Sports
Odegaard leads Arsenal to top of the premier league
Arsenal stormed to the top of the Premier League as newly-appointed captain Martin Odegaard struck twice inside 11 minutes in a comprehensive 3-0 win at Bournemouth on Saturday.
William Saliba’s sweet strike in the second half gave the scoreline a fair reflection of the Gunners’ dominance as Mikel Arteta’s men continued their perfect start to the season after three games.
Three games into last season, Arsenal were without a single point and off to their worst start in 67 years.
Twelve months on, they are a team transformed with the arrivals of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko helping a side that finished fifth last season to reach a new level.
Jesus was again at the heart of the visitors’ best attacking play, even if the former Manchester City forward failed to add to his two goals in his first two appearances for the club.
The Brazilian showed his strength to outmuscle Marcos Senesi and play in Gabriel Martinelli in the move that led to the opening goal.
Mark Travers was equal to Martinelli’s low shot, but the rebound fell kindly for Odegaard to tap into an empty net.
The Norwegian was also in the right place to round off another flowing team move for the second as Bukayo Saka and Ben White combined down the right and Jesus’ touch teed up Odegaard to fire powerfully into the far corner.
Arsenal went on to dominate the rest of the first half as Bournemouth chased shadows in the sun on the English south coast.
The league leaders had to wait until the second period to make their control show on the scoreboard but did so in spectacular style thanks to Saliba’s first goal for the club.
The Frenchman spent the last three seasons on loan since Arsenal splashed out £27 million on him as an 18-year-old, but he is quickly making his mark at both ends of the field.
Saliba swept Granit Xhaka’s pass into the top corner from just outside the area to kill off any threat of a Bournemouth fightback.
Only the tightest of offside calls on a VAR review denied Jesus the goal his performance deserved after he slotted in from Odegaard’s wonderful pass.
Travers kept the score down in the closing stages with impressive saves from Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, but after a 4-0 defeat to defending champions City last weekend this was another lesson in the step up to the top flight for the Cherries.
Former Arsenal star, Jack Wilshere, has sent a message to the Gunners ahead of their UEFA Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal will take on the French Ligue 1 giants in the Champions League final this year in Budapest on Saturday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s side had lost 3-1 on aggregate against PSG in the Champions League semi-final stage last year.
Speaking on TNT Sports (via GOAL), Wilshere remembered Arsenal about their last year’s defeat to PSG and urged them to use it as a revenge to get a win against Luis Enrique’s side when both sides meet again this weekend.
“Now that the Premier League is over the line, I know that the Premier League was the one. I know that Mikel wanted that. I know that the boys wanted that,” Wilshere said.
“Now you have to go through some tough times and learn from it. I hope that the Champions League semi-final [PSG 3-1 Arsenal] last year hurt them enough that they can go on and use that [against PSG].
“I think when you are on the pitch, and you are playing against your direct opponent, you learn so much about them. And to face them next year, they will be better for that.”
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.
-
Politics1 week agoAlli, Folarin, Adedeji, Oseni, Dare Named to APC Ekiti Re-election Campaign Team
-
Politics1 week ago
2027: Sowore Declares War on Corruption, Clinches AAC Presidential Ticket
-
News1 week ago
Teachers, CSOs Storm Ibadan, Demand Rescue of Abducted Pupils, Teachers
-
Metro1 week ago
OGUN KIDNAP CRACKDOWN: Seriki Fulani held as police recover ransom bag, sons flee
