SPORTS
Arteta’s Costly Gamble on Kepa Backfires in Cup Final Loss
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s choice to stick with Kepa Arrizabalaga will be one that haunts him as it proved costly in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against league rivals Manchester City.
Any talk of an Arsenal quadruple this season was firmly put in the bin after a miserable display at Wembley allowed Manchester City to win 2-0.
Arteta, known for ruthlessness, showed sentiment by retaining cup goalkeeper Kepa for the Carabao Cup final, in spite of Arsenal’s long wait for a major trophy since 2020.
Kepa’s costly error, allowing Rayan Cherki’s cross slip, gifted Nico O’Reilly the opener as Manchester City quickly doubled their lead to seal victory.
The decision to bench first-choice David Raya drew sharper scrutiny, especially after City’s goalkeeper James Trafford delivered a commanding performance.
Trafford, initially signed as City’s number one before Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival, produced a crucial triple save to deny Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
He kept a clean sheet, while questions over Kepa’s selection dominated discussions following Arsenal’s disappointing defeat.
Former striker Chris Sutton criticised the decision, questioning why managers trust second-choice goalkeepers in finals instead of fielding their strongest line-up.
“I never understand why managers play their second-choice goalkeepers in cup finals.
“You’re trying to win a trophy, why wouldn’t you play your number one to give yourself the best possible chance? That’s common sense.”
Arsenal remain in contention for the FA Cup, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League, sustaining hopes of a historic treble despite their Carabao Cup final disappointment.
The Gunners must now channel full focus on the league and Europe, as they aim to capitalise on their strong position and salvage silverware this season.
Guinea will face Nigeria’s Flamingos in the final qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Guineans defeated Niger Republic 3-0 in the second leg of their qualifying fixture in Conakry on Saturday.
They won the contest 8-2 on aggregate, following their 5-2 triumph in the first leg last week.
The winner of the Flamingos versus Guinea clash will qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Flamingos set up camp in Abuja for the clash with their fellow West Africans last week.
Newly appointed head coach, Akeem Busari invited 36 players to camp for the team’s preparation.
The Nigerian National League (NNL) side, Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi, has trimmed its squad and retained a few quality players to push for promotion to the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).
Lobi Stars Chairman Simon Ikya made the disclosure in a statement signed by Austin Tyowua, Principal Media Officer to the club, and made it available to newsmen on Thursday in Makurdi.
Ikya said that the club took the decision after a meeting with all the players and technical staff at McCarthy Stadium, Makurdi.
The chairman explained that the decision was rooted in duty rather than dislike.
He stated that the players on the exit list would be granted clearance at the end of April once their entitlements were settled.
Ikya added that for those retained, there would be no room for laxity.
The chairman urged them to tighten their belts, keep the focus, and drive the Federation Cup campaign all the way to its final stop.
Meanwhile, the list of retained players was read out by the head coach, John Onuh.
The Kogi State Government has pledged to prioritise the development of basketball in the state to boost the sport’s profile and promote youth engagement.
The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Monday Anyebe, made the pledge at the inauguration of the Kogi State Basketball Association on Tuesday in Lokoja.
Anyebe assured stakeholders of the government’s commitment to the development of basketball under the administration of Gov.
Ahmed Ododo.Represented by the Director of Sports in the state, James Igah, the commissioner said the administration would focus on nurturing basketball, particularly in rural areas, to enhance youth development.
He added that the government would collaborate with the association to promote sports development across the state.
Anyebe urged the newly inaugurated executives of the association to come up with innovative ideas to advance the sport.
Responding, the Chairman of the Kogi State Basketball Association, Mustapha Abdullahi, reaffirmed his commitment to the growth of basketball in the state.
Abdullahi, who is also the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, commended the state government for its efforts in promoting sports development.
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