Lionel Messi is set to retire from international football following Argentina’s loss to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final on Sunday. For the third successive year, Argentina came up short in a final of a major tournament, following losses in the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa deciders. For Messi, it was his fourth loss in a tournament final – having played in their 2007 Copa defeat to Brazil – with Argentina still without a major trophy in 23 years. The Barcelona star admitted after the game that Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium was set to be his last…
Author: David Folami
England boss Roy Hodgson has insisted he is not unhappy about his attackers’ unconvincing performances at Euro 2016 and has been pleased by their group-stage displays. Hodgson started with Harry Kane up front in England’s opening two games, but dropped the Tottenham man in favour of Jamie Vardy versus Slovakia, while Daniel Sturridge and Marcus Rashford have also had playing time. None have made a huge impression, even if Vardy and Sturridge found the net in the 2-1 win over Wales, but Hodgson sees no reason for concern just yet. “I have always been happy with our strikers this tournament,”…
England captain Wayne Rooney has defended Raheem Sterling in the wake of recent criticism and has stressed the Manchester City winger’s attitude should not be questioned. Sterling has been struggling to find his best form at Euro 2016 and has been on the receiving end of negative comments following his underwhelming performances. Nevertheless, Rooney has made it clear Sterling is doing everything within his power to get back to his best and does not deserve harsh treatment. “Sterling is in a fine state of mind, he’s behaving as ever,” Rooney said at a news conference. “There is no problem whatsoever.…
Southampton forward Sadio Mane will have a medical at Liverpool on Monday after the Reds agreed a £30 million fee for the Senegal international, Press Association Sport reports. Mane, 24, will arrive on Merseyside on Monday to undergo his physical examination and discuss personal terms. Providing there are no hitches a deal is likely to be concluded by Tuesday or Wednesday. Mane, who scored 11 league goals last season, will become manager Jurgen Klopp’s fourth signing after agreeing deals for midfielder Marko Grujic, centre-back Joel Matip and goalkeeper Loris Karius. He is the fifth player in the past three seasons…
England captain Wayne Rooney deserves more plaudits for adapting to a central midfield role, according to his predecessor Steven Gerrard. Rooney has evolved from an out-and-out striker into a deeper lying playmaker over the last year and proved effective in his new position during England’s run to the European Championship knockout stages. However, Gerrard believes that his friend and former England teammate deserves more respect for the transition. “There should be greater appreciation for how he has evolved his game,” Gerrard told the Telegraph. “It is not easy to go from being a striker, to a No. 10 and then a…
Antoine Griezmann scored twice in four minutes as Euro 2016 hosts France came from behind to claim a 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland in Lyon on Sunday. The goal hero said tough half-time words were exchanged at half-time to lay on the last-16 victory that means France face England or Iceland in the Stade de France quarterfinal next Sunday. Paul Pogba brought Shane Long down within seconds of kickoff and Robbie Brady converted the penalty to put the Irish ahead with just two minutes gone. But Griezmann underlined a superb performance as the main strike threat with two…
The Algeria Football Federation have announced Serbian Milovan Rajevac as the new head coach of Les Fennecs. The 62-year-old replaces Christian Gourcuff who left his position in April after a fall-out with the Algerian Federation. Rajevac has had stints with Qatar and was in charge of the Back Stars of Ghana at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa helping them to reach the quarter-finals. The Algerian Football Federation didn’t disclose the details of his contract but it is expected that he will guide the team towards qualifying for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia. Rajevac is also likely…
Eden Hazard scored his first goal of Euro 2016 as Belgium cruised into the quarterfinals with a 4-0 win that ended Hungary’s fairytale campaign. Belgium go into the European Championship quarterfinals for the first time since losing the 1980 final. They were dominant throughout at Stadium de Toulouse after Toby Alderweireld headed them into a 10th minute lead. The Red Devils wasted a series of great chances to finish the game before Michy Batshuayi, with his first touch as a substitute, Hazard and Yannick Carrasco scored in the last 12 minutes. Belgium now battle Wales in Lille, near the French-Belgian…
Jerome Boateng scored his first international goal to set Germany on their way to a 3-0 win against Slovakia at Euro 2016 in Lille on Sunday as the world champions cruised into the quarterfinals. Boateng opened his account eight minutes into his 63rd international appearance and Joachim Loew’s side never looked back against outclassed opponents. Mesut Ozil had a penalty saved soon after but Julian Draxler set up Mario Gomez to double the lead two minutes before half-time and the impressive Draxler then completed the scoring just after the hour mark. There was never any threat of a repeat of…
Holders Chile stunned Argentina to win the Copa America Centenario in a penalty shoot-out on Sunday as Lionel Messi’s title curse struck again. Messi blazed a penalty over the bar in the shoot-out before Lucas Biglia missed to leave Chile’s Francisco Silva with the task of stroking home the winning spot-kick at the MetLife Stadium. It was a carbon copy of last year’s Copa America final, also won by Chile on penalties after a goalless draw. Argentina’s players meanwhile were left disconsolate as they digested a third defeat in a major final following losses to Germany in the 2014 World…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders forum in Ekiti state has slammed the Federal Government for allegedly intimidating and harassing Governor Ayo Fayose. This is following the freezing of his Zenith bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, June 20, 2016. The group also said the freezing of the Governor’s account was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Daily Post reports that the spokesman of the group, a former Deputy Governor in Ekiti state, Chief Paul Alabi said “From all these happenings, it is clear that the APC-led Federal Government is actively using…
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has held the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state responsible for the protest staged against him, calling for his resignation. He said the call for his resignation is “laughable and absolute balder dash.” A coalition of civil society organisations and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties in Ado Ekiti on Friday, June 24, marched in protest against the Governor. Speaking in an interview on Saturday, June 25, through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the Governor alleged that APC stalwarts were behind the protest. On the delay the payment of workers’ salaries in…
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has backed the move by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to freeze the bank account of the Ekiti State Governor, Governor Ayodele Fayose. The group said that the freezing of Fayose’s account was lawful “under section 308 of the 1999 constitution and international law particularly the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.” “The freezing of the account is a preventive measure targeting the rem, which is necessary for the conduct of an effective investigation of allegations of corruption involving former National Security Adviser Sambo Dazuki,” it…
President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to help him beg the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and other militant groups in the region to shealth their sword. The militants, particularly the NDA, have in the past months destroyed oil installations in the oil-rich region. While lamenting the effect of the attacks on oil facilities, Buhari said the country does not need such a distraction at this point in time. He said the militants, who operate with sophisticated equipment, are difficult to relate with because they are in several groups unlike the Boko Haram…
The Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, has commended civil servants in the state for calling-off their four-week old industrial action. Oluwawole also commended the state governor, Mr Ayo Fayose for his maturity and commitment in handling industrial harmony in the state. This is contained in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Mr Stephen Gbadamosi and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday. Oluwawole noted that the desired development of the state could not be achieved in an environment laden with acrimony. “I want to salute our civil servants for their understanding for calling-off the…
The wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has donated food items to members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Gombe. Presenting the items on her behalf in Gombe on Saturday, June 25, the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the last general elections, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, said the items included 2,200 bags of semolina, 100 cartons of macaroni, 300 cartoons of spaghetti and 1,300 cartoons of noodles. Yahaya said the food items which would be distributed to the less privilege was to cushion the effects of the current Ramadan. “People should not look at the quantity of the items but…
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health Dr. Lanre Tejuoso, has blamed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the deteriorated health sector, saying it was the reason President Muhammadu Buhari had to seek medial help abroad for his ear infection. Tejuoso, who represents Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, said the PDP administrations in the past 16 years destroyed the health care system. He stated this in Abeokuta on Monday, June 20, at the sideline of his empowerment programme where he distributed many items including cars to the people of his constituency. He disclosed that Buhari had to travel…
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Muhammad Abdallah, on Saturday said the agency seized drugs worth N22 billion in 2015. This is contained in a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju, made available to newsmen in Lagos. Abdallah, according to the statement, said that the threat of narcotics was real in the country. ”As Nigeria joins the World in marking International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, effort is needed against the threat posed by narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. ”The estimated street value of seized narcotic drugs…
Detained former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, was reportedly attacked in custody by an official of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According to the Director, New Media of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Deji Adeyanju, the EFCC operative who attacked Fani-Kayode was identified as Kabiru Suleiman. “Yes I have verified, Egbon @realFFK was attacked today by 1 idiot who thinks Buhari will rule 4ever. He’s name is Sulaiman from Kebbi State,” Adeyanju wrote on Twitter. It was gathered that the PDP Chieftain was attacked on Saturday, June 25, alongside other detainees for praying. “Matters came to a head on…
Nigerians on Twitter have described the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, as disrespectful for extending a handshake to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, in a photograph that has gone viral. According to reports, the photograph was shared on the official Facebook page of the Alaafin, and was believed to have been taken at an event at University of Maiduguri, Borno State last week. The photograph shows the monarch seemingly refusing to stretch his hands in acceptance of Mrs. Buhari’s handshake. Reacting to the gesture, Governor Ayodele Fayode’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, berated the President’s wife, saying…