BEB Weekend Sports: Latest Gist!

Southampton knock holders Arsenal out of FA Cup

A strong Southampton side knocked holders Arsenal out of the FA Cup in the fourth round courtesy of a first-half own goal on Saturday.

The Saints were rewarded for their attacking intent in the opening period when Gabriel turned in Kyle Walker-Peters' cross in the 24th minute.

It was the first goal Arsenal had conceded in 508 minutes as they suffered a first loss in seven matches.
Southampton will face another Premier League side, Wolves, in the next round.

With their next opponents enduring a poor run in the league and having struggled in their 1-0 win at non-league Chorley on Friday, the 1976 winners will fancy their chances of progressing further at Molineux.

Atalanta stun Serie A leaders AC Milan at home

AC Milan's lead at the top of Serie A was cut to two points after they were outplayed by Atalanta at the San Siro.

Cristian Romero headed home Robin Gosens' corner after 26 minutes before Josip Ilicic was brought down by Milan's Franck Kessie in the area midway through the second half.

Ilicic converted the penalty before Duvan Zapata added a third late on.

Inter Milan, who could have gone level at the top with a win, were held to a goalless draw at Udinese.

Atalanta, who become just the second side to beat AC Milan in Serie A this season, rise to fourth in the table.

Murray gutted to miss Australian Open

Five-time finalist Andy Murray will miss the Australian Open after a solution to find a "workable quarantine" following his positive test for coronavirus could not be found.

The 33-year-old Briton was set to fly out to Melbourne last week, but was not allowed to travel on a charter flight after being found to have Covid-19.

The former world number one had hoped to travel safely and compete as planned on the back of a negative test.

Murray said he was "gutted" not to go.

He was asymptomatic and is now out of self-isolation, but finding a way for him to travel to Australia and then going into quarantine before the tournament starts on 8 February proved too difficult.

"We've been in constant dialogue with Tennis Australia to try and find a solution which would allow some form of workable quarantine, but we couldn't make it work," said Murray. 

"I want to thank everyone there for their efforts. I'm devastated not to be playing out in Australia. It's a country and tournament that I love."

The Australian Open at Melbourne Park is starting three weeks later than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ferrari name female academy driver

Dutch racer Maya Weug has become the first female driver to be made a member of the Ferrari academy.

The 16-year-old secured her place on the programme by winning the Girls on Track Rising Stars programme organised by F1's governing body the FIA with Ferrari.

She impressed judges at an evaluation camp at Ferrari's Maranello base.

"This is a key moment in the history of Scuderia Ferrari and its academy," said team boss Mattia Binotto. 

"Over the course of this year, Maya will progress along with us and also take part in one of the F4 championships Certified by FIA, the category seen as the first step in single-seaters on the road to Formula 1. 

"Maya's arrival is a clear indication of the Scuderia's commitment to making motorsport increasingly inclusive, in line with the hashtag supported by the entire F1 community, We Race As One."

Weug said: 

"I will never forget this day! I am so happy to be the first female driver to join the Ferrari Driver Academy. Winning the final stage of the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars programme makes me realise that I was right to pursue my dream of becoming a racing driver. 

"I will give my all to show the people who believed in me that I deserve to wear the Ferrari Driver Academy uniform and I can't wait to come to Maranello to start preparing for my first season of single-seater racing."

The Ferrari academy is the programme through which the team's current leader Charles Leclerc was prepared for his move into F1.

from Bola Esho's Blog