Author: Nurudeen Obalola
There have been 13 video assistant referee (VAR) mistakes in the EPL Premier League so far this season – down from 20 at the same point last term – say league bosses. Four incorrect VAR interventions and nine missed interventions from the first 23 rounds of games have been found by the competition’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel. There have been 70 VAR interventions in 239 league games this season – around one every three matches. The league says the accuracy of ‘Key Match Incidents’ is at 96.4% – up from 95.7% at the corresponding point last term. “Nobody here…
Kultida Woods, mother of Tiger Woods, passed away on Tuesday. Tiger announced the news via his social media accounts. No cause of death was given. “It is with heartfelt sadness that I want to share that my dear mother, Kultida Woods, passed away early this morning,” Woods wrote in a statement. “My Mom was a force of nature all her own, her spirit was simply undeniable. She was quick with the needle and a laugh. “She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter, without her none of my personal achievements would have been possible. She was loved by so many, but…
By Korede James English Championship club Blackburn Rovers have announced the signing of Nigerian striker Emmanuel Dennis on loan from Nottingham Forest. Rovers announced the signing in a statement on their website on transfer deadline Monday night. Dennis, 27, was the third signing on Monday, following the arrivals of Yuri Ribeiro from Braga and Cauley Woodrow from Luton Town. “A prolific goalscorer, Dennis started his senior career with Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk, netting the opener in a 3-0 win on his debut in July 2016,” Rovers stated. “He gained Europa League experience in games against Feyenoord, Fenerbahce and Manchester United,…
Cristiano Ronaldo has said he is “the most complete player to have existed,” saying he respects fans who prefer Lionel Messi, Pelé or Diego Maradona, but arguing that statistics back up his claim. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, 39, has broken a host of records during his career and is the highest men’s goalscorer in football history with 923 goals, the latest coming in a brace in Al Nassr’s 4-0 AFC Champions League win over Al Wasl on Monday. “Who’s the best goalscorer in history? It’s about numbers. Full stop,” Ronaldo told Spanish television show El Chiringuito in an extensive interview on Monday. “Who’s the…
Chelsea recovered to beat their former manager Graham Potter’s side West Ham United 2-1 with a second-half strike from substitute Pedro Neto and an own goal by Aaron Wan-Bissaka lifting them to fourth place in the English Premier League on Monday night. The result took Chelsea two points above fifth-placed Manchester City and Newcastle United in sixth and within four points of Nottingham Forest, who are third. Jarrod Bowen, in his first game back after a month out with a foot fracture, put the Hammers ahead when he pounced on a back pass by defender Levi Colwill three minutes before…
By Korede James English Championship club Middlesbrough have announced the loan signing of Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho from Sevilla. “Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho has joined the club on loan until the end of the season,” Middlesbrough stated on Monday night. “The former Manchester City and Leicester City marksman joins from La Liga side Sevilla. “The 28-year-old brings a wealth of experience, having played at the highest level. “In over 300 career appearances he has scored 85 goals and on the international stage he has netted 15 goals in 57 games. “He started out at Man City as an 18-year-old…
By Korede James Players and officials of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Babes were involved in a road accident along the Ogbomoso-Ilorin expressway on Monday. The Ilorin, Kwara State-based club confirmed the incident on their X account with photos of the crash. The delegation was returning from their Nigeria National League (NNL) clash with Sporting Lagos on Sunday which they (ABS) lost 1-0. According to the club, players and officials who were involved in the road accident have been safely evacuated to Ilorin. “The team was returning from Lagos when their bus collided with a trailer, resulting in damage to the…
By Korede James Enyimba returned to winning ways after pipping Lobi Stars 1-0 in Monday’s matchday 22 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash in Bauchi. The People’s Elephant had gone five straight matches without a win, suffering three defeats and recording two draws. Ifeanyi Ihemekwele netted the only goal in the 40th minute to help Enyimba earn the three points, which leaves them in eighth place in the NPFL table, while Lobi Stars are second from bottom. In Enugu, champions Rangers defeated Ikorodu City 2-0 to bounce back from back-to-back defeats. Rangers took the lead in the 45th minute through…
By Korede James Benfica have signed 18-year-old Nigerian forward Peter Edokpolor from Galadima Football Club. The Portuguese club confirmed the signing in a statement on Sunday, noting that Edokpolor would not go straight to the senior squad. “Peter Osayande Edokpolor, 18-year-old forward, was signed by Sport Lisboa e Benfica,” the club stated. “The player, who came from Galadima Football Club, Nigeria, will be integrated into the Under-23 team.” According to reports, Edokpolor was scouted by Benfica last year in Abuja, Nigeria. He had been training with the team for a while and did enough to convince the club hierarchy to…
By Korede James Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho has passed his medical tests at Middlesbrough and is set to join the English Championship club on loan. Sky Sports reported that the Nigeria international had the medical on Monday morning and would complete the move ahead of the Monday night transfer deadline. Also, the Northern Echo reported that Middlesbrough agreed the terms of a loan deal with Sevilla that will see Iheanacho move to the Riverside for the remainder of the season, with Boro paying a significant proportion of the former Leicester City star’s wages. Also, discussions are understood to be…