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Angola 2010: Super Eagles Back On Track …Struggle Past Squirrels Of Benin …1Egypt Qualifies For 1/4 Final

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Yakubu Ayegbeni converted a penalty three minutes from half time as Nigeria got their African Nations Cup campaign back on track with a 1-0 win over West African neighbours Benin Republic.

Under pressure following Tuesday’s 1-3 defeat to Egypt. Nigeria were desperate to haul themselves back into contention. and under-pressure coach Shuaibu Amodu duly rang the changes.

Out went defensive trio of centreback Obinna Nwaneri. left back Taye Taiwo and defensive midfielder Yusuf Ayila. In their place, Amodu handed a Nations Cup debut to left back Elderson Echiejile, and brought back Danny Shittu to take Nwaneri’s place at the heart of defence.

Osaze Odemwingle, who has shaken off a flu infection. came back into the side at the expense of Ayila, with Kalu Uche moving deeper into a midfield role.

The changes looked to have done little to stabilise Nigeria’s brittle-looking defence when Yobo miscued a ball and was then nearly taken out of the play by Razak Omotoyossi, but the Everton man, despite being flat on his butt. kept his head and conceded a corner Instead.

Nigeria were the more composed side, for most of the half. but It was their less illustrious neighbours who almost drew first blood.

Ogunbiyi squeezed out space inside of Dicksonb Etuhu to lay a lovely ball for Stephane Sessegnon, but the PSG man squeezed hiS shot Just wide of Enyeama’s post.

Played in behind by a delicious Uche ball, Yakubu found himself played onside by Boco, but contnved to side-foot the ball wide, to the collective groan of the Nigerian nation.

Nigeria continued to create half chances, exposing their offensive failings with an inability to apply finishing touches. yakubu then found himself with another chance to open his account, but failed to dig the ball out from under his foot and just poked it to Uche, who was robbed before he could so much as look at the ball.

And then Nlgena’s defensive problems almost cost them tWice within two minutes. First, Mikel and Echiejile passed themselves Into trouble on the left side, and needed to be rescued by Shittu, whose ticking off for the pair could only be classified under a PG file

Vincent Enyeama’s crossbar.

And then Nigeria found the breakthrough.

Mikel won a freekick as he was upended out in one of his marauding raids upfront. His low freeklck was touched on by goalkeeper Chitou and missed by Yakubu, Uche and Odemwingie, only to cause half a dozen different sorts of trouble for goalkeeper Chitou and fall for Obasi.

His cutback to Osaze’s head was on its way in when it was handled and Nigeria given the spotkick. Yak made no mistake from the spot.

Shittu could have extended Nigeria’s lead five minutes into the second half, as Chitou again had difficulty dealing with a low daisy-cutter. but Yak and Uche again arrived too late to take advantage.

Nigeria skipper Joseph Yobo was forced to go off with a hamstring injury seven minutes shy of the hour mark and his absence almost led to an equaliser. But his replacement Onyekachi showed strength and awareness to keep the raiders at bay.

Both sides continued to trade punches, and Benin hit the post again.

But in the end, the Super Eagles held on for their first victory of the campaign, to take some of the pressure off coach Amodu.

Meanwhile, the Pharaohs of Egypt moments later beat Mozambique 2-0 to book a quarter final sport.

An own goal early in the second half and a thumping finish by Gebo ensured that the two time defending champions established an unassailable six points with one game o go in the group.

Now, Nigeria must not lose against the Mambas of Mozambique in the decisive final group match and hope that Benin does not upset Egypt to advance to the next stage.

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Friendly Match: Isaako Set To Host Khana All Stars “Morrow”

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Isaako All Stars FC of Opuoko and Khana Khana AllStars Football all in Local Government Area of Rivers State will tomorrow engage in a friendly football match at Opuoko Mini Stadium.

Chatting with Tidesports in a telephone interview yesterday the Chairman of Khana All Stars Saro Tap-le said that the encounter is not going to be an easy game in spite it is an AllStars game.

 

He express his side readiness for the encounter stating that the opportunity as come for them to showcase their talents.

However, the chairman explained that AllStars game is not about winning but the excitement, love, unity and friendship it creates is more important.

 

” Tomorrow game is not going to be an easy one despite is a AllStars game. We are going there in a full force to do what we know how to do best and to showcase our talents.

 

“As Chairman of Khana All Stars I believes we have an edge over the Isaako All Stars be we are training so hard for the encounter” Tap-le said.

 

Also speaking the Chairman of Isaako All Stars Mina Zaasi Iloori sees the match as an opportunity to build relationships.

 

” My brother it is an AllStars friendly game I think winning is not important but the paramount thing is the relationship we are going to create among both teams and my community at large

 

” We are training hard because of the encounter because I will not be in my house and somebody will rob soap in my eyes.

 

” As I speak with you we are just coming from back training ground to ensure all my players are fit for the match.

” I am using this medium to call on football fans to come en mass to Opuoko Mini Stadium tomorrow and enjoy the best of round leather game.

 

I promise the game will be an exciting display of football talents and sportsmanship”, Iloori said.

Kiadum Edookor

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UCL: Henry Calls For Return Of Away Goals Rule

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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.

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London Marathon Breaks World Record

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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.

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