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Real Madrid hammer Man City 3-1 to hit champions league last 16
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Kylian Mbappe struck a brilliant hat-trick for Champions League holders Real Madrid in a 3-1 win over Manchester City, helping Los Blancos reach the last 16 with a 6-3 aggregate victory.
Pep Guardiola’s side, shorn of key striker Erling Haaland, suffered a painful early exit on Wednesday without laying a glove on the completely dominant 15-time record winners in the Spanish capital until Nico Gonzalez tapped home in stoppage time.
French superstar Mbappe broke the deadlock with a lob in the fourth minute and netted a fine second after combining with his attacking partners as the English side were sliced open.
The striker, in sensational form after a slow start to life at Madrid, completed his treble in the second half with a low strike from the edge of the box to reach seven goals in the competition this season in 10 appearances.
“We wanted to win and go through because, for us, it was logical that Real Madrid would be in the last 16 of the Champions League,” Mbappe told Movistar.
“We know that at home, we are very strong, and we played as a team in the best way, and we made Madrid fans very happy.”
Mbappe has scored 28 goals this season, with 18 in his last 18 games across all competitions.
Next up for Madrid in the last 16 is a clash with either local rivals Atletico or German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
It was the first time in Guardiola’s illustrious career that one of his teams in the Champions League had failed to reach the round of 16.
City, who won the competition in 2023, were a far cry from their best as has been the case for much of their campaign.
Guardiola was dealt bad news before the game with Haaland, who netted twice in the first leg, named on the bench after suffering a knock over the weekend against Newcastle.
By contrast, Real Madrid welcomed back Antonio Rudiger from injury and he slotted seamlessly into defence, with Aurelien Tchouameni restored to his preferred midfield slot.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side performed almost flawlessly from the off and took the lead in the opening stages.
Mbappe shrugged off Ruben Dias and lofted the ball over City goalkeeper Ederson after young centre-back Raul Asencio played him in with a long pass.
John Stones limped off for the visitors a few minutes later in another blow for the Premier League champions.
Mbappe netted his second in the 33rd minute after Madrid’s “fantastic four” star players combined. Jude Bellingham fed Vinicius, who rolled the ball across for Rodrygo, who nudged it to Mbappe.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward slipped inside to leave the flailing Josko Gvardiol sliding in the wrong direction and drilled home at the near post.
Madrid’s only blot on their copybook was a booking for Bellingham for fouling England teammate Phil Foden, leaving him suspended for the last 16 first leg.
Mbappe completed his hat-trick with a superb individual goal just after the hour mark, opening up some space on the edge of the box and firing beyond Ederson as City’s defence stood off.
The visitors pulled a goal back in stoppage time when Omar Marmoush crashed a free-kick against the crossbar, and Gonzalez rolled home the rebound, but it offered scant consolation.
City have now lost 13 games in their last 26 across all competitions, and face Premier League leaders Liverpool next on Sunday, with a battle to finish in the top four on their hands.
Madrid, by contrast, are still in the running for three major competitions.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
Troops of the Nigerian Army have, in the last 24 hours, rescued 34 kidnap victims, apprehended suspected ISWAP informants and recovered arms and ammunition in coordinated operations nationwide.
This is contained in an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
The report said that troops of Operation HADIN KAI rescued 31 kidnap victims from terrorists along the Buratai-Kamuya road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno.
It said the rescue followed a swift response after troops of 135 Special Forces Battalion detected ISWAP/JAS terrorists abducting civilians from four vehicles through CCTV surveillance.
According to the report, troops immediately deployed a quick reaction force, engaged the terrorists and forced them to abandon the victims and flee, with one motorcycle left behind.
“In another operation, troops of 145 Battalion conducted a fighting patrol to the Turoh general area of Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area.
“The terrorists reportedly fled on sighting the troops, leaving behind two motorcycles and illicit drugs recovered during exploitation of the area.
“Also, troops of 232 Battalion Tactical apprehended a suspected ISWAP informant at Garaha Market in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa,” it said.
In the North-West, the report revealed that troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA engaged terrorists moving with rustled cattle in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.
It added that the troops’ superior firepower forced the terrorists to withdraw in disarray during the encounter.
The report also revealed that troops of Operation MESA rescued a kidnapped woman and her two children along the old Obajana-Jakura-Tajimi road in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi.
According to the report, preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were abducted on July 29 from a Ruga settlement in the Gada-Biyu area of the same local government.
“In Plateau State, troops of Operation Enduring Peace responded to reports of an attack on a herder in Bassa Local Government Area.
“The assailants had fled before the troops arrived, while the deceased and recovered cattle were handed over to the victim’s family,” it added.
In the South-East, the report said the troops of Operation UDO KA recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of three suspected terrorists linked to the ambush of troops in Imo on May 4.
It added that the operation, conducted in Delta and Imo states, followed intelligence obtained from earlier arrested suspects.
According to the report, troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, one FN rifle, a pistol, 11 AK-47 magazines, two FN magazines, 239 rounds of assorted ammunition, a fragmentation jacket and other military items from terrorist camps.
“The recovered weapons included rifles earlier carted away during the May ambush on troops, while further exploitation led to the discovery of another terrorist camp containing additional arms and ammunition,” it said.
A joint military task force has rescued a senior Nigerian Army officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr. Ikechukwu Onwuanra, after an intensive 10-day search-and-rescue operation across forests and communities in Enugu State.
This was contained in a military operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, August 1, 2026 in Abuja.
The breakthrough came in the early hours of Saturday following sustained operations by troops of Sector 1, Operation UDO KA (OPUK).
The search mission involved personnel of the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Rear), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (NN SBS), and the 197 Special Forces Battalion, operating under the leadership of the Commander, 82 Division Garrison, with support from the Air Component.
According to the report, between 6:00 p.m. on July 31 and 6:00 a.m. on August 1, the joint troops continued search operations using actionable intelligence across Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze forests and adjoining communities in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.News
At about 2:00 a.m., the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Inyi Division alerted the troops to the suspected location of the kidnapped victims.
The troops immediately mobilised and launched a fighting patrol into the area, where they discovered Lt. Col. Amobi and Mr. Onwuanra abandoned at the edge of a forest. The civilian was found with a gunshot wound.
The victims were successfully rescued and evacuated to Inyi before being moved to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for medical treatment and comprehensive evaluation.
During preliminary debriefing, the victims disclosed that they had been blindfolded shortly after their abduction and transported to an unknown location.
They said they were later abandoned in a forest around the Enugu–Anambra border as the kidnappers came under sustained operational pressure.
The military attributed the successful rescue to the relentless pressure mounted by the joint force, supported by the Air Component, which maintained continuous dominance of the suspected hideouts and denied the abductors freedom of movement throughout the 10-day operation.
The sustained search-and-rescue mission ultimately forced the kidnappers to abandon the captives and flee.
Further investigations and follow-up operations are ongoing to identify, track and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
Fire has engulfed Lagos airport’s Terminal 2.
FAAN said its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) had been deployed to contain the fire.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to inform the public that a fire incident has occurred at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos,” the statement read.
“The FAAN Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) is currently responding to the incident and working diligently to contain the situation.”
FAAN said there were no reported casualties or loss of life.
“There have been no reported casualties or loss of life,” the authority stated.
It added that further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.
Troops rescue 34 abductees, nab ISWAP informant, recover arms
Joint military task force rescue kidnapped Lt Col, civilian after 10-day search operation
JUST IN: Fire engulfs Lagos airport’s Terminal 2
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