Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

NPFL Fixture Schedule Adjusted to Accommodate Rivers United’s Matches The 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season is set to witness a temporary halt in fixtures following this weekend’s matches, as confirmed by the league’s organizer. The upcoming match day 31 is scheduled to kick off on Friday with a match featuring Heartland FC and Shooting Stars. However, Secretary of the club owners, Godwin Enakhena, revealed to Punch correspondent that all other fixtures will be put on hold to allow Rivers United to complete their outstanding games. Enakhena emphasized that the decision to suspend other matches was…

Minister of Sports Urges Super Eagles on World Cup Qualification The Minister of Sports, John Enoh, has emphasized the significance of the Super Eagles qualifying for the next World Cup during a recent address. This call comes in the wake of Nigeria’s narrow miss in the final phase of qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they were edged out by West African rivals Ghana. The upcoming World Cup is slated to be hosted across three North American countries. Nigeria has commenced the qualification journey with an undesirable start, securing two draws from two games. …

Nigeria drawn in group B of upcoming WAFU tournament.  The upcoming WAFU B U17 Championship in Ghana has drawn attention to the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, who find themselves in Group B alongside Burkina Faso, Togo, and Niger. Preparations for the tournament are in full swing as the Golden Eaglets have resumed camping. In Group A, host nation Ghana will face off against Benin Republic and Cote D’Ivoire. Coach Manu Garba is overseeing a screening process for over 50 players selected from various youth tournaments. Most of these players have already undergone the mandatory MRI age test, ensuring their eligibility…

English teams absence in Major European competition Semi-Finals a rare occurrence. What has happened?  England finds itself in an unusual position in European football, with no teams from the country making it to the semi-finals of either the Champions League or Europa League. This occurrence, happening only for the third time in the 21st century, has raised questions about the state of English football in continental competitions. The recent exits of Manchester City and Arsenal from the Champions League quarter-finals, facing defeats against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively, contributed to this absence. Simultaneously, Liverpool and West Ham failed…

Manchester City Set to Discuss Contract Extension with Pep Guardiola In an exciting development for Manchester City fans, the club is preparing to engage in discussions with Pep Guardiola regarding a contract extension at the end of the season. The renowned Spanish coach has yet to make a decision regarding his future with the Premier League giants, setting the stage for crucial talks in the coming months. Guardiola, known for his tactical brilliance and transformative impact on Manchester City, has been instrumental in the club’s recent successes. Under his guidance, Manchester City has secured the champions league title,…

Julian Nagelsmann extends contract with Germany National team. Germany’s national team manager, Julian Nagelsmann, has committed to an extended contract that will see him leading the team until after the 2026 World Cup. Nagelsmann, who took over from Hansi Flick in September 2023, expressed his deep connection to the role, describing it as an immense honor to coach the national team. Under Nagelsmann’s leadership, Germany has seen notable successes, winning three out of six games since his appointment. His initial contract was set to expire in July, coinciding with Euro 2024, which Germany will host. “This is a…

Moses Bako hails Confluence Queens after Super Six qualification Lokoja-based women’s football supporter and stakeholder, Moses Bako Nagogo, has praised Confluence Queens for securing a spot in the 2023/2024 Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership Super Six. Confluence Queens sealed their qualification with a 2-0 victory against Abia Angels on the road. As the chairman of Confluence Queens’ supporters club, Bako commended the club’s management, led by Sabo Okala, the technical team, and the players for their achievement in reaching the Super Six stage. He emphasized that this qualification was a significant milestone for the team, especially considering their…

Bayer Leverkusen remain unbeaten this season as Bundesliga Champions keep treble hope alive. West Ham’s Europa League journey came to an end as Jeremie Frimpong’s late goal denied them a win against new German champions Bayer Leverkusen, maintaining Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak this season. Michail Antonio’s header in the 13th minute gave West Ham hope, trying to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg. Despite dominating early on, they couldn’t breach Leverkusen’s defense again. Frimpong’s equalizer in the 89th minute, aided by a deflection off Aaron Cresswell, preserved Leverkusen’s unbeaten record and set up a semi-final clash with…

Marseille are through to the Europa League semi-finals Marseille secured their spot in the Europa League semi-finals with a thrilling 4-2 penalty shootout victory against Benfica at Stade Velodrome. The decisive moment came from substitute Faris Moumbagna, who netted the lone goal in the second leg after 79 minutes, leveling the aggregate score at 2-2 and forcing the match into extra time. Marseille displayed composure in the penalty shootout, converting all their spot-kicks, while Angel di Maria and Antonio Silva faltered for Benfica. In the upcoming semi-finals, Marseille will face Atalanta, who advanced by defeating Liverpool. …

3:1 Aggregate enough to see Roma Through into the Semi-final following two leg victories against AC Milan. Roma secured their spot in the Europa League semi-finals with a victory over Serie A rivals AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico. The match saw Gianluca Mancini open the scoring for the hosts just 12 minutes in, followed by Paulo Dybala doubling Roma’s lead 10 minutes later, resulting in a 3-1 aggregate win. However, Roma faced challenges as Mehmet Zeki Celik was sent off after a harsh tackle on Rafael Leao, reducing Roma to 10 men. Despite this, Matteo Gabbia managed…

Liverpool’s European Trophy Hopes Dashed by Atalanta Liverpool’s aspirations of bidding farewell to Jurgen Klopp with a European triumph have been dashed as they were unable to overturn a first-leg deficit against Atalanta. Following a 3-0 loss at Anfield last Thursday, the Reds journeyed to Italy but fell short, losing 3-1 on aggregate despite dominating for significant stretches of the game. Mohamed Salah’s early penalty in the seventh minute, awarded after a handball from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross, provided a glimmer of hope. Towards the end of the first half, Salah missed an opportunity to level…

 FA Cup Replays to be Eliminated from First Round Onwards in 2024-25 Competition The Football Association (FA) has announced significant changes to the format of the Emirates FA Cup for the upcoming 2024-25 season. One of the key changes is the elimination of FA Cup replays from the first round onwards, a decision made as part of a new six-year agreement between the FA and the Premier League. In addition to scrapping replays, all rounds of the FA Cup, including the fifth round, will now be played on weekends. This change marks a departure from the previous practice…