Sports
Man Utd beat Leicester 2-0 to go top
Manchester United’s Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku (R) jumps to win a header during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Leicester City at Old Trafford in Manchester
Substitutes Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini struck to maintain Manchester United’s 100 percent start to the Premier League season in a 2-0 win over Leicester City on Saturday.
Rashford, dropped to the bench to make way for Anthony Martial, turned in Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s corner in the 70th minute, less than three minutes after coming on.
Fellaini added a late second from Jesse Lingard’s cross-shot to send Jose Mourinho’s side back to the top of the table after Huddersfield Town briefly overtook them by drawing with Southampton earlier in the day.
But it looked as if they would be denied when Kasper Schmeichel made a superb penalty save from Romelu Lukaku early in the second half.
The Leicester goalkeeper, son of former United great Peter Schmeichel, dived to his right to push away Lukaku’s kick.
The home side began full of confidence, threatening in the opening minute as Leicester captain Wes Morgan blocked a shot from Mkhitaryan after good build-up play down the United right.
Craig Shakespeare’s side had to work hard to withstand that early pressure, with Morgan at full stretch in central defence alongside new England squad member Harry Maguire.
United, though, continued to press, with Juan Mata unlucky to have a goal ruled out for a marginal offside in the 18th minute.
Paul Pogba’s cross was cleared unconvincingly by Maguire and Lukaku turned on the edge of the area to hit a shot that Mata followed up to sweep in after Schmeichel had parried.
Assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis raised his flag, but Mata looked to have been level with the Leicester back line as Lukaku let fly.
Fired by that perceived injustice, United went close twice in quick succession.
– Mahrez menaces –
First Pogba half-volleyed Martial’s outswinging cross just wide at the far post and then Schmeichel dived athletically to his right to paw away a bending Mata shot.
Shinji Okazaki had a half-chance for Leicester at the other end, with David de Gea gathering his low shot from Jamie Vardy’s knock-down.
But United continued to look the more dangerous side, with Pogba hitting a fierce 30-yard shot that flew just wide.
Schmeichel was alert to gather Martial’s snapshot from 20 yards, before beating away a Pogba effort and then watching another drive from the France midfielder whizz by his right-hand post.
Having been well protected by his defenders in the first half, Schmeichel was inspired to keep the game goalless when United were awarded a penalty in the seventh minute of the second half.
Leicester’s former United right-back Danny Simpson was adjudged to have handled Martial’s driven cross from the left, but Schmeichel flung himself to his right to push away Lukaku’s spot-kick.
That gave the visitors the confidence to be a little more adventurous, with winger Riyad Mahrez cutting in from the right and driving a ball to the near post that De Gea kicked away.
Mahrez, repeatedly linked with a move away from Leicester, began to carry more of a threat, scuffing one shot wide and then breaking onto a pass by substitute Demarai Gray to deliver a dangerous cross.
But 20 minutes from the end, Rashford diverted in Mkhitaryan’s right-wing corner on the volley, with Schmeichel only able to push it into the roof of the net.
Victory was secured in the 82nd minute as Fellaini diverted in fellow substitute Lingard’s cross, despite replays suggesting he had been offside.
The visitors almost pulled one back in stoppage time, but De Gea reacted well to turn away Andy King’s close-range shot. Lukaku then blazed over at the other end.
AFP
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a thrilling comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, clinching their record-extending 10th continental title.
The win was sweet revenge for Justin Madugu’s side, who were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses in the semi-finals of the previous edition.
Despite a bright start by the Falcons, it was the Moroccans who struck first in the 13th minute. A loose ball fell kindly to tournament top scorer, Ghizlane Chebbak, who rifled her effort past Chiamaka Nnadozie to hand the hosts an early lead.
Nigeria tried to respond through Ijamilusi Folashade, but her tame effort was easily gathered by Moroccan goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Fatima Tagnaout released Sanaâ Mssoudy, who drove into the box and fired a low, left-footed strike beyond Nnadozie to make it 2-0.
Morocco maintained their advantage into the break as both sides went into the dressing room with the scoreline firmly in the hosts’ favour.
The Super Falcons returned with renewed purpose in the second half, stepping up their intensity and putting the Moroccan defence under sustained pressure.
Nigeria nearly pulled one back when a collision between Er-Rmichi and defender Nesryne El Chad almost gifted the Falcons a goal, but the Moroccan defence cleared their lines in time.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 63rd minute when a ball hooked back into the area by Ijamilusi struck the arm of defender Nouhaila Benzina, resulting in a penalty. Esther Okoronkwo stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to halve the deficit.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider, sprinting down the right flank before cutting back a well-timed pass for Ijamilusi, who made no mistake from close range to level the tie at 2-2.
The Falcons completed their sensational comeback in the 88th minute when Jennifer Echegini reacted quickest to a deep free-kick, stabbing home from close range to spark wild celebrations on the Nigerian bench.
The victory sees Nigeria reinforce their dominance in African women’s football, securing their 10th WAFCON title and reasserting their status as the queens of the continent.
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