Sports

Bayern Suffer Nine-Year Low In Shock Loss, Slip Eight Points Off Title Pace

Published

2 years ago

February 19, 2024

Naijablitz

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Bayern Munich slumped to a shock 3-2 loss at lowly Bochum on Sunday, suffering a third successive defeat for the first time since 2015 and leaving them eight points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race.

The result followed a 3-0 league defeat to Leverkusen last weekend and a 1-0 loss against Lazio in the Champions League as coach Thomas Tuchel came under renewed pressure.

Tuchel was bullish after the match, saying “the loss today wasn’t justified. We were extremely unlucky.”

Bayern were also reduced to 10 men with 13 minutes remaining when Dayot Upamecano elbowed Kevin Stoeger in the box, picking up a second yellow, giving away a penalty and seeing red for the second match in a row.

Stoeger blasted the penalty past Manuel Neuer to give Bochum a 3-1 lead.

Harry Kane scored with three minutes remaining to get Bayern back into the match and even had a chance to equalise late, but directed a tame header straight at Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann.

Bayern had beaten Bochum 7-0 in three of their past five meetings and the visitors scored early, Jamal Musiala blasting in after 14 minutes.

It was the German champions’ first goal in over three hours of football.

Kane had a chance shortly after when one-on-one with Riemann but skied his shot into the stands.

Tuchel lamented his side’s wastefulness in attack, telling DAZN “we had more than enough high-quality chances which those guys would normally put away.”

The home side absorbed waves of Bayern pressure before Takuma Asano levelled after 38 minutes, shooting a low shot past Neuer on a counter attack.

Bayern fell behind just six minutes later, Keven Schlotterbeck heading in a corner.

The visitors turned the screws early in the second-half but the match was delayed for 12 minutes by fan protests against the Bundesliga’s investment plan, after which Bochum held their own against the German giants.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Upamecano clashed with Stoeger contesting a corner and was sent off.

In teeming rain, Stoeger hit his penalty low and hard to the right, past Neuer’s outstretched hand.

Bayern’s teenage forward Mathys Tel set up Kane after 87 minutes, getting Bayern back into the match but then Kane wasted a golden chance to seize a last-gasp point.

Stoeger said: “It’s an enormous relief. We thought we could get a point and we got three.”

“I think all of Bochum is proud of the performance we delivered.”

Bochum coach Thomas Letsch added: “To win against Bayern is especially nice, given they’re a team stacked with talent.”

– Freiburg, Frankfurt draw –
Earlier on Sunday, Freiburg forward Michael Gregoritsch scored in the last minute to snatch his side a 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Two goals from Ansgar Knauff, both set up by the impressive Omar Marmoush, who also got on the scoresheet, had Frankfurt on course for three points.

The visitors however failed to clear a corner and the 1.93-metre-tall Gregoritsch headed past Kevin Trapp to level the scores for Freiburg for the third and final time.

A frustrated Trapp told DAZN “we’re shooting ourselves in the foot”.

“It went back and forth, which is a shame for us. We could have taken more out of it.”

Frankfurt’s Marmoush scored first, but Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan hit back just three minutes later on the half-hour mark.

Marmoush’s superb pass allowed Knauff to score on the counter but the match was level again by half-time thanks to a penalty from Italy midfielder Vincenzo Grifo.

Knauff again put Frankfurt in front after 72 minutes before Gregoritsch came to the rescue.

In another match interrupted as fans threw objects on the pitch, Knauff then saved Frankfurt in the ninth minute of added time when he cleared a bouncing ball off the line.

The point moves Frankfurt four clear of Werder Bremen in sixth-place, the last European spot.

Sports

Breaking: Chelsea slammed with transfer ban, £10m fine over Premier league rule breach

Published

6 hours ago

March 16, 2026

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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English Premier League giants Chelsea FC have been handed a transfer ban and fined £10 million after being found guilty of breaching financial regulations set by the Premier League.

The sanctions follow an investigation into historical financial irregularities involving undisclosed payments made between 2011 and 2018. According to the league, the payments were made by third parties linked to the club to players, agents and other individuals but were not reported to football authorities at the time.

Although the club has been penalised, it will still be able to sign senior players unless further breaches occur. The league opted not to impose harsher sporting punishments such as a points deduction.

Details of the Sanctions

Under the disciplinary ruling, Chelsea will face a suspended one-year ban on registering first-team players. The suspension will remain in place for two years and will only take effect if the club commits another breach during that period.

In addition to the suspended first-team restriction, the club must pay a £10 million fine. Chelsea have also been hit with a separate punishment relating to youth player registrations, including a nine-month ban on signing academy players from other Premier League or English Football League clubs and a £750,000 fine.

All sanctions take effect immediately, and the club will also cover the full costs of the investigation and disciplinary proceedings.

Sports

FIFA hammers Nigeria, DR of Congo over World Cup misconduct

Published

8 hours ago

March 16, 2026

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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Four months after the disputed 2026 FIFA World Cup African play-off final between Nigeria national football team and DR Congo national football team, FIFA has sanctioned the Nigeria Football Federation and the DR Congo Football Federation following disciplinary incidents that occurred during the match

A report by PUNCH Sports Extra recalled that DR Congo beat Nigeria 4–3 on penalties in Morocco to advance to the intercontinental play-offs.

According to FIFA’s latest disciplinary overview released for the World Cup qualifiers, both the NFF and the Congolese FA were found guilty of separate infractions during the match played on November 16, 2025.

FIFA stated that Nigeria was penalised for a breach relating to order and security at matches, specifically involving the throwing of objects by spectators under Article 17 and Article 17.2.b of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and the NFF was consequently fined 1,000 Swiss francs.

On their part, the DR Congo federation received a heavier sanction after supporters were found to have used laser pointers or similar electronic devices during the match.

The act contravenes Article 17.2.d of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, leading FIFA to impose a 5,000 Swiss francs fine on the Congolese body.

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle also accused DR Congo officials of using voodoo in the wake of the defeat.

Meanwhile, the sanctions further heighten expectations about the anticipated verdict of the world’s football governing body over the NFF’s protest against the alleged use of ineligible players by DR Congo during the African play-off, particularly in the final.

Nigeria lodged the complaint after losing the African play-off, arguing that the Congolese federation misled FIFA in securing nationality switches for several overseas-born players.

The petition, submitted on December 15, 2025, asked FIFA to investigate the matter and potentially disqualify DR Congo from the qualification process.

The Nigerian federation’s document listed numerous foreign-born players who featured against the Super Eagles, including Lionel Mpasi, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Arthur Masuaku, Samuel Moutoussamy, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Noah Sadiki, Nathanaël Mbuku and Cédric Bakambu in the starting line-up, as well as substitutes Timothy Fayulu, Matthieu Epolo, Joris Kayembe, Edo Kayembe, Steve Kapuadi, Gédéon Kalulu, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Mario Stroeykens.

In the complaint, released publicly by journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, Nigeria argued that several players obtained clearance to represent DR Congo only days before the decisive play-off match, despite having been called up earlier for the fixture.

While DR Congo are preparing for the World Cup play-offs, where they are scheduled to face the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica on March 31 for a place at the World Cup, they have also dropped two of the disputed players — Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Mario Stroeykens — from their 26-man squad. [The Punch]

Sports

Nigeria Beat Philippines 101–84 In FIBA Qualifier

Published

2 days ago

March 15, 2026

Admin

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Nigeria overturned a double-digit halftime deficit to defeat the Philippines 101–84 in a Group A game of the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Villeurbanne, France, on Saturday.

The Philippines led for more than 22 minutes and built a 10-point cushion in the first half. Nigeria responded strongly after the break, eventually pulling away in the final quarter.

Midway into the third quarter, Nigeria wiped out a five-point deficit with a 17–12 run. A turnaround jumper by Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah tied the score at 67–67.

Guards Ifunanya Okoro and Elizabeth Balogun scored nine points in the run. Promise Amukamara also grabbed four rebounds and added two points to steady the team.

Three-pointers from Janine Pontejos and Louna Ozar briefly kept the Philippines competitive. However, Nigeria’s inside scoring helped them take a 70–67 lead into the fourth quarter.

Centre Victoria Macaulay powered Nigeria’s comeback with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks in just over 21 minutes of play.

Murjanatu Musa contributed 10 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, while Nicole Enabosi recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds after an early scoring burst.

For the Philippines, Janine Pontejos led with 16 points, including an eight-point surge late in the second quarter to keep her side in contention.

Nigeria’s decisive moment came with a 9–0 run in the final quarter, stretching an 81–80 lead to 90–80 and effectively sealing the contest.

Balogun scored five points during the run with perfect shooting, while Nigeria’s defence limited the Philippines’ scoring options late in the game.

The Philippines earlier enjoyed a 7–0 run late in the first quarter, turning a 21–19 deficit into a 26–21 lead with Kacey Dela Rosa scoring five points.

The match featured 12 lead changes from early in the first quarter until midway in the third, when Nigeria seized the lead permanently.

Nigeria’s biggest lead reached 17 points in the closing seconds at 101–84. The Philippines’ largest advantage was 10 points in the second quarter.

Nigeria led for 15 minutes and eight seconds overall, while the Philippines held the advantage for 22 minutes and one second. The score was tied for two minutes and 51 seconds.

Nigeria’s most effective lineup of Ezinne Kalu, Amukamara, Macaulay, Balogun and Musa played nearly 16 minutes together and posted a plus-12 performance.

The victory highlighted Nigeria’s resilience and depth, as strong rebounding and balanced scoring helped secure a convincing second-half comeback in the tournament.