Sports
Solid Foundations Wins Muoghalu Cup
Solid Foundations Foot
ball Club of Enugu has emerged winner of the 4th edition of Ozalla Muoghalu Super Football Cup Competition among teams drawn from four branches in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The keenly contested final match which was decided last Sunday at Ezeokpu Mini Sports Stadium Ichida watched by a sizeable crowd including the cup donor, High Chief Lord Mike Ezedimora (The Ugonabo of Ichia) and other eminent traditional rulers, saw Solid Foundations FC of Enugu beat her City Warriors FC of Warri counterpart 1 – 0 to lift the coveted trophy at stake.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the sponsor/cup donor High Chief Ezimora was full of praises for the two finalists for giving a good account of themselves irrespective of the final score line.
Ezedimora expressed satisfaction not only with the standard of the game exhibited by the two finalists but the high level of discipline demonstrated by the players which according to him is worthy of emulation.
He however, restated his commitment in ensuring that the football competition in Ichida is upheld yearly, having seen the zeal, unity and sense of purpose shown by the youths towards the round leather game.
The visibly elated Ezedimora who is known for his great passion towards grass roots football development also took time to advise youths to remain focused and continue to channel their energy and time in doing what is right instead of indulging in one bad act or the other capable to ruin their future.
Also in their separate speeches, both the Igwe of Ichida, Chief Charles Ezeudogu, Chief Emma Duru (Ichie Aku Chukwu) and Chief Prince Igwe commended the magnanimity of High Chief Ezedimora in continuing to sponsor the grass roots football competition, thereby, helping to bring the community to limelight before the outside world.
“Honestly, we are proud of Chief Ezedimora for his numerous contributions towards the development of Ichida town, believing that others will emulate his footsteps”, they added.
Highlight of tile event was tbe presentation of-t-he..gold-trophy to-the eventual winner, Solid Foundation FC of Enugu as well as some consolation prizes for the runners up, City Warriors Fe of Warri, third place team United Friends FC of Bayelsa and Young Stars FC of Lagos repectively.
Sporting have not received an offer for striker Viktor Gyokeres and there is no gentleman’s agreement for him to leave for £59million, says club president Frederico Varandas.
Sweden international Gyokeres, 27, has been heavily linked with Manchester United and Arsenal after scoring 97 goals in 102 matches during two seasons in Portugal.
He has a 100m euro (£85m) release clause in his contract.
It has been widely reported that, after staying at Sporting last summer, Gyokeres and Sporting agreed he could leave for 70m euros (£59m) this summer.
However, Varandas said the club’s only promise to Gyokeres was that they would not demand his full release clause.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.
“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.”
Gyokeres spent three seasons with Coventry City in the Championship before joining Sporting under Ruben Amorim.
Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana was sporting director at Sporting last summer, when Gyokeres’ agent sought assurances about his leaving if a suitable offer arrived.
“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.
“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now.
“For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m eurors or 90m euros.
“In that same meeting the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: ‘It’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. I don’t know if it will be 40m euros, 60m euros or 80m euros. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros.’”
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani has criticised a proposal to expand the 2030 men’s World Cup to 64 teams.
The plans, put forward by South American governing body Conmebol, have also drawn opposition from Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The tournament will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal, after the opening matches are held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada, has already been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
But Conmebol said it wanted to add more participants to mark the competition’s 100-year anniversary.
“I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players,” Montagliani told Tidesports source
“We haven’t even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don’t think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table.”
Concacaf is the governing body of football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The decision to expand the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams was taken in 2017 following a unanimous vote at a Fifa congress.
Fifa’s 75th congress will be held in Paraguay on 15 May, when Conmebol’s proposal could be discussed.
If the proposal is accepted, the 2030 edition would consist of 128 matches, double the number played under the 64-game format used from 1998 and 2022.
In March, Ceferin described the proposal as a “bad idea” while AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa said it would cause “chaos”.
“If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams,” said Salman.
“But someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams. Where would we end up then? It would become chaos.”
Brazil qualified for the 2026 World Cup this week with a 1-0 win against Paraguay in South American qualifying to give Carlo Ancelotti his first win as manager.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jnr scored from close range in the second half, finishing after fine work from Manchester United-bound playmaker Matheus Cunha.
The victory, Ancelotti’s first after a 0-0 draw against Ecuador on his debut last week, means Brazil has now qualified for every edition of the World Cup.
“We needed to win and qualify for the World Cup,” said Vinicius Jr.
“Now the coach will have more time to work. Of course today wasn’t one of our best performances, but the important thing is always to win.
“Now it’s time to celebrate qualifying.”
Elsewhere, World Cup holders Argentina played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Colombia in Buenos Aires.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz opened the scoring with a fine individual goal, dancing through three defenders before finishing past Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Argentina was reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining when Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a high-boot challenge on Colombia’s Kevin Castano.
But Lionel Messi’s side found an equaliser nine minutes from the end through Lyon’s Thiago Almada, leaving Colombia four points clear of seventh-placed Venezuela.
Ecuador, Argentina’s nearest challengers, booked their spot at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States after a 0-0 draw away at Peru.