Sports

Osimhen Keeps Napoli Top Of Pile

Published

3 years ago

October 17, 2022

Victor Osimhen made sure that Napoli kept hold of their Serie A lead on Sunday with the winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Bologna which took their all-competitions winning streak to 10 matches.

Nigeria striker Osimhen struck in the 69th minute to secure the win for unbeaten Napoli, who maintained their two-point lead on Atalanta at the top of the pile.

It was his first league goal since August after helping his team to secure qualification to the Champions League last 16 with a midweek strike in Naples against Ajax.

“It’s always important for me to get a goal in this stadium because the atmosphere is really amazing,” said Osimhen to DAZN.

“I’m happy to be able to help the team with this goal and the victory, and I believe we will continue to push with this momentum.”

However Sunday’s win was far from the swashbuckling display expected against Bologna, who sit 17th but come away from the Stadio Maradona with credit after a fine performance without star man Marko Arnautovic.

The hosts looked to be heading for a routine win once Hirving Lozano put them ahead three minutes after half-time.

They had gone into the break level thanks to Juan Jesus bundling in his first goal of the season in final minute of the half, just four minutes after Joshua Zirkzee had give Bologna a shock lead.

However Alex Meret allowed Musa Barrow to level for Bologna just two minutes after Lozano’s arrowed strike with a howler, letting the Gambian’s long-range shot squeeze under his body.

The home crowd squirmed but Osimhen, who replaced Giacomo Raspadori at half-time, forced his third league goal of the campaign under Lukasz Skorupski from the superb Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s pass to send the fans home drained but happy.

– Tonali saves Milan –

AC Milan gave their title defence a boost with a 2-1 win at Verona which bumped them up to third, three points behind Napoli.

Sandro Tonali poked in the champions’ winner with nine minutes remaining, his first goal of the season and one which saved Stefano Pioli’s injury-ravaged team from falling further off the pace.

Verona were playing their first match under new coach Salvatore Bocchetti who was promoted from the youth team following the sacking of Gabriele Cioffi.

The hosts could easily have taken more from the match as, after Koray Gunter levelled a Miguel Veloso own goal in the 19th minute, they caused Milan serious problems and struck the bar through Roberto Piccoli 11 minutes after the break.

Bocchetti’s team went close to levelling for the second time in the match in the final minutes when a goalmouth scramble led to Tommaso Pobega nearly giving away a penalty for handball.

But a fifth straight defeat means they stay in the bottom three, two points behind Bologna.

– Inter revival continues –
On a high from Wednesday night’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Barcelona, Inter Milan saw off Salernitana 2-0 at the San Siro thanks to goals either side of half-time from Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella.

Three wins from their last four matches, including four points taken from Barca, have got Inter’s domestic season back on track and put them one win away from the last 16 of the Champions League.

Simone Inzaghi’s side are up to seventh after their second straight league win and trail Napoli by eight points.

Maurizio Sarri said Lazio should “look for another coach” after being outraged by the state of the Stadio Olimpico pitch during his team’s goalless draw with fellow in-form side Udinese.

Sarri said that the pitch, which has also been criticised Jose Mourinho whose team Roma play at the same stadium, was “impossible to play on” despite both teams putting on an engaging spectacle for the 45,000 present in Rome.

Sarri also lost Ciro Immobile to a thigh injury on the half-hour mark and fourth-placed Lazio can be overtaken by local rivals Roma if they beat Sampdoria on Monday.

AFP

Sports

Ballon d’Or 2025: Full List Of Winners

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

In a night of celebration and surprises at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned new champions in men’s and women’s football. PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé emerged as the men’s winner, capping off a stellar season that saw him lead his club to Champions League triumph.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí made history by securing the women’s award for the third consecutive year. Here’s the complete rundown of all the major awards from football’s most prestigious gala.

Men’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

The 28-year-old French star beat out fierce competition from Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Dembélé’s pivotal role in PSG’s European success, including key goals and assists, propelled him to the top. This marks his first Ballon d’Or and continues a trend where winners since 2013 have been 28 or older.

Top 5 Rankings:
1 Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

2 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Women’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Bonmatí became the first player to win three in a row, despite Barcelona’s loss in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to Arsenal and Spain’s defeat to England in the Euro 2025 final. Her standout performances as the best player in both the Euros and Champions League sealed the deal, edging out Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Barcelona’s Mariona Caldentey.

Other Major Awards
• Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player, Under 21): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
The 18-year-old wunderkind took home this award without contest, with speculation swirling about his potential for the senior Ballon d’Or in future years. Yamal’s speech humbly acknowledged the bigger prize ahead.

• Yashin Trophy (Donnaruma): Now in Manchester City, however the Italian shotstopper was pivotal during PSG’s quest for its first European glory.

• Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
Honoring their dominant 2024-25 campaign, including Champions League victory. The Paris crowd erupted as DJ Snake presented the award amid chants.

• Women’s Club of the Year: Arsenal
Recognized for their undefeated run in the Champions League and overall excellence.

• Coach of the Year: Luis Enrique

Highlights and reactions
The evening was a mix of glamour and minor gaffes—think awkward dance breaks and a quirky DJ presentation—but the focus remained on the stars. Dembélé’s win has sparked debates on X and beyond, with fans crediting his team’s support while others lament Salah’s perennial near-miss. “What does Mo Salah have to do?” one BBC commenter quipped.

Bonmatí’s third win cements her as a legend at just 27, though some voices argued for Russo’s dual Euros and Champions League heroics. Real Madrid’s boycott drama from 2024 was absent this year, with their stars like Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior attending gracefully despite missing the podium.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: 2025 Women’s Club Of The Year Emerge

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Arsenal Women have been named the 2025 Women’s Club of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.

The award comes after a historic season for the Gunners, who lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League, defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. Stina Blackstenius scored the decisive goal to hand Arsenal their second European crown.

Beyond their European success, the North London side also impressed domestically, finishin second in the Women’s Super League and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup..

The Women’s Club of the Year award recognises not only on-field success but also the club’s wider contribution to the growth of the women’s game.

Arsenal’s strong development structure, international recognition, and fan engagement were also factors behind their recognition.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned the Best Team of 2025 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

The French champions, who enjoyed a remarkable season both domestically and in Europe, were recognised for their consistency and dominance across competitions.

The French giants enjoyed an extraordinary 2024-25 season, capturing four major trophies: the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Champions League, and the Trophée des Champions.

They also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, underlining their quality and ability to compete with the very best across continents.

The Best Team award at the Ballon d’Or gala highlights the Parisians’ evolution from domestic dominance to genuine European and global contenders.