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Falode joins NFF race to freshen women’s football

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3 years ago

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Chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Aisha Falode

Chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Aisha Falode believed being elected into the board of Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) would further boost the growth of women’s football  in the country.

Falode, the only women appointed Executive Committee member of the present NFF as chairperson of the NWFL,  reckoned that seeking an elective position at the forthcoming September 30  NFF elections  slated for Benin City, Edo State capital, would afford her the chance  to breath more life  into the women’s game without being cowed by anybody.

“ We have done well at the NWFL and I’m thankful to the Pinnick -led board because without their support, we won’t be able to achieve much at the NWFL and  in fact, President Amaju Pinnick  was instrumental to the last two sponsorships we secured for the NWPL ,” Falode said in Lagos at the weekend.  “Of course, I have been on the NFF  board on the basis of being the NWFL’s  chairperson but there’s little one can  do to assert one’s authority and influence  because you are also at the mercy of those that appointed you.”

The former member of CAF’s Media Committee who said she was aspiring for NFF executive  seat through from the Edo State Football Association, added  she’s ready for the test in the ballot box,

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“ Going forward, I  don’t want to be appointed anymore even if I’m given the chance; I’ll  rather go and contest elections and if I win fine and if I lose, I’ll know I have given it my best shot,” Falode, brandishing her electoral form, said.“ I’ll be joining the race not as President  or Vice-President of the NFF but as an executive committee member.

“I want to have a voice and I want to be heard and I want to be  able to take  the initiative  and run with the ideas without holding back because I’m equal with the people I’m sharing the table with,” she added.

Apart from bigger visibility for women’s football, Falode  , said  one of the agendas she’ll be pursuing on being elected into the NFF is a result oriented secretariat  at the Sunday Dankaro House, adding  there are so much  yet untapped opportunities for  women’s football and Nigerian football in general.

“ Of course, when I return to the board through the ballot as an executive committee member of the NFF  , I can also begin to be loud in my ideas and  pushing for a football federation  that is professionally run,” she said.“ We know a lot of things that can be done better in our football federation  and we can build upon what has been done by the last board because this is going to be like a relay race.”

Falode  added that she will ensure  that the NFF secretariat is up and running  in all ramifications including commercial, marketing, legal and compliance levels .

The Nation

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Maguire, Yoro set for Man United return

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1 hour ago

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April 1, 2025

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Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro

Maguire, Yoro set for Man United return

Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim has confirmed that defenders, Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro are available to play against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Tuesday.

The Red Devils boss issued fitness updates on the injured players in the squad including England left-back Luke Shaw, who Amorim says he has returned to training but is still building his fitness before a return to first-team action.

Leny Yoro has suffered repeated injuries this season after arriving at the club from Lille in the summer.

The 19-year-old has been out since March 9 when he picked up a foot injury during United’s draw with Arsenal.

Maguire has been unavailable with a calf injury since the end of February.

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Amorin confirmed that Luke Shaw returned to training on Friday but also noted that the left-back is still working on his fitness before a return to first-team action.

“Luke [Shaw] is not ready yet. We are starting to do some drills with the team but we are building Luke,” Amorim said.

The Red Devils manager also issued injury updates on Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, Johnny Evans, and Lisandro Martinez.

“Mason Mount is feeling better but he was on the bench in the last game, Kobbie [Mainoo] is almost ready, Jonny [Evans] is recovering, [Lisandro Martínez] is out. [Harry] Maguire is also ready to go to the game and [Leny] Yoro, yes,” Amorim added.

 

Maguire, Yoro set for Man United return

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Saka ready for Arsenal return after three months injury layoff

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19 hours ago

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March 31, 2025

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Bukayo Saka

Saka ready for Arsenal return after three months injury layoff

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that winger Bukayo Saka is fit again and ready to return to action after a three-month layoff due to a hamstring injury.

The winger had surgery on a hamstring problem suffered last December and would likely feature in Arsenal’s next Premier League game against Fulham at Emirates Stadium.

“Bukayo Saka is ready to go,” said Arteta.

“All the careful things are already done. Now it’s about putting him on the grass at the right moment but he’s pushing because he really wants to. We have respected the timeline and we have done everything.

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“Bukayo is a massive weapon that we have. We know the impact he has in the team and how important his role and contribution is to our success.”

Saka has scored nine goals and contributed 10 assists in 24 games in all competitions for Arsenal this season and an imminent return is surely a good one to bolster The Gunners’ attack.

Meanwhile, defender Riccardo Calafiori faces a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury sustained on international duty for Italy against Germany on 20 March.

“It could have been much worse,” said Arteta. “Hopefully it’s going to be a matter of weeks, but we have to see how the injury evolves.”

Arsenal are second in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool with nine games remaining.

Saka ready for Arsenal return after three months injury layoff

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Man City secure comeback win at Bournemouth to reach FA Cup semi-finals

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1 day ago

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March 31, 2025

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Erling Haaland

Man City secure comeback win at Bournemouth to reach FA Cup semi-finals

Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush kept Manchester City in with a chance of salvaging a trophy from this season as they came from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

Pep Guardiola’s side were trailing to Evanilson’s goal at half-time, after Haaland was guilty of an extraordinary six-minute hat-trick of misses, with Bournemouth looking set for a first appearance in the last four in their history.

But Haaland hauled the visitors level after the break and then, after he departed through injury, his replacement Marmoush tucked away the winner to book a Wembley date with Nottingham Forest.

So for all the talk of a new – or at least new-ish – name on the cup this year, the prospect of City winning it again looms large.

In truth they should have been three up after 16 minutes but for an astonishing treble, of sorts, from Haaland.

The Norway striker wasted his first glorious chance when he met a Matheus Nunes cross with a free header, six yards out, and put it wide.

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Worse was to come for Haaland after Tyler Adams was penalised for handball in the penalty area.

The 24-year-old stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Cherries keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga guessed right and made a fine save low to his left.

And Haaland could do nothing other than offer a wry grin when he completed a his quickfire triple-whammy, bursting clear of down the left only to lift his shot over Kepa and the crossbar.

Bournemouth made him pay in the 21st minute when Nunes gave the ball away to Lewis Cook.

The Cherries skipper fed David Brooks, who swung in a cross which Justin Kluivert, sliding in at the far post, hooked goalwards with Evanilson sticking out a toe to prod it home.

Bournemouth, enjoying such an impressive campaign under Andoni Iraloa, had their tails up while the City midfield of Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan, which looked old on paper, was looking even older on the pitch.

The hosts almost doubled their lead when a Brooks free-kick eluded everybody in the area and bounced inches wide of Ederson’s far post.

But while it was 1-0 City always had a chance, and De Bruyne curled over in first-half stoppage time while Phil Foden briefly flickered into life at the start of the second with a shot held by Kepa.

Plus Haaland was not going to keep missing forever, and just four minutes after the restart he slid in at the far post to convert substitute Nico O’Reilly inviting cross.

It was Haaland’s 30th goal of the season, but he would not be adding any more on the south coast after a challenge with Cook, leading to a close encounter with an advertising hoarding, forced him out injured.

No matter, as his replacement Marmoush immediately fired them ahead, finishing under Kepa after O’Reilly cleverly flicked him in behind.

Marmoush almost doubled the lead but his header from Nunes’ cross was cleared off the line by Marcos Senesi.

But Bournemouth looked spent, a long season of punching above their weight perhaps finally catching up with them, and City saw out seven minutes of stoppage time before celebrating a record seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final.

Man City secure comeback win at Bournemouth to reach FA Cup semi-finals

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