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Correa Grabs Double as Atletico Madrid begin La Liga Title Defence Brightly

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 Atletico Madrid started their Spanish La Liga title defence with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo, aided by Angel Correa’s double and a dreadful miss from Iago Aspas.

Correa struck either side of Aspas’ penalty kick before both teams had a player sent off in stoppage time.

Mario Hermoso and Hugo Mallo saw red after a confrontation between the pair.

Matters might have been a little easier for Atletico Madrid if not for a rather soft Celta Vigo penalty kick, after Marcos Llorente was harshly adjudged to have handled.

Correa ——  starting up top with Luis Suarez on the bench —— ultimately settled the contest with a cool finish.

Aspas however sliced wide of an open goal with 10 minutes remaining to let Diego Simeone’s side off the hook.

The game’s first shot on target led to the first goal, after Thomas Lemar’s fantastic run teed up Correa.

He slammed a brilliant finish high into the net, leaving Matias Dituro flat-footed.

However, Celta Vigo had a lifeline 11 minutes into the second half.

Jan Oblak flapped at a cross and Aspas was only able to divert it, from point-blank range, onto the chest of Llorente.

The ball bounced down onto the midfielder’s knee and up to his forearm.

But, in spite of there being little possibility of Llorente getting out of the way, referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero pointed to the penalty kick spot after a video review.

Aspas rolled in a cool finish to send the limited-capacity crowd wild, though parity lasted just five minutes as Correa drilled in a fantastic second after he was found by Saul Niguez.

It was Correa’s final act too, with Suarez, alongside new signing Rodrigo de Paul, immediately coming on.

Suarez skied a free-kick and Aspas should have made Atletico Madrid’s profligacy pay, only to somehow miss the target with half of the goal to aim at.

There was more drama late in stoppage time following a foul by Mallo on Suarez, leading to him getting involved with Hermoso.

Both were dismissed for violent conduct, but Atletico Madrid’s 10 men held on.

Below are several of Match Day 1 fixtures results, as well as the standings, in the Spanish    La Liga:

Friday
Valencia1Getafe0
Saturday
Cadiz1UD Levante1
RCD Mallorca1Real Betis1
Osasuna0Espanyol0
Alaves1Real Madrid4
Sunday
Celta Vigo1Atletico Madrid2
Barcelona4Real Sociedad2
SevillavsRayo Vallecano2015 GMT
Outstanding matches:
Monday
VillarrealvsGranada1800
ElchevsAthletic Bilbao2000
PWDLFAPts
1Real Madrid1100413
2FC Barcelona1100423
3Atletico Madrid1100213
4Valencia1100103
5Cadiz1010111
5UD Levante1010111
5RCD Mallorca1010111
5Real Betis1010111
9Osasuna1010001
9Espanyol1010001
11Elche0000000
11Athletic Bilbao0000000
11Sevilla0000000
11Rayo Vallecano0000000
11Villarreal0000000
11Granada0000000
17Celta Vigo1001120
18Getafe1001010
19Real Sociedad1001240
20Alaves1001140

(dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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SPORTS

Tottenham Interested in Crystal Palace’s Eze

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Tottenham FC are exploring a deal for Crystal Palace and England forward Eberechi Eze.

Thomas Frank is looking to bolster his options in the final third after attacking midfielder James Maddison was ruled out for the majority of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

South Korea forward Son Heung-min left the club after 10 years earlier this month having scored 173 goals in 454 appearances, while midfielder Dejan Kulusevski is still out after knee surgery.

Thus Eze has scored 14 goals across all competitions for Palace last season, including in their 1-0 win against Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The 27-year-old made his England debut in 2023 and has won 11 caps for the Three Lions, including three appearances at Euro 2024.

Tottenham are also in talks with Manchester City over a move for Savinhobut multiple sources have indicated that Eze is now emerging as a player of serious interest for Spurs.

There is no confirmation whether Tottenham will look to progress with deals for both Brazil winger Savinho and Eze.

Arsenal also have an interest in Eze but are currently looking at trying to move players on, with the likes of Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira set to leave.

However, it remains to be seen whether Tottenham’s active interest in Eze results in Arsenal accelerating a move for the England international.

Eze joined Palace from Queens Park Rangers in a deal worth £19.5m in 2020 and has scored 40 goals in 168 appearances.

His contract at Selhurst Park is due to expire in the summer of 2027.

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Liverpool Stepping up bid to Sign Palace’s Guehi

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Liverpool are stepping up their attempts to sign Crystal Palace and England center-back Marc Guehi.

Palace captain Guehi has a year left on his contract, but Chairman Steve Parish said earlier this week he could be sold this summer to avoid him moving on a free transfer in 12 months’ time.

Sources have said that Liverpool have held initial talks with a view to signing the 25-year-old before the summer transfer window shuts.

Liverpool are also trying to sign Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni.

The 18-year-old Italian is not seen as a potential rival for Guehi but more as one for the future.

Guehi was the subject of bids worth up to £65m from Newcastle last year.

The FA Cup winners are believed to want £40m for him now, but Liverpool want to pay less than that.

The Reds have already spent about £270m this summer, though they have recouped about £170m through player sales.

They have also had a £110m bid for Alexander Isak rejected by Newcastle, though sources have said the Swede remains determined to move to Anfield.

Signing Guehi and Isak would take Liverpool’s summer spending above £400m.

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Finals of Gov. Peter Mbah Secondary Schools Games Begin in Enugu

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The finals of Gov. Peter Mbah Secondary Schools Games, on Thursday began in Enugu with the arrival and accreditation of athletes at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu.

Dan Onwuegbuna, Director, Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Enugu State, said in a statement on Thursday that the games would be held between Aug.

7 and Aug.
10 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and the Enugu State Sports Council.

“The games is designed to help the state discover talents to represent the state at the forthcoming U15 National Youth Games scheduled to take place in Asaba, Delta, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6,” he stated.

Onwuegbuna said that apart from representing the state at the Youth Games in Asaba, talented athletes discovered would represent the state in other competitions.

He quoted the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu as thanking Gov. Peter Mbah for approving the games.

Onwuegbuna said that the games was made possible following the collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the state Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).

The games finals followed the outcome of the inter- Secondary Schools competitions held at the local government areas in the six Educational Zones in the State – Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Nsukka and Udenu.

“The games will feature athletics, boxing, chess, basketball, volleyball, football, tennis and scrabble,” Onwuegbuna stated.

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