As per reports from Standard, Victor Osimhen’s availability for Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against South Africa is in doubt due to abdominal discomfort, leading to the striker being unable to travel with the squad. Nigeria Affirms Osimhen’s Injury Concerns Ahead Of AFCON Semi-final In the midst of surprising exits of notable teams in the tournament, the Super Eagles are now seen as frontrunners to secure the trophy in their upcoming semi-final clash on Wednesday. While the rest of the Nigeria squad headed to Bouake on Monday, Osimhen remained in Abidjan due to abdominal discomfort, accompanied by a member…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Bafana Bafana striker Mihlali Mayambela expresses the significance of reaching the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final for himself and his family. Despite a challenging start with a 2-0 defeat against Mali, South Africa rebounded by securing a spot in the semi-finals. They triumphed over Morocco in the Round of 16 and narrowly overcame Cape Verde in the quarter-final. With their focus now on reaching the final, Bafana Bafana faces a formidable challenge from the three-time champions, the Super Eagles. Mayambela is confident in his team’s ability to overcome the Super Eagles, stating, “It will mean everything; already being here…
Manuel Neuer has expressed his endorsement for the possibility of Jurgen Klopp taking on the managerial role at Bayern Munich following Klopp’s announcement of his departure from Liverpool. Confirming his decision to step away from his duties at Liverpool at the end of the season, Klopp cited tiredness and fatigue as the primary reasons for his departure. Despite speculation surrounding Klopp’s next destination, he has declared that he will never manage another Premier League club and is planning a period of rest and recuperation starting from the summer. During a recent visit to a fan club, Neuer was asked about…
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has disclosed that Xavi’s enduring legacy at the club has been the primary factor preventing him from considering termination amid the team’s recent struggles. Acknowledging the frustration stemming from Barcelona’s current difficulties, Laporta confessed that if someone other than Xavi Hernandez were in charge, he might have contemplated parting ways with the head coach. Despite the challenging circumstances, Laporta stressed Xavi’s continuation in the role until the conclusion of the season. Xavi’s impending departure from Barcelona at the end of the ongoing season has already been announced. The iconic figure made headlines with his decision to…
In anticipation of Nigeria’s upcoming encounter with South Africa in the AFCON Tournament semifinals, the focus turns to key players who have left a lasting imprint on their teams’ journeys. Here are five players poised to make a significant impact in this eagerly awaited clash: 1. Stanley Nwabali Known for maintaining an impressive record of four clean sheets in five games, Nwabali has established himself as a formidable presence in goal for Nigeria. His crucial saves during the quarterfinal against Angola highlighted his exceptional goalkeeping skills, unwavering concentration, and effective command of the defense. 2. Ronwen Williams After facing an…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has disclosed the tactical strategy behind their 3-1 triumph over Liverpool on Sunday. Despite an own goal by Gabriel Magalhaes canceling out Bukayo Saka’s early goal, second-half strikes from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard secured the victory for the Gunners. Addressing reporters after the match, Arteta explained, “They were attacking open spaces, and that is a bad thing to concede against them. They changed their shape, and we had to bring a player inside. Basically, the message was there were going to be difficult moments, and we had to navigate through them. We were ruthless when…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a straightforward challenge to potential suitors of striker Erling Haaland, urging them to pick up the phone and inquire about the possibility of a deal. Real Madrid has a longstanding interest in Haaland, and there have been speculations that they might pursue the Norwegian striker either as an alternative to Kylian Mbappe or in conjunction with the Frenchman. Reports from Spain have gone as far as suggesting Haaland’s dissatisfaction with life in Manchester, with frequent holidays in Marbella cited as ‘evidence’ supporting this claim. Guardiola, responding to these reports, dismissed their impact, stating,…
As reported by Metro, Mauricio Pochettino has expressed his apologies to the fans after Chelsea’s 4-2 loss to Wolves on Sunday but has urged them not to turn against the team. Despite initially taking the lead through Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s chances dwindled as Wolves secured an unexpected win with a hat-trick from Matheus Cunha and an own goal from Axel Disasi. Despite Thiago Silva scoring a late goal, the Blues faced jeers from the fans at both halftime and fulltime, with Raheem Sterling bearing the brunt of criticism for his below-par performance. During the game, supporters began chanting Roman Abramovich’s…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has conceded that Arsenal deserved to emerge victorious in their Premier League encounter on Sunday. The Reds suffered a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates, marking their second loss of the campaign. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for the Gunners, and despite Liverpool equalizing due to a defensive mix-up, goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard secured the win for Arsenal. Reflecting on the match in an interview with Sky Sports, Klopp stated, “In general, we can admit that Arsenal deserves the three points. The circumstances were a bit strange. The goal for us was similar to…
Mikel Arteta’s squad engaged in a tactical battle as they hosted Premier League rivals Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening. The Gunners secured a resounding 3-1 victory, with goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard, earning Arsenal three crucial points and narrowing the gap between the teams. Upcoming Premier League Matches: 1. West Ham vs Arsenal Date: Sunday, February 11th Kickoff: 15:00 West African Time 2. Burnley vs Arsenal Date: Saturday, February 17th Kickoff: 16:00 3. Arsenal vs Newcastle United Date: Saturday, February 24th, 2024 Kickoff: 21:00 4. Sheffield United vs Arsenal Date: Monday, March 4th…
Rui Vitoria has been dismissed from his role as the head coach of the Egypt national football team after their hopes of securing an eighth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph were shattered last week, as announced by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA). The EFA board of directors expressed gratitude to Portuguese manager Rui Vitoria and his staff in a statement, revealing their intent to assess resumes of potential foreign coaches. Meanwhile, Mohamed Youssef, a former al-Ahly coach, will temporarily assume control of the national side. Egypt’s exit from the competition occurred in the last 16, where they faced a…
Real Madrid squandered the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the La Liga standings, settling for a 1-1 draw in Sunday’s Madrid derby as Marcos Llorente’s stoppage-time equalizer denied them victory. Brahim Diaz opened the scoring in the first half, seemingly setting Real Madrid on course for a comfortable win. However, Llorente’s commanding header in the 93rd minute ensured the spoils were shared. The draw sees Real Madrid maintain a two-point lead at the summit of the table as they prepare to face title rivals Girona on Saturday. Preceding the game, Real Madrid faced a setback as…
Virgil van Dijk has admitted culpability for the sequence of errors leading to Arsenal’s second goal in their 3-1 triumph over Liverpool on Sunday. Despite Liverpool’s comeback attempts in the early stages of the second half, a pivotal moment occurred with 25 minutes to go when a long ball to Gabriel Martinelli caught out both Van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson. The awkward bounce resulted in a failure to clear, gifting Martinelli an opportunity to slot the ball into an empty net. Taking responsibility for the incident, Van Dijk told Sky Sports after the game, “I take full responsibility for that.…
Arsenal revived their Premier League title aspirations with a significant 3-1 triumph over Liverpool at the Emirates on Sunday. Faced with the potential of an eight-point deficit with a loss, Arsenal delivered one of their standout performances of the season, securing an early lead through Bukayo Saka. The first-half humor reached its peak with Gabriel Magalhaes’ comical own goal, setting the stage for an intriguing second half. The match’s turning point occurred when Alisson and Virgil van Dijk’s miscommunication gifted Gabriel Martinelli a straightforward goal, providing Arsenal with a lead. Ibrahima Konate’s second yellow card added to Liverpool’s woes in…
Chelsea’s head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, has shouldered his portion of the blame for the recent downturn in the club’s performance and has also urged his players to acknowledge their responsibility. The Blues suffered a humbling 4-2 defeat against Wolves at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, resulting in Chelsea dropping to 11th place in the Premier League table. Discontented fans expressed their frustration during the match, chanting the name of former owner Roman Abramovich, booing the players at half-time and full time, and directing jeers at Raheem Sterling upon his substitution. Insults were also hurled at Pochettino by supporters near the dugout.…
Nigerian athlete Tobi Amusan shattered the African women’s indoor record in the 60-meter hurdles during the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on Sunday. Amusan completed the race in 7.75 seconds, surpassing her previous record of 7.77 seconds set in Kazakhstan in January. Although she secured the second position, American Tia Jones claimed victory with a remarkable 7.72 seconds, setting both a new meeting record and the world-leading time for the year. Devynne Chalton of the Bahamas closely followed in third place, finishing with 7.76 seconds. This achievement marked Amusan’s second record-breaking performance in 2024, building on her earlier…
South Africa coach Hugo Broos has commended Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman in anticipation of the Bafana Bafana’s semifinal clash with Nigeria in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast. Nigeria secured a 1-0 victory over Angola, while South Africa triumphed 2-1 on penalties against Cape Verde on Saturday night, securing spots in the semi-finals. Both teams are set to face off on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix, Bouaké. Broos observed Nigeria’s progression, emphasizing their improvement since the 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea in the initial group stage match. The coach specifically highlighted Victor Osimhen…
Former Chelsea star Eden Hazard has suggested that Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo is not a superior player to him in terms of ‘pure football.’ Hazard reiterated his belief that Lionel Messi, the former Barcelona captain, remains the greatest footballer. In a recent interview with L’Equipe, Hazard expressed his admiration for Messi, stating, “Individually, Messi is perhaps the only one. I loved watching the Barcelona player, less so at the end, but he is the greatest in history.” Hazard acknowledged Ronaldo’s stature but asserted that, in terms of pure football, he doesn’t consider Ronaldo to be a bigger player than himself.…
Ademola Lookman has showcased exceptional performance for the Nigerian national team throughout the ongoing African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. The Atalanta forward has notably contributed three goals to Nigeria’s campaign, with a noteworthy brace against Cameroon. Additionally, Lookman secured the decisive winning goal in the match against Angola. In response to his son’s match-winning performance, Ademola Lookman’s father expressed immense joy, stating, “It is an understatement if I say I’m happy. I’m overwhelmed, I am so much happy. At least for Nigeria winning this game, because it is an advantage for us and it gives us the drive…
The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire secured their spot in the semi-finals of the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday with a 2-1 victory over Mali in the quarter-final clash at the Stade Bouaké. N. Dorgeles opened the scoring for Mali in the 71st minute, but a late goal by S. Adingra leveled the game, forcing it into extra time. In the 120th minute, O. Diakite scored a decisive goal, enabling the host nation to triumph over Mali and avoid a penalty shoot-out. During the encounter, both teams received one red card each. As the host of AFCON 2023,…