Sports
Pinnick Thumbs Up Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium
The President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has described the renovated Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin as a “world class” edifice.
Pinnick made the comment on Monday in Benin during an inspection tour of the facility, and added that it had undergone tremendous improvement since the last time he visited.
Tidesports source gathered that Pinnick was led on the inspection by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are scheduled to play their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on November 13, 2020.
Pinnick said his visit was to see things for himself so as to report to members of the NFF Executive Committee.
He said: “There is a tremendous improvement compared to the last time I came, the turf is very brilliant, it’s what you see in world class facilities. I thank the government of Edo State for this facility and we are proud of this achievement.
“The Super Eagles can’t wait to come and play in the state. I’ m in touch with the players, who are all excited to be here to play for the country, especially Ahmed Musa, the captain of the team, whose mother is from Edo State and he is anxious to play for the nation and his state.
“The NFF will move into the state on November 9, while the players will start arriving from November 11 and after the game make preparations to fly to Sierra Leone on Friday or Saturday after the game.
“I will communicate all I have seen here to the Ministry of Youths and Sports and also the Executive Committee. I am happy with what we have seen here today and the Super Eagles will be playing here for a long time.
“We are also going to bring the Super Falcons here to play; they are the most successful team in Africa, you know this is home, like I told you, I made a promise on behalf of the federation, that is promise kept.
“And also, we have always been thankful to Edo State government for being there for Nigeria football federation, and we thank them for that generosity at every point in time because these are very sensitive times.
“We are also working because they have been a lot of people coming into the stadium, we have to observe the COVID-19 protocol to the letter. They have written to us officially, this is about 15, 000 sitting capacity stadium.
“They want about 6,000 to 7, 000 where they will sit out to observe social distancing, so we are going to look at it, we will send a letter to the ministry and also send a letter to Presidential Task Force, once we get the approval within the next two days we will send.
“I have already spoken to CAF, we will send a representative of CAF and I will want a situation whereby people will see decent crowd in the stadium in a very competitive game in Edo.
“We are working towards reducing every mistake humanly and materially possible and ensure we have success.
“The team is like coming home to meet your brother but we will just quietly beat them home and away.”
On the newly-installed Video Assistant Referee (VAR) equipment in the stadium, Pinnick said he had told Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy Shaibu to showcase whatever facilities they have in the stadium.
“You have to showcase whatever facilities you have in Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, we have to write to CAF for approval of the usage of the VAR, but we are very excited about it,” he said.
In his remarks, Shaibu assured that the state was excited to host its first international game in the newly-renovated stadium.
“That was what it was intended to achieve, to have both national and international games here, and we are also excited that in the course of building this stadium, we followed international standards.
“We were all in touch with NFF while we were building the stadium to also guide us with all the FIFA necessary facilities we need to put in place.
“What we have here today is an international standard stadium and we are excited that we are having this game here, and don’t forget that we are having a game in this period of COVID-19 pandemic.
“You know that COVID-19 task force in the state is very strong and they are already being recruited to be part of this game so we are going to make sure that COVID-19 protocols are observed in line with international best practices
“I want to use this medium to appeal to Edo people, that there is going to be lots of games here, this one, we will not have full capacity spectators, we are going to admit half into the stadium.
“We are going to make sure that they are well spaced to meet COVID-19 protocols, so we are very ready and excited, only that we are going to appeal to our president so that we can use our VAR facilities, so that the doubting Thomas will know that there is actually VAR in this stadium,” he said.
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
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.
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.