Sports
City Out To Ruin Chelsea’s Title Stroll
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho believes his side can reignite their Premier League title ambitions tonight against a Chelsea team rocked by a shock 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace.
Ten points clear following the international break, Chelsea saw their lead trimmed to seven points after they crashed at home to Palace at the weekend and second-place Tottenham Hotspur won 2-0 at Burnley.
City could not follow Spurs’ lead, drawing 2-2 at Arsenal on Sunday, but victory at Stamford Bridge will leave them eight points below Chelsea with eight games of the season remaining.
“The Premier League is still open,” Fernandinho told the City website.
“We have a tough game against Chelsea away. To be close to them, we have to win that game and we will see what will happen at the end of the season.”
Chelsea came from behind to record a clinical 3-1 victory when the teams last met at the Etihad Stadium in December.
But while Antonio Conte’s side remain overwhelming title favourites, failure to beat City would give hope to the chasing teams who have spent much of the season trailing in their wake.
Chelsea failed to avoid defeat against Palace despite boasting full-strength team and having almost 80 minutes in which to turn the game around.
However, although neutrals will be crossing their fingers for another slip-up against Pep Guardiola’s City, Conte has urged his players to think of the pressure in positive terms.
“There is big pressure, but it is normal when you are in a great club and you are very good,” the Chelsea manager told the club website.
“When you are lucky enough to fight for the title there is the pressure, but not only for us, for a lot of teams.
“Don’t forget, the other teams were candidates to win the title, but instead we stay top of the table and we try to keep this position.”
City were one of the teams expected to challenge for the title, particularly after Guardiola’s much-trumpeted appointment, but as the draw at Arsenal highlighted, they remain vulnerable in defence.
The result extended their current unbeaten run to eight league games — the longest such sequence of Guardiola’s tenure — but the last three of those matches have all been drawn.
City twice took the lead at Arsenal, only to be pegged back on both occasions, and Guardiola believes his team struggle psychologically when they have a lead to defend.
“When the team is down, we react because everything is lost and we react in a good, good way,” he told reporters at the Emirates Stadium after the stalemate against Arsenal.
“To handle a situation at 1-0 (up), we are not comfortable, not yet. But we will be better. We will improve in the future.”
With Bacary Sagna expected to miss out again due to a groin strain and Pablo Zabaleta short of fitness, Guardiola may have to decide whether to persist with Jesus Navas at right-back.
The Spanish winger looked ragged at times against Arsenal and in Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, he would be up against one of the most lethal attacking players in the division.
City received some good news on Monday when Gabriel Jesus returned to training after breaking his foot, but the Brazil starlet is not expected to be available for selection for several weeks.
Chelsea wing-back Victor Moses is a major doubt after missing the Palace game with a calf strain, which saw Pedro fill in on the right flank.
City won 3-0 on their last visit to the Bridge a year ago, with Sergio Aguero plundering a hat-trick in a game that saw Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois sent off for upending Fernandinho.
Neither side came close to challenging champions Leicester City last season, but a similar outcome on Wednesday could have major repercussions for this season’s title race.
In a bid to make the Pillar of Associations Rivers state football tournament to become a permanent annual feature in Rivers state football calendar and a veritable platform for alternative career opportunity for Pillar members and members of Rivers football community, the Chairman of the tournament’s Organising Committee, Comrade Franklin Obute has stated that they were open to welcoming sponsorships from corporate entities and well meaning individuals.
Comrade Obute in an interview with news men on a match day at the ongoing competition at the Rivers State University’s ground said that the Pillar of Associations were ready to partner interested parties, who would be willing to invest in the competition through sponsorship towards elevating the quality and standard of the tournament.
According to him, “The Pillar of Associations tournament, due to the opportunities available, owing to the sheer number of businesses and members obtainable in the Pillar, would be a very attractive opportunity to exploit through sponsorship”.
He stated that there would be a conscious efforts toward sensitising the corporate and private environments to buy into the vision and objectives of the tournament. He explained that due to the open nature of the competition, whereby members of the association are allowed to engage any footballer from across the country, whether a business man or not, any sponsor would be able to enjoy unimaginable mileage.
“Every multinational company, private businesses should aspire to be part of the sponsorship of this tournament because there are so much benefits derivable therein, the coverage is very wide. You know that organising a football tournament of this nature is capital intensive, so, any sponsorship to add more value is welcomed”, he said.
The 2025 edition is currently ongoing and has reached the second round stage where matches are now being played on knockout basis, beginning from Friday.
By: Gabriel Nwanetanya
Some of the best golfers across Africa are expected to converge on the Ikoyi Club 1938 Golf Section for the three-day Ikoyi Ladies Golf Tournament holding from November 11 to 13.
The star-studded amateur open tournament is part of the activities lined up by the leadership of the club to celebrate the ladies’ tournament’s 50th anniversary.
Speaking at a world press conference at the Club’s headquarters in Ikoyi, the Ladies Club Captain, Mrs Peggy Onwu, explained that the tournament will offer opportunity for leading amateur golfers across 11 countries of the world to showcase their skills on the green lawn.
According to her, over 150 golfers have already registered for the open tournament, which will attract mouth-watering prizes, including a trophy, a premium ticket to the United States of America, among others.
The event will be preceded by ‘Twilight evening,’ which will see the participants play the golf game towards dawn, in a relaxed atmosphere with cocktails, networking and good music.
She thanked the various sponsors of tournament, including PWC, Delta Airline, Western Star, First EGP, among others, for identifying and keying into the Club’s goals and aspirations as part of their corporate social responsibilities.
Mrs. Onwu added that the event was not only a celebration of resilience, commitment, dedication and sacrifice, but a rare display of exemplary team spirit by all members of the Ladies Golf Section.
Thrilled by the presence of a Nigerian-born Italy- based golfer and fashion icon, Bali Lawal, as well as other professionals expected to grace the tournament, she promised that the tournament will be a memorable outing aimed at mentoring ladies keen on honing their golfing skills.
Speaking in the same vein, Vice Lady Captain, Annie Eimiakhena, explained that the tournament will entail three days of competitive outing showing skills, professional dexterity.
She added that participants and golfers will use the opportunity of the event to network among themselves, while a Masterclass will be held to educate would-be golfers on the dynamics of the game.
The Technical Manager of Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt, Finidi George has praised his boys (players) as they ran away with a point in the rescheduled match day nine of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) against Bendel Insurance.
According to him, before the game, he told his boys that they have to put up a good fighting spirit in the game, knowing that it will not be easy at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
Finidi said this last Thursday in his post match interview with sports journalists and made available to Tidesports after they secured a goalless draw against Insurance.
He explained that in the first half, the game was 50-50 but in the second half after 15 to 20 minutes, my players pushed them back, looking for goal but they were able to hold them and got the draw.
“ From onset, I knew it was going to be a difficult game. Yes, we have to defend deep and get something. Kudos to my boys, they put up a good fighting spirit.
“ Despite the host creating good number of chances even hitting the crossbar but I must say that the draw is not a bad result.
“ Wasiu Falolu came closer in the second half but his long ranged shot just went over the bar.
“It was not a bad result but we have to move on and see how we can get good results from other matches” Finidi said.
By: Kiadum Edookor