Sports

Africans In Europe: Asamoah On Target For Juve

Published

13 years ago

November 14, 2012

It was a solitary goal for African strikers in the English Premier League as Arouna Kone scored for Wigan in their 1-2 home loss to West Brom.

However, 28 other strikers from the continent registered their names in the scors sheet across Europe at the weekend to indicate bumper return for African strikers in Europe.

Italy

Kwadwo Asamoah scored one of the goals for Juventus as they crushed Pescara 6-1 to stay at the top of the table with a four-point margin. The Ghana striker scored his side’s third goal in the 30th minute, his first in two months after 12 games.

Mounir El Hamdaoui made sure of the points for Fiorentina who won their fourth straight game by defeating AC Milan 3-1. The Morocco striker secured the points with three minutes remaining after coming on as a substitute in the 56th minute.

Spain

Equatorial Guinea striker Rodolfo Bodipo found the back of the net in added time for Deportivo la Coruna, but his side lost a two-goal lead to lose 5-3 away at Real Zaragoza. Bodipo came on as a substitute in the last eight minutes to score his second goal this season for Depor who lie in the bottom three of the table.

France

Nancy are stuck at the bottom of the table after losing their third consecutive game 3-1 to visiting side Rennes. Nancy had equalised through Nigeria striker Simon Zenke, scoring for the first time this season, in the 50th minute, but Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa sealed the game for Rennes with six minutes remaining as he netted in his fourth goal of the season. Cameroon striker Paul Efoulou , failed to reduce the deficit after he missed a penalty in the 82nd minute, four minutes after coming on as a substitute.

A goal by Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou just before half-time secured the points for Lille who defeated Brest at home.

Gabon striker Pierre Aubameyang continued his fine form as he scored two minutes to time for Saint Etienne who defeated Troyes 2-0. Aubameyang has scored eight goals in 12 games for Saint Etienne. He is the league’s second top scorer with two goals short of Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Paris Saint-Germain.

A goal in each half by the Algeria midfielder Foued Kadir helped Valenciennes to a 3-2 away win at Bastia. It was Kadir’s fifth Ligue 1 goal and helped lift Valenciennes to fifth position.

Tunisia defender Aymen Abdennour was on the score sheet for Toulouse who were beaten 4-2 at home by Ajaccio. Mali striker Sigamary Diarra was among the scorers for Ajaccio with his first goal of the league.

Ghana’s Andre Ayew gave Marseille the lead in the 40th minute as his side drew 2-2 at home with Nice. However, Marseille have a game in hand and are equal on points with leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

Turkey

Two African goals, both from the penalty spot, ensured that the encounter between Kasimpasa and league leaders Antalyaspor finished with the two sides sharing the points. Nigeria striker Kalu Uche rescued the home side Kasimpasa by converting from the spot in the very last minute after Morocco’s Ismail Aissati had given Antalyaspor the lead 13 minutes earlier.

DR Congo striker Lomana Lua Lua came on mid-way into the second-half to seal victory for Karabukspor who came from behind to beat Istanbul BB 3-1. The Cameroon striker Pierre Webo had given Istanbul the lead after just four minutes of play.

Fenerbahce moved up to third position after a 2-1 victory over Orduspor with Senegal striker Moussa Sow scoring the opening goal in the 11th minute.

Portugal

Nacional played the last two minutes at Vitoria Guimaraes with 10 men but they had already secured the points mid way in the second-half to win 3-1 after coming from behind. Ladji Keita from Senegal and the Angola substitute Mateus were both on target for Nacional.

Somalia striker Liban Abdi accounted for the only goal of the game in the 29th minute as his side Olhanense defeated Beira Mar. Abdi has now scored four goals in the league.

Belgium

Hamdi Harbaoui broke the deadlock after 42 minutes to give Lokeren the lead in their 2-1 victory over Standard Liege. After the Tunisia striker celebrated his fourth goal of the league, the South Africa midfielder Ayanda Patosi scored Lokeren’s second in the 65th minute to take his tally to six goals.

Senegal striker Mbaye Leye equalised for second-placed Zulte-Waregem in the 73rd minute as they drew 1-1 at home with 10-man Mechelen.

Anderlecht triumphed 6-1 over rivals Club Bruges to remain at the top of the table with the DR Congo striker Dieudonne Mbokani scoring one of the goals in the 33rd minute.

Russia

Nigeria striker Ahmed Musa made sure that CSKA Moscow maintained top position after scoring twice as his side beat Kuban Krasnodar 3-1.

Anzhi Makhachkala are in second position despite drawing 1-1 at Locomotiv Moscow. Morocco midfielder Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez gave Anzhi the lead in the 72nd minute but Senegal striker Dame N’doye equalised six minute later to salvage a point.

Greece

Two giants of Greek football, both on extreme opposite ends of the Super League table, met on Sunday for a chance to win some bragging rights. And it was the league leaders Olympiakos who triumphed emphatically with a 4-0 win over rivals AEK Athens, who are languishing at the bottom of the table.

Algeria midfielder Djamel Abdoun scored from the penalty spot to give the visitors the lead in the 23rd minute, and with only 10 men to continue, it was all downhill afterwards for AEK Athens.

Netherlands

Waalwijk won only their third game in 12 league matches after beating Utrecht by a resounding 4-0 score line to climb up to 11th position. Morocco defender Imad Najah was on target for Waalwijk, whose previous victory was back in August.

Ukraine

Ideye Brown scored twice at the weekend for Dynamo Kyiv who crushed Metalurh Zaporizhya 5-0. The Nigeria striker has taken his tally to 10 goals so far to become second-top scorer in the league.

England

Ivory Coast striker Arouna Kone scored for Wigan but could not prevent them from going down 2-1 to West Brom. Kone got o0n the end of a Jean Beausejour cross to finish from six yards.

Sports

AllStars Club Renovates Tennis Court… Appeal to Stop Misuse

Published

1 week ago

December 12, 2025

The Tide

Port Harcourt AllStars Tennis Club, old Port Harcourt township, has renovated and commissioned its training court at Niger/Bende Street, No.5 field popularly known as Information centre, in Port Harcourt.

The court was officially declared opened by Commander Abdul Qadir Yumusa (rtd), President of Police Tennis Club, after it undergone total renovation.

Speaking at the occasion, the President of Port Harcourt AllStars Tennis Club, Engr. Ifiesimama Omineokuma, decried the intentional misused of the sports facilities which Rivers State Government built for the purpose of grassroots sports development.

According to him, the centre which accommodates two tennis courts and one volleyball court has become burial and wedding centres on weekly basis thereby obstructing sports activities.

“The Exco of the club normally renovate and maintain these facilities because most times we organise grassroots tennis programme for primary and secondary school children in the State.

“No doubt we have discovered some talents through our programmes but it is disheartened to note that most times when we come, we can’t access the tennis courts following wedding, burial programmes etc.

“Consequently, we are appealing to the appropriate authorities to regulate these activities on sporting facilities, as the club has taken the responsibility to maintain the facilities, hence we are equally using it to train”, Engr. Omineokuma said.

He advised members of the tennis club to conduct themselves very well anytime they come for training.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

New W.White Cup: GSS Elekahia Emerged Champions

Published

1 week ago

December 12, 2025

The Tide

Government Secondary School ( GSS) Elekahia has won the second edition of the New W.W. White all Secondary schools football competition in Rivers State, sponsored by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The Elekahia boys (players) thrashed one of the highly rated teams in the competition Government Secondary School Rebisi 4-1 to emerged champions.

The final encounter which took place at Sharks Football Club Stadium, in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, was well attended by some important dignitaries in the State, including the Managing Director of NDDC Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.

Speaking at the event Dr. Ogbuku, assured that NDDC will continue to engage youths in region meaningfully and support school activities, arts and culture, including music, saying that talents discovery is not limited to only sports alone.

According to him NDDC provided this platform to showcase their talents and become valuable to themselves and society.

“I want to assure you that NDDC will always support such events, school activities, not only W.W.White cup, we are also supporting secondary schools in the region, in the area of arts culture, including music because talent is not limited to only sports”, Dr. Ugbuku said.

He advised teams that lost to go back to the drawing board, know the reasons why they lost and improve, and those that won should equally work hard to defend their trophy in next edition, saying that sports is a healthy competition, it is not for bitterness.

” For me all the teams that participated are all winners, sports is healthy competition, it is not for bitterness. We will keep on engaging youths so that we discover new talents”, he stated.

At the end of the event winners, GSS Elekahia goes home with the sum of N2.5M, while second place GSS Risbisi pocketed the sum of N1.75 , as third place Pabod model Secondary School also goes home with the sum of N1.25M as they beat Government Secondary School Azuabie 1-0.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Players Battle For Honours At PH International Polo Tourney

Published

1 week ago

December 12, 2025

The Tide

Players from within and outside Nigeria will from January 11-17, 2026 gather in Rivers State for the 2026 NPA Port Harcourt International Polo Tournament with the theme: “United By The Game.”

Among the trophies to be contested for are Rowland Cookey-Gam, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, King T.J.T Princewill, T.Y Danjuma, Armed Forces Remembrance, President and Governor cups, in addition to a special memorial cup in honour of late former president of the club, Rowland Cookey-Gam.

The President of Port Harcourt Polo Club, Prince Henry Agbodjan, at a media briefing, stated that this year’s edition seeks to deepen unity and inclusiveness.

According to him, “Like the theme of this year’s tournament said, it’s united by the game. So for us as polo club, it’s a diverse group of people. Polo in itself is played in very diverse manners, and we believe in diversity, equity, and inclusiveness as well. So for us both, male and female, no matter where you come from, we are in a united front to ensure that next year’s tournament will be a major success.

“And if you see again clearly, as part of preparations for this tournament, we have one of our own who we lost 20 years ago in a plane crash. Rowland Cookey-Gam and you can see him clearly in the part of the emblem for this year’s tournament. So, we’re going to use this tournament to eulogize him, remember him, and of course, appreciate his work for polo within the Harcourt Polo Club and polo in general around the world.”

Agbodjan noted that the club was able to achieve its goals during the last tournament, especially in the area of catching them young and taking polo to the grassroots, adding “So we commenced our Catch Get Young program and it was very well received by the public and are going to intensify the program.”

“And we hope that this whole thing will yield the right dividends in the next four to five years where we see great polo players all from Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta at large, contesting and competing against the best in the country and of course around the world as well,” he stressed.

He commended the Rivers State Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), alongside other private and corporate sponsors for their continued support to the club over the years, whilst assuring that the flagship polo tournament in the country would continue to draw people from all walks of life.

The club president assured of adequate security before, during and after the tournament, as well as entertainment that will feature varieties of local and national artistes, among others.

Also speaking, the captain of Port Harcourt Polo Club, Dr. Ikenna Nebolisa disclosed that players from Iran, Mexico, England, Argentina, among others would be participating at the tourney, in addition to entries from Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jos.