SPORTS
Arsenal 2 – 1 Sevilla: Gunners Lift Emirates Cup
Arsenal on Sunday lifted the much coveted Emirates Cup in spite of a 1-2 loss to Spanish side, Sevilla, in their final game at the Emirates Stadium in London.
Arsenal came into the final game leading the group on eight points, ahead of the German side, RB Leipzig, on five points, which had earlier in the day defeated Benfica 2-0.
Sevilla needed to beat the hosts by two clear goals to stand any chance at winning the trophy.
Both sides had few chances at goal but were unable to make their opportunities count as the first half ended goalless.
The Spaniards, however, dictated the pace in the early stages of the second half and took a well-deserved lead in the 49th minute.
Arsenal stood still, waiting for the offside flag to go up as Wissam Yedder fed Joaquin Correa in the area.
The Sevilla forward wasn’t off and slotted home the opener from close range, beating the onrushing goalkeeper Petr Cech to the ball.
The goal sparked life into the game as the hosts began to pile pressure on the Spaniards as they went on the prowl for the equaliser.
Mesut Ozil fed Aaron Ramsey, who laid the ball off to Alexandre Lacazette and the Frenchman side-footed an effort on target but the keeper gets down low to stop it in the 57th minute.
Ozil again tried to link up with Lacazette in the 60th minute but the duo was scuppered.
The pressure, however, paid off three minutes later as Lacazette scored his first goal at home for Arsenal.
The 46 million pounds striker side-footed home at the back post after a lovely run from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
But while the stadium was still buzzing, Steven N’Zonzi collected the ball from the edge of the area and curled in a stunner in the 68th minute which made the atmosphere at the Emirates very flat.
Arsenal had another chance in the 77th minute to equalise but Aaron Ramsey’s shot from outside the box narrowly missed its target as the midfielder tried to poke past goalkeeper Sergio Rico.
In an effort to inject more power into Arsenal’s attack, Theo Walcott, who scored twice on Saturday entered the fray alongside Nigeria’s Alex Iwobi as substitutes for Lacazette and Mohamed Elneny in the 79th minute.
But the Spaniards defence line was resolute as they held on for a 2-1 win.
Big changes are coming in for the Under-17 World Cup tournament. FIFA, the sport’s governing body, just announced some exciting new updates. First up, the Under-17 World Cup will be played every year! Instead of happening every two years, it will now be held every year, starting in 2025. This means fans will get to see these talented young players compete more often.
Not only will the tournament happen more often, but it will also get bigger! Just like the Senior Men’s World Cup, the Under-17 version will now include 48 teams, up from the previous 16. This gives more countries a shot at glory.
Girls’ soccer is also getting a boost! The Women’s Under-17 World Cup will follow suit, becoming an annual event from 2025 onwards. Morocco will be the proud host for the next five years, and the competition will feature 24 teams, up from 16 previously.
“This followed a global call for expressions of interest in hosting both competitions, with a focus on leveraging the use of existing footballing infrastructure in the interest of tournament efficiencies and sustainability,” FIFA said.
Germany took home the trophy at the last Under-17 World Cup in 2023, marking their first-ever championship at that level. Spain’s women’s team also had something to celebrate, winning their edition in 2022.
The senior men’s World Cup took place back in 2022, with Qatar playing host. Looking ahead, Morocco gears up to co-host the prestigious tournament in 2030! This is an exciting time for international football.
FIFA has set aside $2.25 billion, to invest in growing the sport between 2023 and 2026. This is a big jump from their previous budget. FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, is confident they’ll exceed their financial target of $11 billion for this period.
Gianni Infantino also highlighted the fight against racism in football. FIFA plans to discuss and decide on these stricter anti-racism measures at their upcoming congress. They’ll work with member associations and regional groups to make sure the new rules are enforced worldwide.
In a surprising turn of events, Nigerian forwards Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface have secured spots on a prestigious list ranking the world’s top 10 strikers, according to a recent ranking by SPORTbible. This accolade places Osimhen and Boniface ahead of legendary footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski!
The list itself is led by the unstoppable Erling Haaland of Manchester City, followed closely by England’s captain Harry Kane. Kylian Mbappe snagged the third-place position.
Victor Osimhen, a star player for Napoli, secures a remarkable fourth place, while his compatriot, Victor Boniface, who is currently lighting up Bayer Leverkusen, claims a well-deserved seventh position, surpassing Ronaldo.
The ranking continues, with Lautaro Martinez, Heung-Min Son, and Julian Alvarez claiming the eighth position. While Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski secured the ninth and tenth spots, respectively, their absence from the top ranks highlights the emergence of a new generation of footballing heroes.
The full list, as presented by the ranking source, is as follows:
- Erling Haaland
- Harry Kane
- Kylian Mbappe
- Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
- Lautaro Martinez
- Heung-Min Son
- Victor Boniface (Nigeria)
- Julian Alvarez
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Robert Lewandowski
While some may be surprised by the inclusion of the two Nigerians above established names like Ronaldo and Lewandowski, it’s important to remember that rankings are always subjective and often take into account current form, potential, and the specific criteria used for evaluation.
This ranking undoubtedly sparks an interesting conversation about the ever-evolving landscape of football and the emergence of new talents who are challenging the established order. It also prompts the question: with such a vast continent brimming with talent, are there other exceptional African footballers who deserve recognition but may not have been included in this particular ranking?
Check out more sports updates here.
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