Tag: General Sports

Southampton manager Russell Martin expressed admiration for Joe Aribo following the Nigerian midfielder’s standout performance against Swansea City at St Mary’s Stadium on Boxing Day.

The Saints secured a resounding 5-0 victory, extending their unbeaten streak to 16 games.

Aribo, who scored the opening goal for Southampton in the match, has been gaining prominence with impressive displays.

This marked his first goal of the season and the first in 2023. Initially a squad player, the 27-year-old has earned a spot in the starting lineup, featuring in the team’s last five Sky Bet Championship games.

Martin commended Aribo for his resilient spirit, highlighting the midfielder’s dedication and commitment to training even when not in the starting XI.

“When he [Joe Aribo] wasn’t playing, he didn’t show frustration with the players; he trained like a beast,” Martin remarked after the game. “He would come speak to me and get his frustration out.”

Southampton, under Martin’s guidance, will face Plymouth Argyle in their upcoming Championship fixture on Friday.

Aribo’s contributions on the field and his positive attitude off the pitch have earned him recognition from the manager, emphasizing the importance of determination and professionalism in the squad.

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In Tuesday’s Championship game, Super Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo displayed an outstanding performance, scoring his first goal of the season as Southampton spanked Swansea City FC .

Aribo’s goal came in the 17th minute of the match, opening the scoring for Southampton and set sail for a huge win.

Making his 18th appearance for Southampton, Aribo showcased his skills, finding the back of the net after Swansea failed to clear the ball following a mazy run and cross from Sam Edozie.

Southampton’s second goal came from Edozie, taking advantage of a mistake by Swansea goalkeeper Carl Rushworth.

Ryan Fraser, who came on as a substitute, contributed to Southampton’s emphatic win by scoring twice and providing an assist for Che Adams, who tapped home the fifth goal.

The victory lifted Southampton above Leeds United and placed them just four points behind Ipswich Town in the race for an automatic promotion spot.

Aribo’s performance and goal added to his contributions to Southampton’s success, highlighting his impact in the Championship.

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Nigerian international Moses Simon has been nominated for Nantes’ Player of the Month for December, recognizing his contributions during a challenging period for the club.

Despite not registering a goal or an assist in the four appearances he made for the Canaries in December, Simon’s overall impact has earned him recognition.

Nantes experienced a mixed bag of results in December, winning one and losing three out of four Ligue 1 games. The team’s performance reflected a challenging month, but individual efforts, including those of Moses Simon, are being acknowledged.

The 26-year-old forward has been a consistent presence for Nantes throughout the season, making 17 league appearances and scoring three goals. Simon recently extended his stay with the club by signing a new two-year contract, affirming his commitment to the Canaries.

In the Player of the Month nomination for December, Simon faces competition from three other Nantes players—Alban Lafont, Jean-Charles Castelleto, and Florent Mollet. The winner of the award will be announced on Wednesday, January 3, highlighting the standout performer for Nantes during the month of December.

As Moses Simon vies for the accolade, fans and teammates will await the announcement to see who emerges as Nantes’ Player of the Month, recognizing excellence and contributions on the pitch.

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Newcastle United’s struggles continued as former player Chris Wood scored a hat-trick for Nottingham Forest in a 3-1 victory at St James’ Park.

The defeat adds to Newcastle’s woes, having won only one of their last seven games and facing eliminations from the Champions League and Carabao Cup.

The match started positively for the hosts on Boxing Day as Alexander Isak’s penalty gave them an early lead against a Forest side managed by Nuno Espirito Santo in his second match in charge. However, Wood, who left Newcastle in January, led the comeback with an equalizer in first-half stoppage time before adding two more well-taken goals to complete his hat-trick.

Despite the hosts taking an early lead, they struggled to contain Forest’s counter-attacks, with Wood capitalizing on defensive vulnerabilities. The defeat leaves Newcastle facing a challenging start to 2024, with fixtures against Liverpool, Sunderland, Manchester City, and Aston Villa.

Wood, who scored just once during his time with Newcastle, returned to St James’ Park and secured a memorable hat-trick in a Forest shirt. Forest, under Nuno’s management, made tactical changes and capitalized on opportunities, with Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi exposing Newcastle’s defensive frailties.

Forest dominated the second half, with Gibbs-White and Elanga missing chances before Wood scored his second goal with a classy finish over the goalkeeper in the 53rd minute. The hat-trick was completed when Newcastle’s offside trap failed, allowing Wood to slide the ball into the net.

Despite Newcastle’s claims for handball and penalty appeals, Forest maintained their two-goal advantage. The defeat leaves Newcastle trailing seven points outside the top four and 11 points behind league leaders Arsenal. The next four matches will be crucial for Newcastle’s hopes of returning to the Champions League and competing in the FA Cup.

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Nigerian international and Fenerbahce right-back, Bright Osayi-Samuel, is on the verge of realizing his lifelong dream of playing in the Premier League, with Crystal Palace emerging as the leading contender in the race for his signature.

According to reports from TEAMtalk, Crystal Palace is currently outpacing competitors Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United in the pursuit of Osayi-Samuel. The 25-year-old defender, who began his professional career at Blackpool before moving to Queens Park Rangers in 2017, made the move to Fenerbahce in January 2021.

During his time in Turkey, Osayi-Samuel has showcased his talent in various competitions, including Champions League qualifying, Europa League, and Europa Conference League.

He played a crucial role in Fenerbahce’s success in securing the Turkish Cup last season, contributing to a 2-0 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir in the final.

Crystal Palace is reportedly impressed by Osayi-Samuel’s consistent performances this season, and the club sees the opportunity to bring him back to England.

The defender’s contract with Fenerbahce is set to expire in June 2025, prompting interest from Premier League clubs looking to secure his services at a potentially reduced cost next year.

While Crystal Palace leads the race, competition for Osayi-Samuel’s signature remains fierce, with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United also expressing interest in the Nigerian international.

The upcoming January transfer window could see Osayi-Samuel make a significant move to the English top flight, marking a new chapter in his football journey

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Nigerian referees have once again been excluded from officiating in the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This continues a trend where Nigerian officials have faced challenges in gaining recognition from both CAF and FIFA in recent years.

Key Points:

1. CAF’s Selection: CAF has selected officials from 19 different nationalities for the 2023 AFCON, with Egypt and Morocco having three representatives each. Algeria, Gabon, and Mauritania have two officials each.
2. Previous Editions: In the 2019 edition, no Nigerian referee was selected. However, in the 2017 edition, Abel Baba made the cut as an assistant referee. Peter Edibe was on the list at the 2015 and 2013 editions.
3. Group Stage Draw: The Super Eagles are drawn in Group A alongside hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. The tournament is scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
4. Historical Perspective: Over the last six editions, only three Nigerian referees have been selected for officiating roles in the AFCON. This underscores the challenges faced by Nigerian officials in gaining recognition for continental duties.

The exclusion of Nigerian referees from the officiating team at the 2023 AFCON raises questions about the criteria used in the selection process and may lead to discussions about improving representation for officials from different African nations in future tournaments

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In a spectacular end to 2023, Anthony Joshua secured an impressive victory against Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia. THE ATHLETICNG reports.

The win came on the same card as Deontay Wilder’s shocking defeat to Joseph Parker, setting the stage for potential future matchups.

Joshua showcased his dominance from the opening bell, pressuring Wallin and landing powerful combinations. By the fifth round, a thunderous right hand-left hook combination from Joshua left Wallin stumbling against the ropes.

Although Wallin survived the round, his corner decided to end the fight, granting Joshua a technical knockout win.

With Tyson Fury’s former trainer, Ben Davison, in his corner, Joshua’s focused and powerful performance underscored his determination in the heavyweight division.

The victory raises questions about Joshua’s next steps, with potential scenarios including a title shot against Filip Hrgovic or a clash with the winner of the upcoming bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, expressed confidence in Joshua’s abilities and hinted at a potential matchup with Hrgovic. Hearn declared, “I believe that this Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world. It was just a stunning performance.”

Despite Wilder’s defeat, Joshua didn’t rule out a future showdown with the former champion, stating, “I’m sure everyone still wants to see that fight.” Joshua’s openness to facing any challenges positions him as a key figure in the evolving landscape of heavyweight boxing.

As 2024 approaches, Anthony Joshua’s victory and his promoter’s optimism set the stage for exciting developments in the heavyweight division.

Fans can anticipate thrilling matchups and potential title challenges as Joshua navigates the path to further solidify his status in the boxing world.

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Napoli’s Super Eagles striker, Victor James Osimhen, has committed his future to Serie A side Napoli by signing a contract extension.

The 24-year-old forward had a remarkable season with Napoli, contributing significantly to their Serie A triumph and earning various prestigious individual awards.

Osimhen clinched the Serie A golden boot, secured the 8th position in the Ballon d’Or rankings, and was honored with both the Italian Player of the Year and the African Player of the Year awards.

Following his outstanding performances, Osimhen became a hot commodity in the transfer market, drawing interest from top European clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite rumored offers from a Saudi club, the Nigerian striker chose to stay in Naples, dispelling any concerns of a potential fallout with the club hierarchy.

Osimhen’s previous contract was set to expire in the summer of 2025, prompting speculation about a potential transfer before its conclusion.

However, the prolific striker has now extended his contract with Napoli until the summer of 2026. The new deal includes a release clause estimated at €130 million, emphasizing Napoli’s commitment to retaining Osimhen amidst high demand.

As Napoli faces Jose Mourinho’s A.S. Roma in their upcoming match, Osimhen aims to continue his impressive goal-scoring streak, having found the back of the net in his last two games.

The contract extension solidifies Osimhen’s continued role as a key player for Napoli and reflects the club’s determination to retain his services in the competitive football landscape.

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Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Thursday effectively joined the global campaign against doping in elite leagues with the testing of selected players at two different venues of the Matchday 15 fixtures.

Renowned anti-doping expert, Dr Akinwunmi Amao, led a four-member team that administered tests on selected players of Sporting Lagos and Bayelsa United at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan in Lagos where both teams clashed.

Another team of sports medicine personnel handled a similar task in Benin City where Bendel Insurance hosted Abia Warriors.

He expressed delight at the integration of dope control in leagues in Africa as has been common in Europe.

His words: “Dope test in football has taken firm root in big professional leagues in quite several countries in Europe for more than a decade while recently it’s being integrated in the African football leagues.”

Chairman of the NPFL, Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye in his reaction to the successful maiden tests, described it as “quite unprecedented and will be a permanent exercise in our league. We are implementing zero tolerance for not just abuse of substance but its use by our players.”

Speaking to NPFL media on the exercise, Amao harped on the essence of winning fairly in sports and commended the NPFL for taking steps to ensure that the league is cleansed from the possible existence of substance abuse.

“Introduction of dope testing in NPFL matches is a good development in the right direction and it raises the level of compliance with international rules/regulations as well as the integrity of the league management and administration,” remarked the former Medical Director of the Sports Ministry.

Players and officials of the two teams in Lagos received commendation from the medical experts for their level of awareness of doping control and cooperation during the exercise.

“There was good cooperation from the selected players and teams’ officials. The level of awareness of doping control information among the players and their technical officials is substantially good and encouraging,” submitted the Chairman of the Scientific and Medical Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

Pledging to support the NPFL and other sports agencies in creating awareness of the negative effects of doping, Amao said: “I will always be committed to the ‘fair play’ principle in football and other sports disciplines not only through dope testing but equally of more importance, the advocacy to create awareness of negative perspectives of doping through education and information strategy.”

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The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed sadness and deep sorrow over the death on Friday of the assistant kit manager of Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure, Taiwo Dosunmu, from complications arising from bullet wounds when the team was waylaid by armed robbers earlier this month.

Players and officials of Nigeria Premier Football League club, Sunshine Stars FC were on their way to a scheduled league match against Bendel Insurance FC of Benin City on Thursday, 7th December when their bus was attacked, with Dosunmu hit by a bullet in the process.

President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau said on Saturday: “This is a very sad development, but God is all-knowing and we can never question His wisdom. We appreciate the prompt response and kind gestures of His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Edo State Government as a whole following the unfortunate incident, even as we are deeply saddened by Dosunmu’s death.

“Our prayer is that Almighty God will grant the late Dosunmu eternal rest, and also grant his immediate family, relations and the Board and Management of Sunshine Stars FC, as well as the good people of Ondo State and the Nigeria Football fraternity the fortitude to bear the loss.”

A release by the club said Taiwo Dosunmu breathed his last at the Intensive Care Unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital after a series of surgeries by consultants at the facility. The release described the late Dosunmu as “a very hard- working individual who took his job with all sense of seriousness.”

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