Sports
Use Sports To Promote Peace, LG Boss Tells Nigerians
The Chairman, Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Mr Eni-Uduma Chima has stressed the need for Nigerians to use sports to promote peace, love and brotherhood, especially among people living in the rural communities.
Chima spoke yesterday at Ekoli Ukwu community in Edda, Afikpo South Local Government Area, at the grand finale of the Ekoli Ukwu Unity Football Competition.
According to him, sports, especially football competition serves as a uniting factor which provides people the platform to come together, associate and create a common bond that could be harnessed to promote unity among people from different socio-cultural backgrounds.
He said that the Ekoli Ukwu Unity Football tournament which began some 28 years ago, had provided a platform to foster unity, peace, love and oneness among the 24 villages that make up the community.
He said that the tournament had served as a source of talent discovery, noting that many hidden soccer talents had been discovered through the football event.
“The football tournament is what every indigene of Ekoli Ukwu looks forward to December of every year and it has helped in discovering many football talents from the area.
“Every village in the community participates in this epoch making competition, which has grown from good to better and has endured for 28 years since it was inaugurated.
“The football event is a uniting force which has provided a platform for our people to come together in love, in unity and in peace, irrespective of economic or social status, “ Chima aid.
Chima, the sole sponsor of the football competition since 2007, commended the football teams for their peaceful conduct during the 13-day soccer event and extolled the organisational dexterity of the organising committee.
Sports
CHELSEA FANS GIVE ENZO MIXED RECEPTION
Enzo Fernandez was booed by some supporters on the day when Morgan Rogers scored on his first appearance for Chelsea in a 3-1 win against Real Sociedad.
Joao Pedro also continued his fine pre-season form with a double as manager Xabi Alonso offered a glimpse of what could be his blueprint for the season.
But the action was overshadowed by the reaction to Fernandez’s second-half appearance, less than 24 hours after Chelsea’s self-imposed transfer deadline had passed.
Fernandez had been keen to join Real Madrid earlier this summer before the Spanish club ended their interest in the Argentine.
His representatives later held talks with Manchester City, but no offer was made to meet Chelsea‘s £120m valuation before Friday’s deadline.
Fernandez was booed by some early arrivals at Stamford Bridge when his name was read out 45 minutes before kick-off.
There were then audible boos when Fernandez came on in the 62nd minute.
Chelsea supporters appeared divided, with others responding by chanting his name.
Yet, it was a signal of Alonso and Chelsea‘s backing that when Reece James left the field he passed his long-time vice-captain the armband as usual.
Each touch of the ball was greeted by a mixture of boos and cheers.
It followed attempts by some supporters to move on from a saga that appears to have ended with Chelsea now expecting to keep one of their best players.
Others, however, remain unhappy with his perceived disloyalty, having come out publicly about his desire to move to Madrid, with his agent Javier Pastore also claiming he is underpaid.
It will be interesting to see how supporters of the Premier League’s other 19 clubs react to Fernandez, given his celebrations and social media jibes after Argentina beat England in a World Cup semi-final in July.
That will remain an issue whether he remains at Chelsea or Manchester City elect to revive their interest and attempt to reunite him with his former manager Enzo Maresca before deadline day on 1 September.
It took Rogers only seven minutes to score his first goal in a Chelsea shirt as he reacted quickest after Alex Remiro saved Joao Pedro’s initial header.
The £117m club record signing from Aston Villa initially looked sharp and linked well with Cole Palmer and Pedro in Chelsea‘s front three.
Within 10 minutes of his debut, supporters were already chanting his name.
However, it was understandable that Rogers faded as the match wore on, given he had trained for less than a week since returning from holiday before his 62-minute outing.
Beyond Rogers, Joao Pedro has been the star of Chelsea‘s pre-season.
In this outing he headed Chelsea back in front in the 47th minute before adding a side-footed finish 30 minutes later to seal victory after Sociedad had equalised just before half-time through Jon Mikel Aramburu’s volley.
Chelsea lost control towards the end of the first half and looked vulnerable, but they were much improved after the break.
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