Sports

UCL: Rampant Arsenal Score Seven Against Sorry PSV

Published

10 months ago

March 5, 2025

Arsenal’s talented teenage duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri combined on Tuesday to help the Gunners to an imperious 7-1 Champions League last-16 first leg advantage over a shambolic PSV Eindhoven.

The Premiership side were on a different level to the struggling Dutch champions, who were condemned to their worst-ever defeat in European football.

Arsenal dominated from the outset. Declan Rice’s powerful shot into the PSV net on 11 minutes was chalked off for a narrow offside, but it was a taste of what was to come.

Against the run of play, PSV should have taken the lead after a quarter of an hour but Ismael Saibari somehow contrived to hit the bar from close range with the goalkeeper already beaten.

Arsenal made the hosts pay for their profligacy two minutes later. Rice was afforded far too much space in the PSV box, allowing him to chip a cross to the far post, gratefully headed home by Arsenal’s own flying Dutchman, Jurrien Timber.

The Premiership side doubled their lead shortly afterwards following more generous Dutch defending.

Lewis-Skelly, the 18-year-old English defender, found himself in acres of space in a dangerous area, squaring to fellow teenager Nwaneri, who smashed the cross into the top corner.

PSV’s shambolic defending turned to embarrassment as Arsenal made it three after just over half an hour played.

The defence squandered four chances to make an easy clearance, the ball eventually falling to makeshift striker Mikel Merino, who rolled past Walter Benitez.

The shellshocked fans in the Philips Stadion received a glimmer of hope however just before half time, PSV winning a penalty after Thomas Partey needlessly wrapped his arms around striker Luuk de Jong’s head.

Netherlands international winger Noa Lang made no mistake from the spot, smashing the ball into the top corner, giving David Raya no chance.

A lifeline for the Dutch champions, who went into half-time 3-1 down after a breathless first 45 minutes.

Lewis-Skelly meanwhile had been substituted, arguably fortunate to escape a second yellow card after a clumsy challenge on Richard Ledezma.

– Record defeat –
But any hope for the home fans was quickly snuffed out, as Arsenal scored twice in the first three minutes of the second half.

Nwaneri broke impressively down the right, squaring a cross that Benitez could only palm into the path of Martin Odegaard.

By now, it was all too easy for Arsenal. With 49 minutes gone, Riccardo Calafiori eased past the left side of the PSV defence, finding Belgium international striker Leandro Trossard, who lifted his shot effortlessly home.

Odegaard grabbed a second as PSV capitulated, the Norwegian running unchallenged at the defence before firing a shot that Benitez parried lamely into his own net.

Calafiori compounded the misery with a seventh on 86 minutes, beating the previous record for PSV goals conceded in Europe — they lost 6-0 to Saint-Etienne in the 1980 UEFA Cup.

It was a sad evening for the 1987 European Cup champions, whose fans streamed out of the stadium well before the final whistle.

Arsenal in contrast have the luxury of a comfortable lead, with the winner of the tie between Real or Atletico Madrid the next challenge.

AFP

Sports

AFCON 2025: Lookman Scores Winner As Super Eagles Start Campaign With 2–1 Victory Over Tanzania

Published

5 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Ademola Lookman scored what proved to be the decisive goal as Nigeria beat Tanzania 2-1 in their opening game at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles came into the match as heavy favourites to win and dominated the opening exchanges.

After coming close a few times, the three-time champions took the lead through Semi Ajayi.

The ball was recycled following a corner-kick, before Alex Iwobi crossed it into the area for Ajayi to head home.

Tanzania equalized after Charles M’Mombwa found himself unmarked inside the area.

But two minutes later, Nigeria struck the winner through Lookman, who took a few touches and finished with his left foot.

Sports

JUST IN: Dembélé Named FIFA Best Men’s Player, Bonmatí Wins Women’s Award

Published

2 weeks ago

December 16, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has been awarded the FIFA Best Men’s Player for 2025, following a season in which he contributed significantly to both his club and the France national team.

Dembélé, known for his pace, creativity, and goal-scoring ability, played a central role in Paris Saint-Germain’s campaigns across domestic and European competitions. His performances for the national team also helped France secure notable results in international fixtures.

Speaking on the recognition, Dembélé said, “It is a great honour to receive this award. I could not have achieved this without my teammates at PSG and in the national team, whose support has been invaluable.”

In the women’s category, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí was named FIFA Best Women’s Player for 2025. Bonmatí was influential in Barcelona’s domestic and European campaigns, providing leadership, vision, and creativity in midfield. She also played a key role in Spain’s international successes.

“This award reflects the hard work of my teammates and coaches,” Bonmatí said. “I am grateful for their guidance and support throughout the season.”

The announcements reaffirm FIFA’s recognition of individual excellence in football while highlighting the contributions of players to both club and country.

Sports

Court Fixes Date To Hear Sala Compensation Dispute

Published

3 weeks ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

A commercial court examining the long-running dispute between Cardiff City and French club Nantes over compensation for the death of Emiliano Sala in a plane crash said Monday it would give its decision on March 30 next year.

Sala, a 28-year-old Argentine striker, died when the light aircraft taking him to the Welsh capital came down in the English Channel on January 21, 2019, two days after he had signed for the then-Premier League side. He and pilot David Ibbotson were killed.

The Welsh club took the case to the Nantes commercial court in 2023 to claim compensation for loss of income and other damages suffered by the club as a result of the player’s death.

Following an analysis conducted by an expert appointed by Cardiff City, the club estimated their losses at over 120 million euros ($139.5 million). Lawyers for both clubs made their cases at Monday’s hearing.

The Welsh club argue that Nantes, through their intermediary, agent Willie McKay, were the organisers of the private flight on which the footballer was travelling and that, if the transfer was effective at the time of the accident according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), it is the organisation of this flight that is at issue.

Cardiff City’s lawyer, Olivier Loizon, told the court Monday, Willie McKay “could not have been unaware of the illegality of the flight”, and argued that the agent had acted with “negligence”.

“Whatever the ultimate cause of the accident, (Sala) should not have been on the flight,” he added.

Nantes’ lawyer, Jerome Marsaudon, insisted Monday the only agent authorised by the club in connection with the transfer was Mark McKay, the son of Willie McKay.

The elder McKay “was simply helping his son, given his extensive experience”, the lawyer said.

“It is sad to see that Cardiff have exploited this tragedy and turned it into a genuine legal farce,” he added. “Nothing in this case justifies holding FC Nantes liable.”

Prior to the start of the hearing, a Nantes representative said the club “have no doubt that Cardiff’s claims will be rejected outright, just like all the others”.

In another case related to the dispute between the two clubs, CAS ruled in 2022 that Sala’s transfer had definitely been finalised at the time of his death.

In 2023, world football’s governing body FIFA ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes the balance of Sala’s transfer fee, which at the time amounted to just over 11 million euros out of a total of 17 million euros.