Sports
NPFL LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO LOBI STARS MATCH-FIXING ALLEGATIONS
The Nigeria Premier Football League board has initiated an investigation into allegations of match-fixing and betting involving Lobi Stars, a relegation-threatened side and former league champions. Lobi Stars media officer Emmanuel Ujah accused the team’s players of match-fixing during an interview with Today 95.1FM Port Harcourt, expressing frustration with the club’s current league position.
Ujah claimed that some players have been betting on games, specifically with Bet9ja, and fixing matches. “They have been betting at Bet9ja, fixing matches… They’ll ask people to bet that they’re scoring us two goals today, so go and bet,” Ujah said. He also alleged that even former player Daniel Amokachi had mentioned betting by players and officials in a meeting.
However, one of the club’s players dismissed the allegations as baseless, blaming the team’s poor performance on management infighting. “Does he think the players are happy to go to the field and lose? They should check themselves. All these problems started when they began fighting over positions at the club,” the player said, requesting anonymity.
NPFL Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi confirmed the investigation, stating, “We don’t want to give credence or credibility to those utterances without evidence, so we will invite the person who granted that interview.” The league has put structures in place to detect such activities and will conduct an internal inquest to get to the bottom of the issue.
Lobi Stars have not won a match in 14 games, with their last victory dating back to December 14, when they beat Plateau United 1-0. They currently sit at the bottom of the table with 24 points after 31 games, struggling with coaching and facility issues. The team has had five coaches this season and has switched bases from Lafia to Bauchi and now Enugu.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi reached a remarkable milestone on Wednesday, scoring the 900th goal of his illustrious career, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Inter Miami from being eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup on away goals after a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC.
Messi, 38, opened the scoring just seven minutes into the second leg of the Round of 16 clash, giving Miami an early advantage in what was the club’s final game at their Chase Stadium home in Fort Lauderdale.
However, Nashville’s Cristian Espinoza equalized in the 74th minute, sending the visitors from Tennessee through to the quarter-finals under the away goals rule.
The goal marked Messi’s 81st in Major League Soccer since joining Inter Miami in 2023. Across his career, he has also scored 672 goals for Barcelona, 32 for Paris Saint-Germain, and 115 for the Argentina national team.
Goal number 900 comes 21 years after Messi’s senior debut goal for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over Albacete in 2005, when he was just 17. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Messi still trails his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently has 965 career goals.
Speaking ahead of the milestone, Miami manager and former teammate Javier Mascherano described Messi’s goal record as “insane.” “I’ve been lucky to witness many of his goals up close, and that’s a privilege. The number we’re talking about is insane that’s why Leo is one of a kind,” Mascherano said.
Wednesday’s match was also a farewell to Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium, their home since entering Major League Soccer in 2020. The team is set to move to a new 26,700-seat facility next month.
Messi, who has already extended his Inter Miami contract through 2028, is expected to feature in his sixth World Cup later this year as Argentina defend their title in the expanded 48-team tournament across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Messi’s career has been defined by prolific scoring. He netted 672 times in 778 games for Barcelona, winning 35 trophies, then added 32 goals in 75 appearances for PSG, and 81 goals in 96 matches for Inter Miami, helping the team secure the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2025 MLS Cup.
Internationally, he has scored 115 goals in 196 appearances, including two in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final victory over France.
Despite Messi’s record-breaking achievement, Inter Miami will look ahead to the new season and their new home, while fans celebrate one of football’s greatest ever scorers.
Football
Atletico Edge Thriller, Knock Out Spurs 7–5 on Aggregate to Reach Champions League Quarter-Finals
Atletico Madrid survived a spirited comeback attempt from Tottenham Hotspur to book their place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, despite a 3–2 defeat in the second leg in London.
Diego Simeone’s side advanced 7–5 on aggregate after a dramatic encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the hosts pushed hard to overturn a heavy first-leg deficit.
Tottenham struck first through Randal Kolo Muani, who powered home a header in the 30th minute to ignite hopes of a comeback. But Julian Alvarez responded swiftly after the break, levelling for Atletico with a composed finish.
The hosts refused to back down, with Xavi Simons restoring their lead with a stunning strike from the edge of the box. However, Atletico hit back again as David Hancko headed home in the 75th minute to keep the Spanish side firmly in control of the tie.
Simons added a late penalty in stoppage time, but it proved too little, too late, as Atletico held on to progress.
Despite being under pressure for long spells, Atletico’s resilience ensured they avoided a historic collapse, having built a commanding advantage in the first leg.
They will now face Barcelona in the quarter-finals after the Catalan side’s dominant win over Newcastle.
For Tottenham, the defeat ends their European campaign and shifts focus back to their domestic struggles. Currently hovering just above the relegation zone in the Premier League, their fight for survival now takes centre stage.
While the result exposed Atletico’s defensive vulnerabilities, Simeone’s men remain in contention for European glory though sterner tests lie ahead.
Manchester United secured a convincing 3–1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday in a Premier League clash that saw captain Bruno Fernandes set a new club assist milestone.
The breakthrough came early in the match when Casemiro headed home from a corner delivered by Fernandes, giving United the lead. The hosts extended their advantage after Fernandes set up Matheus Cunha for the second goal.
Substitute Benjamin Šeško later sealed the victory with a late strike to ensure all three points for United.
Fernandes’ two assists in the match saw him surpass the long-standing club Premier League assist record previously held by former United star David Beckham. The Portuguese midfielder has now recorded 15 assists in the league this season and reached a total of 100 assists in all competitions for the club.
The win continues a strong run of form for United under manager Michael Carrick, with the team climbing from seventh to third in the league standings on 54 points. The gap between United and fifth-placed Liverpool FC now stands at nine points, boosting the club’s hopes of securing qualifications for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Fernandes later joked about his connection with Casemiro, saying the Brazilian “should give me a share of his goal bonuses,” while praising his teammate’s movement and timing in the box.
The result strengthens United’s push for a top-four finish as the Premier League season enters its decisive stage.