Paris, Sept 18 Angel Di Maria produced a vintage performance with two goals to help Paris St Germain, PSG, claim a 3-0 home win over Real Madrid in their Champions League Group A opening game on Wednesday. In the absence of the formidable trio of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Edinson …
Read More »PSG forwards Mbappe, Cavani ruled out of Real Madrid clash
Paris, Sept. 17, 2019 Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani have been ruled out of Paris St Germain’s opening Champions League group stage match against Real Madrid on Wednesday, the French Ligue 1 champions said. Mbappe picked up a hamstring injury and was forced off against Toulouse last month and has …
Read More »Neymar’s European suspension reduced from three to two games – CAS
Lausanne (Switzerland), Sept. 17, 2019 The Court of Arbitration for Sport has reduced Paris St Germain striker Neymar’s suspension from three to two UEFA games for insulting match officials, CAS said on Tuesday. PSG and the Brazilian had appealed against the three-game ban imposed by European governing body UEFA in …
Read More »Teenage sensation Fati leads Barca thrashing of Valencia
Barcelona (Spain), Sept. 15, 2019 Barcelona’s 16-year-old forward Ansu Fati continued his explosive start to life in the first team by scoring and providing an assist as the La Liga champions thrashed Valencia 5-2 on Saturday. Goals from Fati, Frenkie de Jong, Gerard Pique and two from Luis Suarez gave …
Read More »We can’t win all the time, unhappy Guardiola says
Norwich (UK), Sept. 15, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shrugged off his team’s shock 3-2 defeat by newly-promoted Norwich City in the English Premier League (EPL) on Saturday with a direct message. He said his team simply could not be expected to win every week. Guardiola’s team beat …
Read More »Ronaldo scores four times as Portugal rout Lithuania 5-1
Vilnius, Sept. 11, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo took his international tally to 93 goals when he scored four times on Tuesday. The goals helped to give the European champions a 5-1 win away to Lithuania in their Euro 2020 qualifier. Playing in his 161st international, the 34-year-old notched …
Read More »Euro 2020 Qualifier: Erratic England beat spirited Kosovo in 8-goal thriller
Southampton (UK), Sept. 11, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) England’s march towards the Euro 2020 finals continued but not quite in the manner they might have expected. The Three Lions beat a brave and enterprising Kosovo side 5-3 in an extraordinary Group A qualifier at St Mary’s Stadium on Tuesday. Valon Berisha gave …
Read More »Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League: Air Warriors, Nigeria Customs lead Abuja zone of second phase
Abuja, Sept. 11, 2019 Both the Air Warriors Babes and Nigeria Customs kept their unbeaten status on Tuesday at the ongoing Abuja Zone competition of the 2019 Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League Second Phase. The Air Warriors beat Nasarawa Amazons of Lafia 91-19, while Nigeria Customs beat Plateau Rocks of …
Read More »Friendly: Ukraine force ‘new’ Super Eagles to 2-2 draw
By Victor Okoye Abuja, Sept. 10, 2019 A relatively newbreed Super Eagles team came close to bringing down their Ukrainian counterparts at the Dnipro Arena on Tuesday before suffering loss of concentration that saw Ukraine tie the game 2-2 with two goals in 45 seconds. Debutant Joseph Ayodele-Aribo put the …
Read More »Kane nets hat-trick as England romp past Bulgaria
London, Sept 7, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) England’s serene progress towards Euro 2020 continued as skipper Harry Kane grabbed a hat-trick in a 4-0 demolition of Bulgaria in Group A at Wembley on Saturday. Kane opened the scoring after 24 minutes and struck home two penalties after the break as well as …
Read More »Euro 2020: Netherlands shock Germany in topsy-turvy 4-2 win
Hamburg (Germany), Sept. 6, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Netherlands scored four times in 32 second-half minutes to stage a 4-2 comeback win against hosts Germany in their Euro 2020 Group C qualifier on Friday. The Germans went ahead with Serge Gnabry, netting his fourth goal in four qualifiers in the ninth minute. …
Read More »Under-23 AFCON Qualifier: Olympic Eagles lose 0-1 to Sudan
By Victor Okoye Abuja, Sept. 6, 2019 Cup-holders Nigeria on Thursday lost by the odd goal to their Sudanese counterparts in an Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match at the Al Merriekh Stadium in Omdurman. The home team scored on the dot of 45 minutes as the Nigeria …
Read More »Olympic Qualifier: Falcons beat Algeria 3-0 on aggregate, through to 3rd round
By Ijeoma Okigbo Abuja, Sept. 3, 2019 The Super Falcons moved to the third round of CAF’s 2020 Tokyo Women Football Qualifiers after beating Algeria 1-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Tuesday to qualify 3-0 aggregate. The Falcons had defeated the North Africans 2-0 in the first …
Read More »Inter Milan forward Icardi joins PSG on one-year loan
Milan, Sept. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi, their leading scorer in each of the last five seasons and former captain, has joined Paris St Germain on a year-long loan, the Serie A side said on Monday. The move will interrupt a turbulent six-year spell at Inter for …
Read More »Injured Pogba replaced by Arsenal’s Guendouzi in France squad
Paris, Sept. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Midfielder Paul Pogba was replaced by Matteo Guendouzi in the France squad to face Albania and Andorra in Euro 2020 Group H qualifiers after picking up an ankle injury. The disclosure was made on Monday by the French Football Federation. The Manchester United player’s absence …
Read More »U. S. Open: Serena advances to quarter-finals despite ankle injury; Speaks on extent of injury
New York, Sept. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Serena Williams needed a medical time out in the second set of her 6-3 6-4 win over Petra Martic on Sunday to get treatment on her right ankle. Williams however recovered to advance to the U.S. Open quarter-finals. She fell to the court at …
Read More »Bale sees red after brace as Real draw at Villarreal
Villarreal (Spain), Sept. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN ) Gareth Bale twice came to Real Madrid’s rescue to salvage a 2-2 draw at Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday The Wales forward however ended the night in despair as he was sent off in added time for receiving two yellow cards. Real …
Read More »Barca held to surprise draw at Osasuna
Spain, Aug. 31, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Sixteen-year-old Ansu Fati became Barcelona’s youngest ever La Liga goalscorer on Saturday but could not prevent his side stumbling to a surprise 2-2 draw at promoted Osasuna. The result left the champions with only four points after three games. Roberto Torres’ thumping volley gave Osasuna …
Read More »Ndidi returns for Leicester, Iheanacho, Balogun missing
By Victor Okoye Abuja, Aug. 31, 2019 Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi returned to the starting line-up for Leicester City who defeated Bournemouth 3-1 in their Premier League clash at the King Power Stadium on Saturday Ndidi, who missed the Foxes last league game against Sheffield United due to injury. …
Read More »Koulibaly own goal hands Juventus dramatic win to ruin Napoli comeback
Turin (Italy), Aug. 31, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly scored an injury-time own goal to hand Juventus a 4-3 Serie A victory in Turin on Saturday after the visitors had fought back from three goals down. Goals from Danilo, Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo gave the Italian champions a …
Read More »Liverpool stay top with club record-breaking win at Burnley
Burnley (UK), Aug. 31, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Premier League leaders Liverpool set a new club record of 13 straight top flight wins with a 3-0 victory at Burnley on Saturday, maintaining their two-point advantage over champions Manchester City. After Burnley started brightly, with forward Chris Wood forcing an early save out …
Read More »Oyo will witness paradigm shift in sports development — Commissioner
By Akeem Abas Ibadan, Aug. 30, 2019 Mr Seun Fakorede, Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, says the state will witness a paradigm shift in sports development under Gov. Seyi Makinde. Fakorede made the disclosure on Friday while receiving the executives of Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria(SWAN), Oyo State …
Read More »Lewandowski goals a precious commodity for Bayern
Berlin, Aug 29, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) A new contract is looming for Poland forward Robert Lewandowski, who will be carrying the hopes of a second straight league win for Bayern Munich when the champions host Mainz 05 on Saturday. The Bavarians have sprung to action in recent weeks on the transfer …
Read More »Nigeria’s ‘Iron Lady’ meets $10,000 requirement, returns to boxing ring in America
By Harrison Arubu New York, Aug. 27, 2019 Nigeria’s Helen ‘Iron Lady’ Joseph is set for action against Martina Horgasx from Hungary on Thursday in her bumpy return to professional boxing. The Super-Bantamweight fight, holding at the Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States, is the second for the 30-year-old after …
Read More »Lukaku scores on debut as Conte’s Inter Milan make flying start
Milan (Italy), Aug. 26, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Forward Romelu Lukaku scored on his debut for Inter Milan as they made a flying start under new coach Antonio Conte in Serie A on Monday. They had a 4-0 win over newly-promoted Lecce after Marcelo Brozovic, with an exquisite curling shot, and Stefano …
Read More »