Following the shooting that led to the death of two Swedish in Brussels, Belgium abandoned their Euro 2024 qualifier match against Sweden on Monday.

Lifestyle Nigeria reports that the killings happened in the city hours before the game and are being treated as terrorism with the gunman at large.

The decision to abandon the game was confirmed at about 21:30 BST.

Officials ordered fans and players to stay in the King Baudouin Stadium for their own safety, before an evacuation began at about 22:45 BST.

Police escorted the Sweden team out of the airport, while fans were accompanied into the city.

Sweden boss Janne Andersson said he and the players only found out about the shooting at half-time.

Anderson said, “When I came down for the break, I got this information. Immediately, I felt that it was completely unreal. What kind of world do we live in today?

“I came into the locker room and when the team started talking, we agreed 100% that we didn’t want to play on out of respect for the victims and their families.”

However, it is not yet known if the victims were in Brussels to SEE the Euro 2024 qualifier.

A Swedish FA social media post said, “Our thoughts go out to all the relatives of those affected in Brussels.”

Meanwhile, the Belgian national team’s account posted a statement that read, “Our thoughts are with all those affected.”

A Update posted on social media showed an Arabic-speaking man claiming he carried out the attack in the name of God.

After the shooting on Boulevard d’Ypres, which happened at around 18:00 BST (19:00 local time), police and emergency services cordoned off nearby roads.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo “offered my sincere condolences to the Swedish PM following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels”.

He said, “Our thoughts are with the families and friends who lost their loved ones. As close partners the fight against terrorism is a joint one.”

The game was 1-1 when it was abandoned.

On his part, Sweden captain Victor Lindelof said, “Belgium are already qualified and we don’t have the opportunity to get to the European Championship, so I see no reason to play [replay the game].”

In a friendly match, Nigerian National Football Team, Super Eagles had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia after conceding a late goal.

Lifestyle Nigeria reports Kelechi Iheanacho, who came on as a substitute, initially gave Nigeria the lead after they fell behind on Friday.

Iheanacho scored in the 81st minute, putting the Super Eagles ahead. However, a late free-kick from the Saudi Arabian team led to a draw.

The match saw the Green Falcons take the lead in the 60th minute after a mishandled corner kick by Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho resulted in an own goal. But Nigeria quickly responded, with Victor Boniface’s strike leveling the scores just 13 minutes later.

Nigeria continued to press forward, and Iheanacho, who entered the game in the 64th minute, seized an opportunity at the edge of the box, sending the ball into the top-left corner of the net, giving Nigeria the advantage.

However, in added time, Nigeria conceded a free-kick at the edge of the box, and the resulting strike deflected off a Nigerian player, resulting in a draw for Roberto Mancini’s side.

Next, Nigeria is set to play Mozambique in another friendly match as part of their preparations for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

In the 2023 AFCON, Nigeria is drawn in Group A with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea, with the aim of advancing further than the round of 16, where they were eliminated in the previous edition held in neighboring Cameroon.

Arsenal secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday, marking their first league win against the Citizens since 2015.

Lifestyle Nigeria reports that this victory ended a frustrating run of 12 successive league defeats to Manchester City for Arsenal and was seen as a moment of redemption for the North London club.

While Arsenal had previously beaten City on penalties in the Community Shield in August, this Premier League win carries added significance.

Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal, which took a deflection off City defender Nathan Ake, sealed the triumph for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.

The win propelled Arsenal to second place in the league, two points ahead of third-placed Manchester City and just behind leaders Tottenham, based on goal difference.

This loss marked a rare sign of vulnerability for Manchester City, who had won their first six league games of the season before losing two consecutive matches, including this defeat to Arsenal and three back to back defeats across all competitions.

While City is not expected to give up their title defense easily, manager Pep Guardiola faces challenges in rejuvenating his squad, which may have lost some of its hunger after achieving a treble-winning season.

On the other hand, Arsenal, under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta, is showing determination to compete for the title this season after narrowly missing out on the Premier League championship in the previous campaign.

Arteta’s tactical acumen, particularly his substitutions in this match, played a key role in Arsenal’s victory, adding an early twist to the Premier League title race.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and Mateo Kovacic’s clashes with City players added to the intensity of the match, with Arsenal’s fans providing passionate support.

Ultimately, it was a masterstroke from Arteta, who introduced Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz, that led to Martinelli’s match-winning goal in the 86th minute.

City appeared content with a draw, but Arsenal’s persistence paid off as they secured a memorable victory, ending their long wait for a league win over Manchester City.