Sports
Chelsea appoints Enzo Maresca as manager
Chelsea appoints Enzo Maresca as manager
Chelsea have appointed Enzo Maresca as their new head coach on a five-year contract, the English Premier League club said on Monday.
The Italian will leave Leicester City, whom he led to promotion back to the Premier League in his first season in charge, and begin his new role on July 1st, Chelsea said in a statement.
“He has proven himself to be an excellent coach capable of delivering impressive results with an exciting and identifiable style,” said Chelsea’s sporting co-directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.
“His ambitions and work ethic align with those of the club.”
Leicester were disappointed to see Maresca leave.
“With Enzo’s decision made and the board’s terms for his departure met, we wish him well in his future endeavours,” they said in a statement.
“He leaves with the appreciation of everyone at the Club for his work in helping us to achieve an immediate return to the Premier League.”
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Maresca replaced Mauricio Pochettino, who left the club last month after one season.
Under Argentine Pochettino, the West London side put together a strong run late in the season to finish sixth and secure European football, a marked improvement on their 12th-placed finish in the 2022/23 campaign.
Maresca will be tasked with returning Chelsea to the Champions League which they won for the second time in 2021.
He previously coached Manchester City’s youth team and was the senior side’s assistant coach under Pep Guardiola during their treble-winning season.
His first managerial role came at Italian side Parma in 2021, where he lasted 14 games, winning only four times.
Maresca was appointed Leicester manager at the start of the 2023/24 Championship season, which they began in scintillating form, racking up an eight-point lead at the top of the second tier by the end of 2023.
Leicester struggled at times in the second half of the season and were beset by off-field issues, but Maresca guided them back to the Premier League as they secured automatic promotion and finished top of the standings.
In the Championship, Maresca’s Foxes played a possession-based style, with the team building from the back.
Maresca utilised Ricardo Pereira as an inverted full-back at Leicester, a system Pochettino employed to great effect in the last few games of Chelsea’s season.
Chelsea appoints Enzo Maresca as manager
Sports
Updated: Amuneke set to be announced new Heartland head coach
Updated: Amuneke set to be announced new Heartland head coach
Super Eagles’ former forward, Emmanuel Amuneke, is set to return to coaching after a year away from the sidelines.
The former Tanzania coach has previously assisted Samson Siasia as well as Augustine Equavoen in the national team.
Amunike’s last role was with Zambia’s Zanaco FC, where he served as both coach and consultant before leaving in 2023.
He recently applied for the Super Eagles head coach position, but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) opted for Finidi George instead
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According to reports from Owerri, Amunike is close to joining Heartland, which plans to return to the elite NPFL next season.
The report added that Amuneke, who has been quietly working with his hometown club, has started recruiting players for the upcoming season.
Heartland FC was relegated to the NPFL after finishing in the 19th position on the 20-team table last season.
The club is reportedly planning to buy the NPFL slot of Beyond Limits, who earned promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL), but face participation issues due to their affiliation with Remo Stars.
Amuneke, 53, has extensive coaching experience in domestic and international football.
Updated: Amuneke set to be announced new Heartland head coach
Sports
Asisat Oshoala scores first-ever penalty for Bay FC in NWSL
Asisat Oshoala Scores First-Ever Penalty for Bay FC In NWSL
Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala has etched her name in the history books by becoming the first Bay FC player to score a penalty in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Oshoala scored the winning goal in Bay FC’s 1-0 victory over Racing Louisville.
She calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot, 14 minutes before the end of the match.
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This record-setting goal adds to the former Barcelona star impressive start at Bay FC, where she previously scored the club’s first-ever goal on her debut in the USA.
Since joining the club, Asisat Oshoala has now scored three goals.
Meanwhile, her international teammate, Uchenna Kanu, did not feature in Racing Louisville’s matchday squad for the game.
Asisat Oshoala Scores First-Ever Penalty for Bay FC In NWSL
Sports
Super Eagles Ademola Lookman wins Africa’s Best footballer award
Super Eagles Ademola Lookman wins Africa’s Best footballer award
Nigeria attacker Ademola Lookman has been named the Best African International Footballer at the Ghana Football Awards in Accra.
The Atalanta star got the award after a remarkable season with Nigeria’s Super Eagles and his Italian club. Lookman scored a hat-trick to help Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen and win the UEFA Europa League last season.
He outperformed Victor Boniface and Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmund Tapsoba to clinch the title. Lookman succeeds his compatriot and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen, who won last year after leading his team to the Serie A title and later secured the CAF Africa’s Best Player award.
Lookman is now a strong contender for Africa’s top individual football award this year.
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The former Fulham and Leicester City player had a standout year, guiding Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations final and scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final.
He also played a key role in Atalanta’s fourth-place finish in Serie A, with 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions.
In a video message, he expressed his gratitude: “Thank you for the consideration, the recognition, and the votes. This means a lot to me and my family. I wish I was in Ghana, but my heart is with you all. Thank you and God bless.”
Also celebrated at the Ghana Football Awards was West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus. He won two awards, including Ghana Player of the Year, for his excellent season in England and his contributions at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Kudus’ solo goal against Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League was named the best goal of the night.
Super Eagles Ademola Lookman wins Africa’s Best footballer award
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