Sport
Monday, 15 April 2019 04:02
Applause, tears of joy as Tiger Woods wins 2019 Masters to claim 15th major
Tiger Woods produced a scintillating finish to win a fifth Masters title and end an 11-year wait to claim a 15th major. There were raucous celebrations around the 18th green as Woods finished with a two-under-par 70 to win on 13 under, one clear of fellow Americans Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka. Overnight leader Francesco Molinari's hopes sunk with two double bogeys on the back nine and he had to settle for a share of fifth on 11 under. Woods, written off by so many so often as he battled back problems in recent years, punched the air…
Monday, 15 April 2019 04:01
Akwa United crush Kano Pillars, Rangers win in Akure; other NPFL Matchday 15 results
Enugu Rangers and Akwa United are the leading teams in Group A and B of Nigeria Professional Football League respectively after the impressive results they recorded in their matchday 15 games on Sunday. Rangers got the weekend’s only away victory as they pipped Sunshine Stars 2-1 in Akure. Ivorian Seka Pascal got the two goals for Rangers in the 29th and 44th minutes while Sunshine Star’s only goal was scored by Anthony Omaka in the 32nd. But it was not enough to earn the home team a share of the spoils from Sunday’s game. With the latest win by Coach…
Saturday, 13 April 2019 04:42
AFCON 2019: Super Eagles face ‘soft’ opponents
Super Eagles have been handed a seemingly easy group at 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after they were drawn against Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi. Madagascar and Burundi are debutants at AFCON but they could be tricky opponents going by their performance during the qualifiers. Madagascar were actually the first to qualify for 2019 AFCON with two games to spare. Three-time champions Nigeria are making their 18th appearance at AFCON. Arguably the group of death is Group D which has three former winners, Morocco, Ivory Coast, and South Africa, as well as Mali in it. This is the first time AFCON…
Monday, 08 April 2019 04:20
Insurance hold Enyimba in Aba, MFM lose in Ilorin; other NPFL matchday 14 results
Enyimba International have missed a chance to go top in Group A of Nigeria Professional Football League following their disappointing barren draw against Insurance of Benin on Sunday in Aba. The People’s Elephant, who were on a seven-match unbeaten run prior to Sunday’s matchday 14 tie, were required to win against NPFL new boys and hope that MFM did not get a good result in Ilorin against Kwara United. Though MFM were beaten 1-0, Coach Usman Abd’ Allah’s men failed in their own part as they fired blanks and could only get a point from the home game. The result…
Monday, 01 April 2019 05:41
El-Kanemi warriors move to top spot; other NPFL Matchday 13 Results
It was another dramatic weekend in the Nigeria Professional Football League as the second stanza of the abridged season continued. Expectedly, there was more attention for the games in Lagos and Maiduguri where the top two teams in Group A and Group B were slugging it out. In Lagos, MFM and Enyimba settled for a 1-1 draw in their matchday 13 tie at Agege Stadium. Abdulrahman Bashir got the curtain raiser in Sunday’s tie three minutes into the second half before Chijioke Akuneto fired in an equaliser in the 56th minute to send the home fans into wild jubilation. Before…
Monday, 18 March 2019 03:56
Akwa United stun Heartland; other NPFL Matchday 11 results
Akwa United continued their impressive run in Nigeria Professional Football League on Sunday as they stunned Heartland FC in Okigwe; beating their host 2-1 in matchday 11 tie. Mfon Udoh’s eighth goal of the season helped Akwa United to the crucial away win. Udoh’s goal which came in 72nd minute sealed all the three points for Akwa United despite Chidiebere Ajoku’s 57th-minute equalizer that had earlier cancelled Ndifreke Effiong’s fourth-minute strike. Heartland finished the last 16 minutes with 10 men when their goalkeeper Ebele Obi was shown a straight red card for deliberately handling the ball outside his area. This…
Monday, 04 March 2019 04:15
NPFL: Enyimba in goalless draw away to Bendel Insurance
Enyimba of Aba on Sunday played a goalless draw with Bendel Insurance of Benin. The draw was one of three recorded in rescheduled matches of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Katsina United also drew away to Lobi Stars 1-1 while Akwa United and Gombe United played 2-2. Here are results of matches played on Sunday: Lobi Stars 1-1 Katsina United Remo Stars 2-1 Wikki Tourists Gombe United 2-2 Akwa United Kada City 2-1 Yobe Desert Stars Bendel Insurance 0-0 Enyimba International PT
Saturday, 23 February 2019 02:34
FIFA bans Chelsea from signing players through next season
Chelsea was banned Friday from signing players until after the 2019-20 season, the latest European power punished by FIFA for flouting rules protecting young talent from premature international moves. FIFA punished the London club owned by Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich for violations of rules regarding the protection of minors that involve 29 players, Chelsea said. FIFA rules provide specific circumstances in which clubs may sign players under 18. Like Barcelona in 2015 and Atletico Madrid throughout 2017, Chelsea was barred from signing new players for two transfer windows, covering this summer and January 2020. Chelsea already has announced plans…
Monday, 11 February 2019 04:40
MFM keep top spot after victory in five-goal thriller; other NPFL Matchday 8 results
MFM FC on Sunday dug deep to beat Niger Tornadoes 3-2 in their Nigeria Professional Football League Match Day 8 encounter played at the Agege Stadium in Lagos. MFM conceded two goals inside the first ten minutes against the visiting Tornadoes team. Two minutes after the referee got the game underway, Peter Abashiya gave Tornadoes the lead before Jonathan Osondu doubled the lead seven minutes after. MFM FC who had before Sunday won all their home games held their own as Chuks Kenedimum completed a remarkable comeback for the Olukoya Boys with a last minute goal. With the victory, MFM…
Friday, 08 February 2019 04:22
Eagles drop two places in first FIFA rankings of 2019
Nigeria’s Super Eagles dropped two places to 46th position in the first FIFA Rankings released Thursday. The Three-time African champions however retained their last month’s fourth spot in Africa. The drop was expected as Nigeria senior national team was not involved in any activities to warrant any improvement in the 44th spot they ended the year with. With two matches lined up for Eagles in March, Nigeria is expected to rank better in the next edition of the grading scheduled to be published by the world football governing body on April 4. Even with nothing at stake for Nigeria in…
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Thursday, 07 February 2019 04:10
MFM win away, Kwara hold Rivers United; other Match Day 7 results
Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM FC) have secured their first point on the road. They did it in style beating Remo Stars 1-0 in Nigeria Professional Football League on Wednesday. Adeniji Kabir netted the winning goal for MFM FC at Osogbo, where Remo Stars were banished to after crowd trouble at their home ground. Kabir’s goal came in 13th minute and MFM FC held on to record their first away win this season and their fourth overall. They had previously beaten Kwara United, Enugu Rangers and Wikki Tourists at their Agege Stadium fondly referred to as the Soccer Temple.…
Monday, 04 February 2019 03:46
Emiliano Sala plane wreckage found in Channel
Wreckage from a plane carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala has been discovered in the English Channel. The Piper Malibu N264DB was lost on 21 January on its way from Nantes, France to Cardiff, with the Argentine striker and pilot David Ibbotson on board. David Mearns, who directed a privately-funded search operation on behalf of the Sala family, said the wreckage was located off Guernsey on Sunday morning. The Air Accident Investigation Branch are at the site to recover the plane. In a series of tweets, marine scientist Mr Mearns said: "The families of Emiliano Sala and David Ibbotson have…
Monday, 28 January 2019 04:30
Lobi Stars win big, IfeanyiUbah extend unbeaten run; other Matchday 5 results
Nigeria Professional Football League produced all sorts of results in matchday 5 games played across the country on Sunday. While Lobi Stars were celebrating the big win over Kwara United, Kada City and Wikki Tourists were condemned to home defeats by FC IfeanyiUbah and Sunshine Stars respectively. FC IfeanyiUbah stretched their unbeaten run as they recorded a lone goal victory over newly promoted side Kada City at Kaduna Township stadium. Chibuike Eze found the back of the net in the 62nd minute and it was enough to give the Anambra warriors the maximum points. Elsewhere, Sunshine Stars made up for…
Sunday, 27 January 2019 05:07
Naomi Osaka wins Australian Open for 2nd major, top ranking
So close to victory, Naomi Osaka suddenly was letting the Australian Open final slip away. Three championship points? Gone. A sizable lead? Soon all gone, too. She was playing poorly. She yelled at herself. Slammed a ball. Tugged at her visor’s pink brim. Trudged to the locker room between sets with a towel draped over her head. And then, after returning to the court, Osaka turned it all around just as quickly as she had dropped 23 of 27 points. Refocusing and reasserting herself, Osaka edged Petra Kvitova 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4 on Saturday night to win the Australian Open…