23/04/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | APR 23, 2026 30 F ORMER Premier League champions Leicester were relegated to the third tier for only the second time in their history after a 2 2 draw against Hull yesterday. Gary Rowett’s side needed a victory at the King Power Stadium to keep alive their slender hopes of avoiding relegation. But the Foxes were denied by Oli McBurnie’s second-half equaliser, which condemned them to League One just 10 years after they were crowned English champions in a fairytale triumph. Liam Millar put Hull ahead in the 18th minute before Leicester equalised through James Justin’s 52nd-minute penalty. Luke Thomas put Leicester ahead two minutes later, but McBurnie extinguished their dreams of a

Former Premier League champions Leicester relegated to third tier Foxes go down

Ewijk’s low cross from the right into his own goal at the near post. Adrian Segecic pulled one back with a crisp 20 yard finish but Mason-Clark quickly re-established the three-goal lead after being played in by Victor Torp. The Sky Blues rounded off the scoring in time added on with a cool strike from substitute Kaine Kesler-Hayden. “It was very apt for these boys to do it in that style at the CBS (Coventry Building Society Arena),” Coventry boss Lampard told the BBC . “I was very determined for the players to do it in the right way. I thought it was fantastic and it was perfect as an evening. “We want to play in a style that fans want to come and watch us and we also don’t want to concede and I think that’s been a big improvement on last season,” he said on reaching 90 goals for the season. “Tonight’s performance was the icing on the cake. We want to finish it well and get some more points.” – AFP/Agencies

winner was instrumental to City’s critical 2-1 win over title rivals Arsenal on Sunday before being forced off late on with a groin problem. “I think for tomorrow he will not be ready,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press confer ence yesterday. “We’ll see for next games, the semifinal against Southampton or against Everton.” Rodri’s return to form after an injury-disrupted 18 months has played a major role in City’s surge back into the title race as he has formed a dominant midfield partnership alongside Bernardo Silva. “Both are experienced, they have a huge special personality,” added Guardiola. “They are not young guys anymore, experienced guys, but played a lot of this type of games and know how it must be played. They were excep tional.” Hudson-Odoi to miss rest of season NOTTINGHAM FOREST winger Callum Hudson-Odoi will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on a thigh muscle injury, the Premier League club said yesterday. The 25-year-old, who has scored six goals and four assists in 43 matches across all competitions this season, picked up the problem during Forest’s Europa League quarterfinal second leg victory over Porto last Thursday. “Nottingham Forest can confirm Cup in 2021. But Leicester’s golden era is a distant memory as they face the unpalatable prospect of playing the likes of Bromley, Mansfield and Wycombe next season. “The bigger picture is you don’t get relegated over three or four games, you get relegated over a season,” Rowett said. “The club has to rise again but it has to learn its lessons because it’s certainly been a season of an awful lot of regret.” Elsewhere yesterday, Coventry clinched the Championship title with a 5-1 rout of Portsmouth. Frank Lampard’s side had sealed promotion back to the top flight after a 25 year absence with a draw at Blackburn on Friday. The hosts were gifted a second after the restart when goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid took a heavy touch from a backpass and Ephron Mason-Clark tapped into an empty net. Things got worse for the visitors when centreback Regan Poole put Milan van

Guardiola hints at Rodri return PEP GUARDIOLA has eased Manchester City’s fears that Rodri could be ruled out for the remainder of the Premier League season, but the Spain midfielder is set to miss the overnight trip to Burnley. The 2024 Ballon d’Or great escape with his 63rd-minute leveller. Second-bottom Leicester are seven points from safety with just two games left. Leicester will play in the third tier for the first time since 2008-09 following an astonishing decline over the last five years. “We have to learn. I think the club have to accept this is the horrible part of the journey of a football club,” Rowett said. “This club won the Premier League not too many moons ago. That was an incredible high at the time for the fans, for everyone associated with the club. “I think everyone saw that as an amazing achievement. I think we can be equally as disappointed with how poor this moment is.” It is a third relegation in four seasons for Leicester, who dropped out of the Premier League in 2023 and 2025. After Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante and company defied 5,000-1 odds by winning the Premier League in 2016, Leicester reached the Champions League quarter-finals the next season and won the FA SIDENETTING

6121/2026

22/04/2026 (WED)

4671 0306 4025

Draw Date: 22/04/26 (Wed)

Draw No: 6068/26 Venue: WISMA GENTING, KL

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6524 7795 9208 4543 8208

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4856 6917 2215 8354 8927

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9537+ 8215 0298+ 5599 7036+ 8530 4234+ 0605 6903+ 6621

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RM5,393,220.60

Nottingham Forest’s Callum Hudson Odoi. – REUTERSPIC

1322+ 0395 1322+ 5692 0395+ 5692

0395+ 1322 5692+ 1322 5692+ 0395

4671 0306 4025 TIGER

RM105,635.10

RM693,773.00

991 322 + DOG

RM1,155,833.30

980 395 + RAT

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RM1,323,339.00

OX

515 692 +

6 1 2 7 7 6 0 1 5 9

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that Callum Hudson-Odoi suf fered an injury to his right quadriceps muscle,” the club said in a statement. “Following further spe cialist consultation, the winger has undergone surgery today and will commence his rehabilita tion with our medical staff immedi ately. Callum is expected to return to full training during the pre season period, and everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery.” Forest are 16th in the Premier League with 36

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7,577,447.94

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points and five matches remaining. They are five points clear of 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the relegation zone. Forest next visit 11th-placed Sunderland on Saturday before hosting Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal on April 30.

1+3D J2 RM356,343.40 won on 19/4/26!

2,482,635.84

150,739.91