Author: Nurudeen Obalola
Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the English Premier League to eight points as they thrashed a poor West Ham United side 5-0 at the London Stadium on Sunday night. It was another capital goal-fest for Arne Slot’s irresistible side after the 6-3 win at Tottenham seven days previously, the outcome never in doubt as a first-half masterclass left a desperately passive Hammers well beaten. Liverpool had already missed several chances before Luis Diaz gave them the lead with a powerful finish on the half-hour mark. Cody Gakpo was then the beneficiary of Mohamed Salah’s brilliant footwork to…
Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has put a positive spin on Atalanta’s 1-1 draw at Lazio on Saturday night, although the result ended his side’s 11-match Serie A winning streak. Lookman was voted Man of the Match after another excellent performance in which he set up Atalanta’s late equaliser for Marco Brescianini. Lookman’s Nigeria international teammate Fisayo Dele-Bashiru beat the offside trap on a Nicolò Rovella ball over the top to give Lazio the lead in the 27th minute, but Brescianini tapped in Lookman’s pass in the 88th minute to equalise. “It was a tough match, the first half was very…
By Nurudeen Obalola Nigeria’s Super Eagles B have secured their ticket to the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after beating Ghana 3-1 in Uyo on Saturday. The Nigerian side won the tie 3-1 on aggregate, the first leg in Accra last Sunday having ended 0-0. An excellent first-half showing propelled Daniel Ogunmodede’s side to the victory, with the Super Eagles B netting all three goals before the break. Ghana pulled one back in the second half, but it was too little, too late. The key period of the match for the Super Eagles B was a seven-minute stretch in which…
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka is set to be sidelined for more than two months after an operation on a hamstring injury, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday. “He had a procedure, everything went well but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks,” the Spaniard said on Friday night after Arsenal defeated Ipswich 1-0 to go second in the English Premier League table. Pressed on a more precise timeline, Arteta added: “I think it will be more than two months. It will depend on how the scar tissue starts to heal, the first week or so of mobility … let’s see,…
Coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani of Nigeria’s Super Eagles B and Ghana’s Black Galaxies respectively have made confident statements ahead of Saturday’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying clash in Uyo. The first leg ended 0-0 in Accra and Saturday’s battle at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium will decide which of the fierce rivals proceeds to the 2025 CHAN in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. At the pre-match press conference on Friday evening, Dramani insisted his boys had the better opportunities in the first leg in Accra and will not be easy targets for the Eagles in Uyo. “We created far more…
Kai Havertz scored the only goal of a tight encounter on Friday night as Arsenal defeated a brave Ipswich Town side 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium to rise to second in the English Premier League. The hosts netted the winner in the 23rd minute when Leandro Trossard crossed the ball for Havertz to tap in from close range. Arsenal dominated and had 83.5% of possession in the first half as Kieran McKenna’s side, who rarely left their own half, looked to frustrate them. Declan Rice curled over from the edge of the box, before Gabriel Jesus thought he had doubled…
Cristiano Ronaldo believes Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr should have won this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or award instead of Rodri. Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards on Friday, Ronaldo said Vinícius deserved the prize over Manchester City’s Rodri, after the Brazil forward and his Real Madrid teammates boycotted the ceremony in Paris hosted by France Football magazine. Vinicius has since won The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year prize and the main Globe Soccer Awards honour. “In my opinion, he [Vinícius] deserved to win the golden ball [Ballon d’Or award],” former Real Madrid star Ronaldo said. “It was unfair in my opinion. I say here in…
Stand-in Super Eagles B head coach Daniel Ogunmodede is focused on victory ahead of Saturday’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Ghana’s Black Galaxies in Uyo. The fierce West African rivals played a 0-0 draw in Accra on Sunday in the first leg of the final qualifying round tie, with the second leg scheduled for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Saturday. “We are doing everything to stay focused by avoiding any distractions,” Ogunmodede, who is also the head coach of Remo Stars, said. “Yes, we got a scoreless draw in the first leg away and now playing at…
Ruben Amorim has asked for patience and admitted he had ‘no idea’ how long it will take for him to revive Manchester United, after a defeat by Wolves on Thursday condemned him to the worst start by any Old Trafford boss in almost 100 years. Boxing Day’s 2-0 loss at Molineux — United’s third consecutive defeat — made Amorim the first Red Devils manager to lose five or more of his first 10 matches in charge since Walter Crickmer in January 1932. “I have no idea. No idea. Instead of me trying to understand how much time it will take,…
Mohamed Salah scored his 100th English Premier League goal on Boxing Day as leaders Liverpool strengthened their hold at the top of the table after coming from behind to defeat struggling Leicester City 3-1 at Anfield and move seven points clear. Leicester had lost five of their previous seven matches but stunned Anfield by taking the lead through Jordan Ayew’s sharp sixth-minute finish. Liverpool endured a frustrating half as Andy Robertson and Salah hit the post and crossbar respectively before Cody Gakpo levelled right on the stroke of half-time with a lovely curling finish from the edge of the box.…