Sports
NPFL: Rivers, Plateau United Continue Title Chase
Four games were decided on Monday in continuation of Match day 25 of Nigeria Professional Football League, (NPFL) encounters spread through the week.
The fixtures which commenced on Monday with three games that ended in victories for home teams had a near similar scenario on Monday from the four centres except in Kaduna.
Pick of the matches slated for Monday were the ones involving title chasing Rivers United and Plateau United where both teams recorded victories.
While Rivers had it rosy to take out Niger Tornadoes in Port Harcourt, Plateau United laboured to claim the match points against a continental hopeful, Remo Stars.
Rivers United 3-0 Niger Tornadoes
League top scorer, Ishaq Kayode put the host in front a minute after the hour mark as he finished off a through pass from Morice Chukwu with a chip over Lucky Jimoh.
Rivers doubled their lead two minutes after as Nwagua Nyima tapped in a low cross from Chijioke Akuneto following a spill by Tornadoes’ keeper in the box.
With ten minutes to end the game, substitute Konan Ruffin Ngouan made quick impact to put the icing on the cake for the leaders as he stabbed home Rivers’ third after he was released by Nelson Esor in Tornadoes’ box.
The victory meant Rivers United retained their top position on the log with 55 points after 25 league games.
Plateau United 1-0 Remo Stars
The Tin City Boys kept the chase on leaders Rivers United close following a hard earned 1-0 win over Remo Stars in Jos, thanks to second half header from Ibrahim Buhari.
The hosts could have taken the lead within the opening five minutes but Jesse Akila’s goal was chalked off for offside after the referee had spotted an infringement in the build up to the goal.
Plateau United dominated for most part of the first half but met a strong Remo Stars rear line with calculative goalkeeper in Kayode Bankole who thwarted their efforts.
Whatever Fidelis Ilechukwu told his boys in the dugout worked for them as they used it to raid Remo’s defence to earn the lone goal in the 55th minute. Free scoring defender, Ibrahim Buhari rose highest to prod home from Akila Jesse’s cross for his fourth goal of the season.
Remo rallied late in the game with moments of dominance but the host held on to secure the match points.
Plateau is still within distance to Rivers with 51 points from 25 games.
Shooting Stars 2-0 Enyimba Int’l
The Oluyole Warriors outsmarted the wobbling Elephants of Aba in Ibadan with a convincing 2-0 win to push up on the log.
Enterprising midfielder Moses Omoduemeke combined well with Lucky Moses to give Shooting Stars the lead in the 14th minute.
The goalscorer would then become the provider for the second goal with five minutes to end the first half, when he fed Emmanuel Lucky, who made a simple tap in to send the home fans into frenzy.
The second period was more of an exchange in control with Enyimba making series of incursions to stage a comeback but it was too late for the Finidi George boys as Shooting protected their first half goals.
Wikki Tourists 0-0 Heartland FC
The last match on the card for Monday ended scoreless between Wikki Tourists and Heartland FC in Kaduna.
The hosts were seeking to consolidate on their last away win at MFM but found their visitors unyielding and would remain 10th on the log.
Heartland has moved a step up on the log but still in the red zone.
Matches continued on yesterday through tomorrow before the conclusion of the Match Day 25.
Sports
Tottenham’s Miserable Run Continues
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.
Sports
City Survive Leeds’ Challenge At Elland Road
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.
Sports
PSG Extend Lead In Ligue 1
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.
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