Sports

Bayern Get Away With Shock Loss As Leverkusen Fall To Defeat

Published

6 months ago

March 8, 2025

A 10-man Bayern Munich got away with a shock 3-2 home defeat to Bochum on Saturday after title chasers Bayer Leverkusen were beaten 2-0 by Werder Bremen.

Despite the loss, just Bayern’s second of the season, the Bavarians still hold an eight-point lead over defending champions Leverkusen with nine games to play.

Leverkusen’s woes were deepened with an injury to star midfielder Florian Wirtz, who limped off after a rough challenge having played just 14 second-half minutes.

With an eye on Tuesday’s return leg in the Champions League last 16 against Leverkusen, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany named a heavily changed XI, including leaving striker Harry Kane on the bench.

Bayern midfielder Raphael Guerreiro’s 14th minute goal, when the Portuguese hammered a loose ball into the net, had Bayern on track before Serge Gnabry missed a 21st-minute penalty.

With Kane, who has converted his past 30 penalties in a row, sitting on the bench, Gnabry stepped up but hit the ball against the post.

Guerreiro however scored again with a rare header on the 28-minute mark, just three minutes before Bochum’s Jakov Medic pulled one back with an unstoppable rocket.

Ibrahima Sissoko headed Bochum level six minutes into the second half and Matus Bero put the underdogs in front 71 minutes in, going the length of the field to knock in a Philipp Hofmann pass.

Bochum’s surprise victory, their first win in Munich since 1991, took them three points clear of the automatic relegation placings.

“There are no excuses — we lost,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said, adding “even with 10 men, we should at least have the expectation of avoiding defeat.”

Leverkusen were down after just seven minutes when Romano Schmid tapped in from close range.

With Leverkusen failing to click, coach Xabi Alonso brought Wirtz from the bench at halftime, but the Germany midfielder was brutally fouled eight minutes afterwards and limped from the field and left the arena on crutches.

Any injury to Wirtz, the club’s talisman and best player this season, would be a serious blow to Alonso’s side, particularly ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Bayern, who hold a 3-0 lead from the first leg.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Alonso said after the match, adding “we don’t have any results yet.”

Bremen’s Mitchell Weiser, who fouled the Germany midfielder, apologised after the match, saying “I hope it’s not that bad — I’m lucky it wasn’t a red card.”

Borussia Dortmund’s slim chances of reaching the top four took a hit with a 1-0 home loss to Augsburg, with Jeffrey Gouweleeuw’s first half header the only goal in the game.

Dortmund were toothless in attack and offered little against an in-form Augsburg, who have conceded just three goals in the league in 2025 — the best mark in Europe.

Dortmund, last season’s Champions League finalists, sit 10th in the league, seven points off the top four.

Elsewhere, St Pauli scored their first goal in five matches in a 1-1 draw at Wolfsburg, going two points clear of the relegation playoff spot.

Fellow promoted side Holstein Kiel also picked up a point with a hard-fought 2-2 home win over Stuttgart.

Later on Saturday, Freiburg host RB Leipzig.

AFP

Sports

FIFA rankings: Super Eagles Drop To 45th, Remain Sixth In Africa

Published

8 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have slipped one place in the latest FIFA World Rankings, falling from 44th to 45th globally while maintaining sixth position on the African continent.

The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August and also slipped out of the top five nations in Africa on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.

Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.

Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.

Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.

The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.

Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.

Sports

Edo Sports Commission Liaises With Education Ministry To Support President Unity Cup, Other

Published

1 day ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

Edo State Sports Commission has expressed readiness to liaise with the state Ministry Education in giving the necessary backing to this year’s President Unity Cup and Chief of Naval Staff Tournament.

Executive Chairman of the commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, expressed the commission’s readiness on Wednesday when he played host to national leadership of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), led by its National Secretary, Mr. Patrick Okpavuerhe.

He expressed the commission’s readiness after the YSFON National Secretary requested Edo State to host this year’s President Unity Cup, scheduled for September 25 to October 1, 2025, or alternatively, the Chief of Naval Staff Tournament.

Represented by Executive Director representing Edo Central at the commission, Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe, Enabulele assured the YSFON members of the commission’s readiness to collaborate.

“The Commission will review past correspondences and liaise with the Ministry of Education to support these tournaments.

“Edo remains committed to youth and grassroots sports development,” Ikuenobe said.

Earlier, Okpavuerhe commended Hon. Enabulele for his remarkable strides in youth sports development, particularly Edo’s impressive record in grassroots football.

According to him, the decision of Edo to host any of the tournaments “was taken during our last Central Working Committee meeting in recognition of Edo’s outstanding contributions to grassroots sports.”

He explained that the President Unity Cup, first held in 1982 after former President Shehu Shagari donated the trophy, has become a platform to celebrate President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria’s independence through sports, fostering national unity.

Founded in 1965, YSFON also highlighted its successful organisation of the Under-14 Boys and Under-17 Girls Chief of Naval Staff Tournament, which has been held since 1999 but never hosted in Edo State.

“We are requesting Edo’s support in providing logistics upon approval. Our plan is to host the Chief of Naval Staff Tournament in Benin City, using the President Unity Cup as a test run,” Okpavuerhe added.

Also speaking, Alhaji Ahmed Abdullah, YSFON’s National Welfare Officer and Acting National Organising Secretary, also praised Edo’s strong showing at the recently concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, describing the state as “one of Nigeria’s foremost promoters of grassroots sports development.”

Others present at the meeting included Mr. Kali Gwegwe (Vice President, YSFON South-South Zone), Mr. Osagiede Osamudiamen (Chairman, Edo State YSFON), Mr. Harrison Iyonmana (Secretary, Edo State YSFON), and Mr. Benmore Omoregieva (Welfare Officer, Edo State YSFON).

Sports

Edo Cricket Association Presents Indoor Facility Designs To Sports Commission Boss

Published

1 day ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Cricket Association on Wednesday formally presented the proposed structural and mechanical designs for an Indoor Cricket Facility in Edo State to the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele.

The presentation marks a significant step in advancing cricket infrastructure in the state, aligning with Edo’s broader vision of strengthening grassroots sports development.

Those present at the presentation include: Theophilus A. Ibodeme (High Performance Coach and Manager), Osasu Agbonwanegbe (Senior Special Assistant to the President/Chairman, Nigerian Cricket Federation), Esosa Aghohowa (Technical Assistant/Coach) and Afari Abdulhamid (Coach/Field Officer).