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Category: Soccer

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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Arsenal Beat Crystal Palace On Penalties To Reach EFL Cup Semi-Finals

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Arsenal advanced to the EFL Cup semi-finals for the second year in a row after edging Crystal Palace on penalties following a 1-1 draw. The scoring began late in normal time when Maxence Lacroix inadvertently turned William Saliba’s effort into his own net in the 81st minute. Palace responded in stoppage time, with Marc Guéhi finishing Jefferson Lerma’s knock-down in the six-yard box to level the score. Both teams started brightly, with Tyrick Mitchell firing wide for Palace and Noni Madueke forcing a low save from Walter Benítez. Benítez was also called into action to deny a goal-bound header from Gabriel Jesus. After the break, Palace looked more threatening, with Jefferson Lerma heading over and Adam Wharton’s long-range effort narrowly missing. The match went to a tense penalty shootout, where Kepa Arrizabalaga kept out Lacroix’s spot-kick, giving Arsenal an 8-7 shootout victory. Mikel Arteta’s side will now face Chelsea in a two-legged semi-final across January and February.

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Super Eagles Open AFCON 2025 With 2-1 Win Over Tanzania

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Nigeria began their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a 2–1 win over Tanzania at the Complexe Sportif de Fès on Tuesday. The Super Eagles took the lead in the 36th minute when Semi Ajayi rose highest from an Alex Iwobi corner to head the ball into the net. Ademola Lookman restored Nigeria’s lead in the 52nd minute, finishing from another precise assist by Iwobi after Tanzania had equalised. The match started with Nigeria pressing early, with Akor Adams’ header hitting the crossbar and Lookman’s 26th-minute attempt deflected for a corner. Victor Osimhen also came close before halftime but was stopped by Tanzanian defender Bakari Mwamnyeto. Tanzania responded shortly after the second half began, with Novatus Miroshi setting up Charles M’Mombwa, who calmly finished past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali to make it 1–1. Despite missing further opportunities, including a disallowed goal for offside by Osimhen, Nigeria managed the closing stages well to secure the victory. The win puts the Super Eagles at the top of Group C, while Tanzania will aim to recover in their next match against Uganda.

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Super Eagles Remain 38th In FIFA Men’s World Rankings

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The Super Eagles of Nigeria have held on to their 38th position in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings. Released on Monday, the new rankings show no change for Nigeria since November, when they recorded 1,502 points, as the team has not played any competitive matches in the intervening period. The team is currently in Morocco for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Among African teams, Morocco leads the continent at 11th in the world, followed by Senegal in 19th place. Algeria and Egypt are ranked 34th and 35th, respectively, placing Nigeria just behind them. Other African nations in the continent’s top 10 include Tunisia (41st), Côte d’Ivoire (42nd), Mali (53rd), DR Congo (56th), and Cameroon (57th). On the global stage, Spain remains at the top of the FIFA rankings after reclaiming first place from Argentina in September 2025. The rest of the top 10 includes England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia, with France securing third place.

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