Orban’s Resurgence at Hoffenheim After Lyon Nightmare Nigeria forward Gift Orban burst onto the European football scene in 2023 when he joined Belgian Pro League side KAA Gent in January and bagged a brace on debut before scoring four times against Zulte Waregem.  He then etched his name in European Cup competition history by netting the fastest hat-trick in the UEFA Europa Conference League in March of the same year against Istanbul Basaksehir, doing so in an astonishing three minutes and 25 seconds.  Those performances not only earned the Benue-born attacker his debut call-up to the Nigerian national team but also resulted in Ligue 1 giants Olympique Lyonnais splashing out €15m to acquire his services in January 2024.  Since then, though, the 22-year-old striker endured a very difficult period, which included being omitted from the Super Eagles squad due to administrative hurdles, while his tenure with Lyon turned turbulent and ended in him being dropped from the team due to disciplinary reasons.  However, after making just three appearances in the first half of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season, Orban was handed a lifeline in the form of a cut-price deal to join a Bundesliga club, TSG Hoffenheim, at the start of this year.  When he joined Die Kraichgauer, the team was one of the favourites to be relegated from the German top flight by most of the best online betting sites, but his partnership alongside Andrej Kramaric has been instrumental in getting their side out of the drop zone, now 10 points clear of the dotted line.  Football predictions Orban Making Case for Super Eagles’ Recall Orban made a seamless transition to the Bundesliga following his move from Ligue 1 and netted four goals for Hoffenheim in his first six appearances, including a crucial strike against VfB Stuttgart, which earned his side a point at home in late February.  The 22-year-old has featured in all but one of Die Kraichgauer’s league games since then and has become one of the first names on the team sheet under the guidance of new boss, Christian Ilzer, who joined the club in November last year.  However, Orban’s club performances have not translated into national team success just yet, as he was left out of the Super Eagles provisional squad selection for their recently completed 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe last month.  The striker’s omission sparked outrage among Super Eagles fans on social media, particularly after the likes of Ahmed Musa and former Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho made the preliminary squad.  Eric Chelle’s side subsequently endured a tough set of results, beating Amavumbi but drawing against the Warriors, which has now placed their World Cup qualification hopes in major doubt, while fans continue to demand change and improvement from the three-time African champions.  Indeed, Orban faces serious competition to get into the Super Eagles squad ahead of Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface, but if he continues to perform at the level he is producing in Germany, Chelle will have no choice but to ...

Gul Favourite to Replace Andre Adams as Bangladesh Bowling Coach  Former Pakistan speedster Umar Gul is the leading candidate to take over the role as Bangladesh’s new fast bowling coach, with reports indicating that Andre Adams, the team’s current coach, is nearing an exit.  Adams is under contract with the Tigers until February 2026, but word around the rumour mill suggests that the former New Zealand cricketer’s tenure with the team could be cut short owing to his “dissatisfying” performance in recent years.  While there have been several mixed reports indicating that Gul has already been handed his new role with the team, the 42-year-old cleared up the speculation in a recent interview with the media, where he said:  “We are in talks, but nothing is confirmed yet. The confirmation depends on mutual understanding and terms and conditions, and that is dependent on the board.” It is understood that if Gul is given the coaching role with the Tigers, it will be ahead of the team’s tour of Pakistan in May and will be on an initial three-month basis, with the potential for an extension to 2027 if all parties are satisfied following the series against the Green Shirts.  However, the former Pakistan bowler is expected to face tough competition for the job, with former Australian quick Shaun Tait also under consideration, along with West Indian Ottis Gibson and South African legend Allan Donald.  Bangladesh have also made other key decisions in their backroom setup, with head coach Phil Simmons’s contract being extended until the 2027 ICC World Cup, while Mohammad Salahuddin is expected to become the team’s assistant coach in the coming days.  Don’t forget to check out our IPL predictions for the remainder of the ongoing competition! Cricket predictions Umar Gul Credentials and Career During his time playing for the Pakistan national team, Gul was a regular feature in the side, making a total of 60 T20Is, 130 ODIs and 47 Test appearances, since bursting onto the scene against Bangladesh in Karachi in August 2003. He also played a crucial role in the Shaheens’ 2009 T20 World Cup triumph, where he bagged an incredible five wickets for just six runs against New Zealand in the semi-final of the competition.  After retiring from all forms of the game in 2020, Gul began his journey into coaching, serving as the bowling coach of Pakistan Super League outfit Quetta Gladiators before taking up coaching positions with the Pakistan national team and, most recently, Afghanistan in 2022. Should the 42-year-old secure the role with the Tigers, he will be tasked with moulding a group of promising Bangladeshi pace bowlers, including the likes of Tanzim Hasan Shakib, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana.  Bangladesh and Pakistan are expected to face off in five T20Is during May (dates to be confirmed), and you can view our cricket predictions for those matches ahead of the first fixture.  Cricket predictions

Records That Can Be Broken in IPL 2025 The first month of the 2025 IPL season has certainly lived up to the billing, and while we have seen a fair few surprises so far, there’s still everything to play for with just four points separating the league-leading Delhi Capitals and second-bottom Sunrisers Hyderabad. In addition to teams jostling for a spot in the knockout rounds, players also have their eyes on individual accolades, and there are plenty of records that are on the line as we head into the second half of the competition.  Starting with the Chennai Super Kings, veteran Ravindra Jadeja entered the tournament needing eight wickets to surpass Dwayne Bravo as the team’s all-time wicket taker. The 36-year-old has picked up two scalps so far, meaning he needs six more to break the record.  Check out our experts’ thoughts on Chennai’s upcoming match via our LSG vs. CSK prediction! You cannot discuss IPL records without bringing up Virat Kohli. The RCB and India batsman is the competition’s all-time leading run-scorer with an incredible tally of 8,252 runs, and he needs just one more half-century to go above David Warner for most 50+ scores in the IPL.  Rohit Sharma is having a tough 2025 campaign, managing just 56 runs in five innings. However, he can still make his mark on the competition, needing 86 more runs to go past Shikhar Dhawan and become the second-highest run-scorer in IPL’s history behind Kohli. This season, Sharma has become the first Mumbai Indians player to score 5,500 IPL career runs! Jasprit Bumrah missed the Mumbai Indians’ first four games of the competition owing to a back injury that also forced him to miss the ICC Champions Trophy last month. However, the Indian paceman is back in action now and needs five more wickets to overtake Lasith Malinga as Mumbai Indians’ highest wicket-taker.  IPL predictions Records That Have Already Been Broken in IPL 2025 The Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Bhuveneshar Kumar added his name to the history books this season, becoming the third-highest wicket-taker in the IPL with 181 scalps. He now trails only Yuzvendra Chahal (206) and Piyush Chawla (192) in the all-time list.  Kohli became the IPL’s fourth-most capped player after Sunday’s match against Rajasthan, while a few days earlier, Jadeja went third in the same list, with only Rohit Sharma and his teammate MS Dhoni now ahead of him with 240 appearances in the competition.  Jadeja also became the first player to complete the double of 3000 runs and 100 wickets in the IPL this season! Chennai Super Kings’ legend MS Dhoni added yet another record to his IPL collection, becoming the franchise’s highest run-scorer this year. He overtook ex-CSK star Suresh Raina, who held the record with 4,687 runs. At 43 years and 9 months old, Dhoni is also the oldest player to feature in the IPL.  Don’t forget, our cricket predictions will be available for every match throughout the remainder of the 2025 IPL! IPL predictions

Mohun Bagan Secure Historic ISL Double The 2024-25 Indian Super League season will go down as one of the most memorable for everyone associated with Mohun Bagan Super Giants, as they clinched their first-ever ISL double at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday afternoon.  The Mariners were head and shoulders the best team in the Indian top flight this season, ending the campaign with just two defeats and 56 points in 24 games, eight points clear of second-placed FC Goa.   With that, MBSG became the first team in the history of the league to successfully defend the ISL Shield, before going on to beat Bengaluru FC 2-1 in the Cup final, with a dramatic late comeback that was worthy of a cup title. Jose Molina’s side went behind just four minutes into the second half after Alberto Rodriguez scored an own goal, but the ever-reliable Jason Cummings stepped up and held his nerve to convert from the penalty spot to restore parity midway through the second period.  The hero of the piece, though, was none other than Australia international Jamie Maclaren, who netted what turned out to be the winner in the first period of extra-time, capping off a remarkable first season in the Indian Super League. Maclaren ended the 2024-25 ISL season as Mohun Bagan’s top scorer with 12 goals and four assists in 25 matches! MBSG can now take a few days to revel in their accomplishments for the season, but they will need to refocus fairly soon, with a Super Cup round of 16 clash against I-League winners Churchill Brothers to come on April 20.  The winner of the Super Cup gains entry to the AFC Champions League Two preliminary round, and you can check out our thoughts on that matchup using our football predictions over the coming weeks! Football predictions 2024-25 Indian Super League awards Before we close the book on what has been one of the most entertaining seasons in the Indian top flight, let’s recap the award winners for the 2024-25 ISL season:  Golden Ball: Alaaeddine Ajaraie (NorthEast United) Golden Boot: Alaaeddine Ajaraie (NorthEast United) Golden Glove: Vishal Kaith (Mohun Bagan SG) Emerging Player: Brison Fernandes (FC Goa) Best Grassroots Program: Jamshedpur FC Best Elite Youth Program: Punjab FC While Mohun Bagan were the best team in the ISL this season, the best player was undoubtedly Alaaeddine Ajaraie. The Moroccan surpassed the record for the most goals in a single ISL campaign (18) by netting 23 times in 24 games while also picking up seven assists.  The Indian Super League may now be over, but there are still plenty of leagues heading into the business end of the season, and you can keep up to the minute with all of it using our football livescore tool right here on SportyTrader! Football predictions

Noor Ahmad – Chennai Super Kings In recent years, Afghanistan have arguably been the most progressive team in world cricket, having finished sixth at the ODI World Cup and reaching the semi-final of the T20 World Cup last year in India.  The team’s success is largely attributable to their ability to produce exciting and talented youngsters, including the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and, of course, the sensational Rashid Khan.  However, the Blue Tigers now have another star in their ranks – Noor Ahmad. The left-arm mystery spinner was snapped up by the Chennai Super Kings at the IPL auction, and while the five-time champions have endured a terrible start to the competition, Ahmad has been impeccable. After five games, the 20-year-old has racked up 12 wickets with an economy rate of just under eight. He has already posted two three-wicket hauls and has a best of 4/18, which came in the IPL’s El-Clasico against the Mumbai Indians on March 23.  Ahmad currently holds the coveted Purple Cap in the competition, two wickets ahead of the chasing pack, and you can check out the IPL odds for the 20-year-old spinner to finish as the top wicket-taker here on SportyTrader! IPL predictions  Priyansh Arya – Punjab Kings The 2025 IPL has delivered only two centurions so far, with the first coming from Ishan Kishan, who scored a stunning 106* off 47 deliveries in the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opening match of the competition against the Rajasthan Royals.  While many had thought that knock would be a tough one to match, we have a very close contender in the form of 24-year-old Priyansh Arya, who blasted the Punjab Kings to a magnificent 18-run victory over CSK earlier this week.  Arya launched nine sixes over the boundary to reach his ton in just 39 balls, making it the fourth-fastest century in the history of the IPL and the second-fastest by an Indian batsman, behind Yusuf Pathan’s 37-ball 100 way back in 2010.  The Punjab opener joins an elite group of uncapped players to reach this milestone in the IPL, alongside the likes of Shaun Marsh (2008), Manish Pandey (2009) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (2023). Arya will be back in action against the Sunrisers on Saturday, and you can check out our experts’ SRH vs. PBKS prediction for free right away.  IPL predictions  Aniket Verma – Sunrisers Hyderabad The Sunrisers Hyderabad are one of the newest franchises in the IPL, and despite their poor performance so far this season, they are widely regarded as one of, if not the most devastating, batting units in the competition.  SRH hold four of the five highest team totals ever posted in the IPL, and one of those came this season, in their opening match, when they scored a stunning 286/6. While the Sunrisers have power-hitters in abundance, an emerging talent is now proving to be one of the first names on the teamsheet – Aniket Verma.  The 23-year-old from Uttar Pradesh has already scored 141 runs and is inside ...

Rishabh Pant – Lucknow Super Giants (₹27.00 crore) Indian wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant made history at the IPL auction in the Middle East in November, as he became the most expensive player in the history of the IPL, with the Lucknow Super Giants splurging a staggering ₹27.00 crore to secure his services.  However, LSG have yet to be repaid for their faith (or funds), with the 27-year-old struggling to find top gear over the early stages of the competition. In five games, he has managed just 19 runs, 15 of which came in a single innings against SRH on March 27.  One of the main reasons the LSG skipper has not come under massive criticism is due to the performances of his teammates, particularly Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh, who have been incredible at the top of the order and sit first and third in the orange cap standings, respectively.  The Super Giants will host the Titans this weekend, and our LSG vs. GT prediction is available online right now! Shreyas Iyer – Punjab Kings (₹26.75 crore) The biggest shock at the IPL auction was the sale of Shreyas Iyer to the Punjab Kings. Iyer led the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title last season and was widely expected to captain the team in their title defence in 2025.  The Kings shelled out a whopping ₹26.75 crore to bring him to Punjab and handed him the captain’s armband in the process. So far, he has come good, currently on 168 runs in four matches, which places him 11th in the race for the orange cap.  Iyer’s best knock in the competition came against the Gujarat Titans on March 25, when he blasted GT’s bowlers to all parts, finishing on 97* in just 42 deliveries. While he has not hit the same kind of heights since then, his leadership has been vital to PBKS’s impressive start to the season.  The Punjab Kings will face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, so be sure to check out our SRH vs. PBKS prediction ahead of the toss! Venkatesh Iyer – Kolkata Knight Riders (₹23.75 crore) After seeing Shreyas Iyer depart for Punjab, the Kolkata Knight Riders prioritised the re-signing of his namesake, Venkatesh, who was one of the standout all-rounders in the 2024 edition of the IPL. KKR shocked onlookers by forking over ₹23.75 crore for Venkatesh, but he has yet to find the type of form he delivered in past seasons. The defending champs have used him as a specialist batter so far in the competition, but he has managed just 116 runs in six matches.  However, to give credit where it’s due, Venkatesh has looked much better in his last two innings, notching up a quick-fire 60 off 29 deliveries against the Sunrisers and 45 off 29 versus LSG, suggesting that he could be on the verge of a big knock.  IPL predictions Arshdeep Singh – Punjab Kings (₹18.00 crore) The most expensive bowler at the IPL auction was Arshdeep Singh, who the Punjab ...

Chelle Optimistic About Nigeria’s WC Qualification After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Nigeria’s hopes of returning to football’s grandest stage in 2026 are still up in the air, with the team currently sitting in fourth place in their qualification group, with seven points after six matches. The Super Eagles were drawn into Group C alongside South Africa, Rwanda, Benin, Lesotho and Zimbabwe, and were the clear favourites by most of the best online betting sites to top the group and earn automatic qualification to the World Cup, which will be hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada next year.  However, the reality has been in stark contrast to expectation! The Super Eagles failed to win any of their first four group-stage qualifiers, and while they did get in the win column against Rwanda last month, that result was followed by a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Warriors of Zimbabwe four days later.  Despite trailing South Africa by six points, all hope is not lost just yet for the Super Eagles, as the second-placed teams from each group are pooled into a second round of qualifying, where the top-four-ranked runners-up will compete for the final two qualification spots.  Given the gap in Group C, the second round seems the most likely and logical way that Nigeria can qualify for the World Cup, and head coach Eric Chelle already has his sights set on it. During a press conference last month, the Nigeria boss admitted:  “I’m so disappointed for my players for the country and the way things are now we have to start looking at second place, we deserve to win but this is football.” Still, Nigeria’s path to the runners-up bracket is far from guaranteed, with the teams occupying the top four positions in the ranking already well ahead of them on points. Here is the current ranking of runners-up ahead of the final four games in the qualifiers. Qualifying campaigns for the World Cup are still ongoing across all regions, and you can keep up with all the action using our World Cup livescore tool here on SportyTrader! Football predictions Rwanda, South Africa Clashes Key For Nigeria The 2026 World Cup qualifiers are set to resume during the international break in September, and Nigeria have two crucial matches to navigate, starting with a home game in Uyo against Amavubi before travelling to the south of the continent to take on Bafana Bafana.  The Super Eagles cannot afford anything less than taking all six points from those matches, and while the clash against South Africa is expected to be a massive test, Chelle is focused on taking it one game at a time. He said:  « It’s an obligation we win in South Africa, but the most important match for us right now is Rwanda in Uyo. South Africa are a good side, but for that game we cannot afford to allow them to play, but first, we have to beat Rwanda at home and then we will focus on the ...

India Tour of Australia: Dates and Venues Upon conclusion of the Indian Premier League, the international cricket season is set to resume, and one of the most eagerly anticipated series will see India travel to face Australia on their home patch across October and November this year.  Kicking off the eight-match tour, the Men in Blue and Baggy Greens will face off in three one-day internationals, with the first match scheduled for October 19 in Perth before heading to Adelaide and Sydney for matches two and three.  Thereafter, the powerhouses of international cricket will face off in five T20I fixtures, with the first being staged at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, while there is also a match set to be played on the Gold Coast, which will be the first the Blue Shirts’ will play in the region.  Notably, this is also the first time that every Australian State and territory will host men’s international cricket, with Canberra and Hobart both included as destinations for matches during the T20 series.  The five-match T20I series is expected to serve as a build-up to India’s title defence at the T20 World Cup next year, which will be jointly hosted in their homeland and neighbouring Sri Lanka, who will be determined to make amends for missing out on the ICC Champions Trophy in March.  India vs. Australia ODI series schedule: October 19: Perth Stadium, Perth (D/N) October 23: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (D/N) October 25: SCG, Sydney (D/N) India vs. Australia T20I series schedule:  October 29: Manuka Oval, Canberra October 31: MCG, Melbourne  November 2: Bellerive Oval, Hobart  November 6: Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast November 8: The Gabba, Brisbane  Cricket predictions Busy Second Half Of Year For India While the tour of Australia has been earmarked as India’s biggest challenge for the remainder of 2025, it is by no means the only one. After the IPL, India have about a month to complete preparations before jetting off to England to face the Three Lions in a five-match Test series.  The first Test is set to get underway on June 20 at the Headingley Cricket Ground before the series moves on to Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford and finally, the Oval in London for the final match of the tour on July 31.  Then, following their tour to Australia, India will host South Africa in a multi-format series, which includes two Test matches in the second half of November, three ODIs up to December 6, and five T20Is between December 9 and 19.  The second half of 2025 is set to be a very busy one for the Indian cricket team and our experts’ cricket predictions will be available throughout, so be sure to check them out! Cricket predictions

Why Was the Indian Grand Prix Taken Off the F1 Calendar? Since the new World Championship launched back in 1950, Formula 1 has raced in 34 countries across the globe, including India, with the very first Indian Grand Prix being hosted at the Buddh International Circuit in Uttar Pradesh in 2011.  Despite signing a five-year deal, F1 raced on the circuit only three times, in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and each of those races were won by Sebastian Vettel, who was Red Bull’s champion driver before the arrival of Max Verstappen.  The fall of the Indian Grand Prix to this day is still widely attributable to the then-Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, who was a firm believer that F1 was not a sport but entertainment, which meant that it had to be taxed accordingly.  As a result, F1 teams and program coordinators were no longer entitled to the tax exemption that other sports enjoy, which sent customs fees skyrocketing and eventually led to the race being paused for two years and eventually canceled in 2016. However, while several previous attempts to bring F1 back to Bharat have largely fallen on deaf ears, perspectives have begun to change in recent years, which has sparked hope that a return of the Indian Grand Prix could be close.  F1 predictions Potential Revival of Formula 1 in India First off, there is no guaranteed confirmation that Formula 1 will return to India in the foreseeable future. However, there are an increasing number of reports from key players and journalists in the know suggesting that the Indian Grand Prix could be reinstated.  One of the major reasons that could come to fruition is the FOM’s overall objective of increasing the number of races on the F1 calendar to increase revenue generated from new regions that have an interest in the sport – recent examples of this include Las Vegas, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.  Given the size of the nations economy and the growing interest in the sport, it stands to reason that it could be a profitable venture to bring F1 back to the country, while there is also growing pressure on the FOM owing to the fact that India is the only country ranked in the top 10 economies in the world to be excluded from Formula 1.  Additionally, 2023 saw two of the biggest motorsport events feature in India – Formula E with the ePrix in Hyderabad, and perhaps more importantly, MotoGP Bharat, which was held at the former Indian Grand Prix Track, Buddh International Circuit.  The successful staging of the MotoGP was a massive step forward in India’s efforts to revive F1 in the country! While the 2025 season is already underway and 2026 still seems a little too optimistic, continued success in hosting motorsport events could convince Formula 1 and the World Motor Sport Council to reconsider returning to India in the coming years.  Formula 1 heads to the Middle East this weekend, and you can check out our ...

Mohun Bagan Aim For Historic ISL Double The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata will burst into life this weekend, when Mohun Bagan step out in front of their home fans looking to secure their first-ever ISL double after narrowly missing out on achieving the remarkable feat last season.  It has been an incredible season for the Mariners and head coach Jose Molina, who guided ATK to this title back in 2016, and he is now set to lead MBSG into battle in the grand finale in just his first season back with the club.  After winning 17 of 24 league games this season, Molina’s win rate in the Indian top flight now stands at 53.5% – the third-best conversion in the history of the league, only behind Albert Roca (66.7%) and Des Buckingham (57.4%), among coaches that have taken charge in 10+ games. MBSG secured their spot in the final with a dramatic 2-0 victory over Jamshedpur in the second leg of their semi-final clash, where Lalengmawia Ralte netted a 94th-minute winner to help the side overturn a 2-1 defeat from the first leg.  Despite being head-and-shoulders the best team in the league this season, Molina has avoided admitting that his side is the favourite in the contest. In an interview this week, the Spaniard said:  “I think in the finals, nobody is a favourite. Anything can happen. Of course we believe in ourselves. We trust in ourselves and in what we are doing. We think that if we are at our best, we are going to get the trophy.” Still, while Molina may be erring on the side of caution with his confidence, bookmakers are much more bullish and have installed the Mariners as massive favourites in this contest according to the latest Indian Super League betting odds.  ISL predictions Bengaluru FC Out For Revenge in ISL Final For Bengaluru FC, this final is about more than just victory – it is a chance for them to exact revenge for the heartbreaking disappointment they suffered in Goa two seasons ago when they were beaten by this opponent in this very fixture.  The Blues finished in third place in the regular season and defied the odds to earn their spot in this grand spectacle, beating the fancied FC Goa 3-2 on aggregate in a thrilling semi-final, which also came down to the final moments of the match.  The hero of the piece was none other than the evergreen Sunil Chhetri, who netted a stunning diving header in stoppage time in the second leg against the Gaurs. While the Blues lost the match 2-1, Chhetri’s strike proved decisive after his team won the first leg 2-0 at home.  Under the guidance of Gerard Zaragoza, Bengaluru have turned into one of the most potent attacking units in the Indian top flight. Over the course of the season, they have scored 44 goals from inside the box – the most of any team in the division this term.  Additionally, they have created ...