Sports

Messi Snatches Win For PSG After Neymar’s Injury Blow

Published

3 years ago

February 19, 2023

Lionel Messi scored a 95th-minute free-kick to give Paris Saint-Germain a 4-3 win over Lille in an extraordinary Ligue 1 game on Sunday in which Kylian Mbappe scored twice but Neymar was taken off on a stretcher with an ankle injury.

Messi’s late winner came after PSG had squandered a two-goal lead and fallen 3-2 behind, with Mbappe grabbing a late equaliser before the Argentine’s stunning strike.

The result ends a run of three straight defeats for PSG and moves them seven points clear at the top from Monaco, who beat Brest 2-1 away later in the day.

However, Marseille can move back up to second place, and to within five points of the leaders, with a win at Toulouse on Sunday evening before they host PSG next weekend.

“We came through it. It wasn’t a great performance,” Mbappe told broadcaster Amazon Prime.

“We made lots of mistakes and lost concentration too often and against a quality side you pay dearly for that, but we showed that even when we are not at our best and the context is not exactly favourable we are a different team with different players and we can always find a way.”

Of immediate concern to the Parisians is the injury to Neymar, who looked to be in tears as he was helped onto a stretcher early in the second half after turning his right ankle.

The Brazilian’s fitness is now likely to dominate headlines in the run-up to next week’s Marseille showdown but also the second leg of PSG’s Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich on March 8.

– Ankle injury –

“‘Ney’ has sprained his ankle. We will see how serious it is. We don’t know yet — he is undergoing tests at the moment,” said PSG coach Christophe Galtier, who also saw left-back Nuno Mendes come off in the first half with an ankle ligament injury that the coach insisted “doesn’t seem too serious.”

“I hope ‘Ney’ is going to come back quickly because he is an important player for us,” added Mbappe about his Brazilian teammate.

Galtier’s team were looking to bounce back from a 1-0 home loss to Bayern in the first leg of that European tie and they went ahead early on against Lille through Mbappe, making his first start after returning from a recent thigh injury.

Neymar soon made it 2-0 against a side PSG beat 7-1 in their last meeting in August, but Bafode Diakite pulled one back for Lille midway through the first half.

The home side then saw Neymar carried off within five minutes of the second half starting, and Lille drew level when Jonathan David converted a penalty for his 17th goal this season following a Marco Verratti foul in the box.

Jonathan Bamba made it 3-2 to the away side with a superb finish and the home side looked set for a fourth successive loss before Mbappe converted from a Juan Bernat assist with just three minutes remaining.

That was his 27th goal this season in all competitions, but it was not the end of the drama as Messi won a free-kick when he was fouled just outside the area by Benjamin Andre.

The World Cup winner stepped up to dispatch the dead ball into the net off the post to round off a remarkable game.

Monaco beat PSG last weekend before a 3-2 victory away to Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday.

The principality side went in front late in the first half against Brest through Aleksandr Golovin, and a rare goal from Dutch forward Myron Boadu doubled their lead, with Jeremy Le Douaron pulling one back.

Rennes, who lost to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League in midweek, moved back above Lille into fifth by beating Clermont 2-0, with ex-PSG forward Arnaud Kalimuendo scoring both their goals.

There were also wins for Lorient and Montpellier, while Strasbourg moved out of the relegation zone on Saturday by beating bottom side Angers 2-1 in their first game under new coach Frederic Antonetti.

Fellow strugglers Auxerre beat Lyon 2-1 on Friday, while Nice and Reims drew 0-0.

AFP

Sports

UCL: Why I Snubbed Move To Real Madrid – Saliba

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

Arsenal defender, William Saliba, has revealed why he turned down a move to Real Madrid.

Saliba recently put pen to paper on a contract extension with the Gunners.

The Frenchman has now claimed he wants to win silverware with the Premier League side, before he can think of leaving the Emirates.

“Of course it’s really tempting when a club like that is interested in you.

“But I wanted to win titles at Arsenal first before thinking about anything else,” Saliba told Telefoot.

Saliba might get his wish this season, as Arsenal look well on course to end their two-decade wait for the league title.

Mikel Arteta’s men are six points clear at the top after 10 matches.

Sports

UCL Matchday 4: Liverpool Host Real Madrid, Bayern Face PSG, Other Fixtures

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

The league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League hits its halfway mark on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Matchday 4 arrives with drama scripted across Europe.

Eighteen games, countless storylines, and a stage where heroes, heartbreak, and history are never far apart.

From Anfield to Paris, Turin to Prague — the world’s greatest club competition enters its next act.

These preview details were obtained from the UCL website on Monday.

1. Liverpool vs Real Madrid

A rivalry defined by glory and grief — from Kyiv to Paris to Anfield’s famous nights.

Last season, the Reds finally broke their curse, a 2-0 victory ending an eight-game winless run against Los Blancos. Now, Jürgen Klopp’s men return to Anfield, chasing a 16th straight European home win — an Anfield fortress roaring under the lights.

Mohamed Salah stands on the brink of greatness: two goals from becoming the first African player to reach 50 in the Champions League. Across the pitch, a familiar face wears white now — Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Scouser turned Galáctico, facing the Kop for the first time.

Madrid’s own prodigy, Jude Bellingham, could rewrite history too. At 22 years and 128 days, he’s set to become the youngest ever player to make 50 Champions League appearances — eclipsing Iker Casillas, the symbol of Madrid’s golden past.

It’s not just a match. It’s memory, emotion, and destiny colliding.

2. PSG vs Bayern Munich

Paris have lost just two of their last 41 home Champions League group stage games, and the Parc des Princes is again a fortress. But Bayern are serial conquerors, with 13 wins in their last 15 meetings against French opposition.

All eyes will be on Ousmane Dembélé, who’s lived every twist of this rivalry — scorer, provider, even villain. He faces his old Bundesliga tormentors with something to prove. Meanwhile, Lucas Hernández meets his former teammates after switching red for blue.

At the other end, Harry Kane continues his European rampage — 11 goals in his last ten UCL appearances — while Joshua Kimmich eyes his 100th Champions League match for Bayern, joining legends Müller, Neuer, Lahm, and Kahn in elite company.

It’s a battle of old foes and new ambitions — with the scent of late drama thick in the Paris air.

3. Slavia Praha vs Arsenal

In Prague, memories of 2021 linger — when Arsenal crushed Slavia’s quarter-final dreams with a 4-0 rout.
Four years later, the Czech champions seek payback on home soil.

Slavia have found their scoring rhythm — goals in 26 of their last 27 European home games — but face an Arsenal side in imperious form. The Gunners are unbeaten in ten against Czech clubs, with seven straight UCL league-phase wins.

Gabriel Martinelli has found the net in all three of Arsenal’s group games — and the Brazilian’s fearless energy has made him Mikel Arteta’s symbol of this new Arsenal: vibrant, ruthless, relentless.

History favors the Gunners — but Slavia’s home spirit, under the lights of Eden Arena, makes this more than a formality. It’s redemption, reimagined.

4. Juventus vs Sporting CP
In Turin, it’s about legacy.

Juventus, chasing their 500th European Cup goal — the first Italian team to do so — meet Sporting CP, winless against Italian opposition since 2011.

The Bianconeri have stumbled on the continental stage lately — only two wins in their last 11 European games — and must rediscover their old ruthlessness. Sporting, ever daring, have scored in 19 straight group-stage matches, and will not come quietly.

For both sides, this isn’t just a fixture. It’s a test of belief.

Elsewhere Across Europe on Tuesday:

Tottenham vs Copenhagen
Napoli vs Frankfurt
Atlético Madrid vs Union Saint-Gilloise
Bodø/Glimt vs Monaco
Olympiacos vs PSV Eindhoven
PUNCH Online reports that the remaining games will take place on Wednesday.

Pafos vs Villarreal and Qarabağ vs Chelsea kick off early.
Ajax vs Galatasaray
Club Brugge vs Barcelona
Inter vs Kairat
Man City vs Dortmund
Newcastle vs Athletic Club
Marseille vs Atalanta
Benfica vs Leverkusen. Also reports that only five teams have maintained a perfect start winning all three games from the previous match days.

Sports

Okpebholo Bags SWAN Governor of the Year Award

Published

2 weeks ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

National Leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has named the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the Distinguished Governor of the Year in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria.

The award will be formally presented to the governor on Friday, October 31, during SWAN’s 60th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary.

Edo State Chairman of SWAN, Comrade Kehinde Osagiede, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin when he led members of his executive on a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua.

Osagiede said the visit was aimed at officially introducing the Edo SWAN Executive — which assumed office about a year ago — to the commissioner and to strengthen collaboration between the association and the state government.

“Governor Monday Okpebholo was carefully selected for this honour because of his remarkable contributions to sports development in Nigeria within his first year in office.

“We also came to congratulate you, Mr. Commissioner, on your well-deserved appointment, and to inform you, as the spokesperson of the state government, about the forthcoming award to the governor,” he said.

He further assured that the Edo SWAN chapter would continue to collaborate with the state government to promote sports development across the state.

In his response, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, thanked SWAN for the recognition accorded Governor Okpebholo and for its support towards sports promotion in Edo State.

Afegbua, who disclosed that the governor was currently on official duty in Ekiti State, promised to brief him about the honour.

He urged sports journalists in the state to give balanced and positive coverage to the activities of Bendel Insurance Football Club, Edo Queens, and other sporting programmes initiated by the state government.

“The Edo State Government will continue to partner with SWAN to advance sports development in the state,” the commissioner assured.