Sports
Alex Iwobi’s Late Strike Seals Fulham’s First Home Win of the Season
Alex Iwobi’s decisive 70th-minute goal ensured Fulham secured a 2-1 victory over Leicester City in their first Premier League home game of the season. The Nigerian winger’s composed finish through the legs of Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen restored Fulham’s lead after Wout Faes had equalized for the Foxes before halftime.
Fulham started the match strongly, with their dominance evident throughout. The Cottagers took the lead when Emile Smith Rowe, recently signed from Arsenal for £34 million, slotted home his first goal for the club. Smith Rowe, who struggled for game time at Arsenal last season, showed his quality by collecting a pass from Adama Traore, driving into the box, and firing a low shot into the far corner.
Leicester managed to level the score 20 minutes later through Wout Faes. Initially, referee Darren Bond disallowed the goal, ruling that Jamie Vardy had interfered with Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno from an offside position. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, allowing the goal to stand.
Despite Leicester’s equalizer, Fulham continued to control the match, creating numerous chances. Iwobi eventually found the breakthrough in the 70th minute, coolly finishing past Hermansen after a slick move. Leicester struggled to regain momentum after falling behind again, with Wilfred Ndidi coming closest to an equalizer in injury time, only to see his shot saved by Leno.
Fulham’s win marks a strong response after their narrow defeat to Manchester United in their opening game. Manager Marco Silva, who expressed the need for more signings, will be pleased with the performances of his new recruits, especially Smith Rowe, who showed great promise in his debut.
Leicester, on the other hand, were unconvincing at both ends of the pitch. Despite Faes’ goal, the Foxes struggled to create clear-cut chances and were defensively vulnerable, narrowly avoiding conceding more goals thanks to some excellent saves from Hermansen. Jamie Vardy, Leicester’s talisman, had little impact on the game and was substituted in the second half after failing to register a single shot.
Warren Gatland is set to leave his role as Wales head coach after a record-breaking 14 consecutive Test match defeats, bringing an early end to his second tenure in charge.
Although the 61-year-old was contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he was already expected to step down after the Six Nations. Now, his departure will come midway through the tournament, with Wales still set to face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, Scotland on 8 March, and England on 15 March.
Possible successors include former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow’s Franco Smith, and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby.
Gatland, who enjoyed a highly successful 12-year first stint with Wales—winning three Grand Slams and leading the team to two World Cup semi-finals—returned in December 2022 to replace Wayne Pivac. However, his second tenure has been marred by poor performances, with Wales suffering their worst losing streak in 144 years of international rugby. The 22-15 loss to Italy last weekend cemented their decline, dropping them to 12th in the world rankings.
In total, Gatland has overseen 151 Tests across both spells, with 76 wins, 73 losses, and two draws. His recent record stands at just six victories in 26 matches, a win ratio of only 23%.
Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week’s Genesis Invitational, stating he is “still processing” the recent death of his mother, Kultida Woods.
The 15-time major champion, who had initially planned to participate, announced his withdrawal on social media, saying, “I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”
Woods’ mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4. Just days later, tournament organizers had confirmed Woods’ participation in the event, which is now being held at Torrey Pines instead of its usual Riviera Country Club venue due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since The Open at Royal Troon last July. His competitive appearances have been sporadic since a 2021 car accident left him with severe leg injuries, and he underwent additional back surgery in September. Most recently, he played alongside his son, Charlie, in a 36-hole event in December and participated in an exhibition for the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which he co-founded.
As the tournament host, Woods hopes to attend the Genesis Invitational later in the week but has not committed to a specific timeline. The event benefits his TGR Foundation, which supports youth education initiatives.
Fans and fellow players have expressed their condolences and support for Woods as he navigates this difficult time.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during Spurs’ Europa League clash against Elfsborg last week and will undergo surgery.
Dragusin is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, though recovery from ACL injuries can sometimes extend to a year. Tottenham confirmed that their medical team will monitor his rehabilitation to determine his return timeline.
The Romanian international had become a key figure for Spurs, starting 21 of their last 23 games. His absence adds to an already extensive injury list, which includes Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. However, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have recently returned to action.
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 in a £25 million deal. To bolster their defensive options, Spurs signed Austria international Kevin Danso on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £21 million. They also made an ambitious £70 million bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, which was rejected, but secured the signing of 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
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