NFC West rivals and Super Bowl contenders clash when the San Francisco 49ers battle the Los Angeles Rams in a season-opening matchup at Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday. Los Angeles and San Francisco tied for second in the division at 12-5 in 2025. The Rams are looking to reach their third Super Bowl in nine seasons, and first since winning Super Bowl LVI during the 2021 season. The 49ers, meanwhile, are looking to reach their third Super Bowl in eight seasons, and first since losing to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII during the 2023 season. Visit our DraftKings promo code review and get $200 in bonus bets as a new user after $5+ in wagers here:
Kickoff is at 8:35 p.m. ET from Melbourne Cricket Ground. The latest 49ers vs. Rams odds have Los Angeles as a 3.5-point favorite, while the over/under for total points scored is 48.5. Before making any 49ers vs. Rams picks, be sure to see what Micah Roberts has to say.
Roberts has worked in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry for 20-plus years, including a 13-year run as Station Casinos’ book director. Armed with an elaborate network of sources, Roberts switched to the other side of the counter and now hands out unique insights in multiple sports. He enters this season on a 19-5 roll on picks involving the 49ers, returning $1,350 to $100 players on NFL betting sites. Anyone following his picks on betting sites could have seen huge returns.
Roberts is leaning Over 48.5 combined points forover/under betting at betting apps. The Rams and 49ers had top-10 offenses a year ago. Los Angeles finished first in total yards at 394.6 yards per game and in average points at 30.5. San Francisco, meanwhile, was seventh in total yards at 351.4 and 10th in points at 25.7. The Rams’ Matthew Stafford was the league MVP, throwing for more than 4,700 yards and 46 touchdowns with just eight interceptions.
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San Francisco is led by veterans Brock Purdy at quarterback and Christian McCaffrey at running back. Purdy appears to be healthy after playing in nine games, throwing for 2,167 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was picked off 10 times. McCaffrey continues to be a dual threat. He led the 49ers in rushing and receiving in 2025. He carried 311 times for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns, while catching 102 passes for 924 yards and seven scores. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make 49ers vs. Rams picks
Roberts also has found a crucial X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back.See what it is at SportsLine.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – AUGUST 01: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF looks on during the MLS match between Inter Miami CF and Columbus Crew at Nu Stadium on August 01, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to become the majority shareholder of Spanish second-division club Eldense.
Eldense said the agreement involves the purchase of shares currently owned by Grupo TH Soluciones. The deal would make Messi the club’s majority owner once the remaining legal and contractual processes are completed.
The club said the transaction is also subject to a due diligence process and approval from the Spanish National Sports Council.
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Eldense, based in Alicante, are currently struggling in La Liga 2. They have collected two points from their opening four matches and sit 20th in the table.
The club also parted ways with head coach Claudio Barragan earlier this week.
The proposed investment would make Eldense the second Spanish club owned by Messi. The 39-year-old bought Catalan fifth-tier side Cornella in April.
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Messi, who left Argentina for Spain at the age of 13, joined Barcelona’s first team in 2004 and went on to become the club’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances.
He left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 before moving to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami in 2023.
Messi’s former Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo has also invested in Spanish football. The Al-Nassr forward bought a 25 per cent stake in Almeria in February.
Messi’s proposed investment in Eldense would further strengthen his involvement in Spanish football, where he spent most of his legendary playing career.
Agatha Wong of the Philippine wushu team during the send off for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines —Agatha Wong and the Philippine wushu team vow to leave everything on the floor when the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 begin next week.
“I’m very excited to go to Japan and just give it my all. Me and my teammates are just itching to compete. And so I hope you guys can watch us and support us this year,” said Wong.
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Wong, a med school student at UERM, arrived at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in her school uniform Thursday and changed into the official Asian Games tracksuit of Team Philippines for the sendoff before switching back after the event.
“It’s actually doable. Because my school is very supportive. They’ve been supporting me ever since I started med school. So they’ve made it easier to balance being a student and an athlete,” said Wong.
Wong won bronze in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games but missed the podium in Hangzhou three years ago.
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With the next Asian Games scheduled in five years, the 28-year-old Wong is going all-in for an elusive gold medal for the wushu national team.
“I’m super proud. It’s not every day that you get to qualify for the Asian Games. And after this year’s Asian Games, I think the next one will be in five years. So this one is really special. I hold it close to my heart. So that’s why I’m giving it my best shot,” Wong said.
“And I’m giving it my all, all my effort. All the amount of discipline that I can muster and courage. Even though it’s very scary to compete at this level of a competition.”
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Wong is a six-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist.
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Casablanca is set to stage the 2030 World Cup final, according to the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, as reported by Spanish news agency EFE on Thursday.
Soccer’s world governing body Fifa has yet to formally announce the venue of the final, with Spain and Morocco in a heated battle to host football’s biggest showpiece match, but Moroccan chief Fouzi Lekjaa is adamant his country will get the nod.
“The province of Benslimane will have the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final,” Lekjaa told a political party event in Bouznika, Morocco on Thursday, EFE reported.
Benslimane is a city 60km from Casablanca and the location of the $12 billion Hassan II stadium, which is under construction for the World Cup with an expected capacity of 115,000. It will be the largest football-specific stadium globally.
Fifa has denied that Infantino has promised the final to Morocco (Reuters)
Requests for comment have been sent to Fifa and the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
The upcoming World Cup will represent a unique tournament, with fixtures taking place across six nations in three continents for the first time. Although the initial three matches will be staged in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, the main host duties are shared between Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
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Fifa has not yet settled on all the host cities, though Morocco and Spain are both campaigning for the final.
“Spain should host the final,” Lekjaa’s counterpart at the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Rafael Louzan, told local media earlier this month.
Meanwhile, sports minister Milagros Tolón insisted Spain “deserved” to stage the final, telling Cadena Ser last month: “We are the reigning men’s and women’s World Cup champions, and Spain and Portugal spearheaded the bid for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco later joined. We have many advantages and strengths as a country.”
Fifa stated in August that press reports claiming President Gianni Infantino had promised the match to Morocco were not true.
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A Fifa spokesperson said it was “false and misleading to claim the Fifa president has made any promise in relation to hosting the Fifa World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by Fifa in due course.”
Alexander Zverev (R) and Karen Khachanov (Reuters Photo)
NEW YORK CITY: They are the same height, almost the same age, and go back a long way, both have spent years knocking on the door of Grand Slam success. Standing at 6 ft 6’, there’s little to separate Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov physically when they meet in the US Open semi-finals on Friday. But the German arrives as the top seed, Olympic gold medallist and now a major champion, while Khachanov, the world No. 50, is chasing a first Slam final.Zverev, 29, has already been here before. He reached the US Open final in 2020 and came within two points of the title before Dominic Thiem turned the match around in a five-set battle. Almost four years later, he reached the final at Roland Garros and followed it up with another Grand Slam final at Melbourne Park in 2025, but was still waiting for his first Slam crown. The lanky German finally flipped the script in Paris in June, claiming his maiden Slam title before reaching the final again at Wimbledon.The top seed booked his place in the last four with a commanding 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 win over Botic van de Zandschulp. It is his 13th Grand Slam semi-final, second only among active men to Novak Djokovic’s 55, and his 51st match win of the season, the most on the ATP Tour.The first of the last-four clashes on Friday will be an all-American affair, world No.9 Ben Shelton, the conqueror of Carlos Alcaraz, will play the 12th ranked Frances Tiafoe, with Shelton leading the head-to-head 3-1. Both men are looking to make their first major final.For Khachanov, the road back to the last four has been considerably more arduous. The 30-year-old arrived in New York ranked No. 50 after going 16-18 through the first eight months of the season, his lowest ranking since May 2017. He has since beaten American Learner Tien in five sets and reached the semi-finals when Alexander Blockx retired with an upper-body injury while trailing 6-2, 7-5, 3-2.It is the Russian’s third Grand Slam semi-final and his second in New York, after his run to the last four in 2022. He also reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2023. But the next step has remained elusive.“Every Grand Slam, every big stage, you want to do well. This is what we’ve been dreaming of as a kid, you know, to play on the further stages of this event, that one day it can come,” Khachanov said. “That’s why I think it’s a little bit a moment of appreciation, and at the same time, ambition and motivation for what’s coming next.”What comes next is an opponent who has had the better of him over the years.Zverev leads their head-to-head 6-3, including his victory over Khachanov in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics gold-medal match. Khachanov did, however, beat him in Canada last year, a win that came after several defeats to the German.“He is where he is, because he deserves to be there,” Khachanov said. “He’s been in top 5 for so many years. This year he also took a step forward. He won his first Grand Slam. He’s in hot form.”The numbers tell only part of the story. Both men can generate huge pace from the baseline, both possess formidable serves and neither is likely to give ground easily. Khachanov knows that against Zverev, patience will be as important as power.“I will have to come up with the best form,” he said. “I will have to have patience.”Zverev and Khachanov go back a long time to their junior days.“People don’t see from the outside, but he’s somebody that works extremely hard. He’s on the practice courts more than most people. He’s always searching for solutions. He’s always, you know, trying to find new ways to get better,” Zverev said of Khachanov, one of the more popular figures in the locker-room. “I have massive respect for him. I hope it’s going to be a great battle.”For Zverev, the prize is another chance to finish what he started in New York six years ago. For Khachanov, it is an opportunity to reach a Grand Slam final for the first time.Meanwhile in the girls doubles second round, Maaya and Antonina Sushkova of Ukraine upset the fifth-seeded combine, Czechs Jana Kovackova and Katerina Zajickova on 2-6, 6-2, 10-7.
Team Philippines athletes wear the “Malaya” Barong, designed by Filipino fashion designer Francis Libiran, during the delegation’s official send-off for the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine flag takes center stage on Team Philippines’ attire for the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Filipino athletes will wear the “Malaya” Barong by Filipino fashion designer Francis Libiran, which incorporates the colors and rays of the Philippine flag along with piña jusi, Baybayin and Kalinga-inspired patterns.
“For those who carry our flag, we create something that carries our story,” Libiran said in a Facebook post. “May our athletes wear it with pride, and carry it with courage.
The barong is paired with the “Malaya” cap, which also features the rays of the Philippine flag.
Libiran has designed Team Philippines’ attire for opening ceremonies at previous major events, including the Southeast Asian Games and Olympics. Most recently, he created the “Sinag” Barong worn by Filipino athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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Several members of Team Philippines paraded in the barong and the tracksuits that the delegation will wear during the continental meet at the official send-off Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Athletes wear the official tracksuit for Team Philippines during the send-off for the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The Philippines will be sending 447 athletes in 34 sporting disciplines to the Asian Games, where it is targeting at least eight gold medals, according to the Philippine Olympic Committee.
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The opening ceremonies will be held at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya on September 19.
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Imran Tahir turned back the clock in the Caribbean Premier League, producing a sensational five-wicket haul to create history and help Guyana Amazon Warriors register their seventh win in eight matches of the season. The 47-year-old leg-spinner returned figures of 5/17 against Saint Lucia Kings at Providence, becoming the oldest cricketer ever to take a five-wicket haul in men’s T20 cricket.Tahir, who was 47 years and 166 days old, surpassed the previous record held by Tomakunte Ritawa, who took 5/19 for the Cook Islands against Fiji at the age of 46 years and 299 days in 2022.
Tahir adds another record to his remarkable T20 career
The latest five-for was the sixth of Tahir’s T20 career and yet another reminder of his remarkable longevity in the shortest format. Interestingly, Tahir already featured prominently on the previous list of the oldest bowlers to claim five-wicket hauls. He had taken 5/21 for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in 2025 at the age of 46 years and 148 days.He also recorded five-wicket hauls for Rangpur Riders in 2024 and Birmingham Phoenix in 2021.
Oldest bowlers to pick up a five-wicket haul in men’s T20s
Rank
Player
Age
Bowling figures
Team
Year
1
Imran Tahir
47y 166d
5/17
Guyana Amazon Warriors
2026
2
Tomakunte Ritawa
46y 299d
5/19
Cook Islands
2022
3
Imran Tahir
46y 148d
5/21
Guyana Amazon Warriors
2025
4
Imran Tahir
44y 323d
5/26
Rangpur Riders
2024
5
Prakash Mishra
44y 165d
5/16
Bulgaria
2023
6
Imran Tahir
42y 135d
5/25
Birmingham Phoenix
2021
7
Santha Moorthy
41y 129d
5/20
Puducherry
2021
8
Kenute Tulloch
41y 7d
5/21
Cayman Islands
2006
9
Michael Hogan
40y 361d
5/18
Glamorgan
2022
10
Dilruwan Perera
40y 315d
5/14
Burgher Recreation Club
2023
Tahir’s five-for puts Kings under pressure
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Tahir’s spell proved decisive as Saint Lucia Kings struggled to build a commanding total. The Kings were eventually helped by a crucial 38-run final-wicket partnership, which gave them a more respectable score after the Warriors’ bowlers had kept them under pressure. Tahir was the standout bowler, while Miraz also impressed with 3/13 from his four overs.Despite some disciplined bowling from the Saint Lucia Kings’ spinners, the target was ultimately not enough to prevent the Warriors from completing the chase. Phillips and Hope contributed useful runs before Sampson’s explosive 37 off just 11 balls provided the decisive finishing blow.The Warriors eventually sealed a four-wicket victory, bouncing back immediately after their rare defeat against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons.‘My son is the main guy who’s been pushing me’: TahirAfter being named Player of the Match, Tahir revealed that his biggest motivation has come from his son, who continues to encourage him to keep playing.“My son, he’s the main guy who’s been pushing me. He keeps telling me, Daddy, one more year, one more year, and you need to play with me,” Tahir said after the match.
With the exception of guys like Andrew Van Ginkel, the Vikings defensive line looks very youthful. The next-oldest is Jalen Redmond at just 27. Development on the Vikings defensive line is going to be a key aspect of the team’s potential success this season.
Why Development on the Vikings Defensive Line is the Key to Success
Minnesota has added Kyle Van Noy to the practice squad and I expect him to come into the mix for some much-needed experience on the edge.
The Vikings are confident in a third-year jump from Dallas Turner to become the team’s leading pass rusher. He needs to step up after Jonathan Greenard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Turner showed development last year but certainly needs to make another jump.
The word coming out of Minnesota is that they believe Turner has gone up another heat this offseason. Hopefully, they are right and a true breakout season is in the cards. Bo Richter and Chaz Chambliss fill out the depth chart with very little on-field experience.
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Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) reacts after a tackle during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
It is on the interior where the Vikings are very inexperienced with Redmond the senior man with just 30 games to his name. Levi Drake Rodriguez (18 games) and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (14 games) will start the season ahead of rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange on the depth chart.
Redmond has been a great find after being plucked from the UFL after failing to make the grade originally in the NFL. He quickly became a good all-around defensive tackle and the best player on the interior for the Vikings last season. What’s his ceiling? Can he still get better? If the answer is yes then the Vikings could have an excellent player on their hands; if it’s no then they still have a good player to build the rest of the interior defensive line around.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is brought down by Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jalen Redmond (61) during first-half action at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Redmond applied pressure and finished the play with a tackle during the contest played on Dec 14, 2025, as the Vikings defense worked to contain Dallas. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images.
Minnesota decided on a youth movement on the interior when they released Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen and used two early draft picks on Banks (first round) and Orange (third round). It was a brave move with the lack of experience left on the roster and with Banks coming in on the back of injuries and being seen as a developmental pick. If it works as planned the Vikings defensive line could be set for years to come, but it is likely to take time to develop, but how long will that take?
Vikings Defensive Line Can Grow Into A Good Unit
The Vikings defensive line is all about potential at the moment.
In their defensive line rankings heading into the 2026 season Pro Football Focus had the Vikings unit at 22nd, just ahead of the bottom third across the league. It did come with the caveat that with development from the younger players, they could quickly climb the rankings. The rankings were also made before the addition of Van Noy.
Trading away Jonathan Greenard leaves the Vikings without the player who led their defensive line in both PFF pass-rush grade and total pressures last season. Minnesota will be counting on Dallas Turner to help fill that void after he took a significant step forward in 2025 following a difficult rookie season. The Vikings also used a first-round pick on Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks. If Turner continues to develop and Banks makes an immediate impact as a rookie, this group could quickly climb the rankings.
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Brian Flores is good at getting results from his defense no matter who he has at his disposal. He is not afraid of getting exotic sending pressure, but the more the Vikings can do without having to send five or six players on a blitz the better the defense will be. The Flores’ mad scientist approach can bamboozle QBs – especially young ones – but it can also leave the secondary very exposed if a QB can beat the blitz.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is shown on Jan. 13, 2025, during the NFC wild card matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, taking in the atmosphere as his defense prepared for another postseason test. The moment captured Flores’ steady demeanor and leadership presence, traits that have defined his work with Minnesota’s rebuilt defense throughout the 2025 campaign. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
A key part of an overall better defense this season will be a better run defense. Last year Minnesota allowed 2110 rushing yards, or 124 yards per game. That is too high. Stopping the run and getting teams into 3rd and long allows Flores to dip into his bag of tricks. The more often that happens the better. The development of the massive nose tackle, Orange, will be crucial in that regard.
How good is this Vikings defensive line? I believe it can be a strong unit but there is a lot of projecting in that statement. Development is needed from everyone but the vastly experienced Van Ginkel and Van Noy. If that does happen the Vikings will be well set up for success on the defensive side of the ball.
2 min read Last Updated : Sep 10 2026 | 3:42 PM IST
Lionel Messi collected his league-leading 13th assist of the season when he set up Carlos Casemiro for the equalizer early in the second half, and Inter Miami tied Chicago 1-1 before a crowd of 63,094 – the most for a Fire match at Soldier Field.
Inter Miami (12-4-8) evened the score three minutes into the second half when Messi sent the ball Casemiro’s way off a free kick for his third goal in his eighth MLS appearance. Casemiro’s goals have come on headers in three straight matches.
Chicago (11-6-6) jumped in front in the 10th minute on a goal by Robert Lewandowski – his sixth in his first nine MLS matches. Defender Andrew Gutman picked up his sixth assist and Robin Lod notched his fourth as the Fire took the lead into halftime.
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Chris Brady had six saves for Chicago. Brady made a diving save on a shot by German Berterame in the 16th minute – one of three first-half saves to keep the Fire in front.
Dayne St. Claire saved two shots for Inter Miami, which has gone 1-2-4 since the start of August.
It was a fourth straight draw for Chicago during a seven-match unbeaten streak. The Fire are 7-3-1 at home.
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Messi also has 18 goals and is the first player in league history with 30-plus goal contributions in three separate seasons.
Inter Miami started the day in second place in the Eastern Conference – 10 points behind Nashville SC. Messi and company are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the 2011-12 Los Angeles Galaxy.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Seattle Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch.
The Seahawks soundly defeated the Patriots 29-13 in February. Seattle will host New England on Wednesday night, kicking off the NFL season earlier than in years past.
The Seahawks featured the best offense in the NFL in 2025, averaging a league-high 0.485 points per play. That number increased to a ridiculous 0.542 PPP at home. Overall, they averaged a healthy 31.7 points per game in Seattle.
The Patriots were also a high-end offense, ranking eighth in points per play (0.427). Surprisingly, that number increased to 0.438 on the road. They also averaged 27.1 points per game outside of New England.
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NFL Game 1 Picks
There are two keys to the offenses here. First, Seattle returned most of its offense from 2025. Kenneth Walker left in free agency, but they spent a first-round pick on Jadarian Price as his replacement. They return Sam Darnold and their receiving corps, led by Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
On the other side, New England made a few key moves to improve their offense. They added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to the wide receiver room, replacing Stefon Diggs. They also added Alijah Vera-Tucker to anchor their interior offensive line.
Arguably the biggest edge for the over in this game is the injuries both sides are dealing with. TreVeyon Henderson hasn’t practiced this week, but he traveled with the team. If he’s able to suit up, he’ll add some explosion to the Patriots offense, but he likely wasn’t going to have an elite role, regardless.
New England had only two players with more than 4.0 sacks in 2025. Neither will play in this game for them.
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K’Lavon Chaisson signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency, while Harold Landry has already been ruled out with a knee injury. That’s going to be a major blow to their pass rush.
On the other side, Ty Okada isn’t expected to suit up for this game, leaving Nick Emmanwori to start at safety. He’s also been banged up, though, and Seattle has virtually no depth behind them. Their secondary already took a hit in free agency with Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant leaving, and they’ll be even thinner now.
Ultimately, this is a spot where the offenses haven’t gotten much worse, and New England likely got better. Their defenses took some hits, though, and they’re the more questionable areas at this point. Where to Bet: New England Patriots/Seattle Seahawks o44.5 total points | -108 at DraftKings Sportsbook
The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has been named Football Pitch of the Year at the 12th Nigeria Pitch Awards.
The award recognises the quality and standard of the stadium’s football pitch and adds another major honour to the facility in Uyo.
The award was presented at the Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony held in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday.
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The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium has remained one of Nigeria’s major football venues, hosting several important domestic and international matches.
Its pitch has also continued to attract national teams and major football events, further strengthening Uyo’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading football destinations.
The recognition came on a night when several players, coaches, teams and football stakeholders were honoured for their contributions to Nigerian football.
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Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen won the King of the Pitch award, while Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade was named Queen of the Pitch.
Osimhen also won the Rashidi Yekini Award for Striker of the Year.
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