Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Korede James Players and officials of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Babes were involved in a road accident along the Ogbomoso-Ilorin expressway on Monday. The Ilorin, Kwara State-based club confirmed the incident on their X account with photos of the crash. The delegation was returning from their Nigeria National League (NNL) clash with Sporting Lagos on Sunday which they (ABS) lost 1-0. According to the club, players and officials who were involved in the road accident have been safely evacuated to Ilorin. “The team was returning from Lagos when their bus collided with a trailer, resulting in damage to the…
By Korede James Enyimba returned to winning ways after pipping Lobi Stars 1-0 in Monday’s matchday 22 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash in Bauchi. The People’s Elephant had gone five straight matches without a win, suffering three defeats and recording two draws. Ifeanyi Ihemekwele netted the only goal in the 40th minute to help Enyimba earn the three points, which leaves them in eighth place in the NPFL table, while Lobi Stars are second from bottom. In Enugu, champions Rangers defeated Ikorodu City 2-0 to bounce back from back-to-back defeats. Rangers took the lead in the 45th minute through…
By Korede James Benfica have signed 18-year-old Nigerian forward Peter Edokpolor from Galadima Football Club. The Portuguese club confirmed the signing in a statement on Sunday, noting that Edokpolor would not go straight to the senior squad. “Peter Osayande Edokpolor, 18-year-old forward, was signed by Sport Lisboa e Benfica,” the club stated. “The player, who came from Galadima Football Club, Nigeria, will be integrated into the Under-23 team.” According to reports, Edokpolor was scouted by Benfica last year in Abuja, Nigeria. He had been training with the team for a while and did enough to convince the club hierarchy to…
By Korede James Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho has passed his medical tests at Middlesbrough and is set to join the English Championship club on loan. Sky Sports reported that the Nigeria international had the medical on Monday morning and would complete the move ahead of the Monday night transfer deadline. Also, the Northern Echo reported that Middlesbrough agreed the terms of a loan deal with Sevilla that will see Iheanacho move to the Riverside for the remainder of the season, with Boro paying a significant proportion of the former Leicester City star’s wages. Also, discussions are understood to be…
By Korede James Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) and Rivers United failed to close the gap on Remo Stars as both teams were unable to secure victories on Sunday in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). While 3SC were forced to a 1-1 draw away to Plateau United, Finidi George’s Rivers United suffered a 2-0 loss at Heartland. 3SC went into the fixture having won their last six matches and were on the verge of making it seven consecutive wins after Tijani Kabiru put them 1-0 up on 74 minutes. But just two minutes later Albert Hilary equalised for Plateau…
By Nurudeen Obalola Marcus Rashford has ended his saga at Manchester United by completing a loan move to fellow English club Aston Villa. The England forward has been out of favour at his boyhood club after falling out with head coach Ruben Amorim, and last played for United in mid-December, missing 12 matches. “Aston Villa is delighted to announce the loan signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United,” the Birmingham-based club announced on Sunday night. “The England international, capped 60 times by the Three Lions, joins Villa on a deal until the end of the season. “Rashford has scored 138…
By Korede James Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface marked his return from a thigh injury with a goal as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Hoffenheim 3-1 in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Also on target in the match was Nigerian striker Gift Orban, who has now scored in back-to-back Bundesliga matches for Hoffenheim. Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella also featured for Xabi Alonso’s side but came off in the 42nd minute. Boniface was on the verge of leaving the Bundesliga champions for Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in the January transfer window but the deal fell through. He put that behind him as he…
By Korede James Arsenal secured a dominant 5-1 win against Manchester City in Sunday’s English Premier League clash at the Emirates to keep leaders Liverpool with sight. Goals from captain Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Kai Havertz and youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri wrapped up a dominant display from Mikel Arteta’s men against the champions. The Gunners have now gone unbeaten in back-to-back meetings in the Premier League against City, and are six points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Odegaard gave Arsenal the lead just two minutes into the match following a mistake by Manuel Akanji. Havertz…
Manchester United’s woeful home form this season continued on Sunday as they fell to a 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace in the English Premier League on Sunday. The Red Devils have now lost seven of their first 13 home matches of the league season, for the first time since 1893-1894, over 130 years ago. Also, since the beginning of last season only Wolves (16) have lost more Premier League home games than Manchester United’s 13, according to Opta statistics. Despite United chasing a fourth successive win in all competitions, Palace were much the better side in the first half at…
By Korede James Super Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo has been voted the best player in Southampton’s 2-1 win against Ipswich Town in the English Premier League on Saturday, according to an official poll on the league’s website. The 28-year-old Nigeria international put Southampton 1-0 ahead in the 21st minute of the clash, taking his tally in the league this season to three. His Nigerian teammate Paul Onuachu scored the winning goal in the 87th minute. After votes by fans, the Premier League announced Aribo as the Man of the Match after he polled 36.8 percent to finish ahead of nine…