Sports

FIRST 11: Musa Makes Eagles Comeback, Man United Struggles + More

Published

5 months ago

March 8, 2025

What a week it has been for sports fans! The UEFA Champions League was back on the screens. It was exciting watching all of Europe’s big teams battle it out on the pitch! From stunning setbacks to intriguing comebacks, there was no shortage of drama, upsets, and thrills across the sporting world this past seven days! In this week’s First 11 – a recap of the most talked about headlines in sports – we are breaking down all the biggest moments and storylines in the world of sports!

So, grab some popcorn, let’s get started!

Ahmed Musa Returns From Hiatus

Charity, they say, begins from home! So, First 11 kickstarts from Nigeria where in a surprising move, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle invited Ahmed Musa to Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later in the month. The Kano Pillars man was part of the team at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) but played no minute in the side’s silver-winning campaign.

Musa
Musa is Nigeria’s highest goalscorer at the World Cup.

Since then, Super Eagles managers have not invited the former Leicester City forward forward. But he has been included in the 39-man provisional list for the must-win games, sparking debates among football fans. Nigeria are fourth in the five-team lot having managed just a miserable three points from four games played in Group C of the African qualification series for the 2026 World Cup.

Super Falcons Still African Queens

Meanwhile, the Super Falcons have continued their dominance of women’s football in Africa, maintaining their top spot on the continent. In the latest FIFA rankings released Thursday, the Nigerian senior female national team was ranked 36th on the global scene.

South Africa, 18 places behind the Nigerian girls, are second in Africa, dropping four places from the last rankings. Morocco are third in the continent and 60th on the world stage.

Super Falcons

The rankings come months before Nigeria take to the stage in a bid to wrestle the Wpmen AFCON (WAFCON) crown from South Africa.

Switching gears to the Champions League now! Liverpool came up clutch on Wednesday seeing off Paris Saint-German (PSG) in a clash that headlined the first leg of the round of 16. In a match that saw PSG enjoy the lion’s share of possession but lacked ruthlessness, Liverpool were fortunate to win the tie thanks to Harvey Elliott’s strike – his first touch after his introduction late into the game. Arne Slot’s side will now hope to add to the lone goal win in the return leg next week.

Arsenal, in another game in the competition, demolished PSV 1-7 to have a leg in the quarter-final of the tournament. Real Madrid defeated rivals Atletico 2-1 while Benfica lost to Barcelona.

In the all-German tie, Bayern Munich beat Dortmund, Feyenoord lost to Inter Milan and Aston Villa bashed Club Brugge of Belgium.

Sociedad Frustrate Man United

But there were also actions in the Europa League on Thursday with Manchester United continuing their poor run of games. The English side were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Sociedad. What is behind Man United’s struggles? Can they turn their season around?

Chelsea saw off FC Copehangen in the UEFA Conference League to ease the pressure on Coach Enzo Maresca.

Joey Barton Stirrs AFCON Debate

In other football news that made headlines in the week, it appears the last has not been heard about the AFCON pedigree. This time, former Manchester City player Joey Barton doubled down on English ex-international Jamie Carragher’s claim that the tournament is not a major competition while discussing Liverpool star Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.

Carragher came under fire over the comment but in defence of the Englishman, Barton claimed no African defender can lace the former Liverpool star’s shoes.
Infantino on World Cup

Moving on to some cheering news! The World Cup now comes in a new style! That is because starting from the 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, they will be a Super Bowl-style half-time show.

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said the Coldplay band members Chris Martin and Phil Harvey will determine the artists who will perform.

The decision followed a meeting of FIFA’s commercial and media partners in Dallas ahead of the 2026 tournament which will be co-hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The World Cup promises to be an exciting time!

In a related event, FIFA will pay a total prize money of one billion dollars to participants in the Club World Cup in the United States later this year.
The figure is significantly higher than the prize money offered for either the last men’s or women’s World Cups.

Isak Burgled

On a sad note, Newcastle striker Alexander Isak’s home was raided by a “professional group of travelling burglars” who stole his car and jewellery worth £68,000 ($87,000), a court heard on Wednesday.

The Sweden international was not in his house in Northumberland, in northeast England, when the gang broke in through a glass door last April, Newcastle Crown Court was told. The thieves had already stolen jewellery and clothes worth more than £1 million from a businesswoman and designer goods worth £100,000 from another woman in the previous days.

Osaka Crashes Out

Heading to the courts, Naomi Osaka was shattered after a heartbreaking defeat in the Indian Wells on Wednesday. She fell 6-4, 6-4 to Camila Osorio in the Japanese star’s first tournament since injury forced her out of the Australian Open.

Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 56th in the world, looked rusty against the 52nd-ranked Colombian, struggling to find the range on her powerful groundstrokes on a chilly night in the California desert.

Historic James

Still in the courts but this time in basketball, LeBron James became the first player in the NBA to score 50,000 career points, extending his lead as the league’s record scorer by reaching a milestone tally that may never be surpassed. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar went into the game against the New Orleans Pelicans with 49,999 regular and postseason points after a 17-point performance in Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers. But it did not take long for the 40-year-old NBA icon to get the solitary point needed to reach the 50,000-point mark. This feat cements James’ status as one of the greatest to have played the game!

Back to football! Four years after the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, seven healthcare professionals will go on trial next week accused of negligence during his final days.

More than 100 witnesses, including members of Maradona’s family and doctors who tended to him down the years, will take the stand throughout the four-month trial, which starts Tuesday in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro.
The seven defendants risk between eight and 25 years in jail if convicted.

Lastly, the French League’s disciplinary commission banned new Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca until November after an altercation with a referee.
To compound his plight he has also been banned from entering his own team’s changing rooms until mid-September, the commission’s president Sebastien Deneux announced.

Well, fans await to see how well Fonseca will fare! First 11 is your recap of the most important happenings in sports for the week! It returns next week!

Source: Channels TV

Related Topics:#Super Eagles Ahmed Musa Super Eagles Coach

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Sports

Sports Commission Boss Hails Edo Swimmers For Performance At CNS Swimming Tournament

Published

4 days ago

July 20, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has commended Team Edo athletes for their performance at the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Junior and Senior Swimming Competition, which came to end Thursday in Asaba, Delta.

In the tournament, Team Edo recorded a total of 5 gold, 14 silver, and 5 bronze medals in the Junior category, while the Senior swimmers secured 2 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals — bringing the team’s total to 31 medals.

In a statement signed by his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, Enabulele commended the swimmers for their remarkable achievements at the national event.

“I am particularly thrilled by Precious Tissa’s exceptional performance, winning three gold medals for Edo State at the CNS Swimming Competition,” he said.

He also celebrated the accomplishments of other Edo swimmers, noting, “Athletes such as Forcados Funfumimi, Christian Obomanu, Solid Government, and Victor Uruonah delivered brilliant performances, clinching gold in the Mixed Medley Relay.

“This feat is a clear testament to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s unwavering commitment to grassroots sports development in Edo State.”

Enabulele further highlighted individual successes among the senior athletes: “On Day 3, Peremoboere Kimikiagha took gold in the 200m Freestyle, while Lucky Ayemi won silver in the same event and added another gold in the Under-18 category.”

He expressed confidence in the team’s future prospects.

He stated, “Our athletes have distinguished themselves at this national championship, and I am optimistic that these victories will inspire even greater performances in upcoming competitions.”

Sports

Ex-Super Eagles Coach, Monday Sinclair, Is Dead

Published

6 days ago

July 17, 2025

Editor

Former Super Eagles interim head coach, Monday Sinclair, is dead.

Sinclair died at the age of 88.

His death was confirmed on Wednesday by former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peterside Idah, who played under him at Sharks FC and considered him a mentor.

Peterside wrote in a tribute shared via Facebook on Wednesday, “Our daddy is gone. What a man.

“He signed me to play for Sharks. Gave me my first match against Niger Tornadoes of Minna.

“The first day he saw me come to train with Sharks, he said, ‘My friend, are you a boxer?’

“He said I was built like Tyson. From that day, I found me a football father. I became very close to him and his family, with Puppa K as a very close brother.”

Sinclair, who featured for the Green Eagles in the 1960s, was widely respected for his sharp eye for talent and enduring contribution to football development in Nigeria.

He began his coaching career with the now-defunct Sharks FC of Rivers State, before going on to handle Niger Tornadoes, Enugu Rangers, and Bayelsa United.

In 1997, he was appointed interim coach of the Super Eagles and later served as head coach of the Equatorial Guinea national team.

Sinclair was credited with mentoring some of Nigeria’s most iconic footballers, including Peter Rufai, Taribo West, Finidi George, and Peterside himself.

His grassroots influence left an enduring legacy on Nigerian football.

His passing comes just days after the death of another football legend, Peter Rufai, who battled a long-term illness.

Sports

Messi’s Multi-goal Streak Ends As Cincinnati Beats Miami 3-0

Published

7 days ago

July 17, 2025

Editor

Lionel Messi’s Major League Soccer-record streak of multi-goal games ended at five on Wednesday as his Inter Miami squad was blanked 3-0 at FC Cincinnati.

The 38-year-old Argentine star forward had scored a brace, two goals, in five consecutive matches for Miami, giving him 16 goals on the season as Inter managed four wins and a draw in the run.

Not since 2012 when he played for Barcelona had Messi netted a brace or more in five consecutive matches.

But Cincinnati kept Miami to only two shots on goal in the contest.

“Clearly today we were outplayed from the beginning of the match,” Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said through a translator.

“It was very difficult for us to win the individual duels. Maybe one of the reasons is that physically we come with a very big hustle and bustle and in the long run we end up paying.

“Leo suffered a knock at the end but it ended well.”

US 20-year-old midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring for Cincinnati in the 16th minute.

Brazilian striker Evander followed with a goal in the 50th minute and struck again in the 70th to provide all the scoring the hosts needed.

“We didn’t play the game we wanted. They put us under pressure all the time, we weren’t fresh or lucid and they beat us very well,” Mascherano said.

Miami fell to 11-4 with five drawn for 38 points, fifth in the Eastern Conference and eight points adrift of first-place Philadelphia, the overall MLS leader which beat Montreal to stay one point ahead of Cincinnati in the overall MLS standings.

Inter Miami has three games in hand on both clubs but would need to win them all to overtake their rivals for the overall league lead.

“The opponent outplayed us from start to finish,” Mascherano said. “The result and the way they beat us obviously worries us. Now we have to rest and think about the next game.”

That will come on Saturday when Miami will visit the New York Red Bulls, who got two goals each from Cameroon’s Eric Choupo-Moting and Sweden’s Emil Forsberg in a 5-3 home win over New England on Wednesday.

– De Paul to join Miami –

A source close to negotiations told AFP on Wednesday that Inter Miami has agreed on terms with Argentine international Rodrigo De Paul, a midfielder for Atletico Madrid.

The deal is for the next four seasons with De Paul to play the remainder of 2025 in Miami on loan from Atletico Madrid with a subsequent purchase option for Inter worth more than $12 million.

De Paul could play for Miami for the first time on July 30 against Mexican side Atlas in Inter’s debut match in the Leagues Cup, a tournament between MLS and Mexican League clubs.

He will leave Europe after four seasons in Madrid to join countryman Messi 11 months before the World Cup to be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Messi has not said if he will play in the World Cup.

De Paul and Messi were teammates on Argentina’s 2022 World Cup champions and reuniting them could help entice Messi to sign a new contract with Inter, whose deal with the superstar expires at the end of this year.

The club wants Messi to stay for the 2026 season, in which Inter will open a new stadium in Miami.

DePaul, 31, joins a Miami core that includes Messi, Uruguayan Luis Suarez and Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

Charlotte was named host city for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday. This year’s all-star matchup will be in Austin, Texas, next Wednesday with the MLS All-Stars facing the Mexican League All-Stars.