Sport

Monday, 19 March 2018 04:07

Mixed outcomes for Nigerian clubs in CAF competitions

While the two teams representing Nigeria in the elite CAF Champions League were knocked out, the two representing the country in the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup progressed to the next round. Plateau United and MFM FC failed to qualify for the group stage of the CAF Champions League. The losses mean both teams drop to the Confederation Cup. However, the two teams originally representing Nigeria in the Confederation Cup defeated their opponents to qualify for the next round. Enyimba International and Akwa United both progressed to the final playoff stage of CAF Confederation Cup following the victories they recorded on…

Saturday, 17 March 2018 03:56

FIFA finally approves video review to use at World Cup

FIFA has finally and fully approved video review to help referees at the World Cup. The last step toward giving match officials high-tech help in Russia was agreed to on Friday by FIFA's ruling council chaired by President Gianni Infantino. "We are extremely happy with that decision," Infantino said at a news conference, adding it would lead to "a more transparent and fairer sport. We need to live with our times." FIFA will now look to sign a World Cup sponsor for video assistant referees (VAR) at the June 14-July 15 tournament. Also, FIFA reported a $192 million net loss…

Thursday, 15 March 2018 05:06

Messi majestic as Barcelona crush Chelsea

Lionel Messi scored two brilliant goals and created another for Ousmane Dembele as Barcelona thrashed Chelsea 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate. Messi opened the scoring after two minutes and eight seconds, the quickest goal of his career, slipping the ball through Thibaut Courtois' legs from a tight angle. The Argentine forward created the second with a blistering run from the halfway line which left three Chelsea defenders stumbling in his wake, before squaring the ball for Ousmane Dembele to rifle home his first goal for the club. Marcos Alonso hit the post and…

Monday, 12 March 2018 01:55

Lobi Stars go top as Wikki, MFM FC record big wins; other NPFL Match Day 12 results

There were lots of goals to savour in Bauchi and Lagos on Sunday in the Match Day 12 of Nigeria Professional Football League. Nafiu Kabuga was the main man in Bauchi as he scored all three goals in Wikki Tourist’s 3-0 win over Rivers United. The game in Lagos also ended 3-0 as MFM FC took visiting Heartland Warriors to the cleaners at the Agege Stadium now called the ‘Soccer Temple’. After taking an early lead in the first half through Okorom Stanley, MFM FC added two more goals in the second half with Chuka Uwaga and Tchato Giscard finding…

Monday, 12 March 2018 01:53

Arsenal beat Watford 3-0 for first clean sheet in 12 league matches

ARSENAL 3 WATFORD 0Arsenal eased their way past Watford 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday, marking their first clean sheet in 12 league matches and settling nerves at the Emirates after a string of losses in 2018. The win leaves Arsenal 10 points off Champions League qualification in sixth place in the standings, while Watford stay in 10th. "It was a convincing win. It gets us out of that negative spiral that we were in," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told reporters. Prior to their midweek 2-0 away win over AC Milan in the Europa League, the Gunners had lost…

Sunday, 11 March 2018 04:12

Serena Wiliams to play Venus in Indian Wells third round

Serena Williams will play her sister Venus in the third round at Indian Wells as she continues her comeback after the birth of her child. The 36-year-old American, who was out for 14 months, beat Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 7-6 (7-5) 7-5 in round two. "Everything is a bonus," said Serena after winning in one hour, 52 minutes on her second match point. The sisters last met in the 2017 Australian Open final, when Serena won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title. Serena was already pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia, who was born on 1 September, when she beat…

Saturday, 10 March 2018 04:11

Serena powers to 1st win in comeback with baby on her mind

Serena Williams' power game is intact, whether she's firing aces or smashing groundstrokes. Her grit is there, too. Her timing may be a little off and the unforced errors are a clue she has been away for 14 months.All in all, the 23-time major winner is glad to be back on the job with a new husband and 6-month-old baby. Williams began her latest comeback with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday night."I'm not where I want to be, but I'm getting there," she said. “Every…

Saturday, 10 March 2018 04:09

Malawi football match ends with referee killing player

A referee is facing murder charges after football players forced him to kill a member of an opposing team in southern Malawi, police said Friday. The referee was overseeing a football match between two local teams, Billiat FC and Chilengo FC, in the town of Thyolo on Wednesday, when Chilengo FC players refused to accept the referee’s decision to invalidate a goal, district police spokesman Benjamin Foster told dpa. In the ensuing scuffle, the referee fled to a nearby house, which the players lit on fire to smoke him out, according to Foster. When the referee ran out of the…

Wednesday, 07 March 2018 04:27

FIFA World Cup begins 4-day tour of Nigeria in Abuja today

The original trophy to be handed over to 2018 FIFA World Cup-winning team at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15 will arrive in Nigeria today. Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on its website on Tuesday that the trophy will arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja aboard a chartered flight at 11 a.m. The trophy is on a tour of 91 cities in 51 countries across six continents before the 21st FIFA World Cup. The competition is scheduled for June 14 to July 15 in Russia. The federation said Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Solomon…

Monday, 05 March 2018 04:35

Kano Pillars lead as Lokosa scores again; other Match Day 11 Results

Kano Pillars on Sunday beat Go Round FC 2-0 to stay top of Nigeria Professional Football League table. Red-hot striker, Junior Lokosa, got one of the goals for the Pillars as he takes his tally to 10 goals after 11 games. Pillars now have 20 points from 11 matches, same with Lobi Stars, who won 1-0 at Heartland but the Pyramid Boys have a superior goals’ difference. In Port Harcourt, Rivers United forced FC Ifeanyiubah to a 1-1 draw while it was same in Akure where Sunshine Stars and Enugu Rangers also played out a 1-1 draw. Abia Warriors compounded…

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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.…

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