Sports

How African Players Performed In Europe Last Week

Published

1 year ago

May 15, 2024

Senegal striker, Nicolas Jackson scored his fourth goal in three matches to give Chelsea a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
The 22-year-old has endured a difficult first season with the Blues since moving from Villarreal, but recently showed signs of adapting to the Premier League.
Chelsea lie seventh with two matches to play, behind Newcastle United on goal difference and three points ahead of Manchester United.
ENGLAND
NICOLAS JACKSON (Chelsea)
Jackson scored his 17th goal this season to seal the Blues’ win at Forest. He headed home in the 82nd minute to complete Chelsea’s comeback from 2-1 down to keep his team in contention for a European place.
YOANE WISSA, BRYAN MBEUMO (Brentford)
Democratic Republic of Congo midfielder Wissa netted for the 11th time this term and Cameroon forward Mbeumo got his ninth of the campaign as the Bees won 2-1 at Bournemouth. Wissa bagged the stoppage-time winner after Mbeumo’s 86th-minute strike, his 50th Brentford goal, was cancelled by Dominic Solanke three minutes later.
ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE (Everton)
The Mali midfielder grabbed the winner as Everton beat Sheffield United 1-0 at Goodison Park. The 31-year-old headed in Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s cross in the 31st minute.
SPAIN
BRAHIM DIAZ (Real Madrid)
The Moroccan playmaker has played an important role in Madrid’s La Liga title conquest this season and netted twice during the second half at relegated Granada in a 4-0 win. The first was a fine solo goal, driving forward from halfway and, with defenders standing off, he tucked home. The second was a neat finish after being teed up by Luka Modric.
YOUSSEF EN-NESYRI (Sevilla)
Morocco striker En-Nesyri put Sevilla ahead twice at Villarreal, but his team still suffered a 3-2 loss. The forward tucked home a penalty to open the scoring after 26 minutes and then headed home before half-time from close range.
INAKI WILLIAMS (Athletic Bilbao)
Ghana international Williams had a goal ruled out for offside early in Athletic’s 2-2 draw against Osasuna, before scoring in the second half. The striker helped his team come from two goals down to draw, sending a rasping effort across goal and into the top corner.
ITALY
ISMAEL BENNACER (AC Milan)
The Algerian international opened the scoring as second-placed Milan thrashed Cagliari 5-1 in Serie A. Bennacer was on hand to turn in the rebound when a shot from Nigerian teammate Samuel Chukwueze was pushed away by the goalkeeper. Bennacer also set up a goal for Rafael Leao.
GERMANY
VICTOR BONIFACE, AMINE ADLI (Bayer Leverkusen)
Bayer striker Boniface and winger Adli both got on the scoresheet in a 5-0 Bundesliga romp over 10-man Bochum. When Nigerian Nathan Tella was fouled, compatriot Boniface converted the penalty in first-half stoppage time. Moroccan Adli came on with 21 minutes remaining and was in the right place at the right time to head in from a corner.
SEERHOU GUIRASSY (Stuttgart)
Guinea international Guirassy scored as Stuttgart kept up pressure on second-placed Bayern Munich with a 1-0 win at Augsburg. Guirassy collected a long pass three minutes after half-time and poked the ball home.
FRANCE
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Marseille)
Veteran Gabon striker Aubameyang continued his prolific first season at Marseille by scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Lorient that kept their hopes of European qualification alive going into the final weekend of the campaign. The brace took him to 16 goals in Ligue 1, and 29 in all competitions.
FRANK MAGRI (Toulouse)
The striker who appeared for Cameroon at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations helped Toulouse spoil Paris Saint-Germain’s title party at the Parc des Princes. Magri came off the bench to score the visitors’ final goal in their surprise 3-1 win, as PSG lost in Ligue 1 for the first time since September.

Sports

IAUE VC Football Cup Final Holds In PH, Wed

Published

4 days ago

September 13, 2025

The Tide

Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, in Rivers State, will be at the centre stage on Wednesday as the VC Cup final, both male and female categories will be played at the prestigious Stadium in the school.

The both final matches promises to be exciting, as arrangements have been concluded to watch one of the best VC football Cup finals in the history.

VC Cup tournament is an annual sporting event that involves all students in various facilities.

According to the Chief coach of the University football team, David Egbiri, the female will final will kick off 2pm between faculty of Human Kinetics and Management Sciences, while the male will kick off by 4pm between Social Science and Natural Applied Science

Egbiri, who was former coach of Abiola Babe FC and Concord FC, lauded the Vice Chancellor. Prof. Okechukwu Onuchukwu for releasing funds on sports development, saying that he has never also failed the School in terms of infrastructural development.

“The VC who is also a sports personality has not failed to release funds for this tournament, apart from that he has not also disappointed in terms of developing the school in all ramifications.

“I want to say that my major reason for accepting to coach the school football team is to develop the youth through sports”, Coach Egbiri said.

The former Eagle Cement Coach, explained that he was not encouraged the way and manner the young ones are going about sports because there is no discipline and so much quest for quick money.

” Honestly, the way young players are looking money was just too much. Looking for short cuts always to make money that is more reason some of them don’t go far and end up badly

” In our days we first of all think about how to make name and we are passionate about it. I went to school and saw myself in sports, while my initial intention was to read electrical engineering” he stated.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Gov. Decries Delta’s Poor Performance At 2025 NYG

Published

5 days ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

Pix: Team Delta State

The Delta State Sports Commission has come under scrutiny following the state’s disappointing performance at the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, where Lagos dethroned Delta to clinch top spot.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, visibly displeased with both the poor outing of Team Delta and the organizational lapses witnessed during the Games, summoned an emergency meeting with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) immediately after the closing ceremony.

Delta, which had dominated the NYG by finishing first in the last eight editions, only managed second place this time — a result the governor described as “totally unacceptable,” especially given the state’s significant investment in the event.

According to a reliable source privy to the meeting, Governor Oborevwori expressed deep disappointment, stressing that his administration had provided all necessary support to the Sports Commission and the LOC to ensure Delta retained its traditional top position.

In a decisive move, the governor demoted his Executive Assistant on Sports and former Director-General of the Sports Commission, Festus Owhojero, under whose leadership the Games were organized. Owhojero was reassigned from Executive Assistant (EA) to Senior Special Assistant (SSA) with immediate effect.

The governor’s action, our source revealed, reflects his zero-tolerance stance on incompetence and underperformance within his administration. Mr. Owhojero thus becomes the first high-profile casualty of the governor’s resolve to reposition sports in Delta State.

Furthermore, Oborevwori directed the Sports Commission and LOC officials to submit a detailed report on the Games, outlining what went wrong and providing recommendations for improvement. The governor emphasized the need for urgent reforms to restore Delta’s dominance, especially as the state is set to host the next edition of the Games under an existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Sports

WCQ: NFF Denies Post Match Statement

Published

5 days ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

Pix: Super Eagles players in celebration mood.

The Nigeria Football Federation has distanced itself from a post-match statement that criticised some Super Eagles players following the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

The statement, issued by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, singled out forward Cyriel Dessers and captain William Troost-Ekong for criticism.

It accused Dessers of being sluggish and faulted Ekong for the own goal that gave Bafana Bafana the lead.

However, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday that the statement did not represent the official position of the Federation.

“I saw the release just like everyone else did. Nobody in the Federation is happy with it,” Sanusi said.

“The NFF did not authorise that statement. We have great respect for all the players. Blaming an individual for a team result is unfair.”

He added that the Federation regards the South Africa match as a collective effort and will not support attempts to scapegoat any player.

“When we win, it’s a team victory. When we lose, it’s also collective. No player should be singled out,” Sanusi said.

He described the targeted criticism of Troost-Ekong as unjustified, noting that the defender had previously been celebrated as the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

“It was an unfortunate own goal. His intention was to clear the ball. Anyone who knows football understands that such things happen,” he said..

Sanusi also expressed confidence in the team’s unity, revealing that efforts were ongoing to regroup and refocus ahead of the remaining qualifiers and AFCON.

“Our house is in order. We’re preparing for the rest of the qualifiers and the AFCON in Morocco,” he said.

“There’s no problem with our players or coaching crew. Our relationship remains cordial. The government and the NFF are proud of the players’ efforts.”

The Federation had initially praised Calvin Bassey for his equalising goal and lamented the team’s failure to convert second-half chances.

But Sanusi made it clear that internal disciplinary action would be taken over the unauthorised release.

“I can assure you the NFF will take action on the matter,” he said.

Nigeria currently sit third in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers with 11 points from eight matches. South Africa lead the group with 17 points.

The Super Eagles must now win their remaining games against Lesotho and Benin Republic and hope other results go their way to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.