Sports
Vincent Kompany leads Blues to Carabao Cup glory at Wembley
Manchester City hammered Arsenal at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup.
Goals from Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva fired City to the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola era in a one-sided Wembley final.
Aguero pounced on some poor defending from Shkodran Mustafi to lob City into an 18th minute lead.
And captain Kompany all but sealed City’s win when he diverted in Ilkay Gundogan’ scuffed shot in the 58th minute to make it 2-0.
But City weren’t finished and grabbed a third seven minutes later when Silva spun onto Danilo’s pass and smashed the ball past David Ospina to make it 3-0.
1.Route one to silverware
Think of all the goals Manchester City have scored this season – there have now been 116 of them – and all the fantasy football they have played.
And it was the most un-City like goal that set them on their way to the first piece of silverware of the Pep Guardiola era.
A simple punt through the middle from Claudio Bravo, Sergio Aguero exploited some weak defending from Shkodran Mustafi and raced through to lob City into the lead.
City outclassed Arsenal after that and the cleverly worked second goal from a short corner routine and third strike from David Silva had more of the sort of craft and invention we have become used to seeing from City under Guardiola.
But for all the stunning strikes his side have produced one of their simplest will forever be etched in the Spaniard’s memory.
2. Wenger’s drought goes on
Maybe it is just not meant to be in this competition for Arsene Wenger.
Another final and another defeat. For the third time he has led Arsenal to the final and the third time he has left Wembley beaten.
It is the one domestic trophy Wenger has failed to win.
And with the Gunners potentially ending the season empty handed and outside the top four it is not impossible that this was his last chance to complete the set.
3. Vincent Kompany leads by example
His body might no longer be what it once was. But Vincent Kompany showed his ability to slot seamlessly back into the Manchester City team when called upon and produce the goods once more against Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola has handled Kompany’s fitness and his reduced role expertly and he was rewarded with an imperious display in the final from the inspirational Belgian defender.
Kompany was the platform on which a devastating City performance was built.
He was a rock at the back and showed his endearing class countless times, not by effortlessly winning a foot race with the lightning Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang before easing the Arsenal striker off the ball.
His crucial second goal was just the icing on the cake.
4. Big buys make costly errors
Arsenal spent £35m on Shkodran Mustafi and the same on Granit Xhaka.
It was the errors in their performances against City that were more costly at Wembley.
Mustafi’s was easy to analyse. He simply should have been stronger in dealing with Claudio Bravo’s long kick and the presence of Sergio Aguero for the opener.
As for Xhaka, his failure to track midfield runners has been a regular cause of frustration.
But at least he had his passing, one of the qualities that earned him a move to Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Well, it was noticeably poor against City and at crucial times stopped the Gunners gaining or building momentum.
5. Wilshere cares
Jack Wilshere might be “probably the most overrated player on the planet” according to Roy Keane but there was no hiding from the Arsenal midfielder.
Wilshere was at the heart of Arsenal’s attempts to get back in the game, demanding the ball to try and spark them into life and refused to go down without a fight despite the Gunners being outclassed by City.
Fernandinho noticed Wilshere’s importance and seemed determined to stop him.
The Brazilian was perhaps fortunate to avoid a second yellow for a late foul on the Arsenal man having picked up an earlier caution for wiping him out.
All eyes were on Calum Chambers too after he got the nod for the final after his nightmare against Ostersunds in the Europa League he too didn’t let his side down.
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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