 2-0 ahead at Portman Road.

 

 

 

 



Frustrated Carlos Alcaraz Smashes His Racket in 3-set Loss to Gael Monfils at Cincinnati Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates a point against Ben Shelton of the USA during the men's second round match at the 2023 National Bank Open tennis tournament in Toronto, Canada, 09 August 2023. (EPA)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates a point against Ben Shelton of the USA during the men's second round match at the 2023 National Bank Open tennis tournament in Toronto, Canada, 09 August 2023. (EPA)
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Frustrated Carlos Alcaraz Smashes His Racket in 3-set Loss to Gael Monfils at Cincinnati Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates a point against Ben Shelton of the USA during the men's second round match at the 2023 National Bank Open tennis tournament in Toronto, Canada, 09 August 2023. (EPA)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates a point against Ben Shelton of the USA during the men's second round match at the 2023 National Bank Open tennis tournament in Toronto, Canada, 09 August 2023. (EPA)

Carlos Alcaraz repeatedly smashed his racket on the court in a rare show of frustration on Friday, and the four-time Grand Slam winner fell to Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 at the Cincinnati Open.

In a match that was suspended by rain on Thursday night with the players in a second-set tiebreaker, the 37-year-old Monfils advanced by taking the last two sets from the second-seeded Alcaraz, who called the loss his "worst match."

"I felt like it was the worst match that I´ve ever played on my career," Alcaraz said. "I´ve been practicing really well. I was feeling great. But I couldn´t play. I want to forget it and try to move on to New York."

Trailing 3-1 in the tiebreaker when the match was halted, Alcaraz was hoping for a reset when play resumed Friday. But, the No. 3 player in the ATP rankings wasn't able to control his emotions.

"It never happened before, because I could control those feelings," Alcaraz said. "Today I couldn´t. I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. It was really frustrating for me. At some point, I didn´t want to be on the court anymore."

Alcaraz was playing his first match since earning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics after losing to Novak Djokovic, who also beat him last year in the Cincinnati final.

Monfils returned to the court later Friday and lost to No. 15 seed Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

"It was a big win for me against Carlos, unexpected to be honest," Monfils said. "To play again in a couple hours against (another) good and younger player, I knew it would be tough."

In women's action, top-ranked Iga Swiatek advanced to the quarterfinals with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win over Marta Kostyuk.

Swiatek bounced back with a more complete performance after losing a second-set tiebreak on Wednesday before outlasting France's Varvara Gracheva.

"Today, I just kept my intensity at a high level all the time," Swiatek said. "It didn't really matter to me what the score was, I just wanted to continue playing my game. I focused on myself."

No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka also advanced with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Elina Svitolina, but No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, the runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon, lost to Mirra Andreeva 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova upset No. 7 and Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen 7-5, 6-1. Spaniard Paula Badosa defeated Yulia Putintseva, who upset Coco Gauff on Thursday, 6-4, 6-4.

Top men to advance included No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who got a walkover against Jordan Thompson on his 23rd birthday, No. 3 Alex Zverev, No. 5 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 6 Andrey Rublev and 12th-ranked American Ben Shelton.