Category sport-news

In his first game in charge, new Rangers manager Danny Rohl suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Brann in a shock 2-1 defeat to Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday, ending his perfect Europa League campaign.

Villa had a strong start on the European campaign by defeating Feyenoord and Bologna to cement their position as pre-tournament favorites.

The visitors in the Netherlands made seven changes, but Evann Guessand&nbsp fired in his first Villa goal, making it 2-0.

The home team’s famous victory came in their first ever group stage European football encounter, despite the choppy weather conditions.

Before half-time, Mathis Suray’s deflected shot, and Mats Deijl dinked over Emiliano Martinez to give the Dutch Cup winners the lead.

READ MORE:   Arsenal’s Gyokeres “Hungry” To Build On Champions League Double

Emi Buendia missed a late penalty with the chance to salvage a draw at Tottenham, but Villa’s match-winner came on Sunday.

Rangers’ chances of reaching the last stages are thawing after their third successive defeat in the Europa League placed them at the bottom of the 36-team standings.

The Scottish giants, who lost to Norwegian opposition for the first time in their history, had no immediate effect after changing managers.

Brann took a half-time lead thanks to Emil Kornvig’s converted at the back post.

Noah Holm rubbed salt in Rangers’ wounds before Jacob Sorensen punished more subpar defending by heading in from a free kick.

When Sean Dyche takes over at home in Porto in the summer of 2017, he hopes to bring back Nottingham Forest’s first European campaign in 30 years.

After only 40 days and eight games in charge on Saturday, Forest, who had taken just one point from their opening two games, sacked Ange Postecoglou.

When Celtic host Sturm Graz, Celtic will attempt to kick off a disappointing season.

Corentin Tolisso and Afonso Moreira scored the goals that gave Lyon the lead in the 2-0 victory over Basel, continuing their 100 percent record.

After overcoming Red Star Belgrade 2-0, Braga are the only other team to have won three of their three games so far.

Bologna won their first league game with a 2-1 victory over Steaua Bucharest.

Real Betis were held 0-0 away at Genk, while Fenerbahce defeated Stuttgart 1-0.

Inter Miami has extended Lionel Messi’s contract, which will allow the Argentine superstar to play for the next two years until the end of the 2028 campaign.

The simple caption “He’s Home” appears in a video of Messi signing a contract while he is seated at a table in the middle of the team’s new Freedom Park stadium, which is currently under construction.

In a club statement, Messi, 38, stated, “It makes me really happy to stay here and continue with this project that has also become a dream and has turned into a beautiful reality — playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park.

Messi continued, “I’ve been very happy since I arrived in Miami, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”

David Beckham, the co-owner of Inter Miami, said Messi’s decision to stay extended was in line with his “commitment to the city, the club, and the game.”

Beckham remarked, “He still wants to win and is still as committed as he has ever been.” We consider ourselves fortunate as owners to have a player who loves the game as much as he does, who has contributed to the game’s advancement as he has, and who can inspire the next generation of young talent as he does.”

The 2025 MLS season’s current contract expires at the end of the World Cup winner’s reign.

After club sources told AFP last month that the franchise had reached an extension agreement, the new agreement had been seen as a formality.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico host the World Cup in 2026, but Messi’s contract guarantees that he will continue competing until the end of that year.

The final will be held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19 and will begin the tournament on June 11.

After a disappointing time at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi left for Inter Miami in 2023, but his most successful career was spent there from 2004 to 2021. He played for Barcelona as a youth undergrad before joining the Spanish giants.

He won the La Liga title ten times at Barcelona and four times the UEFA Champions League title.

He led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar, and he wants to try to keep the trophy the following year.

He has won the Copa America twice with Argentina in 2021 and 2024 and has 114 international goals.

MLS goals and background

Although Messi’s potential rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal could do the same for him at a sixth World Cup in 2017, which would establish a new all-time record.

The eight-time winner of the Ballon d’Or has 16 career World Cup goals, just three goals short of Miroslav Klose’s.

Argentina comfortably advanced to the finals of the following year, coming in nine points clear of South America.

In what may have been Messi’s final competitive game against Venezuela two weeks ago, he finished with eight goals, including a brace.

Even though Inter Miami did not make the playoffs, he was named the MLS Most Valuable Player in the 2024 season.

He became the fastest player in MLS history to score 40 goals in 2025.

After finishing third in the Eastern Conference this year, Messi has resurrected Miami and placed it in contention for the playoffs.

He won the MLS’s Golden Boot award for his 29 goals in 28 games as he wrapped up Inter Miami’s regular season with a superb hat-trick last Saturday in a 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.

The board and management of the state-owned Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi has been disbanded, according to Benue State governor Hyacinth Alia.

The instantaneous dissolution occurs.

Read more about the arrests of six police tactical teams in Benue.

The state government claimed the decision was intended to reposition the club so that it can perform better in both the Nigeria Premier Football League and other competitions.

The governor also directed that the Commissioner for Youth, Sports, and Creativity be given the all-clear, official documents, assets, and responsibilities with immediate effect, according to a statement from the governor’s chief press secretary, Tersoo Kula, partially read.

The board and management’s appreciation for their contributions to the club and the state was expressed by the governor.

He assured that the new management structure will be introduced soon to help with Lobi Stars’ expansion and competitiveness.

According to US media reports from Thursday, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier have been detained in connection with an investigation into illegal gambling.

According to a source with law enforcement, the 49-year-old Billups’ arrest was connected to an illegal poker game organized by the Mafia, according to ABC News.

According to the television network, Rozier was detained in a separate, separately related betting case.

At 10:00 am (1400 GMT), FBI Director Kash Patel was scheduled to make an announcement about the arrests in New York, according to CBS News.

READ MORE: &nbsp, Liverpool End Losing Streak With Thumping Win At Eintracht Frankfurt.

Billups, a former NBA star who played for the Detroit Pistons for five years, retired from the team in 2014 and is now the Trailblazers’ coach.

Later on Thursday, Billups made his first court appearance in Oregon, according to ABC.

Rozier, 31, was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 16th overall pick in the 2015 draft. He has 11 years of NBA experience.

On Wednesday, the Heat’s opening game of the NBA season was a loss for him.

According to a statement from the national football association, Zimbabwe’s head coach Michael Nees was fired on Wednesday after not winning any of the country’s ten qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Read more about the 9 African Nations that will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

The Warriors finished bottom of a group that neighbours South Africa won thanks to their fourth appearance at the world championship after drawing five games and losing five.

Since taking over the top two matches last year, the 58-year-old German has only won two of their 16 matches in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Namibia.

In the opening round of the AFCON competition, which begins in Morocco on December 21, Zimbabwe and South Africa were drawn.

With a 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, Liverpool broke a four-game losing streak. Hugo Ekitike scored for the English champions against his former club.

After Ekitike scored for Liverpool, Florian Wirtz assisted him on his way back to Germany with goals assisted by Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahim Konate, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Liverpool were looking back on their worst losing streak in 73 years, which started in 1953-54, when they were relegated from the top flight.

Mohamed Salah was replaced by Arne Slot, and Liverpool won the match for the fifth consecutive game when Rasmus Kristensen scored on the counter.

However, the Reds quickly jumped into action, scoring three goals in ten minutes to give them a 3-1 lead at half-time.

For Gakpo and Szoboszlai, Wirtz laid on second-half goals to put the game to bed after he had not scored or assisted in either Premier League or Champions League since making his big-money move to Anfield.

Alexander Isak was substituted for Federico Chiesa at half-time after Wirtz failed to score on his goal contribution duck.

Liverpool’s confidence will improve, but Arne Slot’s side will have to put up more pressing challenges than Frankfurt, who have already conceded 23 goals in their last six games.

After 26 minutes, Nathaniel Brown picked Wirtz’s pocket before Frankfurt stooped up the field, Mario Goetze finding Kristensen, who had switched to his preferred right foot, and hammered home the opener.

When Andy Robertson won possession and made a superb long-range pass from deep to the breaking Ekitike, Frankfurt was pushed for a second after 35 minutes.

The former Frankfurt player apologized to the home fans as he received the pass, advanced goalwards, and slid it under Michael Zetterer.

The strike sent a shiver through Liverpool as it approached the end of the match.

Just four minutes later, when Van Dijk headed in a Cody Gakpo corner past his helpless goalkeeper, Ansgar Knauff, the Reds were two up.

Van Dijk’s center-back partner Konate repeated the move one minute later, heading in the corner once more after passing Knauff once more.

Wirtz’s opening half was uneventful, but when Liverpool started to shine, he appeared more assured.

Within four second-half minutes, the German midfielder put Liverpool on course for a significant victory by laying on goals for Gakpo and Szoboszlai.