Sports
W/Cup Qualifiers: South Africa Hold Nigeria To 1-1 Draw
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The Super Eagles of Nigeria played out a 1-1 draw with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Coach Finidi George opted to start Southampton forward, Paul Onuachu to lead the lines instead of Victor bOnifcae of Bayern Leverkusen, with another surprise inclusion in the likes of Fisayo Dele-Basiru in the heart of midfield.
Nigeria were hoping to avoid a third consecutive draw in the Group C World Cup qualifiers, however, South Africa’s Themba Zwane had something else in store as his 28th-minute strike beat Stanley Nwabali for an early lead.
Hugo Broos’ men seemed more disciplined at the back with last minute stops to deny UEFA European League final hero, Ademola Lookman as well as Kelechi Iheanacho.
Nigeria ended the first half the better side and resumed the second half with some renewed zest and were rewarded with a wonderful strike courtesy of Dele-Basiru who beat Ronwen Williams for the equaliser.
The introduction of Samuel Chukwueze almost put the Super Eagles ahead but the crossbar denied the AC Milan man to keep the tie even
Despite a flurry of attack, Bafana Bafana remained resolute to see out the draw.
Nigeria remain fifth with three points on the log table, a point behind South Africa who are on 4 points
Sports
Premier League: Brentford Humble Tottenham, Everton, Leeds, Ipswich Start With Wins
Big-spending Tottenham Hotspur made a nightmare start to the new Premier League season after Brentford swept them aside in a convincing 3-0 win at the Gtech Community Stadium earlier today, August 22.
Spurs, who spent about £237 million this summer and broke their transfer record twice in a bid to avoid a repeat of last season’s struggles, handed debuts to four new signings in west London. Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and club-record £100m signing Sandro Tonali all started.
However, Brentford tore through Roberto De Zerbi’s side from the opening stages.
Keane Lewis-Potter gave the home side the lead in the 12th minute after Mamadou Sangare picked him out unmarked inside the area. Brentford’s club-record summer signing continued to impress as the hosts controlled the match.
The Bees doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute when Vitaly Janelt tapped home after Antonin Kinsky had saved Mathias Jensen’s effort.
Tottenham failed to register a shot on target in the first half, prompting De Zerbi to make a double change in the second half. He introduced £85m signing Mateus Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur for Conor Gallagher and Lucas Bergvall.
The changes failed to alter the pattern of the game as Michael Kayode added Brentford’s third after Sangare’s effort fell into his path following a save by Kinsky.
Brentford almost made it four when Michael Oliver awarded a penalty for Bentancur’s foul on Kevin Schade. Igor Thiago, however, struck the post from the spot.
Earlier in the day, Everton recovered from an early scare to beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, securing their first opening-day Premier League win in five years.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry scored either side of half-time to give David Moyes’ side their earliest win in a new campaign since August 2021. The win also ended a seven-match winless run from the end of last season.
Crystal Palace began life under new manager Pierre Sage without last season’s top scorer Ismaila Sarr, who missed the travelling squad amid links with Galatasaray.
The visitors created early chances through Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Philippe Mateta, while both players later struck the woodwork.
Everton made Palace pay three minutes before half-time when Dewsbury-Hall fired into the far corner. Barry doubled the lead eight minutes after the restart, heading in Iliman Ndiaye’s cross from close range.
Palace’s difficult afternoon worsened when defender Chadi Riad left the pitch on a stretcher with an apparent serious knee injury.
At the City Ground, Oliver Glasner’s reign as Nottingham Forest manager began with a 1-0 defeat to Leeds United.
Anton Stach scored the decisive goal directly from a free-kick with two minutes remaining after Nikola Milenkovic fouled him.
The match remained finely balanced for much of the afternoon, with set-pieces creating most of the danger. Harry Wilson had a Leeds goal ruled out for offside, while Forest defender Jair Cunha hit the post before half-time.
Igor Jesus headed wide for the hosts after the break, while Matz Sels denied Tarik Muharemovic as Leeds pushed for a breakthrough.
Stach finally delivered it in the closing stages, beating Sels at the near post to give Leeds a winning start to the campaign and hand Glasner a painful opening defeat.
Ipswich Town also celebrated a winning return to the Premier League as substitute Jack Clarke struck a 90th-minute winner against his former club Sunderland at Portman Road.
Ipswich took the lead in the 24th minute when Julio Enciso intercepted a pass, carried the ball forward and squared for summer signing Emersonn to score.
Sunderland hit back six minutes before half-time through Nilson Angulo, whose curling free-kick struck the crossbar before going in.
With the game heading towards a draw, former Sunderland winger Clarke curled the ball into the far bottom corner to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory for Ipswich.
Sports
Arsenal slam Coventry 3-0 in premier league’s first game
Arsenal hammered Coventry City 3-0 in the first game of this Premier League season on Friday night.
The Gunners have begun the defence of their title with maximum points at the Emirates.
First-half goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka put the reigning champions firmly in control, and captain Martin Odegaard added a third soon after the restart to seal a comfortable win on the opening day of the campaign.
Arsenal were without their new signing Bruno Guimaraes because of an injury, but another of the summer arrivals, Christos Tzolis, had provided the early spark, cutting in from the left before curling a shot over five minutes in.
The Greek winger also played a part in Arsenal’s opener, but it was a familiar face who found the breakthrough, as Havertz, starting ahead of Viktor Gyokeres, turned in Riccardo Calafiori’s low cross after 15 minutes.
It was 2-0 eight minutes later when Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth could only palm Tzolis’ low delivery into the feet of Saka and the England international fired into the unguarded goal.
Odegaard added a third four minutes into the second half, receiving a pass from Ben White and beating Rushworth, albeit with a scuffed finish.
Sports
Aston Villa Sign Wan-Bissaka on Season-Long Loan
Aston Villa have completed the signing of West Ham United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka on a season-long loan deal that includes a conditional obligation to buy.
The 28-year-old DR Congo international joins Unai Emery’s side after Villa and West Ham reached an agreement over the transfer.
The specific conditions attached to the potential permanent move have not been disclosed, although West Ham had previously valued the right-back at around £25 million.
Wan-Bissaka was absent from West Ham’s opening two Championship fixtures of the season as negotiations over his return to the Premier League continued.
He joined West Ham from Manchester United in 2024 on a seven-year contract and made 65 appearances for the club across two seasons. He featured 25 times last season as the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League.
Villa are hoping Wan-Bissaka’s experience will bolster their defence as they prepare for a demanding campaign that includes both Premier League and Champions League football.
The defender made 190 appearances for Manchester United, winning the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
He also started all four of DR Congo’s matches at the 2026 World Cup, where the Leopards reached the round of 32.
Villa’s agreement with West Ham bears similarities to the club’s loan deal for Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott last season. Elliott arrived with a £35 million obligation to buy that was dependent on him making 10 league appearances. However, he made only four appearances before returning to Liverpool this summer.
Wan-Bissaka could make his Aston Villa debut against Brighton on Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm BST.
His arrival also adds defensive depth to Emery’s squad as Villa prepare to compete in the Champions League after finishing fourth in the Premier League and winning the Europa League last season.
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