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West Harm, Leicester reach Europa semi-final

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West Ham United will face Eintracht Frankfurt for a place in the Europa League final after the Hammers secured their first European semi-final in 46 years with a stunning second-leg victory in Lyon.

Leicester City also produced a superb comeback to beat PSV Eindhoven in the Europa Conference League and reach the club’s first European semi-final.

In the match between West Ham United and Eintracht Frankfurt, having held on for a 1-1 first-leg draw in London after playing the entire second half with 10 men, David Moyes’ players withstood periods of intense early pressure before sweeping their Ligue 1 opposition aside.

The visitors struck twice in seven minutes at the end of the first half, as Craig Dawson met Pablo Fornals’ corner with a superb near-post header before a deflected Declan Rice strike put the Premier League club in total charge.

Jarrod Bowen extended the advantage within three minutes of the restart, slotting in at the end of a sweeping counter-attack, and a deflated Lyon could offer no response as West Ham comfortably saw out a memorable win.

The statement victory set up the biggest match in the club’s recent history, against Bundesliga side Frankfurt, who upset Spanish giants Barcelona 3-2 at the Nou Camp to win 4-3 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, James Maddison says Leicester City are creating history after the Foxes produced a superb comeback to beat PSV Eindhoven in the Europa Conference League and reach the club’s first European semi-final.

Ricardo Pereira scored a dramatic late winner to set up a last-four meeting with Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who knocked out Bodo/Glimt.

Following a goalless first leg at King Power Stadium, Eran Zahavi pounced on a mistake by Youri Tielemans to open the scoring before Maddison dragged Leicester level with 13 minutes remaining.

The Foxes midfielder slotted into the top corner from Ayoze Perez’s clever cutback and Pereira then fired the winner in the 88th minute to seal a memorable win at the Philips Stadion.

“We are creating history,” said Maddison. “It’s a brilliant feeling and a brilliant night. We showed that resilience. A great feeling.

“The togetherness of the boys is unbelievable. [Wesley] Fofana is fasting and hasn’t eaten or drank all day and he puts in a performance like that. It epitomises what we are made of. Two brilliant goals to win the game.

“Another big night ahead – these are the nights you want to be involved in. It is one we look forward to. That is what we do it for.”

Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers had urged his side to make history and reach the club’s first European semi-final, but for 77 minutes it looked like they would pass up the opportunity against a PSV outfit who were more adventurous than in the first leg.

It has been an underwhelming season for Rodgers but his changes at Philips Stadion inspired a stirring comeback.

Half-time replacement Patson Daka had already slotted a glorious chance wide before fellow substitute Perez picked out Maddison and the midfielder lashed home.

 

Then, with two minutes to go, substitute Ademola Lookman found Daka and the forward’s effort was palmed into the path of right-back Pereira, who made no mistake.

It has been a decade of firsts for the Foxes, who won their maiden FA Cup last season and claimed a first top-flight title in 2015-16, and hopes of adding to that with a European trophy remain alive, albeit in the third-tier competition.

Winning this competition might also be Leicester’s best chance of qualifying for Europe next term, sitting ninth in the Premier League and 11 points adrift of a Europa Conference League spot, but for a long time it looked like it would be the home side heading through.

Leicester were served a warning when Kasper Schmeichel tipped Mario Gotze’s well-taken volley over the crossbar but had golden chances of their own, with Harvey Barnes breaking free and slotting wide despite having Maddison in support.

They were eventually punished when Tielemans gave the ball away outside his own box and Mario Gotze slipped a pass into Zahavi, who finished from a narrow angle in the 27th minute.

That turned the tie into a huge task for Leicester, with PSV arriving on a 15-match unbeaten run and having kept five clean sheets in their past six games under highly-rated boss Roger Schmidt, who will leave at the end of the season.

But it was a challenge Rodgers’ side were up to and those late goals showed that the Foxes just might have fight to go all the way in Europe.

“These fans have seen Leicester win the title and now they are daring to dream again,” former Leicester and England striker Emile Heskey told BT Sport.

“Going off this performance, Leicester will be very confident for the rest of the tournament now. The owners have dared to dream. It is fantastic.”

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Tinubu Rewards Flamingos With ₦100m Each After Historic World Cup Triumph

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Tinubu Rewards Flamingos With ₦100m Each After Historic World Cup Triumph
Tinubu Rewards Flamingos With ₦100m Each After Historic World Cup Triumph

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rewarded members of Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, with ₦100 million each following their historic victory at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The reward was announced on Wednesday, November 11, by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who received the victorious players and their officials at a special reception held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on behalf of the President.

Under the reward package, each player will receive a ₦100 million Federal Government Savings Bond, while the team’s head coach, Hakeem Busari, will receive ₦100 million in cash. Each member of the technical crew will also receive ₦50 million in cash.

The decision to give the players savings bonds rather than immediate cash payments was explained by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, who said the arrangement was designed to protect the financial future of the young footballers, most of whom are teenagers.

Dikko explained that the five-year investment would allow the players to earn interest while concentrating on their education and football careers.

According to him, the arrangement would prevent the young athletes from being overwhelmed by large sums of money at an early stage of their lives while ensuring that they have access to substantial financial resources when they become adults.

He said the investment would also provide regular financial returns to support their educational and training needs during the period.

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The First Lady congratulated the players for bringing honour to Nigeria and making history as the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

She praised their determination, discipline, teamwork and resilience, noting that their achievement had demonstrated the ability of Nigerian girls to compete and succeed at the highest level of international football.

Oluremi Tinubu also urged the players not to allow their new status as world champions and the financial rewards to distract them from their education, personal development and future ambitions.

She commended the coaching staff, medical personnel, football administrators, parents and supporters whose contributions helped the team achieve the historic feat.

The Flamingos secured their maiden world title on Saturday, November 7, after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final played in Rabat, Morocco.

Nigeria took the lead through Awawu Bashiru, who found the net in the 39th minute, before Oluebube Umejiaku doubled the advantage shortly after the restart.

Japan reduced the deficit through Fuki Ito in the 80th minute, but the Nigerian girls held on to secure victory and become the first African nation to lift the trophy.

The triumph was particularly remarkable because Nigeria began the competition with a 2-1 defeat to Poland in the group stage.

However, the team recovered impressively, recording six consecutive victories against Puerto Rico, North Korea, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and Japan to claim the championship.

Their victory over Brazil in the semi-final secured Nigeria’s first-ever appearance in the final of the competition before they completed their historic campaign against Japan.

The achievement also made the Flamingos the first African women’s national team to win a FIFA World Cup title at any level.

President Tinubu had earlier congratulated the players, describing their victory as a landmark achievement for Nigerian sports and a source of pride for the country and the African continent.

The Nigerian Senate had also pledged ₦100 million in recognition of the team’s achievement, while private individuals and sports stakeholders announced additional rewards.

The latest presidential gesture is expected to provide financial support for the young champions as they continue their education and football development.

The victory has renewed calls for sustained investment in women’s football, grassroots sports development and youth talent discovery in Nigeria to ensure that the country’s latest achievement translates into long-term success.

Tinubu Rewards Flamingos With ₦100m Each After Historic World Cup Triumph

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Lookman’s Atletico Future Under Question After Simeone Leaves Him Out Against Barcelona

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Lookman’s Atletico Future Under Question After Simeone Leaves Him Out Against Barcelona
Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman

Lookman’s Atletico Future Under Question After Simeone Leaves Him Out Against Barcelona

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has suffered a fresh setback at Atletico Madrid after head coach Diego Simeone left him on the bench throughout the club’s 2-1 defeat to Barcelona, raising questions about his position in the Argentine manager’s plans.

The Nigerian international was an unused substitute in Sunday’s La Liga encounter at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, despite Atletico trailing and needing attacking inspiration to rescue the match.

The decision attracted attention because Simeone had another substitution available but opted against introducing Lookman, who had featured in every competitive match played by Atletico before the Barcelona encounter this season.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Simeone made only four substitutions during the match, leaving the Nigerian forward among the unused players even as his team searched for an equaliser.

Atletico had taken an early lead through Giuliano Simeone in the 10th minute, but Barcelona responded with goals from Fermín López shortly before half-time and again in the 66th minute to secure a 2-1 victory.

Simeone introduced Alexander Sørloth, David Hancko, Johnny Cardoso and Jonathan David at different stages of the encounter but did not turn to Lookman.

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The omission was particularly striking given the Nigerian’s ability to create chances through his pace, dribbling and attacking runs, qualities Atletico needed while chasing the game.

It also came barely a week after Simeone publicly defended the 28-year-old amid concerns over his declining form.

The Atletico manager had urged Lookman not to become frustrated by his difficult spell, insisting that hard work and belief would help him rediscover his best performance.

“I don’t want him to get frustrated because he’s not going through his best moment. This is work, this is believing in what you do,” Simeone said.

The Argentine also emphasised that the coaching staff recognised Lookman’s importance to the team and remained confident in his ability.

“We believe, as we see him in training, in the importance he has for us. He’s one of the players who has the most one-on-one duels in the final third. I have a lot of confidence in him,” he added.

However, leaving the forward unused against Barcelona has raised questions about whether the coach’s public backing is translating into opportunities on the pitch.

Lookman’s current statistics also underline the challenges he has faced since the beginning of the campaign.

According to reports from Spain, he has accumulated 737 minutes across La Liga and the UEFA Champions League this season, scoring twice and providing one assist.

His present return contrasts with the impact he made after arriving from Atalanta during the January transfer window last season, when he scored 10 goals in his first months at the Spanish club.

Spanish football publication Mundo Deportivo also reported that fellow attacker Álex Baena has moved ahead of Lookman in Simeone’s preferences for the left-sided attacking position.

Despite the concerns, reports from Spain indicate that Atletico Madrid have not abandoned their confidence in the Nigerian.

Marca reported that the coaching staff and players remain united in their determination to help Lookman rediscover his best form, regain his confidence and improve his morale.

The development suggests that his omission against Barcelona may reflect his current form and tactical considerations rather than a complete breakdown in his relationship with the manager.

Lookman has now returned to Nigeria for international duty, where he is expected to join the Super Eagles for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Tanzania.

The first leg is scheduled for November 13 in Uyo, while the return fixture will take place on November 17.

The international assignment offers the Nigerian forward an opportunity to regain his confidence and playing rhythm before returning to Atletico Madrid for the remainder of the season.

Lookman’s Atletico Future Under Question After Simeone Leaves Him Out Against Barcelona

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U-17 WWC: Umejiaku Wins Golden Ball As FIFA Announces Full List Of Award Winners

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U-17 WWC: Umejiaku Wins Golden Ball As FIFA Announces Full List Of Award Winners
Oluebube Umejiaku
U-17 WWC: Umejiaku Wins Golden Ball As FIFA Announces Full List Of Award Winners

Nigeria’s Oluebube Umejiaku has been named the best player of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after helping the Flamingos win their maiden title in Morocco.

Umejiaku received the prestigious adidas Golden Ball award following her outstanding performances throughout the competition, which ended on Saturday, November 7, with Nigeria defeating Japan 2-1 in the final in Rabat.

The Nigerian forward scored the decisive second goal in the final, taking her tournament tally to four goals and capping an impressive campaign with the individual honour.

She also played a crucial role in Nigeria’s historic run, contributing to goals in all seven of the team’s matches.

U-17 WWC: Umejiaku Wins Golden Ball As FIFA Announces Full List Of Award Winners

U-17 WWC: Umejiaku Wins Golden Ball As FIFA Announces Full List Of Award Winners

DPR Korea’s Yu Jong-hyang won the Silver Ball, while Japan’s Fuki Ito received the Bronze Ball.

Despite the United States’ quarter-final elimination, forward Maddie DiMaria emerged as the tournament’s highest goalscorer, claiming the adidas Golden Boot with an impressive 12 goals.

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DiMaria scored six goals against Samoa, four against Kenya and one each against China PR and Spain.

Yu Jong-hyang received the Silver Boot, while her DPR Korea teammate Ri Ui-gyong claimed the Bronze Boot.

DPR Korea goalkeeper Kim Son-gyong was named winner of the adidas Golden Glove after helping her country secure third place in the tournament.

Japan, despite losing the final to Nigeria, received the FIFA Fair Play Trophy.

The full list of award winners is as follows:

  • Golden Ball: Oluebube Umejiaku (Nigeria)
  • Silver Ball: Yu Jong-hyang (DPR Korea)
  • Bronze Ball: Fuki Ito (Japan)
  • Golden Boot: Maddie DiMaria (United States) – 12 goals
  • Silver Boot: Yu Jong-hyang (DPR Korea)
  • Bronze Boot: Ri Ui-gyong (DPR Korea)
  • Golden Glove: Kim Son-gyong (DPR Korea)
  • FIFA Fair Play Trophy: Japan

Nigeria’s triumph marked a historic milestone as the Flamingos became the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The team also became the first African women’s side to win a FIFA World Cup title at any level, following their remarkable 2-1 victory over Japan.

Awawu Bashiru opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 39th minute before Umejiaku doubled the advantage two minutes into the second half. Fuki Ito pulled one back for Japan in the 80th minute, but Nigeria held on to secure the historic victory.

 

U-17 WWC: Umejiaku Wins Golden Ball As FIFA Announces Full List Of Award Winners

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