Tag: Sports - Page 36 - African News Today

Osimhen Returns Second COVID-19 Positive Result After Fresh Test

12Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Sports

Osimhen Returns Second COVID-19 Positive Result After Fresh Test

Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen has returned a second COVID-19 positive result after a new coronavirus test was conducted on him on Monday, Napoli confirmed. The Italian side disclosed this on their official Twitter handle. The 22-year-old Nigerian who was a record-signing for the Italian giants first tested positive for COvID-19 upon return to the club on New Year’s Day, after he had spent time in Nigeria, where he allegedly attended a birthday party and contravened COVID-19 safety protocols. Osimhen was captured on camera dancing without a facemask, while his guests also breached COVID-19 protocols, which elicited condemnation from Napoli coach, Gennaro Gattuso and the club’s fans. However, the Nigerian remains positive after spending 10 days in isolation. Napoli wrote o...

Steven Gerrard Hopeful of Extending Leon Balogun’s Contract at Rangers

10Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Nigeria, Sports

Steven Gerrard Hopeful of Extending Leon Balogun’s Contract at Rangers

Steven Gerrard, Glasgow Rangers coach has expressed his desired to extend Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun’s contract beyond the present season. Balogun joined Rangers on a free transfer last summer after departing English side Wigan Athletics following their relegation to league one. The Super Eagles defender signed a one-year deal with the Scottish side with an option of an additional year and it has proved to be a fruitful partnership so far. The defender’s current contract will expire in the summer and Gerrard while speaking at Friday’s news conference ahead of the trip to Aberdeen declared the club’s plans to extend the deal. He said, “All contract chat will remain private between players and the club once they get up and running. “At the right time, we will sit down ...

Osimhen Clarifies Role in Controversial Party

8Jan

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Osimhen Clarifies Role in Controversial Party

Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has revealed that he did not host the controversial birthday party, adding that he knew nothing about the party, according to reports. The Napoli star had taken part in a surprise birthday party without wearing a protective mask and the Partenopei have fined the 22-year-old after he tested positive for coronavirus upon his return to Naples after the Christmas holiday. He later apologised to the club and the fans with Napoli stating the most expensive African footballer would be fined for his actions. “Before I went to Nigeria, I told my sister that I wouldn’t celebrate my birthday,” he reportedly said.“I was not in the right mood because of my injury. “On that particular day, I had been asleep for about six hours. When I woke up, my sister asked me...

Enyimba Dumped Out of CAF champions League

7Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Enyimba Dumped Out of CAF champions League

Nigeria’s sole representative at the CAF Champions League, Enyinma have crashed out of the competition despite securing a 2-1 victory over Sudanese opponents, El Merrikh, in the second leg of their playoff on Wednesday. The Aba side failed in their quest to overturn the 3-0 defeat suffered in the first leg in Sudan two weeks ago despite rallying to a 2-1 victory. The team managed by Fatai Osho has not been enjoying the best of times in front of goal in recent weeks and failed to score more goals that could secure their qualification against El Merreikh at the Abab Stadium on Wednesday. The two-time African champions were beaten on 4-2 goal aggregate. Enyimba made the tie more difficult than it already was by conceding an early goal which meant they needed to score five goals wi...

Eberechi Eze’s Sublime Goal Helps Crystal Palace End Six-Game Winless Streak

3Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Eberechi Eze’s Sublime Goal Helps Crystal Palace End Six-Game Winless Streak

Eberechi Eze was on the score sheet as Crystal Palace got the better of Sheffield United at the Selhurst Park on Saturday. The Nigerian descent Eze made a run with the ball from his own half and skipped past three Sheffield United’s defenders before firing into the bottom corner to score Crystal Palace’s second goal against he struggling Blades. Crystal Palace went into the match without a win in six games, but their determination to change tide paid off after the finished with a two-goal win. Ghanaian star, Jeff Schlupp put the Eagles ahead after just four minutes as his shot was deflected into the back of the net for the opener. Their lead was then doubled by Eze with a fantastic solo goal on the stroke of half time which put the game to bed. The goal was Eze’s second in t...

Osimhen Fined By Napoli For Breaching COVID-19 Rules

2Jan

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Osimhen Fined By Napoli For Breaching COVID-19 Rules

Super Eagles and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has been fined two weeks’ wages by Napoli for flouting the club’s COVID-19 regulations. Napoli announced on Friday that Osimhen had contracted coronavirus. A video of the Nigerian posted on Instagram by @equipoarrow where he was seen partying without a face mask and not observing social distancing has reportedly angered his club coach, Gennaro Gattuso. In the video, Osimhen was also seen spraying the musician N500 notes. “Victor Osimhen will be fined for not respecting the club’s regulations,” a tweet from SCC Napoli reads. “The birthday videos showing people without face masks and not social distancing has angered the club and Gattuso.” Osimhen, who joined Napoli in the summer for a record fee from Lille, has scored twice in...

Falcons Forward, Rasheedat Ajibade Elated to Join Atletico Madrid

2Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Falcons Forward, Rasheedat Ajibade Elated to Join Atletico Madrid

Super Falcons forward, Rasheedat Ajibade has joined Spanish Primera club, Atletico Madrid Femenino. She signed a two-year contract with the club after seeing out her contract with Norwegian Toppserien side, Avaldsnes. Ajibade, 21, moved to the Norwegian club from NWFL side, FC Robo Queens in 2018 and was an important member of the club. The forward who is an African women’s champion winner witnessed her most productive campaign with Avaldsnes in 2020, banging seven league goals and was named in the team of the season. She took to her official Twitter handle on Friday to express her joy for signing for the club. She wrote, “It is a great privilege and joy for me to be joining Atletico Madrid Feminino.” ” It is an opportunity I will never take for granted, and I am ready to...

1Jan

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Rohr Set 2021 Targets For Super Eagles

Super eagles coach Gernot Rohr said his objective at the dawn of Year 2021 was to ensure the Super Eagles prompt qualification for the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be held in Cameroun ahead of a good start towards the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Rohr-led side floundered in their AFCON campaign in November after an infamous 4-4 home draw in Benin against Sierra Leone was equally followed by a listless goalless draw away in Freetown. But Rohr has reaffirmed to ensure the team’s successive qualification for the AFCON under his watch after he guided them to a third-place finish at the last outing at Egypt 2019. “For the new year, we hope that all our players, coaches and officials can start in good health and the unity we need with the sports ministry will bring ou...

30Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Nigeria, Sports

NFF Approves Over N5B For 2021 Budget

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Executive Committee has approved a budget of the sum of 5.6 billion Naira for the year 2021 in an executive meeting held at Conference Hotel, Abeokuta. Also, the Executive committee, on Monday, 28th December 2020 also approved the mooted date of Saturday, 16th January 2021 for the commencement of the Season 2020-2021 of the Nigeria National League, and Wednesday, 10th February 2021 for the commencement of the new season for the Nigeria Nationwide League One. The football apex body also agreed on the participation of the Female National Team, Super Falcons to participate in a tournament in Turkey and two-match tour of Morocco in February 2021 as a way of getting the team busy in a period of long inactivity occasioned by the postponement of the 12t...

COVID-19: NFF Mandates NPFL clubs to Test Players Before Matches

29Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Safety, Sports

COVID-19: NFF Mandates NPFL clubs to Test Players Before Matches

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has directed the Nigeria Professional Football clubs to carry out COVID-19 tests on all their players ad backroom staff before every match. This was disclosed in a letter dated December 26, 2020, sent to the chairmen of the League Management Company, Nigeria National League, Nationwide League One and Nigeria Women’s Football League. The directive also involved clubs in the NNL, NLO and NWFL. The NFF also directed league bodies to conduct the tests on match officials before matches to ensure matches are played under a safe environment as the country battles the second phase of the virus. The letter read, “Sequel to the decision of the various Leagues to start the season (NWFL already on), this is to remind you of the need to ensure that play...