Sports
Morocco stun Brazil in int’l friendly
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Morocco stunned Brazil 2-1 in a friendly international on Saturday as the north African side recorded a first ever win over the five-time world champions.
Midfielder Sofiane Boufal, a former Southampton star, but now playing with Al Rayyan in Qatar, gave Morocco the lead after 29 minutes, scoring with a powerful turn and drive from a pass by Bilal El Khannous.
Brazil skipper Casemiro levelled in the 67th minute when his weak shot was fumbled by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
But on-loan Sampdoria midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri struck the winner with a volley in the 79th minute as Morocco showed that becoming the first Arab or African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals last year was no fluke.
“I wouldn’t say we lacked understanding, it’s about putting into practice the ideas of a new coach,” said Manchester United’s Casemiro.
“I think we played a good game and did everything as far as possible to win.”
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Only 10 of the 23-man squad that took Brazil to a disappointing quarter-final exit at the World Cup made the trip to Morocco for the game.
The injured Neymar was again missing with his number 10 shirt passing to Real Madrid youngster Rodrygo.
Brazil also had a new manager in the dugout with interim coach Ramon Menezes having replaced Tite who stepped down after the World Cup last-eight exit at the hands of Croatia.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) hopes to be able to announce the name of its new coach before the start of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in September.
According to Brazilian media, the CBF’s first choice is Carlo Ancelotti, currently in charge of Real Madrid.
However, he is not expected to make a decision on his future before the end of the European season.
Before kick-off at the Ibn Batouta stadium, both teams paid tribute to Pele, who died last December at the age of 82.
Until Saturday, Morocco had suffered defeats in their only two other meetings with Brazil — 2-0 in a 1997 friendly and 3-0 in the group stages of the 1998 World Cup in France.
Sports
Arsenal not giving up on Osimhen yet, make contact
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Arsenal not giving up on Osimhen yet, make contact
Arsenal have reportedly made contact with Napoli star Victor Osimhen, as the Premier League giants intensify their search for a prolific frontman this summer, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Nigeria international has been in scintillating form since joining the Italian side from Lille in 2020, netting 76 times in all competitions.
His goal-scoring prowess has not gone unnoticed, with several Premier League heavyweights keeping tabs on the 25-year-old striker who has also garnered attention from Real Madrid and French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side are not believed to be leading the race for his signature despite already touching base over a transfer. That’s after Gianluca Di Marzio told bettingexpert.com (via The Mirror) that no solid negotiations have taken place as of yet.
Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly made Osimhen one of their top targets this summer, as they look to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe following his move to Real Madrid.
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The Ligue 1 giants could be the only European club capable of luring him away from Napoli, although they are reluctant to meet his £112m release clause.
Despite heavy links with the player in recent years, Chelsea appear to be out of the running for Osimhen after showing little interest of late. It’s believed that Enzo Maresca prefers Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion, but Alvaro Morata’s move to AC Milan has complicated that storyline.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Osimhen could intensify following comments made by Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho, who compared the Napoli striker to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.
“He is of the same level as Drogba, but Didier didn’t dive. If Victor changes, then OK. I’d buy him if I was at a club with a lot of money,” Mourinho said.
With Chelsea stepping back and Manchester United having secured Dutch talent Joshua Zirkzee for £36.5m, there is room for the Gunners to make a run at Osimhen.
Should Arsenal fail to land Osimhen, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak are seen as potential alternatives.
However, both players come with hefty price tags, with Gyokeres having an £84m release clause and Isak valued at £100m.
Arsenal not giving up on Osimhen yet, make contact
Sports
Paris 2024: Brazil beat the Super Falcons in opening game
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Paris 2024: Brazil beat the Super Falcons in opening game
The Super Falcons began their campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on a shaky footing, losing 0-1 to Brazil in their first match.
Nigeria came into the game on the back of an impressive showing at the 2023 FIFA World Cup and an eight-game unbeaten run.
They started the match well, missing a couple of chances to have taken the lead in the French city of Bordeaux.
Many thought the team would go into the tunnel with the lead or at least all square with the South Americans. But Gabi Nunez finished off finely with about eight minutes to the end of the first half to give Coach Randy Waldrum’s side a mountain to climb in the second half.
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Upon the resumption of the second half, the Nigerians rallied to get back into the game. But their final balls were rarely threatening the Brazilian defence.
Despite running some changes and bringing in fresh legs to push for an equaliser, the Brazilians defended gallantly to deny the Super Falcons the leveller.
Nigeria’s next game is against world champions Spain. That match is on the 28th of July before the team take on Japan on the 31st.
In the other Group C game, Spain saw off Japan 2-1 while the US defeated Zambia 3-0 in a Group B tie. France mauled Colombia 3-0 in a Group A encounter on the same day.
Paris 2024: Brazil beat the Super Falcons in opening game
Sports
PSG not giving up on Osimhen, seek further slash in price
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PSG not giving up on Osimhen, seek further slash in price
Paris Saint-Germain is still negotiating a lower transfer fee for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as they pursue the Nigeria international this summer.
According to transfer market expert Gianluca Di Marzio, PSG are poised to retake the lead in their pursuit of the Napoli striker.
In contrast, Italian sports news outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the French champions are still dissatisfied with Napoli’s reduced asking price of £100 million.
“The Parisian club would in fact have decided to take a step back. President Al-Khelaifi considers the 100 million euros excessive, believing that with De Laurentiis he is making the same mistake as last summer,” the report stated.
Napoli had initially demanded the full payment of Osimhen’s £130m release clause, a figure that has deterred many potential suitors. PSG, however, have refused to meet this valuation and are hoping for a further reduction in the price.
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The prolonged negotiations have reportedly left Osimhen frustrated, with Italian publication Tutto Napoli suggesting that the striker is now open to considering offers from Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal.
“Osimhen is fed up, a prisoner of his golden contract. De Laurentiis will probably grant discounts on the clause but not sales,” Tutto Napoli wrote.
As the transfer saga continues, PSG may need to offload either Goncalo Ramos or Randal Kolo-Muani to make room for Osimhen.
Interestingly, Chelsea have reportedly been offered the chance to sign these two PSG forwards, potentially holding the key to Osimhen’s move to the French capital.
Osimhen, who joined Napoli in 2020 for a club-record fee, has been in impressive form, scoring 41 league goals in the past two seasons and helping the club secure their first Scudetto in over three decades.
PSG not giving up on Osimhen, seek further slash in price
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