Sports
‘Nigeria To Play Offensive Football In Egypt’
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has revealed that his side is aiming to score more goals and will play offensive football at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
The three-time African champions have included nine forwards in their 23-man squad list for the biennial showpiece.
Changchun Yatai’s Odion Ighalo leads the frontline with Ahmed Musa, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu and Victor Osimhen all included.
Despite settling for a goalless draw in their build-up game against Zimbabwe last Saturday, Rohr sees the available options upfront as an opportunity for the team to switch tactics during play and also give chance for fresh legs.
“We have a lot of strikers which means we want to score more goals and play offensive football, we also have good defenders,” Rohr said.
“Some of our strikers could play in the midfield or in the plan 3-5-2 on the side, so it is good to have the opportunity to change in our offensive methods.
“We have quickness and ability to change in the offensive department, We can also give them the chance to rest.”
Leicester City star Kelechi Iheanacho was a notable exclusion from the team that travelled to Egypt for the tournament.
The German tactician faulted the 22-year-old’s goal drought and lack of playing time at the King Power Stadium as reasons for his exclusion.
“It is what happened in his club, he did not play at Leicester City, only few minutes and since September he scored one goal,” Rohr continued.
“He has something missing, a little bit in confidence and also professionalism, he is a young player and can come back again but also we have better options.
“The choice was not easy but we have objectives, we do not choose the names we choose the best one.”
After yesterday’s friendly match against Senegal at Ismailia Stadium, the Super Eagles will depart for Alexandria, where they will play all their Group B games.
Nigeria will play Burundi on June 22 followed by fixtures against Guinea and Madagascar, on June 26 and June 30 respectively.
Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.
It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.
The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.
Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.
Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.
Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.
England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.
Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.
A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.
Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.
AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)
AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.
Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.
ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.
But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.
This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.
Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.
AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.
The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.
The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.
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