Tag: Football - Page 25 - African News Today

Balogun Anticipates Tough Fixtures Without Injured Rangers Captain, Tavernier

20Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Balogun Anticipates Tough Fixtures Without Injured Rangers Captain, Tavernier

Nigerian international, Leon Balogun expects a hard time standing in for injured team skipper, James Tavernier at right-back position despite having featured in the role against Bayern Munich. Balogun was moved to the right-back position when Rangers skipper limped off in the first half of Thursday’s EUROPA League victory against Antwerp. The defender might face a run at full-back depending on the extent of injury to the skipper’s knee. Reacting to the prospect of featuring more prominently in the position, Balogun who had played for Brighton as well as Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen and Mains said, “I was back to an old role and I was happy I can still play it. “I think the last time I started at right-back was against Sheffield Wednesday with Brighton. But in terms of high-pr...

Iwobi Backs Everton to Recover From Manchester City Defeat

18Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

English Premiership, News, Nigeria, Sports

Iwobi Backs Everton to Recover From Manchester City Defeat

Everton of England forward, Alex Iwobi has backed his team to bounce back from Wednesday night’s home defeat to high flying Manchester City. The Carlo Ancelotti side were beaten 3-1 by table-toppers Manchester City at Goodison Park. Richarlison’s goal to level the scores after Phil Foden had opened the scoresheet was only the second time in the last nine league games City have failed to keep a clean sheet, but there was no denying them a 17th straight win in all competitions. The defeat leaves Everton without a win in their last five home games ahead of facing Merseyside rival Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday. Despite the loss, Everton are seventh on the league table with the result putting a dent in their hopes of securing a top-four finish at the end of the season. Nigerian f...

Arsenal Investigates Aubameyang For Possible COVID-19 Protocol Breach

16Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

English Premiership, Gabon, News, Sports

Arsenal Investigates Aubameyang For Possible COVID-19 Protocol Breach

Arsenal captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is under investigation for a possible breach of coronavirus regulations. The Gabonese striker seemed to break lockdown rules to get a new tattoo. Aubameyang was captured displaying his tattoo on the Instagram account of Spanish tattoo artist Alejandro Nicolas Bernal. The clip was posted just days after the Arsenal forward had been granted time off by the club to visit his sick mother abroad. UK Government guidelines prohibit the opening of all mobile and static tattoo parlours during the coronavirus pandemic. The footage showed that neither Aubameyang nor Barcelona-based Bernal were putting on a mask during the tattooing session. Though it was not clear when or where the tattoo work was carried out but the film was posted five da...

Aubameyang Notches Hat-Trick as Arsenal Trash Leeds 4-2

14Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Gabon, News, Sports

Aubameyang Notches Hat-Trick as Arsenal Trash Leeds 4-2

Gabonese striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bagged a hat-trick as Arsenal beat Leeds 4-2 at the Emirates stadium on Sunday. The match was Aubameyang’s first start in nearly a month after he had been quarantined after he travelled to see his mother who is ill. Prior to the match, the striker had managed five league goals throughout the season for the Gunners, but he utilised the match to notch his first Premier League hat-trick. The Gabonese forward scored his first goal with an admirable ow finish on 13 minutes that bettered Ilan Meslier, on a day to forget for the young French goalkeeper. The Gunners then had a penalty overruled after a VAR review when Bukayo Saka went down under a challenge from Liam Cooper. Shortly after, Saka was fouled again in the box by Meslier after ...

Desire Oparanozie Fumes Over Non-inclusion in Super Falcons’ Team

14Feb

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Desire Oparanozie Fumes Over Non-inclusion in Super Falcons’ Team

Former Super Falcons captain, Desire Oparanozie, has lashed out at the Nigeria Football Federation following her exclusion from the list of players for the Turkish Women’s Cup, which begins on Monday. The NFF last Thursday released a 23-man list for the tournament, with some stakeholders questioning the inclusion of Onome Ebi, who turns 38 in May and has not tasted competitive football action, alongside Francisca Ordega and Chinwendu Ihezuo, the trio all without clubs. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, Henan Jianye striker Ihezuo was unable to return to China to compete in the 2020 Chinese Women’s Super League season despite being under contract for a second season. Both Ihezuo and Ebi, who was also at Jianye before the expiration of her contract, missed the entire campaign due to ...

Yaya Toure Appointed Assistant Coach of Ukrainian Club Olympik Donetsk

13Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Yaya Toure Appointed Assistant Coach of Ukrainian Club Olympik Donetsk

Yaya Toure, former Manchester City and Ivory Coast player has been appointed assistant coach of Ukrainian club, Olimpik Donetsk. Toure recently worked with Championship clubs Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers as part of training towards his coaching qualifications. He told Olimpik Donetsk’s official website, “I started my professional career in Donetsk – now I am here to start my coaching path.” “Of course I know that Olimpik is not Metalurh, but I remember well how friendly and open the people of Donetsk were. I am very impressed by the local people. “To be honest, even my agent was surprised when he found out I wanted to learn to coach in Ukraine, but I was firm in my decision. “It is not so easy to find a place where (you) can calmly, without unnecessary pressure, ...

Rohr Takes a Tour of Teslim Balogun Stadium Ahead of AFCON Qualifier

13Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

AFCON, News, Nigeria, Sports

Rohr Takes a Tour of Teslim Balogun Stadium Ahead of AFCON Qualifier

Head coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Gernot Rohr took a tour of the facilities at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos State on Friday ahead of a decisive Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Lesotho in March. The Eagles handler inspected the stadium alongside the Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Seyi Akinwunmi and Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi. They were led by the Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Sola Aiyepeku. The AFCON clash will mark a return of the Eagles to the stadium after ten years, having last played there against Sierra Leone in February 2011. Taye Taiwo and Ekigho Ehiosun were on target as the team then managed by Samson Siasia ran out with a 2-1 goal margin against the Leone Stars in a friendly encounter the last time o...

Rohr Confirms Ahmed Musa’s West Brom Transfer talks

11Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Rohr Confirms Ahmed Musa’s West Brom Transfer talks

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has confirmed that the team’s captain, Ahmed Musa, is in talks with EPL club, West Bromwich Albion. The forward has reportedly agreed on terms with West Brom, though some factors have delayed the conclusion of the deal. Musa had been without a club since parting ways with his former club Al Nassr in October 2020. Rohr while speaking in an interview with the Super Eagles social media page said that he has kept tabs on the transfer situation of the pacey winger. He said, “We are in touch with our captain, he is in the UK now. “It’s not so easy to change during the season but he is free to sign where he wants and there’s no obligation to respect the transfer window for him because he was free already. “I am very hopeful that he can sign in the...

8Feb

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Ighalo Not Out of Eagles Radar – Rohr

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has not foreclosed the possibility of ‘retired’ striker Odion Ighalo to return to the squad after he teamed up with Saudi Arabian side Al –Shabab. The 31-year-old Ighalo called it quit with international football after helping the Super Eagles to win bronze at the 2019 Africa Cup of nations in Egypt. Where he emerged the tournament’s top scorer. En route to Egypt 2019, Ighalo scored seven goals in the Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, the most by any player and found the net against Burundi in the group phase; Cameroon in the round of 16;Algeria in the semi-finals and Tunisia in the third-place playoff before announcing his retirement from the international scene. Snapped up by Al Shabab last week after his long loan spell at Mancheste...

Burnley, Brighton Join the Race to Sign Musa

7Feb

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

English Premiership, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Burnley, Brighton Join the Race to Sign Musa

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa is drawing attention from other Premier League sides as he is yet to agree terms with West Brom. After being invited over by manager Sam Allardyce, the 28-year-old free agent and former Leicester City forward arrived in the country on Tuesday and underwent medical tests ahead of training at West Brom on Wednesday. The Nigeria international forward is understood to have impressed Allardyce and his coaching staff, who were hoping he would sign a contract until the end of the season and bolster their attacking options. However, Albion’s Chinese owners have stretched their budget to the limit in the January window and are now struggling to release more funds to sign Musa. Albion brought in Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Arsenal, Okay Yukuslu from Celta ...