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UEFA Champions League: Young Boys Stun Manchester United
Substitute Jordan Siebatcheu scored a stoppage-time winner to earn Young Boys a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in their 2021/2022 UEFA Champions League opening match on Tuesday.
Siebatcheu pounced on a woeful back pass from Jesse Lingard in the fifth minute of stoppage time to spark wild scenes of celebration.
The victory ensured that Manchester United got their 2021/2022 UEFA Champions League campaign off to the worst possible start.
Manchester United looked to be cruising to victory after Cristiano Ronaldo matched former Real Madrid teammate Iker Casillas’ 177 games record by firing them in front in the 13th minute.
The Portugal captain had equalled the all-time UEFA Champions League appearance record in Bern.
But Manchester United’s task was made more difficult after full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent off for a lunging tackle on Christopher Martins with 35 minutes on the clock.
The home crowd sensed an upset was on the cards, with Manchester United bringing on French defender Raphael Varane at half-time.
They therefore went to five at the back to try to see out the victory.
But the hosts got a deserved equaliser through Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu at the near post in the 66th minute.
Ronaldo was then replaced in the second half as Manchester United again changed formation.
The visitors then needed a fine late save from goalkeeper David de Gea to keep Young Boys at bay.
But the drama was not over and Siebatcheu’s strike, timed at 94 minutes and 22 seconds, was the latest winning goal in a UEFA Champions League match.
This was since Lucas Moura’s effort for Tottenham Hotspur against Ajax Amsterdam in the 2019 semi-finals.
“That’s football, people make mistakes,” Manchester United captain Harry Maguire said.
“We’re not blaming Jesse. I’m sure everyone on that pitch today has made a mistake. I’m sure Jesse will pick himself up.
“It’s the first game in the group. We’ve got many games to bounce back and we must do. We’ll try and pick up three points in our next game and build momentum from there.”
In a raucous atmosphere in the Wankdorf Stadium, it was the home side who had the first chance, with Meschak Elia dragging a strike just wide.
Yet it was the visitors who opened the scoring.
Ronaldo, UEFA Champions League’s all-time leading goalscorer, moved on to 135 in the competition with another predatory finish.
That was after being picked out by a sublime cross from Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes.
Young Boys, who became the 36th different side Ronaldo has scored against in the UEFA Champions League, were then gifted a way back into the match by Wan-Bissaka.
Meanwhile, no player has found the net against more opponents in the competition than Ronaldo.
Full-back Wan-Bissaka’s first touch was heavy, leaving him reaching into the tackle, studs up on Martins.
The referee showed no hesitation in brandishing the red card.
Christian Fassnacht then almost immediately levelled, volleying just wide as the hosts looked to make their numerical advantage count.
Against the run of play, Ronaldo raced clear early in the second period and went down looking for a penalty kick, but nothing was given.
The hosts were piling on the pressure, and got a deserved equaliser through Ngamaleu, who battled to get to the ball ahead of Varane and sent the home crowd into delirium.
Ronaldo was then replaced by Lingard, before Siebatcheu had the final say, with the Manchester United substitute getting his pass back to De Gea all wrong.
It was no surprise then that the scenes of celebration continued long after the final whistle.(NAN)
The finals of Gov. Peter Mbah Secondary Schools Games, on Thursday began in Enugu with the arrival and accreditation of athletes at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu.
Dan Onwuegbuna, Director, Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Enugu State, said in a statement on Thursday that the games would be held between Aug.
7 and Aug. 10 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and the Enugu State Sports Council.“The games is designed to help the state discover talents to represent the state at the forthcoming U15 National Youth Games scheduled to take place in Asaba, Delta, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6,” he stated.
Onwuegbuna said that apart from representing the state at the Youth Games in Asaba, talented athletes discovered would represent the state in other competitions.
He quoted the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu as thanking Gov. Peter Mbah for approving the games.
Onwuegbuna said that the games was made possible following the collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the state Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
The games finals followed the outcome of the inter- Secondary Schools competitions held at the local government areas in the six Educational Zones in the State – Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Nsukka and Udenu.
“The games will feature athletics, boxing, chess, basketball, volleyball, football, tennis and scrabble,” Onwuegbuna stated.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the 2025 Women’s Yachine Trophy, the Ballon d’Or award for the best female goalkeeper.
The 24-year-old recently joined Brighton Women FC from Paris FC after helping the French side win their first major title in nearly two decades.
Nnadozie delivered a heroic performance in the final of the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine, where Paris FC edged Paris Saint-Germain 5-4 on penalties following a goalless draw at Stade de l’Épopée in Calais.She was also instrumental in Nigeria’s success at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where the Super Falcons secured a record-extending 10th continental crown against host nation, Morocco.
Her standout displays earned her the Best Goalkeeper award and a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Other nominees for the Yachine Trophy include Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea Women) and Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal Women).
Nigeria’s Super Falcons maintained 36th position in the latest FIFA women’s world ranking.
The latest ranking was released on FIFA’s official website yesterday.
While the Super Falcons remain the number one team in Africa, WAFCON 2024 runners-up Morocco are third on the continent and dropped to 64th spot in the world.
Former WAFCON champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa maintained 54th place in the world and second in Africa.
Ghana’s Black Queens who claimed third place at the WAFCON dropped to 67th position in the global ranking.
The Super Falcons recently won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after coming from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.
Second half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and substitute Jennifer Echegini completed the turnaround.
Okoronkwo, scored a goal and provided two assists against the Moroccans was Named Player of the Match.
Chiamaka Nnadozie was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament while Captain Rasheedat Ajibade won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Meanwhile, World champions Spain (1st, up 1) had an impressive run to the final of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with five back-to-back wins, which was enough to see them reclaim top spot in the ranking, a position they previously held from December 2023 to June 2024.
The USA (2nd, down 1) have therefore been knocked off their perch, which they had occupied since August 2024.
However, three convincing home wins in friendlies during this period have kept the USA in contention, and they are now sitting less than two points behind Spain.
The top 10 has been shaken up completely since the June edition of the ranking, with France (6th, up 4) performing best among them.
France completed a flawless group stage at the European Championship before falling to Germany in the quarter-finals.
The next edition of the Women’s World Ranking will be published on 11 December 2025.
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