The stage is set for an electrifying climax in the semi-finals
Ahly Image credit: CAFonline
The stage is set for an electrifying climax in the TotalEneriges CAF Champions League as the semi-finalists have been decided after thrilling quarter-final matches, CAFonline reports.
Four teams have emerged as title contenders for the 2023-2024 edition of Africa’s flagship club competition, with South African club Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Ahly of Egypt, DR Congo side TP Mazembe, and Esperance of Tunisia reaching the last four.
All the four sides that emerged following the conclusion of the quarter-finals on Saturday are former champions, setting the stage for captivating semi-final encounters.
In a tense battle down to the wire, Sundowns secured their spot in the semi-finals after edging past Young Africans in a penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, defending champions Al Ahly demonstrated their dominance with a convincing 3-0 aggregate victory over Simba of Tanzania, ensuring their passage to the next stage.
Esperance secured their place in the last four after defeating ASEC on penalties, while TP Mazembe advanced thanks to their 2-1 aggregate win over Petro Luanda of Angola.
The semi-final pairings have been determined. TP Mazembe will face Al Ahly, while Esperance will face Mamelodi Sundowns.
The first-leg matches of the semi-finals will be played on the weekend of 18 April, with the second-leg matches scheduled to be played a week later.
The semi-final clashes between the former champions will be thrilling as these football powerhouses vie for a coveted spot in the final.
TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-final fixtures:
Conquers Roman Reigns on the biggest stage of wrestling
Despite losing to The Rock and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns alongside Seth “Freakin” Rollins on WrestleMania Saturday, Cody Rhodes got an assist from John Cena and The Undertaker that cleared the path for him to overcome The Bloodline and finally end the epic title reign of The Tribal Chief.
On WrestleMania Saturday, The Rock & Roman Reigns scored a controversial victory over Cody Rhodes & Seth “Freakin” Rollins to make Bloodline Rules official in The American Nightmare’s Undisputed WWE Championship Match against The Tribal Chief on WrestleMania Sunday.
The Scottish Warrior finally got to bask in the sun by winning a world title in front of the WWE Universe.
With CM Punk providing guest commentary and Drew McIntyre and World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins receiving special entrances, the match had an air of excitement and tension unmatched.
McIntyre almost stunned everyone into silence as he clattered The Visionary with a Claymore just seconds into the match, but Rollins kicked out.
After last night’s hellacious tag team match with Cody Rhodes against The Rock and Roman Reigns, the World Heavyweight Champion was nowhere near 100 percent and was nursing an injured knee.
McIntyre taunted Punk outside the ring, readying to level Rollins with a Future Shock, but Rollins countered it into a Pedigree. Rollins then hit a Stomp, but his knee buckled on both occasions, and he could not put away McIntyre.
With the announce table cleared, Rollins got onto it and landed a monumental Stomp on McIntyre. After Rollins rolled McIntyre into the ring, The Scottish Warrior somehow recovered and hit two devastating Claymores for the three-count.
Following the match, an emotional Rollins exited up the ramp and appeared to say, “You deserve it, man,” to the new champion, who subtly nodded to The Visionary.
McIntyre, however, climbed onto the announce table to gloat to CM Punk. After dangling the title in the face of his nemesis and using D-Generation X’s signature taunt to The Second City Saint, Punk retaliated by pulling McIntyre’s legs out from under him and striking him with his brace.
Damian Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and defeated Drew McIntyre to become the new World Heavyweight Champion
Right after CM Punk leveled Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest dashed to the ring to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. He drilled McIntyre with the briefcase at ringside before hitting South of Heaven in the ring to become the new World Heavyweight Champion and celebrating with his ecstatic Judgment Day family on top of the stage.
In utter disbelief, a dejected McIntyre could only watch from the ring while Punk serenaded him with a sarcastic round of applause from ringside.
The Pride def. The Final Testament in a Six-Man Tag Team Philadelphia Street Fight
WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg was on hand to provide guest commentary, and Bubba Ray Dudley was the Special Guest Referee for this incredible Six-Man Tag Team, Philadelphia Street Fight.
The Final Testament destroyed the Kendo sticks, wailing The Pride with repeated strikes. As They were about to stack up The Street Profits to win the match, B-Fab clobbered AOP with a steel chair until Scarlett took her out with a trash can.
Bubba didn’t take long to bring out the glasses after Kross got into the face of the WWE Hall of Famer.
With Bubba directing traffic, Ford and Dawkins paid homage to The Dudley Boyz with a Wassssup headbutt. Bubba and The Pride then shouted to get the tables, and Ford hit a vast frog splash through the table to win the match.
LA Knight def. AJ Styles
In a fast-paced melee between two Superstars who have quickly developed a dangerous amount of animosity, LA Knight blitzed AJ Styles from the start until The Phenomenal One chop blocked him.
Knight and Styles attempted to take each other out by using the top rope on multiple occasions, with Knight biting Styles in a gruesome act.
Styles then went for an eye rake, but Knight responded with an avalanche German suplex from the top that left both men reeling.
The Phenomenal One kept up the fight, however, taking out Knight’s knee by using the ring post.
Knight rebounded by exposing the concrete floor, but it backfired on The Megastar, as Styles’s back body dropped him right onto the unforgiving floor.
With the count reaching nine, Knight somehow got back into the ring just nanoseconds before the referee counted 10.
As Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm, Knight countered with a BFT attempt, but Styles countered with a rollup for a two-count.
After Styles again tried for a Phenomenal Forearm, Knight caught his rival with a devastating BFT to win the match, YEAH!
United States Champion Logan Paul def. Kevin Owens and Randy Orton in a Triple Threat Match
Randy Orton and Kevin Owens zipped to the ring on a golf cart looking to tee off on United States Champion Logan Paul.
KO landed the first big blow with a double cannonball on both opponents.
Owens’ attempt at a Swanton backfired as Paul lifted his knees. Paul then hit Owens with a Swanton of his own, followed by a splash onto Orton, showcasing his athleticism.
Paul again used his brass knuckles, catching The Apex Predator square in the jaw, but The Viper kicked out. Paul hammered KO in the midsection and face with the devastating weapon still wrapped around his fist. Out of nowhere, Orton caught the U.S. Champion with an RKO but could not capitalize.
Just as Orton was about to blast Paul with the punt, IShowSpeed, clad in the PRIME bottle outfit, saved Paul from disaster.
Orton responded by obliterating IShowSpeed with an RKO on the announce table.
The Viper countered the Pop-up Powerbomb into a devastating RKO, but Paul was there to hurl Orton out of the ring. Paul then hit a stunning frog splash on Owens to retain the U.S. Title.
Bayley def. IYO SKY to win the WWE Women’s Championship
In a highly personal affair, the founder of Damage CTRL took on her former friend and the Superstar who kicked her out of the group she created.
Both Superstars took it to each other as Bayley countered SKY’s leap with a spinebuster onto the floor outside the ring.
The Genius of the Sky lived up to her moniker, striking The Role Model with a huge moonsault from the top rope to the floor.
Despite a bad knee, Bayley drove SKY into the turnbuckle with a sunset powerbomb.
Serenaded by the WWE Universe, Bayley kept fighting, even after two debilitating German suplexes from the champion.
SKY tried to hit the Over the Moonsault, but Bayley raised her knees, delivering a big blow to the titleholder and more damage to her knee.
After SKY locked in a cross-face for a second time, Bayley had nowhere to go before SKY locked in an STF.
SKY finally hit the Over the Moonsault, but Bayley miraculously kicked out.
SKY narrowly avoided a Rose Plant and seemed to be closing in on a win, but The Role Model landed a huge elbow drop.
Bayley finally connected with the Rose Plant, becoming the new WWE Women’s Champion in a gutsy performance.
Cody Rhodes def. Roman Reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Title in a Bloodline Rules Match
Battling Roman Reigns under Bloodline Rules, Cody Rhodes faced a mountain to finish his story and win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Rhodes and Roman Reigns took it to each other all over the Linc, fighting through the WWE Universe.
The Tribal Chief tried to insult The American Nightmare by hitting Rhodes with the Cross Rhodes, but the 2023 and 2024 Royal Rumble Winners were kicked out.
Rhodes responded with a Bionic Elbow, looking up to the heavens in tribute to his father Dusty Rhodes.
Rhodes turned it around on Reigns, hitting him with a Spear before connecting with the Cross Rhodes. Unfortunately for Rhodes, Jimmy Uso smacked him in the jaw with a superkick before he could hit the second Cross Rhodes.
Jey emerged to attack his brother and took him out of the equation with a giant Spear off the stage and through a table.
Now fighting Reigns one-on-one, The American Nightmare flew through The Head of the Table, Spearing him through the barricade.
In shades of last year, Solo Sikoa emerged to Spike Rhodes as The American Nightmare was about to hit his third straight Cross Rhodes.
Unbelievably, Rhodes kicked out after Spike/Spear combo.
John Cena then came to fend off Sikoa and hit Reigns with an Attitude Adjustment.
The Final Boss arrived, however, sending the WWE Universe into a frenzy.
Cena tried to take a swing, but The Rock leveled Cena with a Rock Bottom.
Decked out in Shield gear and entering to the iconic music, Seth “Freakin” Rollins emerged but was stopped by Reigns.
The stadium lights went out, and The Undertaker arrived in the ring to Chokeslam The Rock into oblivion!
With the match truly off the walls, Rhodes hit Reigns three successive Cross Rhodes to finally finish his story and become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
An emotional celebration followed as Rhodes was joined by his mother, his wife Brandi Rhodes, Randy Orton, Triple H, CM Punk, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, LA Knight, Cena, Rollins, Bruce Prichard, and Triple H. Many of them embraced The American Nightmare. In contrast, the WWE Universe wholeheartedly embraced their new champion.
Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley def. Becky Lynch
The Women’s World Championship will remain with Rhea Ripley as Mami defeated The Man to kick off WrestleMania XL on Saturday.
Ripley was on a mission not just to defeat Becky Lynch but to humiliate her with an incredible strength advantage. Ever the fighter, Lynch refused to be dominated and fought back in typical Lasskicker fashion.
The Man finally gained the upper hand thanks to her resiliency, punctuated by a massive leg drop to the back of the champion’s head, but Ripley’s power allowed her to dump the challenger on her head.
Lynch managed to lock in the Dis-arm-her on Mami’s injured elbow, but The Eradicator shocked the WWE Universe by deadlifting The Man and slamming her repeatedly onto the mat.
Ripley and Lynch traded their best shots, as Ripley locked in Prism Trap and hit a Riptide while Lynch nailed a Man-handle Slam. However, seemingly no move could end the epic bout.
Mami and The Man were precariously placed on the top rope, but Lynch’s attempt at a Super Man-handle Slam was countered into a pair of Riptides that delivered Ripley the win.
The Awesome Truth and A-Town Down Under def. The Judgment Day, #DIY, The New Day, and New Catch Republic in a Six-Pack Ladder Match to split the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Two new Tag Team Champion duos, The Awesome Truth and A-Town Down Under, captured gold by unlatching two titles.
The action came fast and furious early on, highlighted by Tyler Bate’s incredible airplane spin on Finn Bálor as The Judgment Day star was tangled in a ladder.
The Awesome Truth and #DIY hatched a plan for each team to grab separate titles, but they were thwarted by A-Town Under, who scaled the ladders to become SmackDown Tag Team Champion.
The New Day felt their presence as Kofi Kingston flew off the top of a ladder to take out his opponents, but Austin Theory prevented Xavier Woods from winning the title.
R-Truth looked poised to scale the ladder and win the match, but JD McDonagh appeared and knocked him off, and The Judgment Day felt the wrath of The New Day’s steel chair attack.
Damian Priest climbed the ladder looking to retain, but R-Truth reemerged, took out his former friend, scaled the ladder, and won the Raw Tag Team Title for himself and The Miz.
WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio teamed up with Andrade to take out his bitter rival Santos Escobar and his son, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio. Still, they also received a big boost from some Philadelphia favorites.
Like he did at WrestleMania 39, Mysterio wanted to beat some respect into his son, but “Dirty” Dom countered his father and gained the advantage for himself and Escobar.
The legendary luchador took a hellacious beating from Escobar, but he finally managed to tag in Andrade as El Idolo went to work against their opponents.
Mysterio nailed a 619 on Escobar as Andrade hit a twisting splash to the outside, but chaos ensued as all members of The LWO and Legado Del Fantasma hit the ring.
“Dirty.” Dom went to go for a steel chair, but he was attacked by two masked men, allowing The LWO to regain control. Mysterio then hit a 619 and a splash for the win, with the mystery men revealing themselves as NFL superstars Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles!
Jey Uso def. Jimmy Uso
The City of Brotherly Love was treated to a good old-fashioned battle of brothers as Jey and Jimmy Uso threw down, with YEET overcoming NO YEET.
Jey started the action with a bang as he hit his twin with a dive between the ropes before the bell could even ring.
The match became emotional as a teary-eyed Jimmy begged for his brother’s hand. Jey immediately regretted his decision of mercy as Jimmy’s nastiness reared its ugly head once again.
Jey finally managed to counter his brother into a Spear and hit a Uso Splash to win over his twin.
Jade Cargill, Naomi & Bianca Belair def. Damage CTRL – Six-Woman Tag Team Match
The team of Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair was nothing short of a dream team as they took down Asuka, Kairi Sane, and Dakota Kai of Damage CTRL in a Six-Woman Tag Team Match.
Naomi and Belair felt the wrath of the WWE Tag Team Champions, The Kabuki Warriors, as they couldn’t gain sustained momentum.
Making her WrestleMania debut, Cargill brought the storm to her opponents by tossing around every member of Damage CTRL. She downed her opponents and also gave her partners enough time to recover.
Asuka went for her signature mist attack, but it backfired as she hit Sane. This allowed Cargill, Belair, and Naomi to wipe out their competition, punctuated by a vast Jaded from Cargill.
Sami Zayn def. Gunther to win the Intercontinental Championship
Gunther’s record reign as Intercontinental Champion is officially over as Sami Zayn dethroned the titan at WrestleMania XL Saturday.
The brutal offense of Gunther was on full display as he relentlessly chopped and attacked Zayn, including several brutal clotheslines in the corner.
Zayn refused to relent to the champion and showed an immeasurable amount of heart, countering Gunther’s signature clubbing blows and sleeper hold.
A dropkick and a thunderous powerbomb seemingly won the match for the titleholder, but Zayn again showed the championship grit needed to survive.
More power, lariats, and brutal strikes followed, with Gunther even taking time to mock Zayn’s wife sitting at ringside.
While Gunther prepared for another splash from the top rope, a defiant Zayn nailed a Helluva Kick and Brainbuster before hitting one final Helluva Kick to win the Intercontinental Title.
The Rock & Roman Reigns def. Cody Rhodes & Seth “Freakin” Rollins
The Tribal Chief and The Final Boss came to Philadelphia to conquer, and that’s precisely what they did by defeating Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins in the main event of WrestleMania XL Saturday.
The tension was palpable as Rollins started the match against his former Shield partner, Roman Reigns, all while the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion mocked and berated his former friend.
The American Nightmare was itching to be tagged in, and The Visionary obliged, giving the WWE Universe a preview of what’s to come on WrestleMania Sunday.
The action quickly broke down as all four Superstars battled around Lincoln Financial Field, with The threatening the WWE official to prevent a count-out.
Rollins fought valiantly through a knee injury and finally tagged in his partner. The American Nightmare began to clear house, dispatching Reigns with his signature offense highlighted by a Disaster Kick and a Cody Cutter.
With Reigns isolated, the dynamic duo had the match seemingly won after a Cross Rhodes, but The Rock pulled the referee out of the ring before the three-count. The Rock lined up Rhodes for The People’s Elbow as the action continued, but The American Nightmare countered it with a Cody Cutter.
Reigns was set on delivering a Spear, but he miscalculated and instead hit The Rock. Rhodes followed up with a Rock Bottom on The Final Boss through a table while Reigns nearly simultaneously Speared Rollins through the barricade.
In the end, The Rock whipped Rhodes one last time, planted him with a Rock Bottom, and hit The People’s Elbow to give his team the win. This ensured that the main event of WrestleMania XL Sunday was contested under Bloodline Rules.
Tunisian side Esperance secured a spot in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-finals after defeating Ivorian club ASEC 4-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout on Saturday night.
The second-leg, quarter-final encounter in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan ended in a goalless stalemate at the end of regular time.
With the aggregate score level, the match was decided by a nerve-wracking penalty shootout, with Esperance emerging victorious.
With a goalless draw in both legs, Esperance Tunis emerged victorious in the penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Amanallah Memmiche made crucial saves against Christian Kouamé and Salifou Diarrassouba, sealing a 4-2 triumph.
This victory propels Esperance into the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League for the 16th time in its illustrious history.
In the next stage, they will now face South African outfit Mamelodi Sundowns, who secured their semi-final berth on Friday after a penalty shootout victory over Tanzanian side Young Africans.
Playing at the Stade Félix-Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, ASEC Mimosas took a more assertive approach than in the first leg.
Although Esperance maintained possession dominance, with over 60% possession by halftime, ASEC created some dangerous opportunities.
However, these efforts failed to ignite the match significantly.
Anthony Tra Bi Tra’s defensive error almost cost ASEC dearly, but a last-ditch effort saved the day.
Similarly, Esperance’s defense faced a moment of panic, but Memmiche’s decisive intervention prevented the visiting side from going down.
Esperance approached the second half with renewed determination, with Osama Bougherra and Rodrigo squandering chances in the 51st and 54th minutes, respectively.
In the match’s closing stages, ASEC piled pressure on Esperance’s defense in search of a winning goal, but the Tunisian players held firm to ensure the game ended goalless, leading to a penalty shootout.
Esperance goalkeeper Memmiche was the hero during the shootout, saving the second and third penalties by Koffi and Diarrassouba.
Meanwhile, Esperance’s players successfully converted all their penalties to secure their place in the semi-finals.
With their eyes set on continental glory, Esperance will now prepare to face Mamelodi Sundowns in what promises to be an exhilarating semi-final showdown in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
DR Congo giants TP Mazembe have sealed their place in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Semi-Finals after a 2-1 away win over Petro Luanda of Angola, CAFonline reports.
Following a 0-0 statement in Lubumbashi, Jonathan Toro’s opener was almost enough to send the Angolan outfit to their second-ever TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. Still, a rejuvenated Mazembe side returned from the recess to turn the match upside down away from home.
As expected, the Angolan champions took control of the match in the opening stages with attacks from the middle, led by the skillful Pedro Miguel, who pulled strings for the hosts.
The opener nearly came in the 9th minute after danger-man Jonathan Toro’s well-struck volley went inches over the bar, to the visitors’ relief.
The forward made amends in the 29th minute with a well-taken strike at the half-hour mark, giving his side the lead.
With the match destined for victory in favor of the hosts, Philippe Kinzumbi silenced the crowd with a brilliant turn. He unleashed a grass cutter that beat Hugo Marques to level matters in the 82nd minute.
The goal gave the hosts a sudden wakeup call, who had already been in celebratory mode as they started sending numbers forward – a tactic that dismally backfired as Joel Beya broke the hearts of the Angolans with a late strike in referee’s optional time to make it 2-1 in favor of Mazembe who set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash with reigning champions, Al Ahly.
Mazembe will now prepare to face the record-holding champions in a two-legged affair, with the first fixture being at home on 19 April before the away tie on 26 April to determine who between the two will advance to the finals.
*Gombe United FC (docked 6 pts, 6 goals for infraction)
28
7
7
14
15
45
-30
22
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) continues this weekend and will continue into Monday when Kano Pillars play host to 3SC, NPFL reports.
Nine out of 10 matches will be held this matchweek as Rivers United are again involved in continental football this Sunday. Here are the match officials appointed for Matchweek 29.
Six LIVE matches will be broadcast on NPFL-Live and StarTimes.
Saturday, April 6, 2024
PLATEAU UNITED v DOMA UNITED (Live on StarTimes & NPFL-Live)
Referee: Dr Saidu Bashir
Assistant referee 1: Auwalu Suleiman
Assistant Referee 2: Olatunde Abdulmajeed
Fourth official: Yazid Bashir
Kick-off: 3 pm
Venue: New Jos Stadium, Jos
Remo Stars v Akwa United (Live on StarTimes)
Referee: Suleiman Ibrahim
Assistant referee 1: Arinze Anekwe
Assistant Referee 2: Ifeanyi Ebeneme
Fourth official: Justine Nnadi
Kick-off: 5:30 pm
Venue: Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne
Sunday, April 7, 2024
SUNSHINE STARS v BAYELSA UNITED
Referee: Rasheedah Abdulganiyu
Assistant Referee 1: Peter Ogwu
Assistant Referee 2: Beauty Kabedah
Fourth official: Emmanuel Kolawole
Kick-off: 4 pm
Venue: Akure Stadium, Akure
LOBI STARS v ENYIMBA (Live on StarTimes)
Referee: Nasiru Sani
Assistant Referee 1: Shehu Isah
Assistant Referee 2: Faith Agbons
Fourth official: Zubairu Abubakar
Kick-off: 4 pm
Venue: Lafia City Stadium, Lafia
HEARTLAND v SPORTING LAGOS (Live on NPFL-Live)
Referee: Maikudi Abdullahi
Assistant Referee 1: Ikechukwu Taiwo
Assistant Referee 2: Jerry Pam
Fourth official: Akaniyene Udoette
Kick-off: 4 pm
Venue: Enyimba Stadium, Aba
ABIA WARRIORS v RIVERS UNITED (Postponed)
Referee: Saheed Babayanju
Assistant Referee 1: Sufiyanu Bazza
Assistant Referee 2: Isah Gogo
Fourth official: Mustapha Alhassan
Kick-off: 4 pm
Venue: Umuahia Township Stadium, Umuahia
KATSINA UNITED v RANGERS (Live on NPFL-Live)
Referee: Ishola Akanji
Assistant referee 1: Seun Olarenwaju
Assistant Referee 2: Musa Mustapha
Fourth official: Zakari Mohammed
Kick-off: 4 pm
Venue: Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina
KWARA UNITED v BENDEL INSURANCE (Live on NPFL-Live)
Cody Rhodes, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, and Jey Uso whip The Bloodline on the eve of WrestleMania
On a special WrestleMania SmackDown, The American Nightmare and World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins joined Jey Uso in getting retribution on Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa before they collide with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and The Rock on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
“Big” Bronson Reed won the 2024 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
“Big” Bronson Reed etched his name in history as he thrillingly won the 2024 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Omos looked like the early favorite as he tossed out Kit Wilson, prompting Elton Prince to voluntarily eliminate himself to join his Pretty Deadly partner and avoid the wrath of The Nigerian Giant.
As the field dwindled, Ricochet was poised to take control, but he was shockingly eliminated by JD McDonagh, who was then promptly superkicked over the top rope by Akira Tozawa.
Tozawa, Reed, Ivar, and Otis were the final four Superstars, and the Aussie giant stood tall after eliminating the Viking Raider.
Elektra Lopez def. Zelina Vega
The red-hot rivalry between The LWO and Legado del Fantasma added another chapter when Elektra Lopez stunned Zelina Vega.
Moments before the match began, Dragon Lee was found injured in the backstage area, leaving Vega emotional before her primary matchup.
Vega seemingly had the match won, but “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio interfered, allowing Lopez to hit Elektra Shock to win the bout for her group.
After the match, Legado del Fantasma started beating Rey Mysterio, but Andrade switched his alliances and joined the WWE Hall of Famer in the fight!
New Catch Republic def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller
Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne picked up an enormous win heading into WrestleMania XL, knocking off Austin Theory and Grayson Waller.
Both teams will meet in the Six-Pack Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles, but the duos clashed on the final SmackDown before their championship opportunity.
New Catch Republic isolated The Aussie Icon and hit a Birming-Hammer to secure their victory.
After the match, Judgment Day stormed the ring and destroyed both teams, sending a message that they wouldn’t easily surrender their titles.
Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa ended in a No-Contest.
Jey Uso battled his younger .brother Solo Sikoa in a hard-hitting, emotional matchup, but it did not see a winner as Jimmy Uso interfered and forced a no-contest.
Jey Uso looked strong, nailing several superkicks and a spear, sparking huge “YEET!” chants in Philadelphia, but the mood changed when his twin arrived.
Uso and Sikoa attacked their brother, but Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins came to the rescue and whipped their Bloodline enemies with The American Nightmare’s weight belt.
Nigeria women seize the initiative in the Olympic Games qualifier against South Africa
Nigeria surged ahead with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against South Africa in the first leg of the final qualification round for the women at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Abuja on Friday, CAFonline reports.
Rasheedat Ajibade was the heroine for the Super Falcons as her converted penalty sealed the victory for the home side in their final qualifier.
The Super Falcons asserted their dominance early in the match, with Ihezuo narrowly missing a scoring opportunity in the fifth minute after a precise pass from Echigini.
Thirteen minutes later, Ihezuo’s header from Okeke’s cross further threatened the Banyana Banyana defense, signaling the home side’s intent.
These near misses were a prelude to Nigeria’s breakthrough just before halftime.
A determined run by Chinwendu Ihezuo into the penalty area culminated in a foul, leading to the referee awarding a penalty in favor of Nigeria.
Ajibade stepped to the spot and calmly converted, granting the Super Falcons a crucial lead as halftime beckoned.
Banyana Banyana launched a spirited fightback after the break with Seoposenwe tested Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie in the 56th minute, but her efforts were thwarted.
Nnadozie continued to showcase her prowess, making another crucial save four minutes later to maintain Nigeria’s advantage.
With the final whistle-blowing, Nigeria emerged triumphant with a slender 1-0 victory in the inaugural leg of the final qualifying round.
South Africa faces an uphill battle overturning the deficit during the return leg slated for April 9 in Pretoria.
Moroccan women’s national team edged closer to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games following their dramatic 2-1 first-leg triumph against hosts Zambia in Ndola on Friday, CAFonline reports.
The Atlas Lionesses secured the important away victory in the game’s dying embers, with striker Rosella Ayane grabbing the winner in the 95th minute.
This triumph puts the Atlas Lionesses in a commanding position as they prepare for the return leg on home soil next Tuesday.
Under the astute guidance of coach Jorge Vilda, the Moroccan squad displayed exceptional resilience and skill to outmaneuver their Zambian counterparts led by Bruce Mwape.
🏁 FULL TIME! in Abuja 📍
Nigeria 🇳🇬 1-0 South Africa 🇿🇦
Rasheedat Ajibade 43'
First leg ✅ Still to come, second leg in Pretoria on April 9!
Despite facing early pressure, they withstood a penalty scare in the 33rd minute, brilliantly thwarted by Moroccan goalkeeper Khadija Rmichi, denying Prisca Chilufya’s attempt.
However, just before halftime, Morocco seized the initiative with a breathtaking goal by Zineb Redouani in the 45th minute from 30 yards plus, leaving Zambian goalkeeper Eunice Sakala helpless.
Upon resumption, the Moroccans faced relentless pressure from Zambia, eventually conceding an equalizer from Lushomo Mweemba in the 80th minute.
Yet, with the match seemingly destined for a stalemate, Ayane emerged as the hero, securing victory for Morocco in the game’s dying moments.
As Jorge Vilda’s squad prepares to return home, they will seek to replicate the form on Tuesday when they host Zambia in the return leg.
Gun down Young Africans in a tense penalty shootout victory
Mamelodi Sundowns have clinched their spot in the semi-final of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after a tense penalty shootout victory over Young Africans on Friday, CAFonlinereports.
The South African giants had to dig deep to defeat their resilient Tanzanian opponents, and the match culminated in a goalless draw after extra time.
The dramatic shootout unfolded, ending 3-2 in favor of Sundowns.
Young Africans proved to be formidable adversaries, fiercely contesting every ball and frustrating their South African counterparts.
Despite relentless pressure from Sundowns, the Tanzanian side held firm, with goalkeeper Ronwen Williams particularly influential in keeping his team in the game.
A pivotal moment came in the 51st minute when Ivorian forward Joseph Guede squandered a golden opportunity to break the deal block by failing to beat the vigilant Williams in a one-on-one situation.
Despite mounting pressure, Young Africans remained resolute, with their defensive line standing firm against waves of Sundowns attacks.
The deadlock persisted until the penalty shootout, where Williams emerged as the hero. He saved two crucial spot-kicks to propel Sundowns to victory.
The triumph marks another milestone for Williams, named the best goalkeeper in the recent TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire 2023.
With their place secured in the final, Sundowns now await the clash winner between ASEC Mimosas and Esperance.
Next week on WrestleMania SmackDown, Jey Uso fights his brother Solo Sikoa before he engages in a brutal showdown with his twin brother Jimmy at WrestleMania XL.
In his only other singles bout against Sikoa, “Main Event,” Jey emerged victorious last August.
With only one night until The Showcase of the Immortals, can Jey Uso knock off his brother before he fights his twin?
Randy Orton heads to “The KO Show”
Next week, just one sleep away from WrestleMania, The Viper will head to “The Kevin Owens Show.”
With Logan Paul getting involved to make Orton and Owens lose to Pretty Deadly, each Superstar will try to devise a game plan for victory in their Triple Threat Match with Paul for the U.S. Title at WrestleMania.
How will each Superstar get ready for their vast WrestleMania match?
Who will win the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal?
Next week, on a WrestleMania-sized edition of SmackDown, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal returns with many Superstars hungry to earn the coveted prize.
With past winners like Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, and Jey Uso all hoisting the impressive trophy, it’s anyone’s game this year to win it all.
Who will become the 2024 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Winner?
Zelina Vega collides with Elektra Lopez
The LWO’s bitter rivalry with Legado del Fantasma continues to rage as Zelina Vega will battle Elektra Lopez just hours before WrestleMania XL.
Since arriving on SmackDown, La Madrina has tormented Vega and the rest of The LWO, costing them several matches and wreaking havoc weekly.
Vega is tired of Lopez’s antics and will finally go one-on-one with her nemesis.
New Catch Republic battle Grayson Waller and Austin Theory before WrestleMania XL
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate of New Catch Republic will take on two of their WrestleMania XL opponents, Grayson Waller and Austin Theory.
New Catch Republic, Theory, and Waller will compete in the Six-Pack Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania XL. Still, they’ll battle it out on the last Friday Night SmackDown for a statement-making win.
Which tag team will claim a huge victory just hours before The Show of Shows?
Ahly Image credit: CAFonline
