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.
City Crime
‘NFF Conducted Federation Cup Draw Fairly’

The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
Sports
Act Sports Signs New Teqball Specialist Contract In Nigeria

A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Sports
Nigeria Name Handball Squads For Zonal Champs
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.
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