Sports
AFCON: E’Guinea eliminate hosts Ivory Coast after 4-0 thrashing
AFCON: E’Guinea eliminate hosts Ivory Coast after 4-0 thrashing
Host nation Ivory Coast were on Monday night bundled out of the ongoing African Cup of Nations tournament.
The Elephants were beaten 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea in huge tournament upset which saw the knockout dreams of the latter shattered.
The Equitorial Guinea team progressed to the AFCON knockout stage as Group A winners – at the expense of the hosts.
Ivory Coast looked the more dominant side at the beginning of the match and had a few chances to open the scoring, but former Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe was wasteful in front of the goal, according to goals.com.
Equatorial Guinea finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute through their captain Emilio Nsue’s strike.
Carlos Akapo entered the penalty area with a brilliant solo run and found his skipper with a square pass inside the six-yard box and Nsue made no mistake in slotting the ball home.
The hosts were unlucky to see two goals disallowed either side of half time after VAR checks on both occasions, as scorers Ibrahim Sangare and Jean-Philippe Krasso were both found to be in an offside position.
As Ivory Coast pushed for an equaliser, the National Thunder then scored two goals in quick succession to seal the fate of the game. In the 73rd minute, Pablo Ganet found the back of the net with a stunning curling free-kick nearly 20 yards from from goal. Two minutes later, Nsue completed his brace.
Second-half substitute Jannick Buyla then scored a fourth and final goal in the 88th minute to complete the rout against the Elephants, in what will surely go down as one of the biggest shocks in tournament history.
Equatorial Guinea skipper Nsue was undoubtedly the star of the game with his memorable brace in the historic win. The striker led from the front quite literally and was constantly active in the opposition’s box until he was hooked on the 78th minute.
Nottingham Forest defender Willy Boly had a night to forget in the Ivory Coast defence as his team leaked four goals.
The experienced defender was caught off guard constantly during the match, affording the opponent’s attackers too much space in their box. He was often shaky clearing his lines and epitomised the nerves that seemed to eat up the hosts as they completely imploded, leaving their hopes of qualification to the next round shattered.
Sports
Ronaldo tops Forbes, earning twice as much as Messi
Ronaldo tops Forbes, earning twice as much as Messi
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes’s global list of highest-paid athletes, earning $260 million in the past 12 months, twice as much as his rival Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo became the highest-paid athlete after moving to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. The 39-year-old star’s earnings include a $200 million fixed salary and $60 million from sponsorship deals, thanks to his massive social media following.
In contrast, Messi, who moved to Inter Miami in the MLS, earned $135 million, placing him third on the list. This includes $65 million in salary and $70 million from sponsorships with brands like Adidas and Apple.
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Golfer Jon Rahm is second on the list, earning $218 million after joining the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s tournament system.
The top five also include NBA stars LeBron James ($128.2 million) and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111 million). Other notable athletes include Kylian Mbappe ($110 million), Neymar ($108 million), Karim Benzema ($106 million), Steph Curry, and Lamar Jackson (both $100.5 million).
Overall, the 50 highest-paid athletes earned $3.88 billion over the past year, with the NBA contributing the most athletes to the list. The earnings highlight a generational shift, with many long-time top earners retiring or nearing the end of their careers.
Ronaldo tops Forbes, earning twice as much as Messi
Sports
Flamingos thrash Burkinabe Girls 6-0 in U-17 World Cup qualifier
Flamingos thrash Burkinabe Girls 6-0 in U-17 World Cup qualifier
Nigeria secured a place in the final qualifying round of the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after a comprehensive 6-0 thrashing of Burkina Faso on Saturday night.
Bankole Olowookere’s side qualified 7-1 on aggregate.
Harmony Chidi was the star of the match as she netted a hat-trick for the home team.
Peace Effiong bagged a brace, while Ramota Kareem scored the other goal for the Flamingos.
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The Flamingos will face either Senegal or Liberia in the final round.
Three teams will represent Africa at this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Dominican Republic.
The competition will run from October 16 to November 3, 2024.
Flamingos thrash Burkinabe Girls 6-0 in U-17 World Cup qualifier
Sports
Usyk beats Fury by split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion
Usyk beats Fury by split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion
Tyson Fury suffered a split-decision points defeat on a dramatic night in Saudi Arabia as Oleksandr Usyk became boxing’s first four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion.
On a grand stage and on a legacy-defining night, Briton Fury began well but was given a standing 10 count and saved by the bell after an Usyk onslaught in the ninth round.
In a tense wait for the scorecards to be read out, Fury appeared convinced of victory before a stony-faced Usyk broke down in tears when he was confirmed as the winner.
The scorecards read 115-112 and 114-113 for the Ukrainian, with a third judge scoring it 114-113 to Fury.
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It meant Fury, 35, lost for the first time in a 16-year professional career. He will get an immediate opportunity for revenge with a rematch planned for later this year.
“I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority,” a defiant Fury said in the ring.
“It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. I’ll be back.”
Usyk takes the WBC belt from Fury, to add to his WBA, WBO and IBF collection.
The 37-year-old remains unbeaten and is the first boxer in almost 25 years to stand tall as the sport’s sole heavyweight world champion.
“Thank you so much to my team. It’s a big opportunity for my family, for me, for my country. It’s a great time, it’s a great day,” Usyk said.
“I am ready for a rematch.”
Usyk beats Fury by split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion
Ronaldo tops Forbes, earning twice as much as Messi
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