Nigeria’s under-24 male handball team on Wednesday lost their opening game to hosts Bulgaria at the fourth International Handball Federation Emerging Nations Championship.

The game played at the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna saw the hosts beat their African rivals 23-19 to make it their second win in the tournament.

They had earlier defeated Azerbaijan.

Nigeria managed to stay close in the game and exerted some pressure on Bulgaria, especially with the first half ending 11-13 in favour of the hosts.

The Europeans however showed they wanted the win more, beating the Nigerian team being coached by Solomon Yola by four points to stay top on Group D.

Nigeria will face Azerbaijan on Thursday, with a win securing them a spot in the tournament’s placement matches.

Meanwhile, the two wins have qualified Bulgaria to the semi-finals of the tournament where they face Cuba, the top team in Group C, on Saturday.

A total of 12 teams, grouped into four are currently participating in the tournament, which is expected to end on Sunday.

Frank Lampard admitted angry Chelsea fans had every right to boo his team after they suffered a fifth successive defeat in a dismal 2-0 setback against Brentford on Wednesday.

Cesar Azpilicueta’s own goal and Bryan Mbeumo’s late strike condemned Lampard to his latest demoralising loss since replacing the sacked Graham Potter.

Chelsea have failed to score in six of their last seven games and are languishing in 11th place in the Premier League.

They have not won in any competition since March 11 at Leicester, a winless run that now stands at eight games.

Six of those eight winless matches have come at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea supporters let rip after losing to West London neighbours Brentford, who have traditionally been in their shadow but are now above them in the table.

“Absolutely the fans are going to be worried. If you’re a Chelsea fan, you’ve been used to 20 years of success, you’re used to it and you want it more,” Lampard said.

“I’ve got no problem with fans booing. I’m not sitting here to go against the fans and say don’t boo the players.”

Caretaker boss Lampard is only in charge until the end of the season, with reports that former Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is close to being hired as the latest manager of owner Todd Boehly’s troubled 11-month reign.

Boehly has already axed Potter and Thomas Tuchel, leaving the squad in turmoil when Lampard returned for his second spell in charge.

Lampard, who said there was “nothing” to add on a potential Pochettino appointment, is adamant his players are committed to the cause despite accusations from fans about their lack of work ethic.

Facing Chelsea’s first finish outside the top 10 since 1996, Lampard added: “I’ll defend the players because they’re young lads who want to do well. Is there an issue with confidence? Yes. Is there an issue with the balance of the squad? Maybe yes.

“I’m not patronising everybody. When you’re in this moment with a lack of confidence, then it can be difficult to win a game. I’m not exonerating the players, far from it. I’m just supporting them.

“Are we dynamic enough in the final third? No. Have we been for a long time before I came here? No. Those things are not things that are going to turn overnight. We have to keep working.”

Former Italy and Inter Milan striker, Mario Balotelli, has tipped Napoli’s talisman, Victor Osimhen, and AC Milan winger, Rafael Leão to reach the level of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City stars, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.

According to the former Man City star, the Serie A duo can attain world-class status “with the right head.”

Balotelli recently appeared on Muschi Selvaggio’s podcast.

He maintained that as long as Argentine prodigy, Messi plays, he would continue to regard him as the best player.

Balotelli said: “As long as Messi plays, I will continue to say that he is the strongest player around. Afterwards, perhaps, it will be the turn of Haaland and Mbappé. Also keep an eye on Leao and Osimhen: with the right head, they can reach the level of Erling and Kylian.”

The Golden Eaglets have passed the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test today as they prepare for their first game against Zambia.

All 26 players passed the CAF tests, other 11 teams particiapating in the tournament also had their players tested.

Richard Odoh (HB Football Academy)

Yahaya Danjuma Lawali (Mahanaim FC)

Emmanuel Michael (Simon Ben Football Academy)

Haruna Abdullahi (Kurfi Tigers Academy)

Tochukwu Joseph Ogboji (Purple Crown Academy)

Jeremiah Oluwaseyi Olaleke (Ablaze Football Academy)

Umar Abubakar (Devine Football Academy)

Abubakar Idris Abdullahi (Jega United)

Precious Tonye Williams (HB Football Academy)

Ifeoluwa Adewale Olowoporoku (Triple 44 Academy)

Charles Adah Agada (Mavlon FC)

Hope Yusuf Linus (E.E. Sporting Club)

Jubril Opeyemi Azeez (Right Vision Choice Academy)

Anongu Isaac Aondoakaa (FC Bathel Sporting)

Israel Nwachukwu Usulor (Real Sapphire FC)

Temiloluwa Oluwayimika Adelakin (Box2Box Academy)

Simon Karshe Cletus (Mavlon FC)

Tochukwu Simeon Ogbadibo (Jossy United)

Light Chijioke Eke (C&C Football Academy)

Favour Oluwasegun Daniel (G12 Football Academy)

Chijioke Julius Linus (Triple 44 Academy)

Quadri Oluwatobiloba Adewale (Nathaniel Boys FC)

Gift Ukeh Adie (Paul E Football Academy)

Musa Oluwaseyi Akinfenwa (Real Sapphire FC)

Usman Ajibola Owoyemi (Triple 44 Academy)

Matthew Awodi Kingsley (Brook House Academy)

Nigeria are drawn in Group B alongside Morocco, Zambia and South Africa with their first game against Zambia on Sunday by 5 pm.

Ese Brume will begin her bid to become the 2023 Diamond League Long Jump champion at the Pietro Mennea Golden Gala in Florence early June.

Brume, who won a historic silver medal at the World indoor and outdoor championships last year is seeking to become the second Nigerian after sprint hurdler,
Tobi Amusan to win a Diamond League title.

The 27 year old, Delta state born athlete missed the final of the competition last year by just two points, after finishing second in her first competition
in the event in Eugene, USA and seventh in her second event in Stockholm, Sweden to end up with points, two behind sixth placed behind Serbia’s Ivana Vuleta.

With only six competitors allowed in the final, Brume missed out but now has another chance to jump into history books.

The African long jump record holder (7.17m) is among the long jumpers confirmed for the event in Florence, Italy on June 2, 2023.

Others are defending Diamond League long jump champion, Vuleta, reigning, two-time world champion, Malaika Mihambo and Great Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers.

Also confirmed are Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk and Florence-born local star Larissa Iapichino.

Brume will be competing in her sixth Diamond League meeting after making her debut in 2018 at the Athletissima in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Bendel Insurance are through to the Round of 32 of the 2023 Federation Cup following a 1-0 win against ABS FC at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos on Wednesday.

Ebenezer Odeyemi scored the winning goal for the Benin Arsenals on 27 minutes.

In another Round of 64 game played in Lagos, Shooting Stars defeated non-league side, Adamimogo 4-3 in a thrilling contest.

Adamimogo took a shock lead on 11 minutes, while veteran forward, Ajani Ibrahim equalised for Shooting Stars on 22 minutes.

Shooting Stars then raced into a two-goal lead with Samuel Ayanrinde netting twice in 23rd and 25 minutes

Damala Promise then added the fourth late in the first half.

Adamimogo scored twice after the break to make the scoreline more respectable.

At the Awka City Stadium, Lobi Stars survived a spirited fight from National League side FC One Rocket to move into the next round.

The game ended in a 2-2 draw with Lobi Stars triumphing 5-3 on penalty.

Victor Collins and Ayuba Francis were on target as Nasarawa United pip Kebbi United 2-0.

OTHER RESULTS

Lobi Stars 2-2 FC One Rocket PK: 5-3

Kogi Utd Feeders 1-4 Edel

Bayelsa Utd 1-1 Essien Ayi PK: 3-5

Malumfashi 0-1 Gombe United

Heartland 2-0Jedo

Warri Wolves 4-0 Beyond Limits

Ahudiya 2-1 Jigawa Golden Stars .

The Athletics Intergrity Unit, AIU, has banned Albanian Athletics Federation’s President, Gjergj Ruli, for 5 years and the Federation’s General Secretary, Nikolin Dionisi, for 4 years for breaches of the World Athletics’ Integrity Code of Conduct.

The two officials have been banned for competition manipulation.

According to the AIU, the decisions against the Albanians confirm violations of the World Athletics’ Integrity Code of Conduct (the Code), between May-July 2021, relating to the submission to World Athletics of a competition result for Albanian long jumper, Izmir Smajlaj, at the Dita E Kërcimeve Competition held on 8 May 2021 in Tirana, Albania.’

Smajlaj, placed first in the Competition with a national record and personal best distance of 8.16 metres and this result contributed to him securing a universality place to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (held in summer 2021).

Ruli was Smajlaj’s coach and travelled to Tokyo with him.

The AIU had alleged that Ruli, Dionisi and Smajlaj conspired together and submitted falsified wind measurement readings relating to the Competition to
World Athletics, and when requested for proof of wind measurement equipment being used at the competition, also submitted a falsified photograph to the AIU.

The falsified photo showed Smajlaj standing at the long jump track in front of wind measuring equipment but Ruli, Dionisi and Smajlaj all ultimately admitted there was in fact no wind measuring equipment at the relevant Competition and that this photo was taken on a different day.

They could not explain the basis for the wind measurement readings that were sent to World Athletics.

Manchester City v Arsenal – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – April 26, 2023 Manchester City’s Rodri, Erling Braut Haaland, manager Pep Guardiola, John Stones and Manuel Akanji during a break in play 

Manchester City wrestled control of the Premier League title race from Arsenal with a 4-1 thumping in their top-of-table clash on Wednesday, to the thrill of manager Pep Guardiola, who said destiny was finally in his team’s hands.

“Absolutely my position now (is what I prefer over Arsenal’s),” he said. “It’s in our hands. I’d love to have six points from these two games (in hand), but we have to win them.”

Guardiola’s side are just two points off the top with two games in hand, and can take the lead with a victory on Sunday at Fulham.

And their recent form suggests they will — they are unbeaten in 17 matches in all competitions after 14 wins and three draws.

Guardiola said their next three games will “dictate a lot”.

“We have two games at home (following Sunday, versus West Ham and Leeds United), and I don’t want to anticipate because it’s not healthy, but this season at home, we feel comfortable with the people, the crowd,” Guardiola said of the Etihad Stadium, which was a rocking sea of sky blue on Wednesday.

“I think the next three games will be really, really important. But the most important thing is our destiny is in our hands. And when you arrive at the end of the season, whatever happened, it doesn’t matter. It’s our performance, to win the (remaining) games, it depends on us. This is the best way to approach the last seven games we still have.”

Kevin De Bruyne scored twice and Erling Haaland also found the net to claim the record for most goals in a 38-game Premier League season, with his 33rd strike of the campaign.

“The threat, Kevin-Erling, Erling-Kevin is so, so important,” Guardiola said. “Being together, when teams press so high and we regain balls with the space behind, they’re so dangerous, and we use it.”

Manchester City are also chasing the treble having booked their berths in both the FA Cup final and Champions League semi-finals.

Asked whether he considers City one of the best teams in any league, Guardiola said: “If we play like today we are an incredible, competitive team. Absolutely.

“But there are many, many good teams all around the world.”

The biggest compliment, Guardiola added, is that Manchester City, who are chasing their third consecutive Premier League title, are always in the thick of it at the end of the season.

“Many, many years we are there in all competitions, this is the best compliment we can get”

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League but manager Mikel Arteta’s body language after a 4-1 drubbing at Manchester City on Wednesday suggests he knows their title chance has gone.

His side wilted under City’s sustained onslaught and perhaps got off lightly as Kevin De Bruyne scored twice with John Stones and Erling Haaland also on target.

Reigning champions City will go top with a game in hand if they beat Fulham at the weekend having trailed Arsenal for more or less the whole season.

“I don’t know what is going to be required,” Arteta told reporters when asked if Arsenal must now win their remaining five games to have any chance of claiming the club’s first title since 2004. “For sure we have to lift the players up first because they suffered tonight.

“We need to do everything that we’ve done so far so well and start winning.”

While the loss to City will be seen as the pivotal moment in the title race, the truth is Arsenal had already lost the momentum they had built up in an awful April.

Successive 2-2 draws with Liverpool and West Ham United, having led by two goals, were followed by Friday’s chaotic 3-3 draw at home to bottom club Southampton.

It was a run that hardly fuelled Arsenal’s belief and with the Londoners badly missing the agility of injured defender William Saliba they were taken to the cleaners by City.

“The first 30 minutes all the basic things you have to do against a top team we didn’t do it and we got punished,” Arteta told reporters. “We played against an exceptional team.

“We’re an exceptional team as well — but today we weren’t at the races.”

City’s De Bruyne was quick to point out that they still have seven league games to negotiate and that they still trail Arsenal in the race, but even the most optimistic Arsenal supporters will now be settling for runners-up spot.

Not a bad achievement for a club that has not finished in the top four since 2016 and were not even considered to be title contenders at the start of the campaign.

“The stats at the start of the season said we’d finish sixth or seventh and we are where we are,” Arteta said.

“The players deserve a lot of credit to be where we are after nine months against this team. There’s still five games to go. I’ve been in this country 22 years and things change a lot.

“Today is a very difficult night but we have to stand up and look at the bigger picture. The fact we are competing toe to toe with this City team is incredible.”