Bugaluu :: Sports

Alex Iwobi (L) celebrates after his goal clinched a 3-1 Premier League victory for Fulham at Sunderland. (ANDY BUCHANAN)

Ivorian Evann Guessand scored his first goal for Crystal Palace in a 1-0 Premier League win over bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.

The 24-year-old striker, who moved to the London club from Aston Villa in a mid-season loan deal, struck in the 90th minute at Selhurst Park.

Last month, Guessand helped defending champions Ivory Coast reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals, where they lost to Egypt.  

AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:

ENGLAND

EVANN GUESSAND (Crystal Palace), TOLU AROKODARE (Wolves)

Guessand scored to secure just a second win in 16 games for the Eagles after Arokodare had missed a first-half penalty for Wolves. Nigerian striker Arokodare’s spot-kick was saved by Dean Henderson. Guessand produced a fine finish at the near post to ease any lingering fears of his side being dragged into a relegation battle.

ALEX IWOBI (Fulham)

Iwobi created Fulham’s opening goal for Raul Jimenez and then rounded off the scoring himself in a 3-1 win at Sunderland. The Nigeria international coolly chipped beyond Robin Roefs to register his first goal of 2026.

SPAIN

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Atletico Madrid)

Nigeria international Lookman continued his superb start to life in the Spanish capital by scoring his first La Liga goal in a 4-2 win over Espanyol. The forward has netted four times in his first six games for the club across all competitions.

ERIC BAILLY (Real Oviedo)

Ivorian centre-back Bailly scored his first goal for Oviedo since arriving at the Asturian club last year in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Real Sociedad. Bailly rescued a point by rising highest to nod home a 93rd-minute equaliser from a corner.

PAPE GUEYE (VILLARREAL)

The Senegal midfielder converted a penalty deep in first-half added time to give third-placed Villarreal a 2-1 home win over lowly Valencia. Gueye scored in extra-time to give Senegal victory over hosts Morocco last month in the Africa Cup of Nations final. 

GERMANY

YAN DIOMANDE (RB Leipzig)

Yan Diomande was only credited with one assist, but he was responsible for creating both of Christoph Baumgartner’s goals in RB Leipzig’s 2-2 Bundesliga home draw with Borussia Dortmund. After 20 minutes, Diomande laid off a low pass for Baumgartner to tap home. Shortly before the break, the 19-year-old winger again bamboozled the visiting defence. He found David Raum, who squared the ball for Baumgartner to score again. In his first season in top-flight football, Diomande has eight goals and six assists in 22 league games.

FRANCE

MARSHALL MUNETSI (Paris FC)

The Zimbabwean, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, scored his first goal for Ligue 1 strugglers Paris FC in a 1-1 draw at mid-table Toulouse. Set up by Alimani Gory, Marshall Munetsi found the bottom left corner of the net with a shot from the centre of the box.

bur-dl/bsp 

​https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/african-players-europe-guessand-opens-103532060.html 

Napoli goalkeeper labels football a “farce” in social media outburst after defeat to Atalanta

This Sunday saw a major shake-up in the Serie A title picture, with both Milan and Napoli losing out in key fixtures. The latter’s 2-1 loss to Atalanta caused a particular stir, as third-choice keeper Nikita Contini took to social media.

The clash saw Napoli fall to their sixth defeat of the league campaign and lose their grip on third place. After two second-half headers from Mario Pasalic and Lazar Samardzic overturned Sam Beukema’s 18th-minute opener, the Ukraine-born stopper had some choice words regarding two major flashpoints.

First, VAR overturned a Partenopei penalty appeal before the discontent evolved to rage as a Miguel Gutierrez goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up by Rasmus Hojlund.

After witnessing this from the fringes, Contini let off steam on Instagram, speaking of demanding a more “real” game, less mediated by VAR, On-Field Review, and the overly restrictive on-screen reviews.

Contini, who has lived in Italy since he was three, harked back to old days of Calcio, when football was about “real fights and tackles,” but also “real insults and tackles,” with fans who could follow their team wherever they went.

This scolding analysis, from the goalkeeper who was part of the side that won a Scudetto and a Super Cup, concludes with a somewhat sad conclusion. Expressed in authentic Neapolitan dialect: football today is a “farce,” when it should be “a serious thing.”

GIFN | Max Bradfield

​https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/napoli-goalkeeper-labels-football-farce-103500730.html 

Lyon’s Pavel Šulc suffers suspected hamstring injury ahead of Olympico

Olympique Lyonnais forward Pavel Šulc sustained a muscle injury during Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to RC Strasbourg Alsace, casting doubt over his availability for next weekend’s Olympico against Olympique de Marseille – according to RMC Sport.

Lyon saw their 13-game winning streak come to an abrupt end in eastern France, but the greater concern for Paulo Fonseca may be the fitness of his top scorer. Šulc was forced off after just 28 minutes at the Stade de la Meinau, clutching the back of his thigh.

Speaking post-match to Ligue1+, Fonseca confirmed that the Czech international is dealing with a “muscular problem at the back of the thigh.” The 25-year-old is set to undergo medical examinations on Monday to determine the severity of the issue.

The timing could hardly be worse. Lyon currently sit third in Ligue 1 with 45 points, five clear of Marseille, and travel to the Stade Vélodrome on Sunday evening (20:45 CET) in a fixture that could prove decisive in the race for Champions League qualification.

Šulc has been central to Lyon’s resurgence this season. Signed last summer from Viktoria Plzeň for €7.5 million, he has registered 13 goals and seven assists in 31 appearances across all competitions, quickly establishing himself as one of the most influential attacking players in the division.

He notably scored the winner in the reverse fixture against Marseille at the Groupama Stadium on 31 August in his first goal for the club.GFFN | George Boxall

​https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lyon-pavel-ulc-suffers-suspected-103500437.html 

Lecce 0-2 Inter Milan – Armenian Veteran Breaks Long Serie A Away Drought To Open The Scoring

Inter Milan veteran Henrikh Mkhitaryan broke the deadlock in Saturday’s 2-0 Serie A win over Lecce.

According to FCInterNews, it was the 37-year-old’s first away league goal since October 2022.

The Nerazzurri had to wait until the 75th minute to break down Eusebio Di Francesco’s stubborn defense.

Furthermore, they needed second-half substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan to end his long-standing scoring drought in Serie A away games.

Indeed, the former Roma star last scored on the road almost four years ago.

Inter Milan Ace Henrikh Mkhitaryan Ends Serie A Away Drought vs Lecce

MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 23: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s sixth goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Pisa SC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 23, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Mkhitaryan has racked up 35 goals and 35 assists in Serie A since swapping Arsenal for Roma in 2019.

However, the Armenian midfielder has fared much better on home turf, as evidenced by his shockingly long duck on the road.

Still, Mkhitaryan couldn’t have picked a better moment to end it.

Indeed, his late heroics set the tone for Inter’s seventh consecutive Serie A victory.

With AC Milan losing to Parma at home yesterday, the Nerazzurri are now ten points clear at the summit.

​https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lecce-0-2-inter-milan-103500857.html 

The Super Bowl is behind us, and the NFL offseason is officially here. All eyes will turn toward the 2026 NFL draft. The first day will feature only the first round, the second day will feature the second and third rounds, and the draft will conclude with the final four rounds on the third day.

This year, the NFL Draft Main Theater and Main Stage will be located just outside Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, placing the Draft at the heart of one of the country’s most recognizable sports districts.

With the new league year fast approaching, we’re releasing our first seven-round mock draft for the Eagles Wire via the PFF draft simulator and sending reinforcements to Philadelphia at several key positions on both sides of the football.

Pick 23: T.J. Parker, ED, Clemson

Parker (6-3, 260) posted 11 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, and six forced fumbles in 2024, but the numbers dipped in his final season to 5.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 12 games this past season.

Pick 54: Blake Miller, T, Clemson

A durable right tackle, Miller was a four-year starter at Clemson, and followed a Freshman All-American season with three straight All-ACC selections. Miller set the Clemson records for career offensive snaps (3,778) and consecutive starts by a non-specialist (54). while starting every game of his collegiate career from 2022-25. Miller finished his career as one of only two Clemson offensive tackles since 1986 to have multiple seasons of 950+ snaps.

Pick 68: From NYJ Max Klare, TE, Ohio State

Klare signed with Ohio State after leading Purdue with 51 receptions in 2024. He ranked third on the Buckeyes in receptions this season behind only star wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Klare has 116 catches for 1,329 yards and six touchdowns over his college career.

Pick 98: Compensatory Genesis Smith, S, Arizona

A natural center field safety, Smith logged 140 tackles, 74 solo, four interceptions, 14 passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, and four forced fumbles over the past two seasons. The 6’2″, 204-pound safety could develop into a Swiss army knife.

Pick 122: Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State

Another player for Roseman to watch: Igbinosun’s allowed catch rate is among the nation’s best. According to PFF, he’s forced 11 incompletions on the season and has allowed only 15 receptions, including zero touchdowns. A former freshman All-American at Ole Miss who has since earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades each of the past two years at Ohio State.

Pick 136: Compensatory DJ Campbell, G, Texas

During his time in Austin, Campbell appeared in 48 games and made 41 starts.

Pick 151: From ATL Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

Allar has prototypical size and arm strength, starting 35 games and playing 45 overall during his career at Penn State. Allar increased his completion percentage from 59.9% in 2023 to 66.5% in 2024. Once a potential first-round pick, Allar suffered a broken left ankle in the Northwestern game and was sidelined for the season. Prior to the injury, Allar had 1,100 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Pick 179: Compensatory Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo

An All-American linebacker, Murdock ranked second in the nation in tackles for both 2024 and 2025, and he is the NCAA career record holder with 17 forced fumbles. In 2025, Murdock started all 12 games as a linebacker. He ranked second in the nation with 142 tackles and contributed a team-leading 13.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and six forced fumbles. Murdock was named a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Associated Press, and Football Writers Association of America. He was also a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and was selected for the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team. Additionally, he earned First Team All-MAC honors.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles reload at key positions in a 7-round pre-NFL Combine mock draft

​https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/eagles-2026-mock-draft-2-103131927.html 

The Super Bowl is behind us, and the NFL offseason is officially here. All eyes will turn toward the 2026 NFL draft. The first day will feature only the first round, the second day will feature the second and third rounds, and the draft will conclude with the final four rounds on the third day.

This year, the NFL Draft Main Theater and Main Stage will be located just outside Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, placing the Draft at the heart of one of the country’s most recognizable sports districts.

With the new league year fast approaching, we’re releasing our second seven-round mock draft for the Ravens Wire via the PFF draft simulator and sending reinforcements to Baltimore at several key positions on both sides of the football.

Pick14: Keldric Faulk, ED, Auburn

A dynamic and versatile pass rusher, Faulk ranked eighth in the SEC with 45 total pressures in 2024 according to Pro Football Focus. Overall, Faulk finishes his college career with 73 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks.

Pick 45: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon

In 2024 at USC, Pregnon started all 13 games as the left guard and did not allow a single sack throughout the season. He played a total of 882 offensive snaps, all at the left guard position. He achieved a Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 70.0 or higher in seven games, including three games where he scored 80.0 or better. Last season at Oregon, Pregnon allowed only 5 pressures. He demonstrated impressive play strength and a strong anchor, earning a zone run-blocking grade of 93.0, the second-highest in the FBS. Additionally, he allowed 0 pressures in two games against the National Champion Indiana.

Pick 80: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida

Slaughter is a 6’4″, 303-pound center prospect who started 33 career games at center for the Gators, earning AP All-SEC First Team honors in 2024 and 2025. Slaughter turned 23 years old in December.

Pick 115: Skyler Gill-Howard, DI, Texas Tech

Gil-Howard made an immediate impact for the Red Raiders after transferring, starting each of the first six games of the season before suffering an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year. In the games he played, he recorded 13 tackles (9 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, and a half-sack, along with 6 quarterback hurries. He had at least one tackle in five of the six games, with the only exception occurring after he was injured against Kansas on October 11. He notched multiple tackles in four of those games and posted a tackle for loss in three separate games. Up until his injury, Gil-Howard was among the highest-graded players in all of college football. He received an overall grade of 88.6 from Pro Football Focus, ranking tied for 35th nationally and third among interior defensive linemen with at least 150 defensive snaps, earning a pass-rushing grade of 90.0, which placed him third among interior defensive linemen (minimum 150 snaps). PFF credited him with 12 pressures and eight defensive stops.

Pick 152: Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame

Last season, Raridon started all 12 games and totaled 32 catches for 482 yards. He finished third on the team in both receptions and receiving yards, averaging 15.1 yards per catch. Raridon recorded a career-high seven receptions and 109 yards in a game against NC State and led the team with 97 receiving yards in the season opener at Miami.

Pick 160: From LAC Ar’maj Reed-Adams, G, Texas A&M

In 2024, as a junior, Reed-Adams started every game at right guard, contributing to an Aggie rushing attack that ranks 26th in the nation and second in the SEC, averaging 195.5 yards per game.

Pick 172: Compensatory Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

A Savannah, Georgia native, Hurst earned All-Sun Belt First Team Offense and was the first-ever Georgia State Athlete to be named to the College Football Freaks List. Hurts led the team with 1,004 yards on 71 receptions and six touchdowns.

Pick 173: Compensatory Kaleb Proctor, DI, Southeastern Louisiana

The Soutland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Proctor played in 48 games, logging 134 total tackles, 45 solo, 26 TFLs, 16 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.

Pick 249: Compensatory Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy

Heidenreich is a versatile running back who became only the second player in FBS history since 1956 to achieve both 475 or more rushing yards and 925 or more receiving yards in the same season. The only other player to accomplish this feat is Tavon Austin from West Virginia, who did so in 2012, recording 643 rushing yards and 1,289 receiving yards. Heidenreich holds the school record for the most career receiving touchdowns, with a total of 16. Additionally, his six touchdown catches in each of the last two seasons tied the school’s single-season record.

Heidenreich holds the school record for the most career receiving yards with 1,994 yards. In 2025, he also set a school record with 941 receiving yards. Additionally, his 51 receptions in a single season are tied for the fifth-most in school history, and his total of 109 career catches ranks as the second most in the school’s history.

Pick 252: Compensatory Sawyer Robertson, QB, Baylor

An intriguing prospect, Robertson finished his college career with back-to-back 3,000-yard passing seasons, logging 3,681 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2025. An explosive playmaker, Robertson’s 26 completions of 20-plus air yards were the 12th most in the FBS. His 12 interceptions this season were tied for fifth most among FBS QBs, and Robertson had three games where he threw at least two interceptions.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens 2026 mock draft 2.0: Full 7-round projections for Baltimore

​https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ravens-2026-mock-draft-2-103121846.html 

Wrexham will aim to strengthen their grip on a Championship play-off spot as they entertain Portsmouth on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Red Dragons saw-off Ipswich 5-3 on Saturday to make it 11 points from their past six games to lie sixth, three points behind the fourth-placed Tractor Boys, though the seven sides below Phil Parkinson’s side are separated by just four points.

Back-to-back 3-1 wins at Charlton and Millwall have taken Pompey 19th, six points clear of the relegation zone and made it 10 points from their past five away games for John Mousinho’s men.

Wrexham have won two of their three home league games against Portsmouth, though did lose the last time they hosted them in January 1983 (0-2).Portsmouth have lost four of their past five Championship away games against Welsh sides (D1), already going down 1-0 at Swansea this season.Portsmouth have lost just three of their past 25 league games against promoted sides (W15 D7), though those three defeats have come in each of the past three seasons (Leyton Orient in 2023/24, Derby in 2024/25 and Birmingham in 2025/26).Wrexham have lost just one of their past nine midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W3 D5), going down 2-0 at Hull in December.Portsmouth have won just one of their past 10 midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) league games (D3 L6), though it did come in their most recent at Charlton last week (3-1).Portsmouth have only won one of their past 27 away games in the second tier against sides whose name begins with ‘W’ (D13 L13), beating Walsall 2-1 in April 2003.[BBC]

​https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/pick-stats-wrexham-v-portsmouth-103117957.html