SportsNews

MotoGP Japanese GP: Acosta scores maiden pole, Martin 11th after crash

Published

1 year ago

October 5, 2024

Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta scored pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix as he set a new lap record at Motegi in the dying stages of a dramatic qualifying session that saw world championship leader Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) suffer a major setback.

While Acosta continued to look serene as he hunts for a first MotoGP win on his Tech3 KTM, Martin’s crash at Turn 9 in the critical final phase of Qualifying 2 meant he will only line up 11th for the sprint and Sunday’s grand prix.

That will be an opportunity for his main rival Francesco Bagnaia. The factory Ducati rider will start from second on the grid, despite a mistake on his final lap possibly robbing him of the chance to match Acosta.

Factory Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales will complete the front row, with Bagnaia’s team-mate Enea Bastianini set to start fourth.

KTM’s Brad Binder did not quite deliver on the promise set by his pace-setting Friday practice form, but will still have a chance to repeat his 2022 Motegi podium by starting fifth. He’ll take the start just ahead of Pramac Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli.

VR46 Ducati duo Fabio di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi qualified seventh and eighth ahead of Gresini Ducati’s Marc Marquez. The Spanish legend had spent much of the weekend riding around various issues and looked to have conquered them as he took provisional pole in Q2, before his best lap was cancelled for a tiny track limits infraction.

Marquez’s brother and team-mate Alex completed the top 10 on the grid, with Fabio Quartararo(Yamaha) rounding off the third row behind Martin.

Earlier, despite very light drizzle, the track continued to get quicker as Free Practice 2 gave way to Qualifying 1.

Morbidelli sealed a spot in Qualifying 2 with a 1m43.746s lap that came close to the ultimate dry pace established by Binder on Friday.

The other rider to go through was Quartararo, who thus ensured there would be a Japanese motorcycle in final qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) will line up 13th, ahead of a battling Jack Miller. The Australian looked close to dropping his KTM at times during Q1, his rear-end looking on the edge of control under braking. Factory Aprilia rider Aleix Espargarocompleted the fourth row.

Zarco pulled himself together well after his Q1 crash to set a time good enough for 16th. Alongside him at the start will be Joan Mir, the leading Honda rider at the manufacturer’s home track. Augusto Fernandez (Tech 3 Aprilia) rounds out row five.

Takaaki Nakagami was unable to deliver for his home fans in qualifying. The LCR Honda rider will line up 21st despite only narrowly missing out on a direct ticket to Q2 with his effort in Practice on Friday.

Q2 results:

Q1 results:

Politics

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

Published

7 days 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)

SportsNews

EPL: Arsenal’s starting XI against Man Utd unveiled

Published

2 weeks ago

January 25, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Arsenal’s starting XI to face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday evening has been unveiled.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta opted to start Gabriel Jesus ahead of Viktor Gyokeres to lead the Gunners’ attack against the Red Devils.

This comes after Jesus scored a brace against Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.

The Brazilian will be assisted by Bukayo Saka and Leandro on the wings.

In midfield, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard return to join Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal’s starting XI: Raya, Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, Hincapie, Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Saka, Trossard, Jesus.

Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Eze, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyokeres.

The kick-off time for the match is 5.30 pm.

SportsNews

Osimhen’s Indiscipline Cost Nigeria The AFCON Title — Football Legend, Sunday Oliseh Blows Hot (Video)

Published

2 weeks ago

January 23, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has attributed Nigeria’s failure to clinch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco to what he described as indiscipline on the part of Victor Osimhen, arguing that individual actions disrupted team unity at a critical stage of the tournament.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Oliseh said Osimhen’s public confrontation with teammate Ademola Lookman during Nigeria’s 4–0 Round of 16 win over Mozambique disrupted the squad’s chemistry and weakened their title chances.

During the match, Osimhen appeared to rebuke Lookman for not releasing the ball in an attacking move, an incident that drew backlash from fans who criticised the striker’s conduct as unprofessional.

Oliseh claimed the consequences were felt beyond the Mozambique fixture, insisting Lookman’s form dipped noticeably afterwards, affecting Nigeria’s attacking potency in the semifinal.

“Let’s look at the toxicity that might have cost us the AFCON title,” he said. “We are confusing talent with licence. Victor Osimhen is world-class, but talent is not a license to destroy team chemistry.”

“Look at the evidence. Since that public outburst against Ademola Lookman, one of our brightest lights, he became a shadow of himself, and we lost our bite. When you publicly diminish your teammates, you break their spirit.”

He added that Lookman had been “the most dangerous player in the tournament until that public verbal abuse broke his focus,” arguing that Nigeria lost “the psychological edge needed to win” against a disciplined Moroccan side in the semifinal.

Oliseh also criticized what he described as a fan culture that now tolerates such behavior: “What’s worse, and frankly, what’s most dangerous for our football is the fan culture that now tolerates this.”