Sports

Neymar breaks Pele’s Brazil goal-scoring record

Published

2 years ago

September 9, 2023

Neymar breaks Pele’s Brazil goal-scoring record

Neymar Santos Júnior has surpassed Pele as Brazil’s all-time top scorer with two second-half goals in a 5-1 win over Bolivia in South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Friday.

The 31-year-old striker went into the game level with Pele on 77 goals and had a golden opportunity to break the record in the 17th minute when Brazil were awarded a penalty.

But he looked distraught after his soft spot-kick was easily saved by Bolivia keeper Guillermo Viscarra to keep the scores goalless.

Seven minutes later, Brazil got in front when Rodrygo reacted quickly to slot home after a shot from Raphinha was parried out by Viscarra.

Brazil doubled their lead just after the break when Raphinha cut in from the left and his low shot took a slight deflection as it flew into the bottom corner.

Neymar had a hand in Brazil’s third, with a clever chipped pass that was flicked on by Bruno Guimaraes into the path of Rodrygo who confidently drilled home.

Then came Neymar’s moment to enter the history books as he pounced on a loose ball inside the box and tucked away his 78th goal in his 125th game for his country – raising his hands and his gaze to the skies.

Victor Abrego pulled a goal back for Bolivia, bustling through a disorganized Brazil backline before blasting an unstoppable shot past Ederson.

READ ALSO:

But there was still time for Neymar to extend his record tally, connecting with a low ball from Raphinha in stoppage time to complete the victory and a memorable night for the forward.

The 31-year-old former Barcelona striker recently moved from Paris Saint-Germain to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.

Pele, who died in December aged 82, scored 77 goals for Brazil in 92 appearances between 1957 and 1971.

The win was the perfect start for new coach Fernando Diniz, who took over from predecessor Tite in the wake of the Selecao’s World Cup quarter-final exit last year.

Diniz paid tribute to Neymar, whose role in the squad has been under scrutiny.

“Many did not know what he would come to do, and he came to do what he did: have fun, score two goals and break the record,” he said.

“He is a very big idol, people must recognize him and accept him,” he added.

– Uruguay turn on style –
In Friday’s other game, Uruguay turned on the style, under new coach Marcelo Bielsa, as they beat Chile 3-1.

Argentine Bielsa, who had previously coached Chile between 2007 and 2011, opted for a youthful line-up without veteran strikers Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez.

READ ALSO:

Bielsa was rewarded with an entertaining display from his new charges with River Plate attacking midfielder Nicolas de la Cruz scoring twice.

De la Cruz opened the scoring with a fine left-foot strike in the 38th minute before Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time.

De la Cruz broke down the left before switching to Valverde, who made space before burying a shot into the far bottom corner.

The third goal, in the 71st minute, came after a fast break down the left with Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez pulling the ball back into the path of De la Cruz who made no mistake from close range.

Chile pulled a goal back three minutes later with Arturo Vidal scrambling the ball home after a Diego Valdes header came out off the bar.

Bielsa was delighted with the display from his new charges.

“I like the style of the Uruguayan players,” he said, “The style of play is imposed by individuals not the coach. The first ten minutes were not good but then we progressively generated goal opportunities and wore down the opponent,” he added.

The qualification process for the expanded 48-team World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, offers two extra places for South America with six teams qualifying directly.

The seventh out of the 10 nations will head to an inter-continental play-off.

The opening games on Thursday saw Argentina beat Ecuador 1-0 with a goal from Lionel Messi while Peru drew 0-0 at Paraguay and Colombia beat Venezuela 1-0.

AFP

Sports

U-20 AFCON: Nigeria drawn in Group B with Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya

Published

2 days ago

April 14, 2025

Trends Admin

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles

U-20 AFCON: Nigeria drawn in Group B with Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been drawn in Group B alongside Tunisia, Kenya, and Morocco for the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

The new groupings were announced on Sunday following a fresh draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt.

This comes after Cote d’Ivoire withdrew as hosts, prompting Egypt to step in as the new venue for the tournament.

The seven-time champions, Nigeria, will kick off their campaign against Tunisia on Sunday, April 28.

READ ALSO:

Group A features host nation Egypt, along with South Africa, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Tanzania.

Defending champions Senegal will compete in Group C, where they face the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ghana.

The tournament officially begins on Saturday, April 27, with the hosts Egypt squaring off against South Africa in the opening fixture.

U-20 AFCON: Nigeria drawn in Group B with Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya

Sports

I don’t have a second wife or family – Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye

Published

3 days ago

April 14, 2025

Trends Admin

Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye

I don’t have a second wife or family – Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye

Recall there have been reports of a woman named Yana Voloshchenko, who claimed she is the mother of Ideye’s two children, and accused the former Dynamo Kyiv and West Bromwich Albion forward of neglecting his parental duties.

She claimed the 2013 AFCON winner owes over $150,000 in unpaid child support, stemming from an alleged agreement to pay $7,000 monthly for their children, Joel and Mitchell.

In a tweet on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Ideye stated emphatically that he does not have a second wife or family home or abroad.

READ ALSO:

He wrote, “I have said this before and I’m saying it again. I don’t have a second wife or family, home or abroad. Happily married since 2010, and God blessed my wife and I with two lovely boys. Don’t take my silence for foolishness. Period.”

Recall Ideye recently returned to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with Enyimba, and has been pivotal in their campaign.

The former West Brom forward has seven goals in 28 international appearances for Nigeria, including the second goal in the 4-1 defeat of Mali in the semifinals at AFCON 2013 in South Africa.

I don’t have a second wife or family – Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye

Sports

Salah stars again as Liverpool move closer to Premier League title

Published

3 days ago

April 13, 2025

Trends Admin

Salah stars again as Liverpool move closer to Premier League title

Mohamed Salah celebrated his new contract with another Premier League record as Liverpool moved to within two wins of clinching the title despite a lacklustre 2-1 victory over West Ham.

Two days after top-flight defenders had to come to terms with the prospect of another two years of torment from the Egypt international, the Hammers’ 19-year-old wing-back Ollie Scarles found himself in the firing line.

Scarles was turned inside and out by Salah, whose cross for Luis Diaz’s 18th-minute effort was his 45th Premier League goal involvement (27 goals, 18 assists) and the most in a 38-game season.

Salah, favourite for a fourth Golden Boot in eight seasons, is now only two away from the all-time assist record jointly held by fellow Premier League greats Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Anfield came to celebrate their ‘Egyptian King’ but in reality other than that and Diaz’s 15th goal of the campaign there was little else to cheer until a late flurry prompted by Andy Robertson’s 86th-minute own goal.

It was Virgil van Dijk’s attempted clearance of Aaron Wan Bissaka’s cross which cannoned off his team-mate but the captain, set to join Salah in soon signing a new contract, made amends by powering home a late header and wheeling away to kiss the badge on his shirt.

Conor Bradley’s start at right-back after last week’s substitute appearance following injury had made a major improvement to the side, as did Alisson Becker’s return as he found himself the busier goalkeeper in the second half as West Ham seized on their hosts’ lethargy.

Salah is on his worst goalscoring drought since February 2023 with no goals in five games but his value to the team was evident in a first half in which Scarles was given a real education.

READ ALSO:

The 57 minutes he faced Salah will have felt like an eternity and his second-half substitution will have come as something of a relief.

His wily opponent’s movement was a major concern for Scarles, who let his man escape for the goal.

Salah had already left him trailing in his wake when cutting inside to curl a shot wide of the far post but when he turned him again on the touchline seconds later the result was more devastating.

His curling pass with the outside of his left foot was intended for Diogo Jota but Max Kilman cancelled him out and it ran through for Diaz to convert.

Salah’s clever clip saw Alexis Mac Allister volley at Alphonse Areola, having just seen his Liverpool counterpart tip Mohammed Kudus’ shot onto the crossbar after being caught out of position.

West Ham centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos headed over at a corner in added time but after Mac Allister crashed a free-kick against the crossbar and forced a scrambling Areola to waft behind his cross-shot, Liverpool retreated into their shell and the visitors should probably have won as a result.

Carlos Soler diverted over a cross from Jarrod Bowen, who was denied by a charging Alisson before Kudus flashed a shot across goal.

Salah’s influence had waned by this point and he cut a frustrated figure when he was substituted five minutes from the end, showing little interest in receiving the accolades.

Within a minute West Ham equalised as Liverpool paid for their lethargy and it needed a towering header from Salah’s main rival for Player of the Year to finally kick-start a party.

Even then they were not safe with substitute Niclas Fullkrug heading against the crossbar.