Sports
Eguavoen, Amuneke Combo For S’Eagles

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reversed its decision to appoint Jose Peseiro as coach of the national team and retained Augustine Eguavoen on an interim basis with Emmanuel Amuneke as a new addition.
Former Super Eagles captain Eguavoen led Nigeria to the last 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations, but Peseiro was expected to take over after the tournament.
However, the NFF has now confirmed that Eguavoen, 56, will remain in charge of the three-time African champions ahead of the two-legged 2022 World Cup play-off against Ghana next month.
He will be assisted by former international, Emmanuel Amuneke, after a good showing by the team in Cameroon.
“We acknowledge and appreciate the interest that Jose Peseiro has shown during our very cordial discussions and have absolutely no doubt about his capacity. We believe that perhaps in the future, there could be an opportunity to work with him,” NFF general secretary, Mohammed Sanusi said.
“However, in view of the positive performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, we have decided to accept the recommendation of the technical and development committee to retain the Eguavoen-led coaching crew.”
Eguavoen, who is technical director of the NFF, had backed the appointment of Peseiro as his successor at the end of the tournament.
However, the decision to overlook the Portuguese came as no surprise.
Two days ago, NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, told a local television station that he had informed former Porto and Sporting CP boss, Peseiro, to wait until the end of March for possible employment.
“I am still talking to him,” Pinnick said.
“Maybe he has to wait till after the World Cup qualifiers and if, in the course of his waiting, he got another job, we wish him well. The good news is that we did not sign the contract officially.”
Nigeria sacked long-serving boss, Gernot Rohr, just four weeks before the Nations Cup, with Eguaoven taking charge for the third time in his career.
In late December a deal r the Super Eagles.was agreed for Peseiro to eventually take over the Super Eagles.
The Super Eagles were the only side to win all three group games in Cameroon but were then beaten 1-0 by Tunisia in the last 16.
Critics of Eguavoen pointed to his poor game management against the North Africans and the fall-out from Nigeria’s exit polarised opinions in the country , hence the decision to draft in Amuneke, who led Tanzania to the 2019 Nations Cup, as assistant coach.
Salisu Yusuf and former Everton defender Joseph Yobo are also on the coaching staff, while Aloysius Agu remains as goalkeeping coach.
Amuneke, the 1994 African Footballer of the Year, previously managed his country’s youth teams, Sudanese club SC Khartoum and Egyptian side Misr El-Makkasa.
He was the assistant coach when Nigeria won the Under-17 World Cup trophy for a record fourth time in the United Arab Emirates in 2013.
Two years later, Amuneke led the Golden Eaglets to a fifth U17 World Cup title in Chile and, revered as a proven youth manager, he was swiftly promoted to coach the Nigeria’s U20 side, the Flying Eagles.
As a player, he was a key part of the Super Eagles team alongside Eguavoen, scoring both goals in the 1994 Nations Cup final where Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 to secure their second African title.
He also played for the Super Eagles at the 1994 World Cup, scoring memorable goals against Bulgaria and Italy.
Sports
Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton
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.
Sports
Zidane’s Son Switches Allegiance To Algeria
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.
Sports
Man Utd Beat Chelsea To Ease Pressure
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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