Retrospect: Review Of Major Stories That Made Headlines Last Week
Hey there, welcome to retrospect, review of major sporting stories that made headlines last week. Quite an eventful week it was. The leagues in Europe are entering the final lap; the African Champions League was on the menu for football fans across the continent.
From Europe to Africa, South America to Asia, the sports world was buzzing, witnessing the unusual, heartbreaking, and shocking.
The leagues in Europe also entered the final lap, while games in the CAF Champions League were on the menu for football fans in the last seven days.
Flamingos Sour Past Algeria Into World Cup
Starting from the home front with good news! The Flamingos have qualified for the World Cup after easing past Algeria. The U-17 women’s team played out a goalless draw with their opponents on Friday after they thrashed them 4-0 in the first leg of the game.
The Flamingos will now fly Nigeria’s flag for the competition, billed between October and November 2025 in Morocco. The Nigerian side crashed out of the 2024 edition in the quarter-finals. Their best finish was a third place in India 2022.
Vardy Bows from Leicester City
Vardy, a former England international, joined the Foxes in 2012 from non-league side Fleetwood for just £1 million ($1.3 million) and has scored 198 goals in nearly 500 appearances. The club captain is Leicester’s record Premier League goalscorer with 143 goals.
Meanwhile, there are also matches in the English FA Cup semi-finals this weekend to look forward to. Crystal Palace will take on Aston Villa while Manchester City battle Nottingham Forest.
Nigeria Names World Relays Team
Nigeria has named a strong squad for the 2025 World Athletics Relays, including 100 metres hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan. The country will compete in the men’s 4×100 metres, women’s 4×100 metres, 4×400 metres mixed relay, and the newly introduced 4×100 metres mixed relay at the event billed for Guangzhou, China, from May 10th to 11th.
Eniola Bolaji Honoured
The Paralympic bronze medallist, Eniola Bolaji.
There was also cheerful news for Nigeria in badminton after paralympic bronze medalist Eniola Bolaji was honoured with the 2024 Africa Women in Badminton Award. The feat was a recognition of her achievements and journey in para-badminton.
Eniola was given the award during the Badminton Confederation Africa Annual General Meeting on Thursday in China. She becomes the second Nigerian to receive this award after Obiageli Solaja got it in 2019.
Sundowns Silence Ah Ahly, Book Date With Pyramids
In football, Al Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim conceded a 90th-minute own goal to give Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa a place in the CAF Champions League final, where they will face another Egyptian club, Pyramids.
Ahly and Sundowns drew 1-1 before a capacity 73,000 Cairo crowd and, after a 0-0 semi-final first leg, Sundowns qualified on the away-goal rule and will host the first leg of the final on May 24.
Anthony Joshua Ends Homecoming
Still on the continent! Anthony Joshua has bid farewell to the country after weeks of fraternizing with fans in his ancestral home. The two-time heavyweight champion, who had been in Nigeria for weeks, spent time rehabilitating from an injury and preparing for his next fight. The 35-year-old had memorable moments in the country, including a viral video of him getting a street-side haircut. He was also spotted jogging on the streets of Sagamu, Ogun State, his ancestral home, exchanging warm greetings with locals.
The British-Nigerian boxer thanked Nigerians for their hospitality throughout his stay, saying he was grateful for their “energy, generosity and kindness”.
D’Tigress Get Opponents
D’Tigress were placed in Group D of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket and will take on Mozambique and Rwanda in the group stage of the competition. The Nigerian senior women’s football team are the defending champion, having won it in 2023. The 12-nation tournament will be held in Ivory Coast from July 26 to August 3 at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan.
Games Moved After Pope’s Death
Inter Milan’s match against Roma has been postponed due to a clash with Pope Francis’ funeral which the Vatican announced will take place on Saturday, Serie A said on Tuesday. Serie A said all three matches scheduled for Saturday would be rescheduled, with Inter’s — moved to Sunday at 1300 GMT — being the highest profile as they contest the league title with Napoli.
Evra To Make Mixed Martial Arts Debut
A former France fullback Patrice Evra is turning to mixed martial arts and will fight his first bout in May in Paris, American promoter the Professional Fighters League (PFL), announced on Friday.
The PFL said the 43-year-old had been training in combat sports since 2016 alongside his friend, the Paris-based PFL star Cedric Doumbe.
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Barca Triumph Over Real Again
Jules Kounde lashed in an extra-time screamer as Barcelona beat Real Madrid to win the Copa del Rey in a remarkable Clasico in Seville.
After a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes and with penalties appearing inevitable, the Barcelona defender took possession of the ball 22 yards out and drilled a fine effort into the bottom corner.
Referee Takes Centre Stage As Real Rage Again
The pre-match build-up had focused on referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea and Real Madrid.
Real’s TV channel published a video criticising the referee in various aspects, as they have done with other officials, and he talked about the impact that had on him at an emotional news conference on Friday.
The club distributed highly critical press releases that evening, but denied reports they could pull out of the game.
That backdrop meant every decision the referee made was going to be under scrutiny, but to neutral observers there were none too controversial.
Both teams had goals ruled out for clear offsides – and Mbappe was denied a penalty for another clear offside in the build-up.
But the major talking point came in the 96th minute with the game at 2-2.
Asencio slid in on Raphinha, and De Burgos Bengoetxea pointed to the spot. But after a check of over three minutes he came back and booked Raphinha for diving before overturning the decision.
