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Whither Emenike’s Goal Scoring Touch?

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Without a doubt one of
the biggest posers for millions of Nigeria fans is whether the goals of Emmanuel Emenike have finally dried up.
Nicknanied ‘The New Yekini’, Emenike has not scored in the last 11 games for Nigeria after he last hit target for the African champions on October 13, 2013, in a 2-1 win over Ethiopia in a 2014 World Cup playoff, where he scored a brace.
He completely bombed at the World Cup in Brazil, where he failed to score in four appearances much against pre-tournament forecasts.
Emenike’s goals drought is a major problem for the Super Eagles as they have in the past two years depended a great deal on his goals.
The highlight of Emenike’s international career was at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, where he emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with four goals.
He enjoyed the whole-hearted endeavour of twin striker Brown Ideye, who assisted in his goals at South Africa 2013.
His partnerships with Osaze Odemwingie and Shola Ameobi have not been as effective, and he looked all stranded and on his own at Brazil 2014.
The Fenerbache striker is also a marked man since his exploits at the 2013 AFCON and many teams believe if they could stop him, they would have neutralised the Super Eagles as well.
The lack of creativity in the Eagles midfield has equally held back the former Sparkak Moscow star because he is that kind of striker who needs good supplies from the middle for him to make hay.
Also, for all his hard work, speed, power and commitment, Emenike has not shown enough tact and intelligence to lose his markers.
He is direct and very predictable, which makes it easier for defenders to mark him out of a game.
Ex-Nigeria international Jonathan Akpoborie told newsmen that Emenike has to do a lot more now to end his goal drought in Eagles.
“I have watched Emenike for a long time now and personally, I believe he has a lot of power and speed, but he lacks a little in the skill department, which he needs to really work on,” said the former Wolfsburg striker.
“The midfield is not doing well enough to get balls across to him and this is contributing to his lack of goals,”
“But do we need to look for someone for him to get the goals every time? He too should try and add some skills to his power and speed and he will be among the best in the world.
“He has gone 11 games for the Eagles without a goal, and because we rely on him for the goals, we can see why our national team are not doing well at the moment.”
Akpoborie will suggest Nigeria give another player to lead the country’s strike force.
“As far as I am concerned, the coach should start looking elsewhere for another player to score goals for the team,” he said.
“This is a national team and he has to perform or the coach gets a new striker on board. We have many of them by the way.”
“A player is only as good as his last game. That’s football for you.”
After a rather slow start in his international career, Emenike has scored 15 goals in 26 games for Eagles.
His lean spell is another test of his strong character.
If he could overcome this slump, Emenike will again be on his way to becoming one of the country’s most feared goal bursters.
Alao writes for African Football. Com

 

Olusola Alao

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Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton

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Tottenham fought back from two-goals down to secure a deserved point against Brighton.

The Seagulls were second best for much of the match but found themselves 2-0 up after 31 minutes thanks to Yankuba Minteh’s early strike and Yasin Ayari’s powerful drive.

However, Richarlison halved the deficit just before half-time when he stopped a shot by Mohammed Kudus before slotting in.

Spurs dominated the second half but their finishing let them down as Richarlison and substitute Xavi Simons were both unable to make the most of promising opportunities.

But the equaliser came eight minutes from time when Jan Paul van Hecke turned Kudus’ cross into his own net.

Spurs then pushed for a winner as they looked to continue their impressive start to the season, but Brighton held on for the point.

Bundesliga: Kane Continues Goal Harvest (5)

Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season as Bayern Munich overcame a shaky start to win at Hoffenheim and continue their 100% start.

The England captain, 32, broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a clinical first-time finish from a cleverly worked low corner, and doubled Bayern’s lead from the spot after Albian Hajdari was harshly penalised for a handball.

That broke Hoffenheim’s resistance and Kane completed his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick with another penalty, given for a foul on substitute Michael Olise after a video assistant referee (VAR) check.

This time Kane sent home keeper Oliver Baumann the wrong way for his 13th Bayern goal in seven matches across all competitions this season, adding to his Champions League double against Chelsea last Wednesday.

“Hat-trick Harry is what they called me in school,” Kane told Tidesports source after the match. “That one kind of stuck when I was younger.”

“Any ball in the box, whether penalty or not, I back myself to hit the target.”

Hoffenheim had the better of the first 45 minutes, Fisnik Asllani only able to hit the post after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer passed straight to the Kosovan.

They eventually got some reward for their efforts, former West Ham full-back Vladimir Coufal’s deflected free-kick beating Neuer to earn the Czech his first goal for the club.

Ex-Liverpool winger Luis Diaz hit the top of the bar late on as he failed to continue his record of scoring in every Bundesliga game this season, but Serge Gnabry added a fourth for Bayern with the last kick, converting a rebound from a tight angle after Baumann saved from Joshua Kimmich.

Nicolas Jackson made his first start since joining Bayern on an initial loan deal from Chelsea, but the Senegal striker had a very quiet game before being replaced in the 62nd minute.

In Italy, Lorenzo Pellegrini fired Roma into the Serie A top four as Lazio had two players sent off in a fiery derby.

The midfielder found the bottom corner in the 38th minute as Roma extended their unbeaten run to four games against their city rivals.

Lazio have lost three of their opening games of the season and had Reda Belahyane and former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi dismissed in late drama.

Roma started well and Rome-born Pellegrini claimed the vital goal – his fourth in a Rome derby after being available for transfer in the summer – following good work down the right by Matias Soule.

But the hosts will rue missed opportunities as Boulaye Dia, Mattia Zaccagni and Alessio Romagnoli all had openings.

With four minutes left substitute Belahyane was shown a red card for a late studs-up challenge on Manu Kone.

Danilo Cataldi struck the outside of the post for Lazio in a last-gasp effort to snatch a point, while team-mate Guendouzi was sent off for dissent after the final whistle.

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Zidane’s Son Switches Allegiance To Algeria

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Luca Zidane, the son of France’s World Cup-winning playmaker Zinedine, has switched his international allegiance from France to Algeria.

Born just outside Marseille, the 27-year-old goalkeeper had appeared for France at various youth levels.

The move, which was approved by Fifa, may enable Zidane to follow in his father’s footsteps by appearing at a World Cup, with Algeria expected to secure a place at the 2026 finals in North America in their qualifier against Somalia next month.

Zidane, who is the second of four brothers, all of whom came through the Real Madrid academy, currently plays for Spanish second tier side Granada.

He played two matches for Madrid and has La Liga experience at Rayo Vallecano, but dropped a level in 2022 to play for Eibar before heading to Andalusia in 2024.

Zidane qualifies for the North African country through his father, whose parents hailed from the Kabylie region of Algeria.

Zinedine Zidane, who is regarded as one of the games greatest players scored twice for France in their 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, but was famously sent-off in the 2006 final, which was won by Italy after a penalty shootout.

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Man Utd Beat Chelsea To Ease Pressure 

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Manchester United capitalised on Robert Sanchez’s fifth-minute red card to secure a crucial victory over Chelsea in torrential rain at Old Trafford.

The first match in Premier League history to see two or more goals, red cards and substitutions in the first half was settled by goals from United skipper Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, who was the other player sent off before the break.

It was Sanchez’s dismissal that set the course of the game though.

The Spain international raced from his goal to meet Bryan Mbeumo as the striker ran beyond the Chelsea defence.

Sanchez then upended the forward outside his area rather than allow him past to tap the ball into an empty net.

Enzo Maresca’s response to the red card was to take off both Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian and, as Cole Palmer had to be replaced after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury, Chelsea had lost three attacking players in the space of 20 minutes.

Trevor Chalobah pulled one back for Chelsea with a header 10 minutes from time but United kept their nerves at bay to make it to the final whistle with their lead intact.

The victory was United’s second of the season and came in front of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who gave head coach Ruben Amorim assurances over his future 48 hours earlier.

It also means Chelsea have still not won at Old Trafford since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson was United manager.

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