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Nigeria’s Premier League record scorer returns as Everton defeat Chelsea in style

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Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni made a memorable return to Merseyside as Everton cruised to a 3-0 victory over Chelsea in front of their home supporters.

The 43-year-old, fondly called “The Yak”, was warmly received by fans outside the stadium before kick-off. Supporters gathered in large numbers, chanting his famous song, “Feed the Yak and he’ll score”, a clear sign that he still holds a special place in the hearts of the Everton faithful.

Yakubu was not the only notable figure present, as former Italy defender Marco Materazzi also attended, adding a touch of class to the occasion.

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When the game got underway, Everton quickly showed their intent with a dominant display. The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when Beto calmly finished after being set up by James Garner, beating goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.

Everton stayed in control and doubled their advantage in the 62nd minute, with Beto grabbing his second goal after sliding a low shot through the goalkeeper’s legs.

The home side wrapped up the victory in the 76th minute when Beto turned provider, assisting Iliman Ndiaye, who cut inside before firing a powerful shot into the top corner.

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The result boosted Everton’s position on the table and strengthened their hopes of qualifying for European competition, while Chelsea were left with work to do in their push for a top-four finish.

Yakubu’s lasting Premier League legacy

Yakubu remains one of the most reliable strikers to have played in the Premier League. The former Nigerian international is still the highest-scoring Nigerian in the competition, with 95 goals in 252 appearances.

Before the rise of players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, Yakubu stood out as one of Africa’s most feared forwards in England, known for his strength, positioning, and finishing ability.

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His time at Everton marked one of the best periods of his career. After joining from Middlesbrough in 2007 for a then club-record fee, he made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut and finishing his first season with 21 goals. That feat made him the first Everton player in over a decade to score 20 or more goals in a single season.

Throughout his career, Yakubu was known for delivering in key moments. He recorded four Premier League hat-tricks and also achieved the rare milestone of scoring four goals in a single match for two different clubs.

Despite facing setbacks, including a serious injury, his legacy remains strong. Yakubu Aiyegbeni is still remembered as a striker defenders feared and fans loved. His return to Merseyside on a day Everton delivered such an impressive performance felt like a perfect tribute to his enduring impact in English football.

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Iowa’s Alvaro Folgueiras came up clutch against Florida

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Timely shots and a gritty performance helped the Iowa Hawkeyes knock off the defending NCAA men’s basketball national champion Florida Gators on Sunday night, 73-72.

Down two points, Iowa inbounded the ball to guard Bennett Stirtz who dribbled up the floor and found Alvaro Folgueiras in the corner. Folgueiras took one dribble back to make sure he was above the 3-point line and nailed the go-ahead bucket for just over four seconds left.

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Alvaro Folgueiras takes the shot

Iowa forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) puts up a three point shot against Florida during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Folgueiras pointed to the sky to honor his late father. Florida couldn’t get a last-second shot up and Iowa won the game. He was seen hugging his mother in the stands.

“It’s really special,” Folgueiras said after the game. “We went through a lot of moments in the season. I’ve been in a lot of moments in my life. My mom is there after fighting for me her whole life. This is really special. It’s for the dreamers and there’s no better dreamers than us.”

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Alvaro Folgueiras fights for the ball

Iowa forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) and Florida forward Thomas Haugh (10) go after a loose ball during the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Folgueiras scored 14 points and had five rebounds in the win. Iowa star Tavion Banks added 20 points on 7-of-10 from the field.

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Florida’s Alex Condon led the Gators with 21 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Thomas Haugh added 19 points and Xavian Lee had 17 points.

It will be the first time since 1999 that Iowa will be able to compete in the Sweet 16. In that year, J.R. Koch and the Hawkeyes lost to the Rip Hamilton-led UConn Huskies.

Alex Condon in disbelief

Florida forward Alex Condon (21) reacts after the team lost to Iowa during the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

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Florida is the first No. 1 seed in the men’s tournament to fall.

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The Gators will no longer be in the running to be repeat champions. It means the Dan Hurley-led UConn team remains the only back-to-back champions since Florida began its own dynasty in 2006 and 2007.

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Recent Cash Windfall Won’t Be the Last for Jalen Redmond

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Jalen Redmond lining up on the defensive line during a Vikings playoff game against the Rams at State Farm Stadium.
Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jalen Redmond lines up against the Los Angeles Rams during the NFC wild card playoff game on Jan. 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium, preparing for a high-stakes postseason snap as Minnesota’s defensive front battles for leverage and momentum in a tightly contested playoff showdown. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.

Jalen Redmond continued his career breakout last season, turning a first season on promise in Minnesota into a second season in which he became the team’s best interior defensive lineman. He received an extra $1.18 million this week for his efforts during the 2025 season.

The Recent Cash Windfall

The NFL has a new performance-based payment system that can see players on small contracts get a pay bump after the fact. It is a new initiative for this year, and Redmond found himself in the money this week. In essence, if an unsung player exceeds his expected snap count and the efficiency is there, he gets paid extra.

Josh Jacobs scores while Jalen Redmond chases during Vikings-Packers game in 2024. Jalen Redmond Vikings contract
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) breaks free for a touchdown run as Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jalen Redmond (61) pursues from behind at U.S. Bank Stadium. The NFC North matchup unfolded on Dec 29, 2024, with Jacobs showcasing his speed and vision. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

Each team was allotted $16.951 million in performance-based pay benefits, and the Vikings issued 100% of their budget to 68 different players. 

Redmond was a 2025 poster child for the program and the only Viking to receive north of $1 million. The extra money comes with the $1 million he receives after the Vikings tendered him an exclusive-rights contract, ensuring he stays in Minnesota for the 2026 season.

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Redmond’s rise from a discarded undrafted player in Carolina to a year in the UFL to the lynchpin on the Vikings DL has been meteoric. It leaves Redmond deserving of a much bigger contract than the tender he is sitting on.

When Does the Extension Come?

Redmond deserves a long-term commitment, and while the tender means there’s no rush on the Vikings’ side, Redmond will have accrued three seasons by the end of this year, taking away Minnesota’s exclusive rights. The Vikings shouldn’t wait for him to hit free agency next year and face competition for his signature – get the deal done this year.

Rob Brzezinski speaking during a Vikings.com interview about the team’s front-office philosophy and leadership structure.
Vikings executive Rob Brzezinski speaks with Vikings.com’s Gabe Henderson during a sit-down interview on Feb. 17, 2022, discussing organizational philosophy, front-office strategy, and the hiring of head coach Kevin O’Connell while outlining Minnesota’s leadership structure and long-term football operations vision in a detailed digital feature segment. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.

The numbers back up what the film shows. Redmond earned a 72.7 Pro Football Focus grade and recorded six sacks from the DL interior, ranking 11th among all NFL defensive tackles. Furthermore, he led all defensive tackles in pass deflections, consistently disrupting quarterbacks.

Minnesota spent big money last year on Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, only to release them earlier this month. Redmond outperformed both last season, deciding to cut ties with the two veterans for salary-cap relief, an easy one.

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He has been a late bloomer, but Redmond is still only 27 and has plenty of football left ahead of him. In a short space of time, Redmond has become one of the most important players on the Vikings’ defense. If there is one player on the Vikings roster who should get the next big contract, it is Redmond.


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Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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Is Bryson the Masters favorite? Will Tiger play?

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Valspar Championship: Matt Fitzpatrick wins title by a shot

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England’s Matt Fitzpatrick bounced back from an agonising near miss at the Players Championship to win the Valspar Championship,

Fitzpatrick had led last week’s Players by one shot on the 17th tee but a par-bogey finish cost him as American Cameron Young closed birdie-par to snatch victory.

But Fitzpatrick earned redemption on Sunday at Palm Harbor, Florida, sinking a 14ft-putt to birdie the 18th hole and beat American David Lipsky by one shot.

The 31-year-old carded a three-under-par 68 to finish on 11 under and had to wait for two groups to complete their rounds before his third PGA Tour win was confirmed.

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“To come away with a win this week is really special, considering last week’s performance as well,” said Fitzpatrick, who last won on the tour in 2023.

“I’ll be honest, it wasn’t an ideal putt [on 18]. I wouldn’t say I was overly keen on it considering my putting performance but to get it done was special.”

Fitzpatrick, who won the DP World Tour Championship in November, says he will have a two-week break before preparing for next month’s Masters.

“I’m obviously very confident in my game right now but what it takes to win a major is very different to what it takes to win on the PGA Tour,” added the 2022 US Open champion.

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“Particularly the Masters, there’s extra pressure on the Masters, no matter who you are. It just has that standing above all the other events, as well as the majors.

“I’m coming away from this week delighted with where my game’s at but there’s stuff I want to improve.”

Fellow Englishman Jordan Smith, 33, was third on nine under – his best finish on the PGA Tour.

Smith’s compatriot Marco Penge, South Korea’s Sungjae Imm who had led for three rounds, and Ameircan Xander Schauffele were all tied for fourth on eight under.

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‘Very sad’ – Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal disappointment vs Man City in Carabao Cup

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Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final thanks to a Nico O’Reilly brace.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has insisted his side will use the defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final as fuel for the remainder of the season. The Blues were good value for the win at Wembley Stadium having dominated the second half after an even first 45 minutes.

Kepa Arrizabalaga’s mistake on the hour mark gave City the lead as he fumbled Rayan Cherki’s cross for Nico O’Reilly to head home. Moments later, the Blues added a second when Matheus Nunes’ cross was powered in by O’Reilly. When asked for his thoughts after the match, Arteta insisted his team would use the defeat as motivation.

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“Very sad, a hard one to take. We know for our supporters how much it means to them,” he said. “We’re going to use it as fire in the belly. We’ll manage the energy in the right way. We’ll go through the pain and disappointment; it’s part of football.

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“We played 50 games before today? Every time we have a draw or a defeat, we have to prove it, we have to do it again. We have a recent history of how this team has responded in these moments.”

City and Arsenal are battling it out at the top of the Premier League with the Gunners boasting a nine-point advantage. However, the Blues have a game in hand over Arteta’s men and still have to face them at the Etihad Stadium next month.

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Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Pep Guardiola insisted he would rather be in Arsenal’s position in the Premier League and played down talk of whether the Carabao Cup win could have an impact on the title race. “I would love to be nine points in front, to be honest. It’s in their hands,” he explained.

“We need time, an incredible break. I am exhausted and after we see step by step.”

When City return from the international break, they will face Liverpool in the FA Cup. The Blues then return to Premier League action on April 12 at Chelsea.

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St. John’s Dylan Darling has special March Madness moment

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March Madness has a new darling.

St. John’s Red Storm guard Dylan Darling found a lane and drove it. With four seconds left in the game, he blew past Kansas Jayhawks defender Elmarko Jackson and made the game-winning layup before time expired.

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Dylan Darling scores the game-winning basket

Dylan Darling #0 of the St. John’s Red Storm shoots the ball against Elmarko Jackson #13 and Flory Bidunga #40 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Dylan Darling gets to the bucket

St. John’s Red Storm guard Dylan Darling (0) shoots the game-winning shot against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

For the first time since 1999, the Red Storm will be headed to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

“It was ugly, but we got it done,” Darling said.

The No. 4-seeded St. John’s struggled late in the second half as Kansas pressed up the floor. St. John’s held a 10-point lead with 6:36 left in the game. But a few missed shots and a couple of turnovers and the Jayhawks were right back in the game.

Kansas star Darryn Peterson made two free throws with 13 seconds left to tie the game. The Jayhawks, who were the No. 5 seed, had four fouls to give and used them all up to get the game down to about four seconds to go. The idea was to keep the Red Storm on their toes and to keep them from setting up a decent inbounds play.

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But Darling got the last laugh with his two-point bucket – his only points of the game. He had four assists and two steals.

Red Storm’s Zuby Ejofor and Bryce Hopkins each had 18 points to lead St. John’s.

Peterson led Kansas with 21 points. Melvin Council Jr. had 15 points and Flory Bidunga had 12 points.

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Rick Pitino talks to Sadiku Ibine Ayo

St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino talks with forward Sadiku Ibine Ayo (2) in the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026.  (Denis Poroy/Imagn Images)

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It’s the fourth straight year that Kansas has been unable to get out of the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

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Roberto Duran backs ‘explosive’ rising star to become world champion

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Roberto Duran has hailed the “explosive hand speed and power” of Luis Reynaldo Nunez, a Dominican featherweight who he sees becoming a world champion.

The 26-year-old returned to action earlier this month, engineering a first-round finish after claiming a more significant points victory over Hector Andres Sosa in December.

Despite the limited nature of his opponent, Jhan Estiven Camacho, Nunez was able to showcase a brief but striking glimpse of his talent at Hotel El Panama, where a mightily-impressed Duran was watching at ringside.

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The legend’s son, Roberto Duran Jr, was in Nunez’s corner, accompanying head coach Bob Santos who has previously worked with the likes of Robert Guerrero and Erislandy Lara.

Speaking with BoxingScene after Nunez’s fight, Santos recalled an encouraging conversation he shared with Duran, whose fighting career is still regarded as one of the all-time best.

“He really enjoyed looking at Nunez up close, and he said, ‘That kid has some explosive hand speed and power. No doubt in my mind that he is going to be a world champion’. Who better to know than [Duran]?”

Santos added that Nunez is targeting a shot at Rafael Espinoza, who is widely regarded as the top dog at 126lbs following his two victories over Robeisy Ramirez.

Espinoza claimed his WBO world title by outpointing the Olympic gold medallist in 2023, before ending their rematch with a sixth-round finish the following year.

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But while Nunez and his team are determined to test themselves against the very best, it is highly unlikely that they will secure an opportunity against the Mexican anytime soon.

Far more likely is a shot at the IBF title, which is currently held by Angelo Leo, as Nunez boasts a No.3 ranking with that particular sanctioning body.

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Oldham man becomes first person charged with tailgating after Manchester City Carabao Cup win

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Entering a football match without a ticket has now become a criminal offence

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A man from Oldham has been arrested and charged over a ‘tailgating’ incident at the Man City Wembley match on Sunday afternoon (March 22). In the first charge of its kind, the man was arrested by Met Police officers following the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.

It comes after entering a football match in England and Wales without a ticket became a criminal offence under new laws on March 22. The legislation was introduced because of serious disorder that tainted the European Championship final between England and Italy at Wembley in July 2021, when thousands of fans barged into the stadium.

The man, aged in his 20s was arrested at the final and has since been charged. Benjamin Bailey, 27, of Fifth Avenue in Oldham, Manchester, will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on May 1 in connection with the alleged offence.

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Two other men were arrested on suspicion of the same offence at Wembley and they both remain in police custody to be questioned. Those convicted of tailgating face a football banning order of up to five years, alongside a fine of up to £1,000.

The Metropolitan Police said it saw a 78 per cent reduction in offences at this year’s final. In total, 20 arrests were made, including seven for affray, one for assault of an emergency service worker, and one for racially aggravated assault. This is compared to 91 arrests at the same fixture last year.

Chief Inspector Pete Dearden, of the Met’s public order unit and match commander at Wembley, said: “So much strategic planning goes into these operations. We expect high standards and every officer delivered that today.

“Huge changes have been implemented since last year, and we will now use the success of the policing operation today as a blueprint throughout the busy summer at Wembley so fans can safely enjoy upcoming fixtures.”

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Why Valspar winner uses 10-year-old irons

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Koneru Humpy Withdraws From FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament Owing To West Asia Conflict

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Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy on Sunday decided to withdraw from the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, citing concerns over her personal safety despite assurances from the organisers in the wake of the ongoing West Asia conflict. The Candidates, which will decide the challengers for the world championship crowns currently held by D Gukesh (men) and Ju Wenjun (women), is scheduled to begin in Paphos, Cyprus on March 28. The former world champion said the decision, though difficult, was necessary given the prevailing circumstances.

“After deep reflection, I have taken the difficult decision to withdraw from the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament,” Humpy said in a statement on ‘X’.

“No event, no matter how important, can come before personal safety and well-being. Despite the assurances provided, I do not feel fully secure under the current circumstances.

“This is a painful but necessary decision, and I stand by it.” Humpy’s withdrawal comes as a setback for India, as she was among the leading contenders in the tournament that determines the challenger for the women’s world championship title.

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Earlier this week, Humpy had said that she was hesitant to travel and was considering withdrawing from the tournament.

This came after a British air base in Cyprus endured a drone attack earlier this month, raising fears that the conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, could seriously affect the security at the island as well.

Cyprus, which is the third largest island on the Mediterranean sea, is situated south of Turkey and is a member of the European Union.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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