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Gyokeres makes first start, Max Dowman shines again as Villarreal ran out 3-2 winners

Viktor Gyokeres’ first Arsenal start ended in defeat as Villarreal ran out 3-2 winners at the Emirates Stadium despite 15-year-old Max Dowman wowing the crowd again.

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Viktor Gyokeres’ first Arsenal start ended in defeat as Villarreal ran out 3-2 winners at the Emirates Stadium despite 15-year-old Max Dowman wowing the crowd again.

After a brief cameo in the north London derby defeat to Spurs in Hong Kong, Gyokeres was given an hour by Mikel Arteta, but his Arsenal homecoming was upstaged by another big-money Gunners signing, who was wearing a Villarreal shirt.

Nicolas Pepe, the once-£72m Arsenal record signing, gave the LaLiga side the lead from close range after Pape Gueye’s header came off the post. And more questionable defending saw The Yellow Submarine double their advantage.

Gerard Moreno was found in space in the area and while David Raya saved his shot well, Karl Etta Eyong was on hand to nod home from close range.

Arsenal responded instantly with their favourite weapon – set pieces. Gabriel Martinelli’s corner was headed home by summer signing Christian Norgaard at the far post, the Denmark midfielder showing he can bring his set-piece prowess from his Brentford days to Arsenal.

The Gunners pushed for a leveller in the second half with Gyokeres seeing his best chance of the game kept out at the near post by Luis Junior. But Villarreal would net a third as former Bournemouth and Everton winger Arnaut Danjuma ran clear and finished under Kepa Arrizabalaga into the far corner.

Just as Arsenal looked like they were missing a spark, up stepped Dowman once again. The 15-year-old took the game to his Champions League-level opponents and, like against Newcastle in Singapore, won the Gunners a penalty.

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Football

Arsenal Beat Chelsea to Reach Carabao Cup Final

Arsenal secured their place in the Carabao Cup final after defeating Chelsea 1–0 in the second leg of the semi-final at the Emirates Stadium. The victory sealed a 4–2 aggregate win for the Gunners, booking their first domestic cup final appearance since 2020.

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Kai Havertz

Arsenal secured their place in the Carabao Cup final after defeating Chelsea 1–0 in the second leg of the semi-final at the Emirates Stadium. The victory sealed a 4–2 aggregate win for the Gunners, booking their first domestic cup final appearance since 2020.

The reigning Premier League leaders will face either Manchester City or Newcastle United in the final, scheduled for March 22, 2026, at Wembley Stadium.

Arsenal’s disciplined performance ensured they held off Chelsea’s late pressure, with the decisive goal in the 97th minute by Kai Havertz proving enough to send Mikel Arteta’s side through to a much-anticipated showdown at Wembley.

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Football

Nakamba Signs with Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday, a Championship (English second-tier) club, has signed Zimbabwe international Marvelous Nakamba on a deal until the end of the season after he was released by League One (English third tier) side Luton Town FC.

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Sheffield Wednesday, a Championship (English second-tier) club, has signed Zimbabwe international Marvelous Nakamba on a deal until the end of the season after he was released by League One (English third tier) side Luton Town FC.

The club confirmed the latest development on their social media platforms.

Sheffield Wednesday are currently at the bottom of the table (24th place) with –7 points after 29 matches.

The Sky Bet Championship club was last year deducted 12 points for multiple breaches of EFL regulations relating to the payment of players.

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Football

When Moroccan Journalists Walked Out… A Sad Day for AFCON and Media Ethics

On Sunday night, Senegal etched their name into African football history by clinching their second AFCON trophy in a decade. Led by captain Sadio Mané, the Lions of Teranga defeated hosts Morocco 1–0 in a dramatic final that will be remembered for both its footballing brilliance and its controversies.

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On Sunday night, Senegal etched their name into African football history by clinching their second AFCON trophy in less than five years, having won the previous one in 2021. Led by Sadio Mané, the Lions of Teranga defeated hosts Morocco 1–0 in a dramatic final that will be remembered for both its footballing brilliance and its controversies.

By Tongai Mwenje

The decisive moment came in the 94th minute when Pape Gueye struck the winning goal, sending Senegalese fans into wild celebrations. Just minutes earlier, the match had been overshadowed by a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco while the score was still goalless.

In protest against the decision, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw and his players, except captain Mané, walked off the pitch, halting the game for nearly fifteen minutes. Eventually, they returned to allow Morocco to take the spot kick. Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz stepped up to face Senegal’s goalkeeper, former Chelsea man Édouard Mendy. Attempting a Panenka, Díaz saw his effort easily saved, setting the stage for Gueye’s late strike that sealed Senegal’s triumph.

The drama did not end on the pitch. When the victorious coach Thiaw arrived for his post-match press conference, smiling, holding a young girl, and waving to foreign journalists who applauded him, the local Moroccan press staged a walkout. Packing up their equipment, they exited the room, leaving behind a scene of confusion and disappointment. The press conference was ultimately cancelled.

This act of protest by Moroccan journalists blurred the line between professional reporting and activism. Journalism is guided by ethics, truth, fairness, independence, and accountability. Walking out rather than questioning the coach directly undermined these principles. If concerns existed, they should have been raised through dialogue, not through symbolic gestures that silenced the exchange of information.

By abandoning their role as impartial observers, the journalists acted more like activists than professionals. Their behaviour cast a shadow over what should have been a celebration of African football and highlighted the importance of media ethics in safeguarding the integrity of the profession.

It was, indeed, a sad day for the beautiful game.

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