Author: Nurudeen Obalola
Chelsea won their FIFA Club World Cup opener 2-0 against Los Angeles FC in front of thousands of empty seats at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday night. Pedro Neto’s near-post shot after being sent clear in the first half was followed by a close-range tap-in from Enzo Fernandez, after a fine cross from debutant striker Liam Delap. However, the major talking point was an official attendance figure of just 22,137 fans inside the 71,000-seater arena. Those in the ground witnessed a laboured performance from the Blues, but ultimately finishing quality sealed victory for the English Premier League side, with…
Lewis Hamilton says he is devastated after running over a groundhog during Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver hit the rodent during the 13th lap of the race in Montreal, leaving a hole in the floor of his SF-25 car. The 40-year-old ended up finishing sixth, with his team estimating that the damage cost Hamilton about half-a-second per lap for the remainder of the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. But the seven-time world champion, a vegan and well-known animal lover, was more concerned with the “horrible” death of the groundhog. “It was feeling pretty decent up until then.…
Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has reviewed the 2024/2025 season and commended the referees for their performances, while calling for a sustenance of the improvement in the new season. “I’ve travelled around the world and witnessed some shocking officiating decisions—something you hardly see in the NPFL,” Elegbeleye said during an interactive session with journalists. “That’s why I can confidently say our referees are among the best globally.” The NPFL boss attributed the marked improvements in the performance of the referees as a reason those appointed to continental competitions discharged their duties with high marks which has in…
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich beat semi-professional Auckland City 10-0 in Cincinnati on Sunday to record the biggest win in the history of the FIFA Club World Cup. Vincent Kompany’s side outclassed the New Zealand part-timers, with Jamal Musiala scoring a hat-trick and Thomas Muller grabbing two goals as his long farewell to the club continued. Bayern took the lead through Kingsley Coman’s sixth-minute header as the floodgates opened early. Sacha Boey lashed home Coman’s knockdown on the half-volley to double Bayern’s advantage 12 minutes later, and former Crystal Palace man Michael Olise turned in Muller’s cross at the far post…
Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed as the head coach of the Italy national team coach, the country’s football federation (FIGC) announced on Sunday. Former international midfielder Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was sacked last week following a humiliating 3-0 defeat by Norway in a World Cup qualifier. The former AC Milan and Napoli manager will be formally introduced as Italy coach on Thursday in Rome. “Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football – the blue jersey is like a second skin for him. His motivations, his professionalism and his experience will be fundamental to best face the upcoming commitments of…
Nigerian mixed martial arts star Kamaru Usman earned his first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) victory since 2021 by defeating Joaquin Buckley in the welterweight main event of a Fight Night held at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, in the early hours of Sunday. Usman, nicknamed the Nigerian Nightmare, secured the victory in a unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) after five rounds, with his wrestling a key part of his success. Usman, 38, patiently worked to avoid Buckley’s dangerous strikes and pick his moments to drive in for takedowns. Once the fight hit the ground, it was clear…
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a 0-0 draw by African giants Al Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start in the early hours of Sunday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta while Al Ahly, who…
Former Manchester United and Juventus star Paul Pogba is reportedly in advanced negotiations with Ligue 1 club Monaco in a bid to return to top-level football after a doping ban Pogba, 32, who won the World Cup with France in 2018, is close to agreeing a deal to return to his country with Monaco, according to various reports. Several outlets across Europe claimed the midfielder is in talks and heading towards signing a two-year contract with Monaco, who hope to close the deal in the coming days. Talks have been ongoing for a number of weeks, with Pogba training before…
Boca Juniors defender Ayrton Costa will be able to take part in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States following a u-turn by US immigration officials who had previously rejected his visa application, the Argentine club said on Friday. “Ayrton Costa has been granted a 26-day special visa,” a club spokesperson told Reuters. Costa’s visa application was subject to a criminal complaint in his native Argentina, relating to an aggravated robbery in 2018, which he avoided trial for by accepting a probationary sentence in 2023. However, US officials previously ruled that he could not enter the country as he was…
With less than a month to go before the revamped FIFA Club World Cup was due to kick off on home turf, the signs were looking grim for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. A humbling 3-0 Florida derby defeat at Chase Stadium by Orlando City left Inter Miami without a victory in three games – with their leaky defence shipping 10 goals – having won just twice in their previous eight Major League Soccer matches. Hopes of a first CONCACAF Champions Cup trophy had also ended in brutal fashion as Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps ran out comfortable 5-1 victors over…