Sports
Adebayo Rescues Struggling Luton In Draw Against Everton
Elijah Adebayo kept Luton in the hunt to avoid relegation from the Premier League as his equaliser rescued a 1-1 draw against Everton on Friday.
Rob Edwards’ side trailed to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s penalty but Adebayo scored the crucial leveller before half-time at Kenilworth Road.
Despite earning just one win in their past 15 league games, third-bottom Luton are still in contention to beat the drop.
They are behind fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest on goal difference, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s team facing already-relegated Sheffield United on Saturday.
A Forest win at Bramall Lane would move them three points ahead of Luton, who have two games left against West Ham and Fulham to avoid an immediate return to the Championship after last season’s fairytale promotion.
Luton’s survival bid is further complicated by the wait for a verdict on Forest’s appeal against their four-point deduction for financial breaches, with a Premier League announcement expected before the end of the season.
Despite losing eight points as punishment for financial breaches of their own, Everton had already secured their Premier League status with three games to spare.
Winners of their previous three matches, Sean Dyche’s side had nothing to play for on their first visit to Kenilworth Road for 17 years but they did enough to frustrate the superstitious Edwards.
Edwards revealed this week that he drives the same route to the stadium, uses the same toothpaste and walks his dog at a certain time of day if Luton are on a winning streak.
Beaten in their last three matches, Edwards needed a change of fortune so he said he would switch his underwear for the Everton clash.
Unfortunately for Edwards, Luton’s luck was out initially as Tahith Chong appealed in vain for an early penalty after stumbling when Everton ‘keeper Jordan Pickford rushed out to challenge the Luton forward.
Teden Mengi gifted Everton a 23rd-minute penalty when he needlessly wrestled Jarrad Branthwaite to the ground as the pair jostled at a corner.
Calvert-Lewin stepped up to drill the spot-kick down the middle for his fourth goal in his last five games.
But Luton had no intention of surrendering and they were level seven minutes later.
Targeting Everton’s Ashley Young time and again, Luton’s persistence paid off as Adebayo controlled Albert Sambi Lokonga’s high pass on his chest, muscled his way past the veteran defender and slammed a fine finish past Pickford from 10 yards.
In his first start since February after a hamstring injury, Adebayo had taken his goal tally for the season to 10.
Luton striker Carlton Morris had a towering header cleared off the line by Ben Godfrey just before half-time.
The Hatters pushed hard in the second half and their former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley headed over from a good position.
Jack Harrison almost put Everton in front against the run of play with a deflected effort that was clawed away from under the bar by Thomas Kaminski.
Calvert-Lewin’s powerful header forced a brilliant tip over from Kaminski, while Pickford made a fine stop from Luke Berry’s header in stoppage-time.
AFP
Sports
Champions League: PSG, Dortmund win, Inter Milan hold Man City
Paris Saint-Germain needed a late dose of luck to beat Girona 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Ligue 1 champions toiled against the debutants at home for 88 minutes without finding the back of the net.
However, Nuno Mendes’ low cross was fumbled into his own net by goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
England Under-21 winger Jamie Gittens’ double set last year’s Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund on their way to a 3-0 victory at Club Brugge. Serhou Guirassy scored the third from the penalty spot.
Manchester City and Inter Milan played out a goalless draw at the Etihad.
In Scotland, Celtic thrashed Slovan Bratislava 5-1 to record their biggest win in the competition ever.
Sports
Rising Nigerian Football Star, Hadriel Gets Elite X1 Canada Invitation
Eleven year old high rising Nigerian football star Hadriel Chukwuziterem Opara who has been attracting the attention of football coaches and scouts has been selected as one of the 12 players across Canada that will represent Elite X1 Canada in the prestigious NIKE powered Norwich City Mna Cup UK taking place from October 10-14, 2024.
According to the letter of invitation from the organisers, the tournament will enable the players engage in top level competition with 16 academy teams from renowned clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Sporting Lisbon and Norwich City.
The invitation letter also noted that the players will be exposed to world class facilities at Norwich City FC’s State-of-the – art Lotus training centre featuring advanced training environments like the exclusive Soccer Bot 360 system.
The organisers while stating that the tournament will enable the players showcase their talents on an international stage, assured that all the matches will be filmed, providing a valuable footage that could open doors to future opportunities.
Meanwhile Hadriel a Pepsi Academy product who has not hidden his intention of playing for the National U-15 team noted that he’s humbled by the invitation expressing hope that the programme will help him further improve his football skill.
Sports
Just in: Delta grabs first position at national youth games
WITH 41 gold, 27 silver , and 30 bronze medals totalling 98, Delta State has emerged the winner of the 8th edition of the National Youth Games ( NYG), tagged Asaba 2024.
Latest update of proceedings released on Wednesday night showed that Lagos State has outpaced erstwhile second placed Edo State with a total medals haul of 62, comprising 25 gold, 19 silver and 18 bronze medals respectively .
Edo State is placed third with 17 gold, 12 silver and 24 bronze medals respectively.
Ebonyi and Zamfara States could not land any medal to their credit during the games, according to the medals table update so far.
The NYG is expected to come to a close today (Thursday), with the closing ceremony at the Stephen Keshi international Stadium, Asaba, the Delta, Nigeria.
-
News4 hours ago
SANUSI: Count me out of any plot to dethrone him — Ganduje cries out
-
Sports12 hours ago
Arsenal’s Odegard to be sidelined for months over injury
-
News21 hours ago
“Dancing gives me abundant joy and peace of mind”-Gov Adeleke
-
News21 hours ago
Air Force Begins Moving Electoral Materials For Edo Guber Election
-
News4 hours ago
Hardship! If Your Hubby Still Gives You 3 Square Meals, Shelter In This Economy, He’s a Responsible Man – Aisha Lawal
-
News12 hours ago
Edo Guber: President Tinubu has no favourite candidate – Chief of Defence Staff
-
Politics12 hours ago
Olumide Akpata Biography, Career, Age, Edo Labour Party Candidate Controversy
-
Entertainment12 hours ago
Sad! Ghanaian Tik Toker Amanda dies at 24