Valencia ended Athletic Bilbao’s 14-game unbeaten streak across all competitions after edging the Basque club 1-0 in the Spanish league on Saturday.
Striker Hugo Duro tilted the closely contested match at Mestalla Stadium in the hosts’ favor in the 61st minute when he outjumped Yuri Berchiche and headed in José Gayà’s cross to the far post.
Athletic, which only fields players from the Basque Country region and neighboring areas, has surpassed expectations this season. Ernesto Valverde’s side entered the round in third place and is in the thick of a fight for a Champions League berth. Barcelona is level on points with Athletic and the defending champions visit Real Betis on Sunday. Athletic’s previous defeat was at Barcelona in October.
Athletic’s defense, anchored by Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón, had only conceded one goal to an opposing player in its previous nine games overall before Duro struck the winner with his powerful header. It was his ninth goal of the campaign.
AC Milan’s win at Udinese was briefly suspended on Saturday after alleged racist abuse from home fans towards Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Maignan alerted the referee before leaving the pitch after the half-hour mark, followed by his team-mates.
The incident took place shortly after Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek had given the visitors the lead with a low first-time shot inside the post.
The Serie A match was restarted after about 10 minutes.
“I said we cannot play football like this. It is not the first time it has happened this way,” Maignan told Sky Sports Italy.
“They must hand out very strong sanctions, because talking no longer does anything.
“We have to say that what they are doing is wrong. It is not the whole crowd, most fans want to cheer on their team and jeer you. That’s normal, but not this.”
He added: “What happened in the first half is that at the first goal-kick I heard monkey noises, I said nothing.
“The second time I went to get the ball, I heard it again. I told the fourth official and my bench what happened. I was angry, because this isn’t the first time it has happened.”
France keeper Maignan, 28, was beaten three minutes later by a Lazar Samardzic shot before Florian Thauvin put Udinese in front in the 62nd minute.
But Milan snatched victory when substitute Luka Jovic netted a rebound with seven minutes left and Okafor made it 3-2 in stoppage time from close range.
Borussia Dortmund comfortably beat Cologne after a stoppage in their Bundesliga match when fans threw chocolate coins on to the pitch in protest against an investment proposal by the German Football Association.
Supporters from both clubs threw the gold coins during the 12th minute to symbolise their role as the ’12th man’.
It led to an eight-minute break in play while players from both teams helped stewards remove the confectionary.
Dortmund went on to win 4-0 in Cologne.
In December, a majority vote by German clubs approved a proposal to sell some Bundesliga TV rights in exchange for investment capital.
Supporters threw tennis balls on to the pitch during Bochum’s 3-0 win over Union Berlin last month and there was a 12-minute stoppage during Heidenheim’s 1-1 draw with Wolfsburg on Saturday as part of league-wide protests.
Bochum’s 1-0 home win against VfB Stuttgart was also delayed by 40 minutes after fans of the visiting side unfurled flags which blocked fire exits.
Donyell Malen gave Dortmund the lead in the 12th minute on Saturday before the protests began and hostile chants about the German FA followed throughout the match.
Malen doubled his tally in the second half, adding to Niclas Fullkrug’s penalty and a stoppage-time goal from Youssoufa Moukoko.
Arsenal reignited their Premier League title challenge by thrashing struggling Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners’ fight at the top had faltered towards the end of last year as they lost three of their past five Premier League games.
But, after heading off to Dubai for a week-long winter break, Mikel Arteta’s side returned reinvigorated as a Gabriel header, Dean Henderson own goal, Leandro Trossard finish and two late Gabriel Martinelli strikes sealed the three points.
The first two goals came from corners, with the opener coming in the 11th minute when Gabriel nodded in before the defender’s header from another set-piece struck Crystal Palace goalkeeper Henderson to deflect into the back of the net.
The visitors offered little in response. Instead Arsenal added to their lead in the second half when Trossard was sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper and kept his cool to finish confidently.
With Palace already well beaten, Martinelli added further sheen to the win with two goals in injury time, both swept into the far corner.
The win moves Arsenal up to third, two points behind leaders Liverpool but having played a game more than Jurgen Klopp’s side. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, remain 14th in the table.
Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich to win trophies – but that dream is in jeopardy, at least in his first season, after the champions slipped seven points off the Bundesliga summit with a 1-0 defeat at home to Werder Bremen. Mitchell Weiser scored the only goal of the game.
Bayern Munich arrived back from the winter break with a case of the blues as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Werder Bremen.
The visitors thought they had opened the scoring midway through the first period as Justin Njinmah raced through one on one after a quick turnover. However, after a VAR review goal was disallowed for a foul in the build-up and Bayern could count themselves lucky.
A frustrating first half ended level as Bayern struggled to find their rhythm and create any real opportunities.
After the break the game continued in a similar fashion as Bayern dominated the ball but looked toothless in front of goal.
The 32-time winners now find themselves seven points adrift of Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen. Credit: eurosport.com
Egypt will look to secure a place in the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations when they face off against Cape Verde. For Egypt, the major talking point is around the exclusion of Salah, who sustained an injury against Ghana in the last match and is expected to miss at least the next two matches for Egypt, provided they qualify from the group.
With both matches in Group B kicking off simultaneously, the Pharaohs will see this as a must-win fixture, having only managed to earn two points from their opening two matches in the competition.
Egypt have struggled to make an impact in the tournament thus far and it began when they played to a 2-2 draw against group outsiders Mozambique and recorded another 2-2 draw against Ghana.
The Pharaohs are now in a precarious position as they could find themselves knocked out of the competition if they lose here and one of Ghana or Mozambique win the other match in the group.
Djurtus cannot end in the automatic qualification spots after losing to Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea but could progress as one of the best third-placed sides by defeating unbeaten Nigeria in the final round of matches in Group A. Guinea-Bissau’s AFCON 2023 prospects appear bleak after losing 4-2 to in-form Equatorial Guinea on Thursday, leaving them on the brink of elimination.
As for the Super Eagles, the three-time winners must not rest on their laurels heading into Monday’s decisive encounter to secure qualification.
Defeating Ivory Coast 1-0 in front of a partisan crowd has put Peseiro’s men in the driver’s seat, as four points should be enough to ensure passage to the first knockout round.
While victory could seal top spot for the Super Eagles, the African giants must find their scoring boots, having squandered a glut of high-value chances in the draw with Equatorial Guinea.
Nigeria should avoid complacency after beating the tournament hosts to secure a routine victory over Guinea-Bissau to end top of Group A.
Group B at the Africa Cup of Nations will draw to a close this week and Ghana will be looking to keep their qualification hopes alive when they face Mozambique at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara on Monday night.
Ghana are staring down a second consecutive AFCON group-stage exit, currently in third place in the group and level on one point with their opponents in this match, who are at the bottom of the group standings.
Ghana
Ghana were sent crashing out of the tournament two years ago when they finished bottom of their group, and they will end at the foot of Group B this year if they lose this crunch match.
The Black Stars got their tournament underway in the worst way possible as they found themselves outplayed by group leaders Cape Verde.
Matchday two against Egypt brought out a better performance from Chris Hughton‘s side, who went into the match as the underdogs, but despite taking the lead twice, they were unable to hang on and had to settle for a share of the spoils.
That result marked Ghana’s sixth consecutive AFCON match without a win, which is their longest-ever winless run during their over six-decade history in this competition.
A win over Mozambique will give Black Stars four points, which will almost certainly be good enough to finish as one of the best third-placed teams.
Mozambique
Mozambique have had to wait 12 years to return to the AFCON, having failed to qualify for the last six editions, and the requirements for them to remain in the competition are exactly the same as their opponents in this match.
However, history is certainly not on the Mambas’ side since they have never won a group-stage match in an AFCON, losing 12 and drawing two of their 14 matches over five tournaments, including this one.
Prediction
Ghana would have got some much-needed confidence from their performance against Egypt last week and the return of Kudus has given them a genuine attacking threat at the top end of the pitch. Mozambique will certainly not back down here, but we are backing the Black Stars to get the victory they need in this one.
Hosts Ivory Coast look to avoid another embarrassing defeat when they take on in-form Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium today.
The Elephants suffered a damaging 1-0 loss in their second Group A fixture against Nigeria to leave the home side in a precarious position before battling high-flying Nzalang Nacional, who secured a rip-roaring triumph over Guinea-Bissau in round two. With four points already secured from two games, Equatorial Guinea need a point from Monday’s clash to secure a spot in the first knockout round.
After a disappointment defeat against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the host nation’s second game, losing to the Equatoguineans would be a disaster. While a draw could see the Elephants progress in any capacity, it is not expected to appease a disappointed home support, who left Ebimpe in low spirits after Nigeria’s win.
Despite the undoubted home support, Equatorial Guinea could nick a point against an Ivorian side that went down in many observers’ estimation after a disappointing defeat to Nigeria.
The Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, has incurred the wrath of members of the Ashanti Youth, Market Queens and traders in Kumasi.
Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II
They are jointly calling for the banning of the party chairman from entering Manhyia Palace and any other palace in the Ashanti region.
They are angry with Chairman Wontumi, the self-styled ‘Governor’ of Ashanti, for allegedly making disparaging remarks about the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Chairman Wontumi is said to have said at the NPP parliamentary primaries vetting recently that he would challenge Otumfuo on any issue if he (Wontumi) disagreed with the Asante King.
Market traders waving the Ashanti miniature flag in solidarity at the meeting
In the heated argument with Otumfuo’s Brempon, Nana Kwaku Duah, who is Chief of Kokoso, which put the vetting process on hold for about 30 minutes, the outspoken NPP Chairman allegedly stated that he has created his empire in Ashanti region and had his own police and military and, therefore, could “speak his mind to Otumfuo if he disagreed on an issue with him (Otumfuo)”.
Mr. Antwi Boasiako has since denied challenging Otumfuo’s authority and alleged claims of building his kingdom in the Ashanti region in a voice audio.
Mr. Amaning Kwarteng, Spokesperson of the group, at a press conference in Kumasi, yesterday, however, appealed to Manhyia Palace to ban Chairman Wontumi from entering the Palace until he has rendered an unqualified apology to the Asantehene and Asanteman.
They also called on all paramount chiefs and sub Chiefs who pay allegiance to the Golden Stool not to give audience to Chairman Wontumi at the various palaces for the grossly disrespecting the Golden Stool.
Amaning Kwarting addressing the meeting in the presence of market queens
The angry youth cautioned that Ashanti Kingdom is bigger than the New Patriotic Party and that as the regional chairman, Wontumi is no bigger either, describing him as arrogant. They also called for the resignation of Wontumi as party chairman in the region to consolidate the electoral fortunes of the party.
The Ashanti Youth, supported by market Queens and traders also cautioned government officials and party executives not to include Chairman Wontumi to join their entourage to visit the Manhyia Palace.
The youth group thanked Nana Kwadu Duah, Kokosohene, for exposing Wontumi’s alleged ill remarks.
Meanwhile, the governing New Patriotic Party National executives are planning to meet the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in person to have the matter resolved.
