Sports
UCL: Real Cruise Into Last 16 – As Ronaldo Scored Brace
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as holders Real Madrid thrashed APOEL 6-0 in Cyprus to reach the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Liverpool blew a three-goal lead in a thriller at Sevilla.
Zinedine Zidane’s Real bounced back from their 3-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur last time out by crushing APOEL, with four of the goals coming before half-time.
The record 12-time winners had to wait until the 23rd minute to take the lead through Luka Modric, but a run of five goals in 15 minutes either side of half-time sent them through in style.
Karim Benzema put worries about his recent form to bed with a double either side of a Nacho effort, before Ronaldo got in on the act after the break.
The Portuguese climbed highest to power a header into the corner from an inviting Marcelo cross.
And the 32-year-old, who has only scored once in eight La Liga appearances this season, scored his eighth Champions League goal this term with an excellent left-footed finish from a tight angle.
Tottenham sealed top spot in Group H with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Borussia Dortmund.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the hosts ahead, but with Real’s thumping win sending Dortmund out, Spurs levelled through Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min curled in a 76th-minute winner.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur won Champions League Group H after goals from Son Heung-min and Harry Kane brought Spurs back from a goal down to win 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
Kane and Son struck in 49th and the 76th minutes to take already-qualified Tottenham to 13 points and the Group H summit, after Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had broken his five-game goal drought to give Dortmund the lead in the 31st minute.
Spurs are three points ahead of second-place Real Madrid and are guaranteed to top Group H with a game to spare despite Real’s 6-0 drubbing of APOEL in Nicosia.
Their win in Germany ends Dortmund’s thin hopes of reaching the last 16 and piles pressure on Dortmund’s head coach Peter Bosz, whose team are winless in their last five games.
Dortmund, third but level on two points with bottom club APOEL, must now hope to hold onto a place in the Europa League knock-out stages, when they face Real away in a fortnight while Spurs host APOEL.
Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino made four changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Arsenal at the weekend.
England internationals, Danny Rose and Harry Winks started alongside South Korea forward Son while Serge Aurier slotted in at right-back.
Dortmund boss Bosz brought in French teenager Dan-Axel Zagadou at centre-back, replacing Sokratis, who is out with a rib injury.
Aubameyang returned from a club suspension for coming late to training and an unauthorised video shoot.
Both teams had half chances in the opening 20 minutes, with Dortmund winger Andriy Yarmolenko firing weakly at Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris before Zagadou snuffed out a cross aimed for Kane, who was bursting into Dortmund’s area.
Aubameyang broke his drought when he tucked away the first clear chance after Yarmolenko’s superb backheel put him in behind the defence.
The Gabon hotshot coolly rolled his shot past Lloris on for his first goal since October 14.
Only a superb reflex save by Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki blocked Kane’s volley with half-time approaching, but the England star showed his class when he netted the equaliser four minutes into the second half, pouncing on a mistake after Dortmund right-back Jeremy Toljan lost the ball and tucking his shot past Burki.
Spurs’ tails were up and they took a deserved lead with 14 minutes left when Dele Alli laid the ball into the path of Son, whose side-footed effort hit the top corner of the net.
Only a brave save from Burki denied Tottenham substitute Fernando Llorente from scoring Spurs’ third with time almost up.
Sports
FG Lauds Ogun State’s Commitment To Hosting a World Class NSF
The Federal Government has commended Ogun State for its continuous commitment to hosting a world-class National Sports Festival as the event draws closer.
The Organizing Committee (LOC) with the firm support of the NSC officially unveiled Premium Trust Bank as the lead sponsor of the festival on Wednesday in Abeokuta, in record breaking deal.
Speaking on this feat, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, lauded Ogun State’s dedication to ensuring a seamless and memorable festival, emphasizing the importance of corporate and private sector support in shaping the future of Nigerian sports in line with vision of the NSC.
“The unveiling of Premium Trust Bank as the lead sponsor for the 2024 National Sports Festival is a testament to the rising confidence of the private sector in Nigerian sports. Ogun State has demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment, and this partnership is a step toward elevating the festival to execeptional standards,” Dikko said.
He further underscored the economic and social benefits of the festival, noting its potential to boost tourism, generate employment, and stimulate the local economy.
“Beyond the thrill of competition, the Gateway Games 2024 will drive economic growth, create opportunities for young athletes, and showcase Ogun State as a hub for sports excellence as well as its economic potentials. The National Sports Commission stands fully behind this vision and will provide every necessary support to ensure its success and the legacy of the hosting the games to the state is enduring,” he added.
“This festival is more than just a sporting event, it is a celebration of talent, resilience, and the boundless potential of Nigerian sports. With Ogun State’s level of preparation and the commitment of all stakeholders, I have no doubt that the Gateway Games 2024 will be the most remarkable edition yet,” Dikko stated.
The NSC will indeed continue to collaborate with the hosting state to provides all the enablers to ensure a successful games.
The National Sports Festival ( often tagged the Nigerian Olympics ) is owned by the National Sports Commission, and it is expected to feature over 20,000 participants across the 36 states plus the FCT, with the introduction of Invited Junior Athletes ( IJA ) as the 38th State.
The competition will run from the 16th of May to the 30th of May 2025.
Sports
NSC Commends NSSF, NCF Others On Impressive Performance
The National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko has commended the successful hosting of the inaugural National School Board Games, describing it as a significant step in the advancement of school sports in Nigeria.
The event, which featured chess in its pilot phase, was organized by the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF) in collaboration with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Nigeria Chess Federation. With over 300 students from all six geopolitical zones competing in the U-9, U-12, U-15, and U-18 categories, the tournament provided a platform for young athletes to develop critical thinking, discipline, and competitive excellence.
Mallam Dikko, was represented at the event by Mr. Lanre Ogunjobi (Technical Assistant, Strategy & Research) and Barrister Uche George Egbe (Technical Assistant,Legal and Compliance) as well as Mrs Ada Nwachukwu, Zonal Head of the NSC Lagos office
Also in attendance were the Lagos State Commissioner of Education, Mr. Jumiu Alli-Balogun, and the Vice President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, Prince Adeyinka Adewole, both of whom expressed strong support for the initiative.
Delivering the Chairman’s message, Mr. Ogunjobi reiterated the NSC’s commitment to school sports development as a key pillar of Nigeria’s overall sports growth strategy.
His words, “The National Sports Commission remains dedicated to fostering both intellectual and physical sports as part of our broader vision for national sports development. The successful hosting of the inaugural National School Board Games is a testament to our resolve to ensure that every aspect of sports receives the attention and investment required for sustained growth.”
Sports
NPFL: Eguma Decries Over Red Card
Enyimba International’s head coach, Stanley Eguma, has pointed to a red card issued to one of his players as the primary reason for their 1-0 loss to Bendel Insurance, .
The match, which took place in Benin on Wednesday, saw Enyimba lose after Innocent Gabriel was sent off for a reckless challenge on Kayode Oke of Bendel Insurance.
Eguma acknowledged that both teams played well but noted that being a man down significantly impacted his team’s performance.
”It was a good game, but being a man down made things difficult for us,” he said.
Enyimba will look to bounce back when they face Rivers United this weekend.
-
Opinion5 days ago
2050: Expectations For Poultry Enterprise
-
Maritime5 days ago
LASWA Deploys Data Management Tech In Water Transport
-
Niger Delta21 hours ago
Bayelsa Launches Free Medical Outreach For Diri’s 5th Anniversary
-
Opinion18 hours ago
As Amaechi Dedicates Award To Wike…
-
Oil & Energy5 days ago
Drought Dims Hydropower’s Promise
-
Business5 days ago
Firm Unveils Solutions To Oil Logistics Challenges
-
News5 days ago
Police Rescue Kidnapped Victim, Recover Stolen Vehicle
-
Editorial18 hours ago
Checking Terrorism Spread In The South