It was job done in Uyo on Sunday as Rivers United sealed their place in the second qualifying round of the CAF Champions League with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Les Aigles of DR Congo. The decisive moment came late in the first half when Stephen Manyo popped up with the all-important strike to settle the tie. That goal was enough to hand Finidi George’s men a 1-0 aggregate win after edging the first preliminary round contest. The first leg ended goalless in DR Congo last week. Up next for the Pride of Rivers is a tricky clash against Mozambican…
Author: Damilola Amuda
Nigeria’s Falconets are just one step away from booking their ticket to the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after dismantling Rwanda over two legs in the second round of qualifiers. On Saturday, September 27, at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, the Falconets put on a dominant display, thrashing Rwanda 4-0 to wrap up the tie with a commanding 5-0 aggregate victory. It was a performance that underlined their pedigree as one of Africa’s strongest forces at youth level. Up next for the Falconets is a decisive showdown in the final round, where they’ll face either Senegal or Algeria.…
Brentford moved away from the Premier League relegation zone, as Igor Thiago’s first-half brace secured an impressive 3-1 victory over Manchester United, who are now winless in eight away league matches (D2, L6). Having made their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign with just four points from the opening five rounds, the Bees knew a positive response was needed against the Red Devils. Keith Andrews’ side came flying out the blocks, and their early intent was rewarded inside eight minutes, as Jordan Henderson’s raking long ball released Thiago, who timed his run to perfection to finish emphatically beyond Altay Bayindir. United were trying to…
Chelsea’s 12-match unbeaten run in home Premier League games was ended as Brighton & Hove Albion came from behind to beat the 10-man Blues 3-1 at Stamford Bridge. Substitutes Danny Welbeck and Maxim de Cuyper scored during 11 minutes of added time as the seagulls profited from Trevoh Chalobah’s 53rd-minute red card. The Blues had been cruising to victory in the first half when Enzo Fernandez headed in Reece James’s cross, via a deflection off Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma. However, Mitoma played a key role in the game’s big turning point – as he won possession from Chelsea’s Andrey Santos,…
Liverpool’s impeccable start to the season was ended in dramatic fashion as Eddie Nketiah scored a 97th minute winner for Crystal Palace, who beat the Premier League champions 2-1 at Selhurst Park to go a club-record 18 matches unbeaten across all competitions. Although the visitors dominated the first half in terms of possession, Palace looked more dangerous in the final third and scored with the first major chance of the game in the ninth minute. Ryan Gravenberch did well at the back post to make the first contact when defending a corner, but he could only divert the ball towards Ismaïla Sarr, who gleefully…
Paris St-Germain’s star, Ousmane Dembele has won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the award for the best player in the world, for the first time. The 28-year-old France forward netted 35 goals and made 14 assists in 53 matches for PSG last season as they won the treble, including their first Champions League. He was the joint top scorer in Ligue 1, with 21 goals, and named the French top flight and Champions League player of the year. Dembele also helped the French giant to the Club World Cup final where they lost to Chelsea. The foward, who beat Barcelona youngster…
Shooting Stars of Ibadan finally have lift-off in the 2025/26 NPFL campaign, grabbing their first win of the season with a tense 2-1 victory over Kun Khalifat FC at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, on Sunday. It didn’t take long for the Oluyole Warriors to spark celebrations, as captain Ghali Falke struck a sweet volley in the 6th minute to give the home side the perfect start. Just after the break, Sodiq Ibrahim doubled the lead with a calm finish in the 47th minute, putting Shooting Stars in control. But the visitors weren’t going away quietly—Kun Khalifat pulled one back in the 76th…
It was another action-packed weekend for Nigerian players abroad, with goals, assists, and standout performances lighting up Europe’s top leagues. In England, Alex Iwobi stole the headlines at Craven Cottage as Fulham came from behind to beat Brentford 3-1 in the Premier League. The Super Eagles midfielder bagged his first goal of the season and added an assist before being subbed off in the 80th minute. His compatriot Calvin Bassey also featured for the full 90, while Brentford’s Frank Onyeka remained an unused substitute. Elsewhere, Tolu Arokodare played the full match for Wolves, but his side slumped to a 3-1…
Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench and scored a stoppage-time equaliser as Arsenal drew with Manchester City in a hard-fought Premier League game. It is the second match in a row that the Brazilian has made an impact off the bench, having provided a goal and assist against Athletic Club in the Champions League in midweek. The Gunners went behind in the ninth minute of the clash when Erling Haaland rolled past David Raya at the end of a devastating City counter-attack. Arsenal pushed for an equaliser for much of the second half and were rewarded with Martinelli’s dinked finish…
Arsenal snatched a dramatic point at the Emirates as Gabriel Martinelli once again came off the bench to deliver in the dying minutes, securing a 1–1 draw with Manchester City in a tense Premier League clash. For the second game running, Mikel Arteta’s “finishers” made the difference. The Arsenal boss had hinted after the midweek Champions League win over Athletic Club that his substitutes could prove more decisive than his starters, and Martinelli’s stoppage-time dink over Donnarumma gave weight to that claim once again. The afternoon didn’t start well for the hosts. City silenced the Emirates early, with Erling Haaland…