The English Football Association has warned clubs about their players’ on-field behavior after what it calls a “scary” rise in the number of cases of referees being surrounded. . Such incidents in the top five divisions have already led to 16 FA charges against clubs, which results in a sliding scale of fines, compared with six cases in each of the previous two seasons. A further 29 warnings have also been issued to clubs this season. . “We have seen a pretty scary increase this season in the number of clubs charged with their players surrounding referees,” FA chairman Greg…
Author: David F.
Glo Premier League side Giwa FC have named FC Sarduana coach Tony Bolus as head coach for the ongoing 2014/15 league season. . Bolus will be assisted by coach Ehis Ediale while the caretaker coach, Aminu Musa, has reverted to his former position as goalkeeper trainer of the Tin City side. . The former FC Abuja coach will lead the Jos-based side in Wednesday’s rescheduled Glo Premier League match day 2 clash against Warri Wolves at the Warri Township Stadium. . Bolus said he is humbled with the great responsibility to lead the side to a successful campaign in the…
Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and Ajax Amsterdam star midfielder Thulani Serero made their return to Bafana Bafana for the upcoming friendly matches against Swaziland and Nigeria. . Khune, who last featured for Bafana Bafana at the 2014 African Nations Championship (Chan), was included in the 30-man squad for the international friendly matches against Swaziland and Nigeria later this month. . Missing out on selection this time around is goalkeeper Darren Keet who has been part of coach Shakes Mashaba’s squad since he took over from Gordon Igesund. Keet has been inactive at his Belgian club and this could be…
The Bolivian Football Federation [FBF] has reportedly pulled out of the international friendly match with Nigeria scheduled for Uyo on March 26. . According to Bolivian newspaper La Razon, the country’s football federation has cited security concerns for opting out of the international friendly match with the Nigerians. . “The armed conflict in Nigeria has forced the cancellation of the game,” said president of the FBF, Carlos Chavez, in a press conference in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. . La Razon had earlier reported that the Bolivian FA was engaged in talks on how to withdraw from the friendly “with…
Monaco desperately held on to qualify for the Champions League quarterfinals after a desperate fightback from Arsenal on Tuesday fell just short at the expense of away goals after the tie finished 3-3 on aggregate. . Arsene Wenger, who was returning to the club he led to the French title in 1991, looked on as his valiant side almost completed the greatest comeback in Champions League history. . A 2-0 Arsenal victory at a packed Louis II stadium was one goal short after a first-half strike from Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey’s goal with 11 minutes left set up a…
Atletico Madrid progressed to the Champions League quarterfinals for the second successive season after squeezing past Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 on penalties after the scores were locked at 1-1 on aggregate. . The Spanish champions won 1-0 on the night thanks to Mario Suarez’s deflected first-half strike in 120 minutes short on clear-cut chances. . And after a topsy turvy shootout including five missed penalties, Stefan Kiessling blazed Leverkusen’s final effort over the bar to hand Atletico a place in the last eight. . Atletico boss Diego Simeone sprung a huge surprise prior to kick-off by handing on-loan Villarreal midfielder Cani…
Kano Pillars head coach, Okey Emordi has said it will be difficult to prosecute the Caf Champions League clash at Moroccan champions, Moghreb Athletic de Tetouan (MAT) without his key injured players. . The Nigerian champions were involved in an armed robbery attack on the outskirt of Abuja on their way to Owerri for Glo Premier League match day opener at Heartland on Saturday which saw five key players namely Gambo Mohammed, Eneji Otekpe, Adamu Murtala, Moses Ubong Ekpai and Reuben Ogbonnaya hospitalized after the ugly incidence. . The Pyramid City are expected to depart the nation’s shore on Thursday…
Arsenal’s FA Cup quarterfinal at Manchester United on Monday will revive bitter memories for manager Arsene Wenger who says he is still spooked by a Ryan Giggs wonder goal in 1999. . Giggs scored one of the most memorable goals ever in the competition’s long history when he weaved his way through Arsenal’s defence in extra time to deliver a knockout blow in a semifinal replay at Villa Park. . Arsenal’s Dennis Bergkamp had missed a penalty in the last minute of normal time with the score 1-1. . United went on to complete a treble but Wenger says that…
Arsenal’s FA Cup quarterfinal at Manchester United on Monday will revive bitter memories for manager Arsene Wenger who says he is still spooked by a Ryan Giggs wonder goal in 1999. . Giggs scored one of the most memorable goals ever in the competition’s long history when he weaved his way through Arsenal’s defence in extra time to deliver a knockout blow in a semifinal replay at Villa Park. . Arsenal’s Dennis Bergkamp had missed a penalty in the last minute of normal time with the score 1-1. . United went on to complete a treble but Wenger says that…
The stage is set for a battle for points as Ghana meets South Africa on day 2 of the Africa U-20 Championship. . A promising encounter beckons as both sides have set the strong target of advancing from Group B which automatically qualifies a team to participate in the Fifa U-20 World Cup later in the year in New Zealand. . South Africa are into their 5th appearance with their best finish being runners-up of the 1997 edition in Morocco. In their build-up to the finals, the Amajitas defeated Ghana on penalties after a 1-1 score line in regulation time.…
Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga for the first time since early November as Lionel Messi struck his 32nd hat-trick for the club in a 6-1 thrashing of 10-man Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. . Champions Atletico Madrid remain seven points off the top, though, after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Valencia at the Vicente Calderon. . Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday handed Barca the chance to overtake the European champions and Luis Suarez wasted no time in taking advantage as he slotted home his sixth goal in as many games. .…
Liverpool were left frustrated by Championship side Blackburn Rovers who defended heroically to draw 0-0 at Anfield on Sunday and force a replay in their FA Cup quarterfinal. . After an even first half Liverpool dominated the second period but wave after wave of attack was thwarted by a Blackburn side who had already accounted for Premier League sides Swansea City and Stoke City in the two previous rounds. . Kolo Toure headed against a post, while Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling failed to break down their second tier visitors despite relentless pressure. . Aston Villa – who…
Head coach of Nigeria’s U20 football team, Manu Garba has expressed satisfaction with his charges’ 3-1 win over Senegal in the opening game of this year’s Africa U-20 championship in Senegal. . Goals from Ifeanyi Matthew and Taiwo Awoniyi who bagged a brace, saw the Nigerian side cruise to a straightforward 3-1 victory over the Senegalese at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar. . The Flying Eagles seemed to run out of steam in the second half following a blistering start to the game but Manu stressed that winning their first game was more important than the actual performance. .…
Amajita coach Thabo Senong says he is confident Amajita will reach the last four of the CAF African Youth championships and qualify for the World Cup scheduled for New Zealand in two months’ time. . The National Under 20 Men’s team are in the same group with Ghana whom they meet tomorrow, Monday 9 March at (16h30) 18h30 SA time in a resort village of Saly, together with mali and Zambia. . After playing Ghana, South Africa next meet mali on Thursday, 12 March before rounding off their group stage assignments against Zambia on Sunday, 15 March in Dakar. .…
Around one third of the 70 500 tickets for this year’s Champions League final in Berlin will be reserved for football officials, sponsors and corporate hospitality, Uefa said on Tuesday. . European soccer’s governing body said 20 000 tickets would be allocated to supporters of each of the two finalists, with another 6 000 going on sale to neutral fans via Uefa’s website. . “As usual, fans and the general public are being allocated the majority of the tickets for the final,” Uefa said in a statement. . “The remaining tickets are allocated to the local organising committee, Uefa and national associations, commercial…
Team Ghana are set for the AYC in Senegal after wrapping up preparation on Wednesday. . The team defeated Danish lower side Ringobing IF 2-1 in their final pre-tournament warm-up game played on Tuesday. . The Satellites have been camping in Antayla, Turkey, for the past two weeks and played their first friendly with Azerbaijan which they won 2-1. . “We have enjoyed good hospitality since arriving here and I must say the players have really enjoyed the training tour here because everything was in order,” said Kingsley Osei Bonsu, Vice Chairman of the Black Satellites management committee. . He…
Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis suffered a serious health scare that overshadowed Tottenham’s 3-2 win at White Hart Lane on Wednesday. . Gomis collapsed and needed treatment for several minutes before being rushed to hospital for tests. . The south Wales club later revealed that France international Gomis was in a stable condition, but the incident marred an otherwise entertaining encounter. . Determined to make up for their lacklustre League Cup final loss against Chelsea on Sunday, Mauricio Pochettino’s side took a quick lead through Nacer Chadli. . South Korea midfielder Ki Sung-yueng equalised after Gomis’s collapse. . But Ryan Mason…
Manchester United moved a step closer to Champions League qualification as Ashley Young’s 89th-minute goal clinched a dramatic 1-0 win against Newcastle on Wednesday. . Louis van Gaal’s team looked set to lose ground on their rivals in the race for the top four places until Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul gifted Young his first goal in 14 months with just a minute to go at St James’ Park. . The match was heading towards United’s eighth league draw of the season before Wayne Rooney made a late break and Krul could only divert his attempted clearance to Young, who coolly…
Goals from Victor Moses and Mame Diouf lifted Stoke to a 2-0 win over Everton and up into eighth in the Premier League on Wednesday. . The win kept Mark Hughes side on target for their highest ever league finish, last season’s ninth with 50 points. . The Potters are already on 42 points with 10 games of the season remaining. . However, the defeat leaves Everton struggling to avoid getting involved in a battle for survival as they have just one win from their last 12 league outings. . This loss left them in 14th but just six points…
Holders Bayern Munich struck either side of the break to beat second division Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0 on Wednesday and advance to the German Cup quarterfinals. . A dazzling free kick by David Alaba on the stroke of halftime and Mario Goetze’s solo effort in the 57th minute were enough for Bayern, who were in control but never needed to hit top form against their toothless visitors. . The Bavarians, top of the Bundesliga and chasing another domestic double, were up against a gutsy Braunschweig defence, with winger Franck Ribery frustrated in the first half by Braunschweig’s physical play. . Arjen…