Oshoala unveils football academy in Lagos – Newstrends
Connect with us

Sports

Oshoala unveils football academy in Lagos

Published

on

Asisat Oshoala

Four-time African Footballer of the Year and FC Barcelona Femení star, Asisat Oshoala, has announced the unveiling of the ‘Asisat Oshoala Academy’ (AOA).

According to her, the academy is in partnership with Nike and Women Win.

She said the academy is designed to provide access to football and life skills for marginalised schoolgirls in Lagos.

The academy is the latest initiative of Asisat Oshoala that will build upon her mission of providing access to sport and education for young girls in her community.

Oshoala, in an official statement, said, “I have always strived to give back to the girl child in my community and I believe this football academy will provide opportunities for more girls to excel through the combination of sport and education.

“I want to thank our partners Women Win and Nike for helping bring this platform to life. Together we can go further and achieve a lot more.”

READ ALSO:

The Asisat Oshoala Foundation, established in 2015, will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the academy.

Women Win, the Amsterdam-based global women’s fund dedicated to advancing girls and women’s rights, will bring their expertise to the academy’s development.

Women Win brands director, Yvonne Henry, said, “Women Win is very proud and excited to be partnering with our longtime partner Nike, Asisat and the Asisat Oshoala Academy to leverage the power of sport to support girls in Nigeria to become better equipped to exercise their rights.

“This partnership and program will be key in ensuring girls can thrive as they face the most pressing issues of adolescence and realise their inherent leadership potential.”

AOA will provide 30 girls (age 12 – 18) with access to 90 mins of football training three times a week.

The programme will be complemented with life skills education covering a range of empowerment and rights-based topics. Graduates from the academy will be encouraged to convert their leadership skills to make a positive impact in their respective communities.

Sports

Iheanacho eyes Aston Villa, turns down Leicester’s £65k weekly offer

Published

on

Kelechi Iheanacho

Iheanacho eyes Aston Villa, turns down Leicester’s £65k weekly offer

Kelechi Iheanacho, a Super Eagles and Leicester City striker, has rejected a new contract with the club despite interest from Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 27-year-old striker has made only ten league starts in the EFL Championships this season, with Enzo Maresca preferring Zambian Patson Daka to lead the line for the Foxes.

Iheanacho, along with Wilfred Ndidi, are nearing the end of their Leicester City careers, as their contracts expire in June 2024. While the defensive midfielder wants to join a Premier League top-six club, Iheanacho is not interested in staying at the King Power Stadium.

According to Football Insider, the highest-scoring African in the history of the FA Cup was offered an improved deal with a weekly wage of £65,000, but the Nigerian striker rejected the offer.

READ ALSO:

‘‘He (Iheanacho) has been offered a new deal but not prepared to sign. But we will wait till the end of the season and see,’’ the report stated.

Several reasons might have sparked Iheanacho’s reaction, with the absence of playing time at the forefront. According to Football Fancast, Aston Villa are interested in bringing the 2021 FA Cup winner to Villa Park as a backup for Ollie Watkins.

The Villains have enjoyed a great season under Unai Emery and have their eyes locked on a place in the UEFA Champions League next season. Should Iheanacho join Villa, he would have the luxury of playing alongside skilled players like Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey, Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby.

Aston Villa view Iheanacho as an experienced Premier League forward, representing a summer bargain that could make all the difference next season at Villa Park.

In 10 starts for Leicester, Iheanacho found the back of the net five times and created one goal, averaging a goal involvement every two games.

The Foxes have secured a return to the English Premier League after relegating on the last matchday in the previous season.

Iheanacho eyes Aston Villa, turns down Leicester’s £65k weekly offer

Continue Reading

Sports

Real Madrid win 36th La Liga title as Girona beat Barcelona

Published

on

Real Madrid win 36th La Liga title as Girona beat Barcelona

Real Madrid won La Liga on Saturday after beating Cadiz 3-0 before Girona defeated last year’s champions Barcelona 4-2 to seal Los Blancos’ triumph.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side did their homework against the Andalucian stragglers to virtually guarantee a record-extending 36th Spanish title, confirmed when Barcelona dropped points at Montilivi.

Girona’s dramatic victory saw the Catalan minnows qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Brahim Diaz netted in the 51st minute to put Madrid ahead and then set up Jude Bellingham for the second, with Joselu tapping home a third to leave Madrid on the cusp of the title.

“We leave our skins out there on the pitch to live moments like today’s, we are so close to the league,” Joselu told Real Madrid TV.

“There are young players who are very hungry for titles, veterans who are delighted to be here… and these are special moments.”

Ancelotti played a heavily rotated side ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

The coach selected only captain Nacho Fernandez from the starting line-up that earned a 2-2 draw in Bavaria this week.

Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois started for the first time after a nine-month lay off after a knee injury and kept a clean sheet.

Madrid midfielder Luka Modric became the oldest player to appear for the club in La Liga, at 38 years and 238 days, breaking late Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas’ record from 1965 by five days.

Madrid striker Joselu came close to reaching a dangerous cross and Chris Ramos fired off target for the visitors in an otherwise slow start at the Santiago Bernabeu.

READ ALSO:

Ruben Sobrino barged his way past Eder Militao on the counter-attack after half an hour but Nacho slid in well to thwart him as he prepared to shoot.

The visitors, 18th and still battling to stay up, shaded the first half, although Dani Ceballos had a shot blocked after Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma went walkabout at a corner.

– ‘Waiting for this day’ –
Courtois made a superb save to deny Ramos early in the second half and his team took the lead immediately afterwards.

The Cadiz striker shook free of Nacho and ran in on goal but Courtois produced a superb save.

Moments later Diaz sent Madrid ahead, receiving from the evergreen Modric on the edge of the area, turning slickly and curling an effort into the top corner.

“Thibaut is the best in the world, he’s had a terrible season and we were waiting for this day to come,” added Joselu.

Bellingham, on as a substitute for Turkish teenager Arda Guler, added the second soon after entering the fray.

Modric and Diaz combined well, with the latter squaring for Bellingham to put the finishing touch on a fine team move.

It was the England international’s 18th league goal of the season, keeping him in contention to finish as the top scorer.

Madrid put the cherry on their cake after a superb run by Nacho.

Poised to depart at the end of the season, the Spaniard was hailed by the Bernabeu after setting up Joselu for a simple finish in stoppage time.

Los Blancos could celebrate after Girona came from behind twice to defeat Barcelona for the second time this season in a thrilling derby.

Barcelona took the lead through Andreas Christensen but La Liga’s top scorer Artem Dovbyk levelled with his 20th goal of the campaign.

Robert Lewandowski’s penalty sent Barcelona ahead but substitute Portu made a huge impact in the second half for Girona.

The winger netted the equaliser and then set up Miguel Gutierrez to put Girona ahead.

Portu sensationally volleyed home the fourth to ignite Girona’s tiny Montilivi stadium and get the party started.

Real Madrid win 36th La Liga title as Girona beat Barcelona

Continue Reading

Sports

Don’t impose assistants on Finidi — Udeze warns NFF

Published

on

Finidi George

Don’t impose assistants on Finidi — Udeze warns NFF

Ifeanyi Udeze has warned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) not to impose assistants on Super Eagles head coach, Finidi George.

Finidi is reportedly not willing to work with his former Super Eagles teammates Emmanuel Amuneke and Daniel Amokachi, who are favoured for the assistant coach position.

Amuneke and Amokachi also applied for the head coach position.

READ ALSO:

There are reports that the former winger is already shopping for a foreign assistant.

Udeze posited that any move to impose an assistant on the new gaffer will be counter productive.

“I don’t want to see an ex-player who will come and give Finidi problems,” Udeze a member of Super Eagles squad to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan told Brila FM.

“The NFF must not give him assistants who will try to take the job from him.

“He should instead be given a free hand to bring his assistants.”

Don’t impose assistants on Finidi — Udeze warns NFF

Continue Reading

Trending

Skip to content