A chaotic night of UEFA Champions League football saw Chelsea fall out of the automatic qualification spots after a dramatic collapse in Bergamo.

Liverpool secure a season-defining victory in Milan, a 17-year-old break records for Bayern, Spurs revive their campaign with a comfortable win while Atlético battle to a tense win in Eindhoven.

Marseille survive late drama in Belgium, Monaco edge Galatasaray thanks to Folarin Balogun’s persistence, and Olympiacos keep their hopes alive with their first win of the campaign.

Below are the full individual match reports of each fixture.

Chelsea Drops Out of Top Eight as Atalanta Claims 2-1 Win

Chelsea’s hopes of automatic Champions League knockout qualification took a major hit as Atalanta came from behind to seal a 2–1 victory in Bergamo.

Both teams entered the match locked on identical league-phase records: three wins, one draw and one defeat, totalling 10 points each. The contest reflected that balance early on, but Chelsea struck first.

Joao Pedro turned in a pinpoint Reece James cross in the first half, giving the Blues a slender advantage.

Chelsea nearly doubled their lead early in the second half when James curled wide, but Atalanta always looked like a threat, largely through former Charlton and Everton winger Ademola Lookman.

Atalanta grew into the match and were rewarded when former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca was left unmarked to head in the equaliser from a wide delivery.

Chelsea attempted to regain control, with Alejandro Garnacho driving a fierce effort straight at goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.

The defining moment came late: the Blues defense stepped off Charles De Ketelaere, who clinically drilled home the winner.

Chelsea pushed desperately in the closing stages, but Carnesecchi produced a stunning save to deny Pedro’s late effort.

The defeat sends Chelsea tumbling from the automatic top-eight spots to 11th, with only two league-phase games left.

Atalanta leap to 3rd, sitting three points above Chelsea.

“We Lost Control” – Maresca Frustrated After Collapse

This latest setback extends Chelsea’s poor run: since their 3–0 win over Barcelona in November, they are winless in four games across all competitions.

Manager Enzo Maresca again rotated heavily, introducing five changes, after making five for the Leeds loss and six for the draw with Bournemouth.

Responding to criticism, Maresca defended the rotation:

“I think tonight [in] the first XI we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham, Barcelona and Arsenal.”

“If you see the five changes that we did compared to Bournemouth it is different but it is the eight or nine players playing Barcelona.”

“The ones who played tonight are the ones playing almost all the games.”

But he acknowledged Chelsea’s failings:

“After the goal we conceded we lost control. Second half, we had two good chances to score the second goal.”

“When we conceded the 1–1, we lost some concentration. We can avoid both of the goals we conceded. They’re easy goals.”

On his decision to withdraw Chalobah and Enzo Fernández, which altered Chelsea’s rhythm, he added:

“Both changes were because Trev and Enzo, they are playing every minute of every game. They are both not 100 percent.”

“Trev was on a yellow card. This is the reason why we changed them.”

Maresca was blunt about Chelsea’s situation:

“Probably we need two wins. Sixteen points might get you top eight, I’m not sure. The next one, for sure, if we want to finish top eight, we need to win both.”

Chelsea next host Pafos on 21 January, before travelling to Napoli in the final league-phase match.

Szoboszlai’s Late Penalty Saves Liverpool in Milan

Liverpool secured a vital Champions League victory at the San Siro, defeating Inter Milan thanks to a late penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai, the club’s first UCL away win without Mohamed Salah since 2009.

With Salah absent following a week of controversy, pressure mounted after a run of nine defeats in 12. But Szoboszlai stepped up from the spot after a tense evening.

The travelling fans erupted at full-time, singing manager Arne Slot’s name after a morale-boosting win delivered by a depleted 19-man squad.

Virgil van Dijk said:

“It doesn’t change anything. There’s obviously so much noise from the outside world, which is normal when you don’t perform.”

“It’s deserved as well. We want to improve, we want to be consistent and win games.”

Inter had been unbeaten in 18 straight UCL home matches, making the win even more significant.

Slot Asked About Salah: “Everyone Makes Mistakes”

Asked about Salah’s absence, Slot insisted the night belonged to the players who travelled:

“Everyone makes mistakes in life but does the player know he’s made a mistake? Should the initiative come from him or me? That’s another question.”

“Tonight it should be all about the players that are here.”

Van Dijk declined to criticise Salah directly:

“He didn’t travel based the consequences of what he said. That’s it.”

Slot hailed Szoboszlai:

“That was his first penalty for Liverpool during a game but he has a great shot and he delivered. It’s special what he is doing physically and also football wise.”

Liverpool remain unbeaten in four and appear to be emerging from a difficult spell.

Lennart Karl Makes UCL History as Bayern Beat Sporting 3–1

Lennart Karl, just 17 years old, became the youngest player in Champions League history to score in three consecutive UCL games, leading Bayern Munich to a comeback win over Sporting.

Sporting took the lead early in the second half when Joshua Kimmich slid an Ivan Fresneda cross into his own net.

But Bayern responded: Serge Gnabry was left unmarked to volley in the equaliser, before Karl controlled Konrad Laimer’s lofted pass and smashed in Bayern’s second, although Sporting’s Rui Silva might have done better.

Jonathan Tah stabbed home a third after Gnabry’s knockdown from a free-kick.

Bayern now sit level with Arsenal at the top, though with one more game played.

Tottenham Cruise to 3–0 Win Over Slavia Prague

Tottenham responded in style after their 5–3 defeat to PSG, comfortably defeating Slavia Prague in London.

Spurs took the lead when David Zima headed Pedro Porro’s corner into his own net. In the second half, Porro won a penalty after a reckless challenge by Sanyang, converted emphatically by Mohammed Kudus, his first UCL goal for Spurs.

A second penalty followed, tucked away by Xavi Simons after he was brought down by Igoh Ogbu.

The evening was also emotional as Son Heung-min, returning as an LAFC player, received a rapturous pre-match ovation.

Goalkeeper Vicario made key saves, while Stanek denied several Spurs chances, including a brilliant double stop from Mathys Tel and Pape Sarr.

The only setback: Micky van de Ven received a yellow card, ruling him out of the next match versus Borussia Dortmund.

Atlético Survive Late PSV Pressure to Win 3–2 in Eindhoven

A chaotic night in Eindhoven saw Atlético Madrid claim a valuable win over PSV.

PSV struck first after Guus Til tapped in from Couhaib Driouech’s break. Driouech should have doubled the lead but missed twice, once shooting wide, and once choosing a poor pass instead of finishing from eight yards.

Atlético punished PSV’s wastefulness:

• Julian Alvarez equalised after Yarek Gasiorowski was robbed playing out from the back.

• David Hancko pounced on a rebound to put Atlético ahead.

• Alexander Sørloth headed in a third from Pablo Barrios’ cross.

PSV pulled one back through Ricardo Pepi and nearly equalised, but Armando Obispo failed to turn in a late corner.

Atlético rise to 7th, while PSV fall to 19th.

Mason Greenwood Scores Twice as Marseille Win 3–2 at Union SG

Former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood scored a brace as Marseille defeated Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.

Union opened the scoring through Anan Khalaili’s long-range effort. Igor Paixão equalised with a superb strike into the top corner.

Greenwood then linked with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to make it 2–1 before racing onto Matt O’Riley’s pass to slot in his second.

Khalaili struck again to make it 3–2, and Kevin Mac Allister saw a late equaliser ruled offside. Promise David had a chance in stoppage time but was denied by Rulli.

Marseille now sit 16th; Union drop to 25th.

Folarin Balogun Scores in Third Straight UCL Match as Monaco Beat Galatasaray 1–0

Folarin Balogun finally converted after missing multiple chances, scoring the only goal as Monaco edged Galatasaray.

The match was filled with missed opportunities:

• Ilkay Gündogan blazed over from six yards.

• Baris Alper Yilmaz hit the post.

• Balogun missed several clear chances, including heading over from close range.

• Denis Zakaria’s tame penalty was saved by Ugurcan Cakir.

Balogun eventually bundled in from a corner knockdown in the 68th minute to secure Monaco’s second league-phase win.

Both teams now sit on nine points.

Olympiacos Finally Ends 12-Match Away Losing Run

Olympiacos earned their first Champions League win of the season, defeating Kairat Almaty 1–0 in Kazakhstan.

Gelson Martins’ low strike broke the deadlock after a string of superb saves from keeper Temirlan Anarbekov, who denied:

• Ayoub El Kaabi three times

• Francisco Chiquinho

• Mehdi Taremi (pushing his shot onto the post)

• El Kaabi again off the crossbar

Kairat, who needed eight qualifiers to reach the league phase, remain on one point and became the first team since 1997–98 Kosice to fail to score in their first three home matches.

Olympiacos, now on five points, must win their final two games vs Bayer Leverkusen and away to Ajax, to reach the 11-point threshold that secured last season’s final play-off spot.

Tuesday, 9th December – Champions League Stage

Full-Time Results

• Kairat 0–1 Olympiakos

• Bayern Munich 3–1 Sporting CP

• Atalanta 2–1 Chelsea

• Barcelona 2–1 Eintracht Frankfurt

• Inter Milan 0–1 Liverpool

• Monaco 1–0 Galatasaray

• PSV 2–3 Atletico Madrid

• Tottenham Hotspur 3–0 Slavia Prague

• Union Saint-Gilloise 2–3 Marseille

WEDNESDAY – GAMEWEEK 6 MATCHDAY PREVIEW

Qarabağ vs. Ajax (17:45 GMT)

Two struggling sides meet with elimination looming.

Villarreal vs. Copenhagen (17:45 GMT)

Copenhagen seek crucial points to stay inside the top 24.

Athletic Club vs. Paris Saint-Germain (20:00 GMT)

PSG, second in the standings, aim to tighten their grip on a top-eight berth.

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Newcastle United (20:00 GMT)

A pivotal clash between two sides hovering in mid-table.

Benfica vs. Napoli (20:00 GMT)

With both still outside the playoff zone, this is a near must-win.

Borussia Dortmund vs. Bodø/Glimt (20:00 GMT)

Dortmund look to cement their top-eight position.

Club Brugge vs. Arsenal (20:00 GMT)

Arsenal, the only side with a perfect record, aim for win No. 6.

Juventus vs. Pafos (20:00 GMT)

Juve seek stability in an unstable season as they host struggling Pafos.

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City (20:00 GMT)

The heavyweight showdown of Gameweek 6

Real Madrid sit fifth, City ninth—an early-season slump has put pressure on Pep Guardiola’s men. A win here could dramatically reshape the upper tier of the table.

SOURCE PAGE

By ED CARRUTHERS, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA

Published: 07:52 EST, 10 December 2025 | Updated: 08:00 EST, 10 December 2025

Sky Sports and the Ladies European Tour (LET) have announced a landmark extension to their long-standing partnership, which will see the network continue as the exclusive broadcaster for the tour into its 30th year.

The arrangement will see Sky show the LET exclusively on Sky Sports and Now until the end of the 2030 season, with the network also set to exclusively broadcast the 2026 Solheim Cup to UK and Irish audiences.

It comes as Sky announced in November that the broadcaster had also agreed a major new four-year deal with the DP World Tour to exclusively show the next two instalments of the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027 and Hazeltine National in 2029, on Sky Sports and NOW.

Sky’s golf coverage has exploded in recent years, with record viewers tuning in to watch the 2023 edition of the Solheim Cup.

A whopping 734,000 viewers had watched the event as Team Europe retained their title after drawing 14-14 against Team USA.

‘Extending our long-standing partnership with the Ladies European Tour demonstrates Sky’s continued commitment to growing and investing in women’s golf at a time when the sport is more exciting than ever,’ Sky Chief Sports Officer, Jonathan Licht, said on Wednesday, noting that Sky broadcasts 70 per cent of all televised women’s sports.

Sky Sports has extended it’s long-standing partnership with the Ladies European Tour until 2030

The partnership is set to continue into its 30th year, with Sky set to also show the 2026 Solheim Cup on Sky Sports and NOW (Pictured: Charley Hull)

‘We look forward to continuing to showcase these stories and the sport’s biggest stars to further grow audiences, in turn engaging new fans,’ Sky Chief Sports Officer, Jonathan Licht, said

‘Sky has been the home of women’s golf for three decades, and Team Europe’s historic victory at the 2023 Solheim Cup was a moment that truly captivated audiences.

‘We look forward to continuing to showcase these stories and the sport’s biggest stars to further grow audiences, in turn engaging new fans.’

Sky has been the home of the Solheim Cup and LET since it first broadcast the iconic tournament back in 1996, when Team USA, led by Judy Rankin, claimed victory at the St Pierre Golf and Country Club in Wales.

‘We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Sky, a relationship that has spanned many successful years,’ LET commercial director Theresa McCann said.

‘This extension is a testament to the strength of our collaboration and shared commitment to deliver world-class coverage to our fans.

‘This season saw significant milestones including Lottie Woad winning on her professional debut having already won the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as an amateur a few weeks before, Mimi Rhodes’ breakthrough year, winning three times and clinching the Rookie of the Year title, and Shannon Tan becoming the first Singaporean to win the LET Order of Merit following an intense battle with Rhodes.

‘With this renewal, we will continue to showcase the incredible talent and inspiring stories, further amplifying the visibility of the sport and empowering the next generation of golfers.’

Sky’s golf coverage has gone from strength to strength this year, with Rory McIlroy’s Masters’ win at Augusta National becoming the most-watched day in the broadcaster’s history.

A whopping 1.85million viewers tuned into Sky during the course of the day to watch McIlroy’s Masters win, as well as the Bahrain Grand Prix and Newcastle’s 4-1 victory against 4-1 Manchester United.

Share or comment on this article:
Sky Sports agrees landmark golf broadcast partnership extension

SOURCE PAGE

Ligue 1 clubs are interested in OGC Nice striker Terem Moffi, Completesports.com reports.

Moffi faces an uncertain future at Nice after he was recently attacked by the club fans.

The Nigeria international is yet to make an appearance for Nice since the incident.

Read Also:UCL: Lookman Shines In Atalanta’s Win Over Chelsea, Osimhen Loses With Galatasaray

The 26-year-old has been ruled out of Nice’s UEFA Europa League clash with Sporting Braga on Thursday (today).

As per Mohamed Toubache-Ter, Ligue 1 clubs are showing interest in the striker ahead of the January transfer window.

Moffi has scored twice in 10 league appearances for Les Aiglons this season.

He joined Nice from another French club Lorient in January 2023.

SOURCE PAGE

How much would it cost to take the trip of a lifetime and cheer on England at the World Cup?  

It’s a question lots of us have been asking. After all, this could finally be a chance to witness the Three Lions win something. Then again, we say that every time. 

The 2026 edition promises a thrilling experience. Gigantic, packed-out stadiums which are purpose-built for spectacle. Dynamic, sports-mad cities. Hotdogs galore, and then some more. 

I wanted to know how much it would cost to go and watch England’s three group games against Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. Booking anything beyond that for now is a risky game – even if England progress, which is never a certainty, we don’t know where they’d play their next match as that depends on their group placing. 

So, three tickets, flights, hotels, travel in between, and a bit of wonga in your pocket for food, drinks, and souvenirs. All in all, I reckon a comfortable trip can be done for… £10,078. It’s a fortune for 13 days, but that’s the price of footballing passion. 

You can slash that fee if you’re willing to stay in motels, or bump it up for somewhere uber-fancy. If you want to follow all the way to the final, sorry to break the news but you’re probably looking at £25,000, if not more, as you’ll need five more tickets, additional flights, and three extra weeks of hotel rooms. Let’s dive in. 

How much would you be willing to spend on a dream trip to watch England at the World Cup? (Pictured: New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium, where England play Panama on June 27)

One of the hotels Daily Mail Sport has found gets you close to Times Square in New York 

Daily Mail Sport believes it would cost £8,860 to comfortably follow England through the group stages – and probably more than double to watch all the way until the final 

Flights – £2,631

This is where the the 2026 World Cup really kicks you where it hurts: for us hardy Europeans, it’s far away, and it’s spread across a large area. It’s bad news for Dennis Bergkamp, who famously has a fear of flying. 

We’re going to need four flights. One from England to the United States, two to get between American cities, and another back to London – unless you want to skimp and swim for several months across the Atlantic Ocean. 

The trip would run between Tuesday June 16 and Sunday June 28. 

Going from London Heathrow Airport at 8.20am, you’ll touch down at at 12.20pm at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, where the mercury reads about 35C in mid-June. 

My plan would be to fly to each region the day before the respective game. That works out cheaper than if you fly the day after each match. 

Our other flights are between DFW International and Boston Logan (Monday June 22, 12.19pm-5.08pm); Boston Logan to Newark Liberty International (Friday June 26, 1.49pm-2.59pm); and New York John F. Kennedy International to Heathrow (Sunday June 28, 9.45am-9.40pm). 

Us England fans are quite lucky that our games are either in Texas or near the East Coast. Getting over to the West Coast would be more expensive and time-consuming. 

There is a way you can practically halve the flight costs, and that’s by forfeiting your check-in luggage. But with the sweltering heat expected, I think you need space for plenty of changes of clothes unless you want crusty armpits.  

Dallas is the first city that England will be playing near as they take on old foes Croatia 

The AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is the site of England’s first group game on June 17

Our second city will be Boston, where our recommended hotel is a short walk to the subway 

Accommodation – £3,870

This is the most expensive portion of the trip, but it’s also the most flexible. If you’re not liking the big number in bold text above, you can slash it down to a quarter if you’re willing to stay in the dustiest rooms.

But we can’t avoid the uncomfortable truth: hotel prices have already surged by an average of 300 per cent, as per The Athletic. 

This budget was put together with comfort in mind, without excess. You’ll be pleased to know that it gets you a bed. Not only that, it gets you decent rooms in midscale hotels with good reviews, places that have a gym and swimming pool and hearty breakfast menus. You even spend a couple of nights near Times Square. Not too shabby.

Our first stay is at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Dallas East. Six nights here sets you back £1,301. 

It’s 6.3 miles from downtown, so it’s not exactly a quick walk to the bars and shops, but if you want to get much closer to the action then you’re looking at £2,000 or more. It’s got private parking (if you fancy renting a car), a gym, swimming pool, breakfast, and it’s part of the recognised Marriott chain, so you pretty much know what you’re getting.

You will have quite a trek on matchday to the AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The roundtrip all things considered is around three hours by train and bus for around £50; by car you can supposedly do there and back in an hour. For the airport, it’s a couple of hours one way, but even staying in one of the West Dallas options won’t trim that down significantly. 

Also, a quick shout: you might want to book flights and rooms sooner rather than later. Data from Booking.com suggests that searches for Dallas have soared by +3730% among British travellers. More than a few keen beans with their eyes on jetting out, then. 

Our second city is in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 22 miles out of Boston. To cut down travel time, I’d recommend staying at the Hampton Inn near Boston Logan Airport – a quick shuttle ride away. Four nights here hits you for £1,750, unfortunately. Yep, it feels like daylight robbery, but Boston is an expensive place, particularly during the tournament. 

You get access to all the same amenities as the Fairfield. You’re also only half a mile from the Boston subway system so it shouldn’t take too long to get into the city. 

The final stop is the grandly named Hampton Inn Times Square Central. Two nights here and you’re £819 poorer. It’s not precisely on Times Square as the name suggests but it is nearby. 

So, you get all the hustle and bustle of New York, and you’re within 45 minutes of both airports and the game at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. There’s even a flat-screen TV and a 24-hour front desk thrown in. 

The Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is the arena where England will face Ghana on June 23

You can finish the trip with a couple of days in New York, not far from the final group game 

Match tickets – £2,073

It’s hard to do this cheaply and if you don’t book quickly, I can only see this figure increasing. 

According to ticketdata.com, a seat at the England vs Croatia game on June 17 will be a staggering £788, a ticket for the Ghana clash on June 23 is £705, and if you want to see the Three Lions tonk Panama on June 27, it’s another £580. 

Tickets for the group stages alone, then, are £2,073. It’s a lot of dosh for 270 minutes of football (a third of which will be spent watching Panama run down the clock). For the same outlay, you could rent a room in London for two months! Or perhaps two days if it’s in Zone 1…

If Thomas Tuchel’s men go all the way to the final, that’ll be another five games, so you’re probably looking at triple that fee to watch them all the way through the tournament.

Other expenses

My budget includes $150 to spend each day, which probably gets you a small burger and a glass of water in New York. 

But no, hopefully that’s enough on average to cover eating out and purchase any souvenirs. Obviously you can set your own budget. I’m factoring in an extra £244 for travel between airports, hotels, and stadiums based on the prices I’ve seen for public transport and taxis. 

Final thoughts

Ultimately, this sort of trip is what you make of it. If £10,078 sounds exorbitant – let’s face it, it’s crazy money – then you can probably trim it to £7,500 if you went in the cheap, out-of-town motels. Cut out a ticket or two, frequent some fan bars instead, and the damage becomes more comfortable. 

At the other end of the scale, maybe you’ve got cash to burn. If the midscales just aren’t enough for you, there’s always a private suite at the Michelangelo Hotel in New York, which costs a mere £14,218 per night. Have a rummage down the back of your sofas. 

Would I be making this trip? Honestly, for the price, probably not. It’s around a year in rent. It’s 191 birthday messages from Paul Merson on the celebrity video website Cameo. Or I could have the joy of watching my local Championship club back home 310 times – by which point we probably still won’t be in the Premier League.  

With the European Championship coming to the UK in 2028, it might be worth waiting until then to bite. But if you’ve got the spare change, don’t let me put you off World Cup fever.  

SOURCE PAGE

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has apologised to Mohamed Salah after criticising the forward during the build up to Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan.

Carragher caused a stir earlier in the week when he described Salah as a “disgrace” and hinted that the 33-year-old wanted manager Arne Slot removed.

The remarks sparked strong reaction on social media and appeared to widen the tension surrounding Salah after his recent interview in which he openly criticized Liverpool and Slot.

Speaking live on CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage, Carragher was urged by former Manchester City defender Micah Richards to take back his comments. The former Liverpool centre-back agreed and issued a direct apology to the Egyptian star.

“Mo, I apologise I have upset you. I love you as the Liverpool player, but you just need to behave yourself off the pitch,” Carragher said (via Mirror).

Salah was left out of the squad for the trip to San Siro, where Liverpool secured a crucial 1-0 win. His absence followed the fallout from his explosive interview, though the club has not offered an official explanation.

The victory keeps Liverpool’s hopes of progressing automatically to the knockout rounds alive and ended a difficult run of form that saw the Premier League champions lose nine of their previous twelve matches.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry also praised Liverpool’s performance and admitted he did not expect Slot’s side to produce such a disciplined display in Italy.

“I liked the way Liverpool played and how Arne Slot stopped Inter from playing, his tactics were on point,” Henry said on CBS Sports. “That was a proper Liverpool performance. I didn’t know they had it in their locker. That would have been a reassuring performance for Liverpool fans to watch.”

The decisive moment came from the penalty spot after a VAR review ruled Alessandro Bastoni had fouled Florian Wirtz. Dominik Szoboszlai calmly placed his effort in the bottom corner to secure the points and lift Liverpool to eighth in the group standings.

© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]

SOURCE PAGE

Former Aston Villa defender Ahmed Elmohamady has criticised Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher after he recently slammed winger Mohamed Salah.

Recall that Carragher had labelled Salah a “disgrace” following the Egyptian’s explosive, controversial interview.

The Englishman later apologised to Salah on Tuesday for his comments on the 33-year-old.

Speaking on the development, Elmohamady, in a tweet via his X account, said: “Right Jamie, you’re a disgrace, Salah completely rewrote his story through hard work, humility, and world-class performances.

“He didn’t “fail” at Chelsea — he was never given the chance. He went to Italy, rebuilt himself, then came to Liverpool and became: A Premier League legend; Egypt’s greatest ever player; One of the most consistent forwards of his generation.

“Salah has carried Egypt for years and got Egypt qualified for World Cup twice after so long. Salah earned everything. No wonder you got blanked by C.Ronaldo. No wonder Messi called you out. No wonder Mourinho said you were below average and not even in top 1000 defender in PL.”

SOURCE PAGE

It won’t be much consolation to Ben Stokes or anyone connected with the current England team that just lost the second Test at the Gabba, but when it comes to tours going wrong in Australia, I have been in worse situations than this.

I have been down 2-0 plenty of times in away Ashes series (four, in fact), so I know exactly how the England players will be feeling now they are two matches adrift and staring down the barrel of a series defeat as they prepare to head to Adelaide for the third Test.

I saw the photographs of the players on the beach at the resort of Noosa yesterday, and there was a familiar ring to some of the howls of outrage which greeted them. I understand why they might cause frustration among fans.

The England players will feel as if they are under siege. The Australian media is relentless in its attacks. It seems to be a facet of their coverage that they get more joy from England’s failings than the successes of their own team and they appear to be particularly gleeful about the struggles Bazball is having in Australia.

All the England players will be wanting to do is curl up in a ball in their room because of the scrutiny and the headlines and the pictures. And that is not healthy at all.

However bad the photos may look, they are doing the right thing by taking a bit of time out. They need to get out of the cricket bubble for a couple of days, get away from the pressure. It is far better that they are on the beach or the golf course than holed up in their hotel rooms.

I know exactly how England players like Jofra Archer will be feeling now they are two matches adrift and staring down the barrel of a series defeat

Captain Ben Stokes (left) will feel as if he is under siege. The Australian media is relentless in its attacks

As a player, you just want to shut yourself away until the next game. You feel as though that’s the only way for the headlines not to come out. You don’t even want to go out for a coffee because you know even that can be fraught with possibility.

When we were 3-0 down in Melbourne in 2013-14, I went for a walk with my kids when they were quite young and the photographers got us as soon as we came out of the hotel.

I just looked dejected – because there wasn’t much to smile about. I ended up feeling like I just wanted to hide away again.

That tour was the worst one I’ve been involved with. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

The team was edging towards decline, we had just come out of the Kevin Pietersen-Andrew Strauss stuff where KP had been texting South African players about his captain, Jonathan Trott was struggling with his mental health and flew home early and Graeme Swann retired during the tour.

It just felt as if we were fighting a losing battle. Australia were strong but even though we were trying our best, there was a kind of inevitability about that trip where I knew we were just going to get dealt with. 

Everything crowded in on us. Mitchell Johnson was on fire and everything went downhill very quickly.

We are not at that point yet on this tour but we are getting close. I was surprised by how poor our bowling performance was in Brisbane in the Australian first innings. It felt like all four seamers didn’t quite get it right for the whole day.

Our 2013-14 tour Down Under was the worst I was ever involved in – Mitchell Johnson was on fire and everything went downhill very quickly

Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, with Graeme Swann retiring during the tour

They all bowled a little bit too short and too wide. They bowled to Australian strengths. They conceded way too many runs behind square and that tells me they bowled way too short and not accurately enough. They are better bowlers than that. There were cracks in that wicket to aim for and we missed them.

There are wider issues with our attack, too. There is not that communication that you need in a bowling group to do well. I don’t see the bowlers going up to Stokes with ideas of what they want to do and plans to get wickets. It feels as if Stokes is having to do everything. What should be happening is a collective effort as a bowling group.

You have got to be talking to each other all the time. How are we trying to get wickets? What is working on this pitch? Exchanging ideas. Encouraging each other all the time. It doesn’t feel like that’s there. It looks as if Stokes is on his own.

I don’t see many chats between Stokes and Harry Brook, the vice-captain. In a good team, we need everyone to be having good ideas. But our bowlers are not characters like that. 

I am not digging them out but Gus Atkinson is quite a quiet guy, Brydon Carse is the same and so is Jofra Archer.

I think it was clear in Brisbane that our first-innings total was slightly under par. When Stuart Broad and I were bowling, if that was the situation, we would gee each other up to bowl really well at the start of the Aussie innings, put them under pressure early and just have a massive focus on that first six to 10 overs to set the tone and bring energy.

But at the Gabba, England’s bowlers started so poorly. It was a timid beginning, lots of deliveries down the leg side and the pace of the bowling down. When that happens, the fielding group goes flat quite quickly.

Stokesy can’t do everything – but his bowlers in this squad aren’t the kind of personalities who can help him out. Gus Atkinson, for example, is quite a quiet guy

Brydon Carse is the same – the England attack is missing a leader, someone to check in on the group and bounce ideas around

This England team is missing a leader in the attack. We don’t have a captain of the bowlers any more, someone checking in on the group, bouncing ideas around, making sure everyone is working together and coherently, backing each other up. 

Stokesy can’t do everything, but his bowlers in this squad aren’t the kind of personalities who can help him out.

I did smile at the exchange between Steve Smith and Jofra right near the end of the game when Australia were closing in on victory. 

‘You bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion,’ Smith said and I could see why a lot of people agreed with him.

Jofra bowled his fastest spell in Test cricket when Australia only needed 65 to win. The game had already gone when he was hitting 95mph.  

England need that attitude and that fire and that pace from ball one of the first innings. That was the frustration for me.

If Jofra had bowled like that in the first innings, then he brings everyone else with him. He brings the fielding group with him. He brings more energy to everyone. You beat the bat, you rush a batter with pace and then the fielding group is going to lift and be noisier and the batter will feel under more pressure because it’s coming from all angles. That never happened.

I loved the fact that Jofra was going hard at Smith, but don’t do it when they need 20 to win. Do it when we need to get a foothold in the game. Do it when we’ve got an under-par score in the first innings. Get right in their face and bowl as fast as you can.

I loved the fact that Jofra Archer went hard at Steve Smith, but he shouldn’t have waited until Australia needed 20 to win to do it

Smith ended up having the last laugh – and I can see why a lot of people agreed with him when he said: ‘You bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion’

Don’t think, ‘I might have a long day in the field here so I better bowl within myself to start off with.’ 

If he can bowl at 95mph there, he can do it from day one. So when Smith said that, I thought he was probably saying what everyone else in England was thinking. Why only now? It’s way too late.

When Ben spoke afterwards about Australia not being a place for weak men, what I saw from him was someone who was extremely frustrated and borderline angry, someone trying hard not to say something he shouldn’t.

There is still hope left. Not as much as the start of the series but we still need to win three Test matches.

In that context, the loss of Mark Wood, who ruled himself out of the rest of the tour with a recurrence of his knee injury on Tuesday, was a big blow because he is someone who can crack open a game. 

He can bowl frighteningly quick spells and he left his mark on Australia’s batsmen in Perth, as Cameron Green (and the grille on his helmet) found out. 

Mark Wood being ruled out of the rest of the tour is a big blow because he is someone who can crack open a game

His absence does not change the fact that England have to leave everything on the field in Adelaide. Leave nothing in the tank. 

You have to play the Adelaide Test match as if it is the deciding Test match in the Ashes. You have got to play it as if it is 0-0 and that this is the only Test that matters.

Matt Prior, the former England wicketkeeper, pointed out that, having listened to Stokes speak, if you don’t want to follow him into battle, then you’re playing the wrong game.

If anyone can get the best out of this team and turn things around, it is Stokes.

SOURCE PAGE

The swimming section of Ikoyi Club 1938 is set to host a year-ending competition for the young ones with over 200 participants already registered for the event.

Over 10 schools are expected to compete in the tournament sponsored by NNPC-SNEPCo to develop young swimmers and prepare them for future challenges.

The annual competition will take place on Saturday December 13 at the swimming pool section of the Ikoyi Club.

The Chairman of the Ikoyi Club Swimming Section, Akinbulejo Onabolu, told newsmen on Tuesday that all was set for the competition.

He said the sponsors, NNPC-SNEPCo, has been in good partnership with the swimming section of the elite club over the years.

 “We are happy to have NNPC-SNEPCo as partners and the fact that the competition put smiles on the faces of the young ones delights us in the club.  We are ready for the event.

 “It has been an amazing year for us and I am looking forward to a very exciting competition in which the young ones will exhibit their talents on Saturday,” Onabolu said.

The competition will feature freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, individual medley, butterfly and the relays among others.

According to the programme schedule, there will be a warm up session as early as 8am on Saturday while the competition proper stars at 9am.

 “It will be a carnival of sort because it’s the season of Christmas already. We expect a good show from the competitors just as our members are also looking forward to have a great time come Saturday,” Onabolu added.

SOURCE PAGE

A senior figure within the Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will receive his outstanding wages soon.

This development is expected to ease concerns over Eric Chelle’s reported three months of unpaid salary as preparations continue for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The tournament, which runs from December 21 to January 18, 2026, will see Nigeria name a 28-man squad before Thursday’s deadline. Clubs are required to release players for national duty latest on Monday, December 15.

Naija News reports that the story of Chelle’s unpaid salary first gained attention after journalist Shina Okeleji wrote on 𝕏: “Nigeria coach Eric Chelle is owed three months’ salary and bonuses ahead of the AFCON. The Malian, who led the Eagles to 2026 World Cup play-off, has, however, yet to make an official complaint to his employers (the NFF) about the non-payment of his salary.”

In an interview with the Punch, an unnamed NFF official dismissed talk of a rift and insisted the situation is being handled.

“Eric came to see us, and we explained the processes. His money will be paid. We have paid him even ahead before, and this time, we are waiting for cash backing from finance. The money on paper has been paid, and the coach is aware,” the source said.

“When they paid him two months ahead, all these were not glorified, and we don’t need this now.”

In May, National Sports Commission chairman Shehu Dikko revealed that the government-backed support group had already covered Chelle’s salary until October to support Nigeria’s difficult World Cup qualification push.

“We worked with the Nigeria Football Federation to appoint the coach, and although the NFF signed his contract, we, through the support group, decided to cover his salary until October. This will give the NFF space to secure long-term funding and sponsorship,” he said during an interview with former international Segun Odegbami on Eagle 7 Sports Radio.

Chelle, appointed in January, guided Nigeria into the CAF play-off but the Super Eagles suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo, ending hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup and marking a second successive absence from football’s biggest stage.

AFCON 2025 will be Chelle’s third major assignment, with Nigeria drawn in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania.

The team opens camp on Wednesday, December 10, in Egypt, with an unofficial friendly against the Pharaohs lined up for December 16.

© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]

SOURCE PAGE

Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA), has solicited for fans support ahead of Sunshine Stars matchday five fixture against Heartland.

Chairman of the Agency, Divine Ogbonnaya made the call in a statement signed by the media director, Micheal Akintunde on Tuesday.

Ogbonnaya acknowledged the importance of the home support in their quest to get the maximum points.

Part of the statement reads, “The Chairman of the Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA), Mr. Divine Ogbonnaya, calls on all stakeholders to rally round the team, offer maximum support, and cheer the lads to victory.

“To ensure a vibrant atmosphere and full backing for the team, the gate has been thrown open.”

Sunshine Stars will do battle with Heartland at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure on Wednesday by 3pm.

SOURCE PAGE