Sports
Gambia beat Nigeria’s Flying Eagles 1-0 in U20
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles on Monday lost 0-1 to the Gambian team in the semi-finals of the ongoing Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
The match which was played at the Cairo International Stadium saw the Nigerian side dominating the encounter with 62 per cent possession as against the Gambians’ 38 per cent.
But they failed to hit target, and have consequently paid for it by missing out on the final match for an attempt at a record eighth title win.
The Flying Eagles were too casual with play in the opening minutes of the game and were eventually punished for it after seven minutes.
That was when Adama Bojang capitalised on a loose ball from a misdirected header in Nigeria’s defence to score.
The Nigerian team did step up their play after going behind, dominating ball possession, creating all the dangerous plays, and putting the Young Scorpions on the back foot.
But the poor connection between the wingers and the strikers made it difficult for the team to equalise, even with Gambia playing with 10 men for few minutes before the end of the game.
Earlier, Senegal had thrashed Tunisia 3-0 to reach the final match of the competition in the other semi-final match at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia.
The Teranga Cubs won the semi-final match, beating the Young Carthage to secure their place in the final.
Two goals from new FC Metz recruit Lamine Camara and a sumptuous strike by Pape Diop were enough to send Senegal to the final.
The three-time runners-up will now face The Gambia in the final on Saturday.
The final match is scheduled to take place at the Cairo International Stadium.
Sports
Finidi George appointed Super Eagles head coach
Finidi George appointed Super Eagles head coach
The Nigeria Football Federation has appointed Finidi George as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
Finidi’s appointment was announced on Monday as obtained via the official website of the NFF.
George had served as assistant to former coach Jose Peseiro for 20 months before assuming interim leadership of the senior national team in March this year.
The statement read in part, “The Board of Nigeria Football Federation on Monday approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to appoint former ace winger Finidi George as Head Coach of the Senior Men National Football Team, Super Eagles.”
Sports
Thiago Silva to leave Chelsea at end of season
Thiago Silva to leave Chelsea at end of season
Chelsea defender Thiago Silva will leave the club at the end of the season.
The Brazilian, who joined the Blues on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain in 2020, has made 151 appearances for the Blues.
He has won three trophies in that time, including the 2020-21 Champions League.
Silva, 39, says his love for the club is “indescribable”.
“Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for a year and it ended up being four years,” he said.
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“It is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances but when there is a mutual love, it’s even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue.”
Silva joined the club when Frank Lampard was manager and has since also played under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino.
He has made 34 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea this season, including 25 starts in the Premier League.
The former AC Milan centre-back, capped 113 times by Brazil, says he hopes to return to Stamford Bridge in a new role in the future.
“I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here,” he said.
Thiago Silva to leave Chelsea at end of season
Sports
Apologise or face legal action, Enoh warns Bash Alli
Apologise or face legal action, Enoh warns Bash Alli
Sports Minister, John Enoh, has told former World Boxing Champion, Bash Alli, to make a public apology within a week for making false claims against his person or face legal action.
Enoh’s statement came in the wake of allegations by Alli in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu that the minister demanded $1m from him in order to endorse his plan to stage what he calls the oldest boxers’ fight in Nigeria.
The video, which went viral after chess master, Tunde Onakoya, recently broke the Guinness World Record for chess marathon, has the 68-year-old boxer said he could have equally put the name of the country on the world map but for certain individuals thwarting his efforts.
In response to the claim, Enoh in a statement titled ‘Bash Alli and his serial blackmail must be confronted and defeated,” warmed the boxer to tender an apology or face legal action.
He said, “I am constrained to speak to the trending video and open petition to the President wherein Bash Alli, a former World Boxing Champion, threw caution and decency to the wind to allege that I demanded the sum of ‘another ‘ $1m from him in order to endorse his plan to stage what he calls the oldest boxers fight in Nigeria.
“When Bash Alli released his video and open letter to the President, with the sole aim to defame and destroy my reputation and integrity, some friends and associates advised that I totally ignore him and his blackmail gambit. They believe that I will validate and bring him to the limelight by responding to Bash Alli and his vile campaign of calumny.
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“After a deep reflection, I have come to the inevitable conclusion that to ignore him will be a profound mistake. My reason for this is twofold. First, the perception in the public domain is that those in the public service are either thieves or kleptomaniacs who mindlessly pillage our Commonwealth. This assumption, no matter how widely held, is not true.
“Despite our challenges as a nation, there are men and women who continue to serve our country with honesty, integrity, and patriotism. I am one of such.”
The minister added that ignoring Alli will further embolden and enable him to continue in his usual trajectory without consequences.
He said, “Bash Alli’s allegation that I demanded ‘another $1m’ as if I had received a first tranche of $1m from him, or perhaps any of my predecessors had done so, is a manufactured lie from the pit of hell. At no point in time did I demand any form of gratification from Bash Alli.”
The minister added that Alli was desperate to meet him upon his resumption in office but he was cautioned by his staff.
He said, “Let me be clear. Bash Alli desperately wanted to meet me in my very early days as Minister of Sports Development when I had hardly settled down on the job.
” In the deluge of his desperate attempts, I decided to meet him against the advice of the ministry staff, who were familiar with his character and antics. Against their advice, I decided to meet him out of respect for his age and based on the open-door policy with which I am currently leading the ministry.
“Bash Alli’s plan to stage his boxing fight in Nigeria has a long history spanning almost two decades. To achieve this personal aspiration, he has deployed all manner of strategies, including naked blackmail and underhand tactics in his desperate effort to arm-twist the Federal Government to spend upwards of $50m to stage his fight.
“Successive Ministers of Sports have rightly told him that his plan to stage this fight is not the responsibility of the government but a business that the private sector should execute.
“In concluding this statement, I sincerely believe that, in spite of our numerous challenges, our country still has a soul. Our humanity will be irretrievably destroyed the day we lose our soul. Bash Alli’s desperate and unprovoked withering attack on me is an attack on decency, honesty, and integrity. The move to clear my name has just started, and there will be no let up until I achieve this sacred mission.
Apologise or face legal action, Enoh warns Bash Alli
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