Sport

Saturday, 17 February 2018 03:30

Back on top, Federer becomes oldest ATP world number one

Roger Federer added yet another record to his vast collection when he guaranteed becoming the oldest ATP world number one by beating Dutchman Robin Haase 4-6 6-1 6-1 to reach the semi-finals in Rotterdam on Friday. Fresh from winning his 20th grand slam title in Melbourne this month, Federer took a wildcard into the ABN AMRO World Tennis event with his eyes fixed on a return to number one for the first time since November 2012. Needing to reach the last four to overtake great rival Rafael Nadal, Federer showed some early nerves in his quarter-final clash in the port…

Friday, 16 February 2018 03:23

Super Eagles drop further on FIFA Rankings

The steady downward movement for Super Eagles on the monthly FIFA rankings continued on Thursday as the world football governing released the February edition. Super Eagles were 51st in the world with 651 points in January but are now 52nd with 606 points, according to the latest ranking published on official FIFA website on Thursday. Nigeria, who were losing finalists at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco recently, however, remain seventh in Africa, where Tunisia are the top-ranked country. Senegal, DR Congo, CHAN champions Morocco and Egypt make up Africa’s top five, while Cameroon are sixth. Ghana, Burkina Faso…

Thursday, 15 February 2018 03:21

Oliseh attacks Dutch club over sacking

Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Mr Sunday Oliseh was on Wednesday ‘suspended’ by struggling Dutch second division club Fortuna Sittard over “unacceptable actions”. Oliseh, appointed by the Eerste Divisie side as their manager on December 27, 2016 came under pressure from the outfit’s hierarchy after the team slid down the table after suffering their fourth straight loss. The former Ajax and Juventus midfielder, who became a cult hero at Fortuna Sittard Stadion after helping Sittard escape relegation last season, was reportedly sacked by the club last month, but the Dutch side denied the reports. Fortunezen, who are desperate…

Thursday, 15 February 2018 03:18

Ronaldo double helps Real to 3-1 win over PSG

Ronaldo double helps Real to 3-1 win over PSG Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Paris St Germain 3-1 on Wednesday, with the holders roaring back to life in the Champions League last-16 first leg tie after a dismal domestic campaign. Adrien Rabiot smashed runaway Ligue 1 leaders PSG ahead in the 33rd minute but Ronaldo levelled from the penalty spot on the stroke of halftime, scoring his 100th Champions League goal for Real to set up a pulsating second half. Ronaldo put Real in front in the 83rd minute with a scrappy strike…

Tuesday, 13 February 2018 04:29

Messi cried after Champions League exit to Chelsea - Sanchez

Lionel Messi was so distraught at Barcelona missing out on reaching the 2012 Champions League final that he was reduced to tears after his side's semi-final elimination to Chelsea, his former Barca team mate Alexis Sanchez has revealed. Barca ran into an early 2-0 lead in the second leg at the Nou Camp, having lost the first leg 1-0 in London, and their passage to a second consecutive final looked certain when John Terry was sent off for the visitors. However, a chipped goal by Ramires put Chelsea ahead on away goals before Fernando Torres sealed Barca's elimination in stoppage…

Tuesday, 13 February 2018 04:25

NFF names new coaches for Super Eagles, Olympics team, others

Nigeria Football Federation on Monday released the names of coaching crews of all the National Teams, bar those of the main Senior Men Team (Super Eagles), U20 Women (Falconets) and U17 Women (Flamingos) whose contracts are running. Chairman of Technical and Development Committee, Mr Yusuf Ahmed ‘Fresh’ told thenff.com that the appointments are with immediate effect, and that his committee has done due diligence on all the names and approved the constitution. Yusuf ‘Fresh,’ who is also vice chairman of NFF Strategy Committee, said: “All the coaches will be unveiled at a later date, alongside the coaching crews of the…

Monday, 12 February 2018 04:16

Kano Pillars secure away point; other NPFL results

Only Kano Pillars got an away point in Nigeria Professional League Match Day 8 games played on Sunday across the country. Pillars forced Sunshine Stars to a barren draw in Akure to earn a share of the spoils from Sunday’s game. The solitary point earned on Sunday has taken Pillars’ total tally for the season to 15 as the former champions are now third on the log. It is the third time this season that a game involving Kano Pillars will be ending in a stalemate. In some of the other centres, Enugu Rangers battled to a 1-0 win over…

Monday, 12 February 2018 04:15

Serena loses in return but says 'on the right track'

Serena Williams was understandably far from her best in her return to competition on Sunday but the greatest player of her generation said it was a positive step towards her goal of returning to the pinnacle of her sport. Williams, playing her first official match since having a baby, and older sister Venus were beaten in a dead doubles rubber by the Netherlands in the Fed Cup in Asheville, North Carolina, but walked away feeling upbeat. "I honestly feel better than I thought I was going to feel," said Williams, who prior to Sunday had not played a competitive match…

Monday, 12 February 2018 04:13

Champions League: Ronaldo-Neymar showdown with jobs at stake

The Champions League resumes with a mouthwatering meeting of the aristocrats and the disruptors of European soccer. The hosts: Real Madrid, the indisputable kings of the continent with 12 titles led by five-time world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo. The visitors: Paris Saint-Germain, the upstarts who bulldozed soccer's transfer record to hitch Neymar to the Qatari-funded mission to join soccer's elite. The Santiago Bernabeu is the stage on Wednesday for Neymar's return to Spain six months after the heir to Ronaldo's throne was prized away from Barcelona for 222 million euros. "(Neymar and Ronaldo) are both quick, very strong…

Sunday, 11 February 2018 04:26

Aguero scores four in City romp, Kane leads Spurs past Arsenal

Sergio Aguero scored four goals as Manchester City extended their Premier League lead to 16 points and Harry Kane netted again as Tottenham Hotspur beat arch-rivals Arsenal 1-0 on Saturday.After a sluggish first half in the early kickoff at Wembley, Kane jumped highest to head home his seventh derby goal in seven games and 23rd in the league this season. Spurs, who would have won by a greater margin but for an inspired performance from goalkeeper Petr Cech, climbed two places to third while Arsenal sit six points adrift of Liverpool in fourth and Juergen Klopp's side have a game…

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Saturday, 10 February 2018 04:17

At Olympics, fiery optics both entertaining and symbolic

Tracers lit up the night. Explosions rocked the stadium, and the acrid smoke that followed the rockets' red glare left some in the crowd coughing and choking. By the time it was all over, giant flames licked toward the sky as the envoys of two enemy governments watched warily. It rained fire into Olympic Stadium for parts of two hours on Friday night, and no one panicked - not the North Koreans, not the South Koreans, not the Americans. In fact, everyone seemed thrilled. All Olympics opening ceremonies are about optics, about intense visuals - and often about meticulously calibrated…

Friday, 09 February 2018 03:48

Olympic Games in Africa? A door long shut could be opening

Other than Antarctica, only one continent on the planet has never hosted an Olympic Games: Africa. Finally, though, that could be about to change.But there'll be a step to take before that happens: hosting the much smaller Youth Olympic Games in 2022. IOC President Thomas Bach says a "mini-Olympic event" will be held on the continent, though a specific country has not been selected. The move could signal the possibility of an eventual Olympics in Africa.Tempering the IOC's optimism, though, is the reality that the continent's not quite ready. "This was exactly one of the reasons why we initiated this…

Tuesday, 06 February 2018 03:17

London to host inaugural eight-nation World Cup

A new World Cup event featuring eight leading athletics nations and intended to attract a wider audience to the sport will take place in London this year, British Athletics said on Monday. Britain and the United States will compete along with South Africa, Poland, France, China, Germany and Jamaica in the inaugural World Cup from July 14-15 at London Stadium, venue for the 2012 Olympic athletics events and last year's world championships. "This is one of the exciting innovative events we are seeing in our sport and our thanks go to British Athletics and the Mayor of London for creating…

Monday, 05 February 2018 04:07

FUTA final year student dies while playing football

A 500-level Applied Geophysics student at Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Mr Tunji Agboola, has reportedly slumped and died while playing football on Saturday at FUTA South Gate area of Akure, the state capital. It was gathered that the student, who was living outside the campus, had no record of health challenge before the incident and the cause of the death was still unknown as of press time. A source said immediately the deceased slumped, he was rushed to the institution’s health centre but the centre was not open due to the strike action embarked upon by the…

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