Sports - Page 33

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles face uncertainty after Ivory Coast abruptly pulled out as hosts of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations just 30 days before kickoff. The Ivorian Football Federation announced the withdrawal on Tuesday, citing a government directive, leaving the Confederation

Arthur Fils produced a stunning upset at the Miami Open, defeating top-seeded Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round on Wednesday. The 20-year-old Frenchman’s resilience and attacking play secured him one of the biggest wins of his young career, setting

The winners of the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place in the United States this summer, will take home up to $125 million, FIFA confirmed on Wednesday. The tournament, running from June 14 to July 13, will feature

Arsenal produced a stunning second-leg turnaround to overcome Real Madrid 3-0 at the Emirates, erasing a 2-0 first-leg deficit and securing a spot in the Champions League semi-finals against Lyon. Alessia Russo was the hero of the night, scoring twice while Mariona

Spain’s Paula Badosa has pulled out of the Charleston Open due to a recurring lower back injury, raising concerns about her fitness ahead of the clay-court season. The former world No. 2, who battled chronic back issues last year, made a strong

Iran secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan in Tehran, becoming the second Asian nation to qualify after Japan. Mehdi Taremi was the hero for the hosts, scoring twice, including a crucial late

Yuki Tsunoda is reportedly set to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull for the Japanese Grand Prix, following the team’s decision to drop the struggling New Zealander after just two races. According to Dutch newspaper reports Tsunoda will partner Max Verstappen at

Novak Djokovic eased into the Miami Open quarter-finals with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in just 82 minutes. The Serbian star, chasing his 100th tour-level title, is now three wins away from glory. Djokovic, a six-time champion in

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard has been ruled out indefinitely after doctors detected a blood clot in his right calf. The 34-year-old is now on blood-thinning medication and will undergo regular testing. Bucks General Manager Jon Horst emphasized that Lillard’s health is

South Africa strengthened their bid for a 2026 FIFA World Cup spot with a 2-0 win over Benin, but their qualification hopes could be threatened by a potential points deduction for fielding an ineligible player in an earlier match. Teboho Mokoena, who

Nigeria’s push for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification suffered another setback as Zimbabwe snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw with a last-minute equaliser in Uyo. The Super Eagles controlled possession and created chances but failed to break through a stubborn Zimbabwean defense. Victor

Argentina marked their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification in emphatic fashion, crushing Brazil 4-1 at the Estadio Monumental to extend their dominance in the South American qualifiers. The hosts struck early, with Julián Álvarez opening the scoring in the fifth minute after

Thomas Tuchel achieved his second consecutive win as the head coach of England during their World Cup qualifier against Latvia at Wembley. However, the match was more of a grind than an exhilarating encounter until England was able to assert their dominance.

New Zealand became the second nation to book their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a 3-0 victory over New Caledonia this morning in Auckland. After a frustrating first half, Michael Boxall opened the scoring in the 61st minute with

Portugal booked their place in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after a dramatic 5-3 aggregate win over Denmark, sealing victory with a 5-2 triumph in extra time in Lisbon. Cristiano Ronaldo missed an early penalty but later found the net as Portugal