Enzo Fernandez scored a stoppage-time equaliser as Chelsea ended a tumultuous week by claiming a deserved Premier League point at title-chasing Manchester City.
Calum McFarlane, usually Chelsea’s under-21s coach, has taken charge of the first team on an interim basis following the departure of Enzo Maresca on Thursday.
His side frustrated City for large periods, even after going behind, before Argentine Fernandez poked in at the third attempt to rescue a draw.
The win looked to be heading to City following Tijjani Reijnders’ first-half strike, but consecutive draws mean they have now fallen six points behind league leaders Arsenal.
Chelsea set up with a low block and it took until the 37th minute for the first shot on target when Erling Haaland’s deflected shot looked to be looping over Filip Jorgensen, but the Chelsea goalkeeper recovered superbly to tip the ball wide.
A minute later the Norwegian striker cut inside and thumped an effort which rattled the post as City sensed a goal was coming their way.
It duly arrived just before half-time, as Reijnders picked up a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and skipped past Benoit Badiashile before hammering a finish inside the near left post.
Chelsea started brightly in the second half and Pedro Neto should have equalised but scooped over from eight yards out, while substitute Liam Delap, formerly of City, smacked an effort into the chest of Gianluigi Donnarumma, before Fernandez’s late leveller thrilled the travelling fans.
Anthony Joshua has returned to the UK following the tragic car crash that killed two of his close friends and left him hospitalised. According to The Sun, the boxer arrived at London Stansted Airport on a private jet on Friday night before being taken to his home to continue his recuperation.
Joshua’s friends Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami died in the accident after chauffeur Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 47, collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Joshua was then taken to the Duchess International Hospital, where he remained until the New Year and was reported to be in a ‘stable’ condition.
His mother, Yeta Odusanya, remained by his side, but other family members were not allowed to visit him at the private hospital in Lagos. David Joshua, an older brother of Joshua’s dad Robert, said at the time: “We have not been allowed to see him, but from information given by authorities, he is responding to treatment.”
His return to England comes as the funerals of his friends are reportedly set to take place on Sunday at a mosque in London. Family and friends are said to have been invited to a morning ‘janaza prayer service’ – the Islamic funeral prayer for Sina and Latif.
A source said: “Anthony wants to go to the funeral but he hasn’t decided yet. He’s mindful that his presence could cause a circus and overshadow the funeral for the family of his two friends.”
On Friday, it was reported that Kayode had been charged with ‘reckless and dangerous driving’ following the devastating crash that claimed two lives.
He is believed to have undergone extensive questioning and given an official account of the moments leading up to the fatal collision that killed Ghami and Ayodele.
Tactical brilliance meets raw passion as the Lions of Teranga fight to maintain their lead against a relentless Sudanese attack.
Senegal claimed an important 3–1 win over Sudan in their Africa Cup of Nations encounter, confirming their superiority in a match that combined intensity, emotion, and moments of high quality. The Teranga Lions overturned an early setback thanks to a decisive brace from Pape Gueye, while Sudan left the tournament with pride after a courageous performance led by goal scorer Aamir Abdallah.
The match began at a frenetic pace, and it was Sudan who stunned the favorites early on. In the 6th minute, Aamir Abdallah took advantage of a defensive lapse and finished calmly inside the box, sending Sudan into a surprise lead. The goal energized the Sudanese side, who defended with discipline and looked to threaten on the counterattack.
Mozambique head coach Chiquinho Conde has voiced confidence in his team’s ability ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 clash against Nigeria, while openly accepting the Super Eagles’ status as favourites for the fixture.
Speaking on Mozambique’s performances, the lessons learned, and the challenge posed by Nigeria, Conde said: “We have shown that we have a strong and competent team. Against Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon we failed the details, but now it’s kill-kill. Nigeria are favourites but let’s face the game with humility, tranquility and lot of responsibility. We’ve come to this stage with respect, now we’re going to show what we can do.”
Mozambique secured qualification to the knockout stage of the ongoing 2025 Afcon after a challenging group campaign against strong opposition.
The Mambas began their tournament with a narrow defeat to Côte d’Ivoire, before recording a historic victory over Gabon to register their first-ever win at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Paris FC winger Moses Simon has expressed excitement over the growing competition within the Super Eagles squad ahead of Monday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 clash against Mozambique’s Mambas.
In the final group game against Uganda, manager Eric Chelle made several changes, handing Afcon debuts to four players Ryan Alebiosu, Igoh Ogbu, Tochukwu Nnadi and Salim Lawal.
Fringe players such as Paul Onuachu, Francis Uzoho, Raphael Onyedika, and Chidozie Awaziem were also given the chance to stake their claim for a starting position.
Despite resting several key players, the Super Eagles delivered their most convincing performance so far at the 2025 Afcon, thrashing the Cranes 3-1 thanks to a second half brace from Onyedika and Onuachu’s first half opener.
Simon has made just one start at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, with former African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman ahead of him in Chelle’s pecking order.
Commenting on the increasing competition in the Super Eagles team, Simon told Austin Okon Akpan’s YouTube channel: “Yes, actually, you can see everyone is ready to play, which is really good. Every position has competition, and especially yesterday, you could see it for yourself.
“For me, that is something great and reflects well on the coach, who is doing a good job by inviting these players to the team.”
Promising tri-national centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe has agreed a move to Premier League giants Liverpool, marking a major step forward in the career of one of Europe’s most exciting young defensive tale.
Born in Vienna to a Russian mother and a Nigerian father, the Austria Wien prodigy is eligible to represent Nigeria, Austria and Russia at senior international level.
However, Ndukwe is leaning towards committing his international future to Austria, the country of his birth, having already featured in competitive games for the Austria U17 national team.
Sports in Nigeria and Africa will enter 2026 in exciting soccer mood given that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 is ongoing. The 2025 event dovetailed into the New Year will magical football artistry to look forward to.
The best of African stars, highlighted by Nigerian top striker Victor Osimhen, Egyptian talisman Mo Salah and reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi are on parade representing their countries.
This is the height of African rivalry on soccer pitch and it will be more competitive coming after the conclusion of the World Cup Qualifiers to the 2026 World Cup.
Imagine the interest a duel between Nigeria and South Africa will generate and another between Nigeria and Congo DR will draw?
It is indeed a thrilling way to kick off the New Year for every Sports lover.
THE WORLD CUP
The 2026 World Cup is approaching next summer and most of the biggest soccer stars will arrive in the United States, Canada and Mexico to represent their national teams at the best football tournament in the world. Though, Nigeria’s Super Eagles didn’t qualify for the Mundial, it will no doubt take any shine away from the global fiesta. The highpoint of the competition will be the fact that some iconic figure in football will be coming to their final World Cup. The last one of some of the most influential athletes of the past decades such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, among others will be featuring. So, all eyes will be on them to see how they will round off an illustrious career: on the high or on the low.
Without doubt, Messi of Argentina, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion will attract attention. Messi is considered one of the best players in the history of the game and after spending the majority of his club career at Barcelona over his extraordinary career, he won 10 LaLiga titles, seven Copa Del Rey, eight Spanish Supercups, four Champions Leagues, three UEFA Super Cups and three Club World Cups with Barcelona. Two Ligue 1 titles and one Trophée des Champions with won PSG before lifting the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami.
While Messi the world will be looking saying farewell to the Argentine captain, it will be welcoming another born star, Lamine Yamal, Spain.
This is going to be the World Cup of Lamine Yamal. At least, this is the expectation. After dominating the scene at the 2024 Euro with Spain, and winning twice the Kopa Trophy as the best young player in the world, Yamal will lead Spain at the summer tournament as La Roja will try to win their second ever World Cup after the 2010 edition in South Africa.
Names like Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele both of France, and Vinicius Jr, Brazil, will expectedly be eyed to make 2026 memorable, especially at the World Cup. Mbappe is a World Cup veteran. The French superstar has been one of the best players in the last two World Cups he played with France. After winning the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Mbappe scored a hat trick in the unforgettable final played against Argentina in 2022, becoming the second-ever player to score three goals in a World Cup final after Geoff Hurst in 1966 for England.
As for Vinicius Jr, the Brazilian winger is called to make the difference also with his national team after winning 14 major trophies with Real Madrid, including three LaLiga titles, two UEFA Champions League titles, three Spanish Super Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, three FIFA Club World Cups, and one Copa del Rey, while Dembele, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is expected to respond well at the World Cup.
2026 WOMEN’S AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
Another hot sports event that people the world will be interested in is the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The competition will be held around two months after AFCON 2025 comes to an end and we expect it to be as exciting.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will be the first tournament of its kind to feature 16 different teams. This represents a significant change from 12 teams.
Fortunately, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is doing what it can to develop women’s football across the continent.
Another key factor you should know about the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is that it will be the qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In other words, the teams that perform best will receive a slot for that event. It will be interesting to see the belief mentality of the defending country Nigeria and how the women teams of Morocco and South Africa will try to stop them.
SUMMER YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES DAKAR 2026
The 2026 Dakar Summer Youth Olympic Games will hold its 4th edition from October 31 and November 13, 2026, in Dakar. What makes the event so important is that it is the first Olympic-affiliated competition that will be held on African soil.
Based on the information, more than 2,700 athletes are expected to participate in the event. The games themselves will be across 25 different sports like basketball, boxing, cycling, judo, and many more.
It is no surprise that the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games are important for everyone who likes online betting. Since it offers so many sports, bookmakers in Africa will do what they can to allow people to bet on it. Locals can expect to find good odds and even special types of bonuses, such as odds boosts.
2026 World Athletics Relay
This is another big tournament in 2026, unfortunately, Nigeria will not be there. Taking place in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana, this 8th edition of the Relays will hold between May 2 and 3.
The 2026 World Athletics Relay marks a historic moment. Botswana will become the first African country to host the World Athletics Relay and it will draw attention to the country in many ways. It also reinforces Africa’s growing role and visibility in global athletics.
BOXING
Looking at boxing, which is undergoing real challenge, especially at the heavyweight division, where there seems to be a scarcity of world class athletes that would make the world shout for more. Among the will be prominently make the stage are undisputed heavyweight champion, Usyk, Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois, and our won Anthony Joshua.
Joshua is at the moment in hospital after a fatal auto crash in Nigeria, while on holiday. 2026 will mostly be about how the two-time heavyweight champion will fare and wither he would be psychologically and physically ready to return to the ring in 2026. This is because he lost two close friends and boxing partners in the accident. This will decide if Joshua vs Fury will happen.
2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
The last but not the least is the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be hosted by Glasgow, Scotland, bringing together athletes from the Commonwealth.
Nigerians will be looking forward to how Nigeria will fare at the 2026 commonwealth with Tobi Amusan head lighting the arrays of stars, not to forget the upcoming young stars that want to use The Commonwealth to launch themselves.
The England midfielder, back from a knee injury, netted again following a cutback by substitute Bukayo Saka.
Teenager Eli Junior Kroupi gave Bournemouth renewed hope with a fine strike from outside the area – but they could not find a leveller.
Antoine Semenyo, playing perhaps his final game for Bournemouth before a £65m move to Manchester City, was quiet throughout.
The victory takes Mikel Arteta’s team six points clear of second-placed Aston Villa, although Manchester City can close the gap back to four points when they host managerless Chelsea on Sunday (17:30 GMT).
Teenager Ibrahim Mbaye struck four minutes after coming off the bench to seal a 3-1 victory for Senegal over Sudan in Tangiers on Saturday, in the opening Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) last-16 clash.
The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward had previously represented France at youth levels before switching allegiance to Senegal, his father’s homeland.
Former champions Senegal will face the winner of the Mali-Tunisia last-16 tie in Casablanca later on Saturday.
Sudan took an early lead through Aamir Abdallah, but Senegal fought back to lead 2-1 at halftime thanks to a Pape Gueye brace. Mbaye’s strike in the 77th minute put the outcome beyond doubt.
The result was widely expected, as Senegal sit 99 places above Sudan in the FIFA world rankings. The visitors were representing a nation still recovering from civil war since April 2023.
Senegal made six changes from the side that defeated Botswana 3-0 in the final group match, with suspended captain and centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly among the absentees.
Sudan coach Kwesi Appiah, born in Ghana, retained only forward Abdallah from the team that lost 2-0 to Burkina Faso.
It was the first meeting between the nations at an AFCON tournament, though they were in the same 2026 World Cup qualifying group, with Senegal winning at home and drawing away.
Sudan shocked Senegal with a sixth-minute opener from Abdallah, a semi-professional playing in Australia’s second tier. The striker controlled the ball inside the area and curled a superb finish over former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Sudan had advanced to the knockout stage as one of the best four third-placed teams, despite failing to score in three group matches. Their lone group victory came via an own goal against Equatorial Guinea.
Senegal equalised almost immediately after a brave save from Monged Abuzaid denied Nicolas Jackson, on loan to Bayern Munich from Chelsea. Sadio Mane then provided the assist for Pape Gueye to score with a low shot into the corner.
The Senegalese dominated possession while Sudan offered little going forward in a match watched by CAF president Patrice Motsepe.
A potential penalty for a foul on Ismaila Sarr was overturned by VAR due to an offside in the build-up. Sarr also had a goal ruled out for offside, offering Sudan brief reprieves.
Abuzaid remained busy, pushing away a Pape Gueye effort as halftime approached. But Senegal struck again when Gueye scored three minutes into added time, side-footing a cross from Villarreal into the net to make it 2-1.
Mbaye’s introduction midway through the second half sealed the win. The teenager latched onto a long pass and slotted past Abuzaid at the near post to confirm Senegal’s progression to the quarter-finals.
Wolves finally secured a first Premier League win of the season at the 20th attempt as they made light work of fellow strugglers West Ham at Molineux.
This was Rob Edwards’ first win as Wolves head coach and the team’s first league victory since beating Leicester City on April 26, 2025.
At a stroke, the league’s bottom side doubled their points tally for the season to six, thanks to first-half goals from Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan and Mateus Mane.
A sorry West Ham side failed to muster a response after the break and remain 18th with 14 points – four fewer than Nottingham Forest above them.
With two of the league’s worst defences in action, goals were always likely and it only took the hosts four minutes to make a breakthrough.
Hwang darted into the box and glided past Konstantinos Mavropanos before cutting back for an unmarked Arias to tap home from six yards – the Colombian’s first goal in a Wolves shirt.
The early breakthrough injected belief into the home side, who were awarded a penalty when Mane was clattered by the high boot of Soungoutou Magassa.
Hwang sent the spot-kick straight down the middle to make it 2-0 in the 31st minute before Mane added a third 10 minutes later.
With no Hammers defender closing him down, the 18-year-old Mane sent a powerful low drive from outside the box that beat Alphonse Areola at the near post, giving the youngster a first goal of his senior career.
The second half was more evenly contested but the early damage was beyond repair for West Ham, whose winless run has now reached nine matches.
