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Man U Win, But Man City Qualify for Carabao Cup Final
Remember Paris, Pep Guardiola had cautioned after his Manchester City team’s 3-1 first-leg victory at Old Trafford in this Carabao Cup semi-final. Remember Paris, Ole Gunnar Solskjær had trumpeted in the countdown to the second leg. It could be done. His Manchester United had done it before – in last season’s Champions League last 16 when they overturned a two-goal deficit from the home leg to upset Paris Saint-Germain in frankly ludicrous fashion.
This game should not have been close. City’s superiority was plain for so long but a combination of United’s doggedness and their own profligacy ensured that it went down to the wire. City had two goals ruled out for offside and some of their misses had Guardiola and the home support contorting in agony.
The most ridiculous one came in the 73rd minute when Sergio Agüero robbed Harry Maguire inside the United six-yard box and the substitute, David Silva, opted not to shoot but to pass to Ilkay Gündogan. He then tried to run through two United defenders rather than passing or shooting and the chance went begging. It was not the only example of City’s infuriating habit of wanting to walk the ball into the net and failing.
Nemanja Matic’s bolt from the blue on 35 minutes had advertised a United comeback to rival the one in Paris and when Fred and the substitute Andreas Pereira stood over an 87th-minute free-kick on the edge of the City area, following a reckless foul by Nicolás Otamendi on Maguire, Guardiola and everybody in sky blue felt theirhearts thump.
Matic had been sent off by then for checking Gündogan – a second bookable offence – but here was the chance to take the tie to penalties. Where was Juan Mata, another substitute? According to Solskjær, he had deferred to Fred, who had been on fire in free-kick practice on Tuesday. Up stepped Fred and into the wall the shot went. Really, it would have been too much.
Nobody could say that City did not deserve it, particularly after the way they had dominated the first half of the first leg when they streaked into a three-goal lead, but Solskjær was in a position to take the positives.
Even though the gulf in quality between the teams was pronounced on the night United defended well, they showed a steely attitude and they gave themselves a puncher’s chance of getting to penalties.
It was the second time in as many months that United had won here, following the 2-1 Premier League victory on 7 December and, although it did not feel like a victory, Solskjær was quick to point out that it showed what could be achieved when his players executed a gameplan. United’s record against Guardiola’s City at the Etihad now reads W3 D1 L1.
Guardiola wanted to guard against United’s pace up front and, moreover, he wanted to hog the ball, to control the occasion. His 3-2-4-1 formation was innovative, featuring two full-backs, Kyle Walker and João Cancelo, in the back three and, further forward, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in the spaces behind Agüero.
City dominated the opening half-hour and, were it not for David de Gea, they would have been in front within 10 minutes. First the United goalkeeper sprang to his right to keep out an Agüero header following Bernardo Silva’s dinked ball over the top and then he blocked Riyad Mahrez’s deflected shot with his legs. There was more. De Gea turned away an Agüero shot that was bound for the top corner and Maguire had to stretch into a saving challenge on Raheem Sterling after De Bruyne’s beautifully curled through-ball.
TheGuardian.com
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
