Benin head coach Gernot Rohr is sweating over the fitness of his four players who could miss their Match Day 9 and 10 World Cup qualifying matches against Group C rivals Rwanda and Nigeria, according to The New Times.

Rohr and part of the Cheetahs squad arrived in Kigali on Monday, October 6, and are currently training daily at Amahoro Stadium which will host the match day 9 clash against Rwanda on Friday, October 10, before travelling to Uyo State, Nigeria, for their qualifying decider against the Super Eagles on October 14.

Players doubtful to play the upcoming matches include striker Olaitan Junior who was prevented by his Turkish club Göztepe from taking a flight from Istanbul to Kigali, after doctors said that his medical condition does not allow him to travel for international duty.

It’s a decision that was not welcomed by Rohr and Benin FA who reportedly insisted that recent medical tests by their doctors indicated that the player is fit to play.

However, the club stubbornly refused to release him.

Andreas Hountondji, who plays for Burnley in England, is another striker who is doubtful for this match. He is currently in race to recover from the knock he picked over the weekend and be fit in time to play both matches.

However, reports indicate that he is still doubtful for the match.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Abdoul Rachid Moumini of Azerbaijan Premier League Sumgayit FKand Rodolfo Aloko, who plays for NK Kustošija in Croatia. They were both ruled out of the matches due to injuries.

Arsenal are still exploring various plans to expand and renovate Emirates Stadium, sources have told ESPN.

The Gunners began work over a year ago, discussing possible ways in which the ground could be updated, with next summer set to mark the 20th anniversary of the stadium’s first match.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN last July, co-chair Josh Kroenke said: “It would be premature to talk about any plans in depth, but the internal conversations are starting to occur about [the stadium]. It is not an easy renovation, but we see the possibilities of what’s there.”

Sources have told ESPN that those conversations have continued since with a large number of options examined, ranging from smaller upgrades to a significant expansion which could see thousands of seats added to the current 60,700 capacity.

No final decision has been made and conversations remain at an exploratory stage.

Any significant renovation would be complicated given the stadium is located on a relatively tight 17-acre site with a train line running near to Emirates Stadium and restrictions on building developments imposed by Islington council.

Any increase in capacity would likely hope to achieve the twin aims of helping to boost commercial revenue and provide more standard-priced seats to tackle a season ticket waiting list which currently comprises more than 100,000 people.

Advertisement

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has thanked Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti for helping him overcome a difficult time in his life.

Rodrygo, 24, admitted he went through a tough spell at the end of last season while Ancelotti was still in charge of Real Madrid and had not yet taken the reins of Brazil.

“The truth is, I had a very difficult time on a personal level,” Rodrygo told Diario AS.

“I went a long time without talking to anyone. No one knew what I was going through. It was a very difficult time. I wasn’t well, both physically and mentally. That was taking a lot out of me.

“Coach Ancelotti helped me get through all that. He saw every day that I wasn’t well, that I wasn’t fit to play, that I couldn’t help the team. He knew he had to recover the person before the player. The important thing was to be in a good frame of mind. It was a very difficult time in my life, but now I’ve overcome everything, I’m okay.

“Whenever I can, I thank Carlo [Ancelotti] his son, Davide, and the [Madrid] coaching staff. Everyone helped me, and of course my family. Now I feel nothing but joy, I’m happy, and very motivated to have a great season.”

Rodrygo, who has not played for Brazil since March 25, was left out of Ancelotti’s opening two squad selections but was included for the upcoming international friendlies against South Korea and Japan.

Advertisement

“It felt like an eternity being away from the national team,” Rodrygo said.

“It was difficult, I went through a lot. It was good to reflect, clear my head, and get my head together. I feel good and ready to give my best, the best version of myself. I’ve certainly evolved in every aspect of my life.

“I’m a different person because of the time I went through. The important thing is that I’m well, I’m recovered, and I’m grateful to those who helped me during this period. I feel like a new person, a better person, a better player. What matters is that I’m happy, I’m mentally well.”

Rodrygo is happy to work again with Ancelotti.

“It’s a pleasure to be back with Ancelotti, who helped me a lot and boosted my career,” he said.

“In his hands, I’ve progressed. It was a pleasure see him again, telling him how great it is to be here, telling him that it’s always like this and that’s why I enjoy coming here so much. It was a long time, but now I’m fine and I hope to help with my best.

“Of course, there’s that rapport with Ancelotti, but he made it clear that no one has a guaranteed place. You have to play and perform well at the club to stay in the national team and reach the World Cup.”

Advertisement

Under Ancelotti’s successor, Xabi Alonso, Rodrygo has played in eight of Madrid’s 10 games this season.

“t’s true that I’m a completely different person now,” Rodrygo said. “I’m coming out with a different mindset, different enthusiasm, and more maturity. I feel great, and I’m sure this season will be better for everyone, for the team, and for me.”

ESPN

A footballer who raped a good Samaritan in her own home has been jailed for three years and nine months.

Niall Geany, 19, preyed upon the woman in the bedroom of the property in Edinburgh on March 3, 2024.

Geany – who most recently played for lower league outfit Spartans – had shared a taxi with his victim after a night out with friends.

Geany found himself “stranded” near the woman’s house and she invited him in to charge his mobile phone so he could arrange transport home.

The right-back, of Kirkliston, near Edinburgh, attempted sexual contact with her despite knowing she had a boyfriend.

A court was told the woman had “expressed no romance” towards him.

The woman repeatedly told Geany “no” as he continued the attack upon her.

Advertisement

Geany later stated in his police interview that she told him to “stop.”

However, Geany proceeded to struggle with his victim and raped her, which later left her injured.

After the incident, witnesses reported that the woman was “visibly distressed” and there was a change in her demeanour.

Geany was found guilty after trial of rape to injury and was sentenced on Tuesday at the High Court in Glasgow.

When jailing Geany, Judge Alistair Watson said: “She allowed you in her home and she placed trust in you that night.

“You clearly committed the crime of rape.

“The victim impact statement details the massive impact your criminal conduct has had on her.

Advertisement

“You have to understand the harm you have caused continues to affect her now and will continue physically and mentally.

“The degree of harm you caused is particularly high.

“I have to acknowledge the serious harm caused to your victim and the gravity of the forcible and violent rape committed in the face of her struggles and protests.

“I have to acknowledge the aggravation that this took place in her bedroom in a place she should feel safe and be safe.”

The judge stated that he had regard to Geany’s “high intelligence”, and “low risk of re-offending”.

Judge Watson went on to say that he believes Geany can be “rehabilitated and go on to lead a pro-social life”.

He said: “Standing your youth in particular, I am exceptionally going to impose a shorter period of custody for a crime of this nature.”

Advertisement

The sentencing was told that Geany will initially serve his sentence in a young offenders’ institute before he is transferred to prison.

When the sentencing was announced, a man in the public gallery shouted: “Yes.”

The judge also put Geany on the sex offenders register and granted a non-harassment order, which prohibits his contact with the victim for an indefinite period.

Richard Souter, defending, earlier told the sentencing that his client was “exceptional” in academic sporting terms.

The lawyer stated: “This is the type of offence that will have caused harm and I acknowledge that.

“Clearly the court will be considering custody.”

news.stv.tv

Advertisement

Chelsea sensation Estevao Willian has been told how to become a Ballon d’Or contender like Lamine Yamal after his game-changing display against Liverpool.

The 17-year-old Brazilian, affectionately dubbed “Messinho” in his homeland, has taken to English football like a natural, blending flair, courage and creativity in a way few foreign youngsters ever manage.

Signed for €34 million (£30m) from Palmeiras plus a hefty €23m (£20m) in add-ons, Estevao is already looking like a bargain for the Blues.

In a thrilling showdown with Premier League champions Liverpool on Saturday, Estevao announced himself on the biggest stage, striking a 95th-minute winner that sent Stamford Bridge into absolute pandemonium. It was a moment of magic that etched his name into Chelsea folklore and proved that the hype around “Messinho” is no exaggeration.

Yamal, the Barcelona wonderkid who finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting, has set the benchmark for the next generation. But Estevao’s rise in London has sparked talk that he could soon rival, or even surpass, the Spanish prodigy.

Djibril Cisse: ‘He changed the game’
Former Liverpool and France striker Djibril Cisse is among those to have been blown away by Estevao’s early impact at Chelsea. Speaking to Poker Strategy, Cisse claimed the Brazilian is one of the most gifted youngsters in the world, but warned that raw talent alone won’t win him a Ballon d’Or.

“It is really good to see Estavao playing so well in the Premier League at the moment at such a young age,” he said. “He has put in some really strong performances this season. I thought he changed the game against Liverpool.

Advertisement

“There are a lot of talented young players at the moment like him and Lamine Yamal, but their careers will depend a lot on how they grow up. Yamal was second in the Ballon d’Or, but to win big awards like that you need more than talent. Estevao will need to be mentally strong and consistent at the top level with more big moments, but the goal against Liverpool will certainly help him a lot.”

Estevao’s future locked in until 2033
Chelsea wasted no time in securing their golden boy for the long term. Estevao’s contract runs until 2033, ensuring that the west London club can fully reap the rewards of his potential for the next decade.

The next Ballon d’Or battle?
Football’s next great rivalry might already be taking shape: Estevao vs Yamal. Both forwards appear destined to carry the torch of their generation, and both could be in the Ballon d’Or conversation for years to come. For now, though, the boy they call “Messinho” has London at his feet, and if Cisse’s words ring true, the road to football immortality has already begun at Stamford Bridge.

Goal.com

Manchester City were made to work for their three points at the Gtech Community Stadium, but once again it was Erling Haaland who provided the decisive moment.

The Norwegian forward continued his remarkable goal-scoring streak to edge a narrow victory over Brentford, sealing a landmark occasion for his manager in the process.

Haaland demonstrated both strength and precision as he outmuscled Sepp van den Berg to reach Josko Gvardiol’s looping cross.

Having wrestled free, he composed himself and slotted past Caoimhin Kelleher with characteristic certainty. It was his third goal of the week and his 18th in 11 appearances for club and country this season.

His output remains unmatched in Europe, and it is his consistency in pressurised situations that continues to separate him. When Manchester City need authority, Haaland provides it.

Guardiola Reaches Historic Premier League Landmark
The strike secured a victory that marked Pep Guardiola’s 250th Premier League win as Manchester City manager. He is only the 16th coach to reach that tally with a single club and has done so in just 349 games. That is 74 matches quicker than any manager before him.

Such efficiency underlines the dominance City have enjoyed during his reign. Yet this win was earned in less glamorous fashion. Brentford forced City into long periods of discipline, testing their resilience more than their creativity.

Advertisement

Victory moves Manchester City into fifth place ahead of the international window. With Erling Haaland ruthless, Guardiola relentless and standards unchanged, they remain within striking distance of the summit. Brentford battled admirably, but against City, control is seldom enough without conviction in front of goal.