West Ham United dealt a significant blow to Liverpool’s hopes of staying in the Premier League title race by holding them to a surprising 2-2 draw.

West Ham United puts an end to Liverpool’s Premier League title race.

In the 77th minute, Michail Antonio scored the equalizer for West Ham, resulting in a 2-2 draw.

The draw leaves Liverpool in third place on the league table with **75 points** from 35 games, trailing second-placed Manchester City by a point, who have two games in hand, and first-placed Arsenal by two points, who have a game in hand.

For Liverpool to contend for the league title this season, Manchester City would need to lose two games and draw one of their remaining five matches.

– Manchester City’s current form makes this permutation nearly impossible, considering their dominance and the quality of the remaining fixtures.
– **West Ham United** now sits in 8th place with 49 points from 35 matches after the draw.

Manchester United‘s manager, Erik ten Hag, has extended his contract with the club until 2026.

Ten Hag Signs 1-Year Deal with Manchester United

His original deal, signed upon his appointment in 2022, was set to end in 2025. Ten Hag, who came to United from Ajax, has secured two trophies during his two-year tenure at Old Trafford.

“I am very pleased to have reached agreement with the club to continue working together,” said the 54-year-old.

“Looking back at the past two years, we can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined.”

Ten Hag stressed, “we must also be clear that there is still lots of hard work ahead.”

The Super Eagles of Nigeria were declared winners of their AFCON 2025 qualifying match against Libya, after a 20-hour hostage situation at Al-Abraq Airport.

Nigeria Super Eagles wins with 3 Points and 3 Goals, Libya Fined Heavily After “Hostage” Situation

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) made the decision on October 23, 2024, after finding that the Libya Football Federation violated multiple regulations regarding the treatment of the Nigerian team.

The football match, originally planned for October 15th in Benghazi, was thrown into chaos by major logistical problems. The Nigerian team’s flight was unexpectedly diverted, landing them at an airport far from their intended destination.

The team was then stranded for almost a full day without proper food or water, sparking widespread anger and criticism from Nigerian officials and fans.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board ruled that Libya forfeited their match against Nigeria, resulting in a 3-0 victory for Nigeria.

The Libya Football Federation is found to have breached Article 31 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.

Libya has been fined $50,000 for violating FIFA regulations. The fine must be paid within 60 days. This decision emphasizes the severity of the violations and aims to establish a precedent for future international matches.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board has condemned the treatment of visiting teams, deeming it unacceptable and requiring decisive action. The ruling follows a thorough investigation and discussions involving officials from both Nigeria and Libya.

Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen expressed relief at the team’s safe return home, acknowledging the significant psychological impact the ordeal had on the players. The incident sparked calls for increased accountability within African football governance, highlighting concerns about the safety and treatment of teams travelling abroad.

Nigeria secured three points in the match, celebrating the victory while also hoping that CAF’s decisive action will prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

Former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),  Amaju Pinnick, refuted claims that he used his influence to secure the appointment of Finidi George as the Super Eagles coach.

Amaju Pinnick distances himself from Finidi George’s appointment.

Despite expressing his preference for Finidi George in the past, Pinnick denied any involvement in the decision, which was attributed to his relationship with the current NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau.

Pinnick, a current member of the FIFA concil, mentioned that despite having a good relationship with the current NFF president, he did not impose Finidi on him.

“The president (Ibrahim Gusau) is very capable, always working round the clock,” Amaju Pinnick told Lagos Talks FM.

“What I observed is that Nigerians don’t like to see peace in Nigerian football, they don’t like synergy.

“If I have a good synergy with my successor, I don’t think there’s any reason to say that I’m the one that chose Finidi George.

“Why should I be? Gusau was a key member of (Aminu) Maigari’s regime. Then in my regime, he was very cardinal.

“He understands the dynamics, the theatrics, the politics, the game. And he’s an accountant, very prudent, so people should not just say things.”

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Finidi George was appointed as the Super Eagles coach over his former national teammate, Emmanuel Amunike. He has signed a one-year contract with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) that includes a one-year extension option.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Bronny James have signed a four-year, $7.9 million rookie deal with a team option in the final year.

Bronny James Signs Four-Year, $7.9 Million Deal with Los Angeles Lakers

This contract will keep LeBron James’ son with the Lakers until the 2027-28 season as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. Bronny James recently had his introductory press conference with the Lakers this week.

“For sure, amplified amount of pressure,” James said of the attention on him. “I’ve already seen it on social media and stuff, and the internet and stuff and talking about that I might not deserve an opportunity. But I’ve been dealing with stuff like this my whole life. So it’s nothing different, but it’s more amplified, for sure. But I’ll get through it.”

The younger James is set to join his father, LeBron, who recently signed a two-year contract worth $104 million with the Lakers, as reported by Charania.
James was selected by the Lakers as the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft following a standout performance at the 2024 NBA Scouting Combine.

After recovering from cardiac arrest and heart surgery, James debuted for USC in December, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in 25 appearances, including nine starts.

He is expected to make his Lakers debut in the upcoming summer league, starting with the California Classic Summer League in Sacramento on July 6, as mentioned by Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.