Arteta blasts ‘unacceptable’ Sunderland penalty despite Arsenal win

Mikel Arteta said the decision to award Sunderland a penalty could have cost Arsenal the Premier League title, even though his side emerged 2-0 winners at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Arsenal concede a penalty

Sunderland had the chance to take the lead early in the second period when Ezri Konsa was penalised for wrestling Dan Ballard to the floor.

Arteta was furious as pictures showed Ballard was also pulling the England international as the pair fell to the ground inside the Arsenal box. amunra-online.pl

The decision ultimately mattered little as Enzo Le Fee’s spot-kick was brilliantly saved by David Raya.

Just two minutes later Bruno Guimaraes blasted Arsenal in front with his first goal for the club before Bukayo Saka’s penalty sealed all three points in stoppage time.

But the result did not hold back Arteta’s ire towards the officials.

Arteta – ‘I watched it 20 times’

“We have to go through what was done today that in my opinion is not acceptable. I watched it 20 times and I cannot find a way to understand how they think to give a penalty in that situation or the way the VAR has not intervened,” said Arteta.

“I don’t know what to think really. I’m sad that we have to discuss in such a beautiful game something at this level that has the gravity of that because that changes the course of the season and it can cost you the championship.

“At this level, with all the work that we put in, this cannot happen.”

Guimaraes was Arsenal’s big-money recruit of the transfer window, but the £75 million ($87 million) signing is yet to start for his new club as Arteta has kept faith with Myles Lewis-Skelly alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield.

The Brazilian was introduced at half-time and proved his worth with a brilliant strike to break the deadlock and silence the Sunderland fans that took aim at the former Newcastle captain.

Guimaraes also had a hand in Arsenal’s second goal as from his pass, Saka was chopped down for the penalty.

‘The goal is incredible’

“The personality that he has. He comes in and this is a special game for him as well, what it means for him, and how he grabs the game,” added Arteta.

“The decisions that he’s made and the two actions. The goal is incredible and the assist as well to Bukayo to put him through in front of goal, it’s unbelievable as well.”

A fourth win from four Premier League games takes the defending champions three points clear at the top of the table.

Le Paris Saint-Germain n’a déjà plus de temps à perdre. En déplacement sur la pelouse du Stade Brestois ce dimanche soir, le champion d’Europe tentera de décrocher sa première victoire de la saison en Ligue 1.

Cette rencontre, comptant pour la 4e journée du championnat, débutera à 20h45 au stade Francis-Le Blé.
Une réaction attendue
Après trois journées, le PSG traverse une situation inhabituelle. Avec seulement deux points récoltés, les Parisiens ont connu une entame de championnat loin de leurs standards habituels. Deux matches nuls et une défaite ont retardé leur lancement, alors que les premières places commencent déjà à se détacher.

Ce déplacement en Bretagne constitue donc une nouvelle occasion de remettre la machine en marche. Les joueurs de Luis Enrique devront retrouver davantage d’efficacité et de maîtrise afin de concrétiser leurs ambitions en championnat.

Brest veut jouer sa carte

Le Stade Brestois aborde cette affiche dans une dynamique plus encourageante. Toujours invaincu après trois journées, le club breton compte cinq points et peut s’appuyer sur cette entame positive avant de recevoir le champion d’Europe.

Devant leur public, les Brestois tenteront de profiter des difficultés actuelles du PSG pour réaliser un gros coup. La tâche s’annonce néanmoins compliquée face à une formation parisienne qui vient de retrouver des couleurs sur la scène européenne avec un large succès contre le Slovan Bratislava (6-1).

Paris doit lancer sa saison

Cette opposition met donc aux prises deux équipes aux dynamiques différentes. Brest cherchera à préserver son invincibilité et à confirmer ses bonnes dispositions, tandis que le PSG aura pour priorité de renouer avec la victoire en Ligue 1.

Après son succès européen, Paris veut désormais transposer cette dynamique au championnat. Une victoire à Brest permettrait au club de la capitale de véritablement lancer sa saison et d’aborder les prochaines échéances avec davantage de sérénité.

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NAIROBI, Kenya, September 13, 2026 – Menengai Oilers and Strathmore Leos will clash in the final of the Christie 7s, in what is the ultimate though surprise finale to the 2026 National Sevens Circuit.

The students upset KCB Rugby — the circuits defending champions and leaders — 19-12 in the first semi-final at the RFUEA Grounds on Sunday afternoon.

Leos shot into a 12-0 lead at halftime, jolting the bankers who responded immediately with a try of their own at the restart.

They then levelled the tie midway through the second half but it was the students laughing best at the end courtesy of a winning penalty at the death.

If the semi had had the fans on the edge of their seats, there was more to come.

The Rai derby sprung to life from the onset, the oil merchants drawing first blood before the sugar millers responded immediately with a try of their own.

The next big moment belonged to Oilers who made it 10-5 but Kabras — not to be undone, responded through Matthias Osimbo.

Oilers then added two more to eventually win 20-10 and seal their slot in the final.

With KCB and Kabras to meet in the third place playoff, stakes will be high as the bankers seek to stave off the challenge of Kabras for the NSC title.

Coming into the weekend, the bankers were leading 98 points, six ahead of second-placed Kabras.

Joe Root has joined Proteas great Jacques Kallis in an elite group after reaching another Test milestone at Edgbaston.

Joe Root has become only the third batter in Test history to score more than 1,000 runs at four different venues, joining Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting.

The England captain reached the landmark during his unbeaten 62 against Pakistan at Edgbaston on Saturday, helping England complete an eight-wicket victory and 3-0 series whitewash.

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Edgbaston became the fourth ground where Root has passed 1,000 Test runs, following Lord’s, Old Trafford and The Oval. He has scored 2,203 at Lord’s, 1,128 at Old Trafford and 1,050 at The Oval.

That puts him alongside two of the game’s greatest batters.

Kallis achieved the feat entirely on South African soil, passing four figures at Newlands, Centurion, Kingsmead and the Wanderers.

The Proteas legend’s best return came at Newlands, where he amassed 2,181 runs in 22 Tests at an average of 72.70, including nine centuries and nine half-centuries.

Kallis also scored 1,267 Test runs at Centurion, 1,266 at Kingsmead and 1,148 at the Wanderers, meaning four South African grounds produced more than 1,000 runs for the all-rounder.

ALSO: Sackings and whitewash leave Pakistan in disarray

Ponting completed his quartet in Australia, passing the mark in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Root’s latest innings brought another significant record. His unbeaten 62 was his 69th Test half-century, taking him past Sachin Tendulkar’s previous record of 68 for the most fifties in Test cricket.

The 35-year-old finished the Pakistan series with another piece of history and now stands alongside Kallis and Ponting in a three-man club built on sustained dominance at home.

Joe Root became the first player to score 1000 Test runs at Edgbaston, joining Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting as the only batters with 1000+ runs at four different venues 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/kATgXZ6pEQ

— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) September 12, 2026

AFRICA PICKS: Cricket tips and predictions

Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images

The post Root joins Kallis in exclusive Test club appeared first on SA Cricket Mag.

Le Paris Saint-Germain a dévoilé son groupe pour le déplacement à Brest. À l’occasion de la 4e journée de Ligue 1, le champion de France se rend en Bretagne ce dimanche soir avec l’obligation de réagir après un début de championnat compliqué. Toujours sans victoire après trois journées, le PSG reste sur deux nuls et une défaite.

Plusieurs recrues convoquées

Luis Enrique a retenu un groupe de 21 joueurs pour cette rencontre. Plusieurs recrues figurent dans la liste, notamment Godts, Akliouche et Torres, tandis que Ousmane Dembélé et Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sont également présents.

Le technicien espagnol a aussi décidé de convoquer Adam Mouak, jeune gardien de 17 ans. En revanche, deux absences sont à signaler : Illia Zabarnyi et Senny Mayulu ne font pas partie du groupe parisien pour ce déplacement à Brest.

Après trois journées sans le moindre succès en championnat, le PSG devra donc profiter de ce rendez-vous pour lancer enfin sa saison en Ligue 1. Une réaction est attendue du côté des hommes de Luis Enrique, qui n’ont déjà plus beaucoup de marge après ce départ poussif.

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