Bukayo Saka scored twice as Arsenal continued their blistering goalscoring form to thrash Burnley and close the gap at the top of the Premier League to two points. Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard opened the scoring after four minutes, firing a crisp strike into the bottom corner following a pass from Gabriel Martinelli. Saka converted from the spot after Lorenz Assignon fouled Leandro Trossard in the box. The England forward got his second of the game just after the restart, latching on to a clever Odegaard pass then cutting inside and rifling a shot into the roof of the net. Kai…
Author: ROSEMARY UGIOMOH
The Kenya Government has promised to give hero’s funeral for late marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a tragic road crash on Sunday, also saying that it would help the bereaved family in offsetting his burial expenses. This was announced in a Cabinet despatch following a meeting chaired by President William Ruto on Wednesday, in which it was agreed that the departed marathoner gets a hero’s farewell. “In honour of Kenya’s departed world marathon record holder, a true national hero, the Government will support Kiptum’s family in according him a befitting heroic farewell,” read the Cabinet despatch. “Cabinet…
Sporting Lagos have confirmed that six senior players in the team have mutually agreed to bid farewell to the club during the January transfer window. The club in a statement expressed its gratitude to the players for all their contributions to their journey. The six players include: Odafi Emmanuel, Saturday Okon, Abiodun Balogun, Godwin Udoh, Onyeka Ojieh and Osan Mamah. The statement reads: “Odafi Emmanuel, known by fans as Isco, played a key role in the heart of the midfield for us last season, and his late goal against FC One Rocket during the playoffs proved crucial in securing us…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the draw date for the 2025 African Cup of Nations. The 34th edition of the tournament ended last week with the Elephants of Ivory Coast winning the competition. The competition department of the football body on Friday announced February 20 as the draw date. The preliminary round will include the lowest eight ranked teams based on the latest FIFA Ranking. The matches will be played during the FIFA Window of 18 to 26 March 2024. Morocco will stage the competition in the summer of 2025.
Ahead of the 2024 African Games billed for Accra, Ghana, Senator John Enoh, the Minister of Sports Development, has charged Team Nigeria officials and vendors serving the team to ensure quality in athletes’ nutrition and welfare, as training camps open from tomorrow across five locations in the country. Senator Enoh appealed to vendors not to undermine national efforts by attempting to put pecuniary gains ahead of national interests. he warned that the Ministry will spare no time in cutting ties with vendors who do not adhere to quality in its service to the athletes, as they prepare for the Games,…
The second stanza of the 2023/2024 season of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) gets underway this weekend with match-day 20 round of games as Heartland taking on Kano Pillars at the Aba Township Stadium, their adopted home. Both teams have nine league titles won combined though they have become sleeping giants in recent seasons. Heartland’s fifth title while then still known as Iwuanyanwu Nationale was achieved in 1993 while Sai Masu Gida’s fourth title came in 2014. Their last game ended 2-1 in Pillars’ favour in Kano last month with Rabiu Ali’s 85th minute spot kick the difference with late…
There is palpable fear and uneasy calm in the Nigerian sports fraternity as the country gradually risks missing out on the 2024 African Games in Accra, Ghana, and the Olympic Games in Paris, Francs. This is because of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s stance on the country and Venezuela over the inability of the two countries to come clean on Doping issues. The head of the Nigeria’s National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO), Professor Ken Anugweje, said he has no comment to make to the public for now following the WADA dragging the country to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). 2023 Nigeria…
Olympian Yussuf Alli, the chairman of Edo State Sports Commission, has expressed joy as the state emerged as one with the best sports facilities. His joy on Friday morning knew no bounds as Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, prepared to receive the above award courtesy of Sportsville on March 1, 2024 in Lagos. The longer jumper whose national record remains unbroken till date has this to say; “this is one award that is factual and real. Nobody in the sports industry can dispute the world class facilities we have in the State. “The Samuel Ogbemudia Sports Complex houses one…
Kanu Nwankwo, the chairman of reigning Nigerian champions, Enyimba International, led some members of the club’s executives to welcome the contingent of Hamkam FC at the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerrri, on Friday. The team from Hamkam FC of Norway is made up of the Head of Transfers and Sporting Director, Jorgen Bjorn, Team Manager, Chris Twiddy and FIFA licensed agent with Hamkam FC, Tuncay Leon Bardakci. The team will be in Aba as part of a partnership between Enyimba FC and Hamkam FC of Norway. The partnership is aimed at the development of the Enyimba youth team in a…
Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, the Enugu Rangers technical adviser, has assured the club’s teaming supporters that he was optimistic of leading the ‘Flying Antelopes’ to a respectable finish in the league. His confidence stems from the number of quality players at his disposal as the second round of the 2023/2024 NPFL season kicks off this weekend. Coach Ilechukwu stated that with the new players added to the side, the second round would be tasking, interesting and result oriented. “I think we have done well in the market. We have brought in a few new quality players knowing fully that the second…