By JACK BEZANTS, US DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR

Published: 22:01 EST, 9 December 2025 | Updated: 00:02 EST, 10 December 2025

The Rice University soccer team has announced the death of second-year undergraduate student at the age of 19.

Claire Tracy passed away on Sunday, the school announced. A cause of death has not been revealed but counselling has been offered to Tracy’s fellow students.

Tracy was found dead at an off-campus apartment complex two blocks away from the school, according to local reports.

‘It is with deep sadness that I am writing to tell you that Claire Tracy, a second-year undergraduate student, passed away on Sunday,’ wrote Bridget K. Gorman, Rice’s Dean of undergraduates, in an email that was also published on the Rice website.

‘Claire joined Rice in fall 2024 from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, and was an active student. 

‘A member of Wiess College and a former member of the Rice soccer team, she was a talented athlete who had led her high school to many championships. Claire was a finance major and had close friends and a bright spirit. 

Claire Tracey, a Rice University soccer player, died on Sunday night at the age of 19

‘Our hearts go out to Claire’s family and all who knew her and are grieving her loss.’

Tracy’s soccer coach, Brian Lee, also paid an emotional tribute to her.

‘The entire Rice soccer community mourns the loss of Claire Tracy,’ Lee wrote.

‘Our thoughts and prayers go to Claire’s friends and family and to the many current and former teammates, whose lives were impacted by Claire’s kindness. She will forever be in our hearts.’

Tracy, who was from Wisconsin, was also paid tribute to by the University President in his annual address on Monday, according Rice Thresher.

Reggie DesRoches reportedly began his speech by calling for a moment of silence in respect to Tracy.

‘She was deeply connected to many students and known for her Rice spirit,’ DesRoches said. 

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Tragedy as Rice University soccer player Claire Tracy dead at age 19

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By JACK BEZANTS, US DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR

Published: 21:23 EST, 9 December 2025 | Updated: 21:38 EST, 9 December 2025

Ed Kelce has endeared himself further to the Kansas City Chiefs fanbase by taking on Buffalo Bills supporters on social media.

Travis and Jason’s father went into bat for the Chiefs over a meme shared by a Bills fanpage mocking his son,  Kelce’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid.

The post in question had Kelce, Mahomes and Reid’s faces photoshopped into a video from the film ‘Step Brothers’, where the two main characters burst into tears when their parents announce they’re getting divorced.

The post was captioned: ‘Chiefs fans facing their first potential missed postseason since 2014’.

And it provoked a defiat response from Ed Kelce, who took it upon himself to put Bills Mafia back in its place.

‘If the Chiefs don’t get in the playoffs, then the path is clear for the BILLS TO LOSE ANOTHER SUPERBOWL,’ Ed wrote in the comments to the post.

Ed Kelce has torn into Buffalo Bills fans as the Kansas City Chiefs struggle to make the playoffs

Kelce hit out over a meme mocking his son Travis and the Chiefs, shared by a Bills fanpage 

The Chiefs face an uphill battle to make the postseason after losing Sunday to the Texans

His response is particularly funny because the Chiefs have had a stranglehold over the Bills in the Mahomes era – the Chiefs quarterback is 4-0 against Buffalo in the postseason from 2020.

Furthermore, the Bills remain one of 12 teams to have never won a Super Bowl, losing all four of their appearances in football’s showpiece event.

But with the Chiefs’ postseason aspirations hanging by a thread after Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans, the path is potentially clearer for Josh Allen and his men to make another Super Bowl.

As talented is Allen unquestionably is, the Bills haven’t been too impressive this season. They sit on a 9-4 record despite having a much more favorable schedule than the Chiefs, 6-7, and are two wins behind AFC East leaders New England Patriots.

The Bills face the Patriots in their next game, with New England coming off a bye week for the showdown at Foxborough. 

The Chiefs, meanwhile, need to win their four final games against Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders and hope other results go their way.

They aren’t done yet, but Sunday’s loss to the Texans will be seen as the tipping point if they fail to make the postseason. 

And if the worst happens for Kansas City, Ed Kelce is sure that the Bills won’t get the crown that they do desperately crave.

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Travis Kelce’s dad in stunning outburst at the Buffalo Bills as Kansas City Chiefs struggle to make playoffs

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The 2025 Lakowe Lakes Club Championship was concluded over the weekend with Peter Eben-Spiff and Prince Ajibola retaining their title in the Men and Veteran’s categories, while Pat Ozoemene dethroned absent Fatumata Coker for the Ladies’ title.

Deji Alli, the Chairman of Mixta Africa, the developer of the host club, Lakowe Lakes Golf Club, describes the occasion as an “interesting atmosphere .”

He said the golf club, in its few years of existence, has made its mark in the development of the game and has also contributed to the growth of internal tourism in the country.

“It takes a lot to keep a facility like this running, but we have been fortunate to have a dedicated team to drive the vision we have and a very supportive community,” Alli added at the closing ceremony.

The two-day Club Championship event was the culmination of the 2025 season. The event also rewarded exceptional performances in the season-long players’ ranking (Order of Merit), which placed Pat Ozoemene, David Maji and Henry Ogufere in the top three rank.

As for the Championship itself, 2024 Gentlemen winner and six-time holder, Peter Eben-Spiff, shrugged off the first-round scare from arch-rival Tunji Adebayo (76 gross), who towered above him (77 gross) with one shot going to the final round.

“I thank Tunji Adebayo for his support and appreciate the level of competitiveness he brought to the event. It spurred me to be at my best. I owe this victory to him.” 

Eben Spiff returned in the closing round to shoot 78 gross (six over par), while Adebayo could only scratch together 83 (11 over par), which was hardly enough to lay a convincing claim to the coveted title.

The lady’s champion, Ozoemene, who already had a beautiful year, now had Jumai Abdullahi standing between her and claiming her maiden Club Championship title, which didn’t come easy. 

It cost her a three-hole playoff to wrest the title off Abdullahi after both ended the 36-hole contest in a tie at 171 gross score apiece. 

Abdullahi caved in on the last playoff hole, but praised Ozoemene for being dogged and wanting it more.

Femi Olagbenro, the golf manager at Lakowe Lakes Golf Club, said that the events, apart from rewarding exceptional skills and growth through the year, also help bring members together and bond through the rounds.

“The atmosphere the event creates is one of the keys for us, and it has been growing since inception. We hope to take it a notch higher in the coming edition.”

Other winners at the event include; Abiye Amakiri and Ayodeji Abe, who won the first and second day gross, respectively. Yetunde Ojo was ladies’ net winner, while Kelvin Alonso took the trophy for the mixed singles matchplay for the year on behalf of his team. Tony Onwu and Ayomiposi Adegboye also picked the veteran and gentlemen net prizes respectively.

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Arne Slot said Liverpool’s players gave everything he could have asked after they put Mohamed Salah’s absence aside to inflict a first European home defeat on Inter in more than three years.

The Liverpool head coach conceded that Dominik Szoboszlai’s decisive 88th-minute penalty – awarded for a shirt pull by Alessandro Bastoni on Florian Wirtz – would probably not have been given in the Premier League.

But following the difficulties caused by Salah’s incendiary interview at Leeds on Saturday, Slot was thrilled with the response of his team at San Siro.

“It was all I could ask for,” Slot said (via Yahoo Sport). “The fourth game in 10 days, I’m not sure you see that a lot in football, with only 14 outfield players available with Premier League or Champions League experience, after the blow we had conceding the 3-3 in Leeds, then to go into this stadium against such a strong Inter team – we couldn’t have asked for more.

“We hardly gave away a chance. The first one came just before half‑time after we had to accept a referee’s decision [to disallow an Ibrahima Konaté goal] that could have gone any way, but that’s been the story of our season.

“We showed a great mentality. We were close to scoring with Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitiké, then we get a penalty that if that was a penalty we would have had 10 this season.”

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Once Xabi Alonso had been whisked away from the glare, through a door hanging a banner listing every single bit of silverware won across Real Madrid’s storied history, the club’s television channel cut to highlights of a Champions League final.

Presumably that was a bid to lift the spirits of their watching public, bruised by the tempestuous 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Celta Vigo on Sunday.

The final of choice was 2022. Liverpool in Paris. Vinicius Junior. Simpler times, before this manager rocked up with his new-fangled ideas of running and playing as a collective.

There were perhaps more suitable matches to choose given the circumstances. Alonso’s appearance in front of the cameras – his first since a swirl of suggestions that losing against Manchester City on Wednesday could seal his fate as manager – had been so dry to the point of lacking any moment of note until asked about a potential Premier League return in the future.

Liverpool wasn’t directly put to him but it didn’t take a genius to work out where the conversation was headed. ‘For sure,’ he said. ‘Of course there is a bond with my former club, but for now this is my place. In future you never know what might happen.’

Former club – for whom he played on 210 occasions – was mentioned unprompted. It was one of only a couple of occasions during a short media briefing when Alonso showed any semblance of emotion. The other was when he challenged the wisdom of bringing up a substitution he’d made against Barcelona over a month ago.

Real Madrid slumped to a humiliating 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu on Sunday evening

The result heaped pressure on to struggling Los Blancos boss Xabi Alonso, whose side sit four points adrift of Barcelona

Speaking to reporters post-match, the Spaniard didn’t rule out a possible return to Liverpool in the future 

He’d battened down the hatches, ducked every inquisitor. Does he feel lonely? You have to be ready for these situations as Real Madrid coach. What about the raft of replacements – including reserve team coach Alvaro Arbeloa and former boss Zinedine Zidane – being talked about? When you’re the coach of Real you need to be ready to face situations. Does he feel supported by the club? Yes.

This might have been a frenzy, City walking headfirst into a dramatic national tragedy (two wins in seven for Real), yet Alonso gave nothing up. He knows that Florentino Perez was holding summit meetings until the early hours of Monday morning about his future. He’s not exactly chummy with Vinicius and a fair few others. There are rumblings about demanding too much of a talented squad previously left to their own devices.

All of this internal wrangling is building a picture of a coach who Real weren’t ready for. They wanted modernisation and change but the very best players at their disposal don’t seem to fancy that much. One of them, Kylian Mbappe did not train on Tuesday and has scored 10 of Real’s last 16 goals. Alonso is also without seven defenders and had 18 outfielders available in the pre-match session.

In time, if he is afforded it, Alonso might think all of this isn’t or wasn’t quite worth the hassle. He’d had discussions with Liverpool before, when they eventually appointed Arne Slot, while City themselves are known to have studied his methods. As it is, Pep Guardiola – enemy No 1 in these parts – could be the man who ends the reign of his own disciple, from their days together at Bayern Munich.

‘We have unity,’ Alonso said, in sentences that feel tricky to fully get on board with. ‘We’re together. I have a good relationship with (the hierarchy). Of course people are upset.’

It is unquestionable that Real lost control at the Bernabeu on Sunday night, Alonso apoplectic with Fran Garcia for his sending-off against Celta. Former Manchester United left back Alvaro Carreras also saw red for dissent, an unusually emotional Alonso insisting the referee was ‘looking for it’.

The injured Dani Carvajal, dressed as if he was whipping up a Manhattan, waited menacingly in the tunnel for the officials. Endrick was sent off without coming on. Jude Bellingham screamed ‘you’re a f***ing idiot’ at the fourth official.

The headlines in Monday’s newspapers were a mess and an embarrassment for Perez. ‘Madrid are lost’ read one, accompanied by an insider: ‘Los Blancos – state of crisis.’ Another said: ‘The worst version of Madrid.’

It could be Pep Guardiola, Alonso’s mentor at Bayern Munich, who puts the nail in the coffin of his Madrid career on Wednesday evening

Los Blancos could be without their talisman Kylian Mbappe for the clash after he missed training on Monday

There are many here who believe that Alonso’s race is run, that he cannot turn relationships with key members of the team. There is confusion at how positive signs through the Club World Cup and earlier in the season – more intense pressing and a tactical shape mirroring Europe’s other giants – have vanished.

Alonso is said to have ceded some principles in the hope of keeping the peace but that largely only serves to undermine a leader.

‘We want to put pressure on our rival,’ Aurelien Tchouameni said. ‘Sometimes we do it well and sometimes we do it terribly. Against Celta, I’m sure the coach had a good strategy but it’s us on the pitch. It was our problem. We shouldn’t blame the coach. We need to improve and we will.

‘If we want to win games we have to fight with the coach in the same direction. It (City) is a good opportunity to change the dynamic a little bit.’

Alonso repeated the idea of an opportunity too, although those in the Spanish capital now believe Real’s board are more likely to take theirs before the team.

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Defender Jules Kounde scored twice as Barcelona fought back from a goal down to beat Eintracht Frankfurt – in Barca’s first Champions League game at the Nou Camp in more than three years.

The visitors went ahead in the 21st minute when Ansgar Knauff raced on to Nathaniel Brown’s pass, held off Alejandro Balde and slotted the ball past Joan Garcia.

England forward Marcus Rashford, on as a half-time substitute, made an instant impact as his cross from the left was headed in by Kounde in the 50th minute.

The France defender scored his second three minutes later, this time connecting with Lamine Yamal’s delivery when unmarked six yards out.

The victory takes five-time European champions Barca on to 10 points from their six matches and, with two games to go, still in contention to claim a top-eight place that would see them jump straight into the last 16 and avoid the play-off round.

Hansi Flick’s side play at Slavia Prague on 21 January and end their league phase campaign at home to Copenhagen a week later.

Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt, seventh in the German Bundesliga, are in serious danger of being eliminated from European competition as they only have four points from their opening six matches.

BBC

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Ademola Lookman put up an impressive performance in Atalanta’s 2-1 win over Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League clash on Tuesday night.

Lookman was in action for 87 minutes in the encounter.

The Nigeria international was replaced by Mario Pasalic.

Lookman has registered one goal and one assist in five appearances for Atalanta in the Champions League this season.

Joao Pedro opened scoring for Chelsea in the 25th minute with Reece James providing the assist.

Read Also:Champions League New Format Explained 2025/26 | Rules, Schedule & What To Expect

The hosts fought their way back with Gianluca Scamacca equalising with a close range header 10 minutes after the break.

Charles De Ketelaere netted the winning goal for La Dea seven minutes from time.

Victor Osimhen featured for 90 minutes in Galatasaray’s 1-0 defeat to Monaco.

Dennis Zakaria missed from the spot for Monaco in the 51st minute.

Former Arsenal forward, Folarin Balogun scored the decisive goal in the 68th minute.

By Adeboye Amosu

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By MIKE KEEGAN, CHIEF SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 16:40 EST, 9 December 2025 | Updated: 17:55 EST, 9 December 2025

Iran and Egypt have complained to FIFA after Seattle designated their World Cup game as a ‘Pride Match’.

The fixture, between two countries in which homosexuality is outlawed, is meant to honour the LGBTQ+ community in the liberal city and the clash was pencilled in before it was known which sides would be involved.

Due to take place on June 26, it coincides with Seattle’s Pride Weekend.

However, the federations of each Muslim country have now contacted FIFA to express their opposition, in what is a growing, diplomatic incident more than six months out from tournament kick-off.

Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj condemned the move as ‘unreasonable conduct that supports a specific group’ in an interview with state television, adding that both Tehran and Cairo have communicated their objections to FIFA.

In Egypt’s case, the country’s football association sent an official letter to FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafström saying it ‘completely rejects’ any initiatives ‘related to supporting homosexuality’ during the fixture, which it says ‘are directly contrary to cultural, religious and social values in the region, especially in Arab and Islamic societies’.

Plans to mark LGBTQ+ Pride Month will be carried out at the World Cup next year – at a match between two teams with anti-gay laws (Egypt pictured) 

Iran explicitly criminalises homosexual relationships, with the maximum penalty being the death sentence, while in Egypt a law against ‘debauchery’ has been used against gay people

They added: ‘The Egyptian Federation categorically rejects those invitations and calls on FIFA not to hold any events or offers related to homosexual support events inside the stadium on the day of the match’.

Iran has taken a similar stance, claiming that the move is a violation of FIFA rules which prohibit political, religious or ideological messaging inside stadiums.

The situation has echoes of the controversy at the Qatar World Cup, where FIFA banned the ‘OneLove’ armband – intended as a symbol against discrimination.

FIFA have been contacted for comment.

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Iran and Egypt – where homosexuality is illegal – complain to FIFA over World Cup ‘Pride Match’, as diplomatic row with Muslim nations intensifies

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Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has claimed Real Madrid would have sacked him within six months last season.

According to him, Madrid is the “hardest” club to manage in the whole world.

Guardiola was speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of their Champions League clash against Los Blancos.

The Spaniard was answering questions about Xabi Alonso, who future is now uncertain at the Bernabeu, following a poor run of form.

Managing Real Madrid is the hardest job in football,” Guardiola said.

“If I performed the way I did last season as Real Madrid’s manager, I would’ve been sacked in six months.”

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has disclosed that the duo of Declan Rice and William Saliba will not be part of the Gunners squad that will face Club Brugge in Wednesday’s UEFA champions League.

There had been doubts over both Rice and Saliba coming into the game in Belgium, with Saliba missing the last three Premier League games with a knock.

Read Also:Babangida: Super Eagles Must Win AFCON Title After World Cup Disappointment

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta stated that Saliba is still nursing a knock, while Rice fell ill.

“No, so Declan was ill, so he was quite sick after the game already,” Arteta told reporters at his press conference.

“He hasn’t travelled with us, William is still not available and Leo again, he picked another knock in an area where he had the previous issue and I don’t expect that it’s going to be long but unfortunately, he cannot be with us.”

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