Sports
London 2012: ‘Team Nigeria Won’t Disappoint In Athletics’
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Solomon Ogba, has assured that Team Nigeria was in good shape to excel in the track and field events of the 2012 Olympic Games.
He told journalists covering the 30th Olympiad in London on Wednesday that the athletics team would do its best to bring smiles on faces of Nigerians during the Games.
Team Nigeria is yet to get onto the medals table at the Games as at the official day six of the 17-day Games on Wednesday afternoon.
Already, its four table tennis players have crashed out of their events in the competition, just as its lone competitor in the canoeing event has lost out.
Two of its three boxers at the Games have also been knocked out of the competition, while the men’s basketball team have won only one of their two games played so far.
‘’The athletics team at the Olympics here will do their best, though I am not promising anything. But all I know is that these athletes are in good condition, ‘’ Ogba said.
He said he was hoping that all the 29 track and field athletes would get to the semi-finals stage of their respective events.
‘’For me, I want all of them to get to the semi final, and I am sure that from there, anything can happen, ‘’ the former Delta Sports Commissioner said.
He said his federation had taken measures to ensure optimum concentration on the part of the athletes ahead of their competition today.
Ogba said he had imposed bans on frequent meetings with the athletes as well as barring visitors to the team, saying he informed the athletes of this at a meeting with them.
‘’I will not want people to distract the athletes by locking them up with meetings, and I have told them that there should be no meetings with my athletes, and that there should be no visitors, too.
‘’I want these athletes to concentrate and have peace of mind before their events start, ‘’ he said.
Ogba assured that the athletes have been in a good mood and training well, saying this was why he wanted them to remain focused and not be burdened with meetings.
“I don’t know what they are meeting about, but all have changed now and the athletes are presently in good condition to give Nigerians Olympic smiles, ” he said.
Kobi Okoye, London
Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.
It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.
The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.
Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.
Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.
Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.
England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.
Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.
A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.
Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.
AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)
AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.
Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.
ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.
But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.
This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.
Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.
AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.
The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.
The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.
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