Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Korede James Super Eagles new head coach Eric Chelle has claimed that despite pressure from Algerian club MC Oran for him to continue there, he could not resist the chance to lead ‘one of Africa’s best national teams’. On Tuesday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the appointment of Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles. Chelle replaced NFF Technical Director Austin Eguavoen who had been in charge of the team on an interim basis. The former Mali coach took charge in his final game for MC Oran on Saturday against USM Sétif, leading his…
By Korede James Enyimba head coach Stanley Eguma has expressed confidence that his side still have the chance of advancing to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup. Enyimba will hope to brighten their chances of qualifying for the last eight when they host Al Masry of Egypt in Uyo in Group D on Sunday. The Peoples Elephant are bottom of the group on four points while Al Masry are second with five points. When both teams met in the first leg in November, Al Masry won 2-0. While Enyimba will go into Sunday’s game after back-to-back wins in all…
The Nigeria Football Federation has announced that it will present new Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to the public on Monday in Abuja. Chelle, a former Mali international, was confirmed as the new substantive head coach of the Super Eagles last Tuesday, replacing Austin Eguavoen, who had taken temporary charge following the resignation of Finidi George in June. The presentation of Chelle, 47, is scheduled for the Media Conference Room of the MKO Abiola National Stadium by 11am, the NFF noted. “The 47-year-old will mount one of the hottest seats in world football, but President of the NFF, Alhaji…
Manchester City equalled a 92-year record after trouncing League Two outfit Salford City 8-0 in the third round of the FA Cup at the Etihad on Saturday. The result means City have scored eight or more goals in an FA Cup match for the first time since January 1933, which was a 9-0 win against Gateshead, according to Opta statistics. James McAtee netted a hat-trick, Jeremy Doku bagged a brace while Divin Mubama, Jack Grealish and Nico O’Reilly got on the score sheet. McAtee became the first Englishman to score a hat-trick in the competition for Manchester City since Robbie…
Gael Monfils became the oldest man in nearly five decades to win an ATP Tour-level title with his 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Zizou Bergs on Saturday at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. Ken Rosewall, an Australian great, was 43 when he won the Hong Kong trophy in 1977. Monfils, who won his 13th tour title, is 38. But against Bergs, Monfils seemed ageless, winning 88 percent of points on his first serve and saving six break chances in the 97-minute contest. Bergs, a 25-year-old Belgian, converted only 71 percent of his first serves into points. Monfils and Bergs…
By Korede James Second-tier Championship bottom club Plymouth Argyle recorded a shock 1-0 win at Brentford in the English FA Cup third round on Saturday. Morgan Whittaker was the hero for the struggling side as his 82nd minute strike was enough to seal the biggest upset in the third round so far. Brentford had 71 percent ball possession to Plymouth’s 29, had two shots on target compared to the visitors’ one and also had nine corner kicks while the Championship strugglers only had three. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea ended their winless run with a comfortable 5-0 win against League Two…
By Korede James Ademola Lookman and his Atalanta side fired blanks as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Udinese in their Serie A clash in Udine on Saturday. The Super Eagles star and African Player of the Year was unable to add to his nine Serie A goals this season as Atalanta failed to go level on points with leaders Napoli. Lookman made his 14th start of the league campaign but was taken off in the 62nd minute, with Atalanta now two points behind Napoli. Meanwhile, Gift Orban’s debut for Hoffenheim ended in defeat following a 1-0 loss…
By Korede James Liverpool secured a comfortable 4-0 victory against League One outfit Accrington Stanley in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup at Anfield on Saturday. Arne Slot’s men went into Saturday’s early kick-off Cup tie on the back of a defeat and a draw in their last two games. After playing a 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the English Premier League, the Reds lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final first leg of the Carabao Cup. Goals from Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jayden Danns and Federico Chiesa sealed the dominant win for the Reds on…
Everton have re-appointed David Moyes as their manager, the English Premier League club confirmed in a statement on Saturday. “Everton Football Club is delighted to welcome back David Moyes as their new Manager, effective immediately,” the club announced. “David is widely recognised as one of the Premier League’s most experienced and accomplished managers, having led Everton for more than 500 matches from 2002 to 2013. “As a driving force behind taking Everton to the 2009 FA Cup Final and four European campaigns, he has also managed Manchester United and West Ham United, where he notably won the UEFA Europa Conference…
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has revealed that Altay Bayindir will start in goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round tie at the Emirates on Sunday. Bayindir replaced Andre Onana in the 4-3 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup and it will be the same situation this weekend against the Gunners. Speaking at his press conference to preview the game on Friday, Amorim said:”I don’t rotate because I want to rotate, I’m trying to find the best solutions to win the game. “I put the guys in who are more fresh to cope with the demands…