IN ENGLAND
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Liverpool has enjoyed a day of celebration as the curtain was brought down on their title-winning campaign with Mohamed Salah’s late equaliser ensuring the team signed off with a one-all draw against Crystal Palace at Anfield.

Salah’s goal six minutes from time cemented his Golden Boot win and also equalled the Premier League goal involvement record as it took his tally to twenty-nine goals and eighteen assists.

Arne Slot’s side had secured the Premier League title with a five-one win against Tottenham on 27th April, meaning they have been able to relax for the final few games of the campaign.

With their opponents having won the the FA Cup, and with nothing at stake in their domestic campaign, it made for a day of unified celebration at Anfield.

The Eagles players lined up to give the Premier League champions a guard of honour before kick-off and, in a classy touch, the Liverpool players then did likewise to honour Palace’s trophy win.
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Chelsea star Levi Colwill’s goal has clinched the team’s place in the Champions League next season with a narrow and nervy win at Nottingham Forest, who qualified for the Uefa Conference League despite defeat.

The defender’s second-half strike meant Enzo Maresca’s side finished fourth in the Premier League and ended Forest’s own hopes of returning to Europe’s top table.

Chelsea can prepare for the Champions League a goal which was expected and demanded with Maresca confirming their transfer targets depended on what competition they are in next season.

Victory also gave Chelsea the perfect platform for Wednesday’s Conference League final against Real Betis in Poland.
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Newcastle United has sealed their golden ticket to the Champions League despite Everton securing a one-nil deserved victory at St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe’s side started the day in fourth place in the Premier League and on course for Europe’s elite competition, but looked in danger of missing out as they produced a performance riddled with nerves.

Everton, in 13th place before kick-off after their rejuvenation under manager David Moyes, were more composed and ordered, taking the lead through Carlos Alcaraz’s header after sixty-five minutes.

Defeat means the Magpies end the season in fifth place, edging out Aston Villa on goal difference enough to secure a place in the Champions League next season, with the Premier League’s allocation up from the usual four spots.
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Arsenal star Martin Odegaard came off the bench to score an 89th-minute winner for Arsenal that sent Southampton to a Premier League record 30th defeat of the season.

Kieran Tierney had given the visitors a first-half lead with a goal on his final Arsenal appearance but Ross Stewart’s 56th-minute header looked to have rescued a point for Southampton.

Odegaard fired a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner to claim all three points.

The result does nothing to alter either sides’ league position, with Arsenal finishing the season in second place and already relegated Southampton bowing out at the bottom.
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Manchester City has finished third in the Premier League as the team beat Fulham two-nil on the final day to secure a place in the Champions League next term.

Pep Guardiola’s fallen champions, they went into the season on the back of four straight Premier League titles have endured a disappointing campaign, failing to win a major trophy for the first time since 2017 and ending thirteen points behind champions Liverpool.

Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland scored a goal each for Manchester City.
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Aston Villa will complain to the Premier League after a big mistake by referee Thomas Bramall contributed to them losing two-nil at Manchester United and missing out on the Champions League.

With the match goalless and Villa down to ten men after goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sent off, the visitors thought they had scored when Morgan Rogers nudged the ball away from United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and slotted home.

Because Bramall stopped play before the ball entered the net, the video assistant referee could not intervene.

In Villa’s post-match news briefing, director of football Damian Vidagany said the club were unhappy 35-year-old Bramall had been given such an important game.

Villa boss Unai Emery was visibly furious with the decision to disallow Rogers’ goal and award United their late penalty.
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says the right things in his end of season address to the team’s fans from the centre circle at Old Trafford.

Amorim apologised for a disaster of a season and he assured supporters that, after predicting at the end of his first week as Erik ten Hag’s replacement a storm was coming, is now saying the good days are coming.

He said something else at the end of the two-nil victory against Aston Villa that might not easily become reality.

Amorim and his players had not completed their lap of appreciation before another rendition of ‘We want Glazers out’ rolled round the stadium.
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Brighton’s hopes of qualifying for Europe came to an end despite a convincing four-one away win at Tottenham to spoil the hosts’ party after their Europa League triumph.

The Seagulls sealed eighth position with the win, but other results mean a European place did not go to the team finishing in that spot.

Spurs celebrated with the European trophy they won on Wednesday but their 22nd league defeat of the campaign brought them back down to earth and consigned them to their worst-ever Premier League finish in 17th.

Ange Postecoglou described the season as outstanding in his post-match interview, but the result will revive speculation about the Tottenham boss’s future.
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Wolves star Marshall Munetsi’s stunning strike cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s 20th Premier League goal of the season as Brentford’s faint hopes of qualifying for Europe came to an end at Wolves.

Clear-cut openings were few and far between in the second half until Munetsi ran on to Jorgen Strand Larsen’s header and lashed a first-time strike beyond Mark Flekken and into the top corner.

The visitors needed to win, and have other results go their way, to stand any chance of finishing eighth and playing in Europe for the first time.

But wins for Brighton and Bournemouth meant Thomas Frank’s men ended the campaign in 10th spot.
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Bournemouth beat already relegated Leicester City as Antoine Semenyo’s second-half double to round off their Premier League season.

Semenyo turned home from close range after Illia Zabarnyi nodded a corner across the box to finally break the deadlock for the Cherries in the 75th minute.

He then delivered a precise finish from the edge of the area, rifling in towards the near post, to add a late second and seal victory.
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IN NIGERIA

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Super Falcons defender Michelle Alozie has expressed her excitement ahead of the team’s upcoming friendly matches against long-time rivals, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon, which will mark the start of their final preparations for the 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, scheduled for 5th to 26th July.

Alozie, team captain Rasheedat Ajibade, Spain-based forward Omorinsola Babajide, and PSG midfielder Jennifer Echegini are expected to be among the early arrivals as the Super Falcons’ camp opens in Ijebu-Ode on Monday, ahead of their first clash with the Lionesses on Saturday, 31st May.

Former junior international Miracle Usani and forward Emem Essien will equally arrive in camp on Monday.

First-choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie will arrive on Tuesday, while Portugal-based midfielder Christy Ucheibe is scheduled to fly into the country on Wednesday.

The second match between both teams is scheduled for the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta on Tuesday, 3rd June.
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Nigeria international Igoh Ogbu has signed a one-year contract extension with Czech Republic outfit Slavia Prague.

The new deal will see the Nigeria international remain at the Eden Park until December 2027.

Ogbu linked up with the Red and Whites from Norwegian outfit Lillestrøm in January 2023 on a three-year contract.

The centre-back established himself as a key player for the club.
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Ghana’s Black Stars will be without some key players ahead of their clash with the Super Eagles in the Unity Cup 2025 in London.

Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, Randy Abbey, stated that injuries and club commitments may affect player availability for the tournament.

The Black Stars are set to face arch-rivals Nigeria in the semi-final of the four-nation tournament on 28th May.

The winner will advance to play either Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago in the final on 31st May at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Unity Cup fixtures will serve as vital preparation for both the Super Eagles and the Black Stars ahead of their crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers in September.
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IN NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL
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Team Ogun has defeated the Golden Eaglets two-one to qualify for the final of the football event at the ongoing National Sports Festival.

In the thrilling semi final match played at the stadium of Remo Stars football club, Ikenne, Team Ogun displayed resilience to overcome the Golden Eaglets.

Team Kwara had earlier edged out Team Kaduna with a narrow one-nil victory in the first semi-final.
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Nigeria’s Flamingos has sealed a place in the women’s football event at the Sports Festival following a hard-earned one-nil victory over Team Ogun.

Shakirat Moshood scored the winning goal from the penalty spot late in the game.

Bankole Olowookere’s side will now face Team Delta in the final at the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena on Tuesday.

Team Delta thrashed Team Osun four-one in their semi-final contest.

Team Ogun and Team Osun will clash in the final at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne.

The Golden Eaglets and Flamingos are participating in the 22nd Festival as part of the praiseworthy Invited Junior Athletes initiative of the National Sports Commission.
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George Ineubong of Team Benue has won a silver medal in the sixty kilograms Men Judo in the ongoing Festival in Abeokuta.

Iniobong, who spoke with newsmen after the win, thanked Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia for making it possible for him to participate in the games.

The silver medallist regretted over not winning the gold medal, which had always been his ultimate goal.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Real Madrid has appointed its former midfielder, Xabi Alonso, as manager on a three-year deal.

Alonso, who made two hundred and thirty-six appearances for Real Madrid as a player, announced earlier this month that he would leave his role as Bayer Leverkusen boss at the end of the season.

The former Liverpool and Spain midfielder, who signed a deal running until 30th June, 2028, succeeded Carlo Ancelotti.

Alonso, who won the Champions League as a player at Real, in 2014, would be introduced as manager at Real Madrid’s training ground on Monday, and would be in charged for the Club World Cup, with his first game against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, 18th June.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Tennis, World number one Aryna Sabalenka has dropped only one game as she beat Kamilla Rakhimova to get her French Open campaign under way in emphatic style.

Sabalenka needed just one hour to beat Russian Rakhimova 6-1, 6-0 in Paris.

The Belarusian ramped up her performance as the match went on, winning nine games in a row to close out the match.

Opening the first day’s play on Court Philippe Chatrier, Sabalenka served up five aces, hit 30 winners and broke her opponent’s serve five times on her way to a dominant victory under the roof.

A three-time Grand Slam singles champion, Sabalenka has never reached the final of the French Open – her best performance a run to the semi-finals in 2023.
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Also, In-form eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti safely cruised into the second round of the French Open with a dominant straight-set win over German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann.

The Italian grew into his 7-5, 6-2, 6-0 victory, taking each of the last 11 games on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Also, American 12th seed Tommy Paul came from a set down to beat Dane Elmer Moeller 6-7, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.

Fellow American and 15th seed Frances Tiafoe defeated Russian Roman Safiullin 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.
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In Formula one, McLaren’s Norris has won the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time with a copybook drive, controlling the race from start to finish.

Norris navigated the potential pitfalls of a new rule requiring drivers to use three sets of tyres during the race to lead throughout and beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for the Briton’s second victory of the season.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took third, well clear of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton a distant fifth.

Norris’ victory cut Piastri’s lead at the head of the championship to three points, with Verstappen a further 22 behind in third.

Meanwhile, Leading Formula 1 drivers gave mixed reviews to the new Monaco Grand Prix rule that forced drivers to use three sets of tyres in the race.
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In Cricket, Sikandar Raza hit the winning runs to lead Lahore Qalanders to the Pakistan Super League title, a little more than 24 hours after he was playing for Zimbabwe against England in their Test loss at Trent Bridge.

The all-rounder struck a six and a four from consecutive deliveries to take Lahore to victory against Quetta Gladiators with one ball to spare.

Needing 202 for victory, Raza joined Kusal Perera at the crease with 20 balls remaining and the pair staged an unbroken 59-run partnership to complete the highest chase in a PSL final.
Quetta scored 201-9 after winning the toss, with Hasan Nawaz striking a 43-ball 76, while star Lahore seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi took 3-24.

Gladiators topped the regular season table while Lahore finished fourth, but the Qalanders won three consecutive knockout games to seal their third title in four years.
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In Golf, Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson has missed out on a fourth DP World Tour title in a play-off at the Soudal Open in Belgium.

The overnight leader looked set for victory but bogeyed his final hole, sending him into a three-way play-off with Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan and Dutchman Darius van Driel.

Ferguson’s final round of level-par 71 meant he, Reitan and Van Driel ended the day tied on 13 under.

The three returned to the 18th for the play-off, and after Ferguson and Van Driel missed their putts, Reitan holed in from 15 feet to claim victory.
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In Cycling, Spaniard Carlos Verona has won stage 15 of the Giro d’Italia with a long-range solo attack on Sunday as former champion Primoz Roglic lost significant time on the rest of his general classification rivals.

Lidl-Trek rider Verona held off a chasing pack formed by some of his breakaway companions to secure his first Grand Tour stage win, and only his second pro victory.

Meanwhile, Swiss Marlen Reusser won the final time trial stage at the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas to wrap up overall victory in the Women’s World Tour event.  

It secured back-to-back stage wins for the Movistar rider, who won the general classification by almost two minutes.

Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini finished second in the general classification with Dutch rider Yara Kastelijn third.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.