Sports
UCL: Real Cruise Into Last 16 – As Ronaldo Scored Brace
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as holders Real Madrid thrashed APOEL 6-0 in Cyprus to reach the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Liverpool blew a three-goal lead in a thriller at Sevilla.
Zinedine Zidane’s Real bounced back from their 3-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur last time out by crushing APOEL, with four of the goals coming before half-time.
The record 12-time winners had to wait until the 23rd minute to take the lead through Luka Modric, but a run of five goals in 15 minutes either side of half-time sent them through in style.
Karim Benzema put worries about his recent form to bed with a double either side of a Nacho effort, before Ronaldo got in on the act after the break.
The Portuguese climbed highest to power a header into the corner from an inviting Marcelo cross.
And the 32-year-old, who has only scored once in eight La Liga appearances this season, scored his eighth Champions League goal this term with an excellent left-footed finish from a tight angle.
Tottenham sealed top spot in Group H with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Borussia Dortmund.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the hosts ahead, but with Real’s thumping win sending Dortmund out, Spurs levelled through Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min curled in a 76th-minute winner.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur won Champions League Group H after goals from Son Heung-min and Harry Kane brought Spurs back from a goal down to win 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
Kane and Son struck in 49th and the 76th minutes to take already-qualified Tottenham to 13 points and the Group H summit, after Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had broken his five-game goal drought to give Dortmund the lead in the 31st minute.
Spurs are three points ahead of second-place Real Madrid and are guaranteed to top Group H with a game to spare despite Real’s 6-0 drubbing of APOEL in Nicosia.
Their win in Germany ends Dortmund’s thin hopes of reaching the last 16 and piles pressure on Dortmund’s head coach Peter Bosz, whose team are winless in their last five games.
Dortmund, third but level on two points with bottom club APOEL, must now hope to hold onto a place in the Europa League knock-out stages, when they face Real away in a fortnight while Spurs host APOEL.
Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino made four changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Arsenal at the weekend.
England internationals, Danny Rose and Harry Winks started alongside South Korea forward Son while Serge Aurier slotted in at right-back.
Dortmund boss Bosz brought in French teenager Dan-Axel Zagadou at centre-back, replacing Sokratis, who is out with a rib injury.
Aubameyang returned from a club suspension for coming late to training and an unauthorised video shoot.
Both teams had half chances in the opening 20 minutes, with Dortmund winger Andriy Yarmolenko firing weakly at Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris before Zagadou snuffed out a cross aimed for Kane, who was bursting into Dortmund’s area.
Aubameyang broke his drought when he tucked away the first clear chance after Yarmolenko’s superb backheel put him in behind the defence.
The Gabon hotshot coolly rolled his shot past Lloris on for his first goal since October 14.
Only a superb reflex save by Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki blocked Kane’s volley with half-time approaching, but the England star showed his class when he netted the equaliser four minutes into the second half, pouncing on a mistake after Dortmund right-back Jeremy Toljan lost the ball and tucking his shot past Burki.
Spurs’ tails were up and they took a deserved lead with 14 minutes left when Dele Alli laid the ball into the path of Son, whose side-footed effort hit the top corner of the net.
Only a brave save from Burki denied Tottenham substitute Fernando Llorente from scoring Spurs’ third with time almost up.
Sports
FOOTBALL FANS FIESTA IN PH IS TO PROMOTE PEACE, UNITY – Oputa
Port Harcourt the capital city of Rivers State will be at the centre stage in Nigeria as Port Harcourt Arsenal Community will hold her maiden edition of Football Fans Fiesta (FFF).
The Fiesta scheduled to hold on the 13th December, 2025, at Eddiz wine bar GRA, promises to be all football fans carnival in the State , as there will be a lot of fanfares.
The Coordinator of Port Harcourt Arsenal Community (PHAC), Ugochukwu Oputa has said that the forthcoming Football Fans Fiesta was basically to promote peace, unity and love among football fans in irrespective of the cub.
He stated that sports is a catalyst to bring peace, love and Unity in any given society, hence the occasion was initiated.
Oputa said this in an interview with sports journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, saying that arrangements are on top gear for a successful programme.
” This event is for all football fans irrespective of your club. It is basically to promote peace, love and Unity among fans.
“It is like stating the obvious that football is the catalyst of peace and unity in the world. So the Port Harcourt Arsenal Community want to use this avenue to bring people together and foster friendship.
“There is no gate fee, but it is expected to put on jersey of your club as to make the event look unique” Oputa said.
The Coordinator used the forum to advice football fans in the world to love one another, and equally urged fans that will attend the occasion to be of good conduct and behaviour.
Tonye Orabere
Sports
Obagi Emerges OML 58 Football Cup Champions
Sports
Niger Delta Games: Sports Facilities In Edo Excites Ikpokpo
Consistent with its project execution routine, Dunamis-Icon Limited, Project Consultants of the Niger Delta Games, has concluded the first phase of physical inspection and evaluation of facilities for the event, 24 hours after the presentation of the hosting right to Edo State was performed.
The project management team was guided round select facilty locations in Benin City by Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, and the team leader, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo expressed satisfaction with the sports infrastructure assets of the host.
“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors that are necessary to host this kind of big event. We are expecting over 3000 athletes coaches, alongside journalists and technical officials, with an approximate number of people outside spectators in the range of 5000. So, we need facilities that work for the games itself”, Ikpokpo explained.
He commended the Edo State Government for the good state of facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and promised that the state will be assisted with the renovation of some of the facilities as may be necessary to ensure good competition experience for the athletes.
“I have been to the iconic Ogbe Stadium and must commend the Edo State Government for maintaining the facilities there. We are also considering taking some events to the University of Benin, so that people in that part of the city can also feel and enjoy the fun. Where need be, we will also see how to assist the state and the University of Benin to add value to some of the sporting facilities”.
Dunamis Icon Limited is the franchise rights owner to the games conceived and designed to provide a platform for unity and integration, and identifying and grooming talented youths from the region into national and international stars.
The NDDC as the flagship interventionist agency for the nine states that make up the region, is the prime sponsor of the games as part of their strategic focus on youth engagement and human capital development.
The inspection tour began at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, after a brief meeting with Enabulele and the Sports Commission team at his office.
Areas inspected include the stadium’s main bowl, the tartan track, the state box, the VIP lounges and other key areas like the ceremonial room, the media studio and other indoor facilities.
Other facility locations assessed are the Wire Road Sports Centre being listed to host basketball and volleyball games, the University of Benin Sports Complex, and the Etete Sports Centre.
In the entourage of Dunamis-Icon were the Project Director, Mr Fred Edoreh; Director of Facilities and Equipment, Dr Emmanuel Ochuko Igbigbisie; the head of Communications, Harry Iwuala; Head of Transport and Logistics, Israel Umueri Afoke. Others are Theresa Ineke, Head of Secretariat, Godwin Enakhena, the Head of Scouting, Mr. Edi Lawani, the Head of Culture Affairs and Entertainment and Elder Siegha Porbeni of the Technical Department.
The Edo Sports Commission Chairman was also supported by Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mrs Sabina Chikere, Executive Directors, with Mr Baldwin Bazuaye (MON) also in the company.
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