Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Korede James Nigeria’s D’Tigers defeated Cape Verde 77-62 in their final Group B game at the second window of the FIBA Men’s AfroBasket qualifying tournament in Tripoli, Libya on Sunday. The result means the D’Tigers have qualified for the 2025 AfroBasket tournament in Angola. It is D’Tigers’ third win in the group after overcoming Libya and Uganda in their opening two games. They finished top of the group on nine points after three games while Cape Verde are second. Other teams who have already booked their place at this year’s edition are DR Congo, Senegal, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt,…
Mohamed Salah played a pivotal role as Liverpool cemented their position at the top of this season’s English Premier League, extending their lead to 11 points with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Manchester City on Sunday. The leaders had already been given a massive boost in the title race when Arsenal lost 1-0 at home to West Ham on Saturday before moving into what looks like an unassailable position with a superb display against the fallen reigning champions. Liverpool went ahead at the Etihad Stadium with a brilliant corner routine after 14 minutes, Salah scoring his 30th goal of the…
By Korede James Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Ralph Onyedika and Semi Ajayi have emerged as injury doubts for the Super Eagles ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March. Dele-Bashiru suffered an ankle injury in Lazio’s 0-0 draw with Venezia in Serie A on Saturday, the 24-year-old midfielder spraining his ankle in a coming together with Alessio Zerbin. The Nigeria international tried to run it off and even took a shot which made it worse, before he was carried off by two members of medical staff with five minutes left in the first half. Speaking after…
Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has clarified that he had no intention of upsetting Ademola Lookman following his criticism of the forward after his penalty miss against Club Brugge in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League match. Gasperini blamed Lookman for missing a penalty kick in the 3-1 defeat to the Belgian champions, saying that the forward was one of the worst penalty takers he had ever seen. Lookman hit back saying that Gasperini’s words were disrespectful. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, ahead of Atalanta’s Serie A fixture at Empoli on Sunday, Gasperini said: “He (Lookman) had an extraordinary…
Former Netherlands, Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has been named Feyenoord’s new head coach. The 41-year-old, who retired from playing in 2019, has left fellow Dutch side Heerenveen to take charge of the club he had two spells at as a player, making 122 appearances for them and scoring 46 goals. Van Persie was also assistant coach at Feyenoord under Dick Advocaat and worked with their youth teams before taking charge of Heerenveen in May last year. He leaves Heerenven ninth in the Dutch top flight after winning seven of his 23 games in charge. Van Persie…
Following the cancellation of the planned friendly matches between the Flying Eagles and Egypt, the Nigeria Football Federation has secured Cote d’Ivoire as a replacement team ahead of the forthcoming U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. Seven-time African champions Nigeria will now play the AFCON hosts Cote d’Ivoire in two matches scheduled for Wednesday and Friday in Abidjan. Aliyu Lawal Ibrahim, Team Administrator of the Flying Eagles, confirmed that the team, which has been in camp in Abuja for weeks after head coach Aliyu Zubairu called up 30 players for the planned games with Egypt’s Young Pharaohs, is expected to depart…
New signings Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford combined twice as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Villa Park on Saturday. Chelsea took the lead in the ninth minute when Pedro Neto skipped past Ian Maatsen before drilling a low delivery across the face of goal which only required a light touch from Enzo Fernandez to turn it past Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. But Chelsea did not consolidate on their lead and half-time substitute Rashford — who was initially ruled offside before the video assistant referee (VAR) system overturned the decision — helped Aston Villa to level…
By Korede James Nigeria’s D’Tigers eased past Uganda 87-67 to record their second victory in Group B in the second window of the 2025 Men’s AfroBasket qualifying tournament in Tripoli, Libya on Saturday. The Nigerian team went into the contest on the back of a 75-70 win against hosts Libya on Friday. Despite trailing in the first, second and third quarters, D’Tigers still did enough to clinch the win. The win took D’Tigers to second position behind leaders Cape Verde. Uganda took the first quarter 16-12 and also finished ahead in the second quarter by 34-28. D’Tigers cut the deficit…
By Korede James Arsenal’s English Premier League title ambitions suffered a big setback following their 1-0 defeat to West Ham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. The Gunners needed to win to close the gap on leaders Liverpool to five points in the league table. But Jarrod Bowen’s 44th minute header off a cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka threw spanner into the works of Mikel Arteta’s side. Substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a straight red card on 73 minutes for a foul on Mohammed Kudus who was clean through on goal. Liverpool now have the chance to go 11 points clear…
Manchester United pulled off a late comeback to earn a dramatic and controversial 2-2 draw at Everton in their English Premier League clash at Goodison Park on Saturday. Everton’s resurgence under their returning manager David Moyes — formerly of Manchester United — looked set to continue as they took total control in the first half to earn a deserved 2-0 lead. They exposed every United flaw in that opening half, Beto turning in his fifth goal under Moyes in the 19th minute after Ruben Amorim’s side failed to clear the ball, before Abdoulaye Doucoure headed them two ahead in the…