sports story examples

Stylish Real cruise past Lyon

Real Madrid   3 - 0   Lyon (agg 4 - 1)

By Les Roopanarine

Real Madrid reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2004 by eliminating Lyon with an accomplished attacking display. (who what where when)

Jose Mourinho's side took the lead on 37 minutes when Brazil international Marcelo exchanged passes with Cristiano Ronaldo before scoring.
Karim Benzema doubled the home side's advantage, finishing with aplomb from Marcelo's upfield punt.
Angel Di Maria completed the win on 76 minutes following a Mesut Ozil flick. (how)
It was a case of seventh time lucky for Real who, having previously failed to successfully negotiate a Champions League knock-out tie on six consecutive occasions, grew in confidence following Marcelo's opener. (why the audience cares)

Perhaps surprisingly, the weight of history was against the nine-time champions, who had failed to beat Lyon in each of their seven previous meetings.
But there is no better man to lift such a hoodoo than Mourinho, who has not presided over a home defeat for any of the clubs he has managed since 2002, and rarely looked like doing so against a Lyon side whose sloppy defending did little to advance their cause. (most important details, Personality)
Marcelo's crucial opening goal at the Bernabeu Stadium was stamped with Brazilian class, the defender cutting in from the left, exchanging passes with Ronaldo, and then showing excellent balance and composure to slot the ball across Hugo Lloris in the Lyon goal.
Yet the ease with which the left-back weaved past his compatriot Cris was a sign of things to come.
Mourinho's pre-match talk of playing defensively to claim the goalless draw that would have sufficed after last month's 1-1 draw at the Stade de Gerland was revealed as kidology almost from the first whistle.
Real were direct and aggressive from the outset, and within minutes Marcelo had tested Lloris with a low effort.
Ronaldo, returning from a two-match absence with a thigh injury, caused right-back Anthony Reveillere all manner of problems, and sent in a venomous curled effort that Lloris tipped over in athletic style.

West Ham   2 - 4   Man Utd

By Mandeep Sanghera

Wayne Rooney's hat-trick inspired Premier League leaders Manchester United to fight back from two goals down to beat West Ham.

A Patrice Evra handball and Nemanja Vidic foul on Carlton Cole allowed Mark Noble to twice score from the spot for the relegation-battling Hammers.
Vidic escaped a red card for a foul on Demba Ba before Rooney curled in a free-kick and powered in a shot.
A Rooney penalty put the visitors ahead and Javier Hernandez poked in a fourth.
The importance of the win was signified as United increased their lead over Arsenal, who were held by Blackburn, to seven points and moved 11 points in front of a Chelsea side held 1-1 at Stoke as their rivals slipped up in the later games.
West Ham will point to the decision not to send off Vidic and Rooney's penalty being awarded courtesy of a harsh handball against Matthew Upson as key decisions against them.
The visitors, on the other hand, again showed the resilience and resolve that will let their title rivals know they will not be knocked off the top of the league without a battle.
With depleted resources and under challenging circumstances, Sir Alex Ferguson's side proved that although they might not have the flamboyance of United sides of the past they make up for it with their fighting qualities.