Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Andrea Cambiaso’s scrappy goal in the 96th minute earned Juventus a last-gasp win over Hellas Verona to send the Turin club to the top of the table. The relief was palpable for Juve after an evening when Moise Kean twice saw goals disallowed by the video assistant referee on a hugely frustrating night for the otherwise lively forward. Kean’s first, well-finished after a brilliant solo move, was ruled out for an extremely tight offside as he came back to receive the ball earlier in the move. And his second, well-finished after the break, was ruled out for a foul by…

Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the Bundesliga season as 10-man Bayern Munich bounced back from a goalless first 45 minutes to beat nine-man Darmstadt 8-0 on a wild afternoon at the Allianz Arena. Joshua Kimmich was sent off after just four minutes, but red cards for Klaus Gjasula and Matej Maglica ensured the hosts had the man advantage at the break, the first time three men have ever been sent off in the first half of a German top-flight encounter. Kane broke the deadlock six minutes after the restart but it was his second goal, a magnificent effort…

Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, has terminated the appointments of some of his aides. The National Secretary of the party, Malam Umar Farouk, confirmed this in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday, stating that all appointments related to elections and campaigns have been dissolved. The statement made available to newsmen revealed the appointees sacked by Abure to include Mr Mandela Ukegbu, Chairman of Labour Party Presidential Campaign Committee on Special Duties; Engineer Balami Isaac David, Senior Special Assistant on Presidential Campaign, Fund Raising and Grassroot Mobilization; Didacus Joe-Adigwe, Senior Special Adviser on Strategy, Protocol and International Relations; Princess…

Jude Bellingham lived up to his billing on El Clasico debut, bagging a stunning brace including a 91st-minute winner to write an impossible Real Madrid comeback and sink a determined Barcelona who were better for most of the game. It was a game with lots of aggression but few chances, especially in the first half, and both goals seemingly came from nowhere with Ilkay Gundogan picking the perfect time to score his first goal for the Catalan club. He gave Xavi’s side the lead just six minutes in after Aurelien Tchouameni inadvertently sent the perfect through-ball into his own box,…

The Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has revealed that the ongoing quick-fix project at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited, KRPC, will be back on stream by the end of 2024. The Minister disclosed this during an inspection tour of Kaduna Refinery & Petrochemicals while assessing the progress of work on the ongoing quick-fix project of the Refinery in Kaduna on Saturday. Lokpobiri said he is confident that the refinery will be restreamed by the end of 2024, considering the “significant level of progress” he has witnessed on the tour. The Minister, who…

Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick as Arsenal breezed past bottom club Sheffield United 5-0. The Gunners saw plenty of the ball from the outset and broke through on 28 minutes when Nketiah expertly collected a cross from behind his body, then slotted home. Nketiah doubled the advantage five minutes into the second half, slamming in from close range, then blasted a 25-yard shot into the top corner to complete his hat-trick in style. Fabio Vieira scored a late penalty, having won the spot kick himself, before Takehiro Tomiyasu netted from a stoppage time corner to complete the rout. The resounding…

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, are on a project inspection visit to the Kaduna refinery. The duo arrived at the facility earlier in the day to inspect work progress on the ongoing quick-fix project at the refinery. Aside from the project inspection, Lokpobiri and the Kyari are also in Kaduna for the 14th Refineries Rehabilitation Steering Committee meeting, this platform learned. The refinery project is linked with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Ministry of Petroleum and NNPCL to fix the nation’s moribund refineries…

Nigerian sprinter, Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha has been banned for three years for doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Friday, October 27. Nwokocha who won gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, tested positive for Ostarine and Ligandrol in a sample collected on 3 August 2022. She has reportedly admitted to the doping violation and accepted the sanction of a three-year ban. She has also been stripped of her gold medal from the Commonwealth Games. The statement by the AIU reads: “The AIU, the Athlete and the World Anti-Doping Agency (“the Parties”) subsequently entered into a Case…

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s led government of Lagos State has reopened Alaba International Market and some markets at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo. The Lagos State Government had earlier shut down the markets over poor waste disposal, failure to pay waste bills, and other environmental violations. In a statement, however, on Saturday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that the decision to reopen the markets was made after a thorough evaluation and implementation of strict environmental standards. He further clarified that the markets were reopened only after the environmental concerns had been resolved, dismissing any suggestions of political motives behind…

Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, is currently on a tour of the Third Mainland Bridge and other bridges in Lagos State. Umahi embarked on the tour with officials of the Ministry led by the Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha. The first port of call for the Minister was the Third Mainland Bridge which he inspected by ferry from the under water. Other federal bridges inspected in Lagos are Carter Bridge, Onikan/Bonny Camp, among others. The inspection is still ongoing as of the time of filing this report. It was meant to check the status…

Bryan Mbeumo and Ethan Pinnock were on target as Brentford won 2-0 at Chelsea to triumph at Stamford Bridge for a historic third season in a row and end the Blues’ recent revival. Mauricio Pochettino’s home side had dominated the first 45 and carved out a series of good openings, but could not find the breakthrough with Noni Madueke going closest with a shot that came back off the frame of the goal. Brentford defended for their lives at times but offered more of a threat following the interval with Vitaly Janelt firing straight at Robert Sanchez from 15 yards…

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has begun his 10-month ban from football after Fifa extended the ban worldwide. The 23-year-old was banned by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Thursday for breaching betting rules. The FIGC said Tonali will also participate in “a therapeutic plan” to help “recovery from gambling addiction”. A Newcastle statement said the Italy international will be able to return to competitive football on 7 August 2024. Newcastle manager boss Eddie Howe said on Friday morning that Tonali was in contention to play against Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday as the club had not received confirmation of…