SPORTS
Kane Returns to Haunt Arsenal as Bayern Munich Earn 2-2 Draw
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane returned to north London to score his customary goal against Arsenal, as the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie ended 2-2 on Tuesday.
The former Tottenham Hotspur player, so often Arsenal’s nemesis in north London derbies, stroked home a penalty in the 32nd minute as the Bundesliga side hit back to lead 2-1.
Premier League leaders Arsenal, playing in their first Champions League quarter-final for 14 years, had gone in front early on with a clinical Bukayo Saka strike.
But Bayern, whose reign as German champions is as good as over as they trail Bayer Leverkusen by 16 points, showed they remain a European force to be reckoned with.
Arsenal were stunned as their former striker Serge Gnabry levelled six minutes later and Kane rolled home his 39th goal of an incredible first season for Bayern.
This was after Leroy Sane was brought down by William Saliba in the box.
Mikel Arteta’s side ensured they will head to Bavaria next Wednesday full of hope as substitute Leandro Trossard equalised in the 76th minute to leave the tie hanging in the balance.
The return of Kane, who scored a record 14 goals for Tottenham in the north London derby, to one of his favourite haunts was the big pre-match talking point.
And he duly silenced the Arsenal jeers.
“It wasn’t an easy game,” Kane said. “Arsenal are a really good team.
“They’re top of the Premier League right now so we had to dig deep at times but it’s a good result and hopefully we can make the difference at home.”
Predictably, Kane was booed every time he touched the ball although the England captain was hardly involved in the early exchanges as Arsenal seized the initiative.
Six-time champions Bayern, seeking salvation in Europe after a poor domestic season, were handicapped by having no fans inside the Emirates Stadium as punishment for their supporters throwing fireworks in the previous round.
They went behind in the 12th minute when Ben White played the ball inside to Saka who picked his spot and curled a low left-footed shot beyond Manuel Neuer.
White should have made it 2-0 soon afterwards but shot straight at Neuer and then Arsenal’s defence, so impregnable in the Premier League of late, suddenly went missing.
They carelessly lost possession in the 18th minute and Bayern punished them as Leon Goretzka fed a perfect pass to Gnabry who clipped a finish past the on-rushing David Raya.
Sane was then allowed to run and run from deep before being toppled by Saliba and referee Glenn Nyberg had the simplest decision to point to the penalty spot.
The 60,000 crowd suddenly went quiet as memories of heavy European defeats by Bayern, notably a 10-2 aggregate defeat in the last 16 in 2017, flooded back.
It would have gotten worse but for a goal-saving tackle by White on Sane.
Bayern, with another former Spurs player Eric Dier impressive in defence, looked comfortable after the break.
Arteta sent on Trossard and Gabriel Jesus just past the midway point of the second half. They combined in the 76th minute as Jesus fed Trossard to slot a low shot inside the post.
A frantic ending saw Bayern substitute Kingsley Coman strike the post from close range while the game ended with Arsenal screaming for a penalty.
This was after Saka went down in the area claiming he was fouled by Neuer.
“We’ve got a draw so the situation is clear, the winner moves on,” Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel said.
“We need the same devotion, passion and quality as we had tonight – and we’ll get through.”
Security was stepped up ahead of the game after Islamic State threatened drone attacks on Europe’s top club tournament.(Reuters/NAN)
SPORTS
Results of Match Day 2 Fixtures in 2024/2025 NPFL
Following are the results of Match Day 1 fixtures in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), played on Sunday and dates of the remaining fixtures:
Akwa United FC 1-1 Abia Warriors FC
Bayelsa United FC 1-1 Kano Pillars FC
Katsina United FC 1-1 Bendel Insurance FC
Niger Tornadoes FC 0-0 Nasarawa United FC
Shooting Stars FC 1-1 Plateau United FC
El Kanemi Warriors Vs Kwara United FC (postponed )
The following Match Day two fixtures
Would be played on Sept.
25:Ikorodu City FC Vs Enugu Rangers international FC
Enyimba international FC Vs Lobi stars FC .
(NAN)SPORTS
Match Day 1 Remaining Results in 2024/2025 NPFL
Following are the results of remaining Match Day one fixtures played on Sunday in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL)Heartland FC 1-3 Enyimba international FCKwara United FC 1-2 Niger Tornadoes FCBendel Insurance FC 0-0 Rivers United FCPlateau United FC 1-0 Katsina United FCKano Pillars FC 3-0 Ikorodu City FCSunshine Stars FC 3-0 Bayelsa United FCAbia Warriors FC 0-2 Remo Stars FCNasarawa United FC 1-1 Shooting Stars FC.
(NAN)SPORTS
Morocco 2025: Super Eagles can Beat any Team, Eguavoen Boasts
The interim coach of the Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen, said his team can beat any team with the quality of players in the team.
Eguavoen stated this after his team spanked the Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4-0 in the 2025 African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) at the Godswill Akpabio stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Saturday.
“We have quality players to beat any team but we respect team anyway.
Any coach can come in and do the same job with the Super Eagles.“It is a mindset, we have the potential and how you perceived your opponent, given the information about them and then go out and do the job,“he said.
Equavoen attributed the victory to the formation adopted by the technical crew, adding that any formation could be used to ensure that the team was successful.
“We can decide to use any system. It is something we discussed and I slept over it. I know with the caliber of players that we have, we can decide to play any formation.
“Football is about you win, lose and draw, I don’t believe we have a poor result,” he said.
He, however, said that the former Super Eagles coach didn’t do a good job but it has to do with believe, what is at stake and what you want to achieve.
“Psychologically as a group, we are agreed, where we are and where we are going to be. We will definitely achieve it,” Equavoen said.
He commended the performance of the defence , describing it as superb, adding that the team had been training together for one week.
The coach said that asking six players to warm up for the second half was to buy time, adding that there was no need to rush to change.
He said the Cheetahs of Benin Republic were a good team, adding that they came with a good game plan.
Report says that Eguavoen was appointed interim coach after the deal between the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and coach Bruno Labbadia failed.
NFF explained in a statement that it failed due to the stringent regulations of German tax authorities.(NAN)