Sport
Arsenal 0 – 2 Chelsea
Romelu Lukaku scored his first-ever Chelsea goal – almost a decade after his debut – as Thomas Tuchel’s team deservedly beat Arsenal.
Lukaku, who was at Chelsea as a teenager, started at the Emirates after his £97.5m signing from Inter Milan and looks to have given the Blues an ominous new dimension.
His hold-up and link-up play caused Arsenal problems all day – and the Belgian duly gave them the lead.
Lukaku was involved in the build-up and then finished the move from close range into an empty net from Reece James’ pass.
James got the second himself as he slammed the ball into the roof of the net from Mason Mount’s pass to make it two wins from two in the league.
Lukaku almost made it 3-0 but his header was tipped onto the bar by Bernd Leno.
Arsenal, missing centre-back Ben White through Covid, have now lost more London derbies in the Premier League this season than last – after just two games.
It is only the third time Arsenal have lost their opening two Premier League matches in a season.
European champions Chelsea were already being tipped as major title contenders, having been one of the best teams around since Tuchel’s arrival in January.
The one thing they lacked last season was a prolific goalscorer – but they now have that in Lukaku.
Five days short of a decade after his Chelsea debut, this was his 16th appearance for the club – having been at West Brom, Everton, Manchester United and Inter Milan in the interim.
And he gives the Blues a focal point up top and the clinical finisher that they have missed.
The 28-year-old opened the scoring when he held the ball up before playing it to Kovacic and then leaving Pablo Mari on the turf as he raced into the six-yard box to finish from James’ cross.
He was also tackled by Granit Xhaka in the build-up to the second goal.
Chelsea could have had more goals – with Lukaku having eight of their 22 efforts himself – including the one Leno tipped onto the woodwork.
Kai Havertz went close to a third as well from Lukaku’s pass but Leno stopped his shot with his legs.
The worry for Chelsea’s title rivals will be in trying to find any weaknesses.
Their defence is almost unbreachable at times, midfielders N’Golo Kante – who was a second-half substitute – and Jorginho are two-thirds of the shortlist for the Uefa player of the year award, and Mount and Kai Havertz support Lukaku upfront.
Next up will be their biggest test of the season yet, away to Liverpool – who are also on six points – on Saturday.
Arsenal had never opened a league campaign with two defeats and no goals in their previous 117 seasons of existence – until now.
The Gunners, who lost 2-0 to Brentford in the season opener, started the game well in front of their biggest home crowd in almost 18 months.
Bukayo Saka laid the ball off for Emile Smith Rowe, whose 25-yard shot was saved early on.
The fans were on their feet cheering a good Nicolas Pepe run, but it eventually led to nothing – and they looked beaten from the moment Lukaku scored.
Their left side was exposed by James for both goals.
James was involved at the other end too – Arsenal felt they should have had a penalty when he shoved over England team-mate Saka. After a long video assistant referee review, the referee’s decision not to give the penalty stood.
If Rob Holding had scored with a header from eight yards out in the second half, that could have sparked a comeback but he headed wide.
Arsenal has injury and illness problems – with £50m centre-back Whiteout with Covid, Alexandre Lacazette recovering from the illness and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang only fit for the bench after catching the virus too.
But all signs are already pointing to another season of struggle. After two eighth-placed finishes in a row, could it get even worse?
August 1992 was the first month of the Premier League. That was the last time before now Arsenal were in the relegation zone at the end of a day with more than one game played.
Mikel Arteta’s side plays West Brom in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, and their next league game is at champions Manchester City next Sunday.
In Other News – Southampton 1 – 1 Manchester United
Manchester United failed to build on their opening day demolition of Leeds United as Southampton earned a fully-deserved draw at St Mary’s.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side looked full of attacking menace and threat in that 5-1 win over Leeds, but here they were a pale shadow of that performance as Saints earned their first point of the campaign and even threatened to grab the victory. learn more
Soccer fans in Nigeria have expressed their confidence that the Super Eagles will win the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The Nigerian team qualified for the finals after defeating South Africa in the semi-final round of the competition. They face hosts Ivory Coast for the last game of the tournament today.
This will be the second match between both teams. The elephants of Ivory Coast suffered a 1- 0 defeat in their encounter with the Super Eagles at the group stage. Nigerian soccer fans say they are confident that the team will also win the final game.
Moshood Olatunji says, “We’re taking the cup. We’re not bragging and we’re not being pretentious and we’re not underestimating any group. But I think the Nigerian team started slow and they really worked as a team. The thing they had that I could see was the teamwork. They play for each other, they’re not playing for the coach, they’re actually playing for each other as a team. And I think if they carry that attitude into the finals, there’s no stopping us.”
Maxwell Ogbaje says, “I’m not surprised that we got to where we are today. We actually have a strong team. We have been at our best. It’s not just by chance, people see it that the one zero, one zero has always been a lucky thing, but it’s not. There’s actually good effort from the team that has brought that success.”
“Let them keep doing what they are doing especially the back 5. It’s a fantastic tactic that the coach Peseiro has been able to knock the boys with, so they should do what they do. They should be tight behind and they should take their chances. They should hit them on the counter and I believe if they are able to do that and they stay together, then Nigeria will be able to carry the day,” says Sam Maimagani.
It’s the eighth time Nigeria has made it to the finals in the Africa Cup of Nations and the 4th for Ivory Coast.
Nigeria is already a three-time winner of the Africa Cup of Nations and a triumph in today’s encounter will make it the 4th in 10 years.
A win for Ivory Coast will make them a three-time champion of the AFCON. Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is expected to be at the game today to cheer the Super Eagles to victory.
Source: SABC
In other news – Phelo Bala’s father has passed away
His death was announced by his stepson and musician Loyiso Bala on Saturday, 10 February on his social media platforms. Jafta died this morning in the hospital.
The Bala Family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, Sebenzile Jafta. He departed this morning. Read more
Bayern Munich leapfrogged rivals Borussia Dortmund to clinch their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title in a last-day drama in German football on Saturday, May 27.
In a climactic season finale, Bayern Munich ended up celebrating an unexpected title win while Dortmund’s dream of their first league trophy since 2012 was left in tatters following a 2-2 draw with Mainz.
Dortmund were leading by two points before their last match for the season but were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Mainz on Saturday, allowing Bayern to finish in first place with a goal difference.
RB Leipzig and sensational Union Berlin are third and fourth respectively and will also compete in the Champions League next season.
Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 have been relegated, while VfB Stuttgart will go into the relegation playoff.
In other news – Celine Dion cancels 2023-2024 shows over health
Last year Celine Dion revealed that she was suffering from a rare neurological disorder. The Pop icon on Friday canceled all her remaining shows scheduled for 2023-2024, saying she was not strong enough to tour as she battles a rare neurological disorder.
Last year the 55-year-old Canadian singer revealed that she was suffering from the rare medical condition that was affecting her singing. Learn More
India is looking to a new generation of talented young cricketers led by teenage batter Shafali Verma to propel them to a first Women’s T20 World Cup title this month. Long-serving skipper Mithali Raj and record-breaking fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, trailblazers for women’s cricket in India, both retired last year.
New captain Harmanpreet Kaur said both players are still on hand to give advice, but it is time to look forward. Whenever we need they are always available to us, that’s what you expect from senior players,” the 33-year-old told a recent press conference.
“Nobody can fill their places, but the young girls who are getting the chances are doing well. One of the players who has grabbed her chance is Verma, an attacking opening batter who led India to victory in the inaugural U19 T20 World Cup in South Africa last month.
The 19-year-old will be back on familiar ground for the T20 World Cup, which is again in South Africa. It starts on February 10 and India are chasing a breakthrough first title, having been runners-up behind hosts Australia in the last edition, in 2020. Their first match is against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 12 in Cape Town.
Verma made her international debut at the age of just 15 and was in the team that reached the T20 World Cup final in 2020.
She also played in the one-day World Cup and was a member of the Indian side which took silver at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The youngster looks up to big-hitting England batsman Liam Livingstone for inspiration and considers Indian great Sachin Tendulkar a role model. After captaining India to victory in the U19 World Cup, Verma said: “This is just the beginning.”
“When I entered the Under-19s, I only focused on winning the Under-19 Cup and we have won that today,” ESPNCricinfo quoted her as saying. I will look to take this winning confidence with me and win the senior World Cup.”
Besides Verma, the India team also includes Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh. The women’s game is making inroads in the cricket-mad country, with the inaugural Women’s Premier League set for March, ahead of the men’s IPL.
Last month, India’s cricket board auctioned off five women’s IPL teams for $572.5 million. The new generation “are ready to be the representatives of the modern generation of women’s cricketers”, cricket journalist Sharda Ugra told AFP.
“The women’s IPL is going to start and they are the perfect representation of the kind of Indian women cricketers that belong to the T20 generation. They have the right mindset and they are very, very talented.
Source: eNCA
In other news – Idols SA canceled after 21 years
Idols SA is reportedly coming to an end after 21 years of entertainment. Phil Mphela, an entertainment commentator announced the latest development about the show on Twitter.
After 21 years, #IdolsSA will be bowing out of our screens. The show has been renewed for a 19th season, which will be the show’s final season,” he wrote. Learn more