Sports
Man City beat Nottingham to reach third successive FA Cup final
Man City beat Nottingham to reach third successive FA Cup final
Man City beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 at Wembley on Sunday to reach their third straight FA Cup final, with goals from Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol keeping alive City’s hopes of avoiding a rare season without a trophy.
Lewis scored inside two minutes when he was fed by the influential Mateo Kovacic and given time and space to fire into the bottom corner and silence the Forest fans.
Conceding an early goal was certainly not in the gameplan for Forest, who struggled to gain a foothold in the first half, registering just 25% possession and no shots on goal.
“We started really badly, Man City started really well,” Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo told reporters, adding that conceding so early “makes everything hard”.
The halftime introduction of Anthony Elanga almost turned the tie for Forest, but he scuffed Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross wide with his first touch in the 46th minute.
Man City punished the miss five minutes later when Gvardiol rose highest to nod home an Omar Marmoush corner for his sixth goal of the campaign.
Forest, seeking to reach their first FA Cup final since 1991, went close to pulling one back with Morgan Gibbs-White cannoning a volley off the bar with City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega beaten.
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“I’ve never hit a ball as sweetly on my weak foot in my life,” Gibbs-White told ITV. “As soon as that hit the crossbar I knew it wasn’t going to be our day.”
Gibbs-White hit the post again with 20 minutes to play after Gvardiol was caught in possession, rounding Ortega but unable to finish from a tight angle.
“I’m devastated,” Gibbs-White said. “I feel sorry for the fans. I hold my hands up and apologise, I should’ve scored at least one of them.”
Substitute Taiwo Awoniyi also hit the woodwork before Gibbs-White’s follow-up header was saved by Ortega, as Forest fans began to feel it was just not their day.
Man City then comfortably closed the game out and victory in their record-extending seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final means they will face Crystal Palace, who beat Aston Villa 3-0 on Saturday, in the final on May 17.
It has been a poor season by City’s extraordinary standards, currently well behind Premier League champions Liverpool and scrapping for a Champions League spot rather than fighting for an unprecedented fifth straight league title.
City have only once finished a season without a trophy under Pep Guardiola — which was in the Spaniard’s first season in charge in 2016/17.
Player-of-the-match Kovacic saw the positives in Man City’s late-season run, telling ITV: “This season has not been how we wanted but we are in another FA Cup final and in the top four.”
But Guardiola, asked if another FA Cup triumph and securing Champions League football next term would make for a good season, was emphatic.
“No,” he told reporters with a rueful smile. “This season has not been good. We are a thousand, million points behind Liverpool.”
Forest’s Nuno, meanwhile, stressed that their exceptional season – which may still end with an unlikely top-five finish – gives their fans plenty to shout about.
“Today is a sad day,” he said. “It’s going to be hard, but tomorrow when you wake up and the sadness is gone … you are going to know that we have big things ahead of us to fight for.”
Man City beat Nottingham to reach third successive FA Cup final
Sports
Turkey Football Betting Scandal: 46 Arrested as Match-Fixing Probe Widens
Turkey Football Betting Scandal: 46 Arrested as Match-Fixing Probe Widens
The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office has announced the arrest of 46 individuals, including 29 football players, in a rapidly expanding probe into illegal betting in Turkish football. The sweeping investigation has rocked the Turkish Super Lig and lower divisions, raising serious concerns over match integrity and widespread corruption.
According to prosecutors, 27 of the arrested players are suspected of placing bets on matches involving their own teams—games in which they actively participated. The arrests mark the latest escalation in Turkey’s unprecedented betting scandal.
The investigation intensified in early November when prosecutors confirmed the detention of 18 individuals, including referees accused of wagering on professional matches. A week earlier, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) sanctioned 149 referees for betting violations.
The TFF’s disciplinary committee has since imposed bans ranging from eight to twelve months on numerous officials. The federation disclosed that a sweeping integrity survey of 571 referees revealed that 371 had opened betting accounts and 152 had placed bets. Investigations into three referees remain ongoing.
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Among those disciplined is Metehan Baltacı of reigning champions Galatasaray, who recently received a nine-month suspension. Meanwhile, prosecutors allege that Fenerbahçe midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş placed bets through another person’s account, though his identity was not officially included among the 26 unnamed players under investigation.
The scandal continues to send shockwaves through Turkish football. On November 10, six referees and the president of Eyüpspor, a Turkish Super Lig club, were placed in pre-trial detention.
Authorities confirmed that 35 of the 46 suspects named in arrest warrants have been apprehended, while five are believed to have fled the country. The warrants also target two club presidents accused of attempting to manipulate the outcome of a third-division match during the 2023–2024 season—a fixture widely questioned after both teams failed to register a single shot on target.
To date, the TFF has suspended over 1,000 players nationwide, including 25 from the Super Lig. Punishments range from 45-day bans to year-long suspensions. Only one foreign player—the Senegalese winger Alassane Ndao of Konyaspor—received a 12-month ban. More than 900 of those sanctioned compete in the third and fourth divisions.
The deepening scandal underscores the severity of illegal betting networks operating within Turkish football and signals that further arrests and sanctions may follow as investigations continue.
Turkey Football Betting Scandal: 46 Arrested as Match-Fixing Probe Widens
Sports
Osimhen Scores Brace as Galatasaray Edge Samsunspor 3-2 in Turkish Super Lig Thriller
Osimhen Scores Brace as Galatasaray Edge Samsunspor 3-2 in Turkish Super Lig Thriller
Victor Osimhen delivered a match-winning performance on Friday night as Galatasaray sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Samsunspor in the Turkish Super Lig at Rams Park, Istanbul. The Nigerian striker, returning from injury sustained during Nigeria’s continental final playoff clash against DR Congo, showcased his sharp form with a decisive brace.
Galatasaray signalled their intent early when Leroy Sané opened the scoring. Moments before halftime, Sané sliced open the Samsunspor defence with a superb through ball that found Osimhen, who calmly slotted home to double the champions’ lead.
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The visitors responded in the second half, as Anthony Musaba halved the deficit in the 56th minute. With just two minutes remaining, Samsunspor pulled level after Emre Kilinic’s shot took a deflection to beat the Galatasaray goalkeeper.
But Osimhen wasn’t done. In stoppage time, the 26-year-old delivered a spectacular overhead kick past Okan Kocuk, securing the win and completing his brace in the five-goal thriller.
The goals take Osimhen’s season tally to 11 strikes in 14 appearances, reinforcing his status as one of the league’s most lethal forwards. Galatasaray now turn their attention to their upcoming UEFA Champions League trip to Monaco, where Osimhen will be aiming to reach the milestone of 50 goals for the Turkish giants.
Osimhen Scores Brace as Galatasaray Edge Samsunspor 3-2 in Turkish Super Lig Thriller
Sports
2026 FIFA World Cup Draw: England Draw Croatia as Brazil Face Morocco in Tournament Opener
2026 FIFA World Cup Draw: England Draw Croatia as Brazil Face Morocco in Tournament Opener
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw has been completed, setting the stage for an exciting tournament across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The draw, conducted on Friday in Washington, produced several eye-catching matchups, including England vs Croatia and Brazil vs Morocco, which will serve as Brazil’s opening fixture.
Host nation USA (USMNT) has been grouped with Australia, while defending champions Argentina will begin their title defence in a group featuring Austria. Tournament heavyweights France, Germany, Portugal, and Spain also discovered their group opponents as anticipation builds for the expanded World Cup format.
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Below is the full breakdown of all 12 groups for the 2026 World Cup:
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Qualifier
Group B: Canada, Qualifier, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Qualifier
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Qualifier, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Qualifier, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Qualifier, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
With powerhouse clashes and emerging football nations in the mix, the 2026 FIFA World Cup promises unforgettable action as the world counts down to kickoff.
2026 FIFA World Cup Draw: England Draw Croatia as Brazil Face Morocco in Tournament Opener
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