Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Korede James Barcelona defeated rivals Real Madrid 5-2 on Sunday night in Saudi Arabia to claim a record-extending 15th Super Cup trophy. Real Madrid, who went into Sunday’s final as holders, have won it 13 times. Barcelona played most of the second half with 10 men after Wojciech Szczesny was sent off but still gained revenge for the 4-1 defeat to Madrid in last year’s final. Kylian Mbappe gave Madrid the lead just five minutes into the game. However, it became one-way traffic as Barcelona put five past their eternal rivals. First, Lamine Yamal equalised for Barcelona on 22…
By Korede James Enyimba’s hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup suffered a setback following their 1-1 draw with Egypt’s Al Masry in a Group D clash in Uyo on Sunday. The Nigerian representatives went into the game needing to win to boost their chance of advancing to the last eight. But the People’s Elephant had to come from behind to force the visitors to a draw. Mohamed Hashem opened the scoring in the eighth before Ifeanyi Ihemekwele equalised on 47 minutes. The draw means Enyimba are now third on five points in the group after…
By Korede James Holders Manchester United edged out Arsenal on penalties in the third round of the FA Cup at the Emirates stadium on Sunday. Despite playing most of the game with 10 men following Diogo Dalot’s sending off, United went on to win the shootout 5-3 after 120 minutes of regulation time and extra-time ended 1-1. United also knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup at the Emirates in 2019, recording a 3-1 win with former Gunners star Alexis Sanchez among the Red Devils’ scorers. Sunday’s match brought back memories of the 1999 semi-final clash where United, down to…
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…