IN UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
Manchester United goalkeeper, Andre Onana is at fault for two goals as a last-gasp Lyon equaliser put Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final tie in the balance at the halfway stage.
United went behind after twenty-five minutes when under-pressure Onana failed to get a strong enough hand to Thiago Almada’s wide free-kick.
Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee scored a goal each for Manchester United, while Lyons’s two goals were scored by Thiago Almada and Rayan Cherki.
============================
Tottenham has been foiled by a goalkeeping masterclass from Kaua Santos in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Brazilian produced a string of inspired saves at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to deny Ange Postecoglou’s home side.
Frankfurt’s only goal was scored by Hugo Ekitike, while Tottenham’s only goal was scored by Pedro Porro.
Head coach Postecoglou, who is looking to maintain his record of always winning trophies in his second season, will need a strong showing from his side when they travel to face Frankfurt in the second leg on 17th April.
============================
Ten-man Rangers has produced a heroic performance to retain a fighting chance of Europa League progression, with Liam Kelly’s late penalty save decisive in earning an unlikely draw with Athletic Bilbao.
The Spanish side arrived in Glasgow as favourites with Rangers under pressure off the back of a record five consecutive defeats at home.
===========================
Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt stunned Italian side Lazio with a deserved two-nil win in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
In a match played in freezing conditions north of the Arctic circle, Bodo/Glimt took the lead through Ulrik Saltnes’ poked close-ranged finish in the second minute of the second half.
Saltnes then scored his second goal of this season’s competition in the 69th minute with a brilliant lob over Lazio keeper Christos Mandas after a fine chipped pass from Jens Petter Hauge.
The two goals reflected Bodo/Glimt’s dominance and the Norwegian side will try to capitalise on their lead when the two sides meet next Thursday for their second leg in Rome.
================================
Chelsea teenager Tyrique George scored his first senior team goal as the blues defeated Legia Warsaw three-nil to take control of their Conference League quarter-final.
Enzo Maresca’s side, the favourites to win the competition, went ahead four minutes into the second half of the first leg in Poland when George reacted quickest to convert the rebound after Reece James’ effort had been parried.
Noni Madueke scored a brace for Chelsea after good work from Jadon Sancho.
The second leg takes place at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, 17th April with the overall winners meeting either Swedish side Djurgardens or Rapid Vienna in the semi-finals.
==========================
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has had his Audi RS Q8 car seized by police after he was suspected of driving without a valid licence.
The Ecuador international, was stopped in the car, which costs a minimum of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars if bought new, on Friday near the club’s training ground in Cobham, Surrey.
If police find that Caicedo has committed an offence then he could face a fine or a criminal prosecution.
============================
Manchester United legend Eric Cantona says the club is being destroyed under the co-ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The Glazer family, who have owned the 20-time English champions since 2005, retain a majority stake but Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group have taken control of the club’s football operations.
The 72-year-old British billionaire’s time at Old Trafford has drawn criticism after United raised ticket prices and made two rounds of redundancies in a bid to improve the club’s finances.
=============================
Ipswich striker Liam Delap will be available for thirty million pounds this summer due to a relegation release clause, which will be triggered when his club inevitably returns to the Championship.
The 22-year-old is likely to move on, with interest from several Premier League sides after netting twelve goals in thirty-three games in all competitions in his first full season in the top flight.
==============================
IN NIGERIA
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle says the Unity Cup is an opportunity for him to test new players ahead of the team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers later in the year.
Nigeria will compete at the 2025 edition of the Unity Cup with Black Stars of Ghana, Reggae Boys of Jamaica and Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago.
Chelle invited four new players for last month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
The Unity Cup will run from 27th to 31st May, 2025.
All the matches will be played at the Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium in London.
===============================
The final signatures have been achieved for this year’s Unity Cup Invitational Tournament involving Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana and Trinidad & Tobago at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, West London in May 2025.
The Nigeria Football Federation said the tournament would kick off with the first semi-final on Tuesday, 27th May as Trinidad & Tobago tackle Jamaica in the first-ever ‘Trini-Jam’ on United Kingdom soil.
Its President, Ibrahim Gusau, said the following day, three-time African champions, Nigeria, would take on four-time African champions, Ghana, in the second semi-final.
Gusau noted that all four teams would return on Saturday, 31st May for the grand finale, with the losers of the semi-final fixtures in the third-place game, before the final to determine The Unity Cup 2025 champions.
================================
The Competitions Department of the Nigeria Football Federation has moved the venue of the President Federation Cup Round of 16 clash between Enyimba and Abakaliki FC to Awka.
The match was originally scheduled to take place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
In a related development, Enyimba have also expressed concern over the rescheduling of their NPFL matchday 33 fixture against Sunshine Stars from Friday, 11th April, to Sunday, 13th April.
The nine-time Nigerian champions are worried that the new date leaves them with little time to prepare for their Federation Cup Round of 16 clash against Abakaliki FC.
=============================
South Africa has unveiled a twenty-one man final squad ahead of this year’s Under-twenty Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Also, the football body listed four players on standby.
South Africa will take on Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, hosts Egypt and Morocco in Group B.
This year’s U-20 AFCON will run from 27th April to 18th May.
Egypt was replaced Côte d’Ivoire as hosts of the tournament after the West African country withdrew.
The four semi-finalists at this year’s tournament will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Under-twenty World Cup in Chile.
=============================
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is hopeful Super Eagles star Taiwo Awoniyi could return to face Everton this weekend.
The Nigeria international is recovering from a hamstring problem.
Chris Wood and Anthony Elanga are also doubtful for the game.
Santo revealed that the trio will be monitored ahead of the game.
=============================
Ikorodu City delivered a commanding performance to sweep aside Katsina United 6-0 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Thursday evening, keeping their continental hopes alive in their debut Nigeria Premier Football League season.
First-half goals from Emmanuel Solomon and Shola Adelani, combined with four more strikes after the break, helped the Lagos-based side climb into the Top Four ahead of Shooting Stars.
The encounter, rescheduled from matchday 31, began with early control from Katsina United’s Usman Barau and Nafi’u Ibrahim Kangiwa in midfield. However, the Changji Boys could not capitalise on their bright start.
============================
President of the African Table Tennis Federation, Wahid Oshodi has reaffirmed the continental body’s commitment to supporting coaches in their quest to match their foreign counterparts.
Speaking as a guest at the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation-organised National Hopes Week, Oshodi emphasised the importance of coaches growing alongside their players through regular training and courses to enhance their knowledge of the sport.
Following the recent Level 2 Coaching Course held in Tunisia, Oshodi assured that more training opportunities would be provided for those shaping future stars in Africa.
Chairman of the Lagos State Table Tennis Association, Tunji Lawal, also praised the initiative, stating that they are the future generations of Nigeria.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation says there are lots of positives in spite of the disappointing performance by the Nigeria U19 Men’s Cricket team at the World Cup Qualifiers.
The Junior Yellow Greens finished fifth place out of six teams in the Division One Qualifiers that ended in Lagos.
The team with the performance, have been demoted to Division Two.
===========================
No fewer than 500 athletes from 50 universities across Nigeria are participating in the ongoing International University Sports Federation, FISU, in Jos.
The FISU games, which are the trials ahead of the World Universities Games, slated for July in Germany, is being hosted by the university of Jos.
The FISU games provides an avenue for the selection of qualified athletes, who would represent Nigeria at the world universities games.
===========================
OTHER LEAGUES
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe moved closer on Thursday to receiving the $61 million in unpaid wages and bonuses he says his former club Paris Saint-Germain owe him.
The player’s lawyers announced that the sum will be seized from PSG’s accounts and protectively frozen while the case is heard.
The Judicial Court of Paris has been given the green light for the funds to be taken from the Qatari-owned club.
A legal hearing in the increasingly bitter dispute is scheduled for May 26.
Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio has expressed optimism that Los Blancos will overturn their three goal deficit against Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg of the Champions League.
With a mountain to climb in the reverse fixture, Asencio said Real Madrid would turn the game around at the Santiago Bernabeu.
==========================
OTHER SPORTS
In Basketball; Bill Self is one of the top coaches in the country, but the two-time national champion will have to go back to the drawing board after Kansas basketball failed to win an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2006.
Kansas will also lose its top four scorers to graduation.
Self already landed Class of 2025 five-star Darryn Peterson, who will become the No. 1 recruit in the latest 247Sports ranking update, and now he will turn to the college basketball transfer portal to fill out the Indiana basketball roster.
The Jayhawks also signed four-star high school recruit Samis Calderon and have secured two commitments already in the portal.
In Tennis, Britain’s Jack Draper succumbed to a last-16 defeat by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in an entertaining match at the Monte Carlo Masters.
The 23-year-old twice came back from a break down in the deciding set but could not find a consistent level, losing 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 to the Spaniard.
Indian Wells champion Draper had cruised to victory in his first clay-court match of the year but looked out-of-sorts at times against Davidovich Fokina.
The new world number six made 46 unforced errors, recorded ten costly double faults and converted just four of his sixteen break opportunities.
============================
Also, Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong says the lack of top twenty players at the Billie Jean King Cup is a tennis problem, not a player problem.
Only three of the world’s top twenty will compete in this week’s qualifying rounds, with Poland’s Iga Swiatek and American trio Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys among those absent.
World number two Swiatek withdrew last week, saying she needed time to focus on myself and my training.
Britain, meanwhile, are without Emma Raducanu, who has opted to train and look after her body after her Miami Open quarter-final run in her seventh event of the year.
The top teams in each round-robin group will advance to September’s eight-team finals in Shenzhen, China.
=============================
In Formula one, Deputy president for sport at the FIA, Robert Reid has resigned over what he describes as a fundamental breakdown in governance standards within motorsport’s global governing body.
The Scot was a key member of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s leadership team when the Emirati was elected in 2021 but the pair have since fallen out amid a series of controversies surrounding the FIA president.
Reid said in a statement that he was experiencing growing alarm over critical decisions being made without due process or proper consultation.
===========================
Also, Carlos Sainz has risked a further fine after swearing in an official news briefing when discussing a punishment he was given at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Williams driver was fined ten thousand euros with half of it suspended, in Suzuka last weekend after turning up late for the playing of the national anthem on the grid.
===========================
In Cricket, MS Dhoni will lead Chennai Super Kings for the remainder of the Indian Premier League season after Ruturaj Gaikwad sustained an elbow injury.
The 43-year-old returns to captain the side he led between 2008 and 2024, taking the franchise to five IPL titles.
There has been speculation in recent days that Dhoni might retire after his parents attended Saturday’s defeat by Delhi Capitals.
But he will now take charge of a side who have lost four and won one of their opening five matches, sitting ninth in the 10-team table.
===========================
In Rugby, England head coach John Mitchell has made three changes to his starting XV to face Ireland in Cork in the Women’s Six Nations on Saturday with World Cup-winning number eight Alex Matthews returning.
Last year’s World Rugby women’s player of the year nominee Matthews, missed the opening two rounds through suspension and is joined by captain Zoe Aldcroft and Sadia Kabeya in the back row.
Props Maud Muir and Hannah Botterman also come into the starting line-up in the pack for Mackenzie Carson, who on Monday was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury, and Bristol Bears’ Sarah Bern.
===========================
TODAY’S FIXTURES
IN SPANISH LA LIGA
Valencia vs Sevilla
========================
IN ITALIAN SERIE A
Udinese vs AC Milan
============================
SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES THIS WEEKED
===================================
ON SATURDAY
Sunshine Stars vs Enyimba
ON SUNDAY
Kwara United vs Bendel Insurance
Akwa United vs El Kanemi Warriors
Abia Warriors vs Rivers United FC
Bayelsa United vs Shooting Stars
Nasarawa United vs Plateau United
Remo Stars vs Katsina United
Kano Pillars vs Lobi Stars
Enugu Rangers vs Heartland Owerri
Ikorodu City vs Niger Tornadoes
===============================
IN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
ON SATURDAY
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace
Brighton vs Leicester City
Nottingham Forest vs Everton
Southampton vs Aston Villa
Arsenal vs Brentford
ON SUNDAY
Chelsea vs Ipswich Town
Liverpool vs West Ham United
Wolvers vs Tottenham Hotspur
Newcastle United vs Manchester United
==========================
IN SPANISH LA LIGA
ON SATURDAY
Real Sociedad vs Mallorca
Getafe vs Las Palmas
Celta Vigo vs Espanyol
Leganés vs Barcelona
ON SUNDAY
Osasuna vs Girona
Deportivo Alavés vs Real Madrid
Real Betis vs Villarreal
Athletic Club vs Rayo Vallecano
==============================
IN ITALIAN SERIE A
ON SATURDAY
Venezia vs Monza
Inter Milan vs Cagliari
Juventus vs Lecce
ON SUNDAY
Atalanta vs Bologna
Fiorentina vs Parma
Hellas Verona vs Genoa
Como vs Torino
Lazio vs Roma
===========================
FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
WHAT MAKES SOMETHING SPECIAL IS NOT JUST WHAY YOU HAVE TO GAIN, BUT WHAT YOU FEEL THERE IS TO LOSE…WORDS FROM ANDRE AGASSI.
securityandsafetymatters 