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Nigerians Praise Rating Of NPL By IFHHS

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It was with mixed reactions that soccer buffs in Nigeria welcomed the rating of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) as the strongest in Africa.

The International Federation History and Statistics (IFHHS) in a recent report ranked the league as number one in Africa and 24th worldwide.

While some noted that it had properly situated the position of the league in Africa, others said that it left gaps which the organisers could work on to put it among the top 20 best leagues.

Spokesman for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ademola Olajire said that the federation was happy with the rating.

“We are happy that the little we are doing is being appreciated; it means that we have to strive to make it bigger,’’ he said.

Mitchell Obi, the Vice-Chairman of Mastersports International, a Lagos-based sports marketing outfit, said the rating merely showed the NPL as the most competitive in Africa.

He said that from the current placement on the league table, it was obvious that the competition among the top five teams in the league had been tough.

“Even the previous champions, Enyimba is not certain of their final placing.

“The current league leaders are also uncertain of the eventual outcome of the league as they are locked in a tough competition to win the league.

“Indeed, any mistakes among them can trigger drastic changes in position among the top five frontrunners,’’ he said.

However, Obi said that the rating had not really added real value to the league.

“There are a lot to be done to improve the quality and content of the league; it is not yet paying its way.

“The league has yet to attract sponsors; it has yet to fill the spectator stands. It should be able to have good commercial padding as well as offer a variety to the viewing public,’’ he said.

Obi said that the league should also be in a position to provide a retirement opportunity for the country’s top flight players after their careers in big leagues abroad.

He contended that the only good thing about the league was that it was now being played in quality pitches across the country, with a measure of quality officiating.

“There is some hope for improvements in future,’’ he said.

Joe Erico, a former Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles, described the rating as a plus to the NPL as they were achieving what they set out to do.

“Our league is one of the best in Africa, no doubt about that. I am not surprised that we are rated as the strongest; we are very passionate about the sport and we try to make the best out of it.

“We pray that we grow from strength to strength, and one day we will be rated one of the best in the world.

“I would say here that we should work more on the day to day running of the league as it would help us to improve in our performance,’’ he said.

The General Manager of 3SC of Ibadan, MutiuAdepoju,  said that the NPL’s ranking as the most competitive was a good encouragement to strive for the best.

“This goes a long way to show that the league is strong, and we should continue to strive for the best and not relent in our efforts.

“But we still need to improve in our performance, most especially in the African Championships and other major events,’’ he said.

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Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie  A Lead

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Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.

Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.

Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.

Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.

But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.

Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.

It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.

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Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool 

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A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.

Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.

“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.

For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.

Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.

His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.

Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.

Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.

The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.

After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.

“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”

Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.

The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.

“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”

He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.

“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”

 

Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.

The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).

Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.

Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.

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Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors

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Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.

Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.

Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.

Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.

Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.

The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.

 

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