Ronaldo hits double on his Man U debut – Newstrends
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Ronaldo hits double on his Man U debut

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Cristiano Ronaldo on Saturday needed just one half of football to get back among the goals for Manchester United, with the Portuguese superstar scoring twice on his second debut for the club.

The Portuguese gave the Old Trafford faithful what they had come to see featuring in the match against Newcastle as the hosts ran out 4-1 winners. The superb performance came 12 years after his last goal for Red Devils.

It looked like being a frustrating opening 45 minutes for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner against Newcastle, but Old Trafford erupted in stoppage-time when the deadlock was finally broken.

The vast majority of those in attendance were there to witness the return of a prodigal son, and he did not disappoint when giving the masses what they wanted.

How did Ronaldo’s goal come about?

The 36-year-old, who was handed a started berth by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer , took a while to get his eye back in after 12 years away from a Premier League stage.

A couple of half-chances passed him by early on; with one wild swing with his left foot drawing ironic cheers and a knowing smile from United’s No.7.

He was, however, to show in the closing stages of the first half that he has lost none of his touch in front of goal.

Mason Greenwood drifted inside off the right flank and hit a hopeful shot that took the slightest of deflections.

That was enough to put Newcastle keeper Freddie Woodman off and he could only spill the ball to the feet of Ronaldo, who reacted quickest inside the six-yard box for a tap-in.

Ronaldo hit 84 Premier League goals for United during his first stint with the club.

He had scored his first Premier League goal since May 2009 (v Man City); his gap of 12 years and 124 days between goals is the second-longest between two strikes by any player in the competition’s history, after Matt Jackson (13y 187d, 1993-2006).

Some 12 years later and an all-time great player is back in the groove, with Newcastle unable to contain his very obvious threat.

They did restore parity in the 56th minute through Javier Manquillo, but they were not level for long.

Ronaldo’s second goal

With Solskjaer’s side looking for a hero to step up on a day that a wave of optimism poured down from the stands, Ronaldo was – as is often the case – the man to step up.

He was given another helping hand by Woodman when grabbing his second of the game in the 62nd minute, but he and the rest of his team-mates cared little about that.

Ronaldo was sent racing through on goal by Luke Shaw, with a perfectly weighted pass taking him into the area.

He got his head down and fired goal-wards with his left boot, with the ball slipping between Woodman’s legs and into the back of the net.

Bruno Fernandes curled home a brilliant effort from long range to put the game beyond doubt, before Jesse Lingard netted deep into injury time to make it 4-1 and ensure that Ronaldo’s second ‘debut’ would finish on a high note in front of elated Old Trafford fans.

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday night suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali in a friendly match played in Marrakech, Morocco.

Mali, ranked 19th below the Super Eagles in the FIFA’s latest standings, opened scoring through Atalanta-based striker El Bilal Toure in the first half after Nigeria’s dreadful error resulting from a short goal kick.

Toure could barely believe his luck when defender Chidozie Awaziem tried to play a long square pass under pressure near the edge of the Nigeria box and succeeded only in crossing the ball straight to the Mali striker.

He controlled well on his chest before bundling a finish past goalkeeper Stanely Nwabali.

Nigeria lost Moses Simon to injury when the Nantes star collided with Mali keeper Mamadou Samassa and had to be substituted after appearing to suffer a painful knee injury.

Kamory Doumbia made it 2-0 for Mali with three minutes to normal regulation time.

Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 last Friday in a positive result for interim coach Finidi George, the former Ajax and Real Betis winger, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

The defeat has left the Super Eagles with a lot of concerns before they resume World Cup qualifying in June.

This was the 12th meeting between Nigeria and Mali. Nigeria have the head-to-head advantage, with six wins and three defeats in those games.

Mali’s most recent previous win over the Super Eagles was a 4-1 friendly victory way back in 1975.

Some key stars missed the friendly match due to injury. They are Victor Osimhen, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Boniface, Ola Aina, and Zaidu Sanusi.

Midfielder Frank Onyeka has also withdrawn from the squad.

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Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer €90 million for Napoli star striker, Victor Osimhen, according to Italian newspaper, II Mattino.

Osimhen has a release clause of around €120 million in his contract but Napoli President Aurelio de Laurentiis could accept a bid below that, according to the publication.

Napoli are prepared to part company with the Nigerian at the end of the season despite the forward signing a new contract last December.

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Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG have been persistently linked with a move for the forward.

Intermediaries are reportedly working with the striker’s agent, Roberto Calenda to sort out his future.

Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Ligue 1 club, Lille in 2022, has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances for the Partenopei.

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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Finidi George

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

Former World Cup star Finidi George is determined to secure a second consecutive win as he leads the Super Eagles in their clash against Mali today. Appointed as the interim coach for the Nigerian team, George aims to maintain the winning momentum after their recent victory over Ghana.

The encounter between the two West African teams is scheduled at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, where the Super Eagles emerged triumphant in their previous match against arch-rivals Ghana with a 2-1 scoreline.

However, George faces challenges as key players such as defender Calvin Bassey and midfielder Frank Onyeka are sidelined due to injuries, adding to the absence of other notable names like Victor Osimhen, William Ekong, and Olaoluwa Aina.

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Despite these setbacks, George remains optimistic about the team’s prospects against Mali. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a winning mentality and expresses confidence in the players’ ability to replicate their performance against Ghana and secure another victory.

Notably, George himself has a history with the Eagles of Mali, having played against them during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria emerged victorious.

In light of the absences and injuries, George may turn to players such as goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Jamilu Collins, midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to play prominent roles in the upcoming fixture.

Despite the challenges, Finidi George remains determined to guide the Super Eagles to another triumph as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June.

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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