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Bayelsa United Emerge Champions of Gov. Diri Pre Season Tournament ……. Gov Diri Pledges Support For Sports Development

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Bayelsa United have emerged champions of the governor Douye Diri pre season Football tournament. The prosperity boys beat Bendel Insurance 7-6 on penalties to clinch the trophy and the prize money.
The Yenagoa based side piped Benin Arsenal 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 stalemate at the end of regulation time on Sunday at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa.
Loveday Saro gave Bayelsa United the lead on 28 minutes from Samuel Okon’s left footed cross as he scored to send the fans into celebration having missed a scoring opportunity to go ahead in the opening minutes.
Bendel Insurance responded immediately from Meyiwa Oritseweyinmi who meandered his way inside the danger zone to find the back of the net for the Benin Arsenals.
Earlier in the third place match, Akwa United beat Kwara United 4-2 on penalties after a barren draw in regulation time.
Champions Bayelsa United smiled home with #1.5 million naira, second placed Bendel Insurance got #1,000,000 naira while Akwa received #500.000 for finishing third.
Declaring the tournament closed, Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said his administration would continue to promote the development of sports.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo noted that the only way to engage the youths in the state was to invest in education and sports, stating that his administration is not worried about the energy channeled towards the sports sector.
While congratulating the participating teams for their show of professionalism throughout the tourney, he lauded Bayelsa United and coach Ladan Bosso for the brilliant outing in the tournament, pointing out that he is satisfied with the performance of the team.
According to him, the government would soon organize pre pre-season tournament for the female Bayelsa Queens before the commencement of the Nigeria Women Premier Football League NWFL this year.
He announced that the governor Douye Diri pre season tournament would become an annual competition that would prepare Bayelsa United ahead of every season describing Bayelsa as the rallying point for sports in Nigeria.
The deputy governor commended the organizers of the tournament for the smooth organization of the tourney, advising the teams to see the outcome a no victor, no vanquished situation.
In his remarks, Chairman Central Organizing Committee, Mr. Ono Akpe said he is confident that Bayelsa United would have a fruitful season in the NPFL, noting that the essence of the tournament has been achieved.
He explained that apart from preparing Bayelsa United for the new season, the competition has also exposed more local players to some NPFL teams and disclosed that three players scouted from the 2024 Prosperity Cup would be traveling to Turkey and two to Finland in the coming days to professional careers.
Mr Akpe who described Bayelsa as the home of grassroots football appreciated the duo of Senator Douye Diri and his Deputy senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo for giving sports premium attention.
He equally thanked the commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali and the Local Organizing Committee for translating the vision of the governor.
Also, Bayelsa United coach Ladan Bosso said the tournament has helped him to know the readiness of his team as well as to know his preferred starting eleven.
He thanked the Bayelsa State government and the organizers for the laudable initiative to organize the tournament.
Bendel Insurance coach Monday Odigie in his reaction, noted that the tournament has given him the opportunity to assess his team, adding that they will improve on their weaknesses going forward.
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Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton

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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.

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Zidane’s Son Switches Allegiance To Algeria

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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.

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Man Utd Beat Chelsea To Ease Pressure 

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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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