Sports
Pillars Target Retaining Basketball Title
As the 2013/2014 DStv/
Men’s Premier Basketball League dunks-off on Friday, the question on the lips of fans is, can Kano Pillars retain the title for a second consecutive season?
Pillars had defeated Union Bank Club of Lagos 86-75 on the last day of the National Final Four Championship held in Lagos to emerge winners of last season.
Penultimate to the National Final Four, the club was indomitable in the Savannah Conference, winning all its matches in the 2012/2013 regular season.
As a result of their impressive run, fans branded them “The Invincible” and were rewarded hugely by the Kano State Government after winning the Final Four.
The National Final Four ended with Pillars defeating Dodan Warriors and Union Bank and losing one to Savannah Conference rivals Mark Mentors of Abuja.
Pillars Head Coach, Ahmed Sani told newsmen that their objective was to retain the title they won in September 2013 as he previewed the coming season.
“We are confident of ourselves and we are prepared for any challenge any opposition brings, we are going to take one game at a time.
“We don’t underrate any team but we know we have the best players the league can boast of though some players left us, nevertheless, we have re-enforced those areas.
“Our players are also properly motivated, they get their salaries and their bonuses regularly and what is more is that they are united,” Sani said.
A Union Bank veteran player, Obum Onyia, said that Pillars were a force to reckon with because of the team’s chemistry which they had built for the past four years.
“Pillars have a team that has been together for some time now, they are a very good side, and nevertheless we are prepared to tackle any team for the trophy.
“I believe in my team, especially in the younger players we recruited. They have the energy and bring more strength to the team to deliver the goods,” Onyia said.
Union Bank Coach, Johnson Ayinla whose team fell to Pillars on last season’s final day, said he was confident they would emerge champions of the 2013/2014 season.
According to Ayinla, the club’s management has empowered the team to ensure that they achieve their target for the season.
“We are prepared than ever before, we are not troubled about what other teams have because we know our strength and we know we are better equipped than last season.
“Our players are level headed; they are disciplined and ready to do what is expected of them. We are well organised and confident of ourselves,” he said.
In the same vein, Lagos Islanders Coach, Lateef Erinfolami, expressed optimism toward emerging champions of the coming season, adding that it was the club’s sole objective.
“We want to win the title, it’s our target, and we are not going into the season just to play but specifically set our aim on the league’s trophy.
“It’s going to be a great battle from the jump-ball date, we have assured our fans that we will not let them down,’’ Erinfolami said.
The Proprietor, Dodan Warriors of Lagos, Col. Sam Ahmedu (rtd), said the club’s position was not necessarily to win the league but to put up a first class performance.
“We are an institution that trains and nurtures young players to top class athletes.
“We have four players who are currently on scholarships in the US through their last season’s performances.
“Our players for the coming season are ready psychologically and prepared to compete favourably,” he said.
According to the fixtures provided by the Nigeria Basketball Federations (NBBF), Union Bank will play Kwara Falcons on March 7 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.
This season’s format provided by NBBF will have first four clubs qualifying from each of the two conferences for the Final Eight to determine the 2013/2014 champions.
The regular season is expected to end in June after 15 weeks of matches may have been concluded in the two conferences.
Sports
Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie A Lead
Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.
Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.
Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.
Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.
But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.
Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.
It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.
Sports
Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool
A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.
Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.
“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.
For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.
Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.
His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.
Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.
Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.
The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.
After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.
“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”
Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.
The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.
“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”
He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.
“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”
Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.
The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).
Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.
Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.
Sports
Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors
Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.
Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.
Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.
Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.
Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.
The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.
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