Author: Nurudeen Obalola

Super Falcons of Nigeria players and officials started arriving in Angers on Wednesday, ahead of Saturday’s friendly game with France’s Les Bleues. It is the second time both teams will face each other in a friendly, after France thrashed the nine-time African champions 8-0 at Stade Marie-Marvingt in April 2018. Only France-based goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and Mexico-based defender Osinachi Ohale remain from that Super Falcons team routed by France over six years ago, as head coach Justine Madugu seeks to build a new squad. That 8-0 defeat equalled the Super Falcons’ biggest-ever losses – by Norway at the 1995…

The Football Association says it is investigating an allegation that referee David Coote discussed giving a yellow card with a fan before a Championship match. Coote, 42, says he denies the new claims and calls them “false and defamatory allegations”. The referee is already under investigation by the FA and has been suspended by refereeing body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and European football’s governing body Uefa following separate allegations about his conduct. A new report in the Sun newspaper on Tuesday claimed Coote exchanged messages with a fan discussing giving a yellow card before and after a…

Manchester City blew a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night at the Etihad Stadium after another disastrous performance from Pep Guardiola’s struggling side. Erling Haaland scored twice, while Ilkay Gundogan added the other strike for the hosts, who looked headed for victory after a five-game losing streak in all competitions. However, defensive errors late in the game allowed Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko to pull Feyenoord level as the English champions dropped to 15th in the Champions League table on eight points. In Portugal, Bukayo Saka scored…

Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano are together again, this time with Inter Miami. The former Barcelona and Argentina teammates have reunited, with Inter Miami announcing Tuesday that Mascherano’s hiring as the club’s new coach is complete. The sides struck a deal late last week for Mascherano to replace Gerardo Tata Martino, who stepped aside for personal reasons. Mascherano most recently was Argentina’s U-20 team and Olympic coach. He’s signed a three-year contract and will take over when his work paperwork is completed. “This job requires somebody with the experience to be able to maximize our unique collection of talent —…

Cameroon and Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has been honouree with the FIFPRO Player Impact Award for his good work off the pitch. The 28-year-old’s charity, the Andre Onana Foundation, provides free medical care and high-quality surgeries to underprivileged communities in Cameroon, and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The foundation partners with a group of surgeons and medical professionals who each year provide life-changing surgery and care to hundreds of people, particularly children. Doctors working with Onana’s foundation have performed over 1,200 surgical operations over the last three years. Writing on FIFPRO.org, Onana said: “When I passed through Barcelona, Amsterdam…

West Ham are believed to be showing an interest in Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman, joining Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid in eyeing the Atalanta star. The English Premier League club are reportedly monitoring the Nigeria international ahead of a potential January move, with Atalanta valuing him at over £60m. Lookman has been one of Europe’s top performers this season, with nine goals and five assists in 15 appearances across Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. The 27-year-old was strongly linked with PSG towards the end of the summer transfer window, and the French giants are still…

Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions said in a statement on Monday that recent speculation that Paul’s November 15 record-breaking match against Mike Tyson was rigged or scripted is “incorrect and baseless.” The company, which partnered with Netflix for what was the most-streamed global sporting event in history, insisted they complied with all appropriate regulations for a match that was sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR). “Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight,” MVP’s statement said. “There were absolutely no restrictions — contractual or otherwise…

Vinicius Junior has suffered a hamstring injury which has ruled him out of the upcoming UEFA Champions League match with Liverpool, Real Madrid announced on Monday. “After tests taken today our player Vinicius Junior has been diagnosed by Real Madrid’s medical services with a hamstring injury in his left leg,” the club said in a statement. The Brazil winger is expected to be out for about a month, which means he will also miss the Champions League visit to Atalanta on December 10, in addition to Wednesday’s fixture at Anfield. Vinicius played the full 90 minutes of Real Madrid’s 3-0…

Mohamed Salah says he is disappointed he is still yet to be offered a new contract by Liverpool and is “probably more out than in,” with his current deal expiring at the end of this season. That will come as alarming news to Liverpool supporters, who sang his name through the second half of the 3-2 win at Southampton on Sunday, when the Egyptian scored twice to seal a comeback and extend the Reds’ lead at the top of the Premier League table. Salah is having a stellar campaign, with 10 goals and six assists in his first 12 league…

Defender Ashleigh Plumptre is back in the Super Falcons set-up after a lengthy absence due to injury, as the team get set for a high-profile friendly match with France. Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has also called up CAF Awards nominee, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender Osinachi Ohale, midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Jennifer Echegini, as well as forwards Gift Monday and Rinsola Babajide among a list of 20 players for Saturday’s friendly. US-based defender Michelle Alozie, Turkey-based Oluwatosin Demehin, midfielder Adoo Yina and forwards Mercy Omokwo and Ifeoma Onumonu are also included in the squad for the encounter scheduled for…