Cunha’s Late Strike Sinks Arsenal As Manchester United Claim Dramatic 3-2 Win At Emirates

Matheus Cunha struck late in the 87th minute to hand Manchester United a dramatic 3-2 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, a result that could have major implications for this season’s Premier League title race. Despite remaining top of the table, Arsenal’s advantage has now been cut to four points, with Manchester City and Aston Villa firmly in pursuit and 15 matches still to play. For United, the victory marked a third consecutive positive result under interim boss Michael Carrick, lifting them into fourth place. The decisive moment arrived moments after Mikel Merino had brought Arsenal back on level terms. Earlier in the second half, Patrick Dorgu had restored United’s lead to make it 2-1 following a tightly contested first half that ended 1-1. Arsenal had gone in front when Lisandro Martinez inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, but United responded before the break as Bryan Mbeumo capitalised on a poor backpass from Martin Zubimendi to draw the visitors level. Only a fortnight ago, United were struggling for form, but the appointment of Carrick until the end of the season has sparked a revival. Back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Arsenal across consecutive weekends have transformed their outlook. The resurgence follows the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, whose 14-month spell yielded just 15 wins from 47 league matches. Darren Fletcher’s brief interim run produced draws against Leeds United and Burnley before an FA Cup exit to Brighton, but Carrick’s early impact suggests United may finally be turning a corner.

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Egyptian Footballer Dies After On-Field Collision

An Egyptian lower-division football match ended in tragedy on Sunday evening after a young player died from injuries sustained during play, turning a routine league fixture into a moment of national shock. Loei Ali, a player for Markaz Shabab Al Bokari, collapsed after a heavy challenge during his team’s fourth-division match against Sheikh Zayed in the Giza regional league. Club officials later confirmed that he died from complications linked to the injury. According to preliminary accounts, the incident occurred following a forceful collision involving the opposing team’s goalkeeper. Ali suffered a severe abdominal injury that caused a perforation to his stomach. He was rushed to hospital and taken into emergency surgery, but doctors were unable to save him. The match itself ended with a 2-0 victory for Al Bokari in the 16th round of the competition’s second group. Celebrations, however, were abruptly replaced by grief as news of the player’s death spread among teammates, officials and spectators.  

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EPL: Awoniyi Seals Nottingham Forest Win Against Brentford

Rare goals from Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi eased Nottingham Forest’s relegation fears in a surprise 2-0 win at Brentford. Jesus upstaged his fellow Brazilian striker Igor Thiago with just his second Premier League goal of the season, before substitute Awoniyi broke his duck for the campaign. They were vital goals for Forest as they restored their five-point cushion over 18th-placed West Ham. They also inflicted only Brentford’s second home defeat of the season, denting their unlikely bid for a place in Europe. Bees forward Thiago has been one of the revelations of the season, his 16 Premier League goals putting him behind only Erling Haaland in the scoring charts. Jesus, by contrast, came into the match having scored just once from 40 shots this term, giving him the worst conversion rate in the division. It was Thiago who had the first opportunity to add to his tally after just 90 seconds, but he could only prod Kevin Schade’s inviting cross wide at full stretch. At the other end Morgan Gibbs-White gave Schade the slip before cutting the ball back to Jesus, whose first-time effort was deflected wide. But Jesus made his mark in the 12th minute after Ola Aina raided down the right, beating Rico Henry and lifting a cross towards the near post. Jesus expertly controlled the ball on his chest as he held off Bees defender Nathan Collins, before spinning and lashing a superb volley past Caoimhin Kelleher. Brentford were dealt a double injury blow before half-time when, during the same passage of play, both defender Kristoffer Ajer and midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard sustained knocks and had to go off, with Sepp Van Den Berg and Dango Ouattara pressed into action. Ouattara almost made an instant impact after he was played through on goal by Mathias Jensen, but Matz Sels came out quickly to make the save. Then, in seven minutes of first-half stoppage time, Van Den Berg’s header from Michael Kayode’s long throw flew inches wide. Brentford poured forward in the second half but without Damsgaard, their most creative player, they too often ran out of ideas in the final third. Their best chance dropped, predictably, to Thiago, who controlled Vitaly Janelt’s late free-kick at the far post only to drill his shot wide. Forest made the game safe 11 minutes from the end when Awoniyi chased Gibbs-White’s ball up the line and outmuscled Van Den Berg. The 28-year-old raced towards goal, stepped inside Kayode’s last-ditch sliding tackle and slipped the ball past Kelleher – his first goal since undergoing surgery on a serious abdominal injury after colliding with a goalpost in May – to wrap up a priceless win for the visitors.  

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Victor Moses Joins Kazakhstan Club

By Bunmi Ogunyale   Former Nigerian International, Victor Moses has pitch his tent with Kazakhstan club side, FC Kaysar. The club said on Instagram: “The football club “Kaysar” officially announces the signing of an experienced midfielder Victor Moses. “The former player of the Nigerian national team will defend the honor of the club from Kyzylorda in the new season. “Victor Moses is a football player who has played for a number of European giants and is known for his high-level experience. His joining the team “Kaysar” is a clear proof of the team’s goals for the upcoming season. “The club management and coaching staff believe that Victor’s experience and skills will have a positive impact on the development of the team and the growth of young players. “We wish Victor Moses good luck in the “Kaysar” team!” In a brief address to fans at his unveiling, the versatile winger said: “Hi Kaysar fans. It is a pleasure to be here.” And he added on Instagram: “Delighted to announced that I’ve joined FC Kaysar. Excited for what’s to come.” The Kazakhstan Premier League side finished last season in 11th position, six points clear of relegated Turan in 14th. Clubs in Kazakhstan are restricted to a maximum of 13 foreign players which, most teams use readily. However, Kaysar didn’t have one last year but have now added Moses to the arrivals of Thomas Jones from Chile, Serbian midfielder Nikola Cuckic, and Slovakian goalkeeper Adam Kovac. They play at the Gani Muratbayev Stadium which has a modest capacity of 7,000 and was built in 1968. While in Kyzylorda, Moses might want to take in the Baikonur cosmodrome, or the memorial complex of Korkyt Ata, a legendary figure in Kazakhstan.

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Nigeria, Egypt, Others Draw Opponents for 2026 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships

African table tennis giants Nigeria and Egypt are set to spearhead the continent’s campaign at the 2026 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships, which will unfold in London from April 28 to May 10. The official draws will take place at The Shard, London’s tallest building, on Monday, January 26, setting the stage for a historic tournament. In the men’s category, 12 African teams will line up among the 64 nations competing for global supremacy. The women’s category will see 11 African teams join the 64-nation field, a milestone that coincides with the centenary anniversary of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Of the 64 teams per gender, 52 qualified through continental championships, 11 earned their places via the world rankings of November 2025, while host nation England completes the roll call. Beyond Nigeria and Egypt, Africa’s representation in the men’s division includes Benin, Tunisia, Algeria, Togo, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Angola. In the women’s division, the continent will be represented by Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, Algeria, Tunisia, Uganda, South Africa, Angola, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo DR. A century after the inaugural ITTF World Table Tennis Championships were staged in England in 1926, the sport now returns to its birthplace for a landmark centenary celebration. The 2026 edition promises intensity and spectacle, with 64 men’s and 64 women’s teams competing across 13 days at two iconic London venues. The format will unfold in three stages as Stage 1B features group stages determining qualification pathways, followed by Stage 1A seeding matches for the top-ranked teams, before Stage 2 delivers knockout rounds showcasing the world’s finest teams in pursuit of global supremacy. The ITTF World Championships remain the pinnacle of table tennis—a stage where legends are forged, and history is written. The countdown has begun, the teams are assembling, and the world awaits as London 2026 prepares to host a celebration of sport unlike any other.

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Idongesit Siblings Begin 2026 With Fencing Junior World Cup in Egypt

As two of Africa’s most active fencers in 2025, the Idongesit siblings, Sara and Mahathir, will open their 2026 season at the FIE Junior World Cup taking place in Cairo, Egypt, from January 30 to 31. Their participation highlights the progress of youth fencing in Nigeria and underscores the continued efforts of the Nigeria Fencing Federation to identify, nurture, and promote young talent internationally. Sara and Mahathir have demonstrated remarkable commitment, discipline, and growth in their fencing journey, earning the opportunity to compete at this prestigious event against some of the world’s best, including World No. 1 junior men’s fencer Schembri Kruz of the Virgin Islands. The Nigerian two-athlete contingent will depart on Sunday, January 25, and are expected to join the FIE-organised training camp under the supervision of top coaches at the Indoor Hall of Cairo Stadium. Sara will compete in the women’s junior category, while Mahathir faces stiff competition in the men’s event against elite opponents such as Kruz, World No. 5 Chen Bing-Jyun of Chinese Taipei, World No. 3 Pelle Domonkos of Hungary, and Africa’s No. 1 Shamel Youssef of Egypt, who is also ranked World No. 6. Based in Malaysia, the Idongesit siblings made their international debut for Nigeria at the 2025 African Championships in Lagos. Since then, they have featured in several international tournaments, gaining valuable experience ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Championships, scheduled to take place in Lagos this August. Over 30 countries will participate in the two-day FIE-sanctioned tournament, including Egypt (host), Algeria, Russia, Angola, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Spain, Estonia, France, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Mexico, Mauritius, Nigeria, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Switzerland, Slovakia, Chinese Taipei, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.

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Amine Adli Strikes In Stoppage Time As Bournemouth Shock Liverpool 3-2

Liverpool suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on matchday 23 of the Premier League, with the hosts snatching victory in stoppage time. Arne Slot’s side dominated the early stages, but Bournemouth threatened on quick transitions. In the 26th minute, Alex Scott capitalized on a misclearance by Virgil van Dijk, sending in a cross that Evanilson slotted home to give the home team the lead. Bournemouth doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute when James Hill set up Alejandro Jiménez, who broke free and fired a right-footed shot past Alisson Becker to make it 2-0. Liverpool pulled one back before halftime as Van Dijk redeemed himself, powering a header from a corner to reduce the deficit to 2-1 and reignite the Reds’ hopes. The second half saw Liverpool push for an equalizer, with Dominik Szoboszlai producing a stunning free-kick to level the score at 2-2, marking his third set-piece goal of the season. Bournemouth remained dangerous, with Ryan Christie testing Alisson on two occasions—once with a thunderous shot and later setting up Evanilson in a one-on-one, only for the Liverpool goalkeeper to deny both chances. Liverpool also threatened in the closing stages through Florian Wirtz, but Đorđe Petrović made a crucial save to keep the score level. However, the match was sealed in the 95th minute. Following a throw-in that functioned like a corner, defensive lapses allowed Amine Adli to finish calmly inside the box, securing a 3-2 victory for Bournemouth and leaving Liverpool stunned. The final whistle confirmed a heartbreaking night for the Reds, as Bournemouth celebrated a late and unforgettable triumph.

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Antoine Semenyo Scores First Premier League Goal As Manchester City Beat Wolves 2-0

Antoine Semenyo scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester City as they secured their first league victory of 2026 with a 2-0 win over Wolves. Following a challenging week that saw consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Bodo/Glimt, City closed the gap to league leaders Arsenal to just four points. City, who started the match with Erling Haaland and Phil Foden on the bench, went ahead in the sixth minute when Omar Marmoush stretched to redirect Matheus Nunes’ cross into the net. Marmoush came close to doubling the lead just after the half-hour mark, cutting inside from the left but striking the right post. Wolves appealed for a handball against Yerson Mosquera immediately after, but a VAR review upheld the referee’s decision to let play continue, ruling that Mosquera’s arm was in a natural position. Semenyo sealed the win in first-half stoppage time, curling a low shot from the edge of the box past José Sá to make it 2-0. Wolves improved after the break but failed to test Gianluigi Donnarumma, with Mosquera’s looping header striking the crossbar. Semenyo also came close to another goal at the other end, but neither side added to the score as City claimed a morale-boosting victory.

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