SPORTS
Messi Scores Maiden Goal for PSG in 2-0 Win Over Man City
Lionel Messi gave Paris St Germain fans what they came for as he helped them to beat visitors, Manchester City 2-0 in their Champions League clash with his first goal for his new club on Tuesday.
The Argentine forward, who joined PSG on a two-year contract after leaving Barcelona, found the top corner superbly in the second half.
His strike added to Idrissa Gueye’s early first-half opener and put the capital club top of Group A on four points.
The 34-year-old Messi had been quiet on his fourth appearance for PSG until he netted on the counter as his link up play with their France striker, Kylian Mbappe, bore fruit.
After two games, City are third on three points, a point behind PSG and Club Brugge, who won 2-1 at RB Leipzig.
After sitting two games out with a bruised knee, Messi started alongside Mbappe and Neymar and for a long time it seemed like the diminutive forward’s role did not fit a team playing on the counter attack.
But he struck in the 74th minute with his 121st goal in Europe’s elite club competition, triggering deafening roars from the Parc des Princes crowd, who long chanted his name after he effectively wrapped up the win.
PSG missed chances in last season’s 4-1 aggregate defeat to City in the semi-finals, but this time they went for the kill early on.
With Italy midfielder Marco Verratti also back from a knee injury and fellow Euro 2020 champion Gianluigi Donnarumma preferred to Keylor Navas in goal, PSG soaked up early pressure and found the net on their first foray into the City area.
In the eighth minute, Mbappe was played into space and Neymar missed his cutback, but Gueye fired a rising shot into the far top corner after a quick touch from Kyle Walker’s weak clearance.
Verratti’s presence proved invaluable to get out of City’s pressing for PSG, who threatened on the break, and Joao Cancelo earned a yellow card for an illegal charge on Mbappe.
PSG seemed unfazed as City stroked the ball around but they got a wake-up call in the 26th minute when Raheem Sterling header crashed onto the bar and fell to Bernardo Silva, who hit the bar again from point-blank range.
The visitors lacked sharpness in front of goal and though Donnarumma had to make three saves around the half-hour mark, PSG came closer to scoring with a counter that ended with Ander Herrera’s shot from Mbappe’s assist being tipped over by Ederson.
Donnarumma pulled off another save to keep out Ruben Dias’s header after Kevin De Bruyne was lucky to escape being sent off after landing on Gueye’s calf with his studs.
City applied more pressure early in the second half and Donnarumma was needed again, this time to kick De Bruyne’s low angled shot away.
They could, however, sense the danger from PSG’s counter attacks and in the 65th minute Neymar was played through by Messi, only for the Brazil forward to shoot wide with Mbappe waiting for a cross on the left.
Then it was Messi’s time to shine.
The Argentine dribbled towards the box and slipped the ball to Mbappe, who flicked it back into his team mate’s path for Messi to strike it into the top corner. (Reuters/NAN)
Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia on Saturday defeated Lobi Stars of Makurdi 1-0 in a pulsating North Central derby.
The matchday 16 fixture of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premiere Football League (NPFL) was played at the Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa State capital.
The Makurdi side had adopted the Lafia Township Stadium as their home ground for the 2024/2025 NPFL season.
The only goal of the match was scored by Qamar Adegoke in the 12th minute of the match to give all three points to the Lafia side.
Adegoke’s goal, who joined the Lafia team recently, was his second in four matches.
The Nasarawa attacker capitalised on a defensive error by the opponent’s backline and hit the back of the net to give Nasarawa United the advantage.
In a post-match interview, Kabir Dogo, Technical Adviser of Nasarawa United, hailed his players for taking all three points.
He explained that his team had improved by scoring five goals in their last three matches and expressed optimism that they would do better in subsequent games.
“We had a problem in the area of goal scoring in the past, but this has changed in our last three games,” he said.
With the win, Nasarawa United climbed to 14th on the NPFL table, while Lobi Stars remain on 17th position. (NAN)
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is organising a two-day National Coaching Seminar, with the theme: “Leadership and Management Skills”.
The event will take place from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18, at the Additional Sports and Entertainment (ASEP) Pro Limited, in Mowe, Ogun State.
The seminar will enhance the capabilities of Nigerian table tennis coaches, with a particular emphasis on female coaches, aligning with the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Initiative.
A statement issued by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, on Tuesday, said that the seminar was part of the one-week sports and leadership boot camp titled “Awaken the Giant, She Can 4.
0,” proudly supported by NTTF.“This seminar will also represent the third stage of the 2024 “My Gender, My Strength” programme, which has table tennis star Abosede Akinsete, as a beneficiary.
“NTTF President,Tikon Ishaku, Vice President, Adesoji Tayo, and other board members are dedicated to initiatives that support the development of coaches.
“Wahid Enitan-Oshodi, ITTF Executive Vice President, and President of ITTF-Africa, reaffirms his commitment to empowering women in sports, in line with the GEDI Initiative.
He explained that the seminar would feature people, who would speak on leadership and management skills, to enhance the abilities of coaches to identify and develop talents, as well as encourage the development of high-performance table tennis players capable of competing globally. (NAN)
Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt on Sunday returned to the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) summit as strong rivals Remo Stars FC faltered on Match Day 13.
Report says that Rivers United beat visiting Abia Warriors of Umuahia 1-0 after an Ndifreke Effiong 58th minute goal from the penalty kick spot.
Effiong’s goal in the match at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium helped them to move to 25 points from 13 matches, after seven wins, four draws and two losses.
Former leaders Remo Stars dropped to second with 23 points from 13 matches after seven wins, two draws and four losses, following a 0-2 loss to hosts Katsina United.
Plateau United of Jos beat visiting Nasarawa United of Lafia 2-0 to bolster their position.
Shooting Stars Sports Club also struggled to a 1-0 win over visiting Bayelsa United of Yenago.
A 15th minute goal by Anthony Okachi at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan gave them the win.
El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri had on Saturday beaten Akwa United of Uyo 1-0 to move into third place on the table with 22 points from 13 games.
Enyimba International of Aba remained in fourth place with 20 points from 12 matches, with their week 13 game against Sunshine Stars of Akure on hold.
Rangers International of Enugu are in fifth place with 20 points also, after a goalless draw with hosts Heartland FC ain Owerri on Saturday.
Bendel Insurance of Benin had also beaten Kwara United of Ilorin 3-1, while Lobi Stars of Makurdi drew 2-2 with visiting Kano Pillars in Lafia.
NAN reports that the league will enter Match Day 14 on Wednesday.(NAN)
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