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Category: Sports

AFCON: Nigeria Edge Tunisia 3-2 as Lookman Inspires Super Eagles to Knockout Stage

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Ademola Lookman delivered a standout performance as Nigeria edged Tunisia 3-2 to secure qualification for the AFCON round of 16, ending a three-game winless streak against the Eagles of Carthage. The match began at a high tempo, though clear chances were limited early on. Hannibal Mejbri hurried an effort for Tunisia, while Victor Osimhen missed two headed opportunities from promising positions inside the opening 11 minutes. Osimhen then saw a close-range finish ruled out for offside after reacting quickest to Akor Adams’ saved shot. Nigeria gradually asserted control, even if the scoreboard did not immediately reflect it. Osimhen again headed wide from a Calvin Bassey cross, while Tunisia signaled intent when Ali Abdi fired over Stanley Nwabali’s bar. Wilfred Ndidi responded with an effort that flew over at the other end. The breakthrough came in the 44th minute when Lookman’s precise delivery found Osimhen, who broke free from Montassar Talbi to power a header home and celebrate with visible relief. The Super Eagles carried that momentum into the second half and doubled their lead within five minutes. Ndidi rose to meet Lookman’s corner, nodding in his first goal for Nigeria. Lookman then tested the defense himself as Tunisian frustration grew, worsened by Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane leaving the pitch injured after a collision with Nwabali. Nigeria struck again in the 67th minute through a slick attacking move. Lookman danced past Yan Valery and finished clinically, despite defenders racing back toward the goal line. Tunisia mounted a late fightback. Talbi reduced the deficit by glancing Mejbri’s free-kick past Nwabali with 15 minutes remaining. The tension increased in the 87th minute when Bright Osayi-Samuel conceded a penalty for handball, which Abdi converted to make it 3-2. Ferjani Sassi came close to completing the comeback, but his header drifted wide, allowing Nigeria to hold on. The result gives the Super Eagles seven wins from their last eight AFCON group-stage matches and confirms their place in the knockout rounds. For Tunisia, the defeat ends a five-match unbeaten run, though they remain second in the group ahead of their clash with Tanzania.

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Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins Brace Secures Comeback Victory

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Aston Villa extended their winning streak to 11 matches as Ollie Watkins scored twice to overturn Chelsea in a 2-1 comeback victory at Stamford Bridge, leaving the home crowd booing their side off. The result highlighted Chelsea’s recurring struggles to protect a lead. Chelsea seemed on course for a morale-boosting win after João Pedro’s lucky first-half goal, which capped a dominant opening spell for the hosts. However, Unai Emery’s second-half tactical changes turned the tide, with Watkins and Morgan Rogers combining decisively to swing the game in Villa’s favour. Chelsea started strongly, controlling possession and territory under the watch of suspended coach Enzo Maresca. Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández missed good opportunities before João Pedro’s deflected corner beat Emiliano Martínez. Villa posed little threat before halftime, with Chelsea’s central defence comfortably handling Rogers and Donyell Malen. Yet, Chelsea failed to build on their advantage—a costly pattern once again. The match shifted just before the hour when Emery introduced Watkins as part of a triple substitution. The striker made an immediate impact, finishing after Robert Sánchez’s initial save rebounded, with Rogers providing the assist for the equaliser. Villa’s confidence soared as Chelsea’s control slipped. Watkins completed the turnaround when Rogers delivered a precise corner for the striker to power a header home, silencing Stamford Bridge and sending the away fans into jubilation. Chelsea tried to respond with substitutions, but Villa held firm to secure another memorable victory.

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Odegaard Scores As Arsenal Beat Brighton 2-1 To Reclaim Top Spot

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Martin Odegaard scored his first Premier League goal of the season as Arsenal held on for a tense 2-1 victory over Brighton, reclaiming the top spot in the table. The Gunners, who had slipped to second after Manchester City’s win over Nottingham Forest earlier on Saturday, opened the scoring when Bart Verbruggen’s goal-kick was intercepted, allowing Bukayo Saka to set up captain Odegaard, who calmly finished from the edge of the box. Despite dominating the first half—registering 15 shots, five on target, and keeping Brighton off the scoresheet—Arsenal’s one-goal lead at halftime barely reflected their superiority. Seven minutes into the second half, Arsenal doubled their advantage when makeshift right-back Declan Rice delivered a corner that Georginio Rutter inadvertently flicked into his own net, marking the fourth own goal to go Arsenal’s way in their last four matches. Brighton, however, fought back. Yasin Ayari’s effort, Brighton’s first on target, struck the post before Diego Gomez pounced on the rebound to pull one back. The introduction of winger Yankuba Minteh at halftime injected pace and threat into Brighton’s attack, forcing Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya into a brilliant save to keep out Minteh’s curling effort that was destined for the top corner, ensuring Arsenal secured all three points.

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Reijnders and Cherki Lead Manchester City to 2-1 Win Over Nottingham Forest

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Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki secured a 2-1 victory for Manchester City in a closely contested Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Cherki played a key role in both goals for Pep Guardiola’s side, first setting up Reijnders’ opener early in the second half before netting a decisive goal himself late in the game. The first half offered little action, with neither team registering a single shot on target. For Manchester City, it was their first Premier League half without a shot on target in a year, since December 2024 against Liverpool. Drama unfolded just 18 seconds into the second half when Rúben Dias, already booked, fouled Igor Jesus on the edge of the box but escaped a second yellow card. Moments later, City struck with their first shot on target. Reijnders finished neatly under goalkeeper John Victor after a precise pass from Cherki, marking his fourth goal of the season and second consecutive match with a goal. Cherki’s assist took him to seven Premier League assists, the most of any player so far this season. Forest quickly responded through Omari Hutchinson, who scored his first goal for the club after joining from Ipswich Town. Hutchinson met a cross from Jesus and calmly side-footed past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Remarkably, all four of Hutchinson’s Premier League goals have come in home games against ‘big six’ sides. The winner came from Cherki with seven minutes remaining. A well-executed corner saw Josko Gvardiol head the ball into Cherki’s path, and the Frenchman unleashed a powerful shot into the bottom corner. Cherki’s goal highlighted his growing influence since joining from Lyon, taking him to eight Premier League goal involvements since November (1 goal, 7 assists) and 50 career goal contributions across Europe’s top five leagues (16 goals, 34 assists). The win temporarily lifts Manchester City above Arsenal in the Premier League table, though the Gunners could reclaim the top spot depending on their result against Brighton. For Nottingham Forest, the defeat extends Sean Dyche’s winless record against Guardiola to 17 matches, matching Steve Bruce’s record against Alex Ferguson for the most games without a victory against a single manager in Premier League history. Opta stats from the match highlight City’s dominance in goal contributions and tactical execution, providing a full breakdown of player performances, passing networks, expected goals, and more for in-depth analysis.

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Morocco 2025: Nigeria, Tunisia Battle for Three Points in Top-of-the-table Clash

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One of Africa’s most storied and remarkable football rivalries makes another stop on Saturday, this time in the Moroccan city of Fès, as Nigeria and Tunisia clash in a top-of-the-table encounter of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations, at the 35,000-capacity Complexe Sportif de Fès. With three points taken by each team from their opening games, the stage is set for fiery exchanges as Coaches Eric Chelle and Sami Trabelsi, themselves former players, will be determined to push their teams to achieve victory and book an early spot in the tournament’s Round of 16. There have been a total of 21 matches between both teams, dating back 64 years, with each having won six times, and the remaining nine matches drawn (though some eventually went into penalty shootouts). Of the three that stretched to penalty shootouts, Nigeria won two, including a memorable 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture and an Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final duel that flowed back and forth in the Egyptian city of Port Said 19 years ago. Tunisia won the lottery in the 2004 AFCON that they hosted, edging the Eagles to set up a Final clash with Morocco’s Atlas Lions. Both teams have staged walkouts against each other, with Nigeria leaving the pitch in an AFCON qualifying match in Tunis in December 1961, after a controversial goal, and Tunisia opting to do the same when Nigeria scored an equalizing goal through Baba Otu Mohammed in an AFCON bronze-medal match in Kumasi in March 1978. When the Carthage Eagles pipped the Super Eagles 1-0 in the Round of 16 at the AFCON in Cameroon four years ago, it was their first victory over Nigeria in a competitive match since 1985, when they won a 1986 World Cup qualifying match 2-0 in Tunis. There have been high drama, muscle-flexing, and boardroom blowouts, and Saturday’s encounter will be another game of intensity and power-play as Nigeria seek to establish themselves as one of the favourites for the trophy and Tunisia, who will be going to next year’s FIFA World Cup finals, determined to fight for a second continental title. Trabelsi, who was in the squad that Khaled Badra led to win Tunisia’s only AFCON title, at home in 2004, has the likes of Captain Ferjani Sassi, Ali Maãloul, Hannibal Mejbri, Dylan Bronn, Ben Ali, Ali Ben Romdhane and Yan Valery who can turn a game on its head within a split second. They showed their deadliness in sweeping aside Uganda in Rabat on Tuesday evening. For Eric Chelle, the triumvirate of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze at the fore, and the duo of Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi at the rear provide some assurance. With Osimhen still looking for his first goal of the tournament, the Carthage Eagles could be under tremendous pressure from Nigeria’s ace forward who boasts 31 goals in 47 matches. Midfield lubricator Alexander Iwobi, likely to win his 93rd cap, will be expected to play a key role in Nigeria’s challenge for the three points. Captain Wilfred Ndidi will surely be called upon several times to break up the play of the fast-paced Tunisians. SUPER EAGLES, CARTHAGE EAGLES IN HISTORY 25 Nov 1961: Nigeria 2-1 Tunisia (AFCONq: Lagos) 10 Dec 1961: Tunisia 2-2 Nigeria (AFCONq: Tunis): Match inconclusive as Nigeria walked off the pitch 25 Sep 1977: Tunisia 0-0 Nigeria (WCq: Tunis) 12 Nov 1977: Nigeria 0-1 Tunisia (WCq: Lagos) 16 Mar 1978: Tunisia 0-2 Nigeria (AFCON: Kumasi): Match at 1-1 when Tunisia walked off the pitch 29 Jun 1980: Tunisia 2-0 Nigeria (WCq: Tunis) 12 Jul 1980: Nigeria 2-0 Tunisia (WCq: Lagos): Nigeria win 4-3 on penalties 29 Sep 1984: Tunisia 5-0 Nigeria (Friendly: Tunis) 06 Jul 1985: Nigeria 1-0 Tunisia (WCq: Lagos) 20 Jul 1985: Tunisia 2-0 Nigeria (WCq: Tunis) 22 Feb 1992: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (SCSA: Tunis) 09 Aug 1997: Tunisia 2-0 Nigeria (LG Cup: Tunis) 23 Jan 2000: Nigeria 4-2 Tunisia (AFCON: Lagos) 11 Feb 2004: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Rades): Tunisia win 4-3 on penalties 04 Feb 2006: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Port Said): Nigeria win 6-5 on penalties 20 Jun 2009: Tunisia 0-0 Nigeria (WCq: Rades) 06 Sep 2009: Nigeria 2-2 Tunisia (WCq: Abuja) 22 Jan 2016: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (CHAN: Kigali) 17 Jul 2019: Nigeria 1-0 Tunisia (AFCON: Cairo) 13 Oct 2020: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (Friendly: St. Veit, Austria) 23 Jan 2022: Tunisia 1-0 Nigeria (AFCON: Garoua)

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Mohamed Salah Continues Christmas Tradition With Daughters While Leading Egypt At AFCON 2025

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Mohamed Salah has continued his annual Christmas tradition, sharing a festive family moment even while away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Morocco. This year, the Liverpool and Egypt star’s post highlighted his two daughters, offering fans a rare and heartwarming glimpse of his family in his absence. The photo, set amid Christmas decorations, captured the cosy, family-oriented spirit that has become a hallmark of Salah’s holiday posts. In previous years, he shared images of himself with his family, often dressed in matching outfits beside decorated Christmas trees. This year’s post, while simpler, maintained the same warm and personal touch. Meanwhile, Salah continues to impress on the field at AFCON 2025. In Egypt’s opening game against Zimbabwe on 23 December, he scored a stoppage-time winner to secure a 2–1 victory, underlining his pivotal role as the Pharaohs pursue the continental title.

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SWAN Celebrates With Christians On Christmas Day, Prays For Super Eagles At AFCON

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The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has rolled out drums to celebrate with Christians, particularly the sporting media on the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ, known as Christmas. SWAN in a statement by its President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, through the Association’s Secretary-General, Amb. Ikenna Okonkwo, on Thursday December 25, 2025, noted the celebration gives Christians opportunity not just to merry but to reflect on the personality of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The SWAN President then urged Nigerians to cheer-up at this time and always, bearing in mind that the challenges facing mankind are only momentary. He said, “It’s with great joy that we rejoice on a day like this. Christmas remind us of the essence of Jesus Christ. It’s a day to reflect and take stock with a view to find solace going forward. “Despite economic and other challenges facing mankind, the living joy posits that there is always hope for better times ahead.” The number one sports writer in Nigeria also enjoined Christians to share and rejoice with all as Jesus Christ exemplified while he lived on earth and through his teachings. “Christmas is also a time of sharing with one another no matter how small. We should endeavour to reach out to our neighbours, friends, loved ones, colleagues and all strata of persons around us, irrespective of tribe and religion as is in Jesus Christ nature and teachings. “Let us use this period as an opportunity to sacrifice, tough times notwithstanding, just as we promote unity, understanding, and cooperation among ourselves, which are essential for building a harmonious and progressive society,” he said. President Benjamin also prayed for the successful participation of the Nigeria’s Super Eagles at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, urging them to remain focused on the goal of the competition. “Teeming Nigerian football lovers expect nothing short of victory till the final of AFCON, and it’s reclaiming the title that will serve as soothing relief for recent World Cup qualifier performance,” he said. While commending the federal government for fulfilling its 2023 AFCON promises to the country’s senior men team and the National Sports Commission (NSC) for its dogged impact in Nigeria’s sports development within a short while, the SWAN President urged sustained approach with the Super Eagles reciprocating accordingly.

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German Footballer Sebastian Hertner Dies After Falling From Ski Lift In Montenegro

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The tourist who lost his life in a chairlift accident at a ski resort in Montenegro has been identified as German footballer Sebastian Hertner. Hertner, 34, died at the Savin Kuk ski resort near the mountain town of Žabljak after a double chairlift reportedly detached from its cable and struck the seat behind it. The incident occurred on Saturday while he and his wife were on holiday in the Durmitor mountain range, a popular winter destination in northern Montenegro. During the accident, Hertner fell from the lift and was pronounced dead at the scene. His 30-year-old wife, who was seated with him, was left suspended in the air and later rescued by emergency responders. She sustained a broken leg and was taken to hospital for treatment. Several other tourists were also caught in the malfunction, with at least three people stranded in their chairs for hours before being safely brought down by rescue teams. Hertner enjoyed a professional football career in Germany, playing as a defender for clubs such as 1860 Munich, Erzgebirge Aue and Darmstadt in the second division. He later went on to captain ETSV Hamburg in the Oberliga, Germany’s fifth-tier league. ETSV Hamburg confirmed his death in a statement shared on Instagram, describing the loss as devastating. “It is with great sadness that we announce today that our captain Sebastian Hertner has died in a tragic accident while on holiday. “We are stunned and incredibly sad. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Sebastian.” Tributes have since poured in from teammates, former colleagues and members of the football community, mourning his sudden and tragic passing.

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