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In the world of football, Ivory Coast won the AFCON title for the third time after getting the better of Nigeria by 2-1 in the final through a late comeback. Kenya’s marathon world record holder and one of the prospects of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot met with a horrific car accident in Kenya on Sunday, February 11.
Read below to learn details about these top stories and other happenings in the sporting world in the last 24 hours.
Football
Ivory Coast wins AFCON title after defeating Nigeria by 2-1
Ivory Coast defeated Nigeria by 2-1 in the final to lift the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title for the third time in their illustrious footballing history. Sebastien Haller, who had survived a bout of cancer last year, scored a winner in the 81st minute for the West African nation, completing an inspiring second-half comeback which began with the goal from Franck Kessi after Nigeria went into the lead through William Troost-Ekong's strike in the first half.
Roy Keane states Manchester United have momentum after securing late win against Aston Villa
The former Manchester United captain Roy Keane spoke about Manchester United having all the momentum after they completed a 2-1 win against Aston Villa in the Premier League through a Scott McTominay goal in the 86th minute. The Irishman was quoted as saying to Sky Sports, “They have the momentum. The teams ahead of them - especially Aston Villa and Tottenham - will be worried. They are hunting them down.”
United, City, and Chelsea show interest in signing Kaoru Mitoma: Reports
Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing the Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma from Brighton, as per the report from Fichajes.net. The 26-year-old has scored 13 goals and 14 assists for Brighton in his 66 matches for the club across the last two seasons, and despite his contract running with them until 2027, he could be headed to a bigger club in the upcoming summer.
Carlo Ancelotti hints at Kylian Mbappe not need in Real Madrid squad
The Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has hinted that they don’t need the French forward Kylian Mbappe, who has been linked with a big-money move to them for years. In his latest press conference, Carlo Ancelotti was quoted as saying, “You keep asking about a player who plays for another team, before adding, “We already have the best players in the world here. In order: Vini Jr first, Bellingham second, Rodrygo third. Then Kroos, Valverde, Camavinga…”
Some major results in football are as under:
AFCON 2023 Final
Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast
Premier League 2023-24
West Ham United 0-6 Arsenal
Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester United
La Liga 2023-24
Barcelona 3-3 Girona
Sevilla 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Bundesliga 2023-24
Stuttgart 3-1 Mainz
Hoffenheim 1-1 Koln
Serie A 2023-24
AC Milan 1-0 Napoli
Genoa 1-4 Atalanta
Ligue 1 2023-24
Nice 2-3 Monaco
Eredivisie 2023-24
Heerenveen 3-2 Ajax
FC Volendam 1-5 PSV Eindhoven
Athletics
Kenya’s world record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies in road accident
Kenya’s marathon world record holder and one of the prospects of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot met with a horrific car accident in Kenya on Sunday, February 11. However, the 24-year-old champion and his coach Gervais Hakizimana passed away on the spot while the third passenger reportedly sustained severe injuries. According to police official Peter Mulinge, “The car had three occupants, two died on the spot, while one was taken to hospital. The two are Kiptum and his coach,” Peter Mulinge, Police Commander for Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Swimming
Chinese Pan Zhanle sets 100 metres freestyle world record
China's swimming sensation Pan Zhanle created the men's 100-metre freestyle world record at the Swimming World Championships in Doha on Sunday. This incredible feat helped him achieve a stunning leadoff swim in the 4x100m relay to help China win the title. The 19-year-old registered an insane time of 46.80 seconds, breaking the 46.86s record set by Romania's David Popovici, as the opening day of the event finished with a bang at the Aspire Dome pool.
Tennis
Elena Rybakina beats Daria Kasatkina 6-1 6-4 to win Abu Dhabi Open
Top seed Elena Rybakina put forth a dominant performance to register a 6-1 6-4 win over Russian Daria Kasatkina in the final of the Abu Dhabi Open on Sunday. With this win, the Kazakhstan star lifted her second trophy of the season and seventh overall. The 2022 Wimbledon champion got off to a stunning start at the Stadium Court and cruised to clinch the opening set. She took this form and soon won the game despite Kasatkina’s attempts to break ahead. Talking about this performance, Rybakina said, "A tough week, especially the last matches and tomorrow is already a match in Doha (for Kasatkina)."
Surfing
Two-time surfing world champion Filipe Toledo withdraws from 2024 professional tour
Surfing world champion Filipe Toledo withdrew from the 2024 professional world tour to take a one-year mental health break from competition. The Brazilan has emerged as one of the top surfers in the world with two championships but expressed that he needed time to recover from mental fatigue."In the past, I have been honest about some of my challenges not only with injuries but also with mental health," the Brazilian said. "Competing at the highest level for the past decade has taken a toll on me and I need a break to recover for the next chapter of my career."
Formula One
People out the know how good I am: Mick Schumacher hints possible F1 return with Mercedes
German driver Mick Schumacher has revealed recent discussions with the Mercedes F1 team about a possible return to Formula One as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. When asked about his conversation with Toto Wolff and Co. about 2025, Schumacher said it has only been brief. “It is of course a position that brings with it a lot of pressure. But in terms of feeling, I feel I’m up to it,” he told sport.de. “But it’s not my decision. We will certainly be able to talk a little more in the next few days. My chance [to return] is there, I don’t know how big it is yet. I think it will also depend a bit on performance. Hopefully, I can recommend myself. I think a few people out there know how good I am,” continued.
