Neymar shuts booing fans up with a beautiful Olympico in Santos’ 3-0 over Inter.
Former Barcelona star Neymar continued his impressive form since returning to Santos, leading his team to a 3-0 win over Internacional de Limeira in the 12th round of the Campeonato Paulista. Playing at Estádio Major Levy Sobrinho, the 33-year-old silenced boos from home fans by scoring directly from a corner, celebrating with a defiant pose. Neymar’s goal doubled Santos’ lead, and five minutes later, he assisted Tiquinho Soares for the third. After a slow start, failing to score in his first three games since joining from Al-Hilal, Neymar found his rhythm with a goal and an assist against Agua Santa before shining against Inter. He has now netted twice in six appearances since rejoining his boyhood club on January 30. Previously, he scored 136 goals for Santos (2009–2013) before moving to Barcelona, PSG, and Al-Hilal. Santos, aiming to top Group B, had won four of 12 league matches before this victory.
Neymar scored an Olympico seconds after being bood by the opposing fans 🥶
A goal and two assists for Neymar tonight 👏 pic.twitter.com/k2xxfdr9JS
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 23, 2025
Slot’s Liverpool inches closer to the title after dominant win over Man City.
Liverpool took a major step toward the Premier League title with a commanding 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Arne Slot’s side showcased their dominance, with Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai stealing the spotlight by exchanging goals and assists in a brilliant first-half display. While most of Liverpool’s players impressed, Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled against Jérémy Doku on the right flank. The visitors started strongly, winning a corner in the 12th minute after a threatening move by Luis Díaz. Alexis Mac Allister’s delivery was flicked by Szoboszlai into Salah’s path, and the Egyptian’s deflected shot found the net. City briefly thought they had equalized through Omar Marmoush, but the offside flag intervened. Minutes later, Salah’s clever wing play set up Szoboszlai, who slotted home through Abdukodir Khusanov’s legs. Liverpool saw a third goal ruled out but comfortably saw out the win. Slot’s men now lead the table with 64 points, 11 ahead of Arsenal.
Massive win for Liverpool and +11 points! 📈 pic.twitter.com/BcXop3DY6O
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 23, 2025
D’Tigers qualifies for 2025 AfroBasket after a huge 77-62 win against Cape Verde.
Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, have secured qualification for the 2025 AfroBasket after a dominant 77-62 victory over Cape Verde in their final Group B qualifier. Despite already being guaranteed a spot based on FIBA’s qualification rules, D’Tigers were determined to take control of their fate, sealing an impressive win with a strong fourth-quarter performance. After a disappointing first phase last year, where they lost all three matches, D’Tigers bounced back in Tripoli, Libya. They opened their second qualifying window with a hard-fought 75-70 win over hosts Libya on Friday, then followed up with an emphatic 87-67 comeback victory against Uganda on Saturday. Their triumph over Cape Verde completed a perfect run in the final phase. Nigeria has now qualified for 11 consecutive AfroBasket tournaments and will aim to claim their second continental title in Angola from August 12 to 24. Their only championship win came in 2015, alongside four silver and three bronze medals.
NIGERIA WINS!! We started this window 0-3 at the bottom of the table and went undefeated in LIBYA! pic.twitter.com/su57FUrixz
— D’Tigers | Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) February 23, 2025
Ademola Lookman scores a brace in Atalanta’s dominant 5-0 win over Empoli.
Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman delivered a brilliant performance, scoring twice in Atalanta’s dominant 5-0 victory over Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani. The win moves them within three points of the Serie A title race. Lookman responded in style after missing a crucial penalty in Atalanta’s midweek UEFA Champions League exit against Club Brugge, which drew criticism from coach Gian Gasperini. Atalanta took the lead just before the half-hour mark when Davide Zappacosta’s cross deflected off Emmanuel Gyasi into the net. Mateo Retegui soon doubled the advantage before Lookman showcased his quality, rounding Marco Silvestri to slot in the third before halftime. Early in the second half, the Nigerian forward struck again, finishing coolly after a pass from Marten de Roon. Lookman was subbed off in the 75th minute, moments before Zappacosta sealed the rout. Atalanta now sit three points behind Inter Milan ahead of their clash with Venezia on Saturday.
🇳🇬⭐️ Ademola Lookman (27) scored 2 goals and created 4 chances vs Empoli today! 📈
Back from injury and straight on form. ⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/HU2UNl8EZs
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) February 23, 2025
Real Madrid maintains 2nd place in La Liga after a 2-0 win over Girona.
Luka Modrić’s stunning first-half volley and a late Vinícius Júnior strike secured Real Madrid a 2-0 victory over Girona at home, ending their three-game winless run and lifting them to second place in LaLiga. Madrid started slowly but gained control before Modric fired a superb long-range volley into the top corner in the 41st minute. Vinícius came close to doubling the lead on the hour mark, but his curling shot struck the crossbar. Kylian Mbappé had a golden chance to seal the win in the 80th minute but was denied by the goalkeeper. Moments later, Vinícius made no mistake, slotting past Paulo Gazzaniga after combining with Mbappé. Despite missing Jude Bellingham’s drive and struggling with finishing, Madrid secured a vital win in the title race. They now have 54 points from 25 matches, level with Barcelona but behind on head-to-head, while Atlético Madrid sit third with 53 points.
FT: REAL MADRID 2 – 0 GIRONA
Important win by Real Madrid in battle for the title and Modric is the MVP!!! Fully deserved pic.twitter.com/JUZN3qpPO5
— The Screenshot Lad (@thescreenlad) February 23, 2025