SportsNews

Chelsea maintain perfect Conference League record with 3-1 win over Astana

Published

1 year ago

December 13, 2024

Astana’s Belarusian midfielder #07 Max Ebong (C) fights for the ball with Chelsea’s English midfielder #32 Tyrique George (R) during the UEFA Conference League football match between FC Astana and Chelsea FC in Astana on December 12, 2024. (Photo by Konstantin CHALABOV / AFP)

Chelsea made it five wins in five Europa Conference League outings on Thursday with a 3-1 victory against Astana in Almaty.

A much-changed Chelsea side battled the frigid conditions in Kazakhstan and won to all but guarantee a top-eight finish in the league phase, which would ensure automatic qualification to the round of 16.

Chelsea sit top of the standings on 15 points, three ahead of Legia Warsaw who are the only other side to boast a perfect record in the competition.

The Polish side will seek to draw level with Chelsea when they host Lugano of Switzerland later on Thursday.

The defeat leaves Astana in the final knock-out play-off spot with four points and at risk of elimination.

Chelsea wrapped up the points in the first half through goals from Marc Guiu and Renato Veiga.

Marin Tomasov pulled one back for the hosts on the stroke of half-time but Enzo Maresca’s side rarely looked troubled in the second half as they closed out the win.

Guiu gave Chelsea the perfect start by netting a brace inside the opening 20 minutes, bringing his tally in Europe to three goals in five appearances this season.

His first on 14 minutes showcased the ex-Barcelona attacker’s budding talent as he drove past a defender on the right flank before stroking home from an acute angle.

The 18-year-old Spaniard doubled up four minutes later with a striker’s goal as he forced the ball home at the front post following good wing play by Pedro Neto.

Renato Veiga, 21, headed in Chelsea’s third from a corner on 39 minutes.

Croatian veteran Tomasov scored the pick of the goals in the 45th minute as he stood up Renato Veiga in the box before arcing a fine left-footed strike in off the far post.

Earlier, Djurgarden of Sweden provisionally moved up to sixth with a 2-1 win at Vikingur Reykjavik despite finishing with 10 men.

SportsNews

2026 World Cup: Super Eagles waiting for FIFA’s decision – Iwobi

Published

12 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Super Eagles playmaker, Alex Iwobi, has admitted they are waiting to see if the team would still play at the 2026 World Cup.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is optimistic of a potential lifeline from FIFA, after it submitted a petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Iwobi was asked by SuperSport if he would rather lift the AFCON 2025 trophy or qualify for the World Cup?

The 29-year-old, who played at the 2018 of the World Cup, replied: “I mean we’re still waiting, well hopefully we can go to the World Cup, but I feel it’s a tough one.

“It’s a tough one because winning AFCON is like… It’s a great legacy, it’s a great thing to have like in your career, a memorable moment.

“But then at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup already, a lot of the players haven’t been. They would like to say ‘I want to go to the World Cup,’ so I can’t be selfish and say win the AFCON and for my teammates to not go to the World Cup. So it’s a tough one. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Politics

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONDOLES WITH SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE OF THE SUPER EAGLES ON THE PASSING OF HIS MOTHER

Published

1 week ago

January 30, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

President Bola Tinubu sends his condolences

to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze on the passing of his mother.

The President also extends his sympathies to the family and friends of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away on Thursday.

President Tinubu mourns with the Chukwueze family and encourages them to find solace in the memory and legacy of their late matriarch.

“The passing of Mrs Chukwueze, the mother of one of our bright football stars, just a few days after the passing of Super Eagles’ captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, is deeply saddening.

I mourn with them, and I am with them in prayers during this difficult time,” the President says.

President Tinubu prays that God Almighty will grant the departed eternal rest.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)