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UCL: Garnacho Rescues Chelsea Against Qarabag
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Alejandro Garnacho spared Chelsea’s blushes as the Argentine’s equaliser rescued a 2-2 draw against Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Enzo Maresca’s side were in danger of an embarrassing loss at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku after falling behind in the first half.
Estevao Willian gave Chelsea an early lead but Leandro Andrade equalised before Marko Jankovic converted a penalty to give the Azerbaijani minnows hope of a famous upset.
Former Manchester United winger Garnacho came off the bench to bail out the Blues with his composed finish after the interval.
Both sides have seven points from their first four matches in the league phase, leaving them in contention for the top eight finish that secures automatic qualification for the last 16.
While two-time European champions Chelsea have spent over £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) on new signings in the last three seasons, Qarabag’s total transfer outlay since 2020 is less than £7 million.
Despite that financial disparity, Chelsea found it hard to subdue their spirited hosts and they made the five-and-half-hour trip home still without a Champions League away win since October 2022.
Mockingly nicknamed “carrier bag” on their disappointing debut in the Champions League group stage eight years ago, Qarabag have proved a surprise package in this season’s competition.
They staged a superb comeback to win 3-2 at Benfica, then beat Copenhagen 2-0 at home and Chelsea were the latest to find them a tough nut to crack.
Chelsea’s players were kept on UK time while in Baku to mitigate the effects of the four-hour time difference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Wolves at Stamford Bridge, which is less than 72 hours after they return to London.
The Blues didn’t arrive in Baku until the early hours of Wednesday morning, so Maresca made seven changes from Saturday’s win at Tottenham in a bid to keep his team fresh.
Garnacho to the rescue
Estevao gave Chelsea’s inexperienced team a deserved lead in the 16th minute after a vibrant opening.
Picked out by Andrey Santos’ pass, Estevao shifted the ball onto his left foot and hit a low drive from 12 yards that beat Qarabag keeper Mateusz Kochalski at his near post.
It was the precocious 18-year-old’s fourth goal in all competitions this season.
Brazil forward Estevao is the third-youngest player in Champions League history to score in each of his first two starts in the tournament behind Ethan Nwaneri and Kylian Mbappe.
But Chelsea failed to build on that promising start and they were punished for sloppy defending in the 29th minute.
Camilo Duran stole possession from Chelsea defender Jorrel Hato and cut inside Tosin Adarabioyo for a shot that cannoned back off the post to Leandro Andrade, who slotted a clinical finish into the far corner.
Qarabag had the momentum and they struck again in the 39th minute as Chelsea’s lack of experience started to show.
The hapless Hato lost possession on the edge of his own area and conceded a penalty after blocking Duran’s cross with his outstretched arm.
Jankovic sent Robert Sanchez the wrong way from the spot to leave Chelsea in disarray at the interval.
Maresca introduced Garnacho, Enzo Fernandez and Liam Delap for the second half and the triple change paid instant dividends.
Delap picked out Garnacho and the 21-year-old lashed a fierce strike past Kochalski from the edge of the area for his second goal since arriving in August.
Fernandez almost emulated Garnacho’s impact with an instinctive snap-shot that Kochalski tipped over.
Chelsea laid seige to the Qarabag goal in the dying minutes, but Fernandez drilled narrowly over from distance before Garnacho’s close-range effort was repelled by Kochalski.
AFP
News
DAY 13 of Projects Commissioning in the FCT
President Tinubu Will Commission Roads 01 and 02 Linking Mabushi Bus Terminal and Ahmadu Bello Way Today
#FCTRenewedHope
#FCTProjectsCommissioning
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BEWARE: FG warns 26 States of flood, places, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Adamawa, Benue, others as critical risk areas
The Federal Government has alerted residents of 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the possibility of flooding between June 22 and July 5, 2026, following forecasts of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country.
The warning was issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Flood Early Warning Centre under its Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.
The ministry said several communities across the country have been identified as areas that could face serious flood threats during the period.
According to the forecast released on June 22, heavy rainfall is expected in many locations, raising concerns about possible flooding in vulnerable communities.
States placed under the critical-risk category include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers.
In Abia State, the affected communities include Aba, Arochukwu and Umuahia. In Adamawa, the ministry listed Jimeta and Numan, while Eket, Oron and Uyo were named in Akwa Ibom. In Anambra, Onitsha Inland Town and Awka Urban Drainage Corridors were identified as vulnerable locations.
Bayelsa communities such as Yenagoa, Brass and Nembe Town were also listed among areas that could be affected by flooding.
Other locations mentioned include Makurdi, Gboko and Katsina-Ala in Benue State; Calabar Metropolis and Creek Town in Cross River State; Asaba, Warri and Sapele in Delta State; and Abakaliki, Afikpo and Onueke in Ebonyi State.
The ministry also identified Benin City Urban Core and Auchi in Edo State, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, as well as Enugu, Nsukka and Oji River Town in Enugu State.
In Imo State, Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe were listed, while Lokoja and Ajaokuta were named in Kogi State. Communities such as Ilorin, Jebba and Pategi in Kwara State were also included in the warning.
Several parts of Lagos State were equally listed among the areas at risk.
These include Agege, Alimosho, Apapa, Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki and Surulere.
In Niger State, Bida, Minna, Mokwa, Suleja and Kontagora were identified, while Abeokuta, Ota and Sagamu were listed in Ogun State.
The flood alert further covered Akure, Owo and Okitipupa in Ondo State; Oshogbo, Ile-Ife and Ilesa in Osun State; Ibadan, Ogbomoso and Oyo in Oyo State; as well as Port Harcourt Urban Core, Bonny, Ahoada and Omoku in Rivers State.
Apart from the states under the critical-risk category, the ministry also placed parts of Adamawa, the FCT, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states under a high-risk category.
Communities listed in this group include Yola North, Yola South, Mubi and Gurin in Adamawa State; Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Nyanya and Wuse in the FCT; Birnin Kebbi and Argungu in Kebbi State; Bako in Kogi State; and Keffi, Lafia, Karu and Toto in Nasarawa State.
The warning also covered Jos and Jos North in Plateau State, as well as Jalingo, Wukari, Takum, Serti and Karim Lamido in Taraba State.
News
Finally, INEC confirms suspension of staff linked to Emeka Ike’s voter data leak
Finally, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed suspended an electoral officer allegedly involved in the voter data leak concerning Nollywood actor and politician, Emeka Ike.
The Commission disclosed that investigations by security agencies and data protection regulators are still ongoing.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, made the disclosure during a fireside chat organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, PAACA, in Abuja.
The suspension came against the backdrop of a controversy that arose after the voter registration details of actor and politician, Emeka Ike, surfaced online during a dispute linked to a political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory.
The electoral body said preliminary findings showed there was no external breach of its ICT infrastructure or compromise of its voter register.
Rather, according to the Commission, the data was allegedly accessed using valid credentials assigned to officials involved in the ongoing CVR exercise and subsequently disclosed without authorisation.
INEC said its audit trail enabled investigators to identify the specific user account used to access the voter record, leading to the questioning of personnel with access to the system.
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