Flying Eagles wrap up tour of Germany with win against Freiburg U23

 

Coach Manu Garba’s team made it three wins from three games as they spanked the German Bundesliga youth outfit in a test game played on Tuesday afternoon

Nigeria U20 side spanked FC Freiburg U23 4-1 in a friendly game played at the SudwestPark training ground on Tuesday afternoon.

Goals from Ibrahim Al Hassan, Godwin Saviour, Ifeanyi Mathew and Usman Saleh were all the reigning African youth champions to get their third win in their foreign training tour to the European nation.

Al Hassan who did not make the final squad for the Fifa U20 World Cup gave the Nigeria U20 team the curtain raiser in the 36th minute – a goal which gave them the lead heading into the half time break.

On resumption of the second half, the trio of Saviour, Mathew and Usman completed the rout with the hosts finding the back of the net once.

With this win, Manu Garba’s side have now scored 14 goals in three games and are expected to leave for the Fifa U20 World Cup billed for New Zealand next week.

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Sharapova prevails

Russian third seed Maria Sharapova came from a set down to beat Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 4-6 7-5 6-1 and win third italian open title.
Suarez Navarro, the world number 10, battled hard in the first two sets but ran out of energy in the decider.

Her best chance came at 5-5 in the second set but Sharapova finished the set with eight straight points.
The Russian capitalised on her opponent's weakness in the third set as she swept to a 35th career crown.

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Messi seals title for Barcelona

 

Lionel Messi struck a second-half winner against Atletico Madrid as Barcelona beat Real Madrid to the Primera Division title.

The Catalan side dominated for the majority of the first half but took until the 65th minute to open the scoring and clinch the three points needed to seal their 23rd Spanish crown with a game to go.

Barca had goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to thank for holding the hosts at bay as they held on in the second half, when efforts from Messi and Neymar could have instead doubled their margin of victory.

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Okagbare wins 100m in Shanghai Diamond League

            

Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare easily outpaced a star-studded field, including highly-decorated Jamaican sprinters Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown in the Shanghai Diamond League 100 metres race today, producing a season’s best 10.98 seconds.

Campbell-Brown came in fourth and Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce fifth.

The result is a blow for Fraser-Pryce in her first 100m of the season, only weeks before she defends her 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay titles in the Chinese capital.

“The feeling is OK,” the 28-year-old said after the race. “I am looking forward to my next race. What comes, comes.”

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Spain name Torres, Costa and Villa in World Cup squad

 

Experienced strikers Fernando Torres and David Villa were both included in Vicente del Bosque’s final 23-man World Cup squad on Saturday as he sought to cover Diego Costa’s injured hamstring.

Brazil-born Atletico Madrid striker Costa has battled an ongoing hamstring problem that limited him to just nine minutes in the Champions League final defeat to city rivals Real, a week after he was forced off 15 minutes into his side’s La Liga title decider with Barcelona.
 
Del Bosque also left strikers Jesus Navas, Alvaro Negredo and Fernando Llorente, midfielder Ander Iturraspe, and defenders Alberto Moreno and Dani Carvajal out of his squad, the six having been named in his initial 30-man list.

Defending champions Spain face Chile, the Netherlands and Australia in World Cup Group B. Their first match pits them on June 13 against the Netherlands — their opponents in their 2010 World Cup final triumph.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Manuel Reina (Napoli/ITA), David De Gea (Manchester United/ENG)
Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich/GER), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea/ENG), Raul Albiol (Napoli/ITA), Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), David Silva (Manchester City/ENG), Koke Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal/ENG), Juan Mata (Manchester United/ENG)
Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), David Villa (Atletico Madrid), Fernando Torres (Chelsea/ENG)

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Super Eagles Land In Ethopia

The Nigerian national team arrived in Addis Ababa on Saturday morning for Sunday’s 2014 World Cup qualifying first leg play-off match against Ethiopia.

Their chartered Ethiopian Airlines plane touched down at the Bole International Airport at 8:50am with a delegation which included government officials, members of the Nigeria Football Federation, Nigeria Supporters Club and press.

Players of the national team were warmly received by locals at the airport as they made their way to the team bus and onwards to their hotel.

There were chants of ‘Moses’ and ‘Mikel’ from among the pack of locals that welcomed them at the airport as they sought for photographs with the Nigerian stars.

The Nigerian supporters’ delegation also filled the air with jolly good Nigerian music as they announced their arrival for the crucial World Cup qualifier.

The 100 supporters from Nigeria will do battle against a partisan home crowd expected to be 40,000 in the National Stadium.

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Happy Independence Day Nigeria!

While wishing you a happy 53rd Independence Day celebration, we would like you to tell us what your hopes and aspirations are for Nigerian football.

What would you like to change in Nigerian football?

You can use the comments section below 

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Mata & Luiz in line for Chelsea return against Swindon

 

Jose Mourinho is set to hand starts to Juan Mata and David Luiz for Chelsea's Capital One Cup tie against Swindon on Tuesday.

The duo have been on the fringes of Mourinho's side this season and were left out of Chelsea's matchday squad against Fulham on Saturday.

MATA MUST PROVE ME WRONG - MOURINHO

Fernando Torres, Michael Essien, Willian, Ryan Bertrand and Cesar Azpilicueta are also in line to feature against the League One outfit and Mourinho believes it is a chance for players to stake their place for a regular role.

“Against Swindon it will probably be good to play with some of these boys to get them confidence if we play well,” the Chelsea manager told reporters.

“It is the type of game that can betray you. It can give you confidence or take your confidence.

“Naturally I have to make some changes and wait for some players to say, ‘I am you first choice – compulsory’.

"Some of the others when they don’t have strong effective performances, it’s normal we have some doubts. This is the process.”

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Family Celebrates Mikels First Ever EPL Goal in Jos

Nigerian midfielder Mikel Obi scored his first-ever goal in the English Premier League (EPL) for Chelsea FC seven years after joining the premiership on Saturday and it was celebrated by his entire family.
The goal was scored during Chelsea FC’s match against Fulham at Stamford Bridge, the club’s home grounds.

Mikel struck in the 84th minute, giving the North London club a 2-0 derby win over Martin Jol’s Fulham in week five of the league.

Ebere Obi, Mikel’s elder brother, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the whole family was excited at the first-ever goal.

“I feel great, it is a thing of joy for him to be playing for a club like Chelsea, playing week-in, week-out, without scoring.

“But he kept on working and hoping that one day, he will score and now, he has made it, I’m so happy for that,’’ Ebere said.

Ebere, a second-choice goalkeeper with Heartland FC of Owerri, added that there was a lot of merriment at home on Saturday as the Obi family saw the goal as a thing to celebrate.
Chelsea’s Manager, Jose Mourinho, said after the match that it was good for the Nigerian midfielder and for the club, adding that it will add to his confidence.

“Good for him, good for us. It’s good for his confidence. He played well, giving balance to the team,’’ Mourinho said.
Mourinho added that Mikel’s first EPL goal would definitely spark a flurry of congratulations for him.

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