Connect with us

Sports

Arsenal again show class hammer Newcastle 4-1 at Emirates

Published

on

Bukayo Saka scored for a fifth game in a row as Arsenal moved to within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a dominant 4-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday night.

Transformed from the passive side beaten in Porto on Wednesday night and inspired by wingers Saka and Gabriel Martinelli who had struggled in that Champions League tie, Arsenal were electric from the first whistle, and deservedly two up inside 24 minutes.

Loris Karius, the surprise selection in goal for Newcastle with Martin Dubravka ill, had little protection on his first Premier League appearance in almost six years.

He was unable to force away Gabriel’s header from a corner which was knocked into his own goal by Sven Botman and completely exposed when Martinelli cut back for Kai Havertz to stroke in the second.

Advertisement

The visitors eventually found something of a foothold in the second half – but were swiftly hit by another double blow, with Saka cutting back on his left and cracking in a super strike before Jakub Kiwior forced home a header from another corner off Lewis Miley, which Karius could only fumble on its way through.

There was a late consolation for the travelling fans to cheer when Joe Willock headed in against his former club with six minutes to play. It was Newcastle’s first goal at Arsenal in over nine years. But defeat leaves them eighth, 15 points off the top four and 10 behind fifth-placed Tottenham.

Arsenal, infuriated by VAR’s decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s winner to stand at St James’ Park in November, may have felt like they had a score to settle after that frustrating defeat but the major statement they made with this result and performance is that they are firmly in the three-horse title race.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Sports

Chelsea Win Women’s FA Cup To Complete Domestic Treble

Published

on

By

Chelsea beat Manchester United 3-0 in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley on Sunday to complete an English domestic treble in French coach Sonia Bompastor’s first season in charge.

Sandy Baltimore scored twice, either side of setting up Catarina Macario for the west London side’s second.

France international Baltimore opened the scoring from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time before Macario headed in her free-kick to put the result beyond doubt in the 84th minute.

Baltimore then wrapped up the scoring against United, last season’s FA Cup winners, in the first minute of added-on time when she turned Lisa Naalsund before lashing the ball home from close range.

Advertisement

‘Invincibles’ Chelsea had already been crowned English champions, becoming the first team to remain unbeaten in a 22-game Women’s Super League season as they won their sixth successive domestic league title after previously lifting the League Cup.

Chelsea’s English defender #04 Millie Bright lifts the trophy as Chelsea’s players celebrate on the pitch after the English Women’s FA Cup final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, in north west London, on May 18, 2025. Chelsea won the game 3-0.

“It tops off a brilliant season,” Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert, the player of the match, told the BBC.

“I’m so proud of the group. A lot of hard work’s gone into this. To win in the fashion we did, we were holding on a bit at 1-0 but the second goal puts the game to bed.”

Advertisement

Advertisement
Reflecting on how the side had adapted to Bompastor’s methods, she added: “There’s a lot of change but you just have to embrace it.

“She’s a manager, she’s a winner, as management and as a player, so you’ve got to respect that. She’s done a brilliant job since she’s come in. And a treble, what a way to start it!”

Bompastor took over at Chelsea after long-serving and successful manager Emma Hayes left to become the United States’ national women’s team manager.

But their hopes of a quadruple were scuppered when they lost 8-2 on aggregate to Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League — a tournament they’ve yet to win for all their domestic triumphs.

Advertisement

At Wembley, in a crowd of over 74,000 featuring new Chelsea women’s team investor Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian — as well his tennis champion wife Serena Williams — the Blues dominated the first half but were kept waiting for an opening goal.

Chelsea’s players celebrate on the pitch after the English Women’s FA Cup final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, in north west London, on May 18, 2025. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

It looked as if United would go into the break with the game still goalless but poor defending from Celin Bizet saw her step into Cuthbert and bring the Scotland midfielder down, with referee Stacey Fullicks wasting no time in awarding a penalty.

Baltimore, despite the massed ranks of United fans behind the goal trying to distract her and some mind games from Phallon Tullis-Joyce, coolly sent the United goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot.

Advertisement

An improved United had their chances to equalise early in the second half and even the introduction of England star Ella Toone off the bench could not bring the Cup holders a goal.

And any hopes of a United fight back were dashed by Macario and Baltimore’s late goals.

AFP

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Just in: Arsenal pumel Newcastle 1-0 at Emirates

Published

on

By

By Emmanuel Agaji

Arsenal pummeled hard fighting Newcastle 1-0 at the Emirates stadium on Sunday.

The first half ended in a draw but at the 69th minute , Declan Rice hammered in a volley that made it 1-0.

Towards the end, Newcastle mounted pressure on Arsenal but the Arteta boys held tight till the final whistle.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Just in: Nigeria’s Favour Ofili breaks 150-metre world record

Published

on

By

Nigerian sprint sensation, Favour Ofili, delivered a historic performance at the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games on Saturday, breaking the world record in the women’s 150m with a sensational time of 15.85s (2.0m/s) at Piedmont Park in Atlanta.

The 22-year-old became the first woman in history to run the event in under 16 seconds, shattering the previous mark of 16.23s set by Bahamian Olympic champion, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, in 2018.

Ofili’s run headlined an impressive showing for Nigerians at the high-profile street meet, which featured top global athletes in a fan-friendly, open-air environment.

World record holder and 100m hurdles star, Tobi Amusan clocked 12.53s to finish second in her heat behind American Keni Harrison (12.44s), qualifying for the final later in the day.

Advertisement

Amusan, who previously ran 12.74s and 12.66s in Xiamen and Keqiao, respectively, is building momentum ahead of the summer championships.

Sprinter Udodi Onwuzurike also impressed, running a season’s best of 10.20 seconds to finish second in his 100m heat behind South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who won in 10.13s.

Onwuzurike’s performance was enough to earn a spot in the final and marks a strong return to form in his 2025 campaign.

The Adidas Atlanta City Games is a unique street-style athletics event held outside traditional stadium settings, bringing athletes and fans closer in an electric atmosphere.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News