Sports
Man Utd draw at Leeds, Barcelona beat Villarreal as Man City win Carabao Cup final
Leeds claimed another deserved point against one of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ as they drew 0-0 with Manchester United at Elland Road.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer disappointed over Man United dropping two points at Leeds.
“Today we just didn’t have the moment, take [our chances] when we had them,” Sky Sport quoted Solskjaer as saying, adding, “A draw is disappointing because we wanted to put pressure on [Manchester] City, but we couldn’t score.”
Solskjaer’s side, 10 points behind City with five games to play, extended their unbeaten Premier League away run to 24 matches and are now undefeated in their last 13.
The Norwegian was delighted with his players’ physical effort against a Leeds side renowned for their endurance.
“I’ve not seen many teams in the second half dominate as much as we did against Leeds, because they are so fit and strong,” Solskjaer said.
Leeds have not beaten their arch rivals in the top flight since 2002 when Solskjaer was a Manchester United player, but boss Marcelo Bielsa was equally as pleased with his players’ display.
“It was a very demanding game for us,” Bielsa said. “For the game not to become unbalanced, the team made a massive effort.
Manchester City beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 to win Carabao Cup
Just over a week on from disappointment in the FA Cup semi-final on this ground, Manchester City have turned Wembley their shade of blue.
Aymeric Laporte’s 82nd-minute header is the winner at Wembley Stadium, as Manchester City defeat Tottenham Hotspur to pick up the first major trophy of the run-in.
To Man City, the treble is on!
City had been headed for a nightmare scenario, with 30 minutes of extra-time the last thing they would have wanted just three days before the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
But thanks to Laporte’s late intervention, they now have the first of potentially three trophies in the bag as the season enters its final furlong.
Spurs, though, were right to feel a little hard done by after Laporte was twice caught out by the pace of Lucas Moura during the first half, with his only way of stopping the Brazil international to pull him back.
Both offences would normally have warranted yellow cards, and yet only the second was punished with a booking by referee Paul Tierney.
Whether he would have made the second challenge if he had been given a yellow card the first time is a question that will go unanswered, but that is unlikely to appease fans from north London.
Aymeric Laporte Riyad Mahrez Joao Cancelo Man City vs Tottenham Carabao Cup final 2020-21
We will also never know whether Laporte would have started here had John Stones not been sent off against Aston Villa on Wednesday.
The England international, therefore, missed out through suspension, allowing Laporte to step up after a season in which he has been forced to watch on from the sidelines in a number of matches following Stones’ resugence and the arrival of Ruben Dias.
His pair of crude pull-backs on Lucas showed why he is no longer the mainstay he once was under Guardiola.
That said, it will be Laporte who goes down in the history books as the player who ensured City’s crazy love affair with the Carabao Cup goes on.
In winning the trophy for the fourth successive season, they have now matched the record set by Liverpool in the 1980s for consecutvie triumphes, while Guardiola is now the joint-most successful manager in the competition’s history.
City last lost a Carabao Cup tie in October 2016 while captain Fernandinho – who lifted the trophy alongside fellow stalwart Sergio Aguero – has now won the competition a record six times.
Chukwueze gets assist as Villarreal lose 1-2 to Barcelona
The Nigeria international made a frantic effort in an attempt to help the Yellow Submarine avoid their second consecutive loss
Samuel Chukwueze provided an assist in Villarreal’s 1-2 defeat to Barcelona in Sunday’s La Liga game.
The Yellow Submarine headed into the encounter after losing against Deportivo Alaves and aimed to return to winning ways but failed to get the better of the Blaugrana.
Chukwueze made his 12th league start of the season in the encounter and delivered an impressive performance.
The Nigerian international helped Unai Emery’s side to hit the ground running in the encounter, scoring as early as the 26th minute.
The fleet-footed winger opened the scoring for the Yellow Submarine in a spectacular manner, dribbling past his markers before firing into the back of the net.
The Yellow Submarine, however, failed to build on the impressive start, as they allowed Barca to come back into the game.
Antoine Griezmann started Barcelona’s fight-back when he levelled proceedings in the 28th minute after receiving a timely assist from Oscar Mingueza.
The 30-year-old France international then completed his brace in the 35th minute, firing home his effort after finding himself in a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo.
After the restart of the second half, Villarreal pushed for a possible equalizer and Chukwueze has several attempts on goal.
In the 65th minute, however, they suffered a big blow when they were reduced to 10 men after Manuel Trigueros was shown a straight red card.
Moments before the end of the game, the Yellow Submarine thought they got a penalty after Francis Coquelin’s effort was blocked in the area, with claims of handball, but after the Video Assistant Referee reviewed the situation, a spot-kick was not awarded.
-Goals.com and Sky Sport
Sports
Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List
Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List
The highest-paid African footballers in 2026 continue to earn staggering wages, with stars in the Saudi Pro League dominating the rankings due to lucrative contracts. From Riyad Mahrez to Mohamed Salah, African players remain among the top earners in global football, earning hundreds of thousands of pounds weekly.
Leading the list is Riyad Mahrez, who earns an estimated £827,000–£886,000 per week at Al-Ahli, making him the highest-paid African footballer. He is followed by Sadio Mané, who earns around £630,000–£680,000 weekly at Al-Nassr.
Defender Kalidou Koulibaly earns about £550,000–£590,000 weekly at Al-Hilal, making him the highest-paid African defender. In Europe, Mohamed Salah continues to command massive wages of £350,000–£400,000 per week at Liverpool FC.
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Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen earns between £250,000–£318,000 weekly at Galatasaray, making him one of the highest-paid Nigerian footballers.
Midfielder Franck Kessié and defender Achraf Hakimi both earn just over £220,000 per week, playing for Al-Ahli and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy earns up to £200,000 weekly, while Iñaki Williams takes home about £180,000 per week at Athletic Bilbao. Veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completes the list with weekly earnings of £150,000–£160,000 at Al-Qadsiah.
Top 10 Highest-Paid African Footballers (2026) – Weekly Salaries
| Rank | Player | Club | Weekly Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riyad Mahrez | Al-Ahli | £827,000 – £886,000 |
| 2 | Sadio Mané | Al-Nassr | £630,000 – £680,000 |
| 3 | Kalidou Koulibaly | Al-Hilal | £550,000 – £590,000 |
| 4 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool FC | £350,000 – £400,000 |
| 5 | Victor Osimhen | Galatasaray | £250,000 – £318,000 |
| 6 | Franck Kessié | Al-Ahli | £220,000 – £233,000 |
| 7 | Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain | £220,000 – £227,000 |
| 8 | Edouard Mendy | Al-Ahli | £170,000 – £200,000 |
| 9 | Iñaki Williams | Athletic Bilbao | ~£180,000 |
| 10 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Al-Qadsiah | £150,000 – £160,000 |
The rankings underline the growing dominance of the Saudi Pro League, which now offers significantly higher wages than most European leagues, attracting top African talent. Only a few players, such as Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, remain among the top earners in Europe.
Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List
Sports
Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat
Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat
Nigerian-born mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya has reaffirmed his determination to continue competing at the highest level, insisting that recent setbacks will not define his legacy.
Adesanya suffered another defeat in the octagon on Saturday night, losing to American contender Joe Pyfer via second-round technical knockout at a UFC Fight Night event in Seattle.
The contest began on a promising note for the former middleweight champion, who displayed his signature precision and movement in the opening round. Adesanya controlled the distance effectively and dictated the pace of exchanges, raising hopes of a return to winning form.
However, the tide turned in the second round as Pyfer absorbed the early pressure and began to assert his physical advantage. The American closed the distance with powerful strikes before securing a crucial takedown. From a dominant position on the ground, he mounted Adesanya and unleashed a series of heavy blows, forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Pyfer, while extending a challenging run for Adesanya, who has now suffered four consecutive losses. His recent defeats include bouts against Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov.
Despite growing concerns about his future in the middleweight division, the 36-year-old remained defiant in his post-fight comments, emphasizing his unwavering fighting spirit.
“I’ll keep coming back again and again. I’m not leaving this sport. You can’t stop me,” Adesanya declared, adding that defeat would not diminish his enduring belief in himself.
While questions continue to mount over his next steps, Adesanya’s resolve suggests he is far from ready to step away from the sport that has defined his career.
Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat
Sports
Super Eagles Edge Iran 2–1 in Antalya Friendly
Super Eagles Edge Iran 2–1 in Antalya Friendly
Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, began their March international break on a winning note with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Iran in an international friendly at the Antalya Stadium in Turkey on Friday, March 27.
The three-time African champions made a bright start, asserting their dominance early in the encounter. Winger Moses Simon opened the scoring in the sixth minute after latching onto a swift counterattack, evading his marker before slotting a low shot into the bottom-left corner.
Nigeria continued to press forward, creating several chances and maintaining control for much of the first half, though they were unable to extend their lead before the break.
The Super Eagles doubled their advantage shortly after the restart. In the 51st minute, Ademola Lookman provided a precise through pass to Akor Adams, who calmly finished to make it 2–0.
Head coach Eric Chelle utilized the friendly to test new options, handing debuts to Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu, who came on for Semi Ajayi and Igoh Ogbu respectively. Later substitutions saw Paul Onuachu, Chidera Ejuke and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru introduced in place of Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon and Akor Adams, while Frank Onyeka also featured late on.
Iran reduced the deficit in the closing stages, setting up a nervy finish, but Nigeria held firm to secure the victory.
The match marked Nigeria’s first outing since finishing third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and comes after the disappointment of missing out on World Cup qualification following a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo.
Friday’s encounter was only the third meeting between both nations. Nigeria previously defeated Iran in a 1998 friendly, while their group-stage clash at the 2014 FIFA World Cup ended in a goalless draw.
The Super Eagles will now shift focus to their next friendly fixture against Jordan on Tuesday, also scheduled to take place in Turkey.
Super Eagles Edge Iran 2–1 in Antalya Friendly
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