Sports
Leicester Stun Sevilla To Reach Last Eight
Leicester City’s dream Champions League debut continued as they reached the quarter-finals with a famous win against 10-man Sevilla.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, the reigning Premier League champions went ahead at the King Power Stadium through Wes Morgan’s close-range finish.
Marc Albrighton then gave the Foxes an aggregate lead before Samir Nasri was sent off for a second yellow card.
Steven N’Zonzi missed a penalty as Sevilla tried to take it to extra time.
Captain Wes Morgan said Leicester City had “pulled off the impossible again” after his goal inspired them to beat Sevilla 2-0 yesterday and reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Morgan and Marc Albrighton struck at the King Power Stadium and Kasper Schmeichel saved a late penalty from Steven N’Zonzi as Leicester overcame a 2-1 deficit to record a famous 3-2 aggregate win.
Leicester have toiled in the Premier League this season, costing manager Claudio Ranieri his job, but Morgan believes their European exploits merit comparison with last season’s title fairytale.
“We proved a lot of people wrong and pulled off the impossible again,” the centre-back told BT Sport. “Incredible. I can’t quite believe it.
We are newcomers in the Champions League, didn’t expect to get this far and here we are.” Leicester, now managed by Craig Shakespeare, will find out their last-eight opponents in Friday’s draw and Morgan was relaxed about which of Europe’s heavyweights they will face next.
“We will take whoever comes,” said Morgan, whose side have never previously reached the last eight of Europe’s top club competition.
“It is a fantastic night for Leicester. We still need to concentrate on the league, but we will enjoy this moment.”
Leicester City’s place in the Premier League was under threat by the time they lost the first leg of this Champions League tie in Sevilla – and it looked like Claudio Ranieri’s sacking was another chapter in the story of a dramatic fall from grace.
Now, in the space of weeks, the Foxes have gone from misery to another potential miracle as Sevilla, so highly rated and Europa League winners three years in succession, were beaten back by a tide of passion and emotion at the King Power Stadium.
The misery of the early months of the season, when the stricken and out of sorts Premier League champions looked a world away from last season’s team, has been forgotten.
When Italian referee Daniele Orsato blew the final whistle after the rawest of encounters, this atmospheric arena was suddenly engulfed in the sort of scenes it witnessed last May when Leicester won the title – the sort of scenes that no-one could have imagined seeing again when Ranieri was sacked amid shock and sadness on 23 February.
As Leicester fans danced and sang in their seats, they were contemplating another unlikely, unthinkable story – a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Foxes join Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Real Madrid in Friday’s quarter-final draw.
On Wednesday, Manchester City go to Monaco and Atletico Madrid play Bayer Leverkusen to determine the final two sides in the last eight.
Sports
Amusan places third in Diamond League opener
The Nigerian, who arrived in China fresh from winning gold at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana earlier on Wednesday, clocked a season’s best of 12.41s behind Olympic champion Masai Russell and Bahamian star Devynne Charlton.
Russell produced a dominant display to win the race in a meeting record and world-leading time of 12.25s, improving on her previous world lead of 12.40s.
Charlton, the reigning world indoor champion, finished second in 12.38s in one of her strongest outdoor performances to date.
Amusan, whose world record of 12.12s remains the fastest time ever run in the event, improved significantly from her previous season’s best of 12.84s set during her victorious outing at the African Championships in Accra.
The 29-year-old was competing in a stacked field that included reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, Jamaican pair Megan Simmonds and Ackera Nugent, China’s Wu Yanni and Americans Tonea Marshall and Danielle Williams.
Kambundji, who won the world title in Tokyo last year with a Swiss record 12.24s, finished fifth in 12.82s, while Jamaica’s Nugent placed sixth in 12.98s.
Marshall and Williams failed to finish the race.
Following Amusan’s victory in Accra, the three-time Diamond League final winner expressed gratitude to her supporters while insisting she remained determined to achieve more success this season.
“Beyond grateful to God, my team, supporters, and everyone who continues to believe in me through every season. Historic feeling. Still hungry for more. The mission continues,”
Sports
Falcons To Tackle Senegal in Pre-WAFCON friendly
The 10-time African champions are scheduled to take on the Teranga Lionesses on June 5 and 8 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, in what will form a key part of their build-up to July’s continental tournament.
The fixtures were confirmed on social media platform X by Super Falcons Show, which announced the details of the encounter and venue.
“Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will take on Senegal Women’s National Team in a double-header international friendly scheduled for June 5 and 8,” the post read.
“Both matches will be played in Ikenne, Nigeria.”
The friendlies come after Nigeria’s proposed training tour of the United Kingdom, which included a planned match against Jamaica, was cancelled due to scheduling complications linked to FIFA’s official women’s international window. The timing meant clubs would not have been obliged to release players.
With that tour shelved, the Senegal fixtures now offer a timely opportunity for coach Justine Madugu and his technical team to assess squad options, test tactical systems and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the WAFCON campaign and longer-term qualification targets for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Senegal are expected to provide a competitive regional test, with their physical style and disciplined organisation likely to offer Nigeria a different tactical challenge across both matches.
The Super Falcons, who have dominated African women’s football for decades, will be aiming to use the double-header to fine-tune preparations as they pursue another continental title in Morocco next year.
Sports
Okpekpe Road Race Unveils Partners, Appoints Dr. Bojuwoye
Dr Bojuwoye, a seasoned medical professional with extensive experience in road running events across Nigeria, is expected to bring added value to the race through his expertise.
As medical director, his responsibilities will include overseeing emergency medical response, coordinating first aid stations along the course, ensuring athlete safety, and supervising medical volunteers and paramedics.
His role is critical in safeguarding the health of both elite and recreational runners, as well as spectators.
In addition to unveiling its new medical director, the organisers also announced five corporate partners for the 2026 edition.
The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Petralon Energy, Razzl Drink, Dan Oil, and Carloha Motors have joined as sponsors, reflecting the race’s growing appeal across diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The Okpekpe race, organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing Company, has steadily risen in prominence since becoming the first road race in Nigeria to earn World Athletics label status in 2015.
It has since advanced to Gold Label Race status, attracting elite athletes from around the world and cementing its reputation as one of Africa’s benchmark road-running competitions.
Edo State, under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebolo, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the race, citing its role in promoting tourism, community pride, and international recognition for the region.
Race Director Zack Amodu noted that the new partnerships underscore the event’s stature and its impact beyond sport.
We are delighted to welcome DBN, Petralon, Razzl, and Carloha Motors as partners for the 11th edition. Their support, alongside the backing of Edo State, not only strengthens the race but also reinforces its role as a platform for promoting excellence, youth empowerment, and community development,’ Amodu said.
Beyond its sporting significance, the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race has become a catalyst for social, health, and economic benefits.
It encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles, fosters social cohesion by bringing communities together, and generates economic activity through tourism, hospitality, and local commerce.
The event also showcases Edo State’s cultural vibrancy while contributing to Nigeria’s growing reputation in global athletics.
The 11th edition is expected to draw elite athletes, local participants, and international attention, further consolidating Nigeria’s place on the global athletics calendar.
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