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2018/2019 NWPL Kicks Off With Eight Fixtures, Today

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The Nigeria Women Premier League ( NWPL) kicks off today after a long break. Eight games will be played across all centres  in the federation, including Rivers Angels Vs FC Robo, Sunshine Queens Vs Nasarawa Amazons, Confluence Queens Vs Ibom Angels.
Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt will play host to FC Robo of Lagos at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt.
Last season’s opening fixture saw FC Robo picking a draw in far away Lafia against then defending champion of the NWPL Nasarawa Amazons. This season again, the Lagos Landladies will face another tough away trip to Port Harcourt as they face AITEO Cup finalist, Rivers Angels.
The jewel of Rivers are determined to start on a winning note and won’t take anything lightly. FC Robo might miss the services of key players like Chidinma Okeke and Folashade Ijamilusi who are presently at the National U20 camp ahead of the 2019 all African Games in Morroco.  Rivers Angels seem good to go with a win in today’s match.
Bayelsa Queens are keen to  play their opponent Kaduna Queens, today at the  Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa.
“Moses Aduku is tactically very good and has the players to win on a good day. Kaduna Queens are new in the NWPL and would be playing a very difficult game.
The defending champion are clear favourite for this game and would want to score some goals. Bayelsa Queens may win this,  as home advantage with their fans cheering them to victory, they would no doubt carry the day, as they  will definitely not allow their visitors (Kaduna Queens ) keep them quiet on their ground.
Abia Angels will welcome Invincible Angels at the Ginger Onwusibe Stadium, Umuahia.
There will be goals at the Ginger Onwusibe Stadium on today where Invincible Angels will be playing their first premier league game against Abia Angels. Abia Angels are an unpredictable team, one minute they really impress and then, when you fancy them to be tough to win, they get ripped apart. But not against Invincible Angels in Umuahia. The Ann Chiejiene tutored side should win comfortably.
Also, Confluence Queens will be hosting Ibom Angels at the Lokoja Township Stadium.
This should be an entertaining one, both sides will have a go. Confluence Queens is expected to win, take it or leave it, the ‘New direction ladies’ can not afford to lose to Ibom Angels again, after losing to them by two goals to nil in the quarter final of the AITEO Cup. Ibom Angels are also a very strong side but will find it extremely difficult at the Lokoja Township Stadium as the likes of Esther Kanu, Christopher Precious will be too much for the ‘Orange Ladies’ defence.
Meanwhile, Dream Stars Ladies are set to receive Edo Queens at the Agege Township Stadium, Lagos.
Edo Queens are a dangerous side; they’ve been really good recently, are hard to beat and have a couple of match-winners in their team. Dream Stars knows what it means to play in the premier league and have signed some great players that will be keen to throw the pressure on Edo Queens early in the game.
It could be a big day for the ‘pride of Lagos’ . I doubt if Dream Stars Ladies will get away with this one, even though they are playing at home.
Osun Babes look good to host Delta Queens at the Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo.
It will be an interesting game with the pressure more on the home team. Osun Babes FC have always defeated Delta Queens at the Osogbo City Stadium but both sides met at the Round of 16 of the AITEO Cup and the ‘Okowa Ladies’ won by two goals to nil.

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I Joined Saudi League To Win Titles – Senegal Keeper

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Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has said that criticism that he and other players chased money by moving to Saudi Arabia is wide of the mark.
The 33-year-old left Chelsea for Al-Ahli in a £16m ($21.4m) deal in 2023, and in May the Africa Cup of Nations winner helped his Saudi club win the Asian Champions League, making him one of the few players to win both that competition and its European equivalent.
But, like many others, Mendy has been criticised for playing for money rather than prestige in the lucrative Saudi Pro League.
When asked about such criticism, Mendy told a Tidesports source, “Al-Ahli’s project came along and they made me feel I had a big role to play.
“Two years later, we won the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. So yes, that validates my choice. And I hope the coming years will validate it even more.”
He added: “Some people will quickly jump to conclusions and say the only reason is money. From the start, I always said that when I left Chelsea, I knew I was joining another team where I could win everything , which was no longer the case at Chelsea.”
The Blues have since won the Conference League, Europe’s third-tier club competition, under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
But it comes after the regime’s trophyless first two years, a period which has frustrated some supporters after the success enjoyed under Roman Abramovich’s stewardship in the previous 19 years.
Mendy has also been celebrating what he describes as a historical win with Senegal against England at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, but days earlier he had been in Dakar delivering a different kind of win.
He is the sponsor of Yakaar, a school in Keur Massar, which seeks to improve funding and access to digital learning tools for local children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Famously, as Mendy grew up in France, he was unemployed, aged 22, while struggling to find a club, with members of his family still living on the outskirts of Dakar.
That is why Yakaar, a word meaning “hope”, was chosen, a word Mendy has carried with him in his career.
“Hope is what kept me going. When I was without a club, it was the hope of getting that first professional contract.
“Then the hope of playing for the national team. The hope of making my family proud by doing the job I had always dreamed of.
“Indeed, hope is the best word to describe my career.”
Mendy was also asked whether the responsibility of being an African goalkeeper had weighed heavily on him.
“Of course. When I was in England, there weren’t many African goalkeepers in top clubs,” he admitted.
“Whether nationally or internationally, I had that responsibility. It’s the same for other African goalkeepers like Andre Onana [Manchester United] or Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal).”

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Spanish Football Fires Entire Refereeing Committee

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The entire refereeing committee has been fired by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), with structural reforms soon set to follow.
According to sources, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has dismissed the entire refereeing committee in response to mounting pressure from clubs demanding structural reform. A major shake-up aimed at modernising Spanish refereeing from top to bottom has now been set in motion.
Head of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), Luis Medina Cantalejo and Head of VAR, Carlos Clos Gomez, have been removed from their positions. They are joined by several senior officials, including Antonio Rubinos Perez and three vice presidents, who are also stepping down. A new leadership model will be introduced, led by a CEO and a sporting director, aiming to overhaul how refereeing is managed covering assessments, promotions, and daily operations. While the leadership changes are sweeping, the current pool of referees in La Liga and the second tier will remain, ensuring continuity on the field during the transition.

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Ronaldo Renews Stay With Saudi Pro League

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Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new two-year contract with Al-Nassr that means he will stay with the Saudi Pro League club until beyond his 42nd birthday.
The Portugal captain, 40, joined the Riyadh-based team in December 2022 after leaving Manchester United in acrimonious circumstances, having criticised the club and said he had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr deal had been due to expire at the end of June and there was speculation he could leave, but that has now been quashed.
In a post on X, Ronaldo wrote: “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together.”
Although Al-Nassr have not added to their nine domestic titles during Ronaldo’s time at the club, they have benefited from a flood of goals from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo scored 35 times in 41 matches across all competitions last term and was the league’s top scorer for a second consecutive season.
He has managed 99 goals in appearances overall for Al-Nassr and is well on his way to reaching 1,000 senior goals in his career, with a current tally of 938 for club and country.
Having helped Portugal win the Uefa Nations League a little over two weeks ago, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, Sporting and Juventus forward will almost certainly now be targeting a sixth World Cup appearance next summer.
Only a month ago, Ronaldo posted on social media to say “the chapter is over”.
That came after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al-Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again.
The comment fuelled rumours that Ronaldo was ready to leave the league where he reportedly became the best-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177m when he joined.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino raised the prospect of Ronaldo joining a team involved in the Club World Cup after Al-Nassr failed to qualify for the extended tournament which is being held in the United States.
Ronaldo said he had received offers from participating teams but had turned them down.
The decision to stay until at least 2027, which is certain to be highly lucrative, appears to rule out any future prospect of Ronaldo returning to play at the highest level in Europe.

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