Sports
Nigerians Tip Super Eagles To Beat Pharaohs
As Nigeria’s Super Eagles play her first match tomorrow in the 27th edition of African Nations Cup against two times defending champions, Egypt, in Angola, football analysts, fans and administrators have expressed their opinions and feelings against the match.
In his reaction, former youth international Benebi, ‘Carlos Numa said the match against Egypt would not be easy, because as defending champions, they will like to prove their pedigree.
According to him, Nigerians should not be in a haste to conclude that the Super Eagles would lift the trophy.
“I can draw conclusions when I see the performances of Super Eagles in their first two matches, particularly against Egypt, I am saying this because everybody knows how we qualify for the 2010 World Cup”, he said.
Numa continued that Coach Shaibu Amodu should understand that his team is playing against a good side that is tactically and technically sound. Consequently, should ensure that his defence is very tight.
The 1985 U-17 World Cup winner in China advised the Super Eagles to be careful in their tackles because of the antics of on the North Africans.
He further advised the Eagles to put in their best in the game, saying that determination and commitment are the keys to success.
Benjamin Wiko, chief coach of the Pioneers FC, Port Harcourt described Egypt as a strong team apart from being two times champions, so, Coach Amodu should field players that would be ready to make sacrifice for the nation and not manage any player no matter his pedigree.
According to him, Egypt play fast football and the Super Eagles should try to slow down the game and take their chances as they came.
“I know that our Super Eagle’s will definitely win the Pharaohs, but we should be careful with them because in football anything can happen” he warned.
James Onoja, a renowned sports analyst, in his contribution said the match against Egypt would be a very tight one for Nigeria because Egypt’s failure to qualify for the 2010 World Cup would spur them to compensate themselves with the nations cup by lifting it again.
Onoja predicted that the least Eagles would get is a draw in the game. He observed Eagles performed below expectations during the past two editions of the tournament and need to raise their game.
He used the forum to call on Coach Shaibu Amodu to concentrate more on his strike force, because it is goals that are needed not fancy displays that we used to see in most of the Eagles matches.
Otis Asonye, chairman Dolphins FC Port Harcourt Supporters Clubs, in his opinion tipped Super Eagles to win the match.
He, however, expressed fears over the inadequate preparation of the Eagles. He suggested that the authorities concerned should ensure that Nigeria have a full squad of home based Super Eagles team to complement the foreign based players because right now, there is no good team work in the Super Eagles team.
Simeon Ojoko, the Chief Coach of Gateway International Church Football Academy, advised Super Eagles players to take the Egypt match seriously, because playing with defending champions, is a high profile match, especially, in an opening game.
Former Rivers State Commissioner for Sports Hon. Alwell Onyesoh believes that the opening match of the group C could go either way given the pedigree of both teams in African football.
Onyesoh remarked that the encounter would be keenly contested and interesting to watch, but, would record a low score line at the end of the day.
He noted that Egyptians teams are known for their good mid field play, thus, he would not be surprised to see the Eagles and Pharaohs play out their hearts.
Tonye Orabere and Nancy Briggs
Thierry Henry has called for the return of the away goals rule in the aftermath of the bombastic Champions League semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona.
The visitors at the Estadio Olimpic Lluis Companys came within milimeters of clinching the first leg of the final-four clash after former Arsenal star Henrikh Mkhitaryan netted late in the second-half.
But the linesman was quick to raise his flag, and semi-automated offside ruled out what would have been a thrilling conclusion to the high-octane 3-3 draw.
The hosts came from behind twice to share the spoils, chasing Inter Milan from the first minute of the game after Marcus Thuram stunned the Barcelona faithful into silence with his neatly flicked goal.
Denzel Dumfries doubled Inter’s lead 20 minutes later, but it took just three more for the Blaugrana to finally get on the scoresheet courtesy of a moment of magic from teenage starlet Lamine Yamal.
Ferran Torres drew Barcelona level ahead of the break, but Lamal was forced to play catch-up again in the second-half after Dumfries scored his second.
In light of the impressive effort from Inter, Henry wondered if the team should have got more from the fixture ahead of the second-leg at the San Siro.
‘I know it’s been like that for a very time, and we have to accept it,’ Henry said of the removal of the away goals rule, ‘But off air I was talking to Jamie (Carragher), and I was like, “how can you score three goals away from home and you don’t have an advantage?”
‘Away goals for me were massive, you score three goals away and you still don’t have an advantage 0-0 at home,’ Henry shrugged.
UEFA took the decision to scrap the rule which gave goals scored away from home the ability to act as a tiebreaker in the case of level scorelines ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Current FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger claimed during his time as Arsenal manager in 2015 that the away goals rule ‘encouraged the team at home not to attack’ and that ‘the weight of the away goal (was) too big today’.
Without the rules, the tie at San Siro will go to extra time and penalties to decide which teams books their spot in the Champions League final.
But based on Wednesday evening’s performance, Henry seemed to give Inter a fighting chance against the newly minted Copa del Rey champions.
The 2025 London Marathon set a new world record for the number of finishers despite hot conditions on Sunday for its 45th edition.
A total of 56,640 runners crossed the finish line at the end of the 26.2-mile route, Guinness World Records has confirmed.
The number surpassed the previous record of 55,646 set by the New York Marathon in November.
Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said he hoped the high number of finishers inspired people to apply for the 2026 race ballot.
“The London Marathon was already the most popular in terms of ballot entries, with 840,318 people applying for the 2025 race,” he said.
“It is also the world’s largest annual one-day fundraising event with more than £1.3bn raised for charity since 1981.”
The number of people applying for the ballot to enter this year’s race broke the world record of 578,304 for the 2024 edition.
Of UK applicants 49% were female, while there was a 105% increase in applications from people aged between 20-29.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa surged to victory in the elite women’s race in a world record for a women’s only field, while Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe triumphed in the men’s event.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has said that his side will have to do something special in Paris if they are to reach the Champions League final following defeat in their semi-final first leg.
Ousmane Dembele’s early strike at the Emirates leaves the Gunners needing to overturn a one-goal deficit against Paris St-Germain in the second leg at the Parc des Princes next week.
It was an ultimately frustrating night for Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, who failed to convert any of their five shots on target.
“If you want to win the Champions League final, you have to do something special. We’re going to have to do something special in Paris to be there,” Arteta said.
PSG dominated the opening 20 minutes of the match and, while the hosts grew into the game, they continued to be frustrated by the French side’s solid defence, failing to score in a home Champions League match for the first time since February 2016.
“We have a lot of chances to be in that final. As I repeat myself, you have to do something special in the competition to have the right to be in the final. And the time to do it is going to be in Paris,” said Arteta.
Arsenal have not reached the final since 2005-06 while PSG are hunting a first Champions League trophy.
As they did against Liverpool and Aston Villa earlier in the campaign, Luis Enrique’s side relied on Italian keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep them out of trouble.
The 26-year-old kept a clean sheet and made five saves – including important stops to deny Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in one-on-one situations.
“At the end, we have two of our front players one v one with Donnarumma. If they scored the goal it is different. He made the saves, like he did against Liverpool and Villa, and that’s the difference in the Champions League,” Arteta said.
But Enrique says the shot-stopper was just doing his job.
“That’s the work of a goalkeeper, no? Save the team, they work every day for that. In a semi-final, you need all the players,” the Spaniard said.