Sports

Man Utd Coach Amorim Struggling To See Off Also-rans Ruben Amorim has been a highly successful Manchester United manager against continental opposition and promoted Premier League clubs. He’s been respectable against the top teams in England, with a win at the Etihad, a draw at Anfield and a win on penalties against Arsenal. But he’s been hopeless when faced with opponents from mid-table. Last season, after taking over in November, Amorim supervised 14 league games against clubs that ended up between seventh and 17th. United won two, drew two and lost 10, scraping eight points out of a possible 42.…

ENGLAND: Premier League Crystal Palace - Nottingham 1:1Everton - Brighton 2:0Fulham - Manchester Utd 1:1 FRANCE: Ligue 1 Lorient - Rennes 4:0Le Havre - Lens 1:2Strasbourg - Nantes 1:0Toulouse - Brest 2:0Lille - Monaco 1:0 GERMANY: Bundesliga Mainz - FC Koln 0:1B. Monchengladbach - Hamburger SV 0:0 ITALY: Serie A Cagliari - Fiorentina 1:1Como - Lazio 2:0Atalanta - Pisa 1:1Juventus - Parma 2:0 NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie Heerenveen - Twente 1:2Nijmegen - NAC Breda 3:0Utrecht - Excelsior 4:1Ajax - Heracles 2:0 SPAIN: LaLiga Osasuna - Valencia 1:0Real Sociedad - Espanyol 2:2Villarreal - Girona 5:0R.Oviedo - R. Madrid 0:1 (ongoing as of press…

*Fulham 1 Utd 1 *Last Week, Utd Lost At Home To Arsenal Ruben Amorim’s first response to Manchester United executives’ attempts last autumn to woo him as coach was to ask to wait until the summer, granting time and space to know the club and players. This August’s season-opening matches were supposed to be the start, when he could be properly judged. Instead, he is already nine months into the job that enveloped five predecessors. Initial positive signs gave way to the muddle United closed last season within, casting a hungover shadow over attempts at a full reboot. After Rodrigo…

ENGLAND: Premier League Manchester City - Tottenham 0:2Bournemouth - Wolves 1:0Brentford - Aston Villa 1:0Burnley - Sunderland 2:0Arsenal - Leeds 5:0 FRANCE: Ligue 1 Marseille - Paris FC 5:2Nice - Auxerre 3:1Lyon - Metz 3:0 GERMANY: Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen - Hoffenheim 1:2Eintracht Frankfurt - Werder Bremen 4:1Freiburg - Augsburg 1:3Heidenheim - Wolfsburg 1:3Union Berlin - Stuttgart 2:1St. Pauli - Dortmund 3:3 ITALY: Serie A Genoa - Lecce 0:0Sassuolo - Napoli 0:2AC Milan - Cremonese 1:2AS Roma - Bologna 1:0 NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie G.A. Eagles - Sparta Rotterdam 0:3PSV - Groningen 4:2Telstar - FC Volendam 2:2 SPAIN: LaLiga Mallorca - Celta Vigo…

By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu In a proactive move ahead of the upcoming 2025/2026 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season, the management of Rangers International FC has partnered with the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to educate its players and officials on the dangers of illegal drug use. The initiative, aimed at ensuring a clean and fair sporting environment, was highlighted by an advocacy visit from NDLEA officials to the Rangers players camp in Enugu. The NDLEA delegation, led by Deputy Zonal Commander, Barrister Ekwalor Amaka, addressed the players directly. Amaka stressed the importance of dedication and hard work, deploring…

They say good things come to those who wait. But for Eberechi Eze, it has taken 14 years for his dream to come true. The England forward made a dramatic entrance during Crystal Palace’s open training session on Wednesday, August 19,2025, before their Conference League playoff when he was last to emerge from the changing room with frenzied anticipation that his expected move to Tottenham was close to being agreed. Even if he had been aware of Arsenal’s intention to step up their longstanding interest in him, Eze was certainly giving nothing away when he signed autographs and spoke to…

New Man U, Same Old Problems It has been a constant in the last two seasons: Manchester United are doing OK in a game, resembling something approaching a football team, then out of nowhere all their good work is ruined by goalkeeping incompetence somehow predictable and unpredictable. And that was exactly what happened against Arsenal, United starting fairly well, only to concede a corner and fall behind in inexcusably soft circumstances. Usually, André Onana is the man responsible, but in his absence, Altay Bayindir seized the mantle with alacrity. We can be absolutely certain that Ruben Amorim has already told…

ENGLAND: Premier League: Aston Villa - Newcastle 0:0Brighton - Fulham 1:1Sunderland - West Ham 3:0Tottenham - Burnley 3:0Wolves - Manchester City 0:4 SPAIN: LaLiga: Mallorca - Barcelona 0:3Alaves - Levante 2:1Valencia - Real Sociedad 1:1 FRANCE: Ligue 1: Lens - Lyon 0:1Monaco - Le Havre 3:1Nice - Toulouse 0:1 NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie: Excelsior - Feyenoord 1:2Heracles - Nijmegen 1:4Groningen - Heerenveen 2:1 PHOTO CAPTION: Haaland, after scoring against Wolves.

By Sid Lowe, in Estadi Mallorca Son Moix In the end Marcus Rashford did get to make his competitive debut for Barcelona as they began their defence of the La Liga title on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Formally registered a little after 10.30 on Saturday morning, Barcelona’s economic obstacles overcome, he was introduced just after 9pm with 22 minutes left of a sticky and ultimately successful night in Mallorca. By the time he pulled on his shirt and stepped up the line, one of three subs brought on, the temperature had dropped a little, if still not enough, the game…

Prospects There is a sense they will need to be better in possession and dominate games because playing twice a week, once European competition begins, is especially difficult for a team who are chasing the ball and playing on the counter. The system has worked well for Nuno Espírito Santo in the past, but there is a sense evolution is required to keep Forest ahead of the game. Pre-season has brought an early shift in style and the change has been enthusiastically welcomed within the club. One problem has been evident: they are struggling to score. Forest played seven friendlies,…