Author: Chronicle Editor

Ousmane Dembele led Borussia Dortmund to a 3-2 win over Bayern Munich and their fourth consecutive DFB-Pokal final. Borussia Dortmund beat holders Bayern Munich 3-2 at the Allianz Arena courtesy of an Ousmane Dembele winner to set up a DFB-Pokal final against Eintracht Frankfurt on May 27. The young attacker, 19, curled a shot into the corner with 16 minutes left to lead his side to their fourth consecutive cup final. BVB were beaten 4-1 by their arch-rivals in the Bundesliga at the start of April, but Thomas Tuchel was confident in his pre-match media conference they would do better…

A much-changed Real Madrid had too much for Deportivo La Coruna as they ran out 6-2 winners at Riazor to go level with leaders Barcelona. James Rodriguez scored a goal in each half as Real Madrid responded to Barcelona pressure by going level with their rivals at the top of LaLiga thanks to a commanding 6-2 win over Deportivo La Coruna. Zinedine Zidane was unmoved from his recent rotation policy and made nine changes to the side beaten in dramatic circumstances by a Lionel Messi-inspired Barca on Sunday. Taking to the field after Barcelona thumped basement boys Osasuna 7-1, Madrid…

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona extended their La Liga lead with a thumping win over bottom side Osasuna. The defending champions are now three points clear of Real Madrid, who have played two games fewer and face Deportivo la Coruna later on Wednesday. Messi’s 501st Barca goal opened the scoring, before Andre Gomes smashed in. Roberto Torres gave the away side hope, but further strikes by Gomes and Messi, two from Paco Alcacer and Javier Mascherano’s first Barca goal followed. After Messi’s 12th-minute opener, fans held up their shirts as they mirrored the Argentine’s celebration of a 93rd-minute winner…

Arsenal kept their Champions League hopes alive as Robert Huth’s own goal handed them a 1-0 victory over Leicester City on Wednesday. Robert Huth’s late own goal spared Arsenal’s blushes as Arsene Wenger’s side claimed a vital three points in the race for the Premier League’s top four with a 1-0 win over Leicester City. Nacho Monreal – who netted in Arsenal’s FA Cup semi-final victory over Manchester City last time out – continued his form in front of goal when his 86th-minute strike deflected in wickedly off Leicester’s German defender. It was a relief for the home crowd following…

Christian Eriksen’s goal kept Tottenham’s title hopes alive as they again closed the gap to Chelsea with victory at Crystal Palace. Tottenham moved back to within four points of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League as they earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over a Crystal Palace side that had seen off a number of their top-six rivals. Sam Allardyce’s Palace have beaten Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool since the start of April, but came up just short against in-form Spurs as Christian Eriksen’s 78th-minute goal secured an eighth straight league victory. With league leaders Chelsea winning against Southampton on…

Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has been conferred with the Brazilian Military Order of Merit Award at Brasilia. The Brazilian military order of merit award, which is the highest military honour in the country, is awarded to military officers, who had distinguished themselves in various military endeavours. According to a statement issued by Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director of Army Public Relations, in Abuja on Wednesday, the prestigious award was approved by President Michel Temer of Brazil. Buratai is on a visit to Brazil. Usman said the approval was based on the recommendation of the Brazilian Army…

The Speaker, Taraba House of Assembly, Abel Diah, on Wednesday advocated the formulation of a national tea policy to enhance the production of the cash crop in the country. Diah made the call when members of the Senior Executive Course 39 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau, visited him in Jalingo. He said the policy would create many job opportunities and make tea production a sustainable source of foreign exchange earnings for the country. “As you tour the state, you will see the agriculture potentials of the people. “Taraba has tea that can meet…

It is now official and no longer a matter of conjectures. President Muhammadu Buhari will henceforth rule Nigeria from the confines of his bedroom in the Presidential Villa Abuja. All files and documents relating to the governance of Nigeria are to be taken to the president’s home for approval. This was revealed on Wednesday by the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa Abuja. President Buhari was absent at today’s meeting. This is the third time he would be absent at the meeting in a month…

Burnley midfielder Joey Barton has been banned from football for 18 months after admitting a Football Association charge in relation to betting. The 34-year-old has been fined £30,000 and warned about his future conduct after being charged with breaking FA rules for placing 1,260 bets on matches between 26 March 2006 and 13 May 2016. Barton plans to appeal against the length of the suspension. “The decision effectively forces me into an early retirement,” said Barton. The midfielder bet on some matches in which he played but he stressed in a statement on his website that “this is not match…

Joey Barton has said he is addicted to gambling and criticised the Football Association for what he says is a “dependence on betting companies”. The 34-year-old Burnley midfielder made the comments statement on his website, which you can read in full below, after the FA banned him from football for 18 months for breaching betting rules. Barton, who placed 1,260 bets on matches between 26 March 2006 and 13 May 2016, says the FA’s ban “effectively” forces him into early retirement and he will appeal against the length of the suspension. Joey Barton’s statement in full The FA have announced…