EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING TheScore.ie brings you bang up to date before you’ve blown the steam off that first cuppa coffee.
1. #CELTIC Celtic came within a whisker of a famous and incredibly unlikely result against Barcelona at the Nou Camp last night.
The Hoops took an early lead through Georgios Samaras, but were pegged back by Andres Iniesta’s strike before half time.
The second half was a tense affair and you can read exactly how it all unfolded here, but after 48 long minutes, Jordi Alba spared the blushed of Leo Messi and the Blaugrana.
2. #PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS Closer to home, Manchester United also avoided embarrassment after they fell two goals behind to Braga. Javier Hernandez (pictured) ultimately proved the hero, scoring his side’s first and last of the night, with the suddenly goal-hungry Jonny Evans poking one home in between.
Elsewhere, Chelsea (including skipper JT) were beaten in Donetsk, but they picked a decent time to do so. The other game in their group finished all-square as Juventus failed to find a way to beat Nordsjaelland.
3. #RUGBY Declan Kidney is set to name his 30-man squad for the two November Tests this afternoon. Here’s what to expect, but Kidney may have to plan without Rob Kearney as the Irish Times are reporting that the European Player of the Year will be out for 10 weeks as he undergoes surgery.
4. #SLAM DUNK Padraig Harrington shot a five-under-par 66 at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda yesterday to take a two-stroke overnight lead over Bubba Watson. Nice.
5. #LANCE Things just keep getting worse for Lance Armstrong, as if being stripped of seven Tour de France titles, (possibly) untold amounts of prize-money and having to change his twitter bio; now Alpe d’Huez want to remove the man’s name from two corners. What did he ever do… oh.
6. #MLB The greatest show in baseball gets underway tonight. Game one of a possible seven to decide whether the Detroit Tigers or San Francisco Giants will be named ‘world champions’.
The Giants only sealed their place in the decider on Monday night, dramatically edging the seventh game decider against St Louis Cardinals. The Tigers, though, are all rested and recuperated. But momentum can be a powerful thing.
