Category sport-news

Manchester City thumped Crystal Palace 3-0 on Sunday to climb back to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal as Aston Villa twice came from behind to beat West Ham.

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest demolished Tottenham 3-0, while Sunderland saw off local rivals Newcastle 1-0 thanks to a Nick Woltemade own goal.

Arsenal, who have set the pace in this season’s Premier League, squeaked home on Saturday with a 2-1 win against bottom-club Wolves, thanks to two own goals.

That put the pressure back on City, who have been showing ominous signs that they are finding their feet in recent weeks.

Pep Guardiola’s men braced for a tough task at Selhurst Park against high-flying Crystal Palace, and Oliver Glasner’s side was the more dangerous team in the first half.

But Palace failed to take their chances, with Yeremy Pino hitting the crossbar with only goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat.

Erling Haaland had largely been on the periphery of the game but scored his 101st Premier League goal when he headed a pinpoint Matheus Nunes cross across Dean Henderson and into the net shortly before the break.

READ ALSO: Palmer Strikes As Chelsea Return To Winning Ways Against Everton

Palace again started the second half brightly but could not break through and paid the price when Phil Foden swept home from a distance after receiving the ball from Rayan Cherki.

It was the sixth goal in four Premier League games for the forward, being watched at Selhurst Park by England manager Thomas Tuchel.

City made certain of the three points when Haaland thundered a penalty past Henderson after Savinho was taken down by the goalkeeper following a surging run down the middle late in the game.

Villa Show Steel

Villa started their match at the London Stadium as the form team in the league, with nine wins in 10 league matches.

But they fell behind after just 29 seconds when Mateus Fernandes robbed Ezri Konsa and rifled home.

Unai Emery’s men were level just minutes later when John McGinn’s cross was headed into his own net by Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Jarrod Bowen put the Hammers back in front midway through the second half, but Villa again drew level early in the second period through Morgan Rogers.

Rogers fired Villa into the lead for the first time in the 79th minute, smashing home a dipping drive from outside the box to seal a 3-2 win.

The victory leaves Emery’s men just one point behind City and five clear of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Tottenham travelled to Nottingham in desperate need of a win after just one victory in their past six league matches.

But Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice, and Ibrahim Sangare lashed home a superb third to increase the pressure on manager Thomas Frank, struggling in his first season at the club.

Sunderland were facing Newcastle in the Premier League for the first time in nearly a decade after spending years out of the top division.

Their goal came from an unlikely source when Newcastle forward Woltemade headed Nordi Mukiele’s cross past his own goalkeeper in the opening moments of the second half.

The win lifted Sunderland to seventh in the table.

Brentford host Leeds in the late kick-off.

Coach Emerse Fae has defended several contentious squad decisions as Ivory Coast attempt to become the first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) holders to defend the title since Egypt did so 15 years ago.

Since Egypt defeated Ghana in the 2010 final, there have been eight AFCON tournaments that produced seven different winning nations.

The exception was Ivory Coast, who conquered Africa in 2015 after a penalty shootout with Ghana and triumphed again last year, coming from behind at home to edge Nigeria.

The Elephants, whose first of three AFCON titles came in 1992, begin their defence against Mozambique on December 24 in Group F, then face five-time champions Cameroon and Gabon.

All six mini-league winners and runners-up automatically advance to the round of 16 in Morocco. They will be joined by the best four third-placed teams.

It is difficult to imagine the Ivorians not progressing to the knockout stage, and Fae is upbeat while answering critics of several selections.

The exclusions of Villarreal forward Nicolas Pepe and Sunderland winger Simon Adingra were at the forefront of media criticism.

“If we were to consider only the sporting aspect, he (Pepe) would be with us,” said Fae, a 41-year-old former Ivory Coast midfielder.

“To make a list you have to take into account many factors, both on and off the field. All these factors have led to Nico not being on the list.”

Fae did not reveal what factors led to former Arsenal striker Pepe being omitted despite good form in La Liga, where he won a player of the month award this season.

Turning to Adingra, Fae said: “Simon is struggling to earn a starting spot at Sunderland. We had to do without his qualities when making our selection.”

Former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has been recalled after a three-year absence having impressed for Major League Soccer outfit Charlotte.

National hero

“His ability to beat defenders and his current form worked in his favour,” said Fae of an attacker who has scored 10 goals this season and created six more.

“Ivory Coast can benefit from his experience and capability to create scoring opportunities for teammates.”

Fae became a national hero after Ivory Coast recovered from a woeful 2024 group campaign to beat Senegal, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria to lift the most prized African trophy.

He began the tournament assisting Jean-Louis Gasset, then took charge when the French coach was fired after first round losses to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

They scraped into the knockout phase as the lowest of four third-placed teams and became the first nation to lose twice and still become AFCON champions.

Despite upheavals, Cameroon are likely to pose the greatest threat to Ivory Coast in Group F as Gabon have a suspect defence and Mozambique have never won an AFCON match in 15 attempts.

Recently re-elected Cameroon national football federation president and former star Samuel Eto’o fired Belgian coach Marc Brys after his team last month failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The pair had been at loggerheads since the government appointed Brys — a decision usually taken by football officials.

David Pagou, who has coached local clubs, took over, and his squad announcement contained several shocks with Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who is currently on loan at Trabzonspor, and veteran forward Vincent Aboubakar axed.

“We wanted to do things differently. They are good players, but we set our sights on others to create a different mindset,” said Pagou.

Star Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang calls the section the “group of death. If you survive, it means you are capable of winning the AFCON.”

If 42-year-old Mozambique midfielder Elias ‘Domingues’ Pelembe plays, he will become the second oldest footballer to compete at an AFCON after Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.

El Hadary was 44 when he played in the 2017 final won by Cameroon.

Cole Palmer returned with a much-needed goal as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday to end a run of four games without a win in all competitions.

Victory at Stamford Bridge lifted Chelsea back into the top four.

Injury-plagued attacking midfielder Cole missed Chelsea’s loss away to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday as part of his recovery from a two-month spell on the sidelines.

Palmer was initially troubled by a groin problem and then fractured his toe after stubbing it on a door at home.

The 23-year-old made his first start for the Blues since September in last weekend’s goalless draw at Bournemouth.

The England international broke the deadlock against Everton in the 21st minute at Stamford Bridge.

READ ALSO: Champions League: De Ketelaere Inspires Atalanta Fightback To Beat Chelsea

Malo Gusto played in Palmer with a fine pass, and he beat fellow England international Jordan Pickford at the goalkeeper’s near post.

Everton dominated possession, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez saving well from Jack Grealish.

All of Everton’s pressure failed to yield an equaliser, and Chelsea, against the run of play, doubled their lead in first-half stoppage-time when a counter-attack ended with Gusto turning in a cut-back from Pedro Neto.

Everton had a chance to make it 2-1 when Carlos Alcaraz curled in a cross to the back post, only for the unmarked Grealish to divert the ball well wide.

Chelsea almost added a third when Reece James’s quick free-kick was only just tipped over the bar by Pickford.

Nigerian sports fans experienced a year of sharp contrasts in 2025. There were sweet victories, and several bitter losses overshadowed the moments of triumph, making it a bittersweet year for the sports industry.

The women’s national team, the Super Falcons, arguably gave Nigerian sports fans the greatest joy in 2025, winning a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco. Just as Nigerians were relishing the Super Falcons’ historic feat, the women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, had an astonishing run at the Women’s AfroBasket 2025, winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive title in the Ivory Coast and seventh in total.

But if Nigerian sports fans had thought it was going to be an all-blissful year, they were mistaken. They were hit by the heavy blow of missing out on the biggest sporting event in the world — the FIFA World Cup — for the second consecutive time, having also missed out in 2022.

READ ALSO: Super Falcons Make Phenomenal Comeback Against Morocco To Lift 10th WAFCON Title

What followed were the failures of the national male and female football U-20 and U-17 teams in the competitions they participated in, as well as the failure of the men’s senior basketball team in the AfroBasket 2025, and the poor performance of Nigerian athletes at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships.

Let’s dive in and look at the 2025 sports moments that shook the country, captivated the world, and guaranteed their place in the history books.

1. Fantastic Falcons

The Super Falcons went to Morocco with one thing in mind: Mission X, a campaign to win Nigeria’s 10th WAFCON title. It was a mission accomplished in grand style, bringing joy to millions of Nigerian sports fans.

Nigeria kick-started their campaign by defeating Tunisia 3–0 in a Group B encounter, courtesy of goals from Asisat Oshoala, Rinsola Babajide, and Chinwendu Ihezuo.

After that emphatic win over the Carthage Eagles, the Falcons faced Botswana, needing three points to reach the knockout stage.

An 89th-minute close-range strike from Ihezuo broke the Southern Africans and earned victory for Nigeria. Algeria put up a defensive masterclass to hold the Nigerians to a scoreless draw at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.

Nigeria dispatched Zambia 5–0 in the quarter-final and edged South Africa’s Banyana Banyana 2–1 in the semi-final to set up a mouth-watering final with host Morocco.

After going behind 2–0 in the first half, the Falcons turned things around in the second half with goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini. The win made it a perfect 10-in-10 in finals for Nigeria, reinforcing their stranglehold on women’s football across the continent.

2. Historic D’Tigress

The D’Tigress seemed inspired by the historic feat of the Super Falcons and went ahead to make their own history, making Nigerians even happier.

The D’Tigress started their campaign with a commanding 92–45 victory over Rwanda, followed by a 60–55 win against Mozambique. Nigeria then dispatched Cameroon 83–47 in a dominant quarter-final performance.

The D’Tigress fought hard to beat Senegal 75–68 to earn a final berth against Mali. Nigeria edged out Mali 78–64 in a tense showdown, displaying resilience and composure to claim their seventh AfroBasket title.

3. Super Eagles’ World Cup Disaster

The most heartbreaking event in Nigerian sports in 2025 was the disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign by the Super Eagles, which ended in a 2–1 play-off defeat to DR Congo in November.

Nigeria had lost the sole automatic ticket in Group C to South Africa but managed to reach the African play-off after beating Benin 4–0 in the final group game in Uyo.

The Super Eagles beat Gabon 4–1 in the semi-final of the play-off to book a spot in the final against DR Congo. The game ended 1–1 after normal and extra time, but during penalties, the Leopards of DR Congo overpowered the Super Eagles 4–3 to claim Africa’s sole ticket to the intercontinental play-offs billed for March next year.

4. D’Tigers AfroBasket Fail

Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, only managed to secure fifth place at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket, held in Angola from August 12 to 24.

They exited the competition in the quarter-finals following a 91–75 defeat to Senegal, who later claimed the bronze medal. Host nation Angola emerged champions after a commanding 70–43 victory over Mali in the final, securing their 12th AfroBasket crown.

5. Flying Eagles World Cup Fiasco

Six-time champions Argentina ended Nigeria’s campaign at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, posting a 4–0 win in the Round of 16. The loss brought an end to Nigeria’s tournament run, eliminating the two-time silver medallists.

6. Tokyo 2025 Poor Outing

Nigeria had a poor showing at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships, securing only one silver and one bronze medal. Tobi Amusan won Nigeria’s only silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles with a strong time of 12.29 seconds, while Ezekiel Nathaniel earned bronze in the men’s 400m hurdles, setting a new Nigerian record of 47.11 seconds.

Although Kanyisola Ajayi fell short of winning a medal, he became the first Nigerian man in years to reach the 100m final, clocking 9.93 seconds. Nigeria finished 27th on the medal table with two medals.

While not particularly impressive, it was an improvement from the previous World Championships, where Nigeria had won no medals.

7. Flamingos Crash Out Of World Cup

The Nigerian U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, failed once again in their quest to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. They reached the Round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams, but Italy scored early to take a 1–0 first-half lead and added three second-half goals, aided by goalkeeping errors, resulting in a 4–0 defeat and elimination.

Angry spectators broke down barricades and stormed the pitch at a stadium in India after football star Lionel Messi, who is on a three-day tour of the country, abruptly left the arena.

As a part of a so-called GOAT Tour, the 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar touched down in the eastern state of West Bengal early Saturday, greeted by a chorus of exuberant fans chanting his name.

Hours later, thousands of fans wearing Messi jerseys and waving the Argentine flag packed into Salt Lake stadium in the state capital Kolkata, but heavy security around the footballer left fans struggling to catch a glimpse of him.

Messi walked around the pitch waving to fans and left the stadium earlier than expected.

Frustrated fans, many having paid more than $100 for tickets, ripped out stadium seats and hurled water bottles onto the track.

Many others stormed the pitch and vandalised banners and tents.

“For me, to watch Messi is a pleasure, a dream. But I have missed the chance to have a glimpse because of the mismanagement in the stadium,” businessman Nabin Chatterjee, 37, told AFP.

Before the chaos erupted, Messi unveiled a 21-metre (70-foot) statue which shows him holding aloft the World Cup.

He was also expected to play a short exhibition game at the stadium.

Another angry fan told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that people had spent “a month’s salary” to see Messi.

“I paid Rs 5,000 ($55) for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi, not politicians. The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame,” Ajay Shah, told PTI.

State chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “disturbed” and “shocked” at the mismanagement.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said in a post on X, adding that she had ordered a probe into the incident.

Messi will now head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi as part of the four-city tour.

His time in India also includes a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award this week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals.

Mohamed Salah has been included in Liverpool’s squad for their Premier League match at home to Brighton on Saturday following talks with manager Arne Slot, according to several British media reports.

READ ALSO: Salah Opens Door To Liverpool Exit With ‘Thrown Under The Bus’ Rant

Both the BBC and Sky said the decision was made with Slot, who had made it clear he would have the final say on whether to recall Salah, wanting to act in the best interests of the club.

The Dutchman had previously said he would speak to Salah on Friday morning following the Egypt striker’s outburst last weekend that raised doubts about his Anfield future and saw him omitted from the squad that travelled to Italy for a Champions League win over Inter Milan in midweek.

Under The Bus

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for last week’s 3-3 draw at Leeds — the third match in a row that he did not start.

He also said he had no relationship with Slot when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road.

On Tuesday, Liverpool won 1-0 at Inter Milan, while the 33-year-old Salah posted a picture on social media of himself alone in a gym at the club’s training ground.

“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning — the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow,” Slot told his pre-match press conference.

“I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it.

“After the Sunderland game (a 1-1 draw on December 3 in which Salah came on as a second-half substitute) there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me,” he said.

Slot batted away further questions from reporters about the forward, but said, “I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, and that is a little bit of an answer to your question.”

Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, which made him one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday’s Brighton game at Anfield.

The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt goes in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.

Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals in 420 appearances, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his spell on Merseyside.

He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals in 13 appearances this season.

Liverpool are 10th in the table after a shocking run, with two wins in their past 10 Premier League games.

Salah has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League.