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      Brentford 3 Bournemouth 1 (3-2 agg): Bees reach Championship play-off final after thrilling comeback vs 10-man Cherries

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      MARCUS FORSS fired Brentford to a Wembley play-off final for the second year running after a brilliant comeback win in West London.The half-time sub had barely had a kick before he was in the right place at the right time to convert an Emiliano Marcondes cross from the left with 10 minutes left.
      Brentford have booked their place at Wembley after a stunning comeback against BournemouthCredit: Ken Sparks/UK Sports Pics Ltd
      Marcus Forss scored the decisive goal in the thrilling tie with nine minutes leftCredit: Getty
      The Bees are now just one win away from the Premier LeagueCredit: Rex
      Arnaut Danjuma put Bournemouth into the lead and two goals ahead in the tie early onCredit: Rex
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      Finnish striker Forss had only scored twice in his previous 32 games – but his goal yesterday means the Bees will be playing for a place in the Premier League next Saturday.
      Everything was going so well for Bournemouth when Arnaut Danjuma fired them in front after just five minutes to give them a 2-0 aggregate lead.
      But the Bees hit back with an Ivan Toney penalty on 16 minutes after Lloyd Kelly handled.
      Chris Mepham was then sent off for pulling down Bryan Mbeumo and the 10 men Cherries were eventually overpowered after the break with goals from Vitaly Janelt and Forss.
      The Bees – beaten by Fulham last year in the Championship showpiece – will hope its 10th time lucky, having failed to win promotion in nine previous play-off attempts.
      Brentford have not played in the top flight since 1947 but they go into next weekend’s final as favourites.
      The Bees were hyped up for this with boss Thomas Frank doing a lap before kick-off urging the fans to raise the noise levels.
      But it all went flat as Bournemouth moved in front.
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      Brentford did not leave a single player back while taking a corner and got caught on the break.
      Danjuma picked up the loose ball in the centre circle and had a free run before shooting past David Raya.
      It was criminal tactics from the Bees so early in the match and left them with a mountain to climb.
      But suddenly Brentford were back in it when Emiliano Marcondes saw his cross handled by Lloyd Kelly as he tried to block and referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot.
      It was a big call from the official and Ivan Toney made no mistake by levelling from the resulting penalty.
      The Brentford striker and Asmir Begovic were both booked after having an altercation when the Cherries keeper held on to the ball to prevent the kick-off being taken quickly.
      It was Toney’s 32nd goal of the season – and his 10th from the spot.
      And Bournemouth were reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute.
      Ivan Toney then levelled the score on the day from the spot with a controversial penaltyCredit: Rex
      Chris Mepham was then sent-off for Bournemouth to leave them a man down for over an hourCredit: Getty
      Defender Mepham stumbled as he got dispossessed by Bryan Mbeumo and deliberately hauled him down with a rugby-style tackle as he was set to race clear on goal.
      Boss Jonathan Woodgate immediately made a change by bringing on Diego Rico for David Brooks.
      The Bees almost moved in front when Toney got clear of Kelly but shot wide with just the keeper to beat.
      And Toney also headed tamely from a Sergi Canos cross when well placed.
      Rico made a goal-saving clearance from under his own crossbar after Ethan Pinnock’s long throw was headed on by Henrik Dalsgaard with Begovic flapping.
      Bournemouth were appealing for a penalty when Philip Billing’s header hit Pinnock’s arm – but ref Gillett waved away the protests.
      Dalsgaard went for goal with an audacious free-kick from just inside the Bournemouth half – but Begovic was able to get back and hold the ball comfortably.
      Brentford made a switch at the break – bringing on striker Forss for right-back Mads Roerslev.
      Vitaly Janelt then got Brentford level on aggregate moments into the second halfCredit: Getty
      And the Bees swiftly moved in front on the day and levelled the score on aggregate five minutes into the second half.
      Ben Pearson was only able to half clear a cross and Vitaly Janelt let fly a brilliant 25-yard effort that took a deflection to beat Begovic.
      Brentford were appealing for a penalty when Mbeumo appeared to be brought down by Cameron Carter-Vickers – with the ball eventually finding its way back to the Bees ace who shot wide.
      Ref Gillett correctly turned down the Bees’ shouts.
      Frank went even more attacking by throwing on Saman Ghoddos for Janelt.
      Toney missed a sitter by his standards when he was found by a lovely cross from Mbeumo – but his volley cleared the bar.
      The star striker then completely miscued his header when well placed.
      Dalsgaard forced Begovic into a good save after curling an effort from the edge of the box.
      The pressure then finally proved to be too much as Forss got the decisive goal late onCredit: Getty
      Tariqe Fou came on for the last 12 minutes for Canos.
      And the Bees moved in front in the tie with 10 minutes left.
      Emiliano Marcondes whipped in a perfect cross from the left for Forss to fire home from close range.
      Bournemouth – who had been time wasting from the moment they opener the scoring – suddenly found some urgency, throwing up even keeper Begovic as they searched for a leveller.
      But the Bees held firm and Frank and his players celebrated with the fans as The Beatles’ classic Hey Jude rung out.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Ivan Toney talks about how many goals he wants to score at Brentford More

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      Swansea vs Barnsley: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Championship playoff clash

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      SWANSEA take a priceless one-goal lead into their Championship playoff second leg against Barnsley.Andre Ayew’s strike at Oakwell separated the sides, with a place at Wembley at stake ahead of the second meeting.

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      Swansea hold a slender advantage going into the clash in South WalesCredit: Getty
      When is Swansea vs Barnsley?

      The second leg of this huge tie will be on Saturday, May 22.
      Kick-off is at 6.30pm.
      When the Tykes came here in the regular season,

      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      You can catch all of the drama live on Sky Sports Football.
      Coverage will begin at 6pm.
      If you’re not a Sky subscriber, you can stream on your mobile, tablet, PC or games console by getting a NOW TV pass from £9.99.

      What is the team news?
      After victory in South Yorkshire, there are no fresh injury concerns for the Swans.
      Wayne Routledge will hope to start after coming off the bench at Oakwell, but Steve Cooper could opt for the same starting XI.
      Alex Mowatt returned from injury for Barnsley in the first leg and suffered no setbacks.
      Match odds

      Swansea to win – 17/10
      Draw – 21/10
      Barnsley victory – 13/8
      Swans to reach final – 2/7
      Tykes to qualify – 12/5

      *All odds from Paddy Power and correct at time of publication. More

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      Brentford vs Bournemouth: Live stream, TV channel, team news and kick-off time for Championship playoff second-leg

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      BRENTFORD welcome Bournemouth with a place in the Championship playoff final up for grabs.The Bees have it all to do after going down 1-0 in the first leg at the Vitality Stadium, which ended their 12-game unbeaten run.

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      Danjuma’s strike was enough to give Bournemouth a goal lead going into the second-legCredit: Reuters
      Bournemouth are looking to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt but were beaten here 2-1 earlier in the season.
      When is Brentford vs Bournemouth?

      The second leg of this playoff semi-final will be held on Saturday, May 22.
      Kick-off is at 12.30pm BST.
      Brentford will be cheered on by more than 3,000 fans as Covid restrictions continue to ease.

      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      You can catch all of the action live on Sky Sports Football.
      Coverage will begin at midday.
      If you’re not a Sky subscriber, you can stream by getting a NOW TV pass from £9.99.

      What is the team news?
      Bournemouth look set to be without Steve Cook, who went off with a knee injury in the first leg.
      Chris Mepham is ready to step in, with Jonathan Woodgate expected to field a similar XI despite that enforced change.
      Brentford have no fresh injury concerns, but may choose to tread carefully with Rico Henry who has only recently returned from a hamstring issue.
      Match odds

      Brentford to win – 19/20
      Draw – 12/5
      Bournemouth victory – 14/5
      Bees to qualify – 6/4
      Cherries to reach Wembley – 1/2

      *All odds from Paddy Power and correct at time of publication. More

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      West Brom ‘to hold talks with Chris Wilder’ over replacing Sam Allardyce as they plot route back into Premier League

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      CHRIS WILDER will reportedly hold talks over becoming West Brom’s new boss.The Baggies are on the lookout for a manager after Sam Allardyce rejected an offer to plot their promotion bid out of the Championship.
      Chris Wilder is on West Brom’s shortlist after leaving Sheffield UnitedCredit: Rex
      Having only won four of his 25 games in charge, the 66-year-old has called for the club to find a ‘long-term’ solution in the dugout.
      Lincoln boss Michael Appleton and ex-Chelsea manager Frank Lampard have been linked.
      But Wilder is the frontrunner after the Telegraph reported on upcoming negotiations between the club and coach.
      West Brom are said to be keen on a free agent with their summer transfer budget already set.
      The 53-year-old left Sheffield United in March despite leading the Blades to two promotions and a mid-table finish in last season’s Premier League.
      The Yorkshire club will fight the Baggies for a way out of the Championship next season after the pair were relegated.
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      West Brom had hoped to keep Allardyce but he confirmed his departure after the 3-1 defeat to West Ham in midweek.
      He said: “West Brom made me a generous offer to stay [but] after serious consideration I have decided not to accept it.
      “If I were to stay and achieve promotion next season the expectation would be for me to continue for at least another season and, sadly, that is not a commitment I feel able to make at this stage of my career. I’m not long-term and they want long-term.
      “I think it needs someone to take the club by the scruff of the neck and take them up.”
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      Sam Allardyce will leave West Brom at the end of the season after failing to keep Baggies in the Premier League – Sky Sports More

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      Ryan Gauld – once dubbed the Scottish Messi – has ‘30-plus’ free transfer offers including Stoke, Swansea & Inter Miami

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      FREE agent Ryan Gauld was once called the ‘Scottish Messi’ and now he reportedly has more than 30 clubs after him. The 25-year-old midfielder is said to be on the radar of some huge teams including Inter Miami, Brighton, Swansea, Norwich and Stoke.
      Ryan Gauld was once dubbed the ‘Scottish Messi’ and could be heading back to the UKCredit: Getty
      Having burst on the scene at Dundee United the ‘Scottish Messi’ tag quickly took hold.
      A dream £3million move to Sporting Lisbon – whose fans recently clashed with riot police – followed in summer 2014 for the attacking midfielder.
      But in the years that followed in Portugal, Gauld’s appeal faded as he struggled to handle the hype.
      Sporting lost faith and farmed the winger out on loans to Vitoria de Setubal, Desportivo Aves and Farense.
      He was loaned back to Hibs in January 2019 before returning to Portugal in the summer where he was sold to Farense on a permanent deal.
      Despite his initial promise not quite being realised, the playmaker kicked on last season and has attracted interest from the UK, according to TeamTalk.
      Gauld scored nine times and laid on seven assists in 33 games for Faro based side Farense this season and also won the Primeira Liga’s Player of the Month award in April.
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      But he could not save them from relegation from the Portuguese top flight.
      His contract expires at the end of the season.
      Brentford, Sheffield United and Blackburn are also said to be keeping an eye on his situation.
      And Portuguese giants Braga are said to be keen on bringing him back to the Primeira Liga.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      West Ham and Fulham lead race for £25m Adam Armstrong transfer but face competition from three Premier League rivals

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      WEST HAM and Fulham are leading the pack in pursuit of £25million-rated Adam Armstrong.Brighton and Everton are also interested in the pocket dynamite front man who has hit 29 goals in all competitions this season.
      Blackburn striker Adam Armstrong has banged in 28 Championship goals this termCredit: Rex
      Blackburn Rovers are still trying to persuade the 24-year-old to sign a new deal.
      But months of talks have not persuaded the former Newcastle centre-forward to put pen to paper.
      His current contract has one year left and the Ewood Park club are now close to cashing in on the Geordie bought from the Toon for just £1.75m four years ago.
      He finished this campaign on 28 league goals to make himself the Championship’s second-top scorer behind Ivan Toney.
      Boss Tony Mowbray has admitted that Prem clubs wouldn’t be ‘doing their job’ if they were not tracking Armstrong.
      Speaking earlier this month, Mowbray said: “They (Premier League clubs) are not doing their job if they’re not looking at Adam Armstrong.
      “That’s out of my control. For Adam’s sake, let’s hope the phone rings and someone offers us a ridiculous amount of money, we shake him by the hand and we say go and bang in loads of goals in the Premier League.
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      “And we’ll use some of that money in the team and can find another striker who can bang loads of goals in.
      “That’s football, that’s happened since the game started.”
      Newcastle, who have a 40 per cent sell-on agreement, are also considering an offer.
      But Hammers boss David Moyes and Fulham counterpart Scott Parker are ready to start the bidding.
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      Sam Allardyce calls Michail Antonio’s comments ‘a load of crap’ in attack on West Ham ace and ‘long ball’ critics More

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      Cardiff star Sol Bamba reveals he’s cancer free in heartwarming tweet and vows to return ‘soon’ after five-month absence

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      SOL BAMBA has completed his recovery from cancer.The Cardiff defender was told of his non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis on Christmas Eve.
      Cardiff star Sol Bamba has revealed he is cancer freeCredit: Alamy
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      But after undergoing chemotherapy, Bamba returned to training with the Bluebirds and made an appearance on the field from the bench in Cardiff’s final game of the Championship season.
      Now he has received the news his treatment has been entirely successful.
      Bamba said: “I’m now cancer free.
      “It is of course an incredibly heartwarming news for my family and I – we are over the moon right now.
      “I really want to thank everyone that has been supporting me.
      “Above all, I want to thank the family at the NHS who took such good care of me.
      “I will always be grateful. Thank you to all my family, my friends, of course the club and everyone in the football industry that has helped me face this challenge.
      “Hopefully, I will see you soon again on the pitch.”
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      Hey everyone, just a quick message to inform you that I’m now cancer free ! It is of course an incredibly heartwarming news for my family and I, we are over the moon right now. I really want to thank each and everyone that has been supporting me, wether it’s been with a comment, pic.twitter.com/7weE6JzCTa— Sol Bamba (@Sol14Bamba) May 20, 2021

      Thank you to all my family, my friends and of course the club and everyone one in the football industry that has helped me facing this challenge. I wish you all a blessed day and hopefully will see you soon again on the pitch. Sol 💙— Sol Bamba (@Sol14Bamba) May 20, 2021

      Bamba made the bench for the final day of the Championship season as his side relegated Rotherham.
      And with his contract expiring this summer, he was given a chance to get out on the pitch for just the seventh time this season.
      He replaced Josh Murphy in the 95th minute and was given a warm embrace as he made his way onto the field.
      Fans were made aware of Bamba’s potential involvement ahead of the game when he uploaded a picture online.
      It showed his kit and boots laid out and ready and he simply shared them with a blue heart and angel emoji.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds More

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      Kiyan Prince’s family hail FIFA 21 tribute to QPR teenager on 15th anniversary of tragic death

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      KIYAN PRINCE’S dream of playing for Queens Park Rangers has finally been realised through the FIFA 21 video game on the 15th anniversary of the academy star’s tragic death.Superhoops hopeful Kiyan was stabbed and killed in West London at the age of 15 while trying to break up a fight.
      Kiyan Prince is being added to FIFA 21 as a playable character for QPR
      The academy starlet was fatally stabbed in 2006 at the age of 15
      His father, Dr Mark Prince OBE, has led an incredible campaign to educate youngsters on the dangers of violent crime alongside Championship side QPR, who even named their stadium after the Kiyan Prince Foundation.
      Developers at visual effects company Framestore, together with the Prince family, EA Sports and Bradford University, have collaborated to create a likeness of Kiyan that is now playable on FIFA 21.
      The talented footballer will go straight into the QPR squad with the No30 shirt to show the world the star that he would have become.
      And Dr Prince has hailed the idea as both a perfect tribute to his son and a vital reminder to youngsters that knives are not the answer.
      He told SunSport: “This fitted perfectly with my gut and my spirit telling me that Kiyan was never going to just fade away into obscurity.
      “I was over the moon and felt in my heart that this was meant to be.”
      QPR director of football Les Ferdinand also backed the idea as the club continues its work in the community, which includes its exemplary response to the Grenfell Tower disaster.
      He said: “Kiyan is very much still in our hearts and minds and for this to come to fruition is a huge honour for him and his family.
      Kiyan’s father, Dr Mark Prince (right) has revealed his happiness at the tribute
      QPR director of football Les Ferdinand has also given his backingCredit: PA
      “We are a community club and take our role very seriously, and he was one of the members of our community, someone we had high hopes for.
      “All the supporters will be immensely proud to see him recognised in this way.”
      Dr Prince has told gamers to expect the 30-year-old playable Kiyan Prince to be a powerful, dynamic player.
      In describing Kiyan’s playing style, he said: “In a word: powerful.
      “If you’d have seen this guy at 15… most people thought he was in an adult body. His power, driving through midfield, going down the wing, was ridiculous.
      “He was very confident, had great leadership qualities, he really lifted his team and brought his energy to the pitch.”
      Not only will Kiyan feature in the game but a direct link to the Foundation will offer users the education and advice services Dr Prince has dedicated his time to providing.
      The former boxer outlined his fear that the war on knife crime is failing, urging everyone from the top to the bottom of society to increase their efforts against it.
      My son didn’t die for me to just sit around and have him in the game, this is to get to the very highest levels.Dr Mark PrinceKiyan’s Father
      He continued: “You see all the time, the violence on the streets is increasing.
      “The mindset of these people is to resolve conflict with knives and that has to be stopped.
      “My son didn’t die for me to just sit around and have him in the game, this is to get to the very highest levels – to lobby for change in policy and law so that there is a system that doesn’t just criminalise young people but cares enough to find out what the real problem is, tackle it, and restore them back to the community.”
      The Foundation is looking to work with the army, Government, parents and more to provide support for those who may be turning to knives as a way of dealing with their personal issues.
      Dr Mark said: “I didn’t just want Kiyan in the game, because the story is bigger than that. 
      “This is about the next generation and creating change, reaching more of them to show them that there is a better way. That there’s nothing that can prevent you from becoming successful.
      Kiyan will don the No30 shirt in FIFA 21
      The Superhoops hopeful’s dream of playing for the club will finally be fulfilled
      “On the game you will have access to the Foundation where we will take you through the process; help you with employment, your education, your mindset. We can help. 
      “We’re providing the same sort of support for you to be great that Kiyan received for him to be great.”
      Ex-England striker Ferdinand, who grew up in West London, outlined how football can play a major role in keeping the streets safe.
      He said: “We’re all looking for ways to help in the best possible way.
      “If this can bring it home to people and this helps them to change their behaviours then this can only be a good thing. 
      “I think we’re all baffled at what it is that we can do, we talk about whether the Government or police can do more. But we need to do everything we can as individuals to try and help this situation because we’re hearing about it all too often.
      “There is not a day or week where it isn’t talked about on the news and unfortunately it seems to be getting worse rather than better.

      “I’ve got kids, I know the players who have kids, are all terrified of them walking the streets because of this situation.
      “That’s why this has come to fruition as we know football plays a big role in many of these young men’s lives and hopefully this can help.
      “Mark is an inspiration as he goes into places each and every day, trying to get these guys off the streets, to educate them on knife crime.
      “He’s having to live what happened to his son each and every day, we’re backing him as much as we can to hopefully eradicate what’s going on in this country.”
      Members of the public who want to support the campaign can donate to the Kiyan Prince Foundation by texting KPF (then the amount) to 70490. For more information please visit: https://www.thekpf.com/.
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