Sports
YOG: Beach Volleyballers’ Form Inspires Coach
Coach Chakuma Ismail of
the national under-17 male and female beach volleyball team last week in Abuja said his players looked promising ahead of the 2014 Youth Olympics Games (YOG).
Ismail told newsmen after the teams’ morning training session at the Jabi Lake, that the situation in camp was encouraging.
He said this submission was because the players were responding well to training.
“This is the second day in camp and the situation is good, because we have good accommodation and feeding. Most of the players also turned up on time. “But I believe it would have been better if the remaining two players were here to increase competition for places in the final squad.
“All the same, the players are young and they look promising. This is because, with the little time we have had since yesterday (Wednesday) when we started training, they have proven to be committed,” the coach said.
The teams are preparing the second edition of the YOG scheduled to hold at Nanjing in China from August 16 to August 28. Ismail had invited eight players to camp, four male and four female, to fight for two shirts each in each of the two categories.
The male players are Morris Samuel, Obayemi Ogunshina, Peter Ibrahim and Akande Philip, while the female players are Hajara Audu, Jummai Bitrus, Tochukwu Nnorgu and Francisca Ikedia.
As at the second day of training on Thursday, all the male players were in camp, with only Bitrus and Ikedia yet to report.
Ismail said the camping should have commenced earlier to allow for good preparations towards the Games.
“The camping did not start early enough, because we will now be having just 10 to 11 days and it is not enough to prepare a team for the Olympics. It should have commenced earlier than this.
“The days of quality training which we will now have are just eight days. But because the players are young and committed, the training will have to be combined now.
“We will have to combine the physical and technical training, because we can’t set some days aside for specific tasks. There is no time for that.
“If we were to follow it as it ought to be, we will be leaving for the YOG without full preparations,” he said.
Ismail, however, decried the teams’ inability to participate in the Federal of International Volleyball (FIVB) U-17 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Mexico earlier this month.
“I thought the World Championships in Mexico would have been a good opportunity to evaluate the players, but it is unfortunate that we were not able to go.
“Personally as the coach, it has affected me. But I have to encourage the players, because I am a father.
“The players felt it and they were all in tears, because they felt they should have gone there and learn more skills.
“Also, that would have given us an opportunity to know where and where to work on now.
“This is because most of the teams at Mexico will be at the YOG. So, if our teams were to be there, we would have known the strengths and weaknesses of the teams we will meet.
“But now we are going there blindly. Had it been that we were there, the players would have been in different shape now.
“But I am still working on their psychology to prepare them for the Games,” Ismail told NAN.
Both teams were supposed to represent Nigeria at the FIVB U-17 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Mexico but had hitches in their travel arrangement.
Nigeria is one of the 204 countries scheduled to participate at YOG, with beach volleyball being one of the 28 sports to be competed for by the athletes.
Sports
Tottenham’s Miserable Run Continues
Relegation-threatened Tottenham’s miserable 2026 continued as their winless run extended to 10 league games with Fulham gaining a deserved victory to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football.
Fulham, who scored twice in the opening six minutes in their 2-1 win over Spurs in November, again got an early goal with Harry Wilson netting in the seventh minute.
However, the goal was controversial as new Spurs boss Igor Tudor felt it should have been disallowed as home striker Raul Jimenez pushed Radu Dragusin as they challenged for a Kenny Tete cross, before Oscar Bobb picked out Wilson to volley home from six yards out.
Tottenham had a similar goal ruled out last week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal for a foul by Randal Kolo Muani on Gunners defender Gabriel but, following a check from the video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson, Fulham’s goal was allowed to stand, much to Tudor’s fury.
Spurs, though, had no excuses for the 34th-minute second goal with Alex Iwobi left with space to shoot home superbly from 18 yards out, with the ball going in off the inside of the post after a neat exchange with Wilson.
Sports
City Survive Leeds’ Challenge At Elland Road
Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City escaped Elland Road with victory over an energetic Leeds United.
The hard-earned outcome narrowed Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.
City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.
But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.
Leeds will be wondering how they did not score after making a sprightly start and giving City real cause for early concern.
Meanwhile , a clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.
The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.
West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.
Bayern Rebound To Overcome Dortmund In Bundesliga (5)
Harry Kane scored two second-half goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling match and move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
The England striker took his tally to 45 goals in all competitions this season as Bayern became the first team to inflict a home league defeat on Dortmund.
Kane, who passed 500 A clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.
The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.
West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.
All three of the Reds’ first-half goals came from set-pieces – with Arne Slot’s side now leading the table in 2026 when it comes to goals from set-plays (excluding penalties).
In the fifth minute, Ryan Gravenberch teed up Ekitike, who finished smartly to beat Mads Hermansen at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.
West Ham threatened to equalise, but against the run of play Liverpool doubled their advantage when Van Dijk headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.
The visitors failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s complacency with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all wasting chances.
And just before half-time, Mac Allister’s superb volley took a deflection and ended in the back of the net. That was the cue for sections of the travelling support to head for the exits.
Nico Schlotterbeck’s opener.
Dortmund thought they had snatched a point when Daniel Svensson’s thumping volley sent Signal Iduna Park into pandemonium.
But that was until Joshua Kimmich’s strike three minutes from time kept Bayern in pole position to win a 14th title in 15 seasons.
Schlotterbeck headed Dortmund ahead in the 26th minute when he rose highest in a crowded penalty area to connect with Svensson’s free-kick from the left.
Dortmund had the chance to double their lead later in the half when Fabio Silva squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who was denied by the onrushing Jonas Urbig.
Despite dominating possession in the first half, Bayern – playing with a front three of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz – were unable to test Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
But Kane equalised early in the second period with a poacher’s effort from inside the area at the end of a slick move involving Kimmich and Serge Gnabry.
Both teams missed chances before Kane scored a penalty – a record 10th in a Bundesliga season – after Josip Stanisic was floored by Schlotterbeck.
Dortmund levelled when Svensson volleyed past Urbig, but Kimmich all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 2012.
Sports
PSG Extend Lead In Ligue 1
Paris St-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points by claiming a narrow win at Le Havre.
The defending champions hoped to take advantage after second-placed Lens drew at Strasbourg on Friday, and Bradley Barcola gave them a deserved lead shortly before half-time.
PSG had chances to extend their lead and substitute Desire Doue had a late penalty saved by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw.
Lee Kang-In had an effort saved by Diaw before his right-wing cross was headed home by Barcola for his ninth goal of the season.
Moments later Lee fired wide when through on goal, before PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired against a post just after half-time.
Keeper Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Issa Soumare to keep PSG in front, while Diaw denied substitutes Nuno Mendes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Doue.
Diaw parried Doue’s spot-kick low to his right after Doue was brought down by Lucas Gourna-Douath with 11 minutes left.
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