Games
West Brom thrash Southampton to boost survival hopes
West Bromwich Albion improved their slender hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League as they survived VAR controversy to beat Southampton 3-0 on Monday. Sam Allardyce’s side saw Mbaye Diagne’s goal questionably ruled out by VAR early in the first half at the Hawthorns. But they recovered from that blow to sweep into a two-goal lead by half-time thanks to Matheus Pereira’s penalty and a Matt Phillips strike. Callum Robinson sealed West Brom’s second successive win after the interval as the Baggies built on their stunning 5-2 victory at Chelsea. Second bottom Albion move within eight points of fourth bottom Newcastle with seven games left. The Baggies have scored eight goals in their last two games, two more than they had netted in their previous 11 combined, but their unexpected...
Tokyo Olympics: Minister confident Nigeria will return to track and field podium
Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare is confident Nigeria’s 13 year wait for a track and field medal at the Olympics will end this year at the Tokyo Games. Nigeria last won a track and field medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when the women’s 4x100m relay team and Blessing Okagbare (long jump) won silver medals and the Sports Minister is confident track and field will start delivering the medals like it did in 1996 in Atlanta. Track and Field has accounted for 13 of the 25 medals Team Nigeria have won at the Games. The sport has also delivered two of the three gold medals won with a first ever individual gold by Chioma Ajunwa in the women’s long jump. ”The performances of our athletes so far this year have given us renewed hopes that Nigerian track and field athletes can be...
Pep Guardiola reacts as Leeds defeat Manchester City at Etihad
Pep Guardiola has said that City’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Leeds should not detract from the incredible achievements his side has accomplished this season. The Premier League leaders suffered a last-gasp defeat to Leeds at the Etihad Stadium, falling to Stuart Dallas’ injury-time strike. However, the defeat marked only City’s second loss in their last 36 games (with City winning 27 of our last 29) a feat Guardiola says should not be diminished by one result. “What happens when you lose games is that you realise how difficult what we have done so far is,” he said. “You realise how difficult it is to win 27 in 29 games. “We need points still because our opponents can win more points – but we have three finals. “I have incredible confidence with the guys. Defeat sometimes is necessary to...
PDP: Imo attacks show Governor Uzodinma’s failure
File Photo The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday said that the Monday attacks on Owerri Correctional Center and the state Police Command headquarters in Owerri were indications that the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, had failed. At a press conference in Owerri, the state capital, the PDP chairman in the state, Charles Ugwu, urged the governor to stop blame games and take responsibility. The chairman said that the party was disturbed that stranger elements could gain such easy access into the inner recesses of the central points of security administration in the state and struck without any challenge. He said, “We have therefore concluded that lives and property are not safe and secure in the state under the watch of the current regime.” “In his speeches and inte...
Kelechi Iheanacho wins Leicester City’s Goal of the Month for March
Kelechi Iheanacho has added more glorious feathers to his cap as his goal won Leicester City’s Goal of the Month for March. The Nigerian first made History With First Premier League Hat-Trick In Leicester City’s Emphatic Win Over Sheffield United The 24-year-old scored seven goals for the Foxes last month, but only one could win the goal of the month Kelechi Iheanacho has received another accolade after his goal against Burnley was voted Leicester City’s goal of the month for March. Iheanacho enjoyed a good run of form for the Foxes last month, scoring seven times in five games. The first of those strikes came in the 1-1 draw against Burnley, and it has earned him the goal of the month for March. The former Manchester City striker fired in a superb volley following a long ball from his cou...
Manchester City close in on Premier League title with Leicester win
Manchester City took another significant step towards the Premier League title with a 2-0 victory at Leicester City. The visitors dominated from the off and thought they were ahead on five minutes. Fernandinho rifled a 35-yard strike into the bottom corner, but Sergio Aguero – who was appearing for the first time since his impending summer departure from City was announced – was deemed to be offside. Kevin de Bruyne then hit the crossbar with a stunning free kick before Leicester’s best moment saw Jamie Vardy’s strike ruled out for offside on the stroke of half time. The pattern of Man City dominance continued after the break and they deservedly took the lead on 58 minutes when Benjamin Mendy showed great composure to cut inside and place a low shot into the far corner. Gabriel Jesus made ...
NSF: Edo government pledges better welfare to volunteers
The Edo Government has pledged to do its best to take care of the volunteers who will help in the hosting of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Benin. The State Deputy Governor, Mr Philips Shaibu, made the pledge on Friday while addressing the volunteers at the Games village, located in the University of Benin. Shaibu, who also is the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the festival, assured the volunteers that the state would welcome collaboration and cooperation of the team to ensure the success of the sporting fiesta. “This address is to assure you that we will collaborate and cooperate with you to ensure that the game is successful. “Your role as volunteers to help us guide and control our athletes as they come is paramount to the success of the games. “From th...
Mo Salah dreams of future La Liga action
Mohamed Salah has hinted his future could lie in Spanish football amid continued speculation the forward could leave Liverpool. The Premier League’s joint-top scorer this season is under contract at Anfield until 2023 but has been linked with a move elsewhere, with Barcelona and Real Madrid often touted as potential destinations for Salah if he were to depart Merseyside. Last year, the forward described the Spanish sides as two “great” clubs, but Jurgen Klopp later played down any transfer talk surrounding the Egypt international. Liverpool play Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in April as the two sides meet for the first time since 2018’s final in Kiev which finished 3-1 to the Spanish side and ahead of the games, Salah refused to rule out a future move to La Liga...
AFCON: Aston Villa congratulate Bertrand Traore, Burkina Faso on qualification
Premier League side Aston Villa have congratulated Bertrand Traore and Burkina Faso after qualifying for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite playing a 0-0 draw against Uganda on Wednesday evening at St. Mary’s Stadium-Kitende, Entebbe, Kamou Malo’s men booked a place in Cameroon with a game to spare. That will be the 13th time the West African country would reach the finals since their maiden appearance at Ghana 1978 – where they finished in eight position. The Villa Park giants have taken to social media to celebrate their winger and his country on their recent success. “Congratulations to Bertrand Traore and Burkina Faso, who qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations 2021 with a goalless draw against Uganda on Wednesday!” a tweet from the club read. Burkina Faso – who currently lead Gr...
Arsenal receive positive Martin Odegaard update after ankle injury scare
Arsenal have been left breathing a huge sigh of relief after it was confirmed that the injury suffered by Martin Odegaard while on international duty is not serious. Gunners fans were left concerned on Wednesday night after the in-form Real Madrid loanee appeared to painfully roll his ankle before being substituted at half-time of Norway’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win against Gibraltar. The absence of Odegaard for any extended period of time would have come as a sizable blow to Arsenal, with the 22-year-old having grown in influence since moving to north London in January and played a critical role in Sunday’s comeback draw against London rivals West Ham, afterwards attracting effusive praise from manager Mikel Arteta. But not only does it seem that Odegaard is now unlikely to miss key upc...
Japan releases softball squad for Tokyo Olympic Games
Japanese softball team head coach Reika Utsugi has urged her players to capture Olympic gold on home soil after naming a 15-strong squad for Tokyo 2020. The team features Yukiko Ueno, captain Yamada Eri and Yukiyo Mine who helped Japan clinch softball gold at Beijing 2008 – the last time the sport featured at the Games. Pitchers Yamato Fujita and Miu Goto, who was named Most Valuable Player in last season’s Japan Women’s Softball League, as well as star outfielder Saki Yamazaki are other notable names. Haruka Agatsuma, Nayu Kiyohara, Mana Atsumi, Yuka Ichiguchi, Hitomi Kawabata, Minori Naito, Yu Yamamoto, Nodoka Harada and Sayaka Mori have also been chosen. “Of course, skills and physical competence are the necessary elements,” said Utsugi. “But in selecting the 15 members, we also took th...
AFCONQ: Super Eagles boss wary of Benin ahead of crucial game
Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr believes the Republic of Benin will be a hard nut to crack, given their recent performances. The three-time African champions will square off against the Squirrels at Porto-Novo’s Stade Charles de Gaulle on Saturday. Michel Dussuyer’s men are on a five-game unbeaten run, having last tasted defeat against the Super Eagles in their first Afcon qualifying game in November 2019 Their home form has also been spectacular, given they have not lost for eight years, having last tasted defeat against Algeria in 2013 and Rohr has warned his side to be battle-ready for the encounter. “Benin have not lost a match for eight years at home, the last time they lost was in 2013 so you can imagine that we want to be the first team to win there in eight years,” Rohr tol...
