Sports
AFN Discovers Stars At N YG
The search for new track queens by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) may have yielded results at the sixth National Youth Games in Ilorin.
Athletics events, which started yesterday inside the Unilorin Sports Complex, gave AFN officials cause to celebrate late into the night. Reason: A ‘new Okagbare’ has arrived.
Since the Tokyo Olympics Games in Japan, many Nigerian track and field followers have been disturbed by the sad situation U.S.-based Nigerian sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, has found herself over alleged illegal drugs use.
Okagbare was suspended on the eve of her semifinal race at the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for a human growth hormone following an out-of-competition test on July 19. Many Nigerians, including some officials of the AFN, are afraid Okagbare might not be able to return to track and field at the end of her drugs saga.
At the National Youth Games in Ilorin, yesterday, two young athletes distinguished themselves in the girls 100m event. The duo of Taiye Ayenuro of Team Delta and Stella Oyebode of Kwara gave the spectators a lot to cheer about.
Their stride, composure, speeds and finishing portrayed the picture of Okagbare in her youthful days.
Some of the coaches, who spoke with The Guardian at the end of 100m race, were delighted by the potential in the girls.
“This is one of the dividends of the Youth Games. In the next two years, these two athletes will mature to occupy vacant positions. The AFN is already planning how to position them and others athletes discovered here for the future.”
Meanwhile, Team Delta extended its leadership on the medals table to 38 gold yesterday.
The state grabbed the first gold medal in girls’ long jump event, where Djoma Fejiro Praise scaled 5.61m to beat her challengers from the FCT and Ondo State, who settled for silver and bronze medals respectively.
Team Delta also defeated Team Lagos in volleyball 25-21, 21-25, 25-9, 25-18 to win Gold medal yesterday. It also won gold in girls’ hockey and silver in the boys’ category. The state had ended Day three with 32 gold medals on Saturday with Edo State in second position with just eight gold. Plateau State has won two medals in the golf event.
Despite the psychological trauma they went through having been wrongfully screened out as being the over age limit before they won their appeal, the duo of Nantap Danat and Deborah Dung grabbed a silver medal in the stapleford girls’ team event with a combined score of 22 points.
Ponyayi Danjuma and Otopka Emmanuel also got a silver medal in the stapleford boys’ team event with 52 points.
Also, Team Lagos continued its medals haul yesterday with two more gold medals in Fives and Para Table Tennis.
Tijani Rasaq gave Lagos the gold medal in the boys’ singles Para Table Tennis, while Isaac Blessing won another gold medal in Fives singles event at the expense of Delta State. Lagos also secured a bronze medal in the Fives doubles event.
The pair of Aishat Rabiu and Mathew Kuti won a silver medal in the table tennis mixed doubles, while Balogun Yetunde got a bronze medal in the Para Table Tennis female singles event.
In boxing, Team Lagos’ Opaleye Kehinde won his bout in the 46kg category via a knock out in the second round against Rivers State’s Lucky Edum.
Relegation-threatened Tottenham’s miserable 2026 continued as their winless run extended to 10 league games with Fulham gaining a deserved victory to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football.
Fulham, who scored twice in the opening six minutes in their 2-1 win over Spurs in November, again got an early goal with Harry Wilson netting in the seventh minute.
However, the goal was controversial as new Spurs boss Igor Tudor felt it should have been disallowed as home striker Raul Jimenez pushed Radu Dragusin as they challenged for a Kenny Tete cross, before Oscar Bobb picked out Wilson to volley home from six yards out.
Tottenham had a similar goal ruled out last week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal for a foul by Randal Kolo Muani on Gunners defender Gabriel but, following a check from the video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson, Fulham’s goal was allowed to stand, much to Tudor’s fury.
Spurs, though, had no excuses for the 34th-minute second goal with Alex Iwobi left with space to shoot home superbly from 18 yards out, with the ball going in off the inside of the post after a neat exchange with Wilson.
Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City escaped Elland Road with victory over an energetic Leeds United.
The hard-earned outcome narrowed Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.
City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.
But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.
Leeds will be wondering how they did not score after making a sprightly start and giving City real cause for early concern.
Meanwhile , a clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.
The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.
West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.
Bayern Rebound To Overcome Dortmund In Bundesliga (5)
Harry Kane scored two second-half goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling match and move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
The England striker took his tally to 45 goals in all competitions this season as Bayern became the first team to inflict a home league defeat on Dortmund.
Kane, who passed 500 A clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.
The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.
West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.
All three of the Reds’ first-half goals came from set-pieces – with Arne Slot’s side now leading the table in 2026 when it comes to goals from set-plays (excluding penalties).
In the fifth minute, Ryan Gravenberch teed up Ekitike, who finished smartly to beat Mads Hermansen at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.
West Ham threatened to equalise, but against the run of play Liverpool doubled their advantage when Van Dijk headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.
The visitors failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s complacency with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all wasting chances.
And just before half-time, Mac Allister’s superb volley took a deflection and ended in the back of the net. That was the cue for sections of the travelling support to head for the exits.
Nico Schlotterbeck’s opener.
Dortmund thought they had snatched a point when Daniel Svensson’s thumping volley sent Signal Iduna Park into pandemonium.
But that was until Joshua Kimmich’s strike three minutes from time kept Bayern in pole position to win a 14th title in 15 seasons.
Schlotterbeck headed Dortmund ahead in the 26th minute when he rose highest in a crowded penalty area to connect with Svensson’s free-kick from the left.
Dortmund had the chance to double their lead later in the half when Fabio Silva squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who was denied by the onrushing Jonas Urbig.
Despite dominating possession in the first half, Bayern – playing with a front three of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz – were unable to test Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
But Kane equalised early in the second period with a poacher’s effort from inside the area at the end of a slick move involving Kimmich and Serge Gnabry.
Both teams missed chances before Kane scored a penalty – a record 10th in a Bundesliga season – after Josip Stanisic was floored by Schlotterbeck.
Dortmund levelled when Svensson volleyed past Urbig, but Kimmich all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 2012.
Paris St-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points by claiming a narrow win at Le Havre.
The defending champions hoped to take advantage after second-placed Lens drew at Strasbourg on Friday, and Bradley Barcola gave them a deserved lead shortly before half-time.
PSG had chances to extend their lead and substitute Desire Doue had a late penalty saved by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw.
Lee Kang-In had an effort saved by Diaw before his right-wing cross was headed home by Barcola for his ninth goal of the season.
Moments later Lee fired wide when through on goal, before PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired against a post just after half-time.
Keeper Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Issa Soumare to keep PSG in front, while Diaw denied substitutes Nuno Mendes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Doue.
Diaw parried Doue’s spot-kick low to his right after Doue was brought down by Lucas Gourna-Douath with 11 minutes left.
