Sports

Awoniyi shines as Nottingham Forest defeat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Published

1 year ago

September 2, 2023

Taiwo Awoniyi

Awoniyi shines as Nottingham Forest defeat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Taiwo Awoniyi turned assist provider on the day he didn’t find the back of the net as Nottingham Forest recorded a shocking 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Chelsea’s mixed start to the Premier League season continued as Nottingham Forest secured the famous victory after 28 years it last won away at Chelsea.

The Steve Cooper’s side produced an impressive performance to rewrite the history books as Anthony Elanga struck in the 48th minute to earn The Reds their first away victory of the season and a vital three points on the road.

As for Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as his side failed to score for the first time this term – despite spending £1billion on new players since Todd Boehly took over last summer. Nicolas Jackson squandered the Blues’ best chance late on as he fired over Matt Turner’s crossbar.

Chelsea now have just four points from their opening four Premier League games, which is their worst start to a season since 1995.

After making the £105m move from Brighton last month, Moises Caicedo has endured somewhat of a disappointing start to life at Stamford Bridge. Despite helping Chelsea to a 3-0 win over Luton last weekend, Caicedo gave away a penalty on his debut in a 3-1 defeat at West Ham and made another costly mistake against Forest.

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The Ecuadorian received the ball inside his own-half, but his first touch was too heavy and it allowed Forest to win possession back. Awoniyi played the ball through Thiago Silva’s legs and into Elanga, who touch a couple of touches before sliding the ball past Sanchez and into the far corner.

Having joined the Blues from Manchester City for £42.5m on Deadline Day, Cole Palmer was handed his Chelsea debut in the 61st minute as he tried to conjure up a Blues fightback. And the 21-year-old made an impact during his short time on the pitch.

In fact, Palmer registered more successful attacking third passes (18) than any other forward for either Chelsea or Forest. Only Enzo Fernandez made more (32). Meanwhile, Palmer registered more successful take-ons (3/4) than anyone during the second-half of the match.

Although Palmer wasn’t able to help Chelsea get anything from the match, Blues fans will no doubt be buoyed with what they saw from the England Under 21 international.

The Blues were lacklustre in the final third and struggled to cause Forest many issues all afternoon. In fact, Chelsea had just two shots on target.

Chelsea’s best chance of the match fell to Jackson. Sterling did excellently to get to the by-line, before pulling the ball back to the Senegal forward. However, Jackson leant back and scooped the ball over the crossbar. Apart from that, Ben Chilwell and Sterling both worked hard but lacked quality when it came to the finishing touch.

Awoniyi shines as Nottingham Forest defeat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Related Topics:Chelsea Nottingham Taiwo Awoniyi

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BREAKING: Super Eagles qualify for AFCON 2025

Published

4 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Super Eagles players

BREAKING: Super Eagles qualify for AFCON 2025

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have secured their qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, following Libya’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali.

This result leaves Rwanda with five points from five matches, rendering them unable to surpass Nigeria in the standings, even if they win their upcoming match against the Super Eagles in Uyo.

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Currently, Nigeria leads Group D with 10 points, followed by Benin with six points, Rwanda with five, and Libya at the bottom with four points.

Sports

Mike Tyson back in ring to face Youtuber Paul

Published

14 hours ago

November 14, 2024

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Mike Tyson and Jake Paul

Mike Tyson back in ring to face Youtuber Paul

Nearly 40 years after making his professional debut, and 19 years after being battered into retirement, a 58-year-old Mike Tyson will climb back into the ring on Friday for a Netflix-backed bout that has drawn widespread condemnation across the boxing world.

Tyson, who terrorised the heavyweight division during an imperious reign in the late 1980s, is lacing up the gloves once more to take on Youtuber Jake Paul, 27, in an officially sanctioned fight at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.

The fight, which will be comprised of eight two-minute rounds, was initially due to take place in July but was postponed in May after Tyson required medical treatment on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles after vomiting blood due to a bleeding ulcer.

That gory mid-air emergency has provided another piece of ammunition for the numerous critics who have condemned Friday’s contest as a macabre circus act that poses an unacceptable level of risk for Tyson, who last graced a professional ring in 2005, when he was beaten via a technical knockout after quitting on his stool against Irish journeyman Kevin McBride.

– ‘It shouldn’t be happening’ –

“Twenty years ago, Mike Tyson retired from boxing, and was shot to pieces, right? I mean, completely shot,” the prominent British fight promoter Eddie Hearn said this week.

“If anyone thinks that Mike Tyson should be in a ring at this age, you either have absolutely no emotional feelings toward the man, or you’re an idiot. It shouldn’t be happening.”

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Hearn’s rival promoter Frank Warren echoed those sentiments.

“Mike Tyson is 58 years of age and he shouldn’t be fighting,” Warren said after the bout was announced. “It’s as simple as that.

“Anyone with an ounce of brains knows that it is ridiculous. You can be on a motorway stuck in a traffic jam and you get to the end of it and all it is is people who have stopped to look at a crash — and that’s what this is.”

Tyson, who US reports say is being paid around $20 million for Friday’s contest, has brushed off the concerns for his wellbeing, insisting when critics from the boxing world are motivated by jealousy.

“I’m beautiful, that’s all I can say,” he said earlier this year. “The people who said that wish they were up here. No-one else can do this.”

At an open workout in Texas this week, Tyson declared that a gruelling training camp had left him with the conviction “that I’m tougher than I believed I was.”

“When I agreed to this fight and started training, I thought ‘What was I thinking of?’ But I’ve finished the process. The fight is the party. All the hard work is done.”

At a final press conference in Texas on Wednesday, a stony-faced Tyson pointedly declined to engage in the pre-fight hype.

“I’m just ready to fight,” he said. “I’m looking forward to fighting.”

– Injury fears –

A global audience of several million watching on Netflix, and tens of thousands inside the AT&T Stadium, will be watching on Friday to see whether Tyson’s hard work pays off.

His opponent Paul — who was born six months before Tyson bit off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear in their infamous 1997 rematch — rose to prominence as a Youtuber, before turning his attention to boxing.

Since his first fight against a fellow Youtuber in 2018, Paul’s opponents have included a basketball player, mixed martial arts fighters and other professional boxers. In 11 fights he has won 10 (seven by knockout) and lost one.

“I feel really good, sharp, powerful and explosive. It’s going to be a short night for Mike,” Paul said at Tuesday’s open workout, where he appeared wearing a bizarre head-dress in the form of a rooster.

It goes without saying that a prime, 1980s-era Tyson would almost certainly have dealt with Paul within a few minutes.

Does he retain enough residue of the talent and destructive power that made him the youngest heavyweight champion in history in 1986, at the age of 20 years and four months? Bob Arum, the legendary 92-year-old boxing promoter who has seen it all, is unequivocal.

“The answer is no,” Arum told Secondsout.com last month. “A 58-year-old guy, no matter how good they were, no matter how athletic they were, are not gonna be able to fight.

“You can’t throw punches like you’re supposed to, you can’t do a lot of things. I hope Mike doesn’t get hurt, but I really give him relatively no chance.”

Mike Tyson back in ring to face Youtuber Paul

Sports

Alleged fraud: South Africa FA President, Danny Jordaan, arrested

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2024

Trends Admin

South African Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan

Alleged fraud: South Africa FA President, Danny Jordaan, arrested

South African Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan was arrested on Wednesday amid allegations that he misused the organization’s funds for personal purposes, as reported by local media.

Jordaan, renowned for his pivotal role in securing South Africa as the host for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, sought to block his arrest on Tuesday by filing an urgent application.

However, the Johannesburg High Court is scheduled to hear his case only on Thursday, leaving him vulnerable to arrest.

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The arrest stems from a raid by police on the SAFA offices in March, after which police spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the allegations are that “between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organisation’s resources for his personal gain, including hiring a private security company for his personal protection and a public relations company, without authorisation from the SAFA board.”

Jordaan, 73, and his reported co-accused, SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, are due to appear in court later on Wednesday.

Neither Jordaan nor SAFA responded to a request for comment from Reuters, but in his affidavit to court seeking to block his arrest, he denies any wrongdoing.