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Foden Scores Late Winner In Man City’s Victory Over Leeds

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Phil Foden spared Manchester City’s blushes with the last-gasp winner after the Premier League title challengers blew a two-goal lead in a dramatic 3-2 win over lowly Leeds on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were in danger of losing more ground in the title race following a second half collapse at the Etihad Stadium.

Foden and Josko Gvardiol put City two up before the interval, but third-bottom Leeds hit back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.

Foden clinched a nerve-jangling victory that lifted City into second place, four points behind leaders Arsenal, who travel to third-placed Chelsea on Sunday.

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It was a much-needed win after consecutive defeats against Newcastle last weekend and Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.

Guardiola’s decision to make 10 changes against Leverkusen backfired in a 2-0 loss that prompted the furious Spaniard to claim his players “didn’t try”.

Foden, Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva, Gianluigi Donnarumma were among the stars back in City’s starting line-up for the Leeds clash.

City had made their worst start to a campaign for five years and their second-worst under Guardiola.

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But they took just 59 seconds to move in front as Foden fired a close-range strike in off the bar after Matheus Nunes’ burst unhinged the Leeds defence.

Leeds had no answer to City’s slick start and Gvardiol looked to have put the hosts in complete control with a tap-in from Nico O’Reilly’s header in the 25th minute.

Despite Leeds’ protests that Silva was offside and blocking keeper Lucas Perri’s view, the goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check.

Calvert-Lewin made an immediate impact after coming off the bench, reducing the deficit with a clinical finish after pouncing on Nunes’ woeful pass inside the City area in the 49th minute.

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Leeds grabbed a shock equaliser in the 68th minute when Gvardiol fouled Calvert-Lewin.

Although Nmecha’s penalty was saved by Donnarumma, the forward recovered to score from the rebound.

Chasing his 100th top-flight goal, Haaland was unusually subdued but Foden picked up the slack in stoppage-time, cleverly making room in the area for an ice-cool finish as Guardiola breathed a sigh of relief.

Leeds’ sixth defeat in their last seven matches increased the pressure on manager Daniel Farke.

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Brentford striker Igor Thiago reached 11 league goals this season as his double fuelled a 3-1 win against Burnley in west London.

Dango Ouattara was chopped down by Axel Tuanzebe in the 81st minute and Thiago slammed in the spot-kick for his eighth goal in his last eight games.

Second-bottom Burnley won a penalty of their own four minutes later as Michael Kayode fouled Jaidon Anthony and Zian Flemming rolled in the equaliser.

Thiago struck 60 seconds later with a ferocious finish from Jordan Henderson’s cross and Ouattara’s rocket put the result beyond doubt in stoppage-time.

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Sunderland climbed to fourth place after fighting back from two goals down to beat Bournemouth 3-2 at the Stadium of Light.

The Cherries went ahead after seven minutes as Evanilson’s shot hit the post and Amine Adli slotted home from the rebound.

Tyler Adams doubled Bournemouth’s advantage eight minutes later with a moment of magic, lofting a superb chip over Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs from inside the centre circle.

Sunderland, promoted from the Championship last season, refused to surrender and Alex Scott’s foul on Reinildo Mandava conceded a penalty that Enzo Le Fee converted in the 30th minute.

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Bertrand Traore bagged Sunderland’s 46th minute equaliser with a composed finish from Granit Xhaka’s pass.

Brian Brobbey completed Sunderland’s stirring revival, heading in Le Fee’s cross in the 69th minute.

Later on Saturday, Newcastle visit Everton and Tottenham host Fulham.

AFP

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2026/2027 Champions League table after Match Day 1

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Paris Saint-Germain sit top of the Champions League table after Match Day 1 fixtures.

The current holders thrashed Slovan Bratislavia 6-1 at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

They are only ahead of Bayern Munich on goal difference. The Bundesliga champions put a goalless first half behind them to crush Bodo/Glimt 5-0 on Thursday.

The top five places are completed by Barcelona, Manchester United and Como 1907.

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The bottom three teams are Sabah FC, Slovan Bratislava and Bodo/Glimt.

Match Day 2 fixtures will be played in the week that begins October 13.

After each club has played eight matches, the top eight move into the last 16 and those ranked between ninth and 24th will go to the play-offs.

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Falconets Hold China To Draw, Keep U-20 World Cup Hopes Alive

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Nigeria’s Falconets remain in contention for a place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after playing out a goalless draw with China at Arena Sosnowiec in Poland.

The result earned Nigeria their first point in Group F, following their 2-0 defeat to Spain in their opening game.

The Falconets created opportunities against China but were unable to convert any of their chances as both sides settled for a share of the points.

China entered the encounter on the back of a 5-0 victory over New Caledonia and moved to four points, leaving them second in the group.

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Spain lead the standings on six points and have already booked their place in the Round of 16. The European side opened the competition with a 2-0 victory over Nigeria before recording one of the biggest wins in the tournament’s history.

Nigeria’s final group game will be against New Caledonia on Sunday, September 13, with the Falconets needing a positive result to keep their campaign going.

Another dropped point could bring their World Cup journey to an end.

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D’Tigress Players Get $100,000 Each as FG Completes Tinubu’s Historic AFROBASKET Rewards

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The Federal Government has paid the naira equivalent of $100,000 to each player of Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, completing the cash component of the Presidential Rewards announced after the team’s historic triumph at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) also confirmed that each team official received the naira equivalent of $50,000.

According to the commission, the payments were made on September 9, 2026, and all players and officials have confirmed receipt of the funds.

D’Tigress made history by winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title for a record fifth consecutive time and seventh time overall, further cementing Nigeria’s dominance in women’s basketball on the continent.

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The NSC said the latest payment means the Federal Government has now fulfilled all components of the rewards promised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the team.

In a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Kehinde Ajayi, on Wednesday, the commission said the package comprised three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, national honours and cash awards.

«“The entire presidential rewards promised to each member of the team by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, comprising a 3-Bedroom flat in Abuja, national honours of OON and Naira equivalent of $100,000 to players and $50,000 to officials have been fully redeemed and completed,” the statement said.»

The commission recalled that D’Tigress players and officials had earlier received the title documents to their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, as well as certificates confirming their national honours.

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The documents were presented in February 2026 during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Lyon, France, and were duly signed by President Tinubu.

The NSC said the cash component was subsequently processed following the team’s participation in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany.

Super Falcons Next in Line

The commission also provided an update on the Presidential Rewards promised to Nigeria’s senior women’s football team, the Super Falcons, following their achievements on the international stage.

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The Falcons have already received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja and certificates of national honours.

The documents were presented during the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, held in July and August.

The NSC said the cash component of the Falcons’ reward is expected to be paid before their next official engagements.

Under the package, each Super Falcons player is entitled to the naira equivalent of $100,000, while each official is to receive $50,000.

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FG: Athlete Welfare a Priority

The National Sports Commission described the reward programme as part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to improve the welfare of Nigerian athletes and recognise outstanding sporting achievements.

The commission said the initiative aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope and Shared Prosperity agenda, which it said places athletes’ welfare and appropriate rewards high on the government’s priorities.

It also commended President Tinubu for his support for Nigerian sports, saying his policies had strengthened the commission’s reform efforts and contributed to the development of a more sustainable sports economy.

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The NSC further acknowledged the contributions of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

According to the commission, the collaboration helped ensure that the Presidential Rewards were implemented “in record time within the due process requirements.”

The payment brings to a close the Federal Government’s reward package for the D’Tigress players and officials, following their his

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