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Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia lead Champions League Man of the Match rankings
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are tied at the top of the UEFA Champions League Man of the Match awards leaderboard, each having secured four accolades this season. Despite Galatasaray's elimination by Liverpool FC in the round of 16, Osimhen remains a standout performer. His awards include one from Galatasaray's 1-0 victory over Liverpool on September 30, 2025, another in a 3-1 win against Bodø/Glimt on October 22, 2025, a third after scoring a hat-trick against AFC Ajax on November 5, 2025, and his fourth in a 3-2 defeat to Juventus FC which secured Galatasaray's progression. Kvaratskhelia, now with PSG, earned his latest award in a 2-0 win over Liverpool in the quarter-finals. He also received two awards during PSG’s matches against Chelsea FC in March and his first in a 4-0 victory over Atalanta BC on September 17, 2025. With the final approaching, Kvaratskhelia has a chance to surpass Osimhen, while Declan Rice of Arsenal, with three awards, could also draw level. Rice earned his awards in Arsenal's 3-1 win over Bayern Munich on November 26, 2025, a 2-0 victory against Bayer Leverkusen on March 17, and in the semi-final second leg against Atlético Madrid. Osimhen had a strong European campaign, with seven goals and three assists in 10 Champions League appearances. Both Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia were key to Napoli's Serie A title win in 2022/23. Kvaratskhelia moved to PSG in January 2025 for €70m, and Osimhen joined Galatasaray in 2025 for €75m after an initial
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Must ReadTroops of Operation Hadin Kai rescued 47 individuals, primarily women and children, from an Islamic State West Africa Province ISWAP enclave in Kangarwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State on June 20. Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Mohammed Goni, stated that the rescue followed sustained military offensives against terrorist hideouts in the Lake Chad region. He explained that intensified ground and air assaults forced insurgents to abandon their positions, allowing the captives to escape. The rescued persons are currently receiving medical attention and humanitarian support at a secure location, with plans for their reintegration. Goni emphasized the military's commitment to protecting civilians and weakening terrorist networks, vowing to continue operations to dismantle remaining cells and restore peace to the North-East. Borno State has been a focal point of insurgency for over a decade, with the military recently intensifying operations across the Lake Chad basin and Sambisa axis.
Erling Haaland scored two goals, leading Norway to a 3-2 victory over Senegal and securing their spot in the World Cup last 32. Substitute Marcus Holmgren Pedersen opened the scoring for Norway in the first half, with Haaland extending their lead after the break. Although Ismaila Sarr reduced the deficit for Senegal, Haaland capitalized on defensive errors to score again. Sarr scored a late consolation goal, but Norway held on for the win. Haaland now has four goals in two tournament games. Norway, with only one loss in their last 18 matches, will face France for the top spot in their group. Senegal must defeat Iraq in their final game to have a chance of avoiding an early exit. Norway's dominant performance, featuring Haaland's 59th and 60th international goals in 52 games, marked their first back-to-back World Cup wins. Key moments included Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy making several saves, but a mistake from captain Kalidou Koulibaly led to Pedersen's goal. Haaland scored his first goal after a counter-attack, set up by Martin Odegaard. Sarr responded for Senegal, but Koulibaly's failure to clear allowed Haaland to score his second. Despite a late goal from Sarr, Norway secured their progression, joining France in the knockout rounds.
Nigerians residing in the United Kingdom have lauded the Federal Government's recent passport reforms, particularly the contactless renewal system, for significantly reducing delays and streamlining the passport delivery process. Introduced in November 2024, the new system enables eligible individuals to renew expired or exhausted passports from home, eliminating the need for physical visits to the Nigerian High Commission. Testimonies from various Nigerian community members across the UK, as reported by the Ministry of Interior, highlight a stark contrast to previous experiences marked by frustrating delays, extensive travel, and bureaucratic hurdles. Timileyin Gbenga, a Nigerian community figure in Birmingham, noted that while the traditional process took over six months and required travel for biometrics, the contactless method for a family member resulted in passport delivery in less than two weeks. He credited the transformation to the leadership of Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo under President Bola Tinubu's administration. Gbenga Ogunderu, based in Coventry, described the initiative as a significant digital shift, allowing applications and doorstep delivery without stress, often within two weeks. Dr. Adekunle Shonola, a senior lecturer at Coventry University and president of Nigerians in Coventry, recalled the previous necessity of traveling from Coventry to London for biometrics, a process that often took over six months. He observed that community members no