Seven-time African champions Nigeria reached the final round of qualification series for the 2019 Africa U20 Cup of Nations after a 1-0 home defeat of Guinea Bissau on Sunday. Following a scoreless first half at the U.J. Essence Stadium in Calabar, Nigeria’s two –goal hero in the first–leg, Wasiu Alalade was badly impaired in the penalty box in the 58th minute.
Barcelona star Lionel Messi has retained the European Golden Shoe as the top scorer across all leagues in Europe, the ESPN reports. A little over a month ago, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was the firm favourite to outscore all of his rivals but the Liverpool man scored just four Premier League goals after the end of March, and Messi has answered that with eight in La Liga.
Luca Zidane, the son of Real Madrid coach Zinedine, made his debut on Saturday in goal for the Spanish giants but admitted it was “a bitter-sweet experience”. The 20-year-old was handed his first start in Real’s final league game of the season which ended 2-2 at Villarreal. “I’m happy for my debut, but the result is a bit bitter-sweet,” said Luca after Real gave up a 2-0 lead.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has poured water on suggestions Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon could step in to replace the French club’s number one goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola. Buffon, 40, played his final game for the Italian giants in a 2-1 win over Verona on Saturday, capping a 17-year career in Turin that harvested seven consecutive Serie A titles.
Stoke City announced on Friday that manager Paul Lambert had left his position by "mutual consent" following the club's relegation to the Championship. He is the fourth Premier League boss to lose his job over the last three days after also-relegated Swansea revealed earlier on Friday they would not be renewing Portuguese Carlos Carvalhal's contract.
Coach Roberto Martinez, whose contract was due to finish at the end of the World Cup, has been handed a two-year extension, the Belgian football federation announced on Friday. The news comes two days before Martinez reveals his 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia.
