Sports
Rohr Equals Amodu’s Record As Eagles Most-Capped Coach
Gernot Rohr equalled Shaibu Amodu as the coach with the most games for the Super Eagles in their 2-0 win over Liberia in Tangier, Morocco last Saturday.
The game was Rohr’s 53rd as Eagles coach, same as Amodu, who had several stints with the national team between 2001 and 2015.
Rohr was appointed Eagles coach on August 5, 2016, after stints in Gabon, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
The Franco-German replaced Sunday Oliseh, who resigned as Eagles coach six months earlier.
His first game in charge of the Eagles was against Tanzania on September 3, 2016, in the final game of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, winning 1-0.
He went on to win his next two games 2-1 against Zambia and 3-1 against Algeria in the 2018 World Cup qualifying games.
His first defeat came in Nigeria’s first match in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, losing 2-0 to South Africa at the GodswillAkpabio International Stadium, Uyo, June 10, 2017.
Out of the 53 games, he has managed the Eagles, Rohr has won 28, drawn 12, and lost 13 times, garnering a 52.83 per cent win ratio.
The former Niger coach enjoyed his best winning streak of four games between September 8, 2018, and October 16, 2018, defeating Seychelles 3-0, Liberia 2-1, and Libya twice 4-0 and 3-2.
The streak also extended to not losing in the five next games, amassing his best non-losing streak of nine games, extending until June 8, 2019.
This was however stopped by Senegal, who defeated Nigeria 1-0 in an international friendly on June 16, 2019, at the Ismaila Stadium, Egypt in the build-up to the 2019 AFCON.
The 68-year-old had his longest losing streak of three games between June 2, 2018, to June 16, 2018, losing to England 2-1, Czech 1-0 and Croatia 2-0.
His most popular scoreline is a 1-0 victory which he secured eight times, while his highest winning margin is 4-0 — against Cameroon in the 2018 World Cup qualifier on September 1, 2017, and against Libya in the 2019 AFCON qualifier on October 13, 2018.
The 4-4 draw against Sierra Leone on November 13, 2020, in the 2021 AFCON qualifier in Benin, Edo State was the game with the highest number of goals involved.
It was also the same time he had his longest winless streak of five games after he had earlier lost 2-0 to Serbia on March 27, 2018, before playing a 1-1 draw against DR Congo on May 28, 2018.
He has played against Cameroon the most, five times, winning twice, two draws and losing once.
In his five years in charge, Rohr has used a total of 82 players, with vice-captain William Troost-Ekong his most-capped player with 47 games for the national team under the current gaffer, one ahead of captain Ahmed Musa.
Alex Iwobi is third, playing 44 times, while Wilfred Ndidi has played 40 games for the Eagles under Rohr to place fourth ahead of Leon Balogun, who is fifth with 35 appearances.
OdionIghalo, who made his Eagles return after over two years’ absence, is Rohr’s most prolific striker with 13 goals ahead of Osimhen and Iwobi with nine goals each.
Rohr has led Nigeria to two competitions, crashing out of the group stage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, before winning the bronze medal at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
Rohr broke the record with the highest number of national teams games managed for Nigeria when the Eagles host Cape Verde in their final group game of the 2021 AFCON qualifier at the TeslimBalogun Stadium, Lagos, yesterday.
Sports
Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton
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.
Sports
Zidane’s Son Switches Allegiance To Algeria
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.
Sports
Man Utd Beat Chelsea To Ease Pressure
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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