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Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi out for season after leg surgery
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing successful surgery for a leg injury. The 25-year-old sustained the injury during Forest's Europa League quarter-final second-leg win against Porto last Thursday and subsequently missed the Premier League victory over Burnley. The club confirmed the operation was successful, but Hudson-Odoi is not expected to return to full fitness until pre-season. Hudson-Odoi expressed his determination to recover on Instagram, stating, "Surgery was successful, but definitely not the way I wanted to end the season. But with God's timing and plan, hopefully I'll be back stronger and better than before." His absence is a significant blow for Forest, who are currently five points clear of the relegation zone in the Premier League and are preparing for a Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa. The team faces a demanding schedule with upcoming league fixtures against Sunderland, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Bournemouth.
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Brighton & Hove Albion FC secured a 3-0 victory over Chelsea on Tuesday night, marking Chelsea's fifth consecutive Premier League defeat without scoring a goal. This losing streak is the longest for Chelsea since 1912 and their fifth consecutive loss since 1993. Brighton's dominance was evident with Ferdi Kadioglu scoring early, Jack Hinshelwood doubling the lead after halftime, and Danny Welbeck adding a third in stoppage time. Chelsea struggled to create meaningful attacking threats and appeared disjointed against a more cohesive Brighton side. This result has significant implications for European qualification, as Brighton now moves ahead of Chelsea into sixth place. Chelsea's campaign continues to unravel, facing growing pressure with five consecutive league defeats and no goals scored. Brighton's win was described as clinical and controlled, highlighting the difference between the two teams on the night. Chelsea will now focus on their FA Cup semifinal match against Leeds United on Sunday.
Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Chief of Staff to the Abia State Governor, stated that Governor Alex Otti is working to transform Abia into a globally respected manufacturing brand. Ajagba made these remarks during the flag-off ceremony of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Competitiveness and Industrial Productivity Programme Quality Assurance Assessors Training Programme in Aba. He emphasized that the training is a significant step in repositioning Abia, especially Aba, as a leading hub for fashion, garment, and leather production in Nigeria and Africa. The state government is committed to fostering enterprise growth through infrastructure development, policy support, access to finance, and quality standardization. Ajagba acknowledged the contributions of partners like Ethnocentrique Limited and the Mastercard Foundation. Adedapo Conde, MCIPP Team Lead, highlighted the Quality Assurance Assessors programme as crucial for strengthening the skills ecosystem and transforming Aba into a global skills delivery and export hub. Conde also praised Governor Otti's leadership and support, reaffirming Ethnocentrique Limited's commitment to the state's vision. The event was attended by various dignitaries, including Chinwe Kalu Uba, Special Assistant to the Governor on Industry and SMEs, and Dr. Christopher Okoro, Rector of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic. Certificates from the Corporate Affairs Commission and SMEDAN were presented to business owners during the ceremony.
The Premier League is guaranteed five places in next season's UEFA Champions League due to England securing one of the new European Performance Spots. A sixth spot could be added if Aston Villa wins the UEFA Europa League and finishes fifth in the Premier League. If Aston Villa achieves this, their league-based Champions League spot would become redundant, and the unused spot would then go to the team finishing sixth in the Premier League. This scenario would mean England gains an extra team in the Champions League but loses one Europa League place, which would be allocated to another country. The race for sixth place in the Premier League is currently highly competitive, with only six points separating sixth-placed Chelsea F.C. from 14th-placed Newcastle United F.C.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention NCDC has confirmed a single case of COVID-19 in Cross River State, stating that the situation is under control with no signs of widespread transmission. The confirmed patient has been isolated and is receiving care, with the NCDC reporting the individual is in stable condition. Following the confirmation, the Cross River State Ministry of Health, in coordination with NCDC and partners, activated response measures including contact tracing, surveillance, and infection prevention and control. All identified contacts are being monitored, and there is no evidence of further spread. The NCDC highlighted that the detection demonstrates the effectiveness of Nigeria’s ongoing disease surveillance systems. The agency advised the public to remain vigilant, practice proper hygiene, stay home when unwell, and seek medical care if needed, while also urging reliance on official public health authorities for information. The NCDC reiterated its commitment to monitoring the situation and providing updates. Nigeria first recorded COVID-19 in February 2020, and while cases have declined, surveillance systems remain active to detect and respond to sporadic infections, which public health experts note are not unexpected as the virus circulates globally.