UEFA Champions League
Liverpool ensure Champions League progress with win at Ajax
Liverpool overcame a slow start to beat hosts Ajax Amsterdam 3-0 on Wednesday, ensuring a top-two finish in Group A and progress into the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead against the run of play three minutes before halftime and they then took command after the break with two quick goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott to claim a convincing triumph.
The victory kept them three points behind leaders Napoli, who won 3-0 at home to Rangers to make it maximum points from their five group games.
Napoli visit Anfield on Tuesday to decide top place, when Liverpool would need at least a 3-0 win to edge the Serie A leaders on the head-to-head after losing 4-1 in September.
Ajax needed to win by two goals on Wednesday to keep up their slim Champions League hopes but will now be battling with Rangers in Glasgow next week for a Europa League spot.
The Dutch club have three points while Rangers are yet to open their account.
Steven Berghuis crashed an early effort against the upright as Ajax began in lively fashion and with an unexpectedly physical approach that unsettled Liverpool’s defence.
It ensured some edgy exchanges between the players, indicative of what was at stake in the contest at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The game turned suddenly, and firmly, in Liverpool’s favour when skipper Jordan Henderson’s outstanding pass, delivered with the outside of his boot, was met with an equally proficient finish from Salah who lofted the ball expertly over Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer as he rushed out of goal.
It might have been 2-0 within 120 seconds as Nunez squandered an easy tap-in at the back post after an unselfish pass from Roberto Firmino, striking his effort against the upright.
Nunez made amends four minutes into the second half with a strong glancing header from a corner and the contest was over two minutes later when Elliot scored.
He thrashed a powerful shot into the roof of the net from an acute angle after being set up by a perfectly-weighted pass from Salah.
“We had a tough half an hour where Ajax made a lot of pressure and we needed to defend with a lot of passion. You have to get through these phases,” said Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp.
“Then we scored a goal which was absolutely exceptional. Second half we really had a good start, scored two wonderful goals and then controlled the game really well. We are through to the knockout stages and I will never take that for granted.”
-Reuters
UEFA Champions League
Heineken Unites Nigeria’s “Hardcore Fans” for Champions League Semi-Final Showdowns
As the UEFA Champions League reaches its highly anticipated semi-final stage, Heineken reinforces its commitment to football fans through its global campaign, “Cheers to the Real Hardcore Fans.”
In Nigeria, the initiative celebrates the dedication and enthusiasm of supporters and loyal consumers with premium match-viewing experiences in multiple cities.
Hardcore fans rooting for his team during the quarter-final matches of UEFA Champions League.
Building on the momentum from the quarter-finals, Heineken is hosting large-scale semi-final viewing events in Port Harcourt, Aba, Lagos and Abuja
Excitement galore
The matches—featuring European heavyweights Arsenal, PSG, Barcelona, and Inter Milan—are being screened at top venues, such as the Olympic Stadium, where fans are treated to immersive football-themed entertainment.
The events feature interactive fan zones, augmented reality experiences, exclusive Heineken merchandise, and live DJ performances designed to recreate the atmosphere of a UEFA Champions League night.
Launched earlier this year again, “Cheers to the Real Hardcore Fans” acknowledges the everyday supporters who define Nigeria’s vibrant football culture—from viewing centre regulars and late-night match watchers to the street commentators who bring every fixture to life.
Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager – Premium Beer, Nigerian Breweries, described the campaign as a tribute to the authenticity of Nigerian fandom.
“Nigerians are among the most passionate football fans in the world. Whether it’s waking up at odd hours or passionately debating tactics, their commitment is extraordinary. Through this campaign, Heineken is creating inclusive spaces to celebrate that passion in a premium and engaging way,” she said.
During the quarter-final round, venues such as Mania House in Victoria Island, Lagos, and Papiees Maestro in Abuja were transformed into football viewing arenas.
Fans enjoyed high-quality broadcasts, Heineken hospitality, and an atmosphere that mirrored Europe’s biggest stadiums.
Julius Obinna, a fan who attended the Abuja event, praised the initiative.
“The experience was electric. It brought people together and made us feel like we were part of something global,” he said.
In addition to live events, Heineken has produced a campaign film directed by award-winning filmmaker Mark Molloy.
The film, which is central to the campaign, humorously and emotionally explores what it means to be a true football fan.
It features real-life fan stories and aims to challenge the perception of what a “hardcore” fan looks like.
With the Champions League final fast approaching, Heineken’s campaign continues to build excitement.
More viewing events are planned nationwide, ensuring fans remain at the heart of the action.
“This campaign is not just about the game,” Shadeko added. “It’s about the shared experiences, the community, and the joy that football brings. That is what Cheers to the Real Hardcore Fans stands for.”
Deserved winners at the Heineken viewing experience in the quarter-final matches of the UEFA Champions League
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Spain’s LaLiga will be represented by at least five teams in the Champions League next season after Italy’s Lazio were eliminated from the Europa League on Thursday while Athletic Bilbao progressed to the semi-finals.
LaLiga earned the second of two European Performance Spots handed out by UEFA, which go to associations “with the best collective performance by their clubs” in UEFA competitions.
England’s Premier League was the first to secure an extra berth in Europe’s top competition, on top of the four granted to the top four teams in the domestic table.
Villarreal are fifth in the LaLiga standings, with 51 points from 30 matches.
They are three points ahead of sixth-placed Real Betis and eight in front of Celta Vigo and Mallorca, with all three clubs having played one more game than Villarreal.
-Reuters
Real Madrid’s record-breaking manager Carlo Ancelotti had no complaints after his side’s Champions League reign was ended in emphatic fashion by Arsenal in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Italian Ancelotti won a record-extending fifth Champions League trophy last season as Real beat Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, but his side went down 2-1 at home to Arsenal for a crushing 5-1 aggregate defeat.
“There are two sides to football, the happy part that has happened to us many times and the sad part we have to handle in the same way. It has happened to us fewer times than to other teams, but we have to manage it because it allows us to be better in the next games.”
When Real keeper Thibaut Courtois saved Bukayo Saka’s early penalty and minutes later Real were awarded a spot kick for a push by Declan Rice on Kylian Mbappe, it seemed that the great escape might still be a possibility.
But Real’s penalty was overturned after a lengthy VAR check, and in truth, they never looked remotely threatening as their bid for a 16th European Cup crown ended in feeble fashion.
“To change the dynamic, we needed something positive, like the penalty he whistled and then took off. We needed something to have more confidence, but we were not able to change the dynamic of the first leg,” Ancelotti said.
Despite the defeat, Ancelotti said Real’s season still has plenty of possibilities, not least trying to bridge a four-point gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona.
“Now we are in the fight for La Liga. We have a disadvantage, but we have the Barcelona game, we have the Copa del Rey final, the Club World Cup, and we have to manage this part, which is another part of football that we are not used to,” he said.
“It’s time to hold our heads high and learn from our mistakes. It’s sad today, but I have absolutely no worries about how my players will respond. We’ll fight on, we’ll learn from the experience, and we’ll try to be better for the next match.”
-Reuters
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