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Awaziem: Egypt Friendly Good Test For Super Eagles
Chidozie Awaziem has reflected on the Super Eagles performance in the friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt, reports Completesports.com.
Egypt defeated Eric Chelle’s side 2-1 at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday night.
Mahmoud Saber gave Egypt the lead two minutes before the half hour mark.
Awaziem restored parity for the Super Eagles late in the first half.
Egypt scored the winning goal through Mostafa Mohammed in the 52nd minute.
Read Also:Friendly: Super Eagles Fall 2-1 To Egypt In Cairo
“It was a good test for us, Egypt is not an easy country to play against. The have a couple of good players. The purpose of the friendly was for us to test ourselves before the AFCON, for the coach to try new players, new tactics, and prepare well for the AFCON,” Awaziem told the Super Eagles media.
“So, it was good test, though the result wasn’t good, it was not we wanted. The focus was for us to see our structure, different players, see the newly invited players, and what they can contribute to the team.
“I think the coach has seen that , for now we should take the positives from the game, and move to the AFCON. We dominated the game, pinned them back. We had so many chances to score. Just like I said , we just have to take the positives and move ahead.”
By Adeboye Amosu
Chelsea booked their place in the EFL Cup semi-finals after a hard-fought 3–1 victory over League One leaders Cardiff City at a raucous Cardiff City Stadium, with second-half substitutes making the decisive impact in an absorbing quarter-final clash.
Roared on by a fervent capacity crowd, Cardiff matched their Premier League opponents stride for stride for long spells and produced an impressive, fearless display, particularly in a goalless first half that showcased their discipline both in and out of possession.
Maresca Rings the Changes After ‘Worst 48 Hours’
Chelsea head coach, Enzo Maresca made 11 changes from Saturday’s Premier League win over Everton, a match overshadowed by his post-game admission that the previous 48 hours had been the “worst” of his time at the club.
Despite the wholesale rotation, Maresca was still able to field a strong side, recalling £100m midfielder Moisés Caicedo, while the substitutes’ bench alone was estimated to be worth close to £400m.
However, Chelsea struggled to impose themselves in a subdued first half, doing little to ease the Italian’s frustration after an underwhelming opening 45 minutes.
Substitutes Turn the Tide
Unimpressed by his side’s display, Maresca made two half-time substitutions, introducing Alejandro Garnacho and João Pedro, who immediately changed the tone of the contest.
Garnacho quickly injected pace and purpose, forcing Cardiff goalkeeper Nathan Trott into a fine save before eventually breaking the deadlock.
Chelsea took the lead when Cardiff centre-back Dylan Lawlor gave possession away, allowing Facundo Buonanotte to slide a pass through for Garnacho, who finished clinically to put the visitors ahead.
Cardiff Hit Back as Stadium Erupts
Rather than folding, Brian Barry-Murphy’s side responded with belief and intensity.
Their pressure was rewarded when Perry Ng delivered a delightful left-footed cross from the right, which David Turnbull met with a superb diving header to equalise.
The goal sparked deafening celebrations inside the stadium and briefly raised hopes of another famous cup upset for Cardiff, who had already eliminated Burnley and Wrexham earlier in the competition.
Neto Restores Chelsea’s Lead
The hosts’ joy was short-lived. Another Chelsea substitute, Pedro Neto, restored the visitors’ lead with a firm low drive that took a slight deflection off Joel Bagan’s heel before nestling in the bottom corner.
Chelsea then sealed the result deep into added time when Garnacho struck again, adding his second goal of the night to make sure of victory and dampen the electric home atmosphere.
Maresca: ‘These Are the Games I Fall in Love With the Players’
After the final whistle, Maresca celebrated with the travelling Chelsea supporters and was serenaded as fans sang his name — a stark contrast to the scrutiny he had faced days earlier.
“I’m just happy, we’re going to play another semifinal and I think it’s what the fans deserve,” Maresca said.
“It was a great moment, I appreciate, always thankful.”
“In some moments when you don’t win games, they have been not happy, but it’s normal. But overall, the fans have always been there.”
“These are the kind of games that I fall in love even more with the players because you cannot imagine how easy it is to slip, to slide, because they are tricky games.
“Every season there are teams that they lost against, you know, League Two or League One. You need to pay attention, you need to do the right things.”
Read More: Chelsea Collapse While Liverpool Rise on a Champions League Blockbuster Night
Read More: Toni Payne Provides Winning Assist as Everton Ends Chelsea’s Unbeaten Run
Read More: Champions League GW 5: Chelsea Crush Barcelona as Leverkusen Humble Man City
‘I Haven’t Spoken to Anyone’ – Maresca Dismisses Speculation
Maresca also addressed the fallout from his comments after the Everton game, confirming he had not spoken to Chelsea’s hierarchy since then.
“No, as I said yesterday [Monday], the day after Everton, I started to prepare Cardiff. Focus on Cardiff,” he said.
“Now I just said on the bus I will watch [Saturday’s opponents] Newcastle and I didn’t speak with anyone. I didn’t speak, no it’s OK.”
“I always said that I’ve been happy since day one. So it’s not that tonight I’m not happy. I’m happy.”
“Now we have three hours to arrive to Cobham and I will watch two Newcastle games.”
“There is no time. Time is for the players. For us as a staff, we’re going to be focused on the next one, that is Newcastle, so we’re going to prepare.”
Maresca also revealed that Brazilian winger Estêvão will miss the upcoming Newcastle clash with a “small muscle problem”.
Cardiff Earn Praise Despite Exit
Although eliminated, Cardiff’s performance drew widespread admiration. Under Barry-Murphy, the League One leaders have moved away from the robust, direct style of previous eras and now play a possession-based, attacking brand of football driven by young players and academy graduates.
They impressed defensively with coordinated pressing and positional discipline, while also posing genuine attacking threats.
Callum Robinson and Turnbull tested Chelsea early, while Isaak Davies caused problems down the left flank.
Chelsea March On
Chelsea will now await their EFL Cup semi-final opponents, with the draw set to take place on Wednesday.
While the performance was far from convincing, the result offers welcome relief for Maresca after a turbulent few days and keeps alive Chelsea’s hope of lifting the trophy for the first time in 10 years.
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Ethan McLeod dead aged 21: Macclesfield footballer tragically passes away following car crash on the M1
Macclesfield footballer Ethan McLeod has died at the age of 21 after being involved in a road traffic accident on the M1.
The forward, who came through the Wolves academy, was travelling back from Bedford Town following the Silkmen’s 2-1 win on Tuesday night when the crash occurred at roughly 22:40 near junction 15 for Northampton.
His white Mercedes hit a nearside metal barrier and despite receiving help from members of the public and officers, he died at the scene.
The crash caused the M1 to be closed overnight. The road reopened at approximately 7.30am.
Police are appealing for anyone with dashcam footage or further information to contact them.
Macclesfield paid a heartfelt tribute to their player in an an official statement released on Wednesday afternoon.
Macclesfield footballer Ethan McLeod has died following a crash on the M1 on Tuesday night
McLeod sadly lost his life after his white Mercedes crashed after Macclesfield’s game
‘Ethan was an incredibly talented and well-respected member of our First Team Squad, who had his whole life ahead of him,’ the club said.
‘But more than that, Ethan’s infectious personality endeared him to everyone that he came into contact with.
‘In giving his all in everything he did, Ethan effortlessly pushed us all to be the best we can be – both on and off the pitch.
‘Ethan’s professionalism and unwavering work ethic inspired everyone, and his lust for life put smiles on all our faces – even on the darkest of days.’
The non-league side added that McLeod’s tragic passing has left the club in total shock.
‘News of Ethan’s passing has devastated our entire Club and no words can convey the immense sense of sadness and loss that we feel now.
‘The deep mental scars elicited from Ethan’s passing will undeniably never heal – but one thing is for sure, and that is Ethan’s vibrant legacy will never fade, no matter how much time passes in the future.
‘Ethan will live in our hearts and minds forevermore and no matter what the future holds, his unique smile that mesmerised us all will never be forgotten.
The non-league side paid a heartfelt tribute to their striker following his death on Tuesday night
McLeod spent 10 years in the Wolverhampton Wanderers academy before leaving the club
‘Our deepest sympathy goes out to Ethan’s family and friends at this deeply traumatic time, together with an assurance that we will provide as much support as we can to those who need it.
‘May you rest in peace Ethan – you will forever be a Silkman.’
McLeod spent 10 years as an academy player at Wolverhampton Wanderers and enjoyed stints at Alvechurch FC, Rushall Olympic and Stourbridge.
He signed for National League North side Macclesfield in July.
More to follow.
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Ethan McLeod dead aged 21: Macclesfield footballer tragically passes away following car crash on the M1
Chidozie Awaziem has urged the Super Eagles to draw confidence from their international friendly against Egypt and channel the lessons into preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Naija News reports that the Super Eagles of Nigeria were edged 2-1 by the Pharaohs on Tuesday night at the Cairo International Stadium.
Mahmoud Saber and Mostafa Mohammed provided the goals which sealed the win for the hosts. Awaziem pulled one back for Nigeria with a well-taken header shortly before the interval.
The defender, who plays his club football with FC Nantes, described the match as a valuable exercise for the Super Eagles as they fine-tune plans for the continental showpiece.
“It was a good test for us, Egypt is not an easy country to play against. They have a couple of good players. The purpose of the friendly was for us to test ourselves before the AFCON, for the coach to try new players, new tactics, and prepare well for the AFCON,” Awaziem told the Super Eagles media.
The Super Eagles, under the guidance of coach Eric Chelle, showed encouraging spells despite the result, particularly in the first half where they created several chances and spent long periods on the front foot.
Looking back on the performance against the Egyptian national football team, Awaziem admitted the outcome was disappointing but insisted the overall display offered plenty to build on.
“It was a good test, though the result wasn’t good, it was not what we wanted,” he said. “The focus was for us to see our structure, different players, see the newly invited players, and what they can contribute to the team.
“I think the coach has seen that. For now, we should take the positives from the game and move to the AFCON. We dominated the game, pinned them back. We had so many chances to score. Just like I said, we just have to take the positives and move ahead.”
The Super Eagles are expected to fly to Morocco from Cairo on Thursday to continue with their AFCON 2025 preparation. Their opening game in the competition will take place on December 23 against Tanzania.
Ahmed Musa has officially announced his retirement from international football, DAILY POST reports.
Musa, who is currently the General Manager of Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, side, Kano Pillars, made the announcement on the social media on Wednesday.
“I wore this badge with pride for 15 years.
From a 17-year-old boy answering every call to becoming the most capped Super Eagle with 111 appearances.
AFCON champion.
Nigeria’s highest World Cup goalscorer.
Captain. Servant. Believer.
I gave everything.
Thank you Nigeria… my heart will always beat green,” he wrote on X.
The 33-year-old made his debut for the Super Eagles in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Madagascar on 5 September, 2010.
The winger was part of the Super Eagles side that won the AFCON 2013 title in South Africa.
Musa remains the only Nigerian to score more than once in a FIFA World Cup match.
Fluminense defender Thiago Silva has disclosed that it would be a dream come true to see his children play for Chelsea in the Premier League.
Recall that Silva’s son, Isago Silva, is playing for Chelsea’s academy and recently signed his first professional contract (a scholarship) for the 2025-26 season, continuing his development as a defender alongside his younger brother, Iago Silva, who is also in the club’s youth system, solidifying the family’s connection to the club.
Speaking with TribalFootball, the former Chelsea defender stated that he can’t wait for his sons to play professional football at Stamford Bridge.
Read Also:Mikel: How I Contacted Buhari Over Super Eagles’ Unpaid 2018 World Cup Bonuses
“For me, it would be a dream to see them play professionally at Chelsea. I love watching them, ultimately, and I try to help them as much as I can.
“I love seeing my kids playing here, my wife is here all the time and even wants to be at every away game. I think she realises that time is running out slightly, so she wants to make the most of the last few years of my career.
“When I got here, it felt like love at first sight, to be honest, and I’m still very proud to be here.”
FIFA has officially announced price reduction of some 2026 World Cup tickets following an intense global backlash from supporters, with $60 tickets now guaranteed for every match, including the final, for teams’ most loyal fans.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, comes after fans accused football’s world governing body of a “monumental betrayal” when ticket prices circulated last week showed supporters being asked to pay as much as $4,185, and up to $8,680, for the final.
Under the revised plan, FIFA confirmed that $60 tickets will be made available for every game at the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
These tickets will be allocated through national football federations, who will decide how to distribute them to loyal supporters who regularly attend matches both home and away.
How the Ticket Allocation Works
FIFA allocates 8% of tickets for matches involving a national team to that country’s football association. On Tuesday, FIFA revealed that 10% of this allocation will now be priced at $60, creating what it calls a “Supporter Entry Tier.”
For the World Cup final, this means approximately 450 of the 4,500 tickets available through national associations will be sold at the discounted price.
However, FIFA acknowledged that the number of $60 tickets per match is likely to be in the hundreds rather than thousands.
Backlash Triggered by Eye-Watering Prices
The backlash erupted after ticket pricing lists published by several national federations, notably the German Football Association, revealed starkly different figures.
According to the German FA’s published list:
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Group-stage tickets ranged from $180 to $700
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The lowest-priced final ticket was $4,185
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The highest-priced final ticket was $8,680
These figures appeared to contradict FIFA’s earlier claims that $60 tickets would be widely available, fueling anger across fan groups worldwide.
Fan Groups: ‘A Monumental Betrayal and Slap in the Face”
European fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the prices as “extortionate.”
Based on available data, FSE said fans would need to pay €6,900 ($8,111) to attend every match from the opening game to the final through the Participant Member Association (PMA) allocation.
This system was designed for fans who attend the most matches at fixed prices rather than dynamic pricing.
According to FSE, that figure is five times higher than what supporters paid at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is,” FSE said in a statement.
The group also criticized FIFA’s pricing model, noting that instead of a standard group-stage price, tickets appeared to be priced:
“Dependent on vague criteria such as the perceived attractiveness of the fixture.”
The English Football Association (FA) shared pricing details with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) on Thursday evening. The figures showed that following England from the group stage all the way to the final would cost $7,020 (£5,228).
That prompted fierce criticism from supporter groups.
The Football Supporters’ Association’s England Fans’ Embassy labelled the pricing policy “laughable.”
In a post on X, the group said:
“These prices are a slap in the face to supporters who support their team outside of the flagship tournament that appears every four years.
“To call the Category 3 tickets, the cheapest available to ESTC members, ‘Supporter Value Category 3’ that comes at a cost of $7,020 if you want to follow England from start to finish, is laughable.”
Read More: 2026 World Cup: Find Out Expanded Format Groups and Full Match Schedule
Read More: 2026 FIFA World Cup: Draw Result Hands African Teams Tricky Pairings
Read More: ‘The Tools Were Provided, We Failed’ – DG Olopade Reveals Following Super Eagles World Cup Failure
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Snicko cock-up is an embarrassment and almost as bad as a conspiracy from Aussie operators – and you don’t have to be a ‘whingeing Pom’ to realise that, writes Wisden Editor LAWRENCE BOOTH
- Unlock the best of our Ashes coverage throughout the series with a DailyMail+ subscription – brilliant exclusives and the writers you love every day
England have mainly been the architects of their own downfall in Australia, but the revelation that the operator of the Real-Time Snicko technology messed up a caught-behind decision against Alex Carey at a crucial moment of the third Test is hard to stomach.
Carey had made 72 of his eventual 106 when he appeared for the all the world to under-edge Josh Tongue through to Jamie Smith – a wicket that would have reduced Australia to a below-par 245 for seven on a plumb batting strip.
But umpire Ahsan Raza rejected the appeal, and the TV official Chris Gaffaney felt unable to overrule him because the Snicko spike occurred before the visual images had caught up. In other words, it looked as if the noise had magically appeared from nowhere, before the ball had reached the bat.
Later, after Australia reached stumps more healthily placed on 326 for eight, Carey admitted he thought there was a ‘bit of a feather’, cheerfully adding: ‘Sometimes you have a bit of luck.’ Asked if he was a walker, he replied with a smile: ‘Clearly not.’
That forced BBG Sports, the Australian company who operate RTS, into an embarrassing confession: ‘Given that Alex Carey admitted he had hit the ball in question, the only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the Snicko operator at the time must have selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing. In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error.’
It’s bad enough that the umpires didn’t have the nous to work out what had happened, especially as the controversial dismissal of Jamie Smith at Perth had shown that the technology used in Australia entails a two-frame gap between the pictures and the sound wave.
What noise could the Snicko spike have possibly been for? It was obvious the pictures were not aligned with the sound
Alex Carey’s reprieve cost England dear as he went from 72 to 106 and pushed Australia past 300
Josh Tongue’s appeal, had it been granted, would have left Australia 245 for seven and in danger of wasting a glorious batting pitch
After all, Australian cricketing legends Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden had no doubt in the commentary box that an injustice had occurred.
It’s embarrassing that a series of this magnitude, with the tourists copping it from every angle and careers on the line, should tolerate even the possibility of such inaccuracy, when the UltraEdge technology used in England is far more precise.
And it’s galling that Carey was able to laugh it off as just one of those things, when many in Australia still bang on about Stuart Broad failing to walk for an edge at Trent Bridge more than 12 years ago. While Broad was labelled a ‘s*** bloke’, you can be quite certain that Carey will continue to be hailed as a hero after scoring an emotional hundred on his home ground.
The Ashes deserve better than human error, though some furious England fans on X had darker theories. But, in a series of this importance, cock-up is almost as bad as conspiracy, and the apology from BBG Sports will come as little consolation to a team fighting for their reputations.
Cricket should be better than this, and it doesn’t make anyone a ‘whingeing Pom’ to say so.
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Snicko cock-up is an embarrassment and almost as bad as a conspiracy from Aussie operators – and you don’t have to be a ‘whingeing Pom’ to realise that, writes Wisden Editor LAWRENCE BOOTH
The Democratic Republic of Congo has issued a stern warning to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following a petition filed with FIFA over the alleged use of ineligible players during the 2026 World Cup playoff match.
In a sharp reaction posted on the national team’s official 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) account, DR Congo accused Nigeria of attempting to secure a place in the World Cup playoffs through administrative manoeuvres rather than sporting merit.
“If you can’t win on the pitch, don’t try to win from the back door. The World Cup must be played with dignity and confidence, not with legal tricks. Bring it on,” the post read.
Nigeria, who lost to DR Congo on penalties during the November playoff encounter, had confirmed it had formally petitioned FIFA over what it described as potential violations of FIFA’s eligibility rules.
The petition alleges that several Congolese players who recently switched national allegiance may not have completed the required processes under FIFA’s nationality regulations.
At the centre of Nigeria’s claims is the issue of dual citizenship, which is not recognised by Congolese law. The NFF argues that players who hold European passports, including French, Dutch, and British documents, may have breached the requirements.
Speaking on the development, NFF Secretary General, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said FIFA had initially cleared the players based on documents submitted by the DR Congo Football Federation.
Sanusi said, “We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality. Wan-Bissaka has a European passport, and there are others with French and Dutch passports.
“The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition.”
Sanusi stressed that Nigeria’s protest is not about undermining FIFA’s process but about ensuring that the global football body was not misled.
“FIFA goes by its own regulations, and it was on the basis of what was submitted to FIFA that they cleared them. What we are saying is that it was fraudulent,” he added.
Chidozie Awaziem has said the Super Eagles must take the positives from the friendly against Egypt and focus on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, DAILY POST reports.
Eric Chelle’s side lost 2-1 to Hossam Hassan’s men at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday night.
Mahmoud Saber and Mostafa Mohammed were on target for Egypt, while Awaziem scored Nigeria’s goal with a header late in the first half.
The Nantes star described the encounter as a good test for the Super Eagles.
“It was a good test for us, Egypt is not an easy country to play against. They have a couple of good players. The purpose of the friendly was for us to test ourselves before the AFCON, for the coach to try new players, new tactics, and prepare well for the AFCON,” Awaziem told the Super Eagles media.
Reflecting on the team’s performance against the Pharaohs, Awaziem added: “It was a good test, though the result wasn’t good, it was not what we wanted. The focus was for us to see our structure, different players, see the newly invited players, and what they can contribute to the team.
“I think the coach has seen that. For now we should take the positives from the game, and move to the AFCON. We dominated the game, pinned them back. We had so many chances to score. Just like I said, we just have to take the positives and move ahead.”
Eric Chelle and the Super Eagles will take the 2-1 defeat to Egypt in their strides as they wrap up preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations which gets underway in a matter of days.
Goals from Mahmoud Saber and Mostafa Mohamed, either side of Chidozie Awaziem’s headed goal secured a fairly comfortable win for the Pharaohs in Tuesday’s test game at the Cairo Int’l Stadium.
Mostafa Mohamed celebrates scoring Egypt’s second goal. Photo | X
Chelle gave several players ample minutes in the test game, including Stanley Nwabali who had been sidelined for a few weeks due to injury.
Also read: Uzoho Explains ‘Good Relationship’ with Super Eagles Rivals Nwabali, Obasogie
New invitees Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Salim Fago and Tochukwu Nnadi all featured.
It was Nigeria’s only preparatory game before the AFCON kicks off for the 3-time Champions on December 23 against Tanzania in Fez.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles camp is yet to hit full capacity with Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon still the main absentees.
No official information has been given about the duo’s arrival, but Chelle will oversee another practice session for the team on Wednesday – Gym (morning) and training (evening).
The team’s departure for Fes is due this week and will play the Taifa Stars in the opening group C game at Fez Stadium.