Sports
Arsenal Edge Chelsea To Stay 12 Behind
Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Chelsea to move 12 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Both of these sides came into the match without their first-choice striker, with Kai Havertz ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury for Arsenal and Nicolas Jackson missing for Chelsea.
Chelsea were also without their most important player in Cole Palmer, who was out of the squad with an injury, and it was the first time the Blues have to had to play without him since they lost 5-0 to Arsenal in April last season.
Arsenal, again naming Merino as a makeshift striker, dominated the game early on and Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice all went close.
Merino’s winner came in the 20th minute when he flicked on a curling corner from Martin Odegaard past a stretching Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea’s best opportunity to take something from the game came when Marc Cucurella’s powerful effort slipped through David Raya’s hands but the ball rolled just past the post.
Robert Sanchez, recently restored as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper, had some shaky moments as the Blues were put under pressure with a number of crosses into the area and he was jeered by the home crowd when he had the ball at his feet.
Sanchez produced an excellent save to deny Merino in the second half, but Chelsea could not find the goal to get something from the game.
Brentford Rebound To Beat Bournemouth
Brentford came from a goal down to beat Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium and register a fifth successive Premier League away win.
The hosts went in front when a Milos Kerkez cross went in off the shoulder of Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt.
However, Bournemouth’s lead lasted for only 13 minutes as Yoane Wissa headed in his 14th Premier League goal of the season from Bryan Mbeumo’s corner.
Brentford captain Christian Norgaard swept home the visitors’ winner when Bournemouth failed to clear a second-half long throw into their penalty area.
With Carabao Cup finalists Newcastle not in Premier League action and Manchester City drawing against Brighton earlier on Saturday, a Bournemouth win would have lifted them to sixth in the table.
However, their prospects of qualifying for Europe were dented as their winless Premier League run was extended to four matches.
Bournemouth stay ninth in the table, three points above 11th-placed Brentford, who remain on the fringes of the race for Europe.
Fulham Strengthen Bid For Europe
Fulham strengthened their bid for a European place by beating Tottenham at home for a second consecutive season, the first time they have achieved that in 19 years.
Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon scored in the closing 15 minutes to breathe life into what had been a largely drab Premier League London derby.
Fulham’s Timothy Castagne was the only player to send a shot on target in the first half and the next such attempt came via Tottenham’s Ben Davies in the 65th minute.
Spurs looked the most likely to break the deadlock as the second half progressed, with Dominic Solanke spurning three opportunities that included one at an open goal from five yards.
However, substitute Muniz, who scored twice when Fulham beat Tottenham 3-0 at Craven Cottage last season, put the hosts in front in the 75th minute with a cool side-footed finish.
Victory moves Fulham up to eighth in the standings and just four points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, while Tottenham remain 13th after another grim weekend for Ange Postecoglou.
City Stumble, Again
Manchester City stumbled again in the battle to secure a return to the Champions League as they were pegged back twice by fellow top-five challengers Brighton in an entertaining encounter at Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland became the first player to reach 100 Premier League goal involvements in fewer than 100 games when he marked his 94th appearance in the competition with his 84th goal by sending Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen the wrong way with his 11th-minute penalty.
In a game of superb goals, Pervis Estupinan levelled with a curling free-kick that bounced in off a post, although City keeper Stefan Ortega, in for injured first-choice Ederson, did not cover himself in glory as he initially moved to his right before changing direction and eventually watching the ball go in with a shocked look on his face.
Forest Boost Top Four Chances
Nottingham Forest underlined their top-four credentials with a comfortable Premier League win over relegation-threatened Ipswich at Portman Road.
The result had moved Forest just a point behind second-placed Arsenal, who later beat Chelsea, and ever closer to Champions League football next term.
On an afternoon when Nuno Espirito Santo celebrated his 50th top-flight match in charge of Forest, his side ruthlessly exposed Ipswich’s defensive frailties in a devastating seven-minute period during the first half.
Nikola Milenkovic opened the scoring for the visitors with a rising shot from eight yards after home forward Liam Delap had inadvertently nodded the ball into the Serbia defender’s path.
And just over two minutes later Forest doubled their lead, as the Tractor Boys imploded.
However, George Hirst’s late goal at least allowed the home side to end the contest on a positive note.
Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich remain 18th – and are the only club in the top four divisions of English football without a league win in 2025.
Sports
Lewandowski Leads Top Stars Missing From W/Cup Roll Call
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Sports
Para Games: Team Rivers Wins 53 Medals On Day 5 … Director Praise Athletes
Sports
Ondo Women Shine At Gov Diri Wrestling Classics
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.
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