SPORTS
Rangers Progress in CAF Cup After 3-1 Pelicans Win
Rangers International Football Club of Enugu have sealed a place in the the pre-group stage playoffs of this year’s CAF Confederation Cup competition.
This was after they thrashed AS Pelicans of Gabon 3-1 in the return leg match of the second preliminary round on Sunday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Flying Antelopes went through 4-3 on aggregate, having lost 1-2 in the first leg match about two weeks earlier.
The hosts came out fighting immediately after the kick-off and fired a warning shot to the Gabonese side after two minutes.
This was when defender Semiu Liadi directed his headed effort into the side netting from a Chidera Eze free-kick at the edge of the Pelicans penalty box.
But three minutes later, Liadi went into the referee’s book when he tripped goalbound Cruz Ndong Enteghe on the edge of Rangers penalty box.
Dertin Amores wasted no effort and planted a left foot kick into the top corner to give Pelicans a shock lead in the fifth minute.
Having gone behind so early in the game, the Flying Antelopes poured out in numbers, piling series of attacks into their opponents’ vital area in search of goals.
The chances came in trickles but poor decisions in the final third cost them time and again.
Their efforts were, however, rewarded in the 19th minute when Ifeanyi George took advantage of a moment of indecision between Pelicans’ defenders and the goalkeeper to head in the equaliser.
Rangers grew in confidence, dominant in their play and had an appeal for a penalty kick waved away by the referee when Tope Olusesi went to the ground inside the box under a slight challenge.
But the ball came back gloriously to George who fired inches over the crossbar when he should have scored.
Both sides went into the half-time break on equal terms with the visitors holding a 3-2 aggregate advantage.
Rangers came back in the second period more dominant as highlighted by two quick goals.
Nnamdi Egbujuo headed in from a corner kick five minutes after the restart to give the hosts a 2-1 lead and 3-3 on aggregate.
Five minutes later, Oluwatoyin Olawoyin made it 3-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate for Rangers when he scrambled in the ball during a goalmouth tussle.
Coach Benedict Ugwu refreshed his team’s attack early in the second half, leading to the rush of goals, with the introduction of Chinonso Ezekwe for Chidera Eze.
He later substituted veteran Bartholomew Ibenegbu for Kenechukwu Agu as the home side pressed for more goals.
With 12 minutes left on the clock, Pelicans forward Odile Ombio forced a fantastic save from Rangers goalkeeper Japhet Opubo, following a cross from the right flank.
With the 3-1 advantage on the night, Rangers resorted to game management and defended in numbers to contain the now adventurous Pelicans strikers to run away victors at the end of a pulsating encounter.(NAN)
The Board of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Finidi George as Head Coach of the Senior Men National Football Team, the Super Eagles.
A statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, on Monday said the NFF approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to appoint George.
Reports says that the ace winger spent 20 months as assistant to José Peseiro before the Portuguese voluntarily left the post after guiding the team to silver medal at AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
George took charge of the squad in acting capacity during two friendly matches in Morocco last month.
His squad edged Ghana 2-1 in the first match, ending an 18-year winless streak against the Black Stars, but then lost 0-2 to Mali in the second game.
He was a member of the so-styled ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia.
The team also emerged the second most entertaining team in Nigeria’s debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in USA the same year.
George won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals. He also won gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.
The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) forward made a scoring debut for fatherland in an AFCON qualifying match against Burkina Faso at the National Stadium, Lagos, on July 27, 1991.
He also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe.
He assisted Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA, on 19th June 1994.
George had actually scored the goal that took Nigeria to that FIFA World Cup debut, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October, 1993.
The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America.
George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in a little over five weeks.
The matches are must-win encounters, with the Super Eagles lagging behind in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.(NAN)
Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe has said that helping his hometown club to finally win their first Champions League title is a matter of pride for him.
This was after he scored twice to help guide his side to a 4-1 comeback win at FC Barcelona and into the semi-finals with a 6-4 aggregate victory on Tuesday.
Mbappe, who is set to leave PSG in the summer with Real Madrid as the biggest favourite to sign him, told reporters that his future is not in his mind and that his focus is totally on bringing glory to the French capital.
“I have the dream of winning the Champions League for Paris,” Mbappe told reporters at Barcelona Olympic stadium on Tuesday.
“I’m proud to be at PSG since the first day.
It’s not because there are good times and bad times that my pride takes a hit.“The pride of playing for this club, of representing the club of the capital of my country, it’s something special for me who grew up there.
“To experience an evening like this one as a Parisian, it’s great. We have one more step to go before we reach the final in Wembley, so we need to stay calm.”
After loosing 3-2 in the first leg in Paris, PSG fought-back down 1-0 at FC Barcelona after the locals went down to 10 men just before the half-hour.
This was when last man Ronald Araujo was red-carded for fouling Bradley Barcola.
Former FC Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele equalised for the visitors just before the break while Vitinha and Mbappe finished the job in the second half.
The result meant PSG would face Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals after the Germans beat Atletico Madrid also on Tuesday.
PSG achieved success having failed to get past the round of 16 in the last two seasons and being pinned against the ropes by a FC Barcelona side who were in the ascendancy.
The Parisian put on a gritty performance to make the most of the home side’s mistakes and turn the tie around.
“We beat a great team this evening, but even if we had lost, I would be proud to be Parisian. Now it’s certain that during evenings like this, the pride is even greater,” Mbappe said.
“We are very happy, we beat a team that we wanted to beat and to be closer to the final.
“This one is for the fans that came here to support us and those back home. It’s a night to be proud.”(Reuters/NAN)
The Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Enoh, has said that the ministry would ensure the timely release of funds to prepare Nigerian athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The games will take place from July 26 to Aug. 11 in Paris .
The minister gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Diana-Mary Nsan.
Enoh stressed the importance of securing funding in a timely manner to facilitate comprehensive preparations for the Olympic Games.
He added that the ministry will actively pursue partnerships with private individuals and the corporate sector to bolster financial support and ensure that athletes are set up for success.
Drawing from the successful model implemented during the African Games in Ghana, where all athletes were insured, the minister pledge to build on that success.
“Plans are underway to provide insurance coverage for Team Nigeria athletes to mitigate risks associated with injuries and unforeseen circumstances, reflecting a proactive approach to athlete welfare,” he said.
Enoh also announced plans to implement salaries for grade A athletes, noting that the initiative aims to provide ongoing support and motivation to athletes as they prepare for the Games, enabling them to focus on their training and performance without financial constraints.
The minister expressed confidence in Nigeria’s athletes and their potential to achieve success at the Paris Olympic Games.
Reports says that the Paris 2024 will feature the debut of breaking (also known as breakdancing) as an Olympic event.
The Games will be the first to feature identical number of athletes between men and women. (NAN
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