17/12/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 17, 2025

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Burn fractures rib, damages lung in collision

Ű BY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

SHORTS Derby cruise past Wednesday GOALS in either half from Patrick Agyemang and Liam Thompson’s first Championship strike helped Derby cruise past rock bottom Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Agyemang capitalised on a Wednesday error to give the Rams the lead midway through the first half before Thompson doubled their lead after the break. Agyemang’s second, from Rhian Brewster’s half-cleared cross, put the game beyond doubt – if any existed – in the 62nd minute. Derby have moved up to 12th in the table, with just their second win in six games, and are now four points outside the top six. “I thought it was a great result, it was a really difficult game. Against Watford last week they were excellent so it’s really pleasing to come here and get the result,” Derby County head coach John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby . “First half, we got into some fantastic positions on turnover and it was disappointing that we weren’t clinical enough. “Really the game should have been out of sight first half but it was great to come out, get the two goals and we controlled the game in the second half.” Wednesday, who are 29 points from safety having had 18 deducted, mustered just one shot on target in what was the latest in a growing list of dispiriting displays. “We started well, were more dominant on the ball, but we have spoken about playing direct and if they are more physical, then try to challenge them on the ground,” Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield . “We kept on going in the second half but after the second goal, the confidence went out of the boys and we fell away.” Chaos in Kolkata, confetti in Delhi for Messi COLOURFUL confetti showered down on Lionel Messi as he ended his whirlwind four-city tour of India with a cameo at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday night, where a near-capacity crowd shouted themselves hoarse during his half-hour appearance. The world’s most populous nation had temporarily put aside its cricket obsession and slipped into a “Messi-mania” since the Argentine eight-times Ballon d’Or winner arrived late on Friday with thousands of fans waiting outside the airport in Kolkata. Saturday’s event in Kolkata, however, descended into chaos with irate fans ripping up seats and invading the pitch after local politicians had hijacked the event. The chief organiser was detained by police. Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai featuring Messi, 38, and his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul went ahead without issues and it was no different in Delhi. The trio walked round the field occasionally kicking a ball into the packed stands, and engaged in kickabouts with local children at a stadium that regularly hosts international cricket matches. “It was a dream-come-true moment for us to watch him in flesh and blood,“ said Messi and Argentina fan Kaustav Ghosh, who attended the event along with his wife and two sons. “We travelled to Russia for the 2018 World Cup but could not get tickets for any of the Argentina matches there. At least we saw Messi here,” said Kaustav, whose entire family turned up in Argentina jerseys.

NEWCASTLE’S Dan Burn suffered a “fractured rib and damaged lung” during the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland on Sunday, according to reports. England international Burn spent the night in hospital after being taken there in an ambulance following his heavy collision with Sunderland’s Nordi Mukiele during the first half at the Stadium of Light.

“We’ve got a number of absentees and so to lose another one in the colossal presence that Dan is, was a big one today. I don’t know quite how serious it is. It looks like a rib problem. “He’s gone to hospital to get them checked. But that was a big blow for us because Dan’s been an ever-present player.” – The Independent

trophy defence. But Howe could be left with only four fit first-team defenders as Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman and Emil Krafth are all sidelined, as well as goalkeeper Nick Pope. “Unfortunate for us, we’re losing players in one area of the pitch and our back line is stretched,” Howe said after Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat.

The defender attempted to play on but could not continue and both the Daily Mail and Sky Sports report that the 33-year-old could be out for a significant spell as a result of the injury. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is set to give an update ahead of his side’s overnight Carabao Cup quarterfinal at home to Fulham, as the holders continue their

From newspaper newspaper seller to star Striker Osimhen leads Super Eagles charge for Afcon glory

V ICTOR OSIMHEN (pic) used to sell newspapers in the crowded, traffic clogged streets of Lagos: now he cre ates headlines as a consistent scorer for Nigeria and Galatasaray. As Nigeria prepare to face Group C rivals Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda during December at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco, much is expected from the 26-year-old. “He is the greatest striker in the world,” says head coach Eric Chelle as the Super Eagles seek a fourth Afcon title and first since 2013. Nigeria have an abundance of attacking talent and fellow former African player of the year award winner Ademola Lookman is among those who could partner Osimhen. The story of Osimhen is typical of so many African footballers. It is a classic rags-to-riches tale as seemingly insurmountable odds are overcome to achieve stardom. Osimhen revealed his childhood difficulties in a series of social media posts, hoping they would inspire Nigerians facing similar adversities. His earliest memories of life in the Nigerian commercial capital are of dusty streets and the stench from a waste dump. “I had to sell newspapers and bottles of water to help my family survive,” recalled the star who turns 27 on Dec 29, the day before

neighbouring France. He spent one season there, averaging a goal every two matches. Napoli splashed a club record €70 million (RM350m) in 2020 to sign Osimhen and he repaid the faith in him by helping the club end in 2023 a three-decade wait for a Serie A title. Osimhen was hot property and the media linked him with a move to the Saudi Pro League, Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain. But he went to Istanbul-based Galatasaray instead, first on loan, then permanently. In Turkey, he has maintained his ability to score frequently. Osimhen has been an equally prolific goal poacher for Nigeria, scoring 31 in 45 internationals since his 2017 debut, including four in a 2024 Afcon qualifier against Sao Tome e Principe. But the Super Eagles will be notable absentees from the global showpiece next year after losing the African playoffs final against the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in Morocco. Osimhen was forced to retire injured at half time against the Congolese, and many Nigerian supporters blamed the loss on his absence. He is no stranger to injuries and often wears a protective face mask after sustaining a broken cheekbone and eye socket playing for Napoli. – AFP

Nigeria face Uganda in their final group match. A stroke of luck changed his life and propelled him on a path that would lead him to be crowned 2023 African player of the year. A candidate for a place in the national U-17 team for the 2015 World Cup, he initially failed to impress coach Emmanuel Amuneke and was dropped. But several assistant coaches disagreed with the decision and asked Amuneke to give Osimhen a second chance. Amuneke, scorer of both goals when Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 in the 1994 Afcon final in Tunisia, heeded their pleas. Given a second chance, Osimhen went on to score 10 goals in seven matches and play a key role as Nigeria won the tournament in Chile. Osimhen has never forgotten the role Amuneke played in launching his career, lavishing praise on him during an acceptance speech when voted the bset player in Africa. “Special thanks goes to Emmanuel Amuneke. Without him I do not think I would be standing here holding one of the most prestigious awards in international football,” he told the audience in Rabat. Spotted by scouts in Chile, Osimhen moved to Europe, but his scoring skills deserted him when he joined Wolfsburg. Next stop for the Nigerian was Lille in

Clark warns fans over costly WC travel, tickets

SCOTLAND MANAGER Steve Clarke has urged supporters to avoid plunging into debt to attend next year’s Fifa World Cup in North America, warning of steep travel and ticket costs. Last week, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) called on Fifa to immediately halt sales of national team allocations, accusing the governing body of imposing “extortionate” ticket prices that risk shutting ordinary fans out of the tournament.

family into debt. “I’d like to think that with the smaller allocation that we’ve got, that a lot of the fans will travel everywhere. “I’m talking about going to the far-flung places, but maybe only 1,200 people will turn up.” Fifa has not directly responded to the outcry about high prices, but said last week it received five million requests for World Cup 2026 tickets in the first 24 hours of the latest sales phase. – Reuters

need to save up to get across the Atlantic and have your holiday there,” Clarke told Sky Sports yesterday. “So it was always going to be an expensive World Cup. The ticket prices are set with Fifa. My biggest wish is that people don’t put themselves into too much debt trying to get there. “If you can afford to go, then great. But if you can’t afford to go, then understand it. “Don’t put yourself and your

Ticket prices have jumped five fold from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, according to FSE. Scotland will face five-time winners Brazil, 2022 semifinalists Morocco and Haiti in Group C, with thousands of fans expected to travel to see the team playing in their first World Cup since 1998. “Listen, it’s expensive to go to America anyway. “Even if you’re going on holiday to America, you need to save up and you need to save up and you