Osimhen puts social media storm aside to score for Napoli again

Published

2 months ago

September 28, 2023

Victor Osimhen

Osimhen puts social media storm aside to score for Napoli again

NIGERIA striker Victor Osimhen put his social media storm with Napoli to one side to score as they return to winning ways with a 4-1 victory over Udinese on Wednesday.

Last season’s Scudetto winners entered this fixture after a three-match winless run in Serie A, which had turned up the heat on new coach Rudi Garcia.

Osimhen’s missed penalty kick in last weekend’s stalemate at Bologna was then followed by a bizarre post on Napoli’s official TikTok account.

The video was said to have appeared to mock the Nigeria international, with the forward threatening to take legal action late Tuesday.

However, Osimhen brushed off the scrutiny to end his four-game goal drought with a smart finish in the 39th minute in Naples to fire the hosts up to seventh in the table.

After the penalty kick drama of Sunday, it took Napoli only a quarter of an hour to be awarded another penalty kick, when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was fouled inside the area.

Video assistant review (VAR) was called and eventually the penalty kick was awarded, but instead of Osimhen it was Piotr Zielinski who took responsibility.

READ ALSO:

He rolled the ball into the bottom corner after 19 minutes to make it 1-0 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Garcia’s out-of-form side were firmly in the ascendancy now with Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen and Mario Rui forcing saves from Marco Silvestri in the Udinese goal.

Silvestri had no answer to Osimhen in the 39th minute when Matteo Politano slipped through last season’s leading marksman who drilled into the net for his fourth goal this season.

Osimhen was initially reluctant to celebrate.

But after some anxious glances towards the assistant referee, no offside flag was raised and he embraced his teammates while feeling the support of a raucous home crowd.

Further applause followed in the 63rd minute when Osimhen was replaced by Giovanni Simeone, who would find the net but not before Kvaratskhelia.

Georgian attacker Kvaratskhelia had endured a difficult start to the season and would have been grateful for the gift from away defender Jaka Bijol.

A poor touch by Bijol allowed Kvaratskhelia to steal in and win possession before he beat Silvestri to the loose ball.

He was able to open his account for the season from close range in the 74th minute.

Lazar Samardzic reduced the deficit in the 80th minute but, seconds later, Kvaratskhelia turned provider again when his excellent run and cross found Simeone.

Simeone headed low into the net to wrap up the scoring on a much-needed positive night for the champions.

Osimhen puts social media storm aside to score for Napoli again

(dpa/NAN)

U-17 Volleyball: Nigeria beat Cameron 3-1 in semi final, meet Egypt in final

Published

11 mins ago

December 7, 2023

Trends Admin

U-17 Volleyball: Nigeria beat Cameron 3-1 in semi final, meet Egypt in final

THE Nigeria under 17 female volleyball team on Wednesday in Abuja, defeated their Cameroonian counterparts 3-1 in the semifinal match of the ongoing 2023 Girl’s U17 African Nations Volleyball.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match played at the package B of the Moshood Abiola Stadium.

NAN reports that Nigeria will meet Egypt in the final match on Thursday.(today)

The Nigerian girls won the first set with two points different (27-24), while Cameroonian fought back to win the set second set 25-23.

The Nigerian girls continued the game with the winning spirit to win the third set and fourth set 26-24 and 25-19.

Speaking after the match, Sunday Akapson, the coach of Nigerian girls said the girls played according to instruction.

READ ALSO:

“One of the best things we used in this game in the first and second game is that we try to boost the morale of the players.

“After we lost our first game against Egypt , we told them that they have the ability , capacity and the strength to win the remaining matches.

“We will go back home to restrategise and play in the final match against Egypt on Thursday,”he said

On his part the team manager of the Cameroon team, Tamuo Henry said the girls work well in their games.

“It is unfortunate that they lost all their three matches but that does not make them a good team.

“The good thing is that the three teams will participate in the U-17 world cup championship in 2024, ‘ he said.

NAN reports that Mirable Onyegwu from the Nigerian team received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award of the match.

The 2023 Girl’s U17 African Nations Volleyball which started on Saturday is expected to end on Dec. 8

U-17 Volleyball: Nigeria beat Cameron 3-1 in semi final, meet Egypt in final

(NAN)

2023 CAF Awards: Oshoala makes final shortlist for women’s player of the year

Published

17 mins ago

December 7, 2023

Trends Admin

2023 CAF Awards: Oshoala makes final shortlist for women’s player of the year

Oshoala was among the three players who made the final shortlist for the Women’s Player of the Year award, as announced by the Confederation of African Football on Thursday.

Asisat Oshoala is on track to secure her record-extending sixth CAF Women’s Player of the Year award, according to Daily Post.

Oshoala was among the three players who made the final shortlist for the Women’s Player of the Year award, as announced by the Confederation of African Football on Thursday.

READ ALSO:

The Barcelona Femeni star became the first woman to claim the award for a record fifth time in 2022.

The 27-year-old played a key role in Barcelona Femeni’s UEFA Women’s Champions League success last season.

South Africa’s Thembi Klagtlana and Zambia’s Barbara Banda are the other players in contention for the award.

Klagtlana, who plays for the American side Racing Louisville Football Club, won the award in 2018.

The winner will be revealed at the CAF Awards Gala on Monday, December 11, 2023, at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech, Morocco.

2023 CAF Awards: Oshoala makes final shortlist for women’s player of the year

McTominay scores double against Chelsea to reduce pressure on Ten Hag

Published

8 hours ago

December 7, 2023

Trends Admin

McTominay scores double against Chelsea to reduce pressure on Ten Hag

Scott McTominay relieved some of the pressure surrounding Erik Ten Hag as his double earned an improved Manchester United a much-needed 2-1 win over Chelsea.

Ten Hag’s gamble in dropping both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial amid reports of dressing-room disharmony had the desired effect for the under-fire manager, with the hosts’ quality with and without the ball a world away from Saturday’s dismal defeat at Newcastle.

McTominay opened the scoring on the rebound from Harry Maguire’s effort (19), but Unitwd would have already been ahead had Bruno Fernandes not seen an eighth-minute penalty saved.

United dominated the opening period without adding to their lead, and were made to pay on the stroke of half-time when Cole Palmer fired home a well-placed strike from just inside the area.

The home side were less effective following the interval but McTominay (69) restored their advantage with a close-range header from Alejandro Garnacho’s cross, before the Argentine wasted a glorious opportunity to wrap up victory on the break.

READ ALSO:

It mattered little in the end, as United’s performance cut through the noise surrounding the club to finally earn a first point – and win – of the season against an opponent in the top half of the Premier League, and lifted them just three points off the top four.

However, Leon Bailey’s deflected strike earned Aston Villa a deserved 1-0 win over Manchester City at Villa Park that lifted them above the reigning champions into third.

The goal came late in the game to maintain the perfect home record of Unai Emery’s side and reflected their superior endeavour throughout the contest against an unusually passive City. It is now four Premier League games without a win for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Erling Haaland did have two chances in the first half but City never looked comfortable, missing the suspended Rodri badly. They drop to fourth in the table and are now six points adrift of Arsenal. On this evidence, they may need to worry about Villa too.