Sport
Monday, 05 March 2018 04:33
Ruthless Manchester City march on as Chelsea woes continue
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to extend their lead to 18 points and leave the London side further adrift from the Champions League qualification spots.Pep Guardiola's City, who have now won 14 straight home games, need just four wins from their remaining nine matches to be crowned champions. "It was so important, a win today is another step closer," Guardiola said."We need four victories to be champions, it is in our hands and if our behaviour is like today we will be champions". After Chelsea’s defensive approach resulted in…
Monday, 05 March 2018 04:31
Messi hits 600th career goal in Barca clash with Atletico
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi struck a remarkable 600th professional goal for club and country on Sunday by scoring the opener in his side's Liga clash at home to nearest challengers Atletico Madrid. The Argentine slammed a free kick right into the near top corner in the 26th minute to break the deadlock in the top-of-the-table clash and put league leaders Barca 1-0 up at halftime, scoring from a set piece for the third game running. Messi is the leading scorer in La Liga this season with 24 goals and is also the all-time top marksman in Spain's top flight. He…
Sunday, 04 March 2018 03:00
Neymar operation went perfectly, says Brazil confederation
Brazil's Paris St Germain forward Neymar has had a successful operation on his injured foot and ankle, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said in a statement on Saturday. The world's most expensive player was operated on by the Brazil national team doctor in Belo Horizonte to repair the fractured metatarsal and sprained ankle he suffered in last weekend's French league match against Olympique Marseille. Rodrigo Lasmar inserted a pin in the fifth metatarsal and the procedure "went perfectly," the CBF said in words almost identical to those used by the French club in their statement. "The post-op rehabilitation will begin…
Sunday, 04 March 2018 02:58
Video assistant referees set to be used at 2018 World Cup in Russia
Video assistant referees are set to be used at this year's World Cup in Russia after football's lawmakers voted to approve the technology. VAR has been trialled in some domestic English cup games this season, and has been used in Germany and Italy.The International Football Association Board (Ifab) "unanimously approved" its introduction on a permanent basis after a meeting in Zurich on Saturday. Leagues and competitions must now apply to Ifab to implement the system.Fifa president Gianni Infantino said a decision on whether VAR would be used at the World Cup will be taken at a meeting on 16 March.…
Friday, 02 March 2018 04:27
Manchester City outclasses Arsenal again 3-0 in EPL
Manchester City outclassed Arsenal by 3-0 for the second time in less than a week, this time humiliating the Gunners in front of their home fans in the English Premier League on Thursday. City had three goals well before halftime, as Bernardo Silva, David Silva, and Leroy Sane capitalized on Arsenal's ever-present defensive frailties. "Mentally, we were strong," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "We were clinical. We scored three outstanding goals." Arsenal squandered an early chance to get back into the match in the second half when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's penalty was easily saved.The result gave City a 16-point lead at…
Monday, 26 February 2018 04:03
Rangers, Pillars share points in Enugu; other NPFL results
The star match in Nigeria Professional Football League this weekend ended in stalemate. In what was dubbed “the battle of former champions”, Rangers and Kano Pillars settled for a 1-1 draw in their keenly contested Match Day 10 duel at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium in Enugu. Godwin Aguda gave the Flying Antelopes the lead just before halftime. But the League’s top scorer, Junior Lokosa, continued his rich run of form; netting the equaliser for Pillars in the second half. There was another stalemate in Lagos where MFM FC were forced to a barren draw by Lobi Stars. The Olukoya Boys…
Monday, 26 February 2018 04:02
Manchester City thrash Arsenal to win League Cup final
Pep Guardiola claimed his maiden English silverware as his side thrashed Arsenal 3-0 in the League Cup final with Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva all on target in a disappointingly one-sided showpiece on Sunday. The first meeting between the sides in a domestic final was no classic but Spaniard Guardiola will not care after his side's class eventually shone through at a freezing Wembley Stadium. City, who will also win the Premier League title barring a monumental collapse, did not even have to hit top gear to lift the trophy for the third time in five years. Aguero's…
Monday, 26 February 2018 04:00
PSG striker Neymar off on stretcher after twisting ankle
Neymar went off on a stretcher after twisting his right ankle late in league leader Paris Saint-Germain's 3-0 victory against Marseille on Sunday. The Brazil striker was taken off with 10 minutes remaining, after going in for a challenge on Marseille defender Bouna Sarr. PSG coach Unai Emery is hopeful that Neymar will recover in time for the Champions League game against Real Madrid on March 6. PSG trails 3-1 from the first leg in the last 16. "The first tests revealed a twist. We will do further tests," Emery said. "For the match against Real, if I had to…
Saturday, 24 February 2018 04:05
FIFA sure of World Cup security despite fresh Russian fan violence
FIFA said on Friday it had every confidence in its security measures at the World Cup in Russia after hooliganism in the host nation came under fresh scrutiny following violent incidents involving Spartak Moscow supporters on Thursday in which a policeman died of a heart attack. The officer died in hospital in the northern Spanish city of Bilbao. He had been taken there when the regional police force was trying to stop street battles between supporters of Spartak and Athletic before their Europa League last 32, second leg at the San Mames stadium. Nine people were arrested following the clashes.…
Thursday, 22 February 2018 04:29
Infantino commends NFF, says Russia set for World Cup
FIFA President, Mr Gianni Infantino has poured encomiums on Amaju Pinnick-led NFF, saying the Nigerian Federation has shown excellent vision and focus and has taken giant strides over the past two years. The world’s number one football administrator, who also condoled with NFF and the family of Kano Pillars’ player Chinedu Udoji who died in a car accident on Sunday night, stated this and more at the post –FIFA Executive Football Summit press conference in Lagos on Tuesday: NFF Presentation: I will start by commending the support that we got from NFF for this programme. Excellent work was done by…
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Wednesday, 21 February 2018 04:14
Serena says 'almost died' after giving birth
Serena Williams "almost died" after giving birth to her daughter last September, the former women's world number one tennis player wrote in a column for CNN published on Tuesday. Williams had previously revealed some of the complications she had after giving birth but offered more details about an experience that has since inspired her to speak out about the importance of affordable child care. "I almost died after giving birth to my daughter, Olympia," Williams, 36, wrote in the opening line of her article.Williams was bedridden for six weeks from a series of complications, including a pulmonary embolism that led…
Wednesday, 21 February 2018 04:12
Messi breaks Chelsea duck to earn Barca 1-1 draw
If at first you don't succeed the saying goes and it proved fitting for Willian and Lionel Messi as both scored in an absorbing 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday.Chelsea's outstanding performer Willian could hardly believe his bad luck as twice before halftime he rattled the woodwork. But the Brazilian was finally rewarded for his persistence in the 62nd minute when he fired Chelsea into the lead on an electrifying night at Stamford Bridge. Barcelona's talisman Messi had fired blanks on eight previous occasions against Chelsea, most…
Monday, 19 February 2018 03:54
Nasarawa, Kwara United play six-goal triller in Lafia; other Match Day 9 NPFL results
It was goals galore in the Nigeria Professional Football League Match Day 9 duel between Nasarawa United and Kwara United on Sunday at Lafia Township Stadium. The game which ended in dramatic fashion produced six goals shared equally between the two teams. It was Nasarawa United’s Segun Sogbesan who scored the opening goal of the game from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute. There were no more goals in the first half but there was plenty of drama in the second 45 minutes. Stephen Alfred in the 64th minute got the equaliser for Kwara United, but the joy was…
Monday, 19 February 2018 03:51
Cameroon beat Nigeria to World Cup ticket
The hope of Nigeria’s U17 Women’s team, Flamingos qualifying for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay has been dashed. The Nigerian girls were beaten to the ticket on Sunday by their Cameroonian counterparts. Having played a 2-2 draw in their first leg clash against Cameroon, it was always going to a be tough task for the Flamingos. Though the Flamingos tried hard by forcing the Cameroon Ladies to a 1-1 draw in Sunday’s second leg tie, it was not enough for them to get the World Cup ticket as they were edged out on the away goals’ rule. Before,…