The celebrations came down after Hull City’s 1-0 home win over Liverpool on Tuesday but the champagne will be kept on ice after manager Steve Bruce said they need more than their 34 points to stay in the Premier League. . Michael Dawson’s first-half goal and some solid defending helped Hull to a second successive victory, after they beat Crystal Palace at the weekend, and moved them up to 15th in the table, four points clear of the relegation zone. . “It is a great victory – make no bones about it. But we have still got a bit to…
Author: David F.
It was a chance telephone call to NFF media man Ademola Olajire that presented me with the chance to ask if I could have audience with the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick. . It was a long shot as I did not think Pinnick would agree and Olajire was leaving London the following day. As it happened I was asked to come to the Maida Vale area and I merrily went along. . I eventually met with Pinnick at his London apartment for a quick chat that touched on a number of subjects, especially the new kit…
Bayern Munich’s hopes of winning 3 trophies in one season were ended on Tuesday after losing 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund on penalties as their German Cup semifinal finished 1-1 after extra-time. . Having been crowned German league champions on Sunday, Bayern missed all four of their spot-kicks to put Dortmund in the German Cup final on May 30. . Bayern – who did win the treble of European, Cup and Bundesliga titles in 2013 – can still win the Champions League and face Barcelona next Wednesday in the semifinal, first-leg. . “The shoot-out had a stupid start, it summed up…
Barcelona’s star front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar brought up multiple of goals in all competitions as the Catalans moved five points clear at the top of La Liga with a stunning 6-0 humbling of Getafe on Tuesday. . All three were on target inside 28 minutes as Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot before teeing up Suarez to volley home and Neymar was left with the simple task of registering the 100th goal between the trio from Suarez’s pass. . Xavi Hernandez then curled home a stunning fourth before Suarez made it 5-0 with…
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is refusing to cancel out their chances of finishing in the top four of the Premier League after their 1-0 defeat at Hull City. . However, it is significant that he is already planning how to strengthen his team ahead of next season. . Rodgers is realistic enough to know that their Champions League ambitions are surely over as they lie seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester United with an inferior goal difference and only four games to play. . A place in the Europa League is also far from assured, underlining why Rodgers is under pressure…
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said his team lacked the killer instinct after performing poorly for the second straight game in a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Hull City on Tuesday. . A Michael Dawson goal put the hosts ahead in the first half, as the central defender made the most of a terrible offside trap to head home a cross from the right. . Although Liverpool pushed forward in numbers as the match wore on they never looked like breaking down Hull’s massed defensive ranks. . “We just lacked that killer instinct in the final third. We are disappointed with…
AC Milan’s players have been forced to attend an indefinite training camp by furious coach Filippo Inzaghi following their dismal performance in Saturday’s 2-1 Serie A defeat at Udinese. . The players were allowed home after an additional practice session on Sunday morning but ordered to return in the evening for the so-called “ritiro”, the Italian word for the practice of confining players to the team’s headquarters. . “The team will meet up again at Milanello (Milan’s training ground) for dinner, beginning the ‘ritiro’ for real,” said Milan in a statement. . “The duration of the ‘ritiro’ has not been…
Juventus will have to wait at least a few more days before they can celebrate winning a fourth consecutive Serie A title as Massimiliano Allegri’s side lost 2-1 to city rivals Torino on Sunday. . Fresh from winning through to their first Champions League semifinal in 12 years after beating Monaco in midweek, Juve took their eye off the ball domestically and suffered a second defeat in three Serie A matches. . “All we had to do is be patient,” Allegri said after Juve’s first derby loss in 20 years. . “We were ahead, why would we run after that…
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola said on Friday he was he glad to have been drawn alongside his former club Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals and expected the face-off to be a special experience for him. . The Spaniard, a long-time Barca player, won 14 trophies in a four-year spell as head coach at the Nou Camp from 2008, including two Champions League titles. . Bayern midfielder Thiago Alcantara, lured to Bayern by Guardiola last season, is also a Barcelona youth product. . “Everyone understands how special this game is for me, for Thiago and my staff,” Guardiola, who…
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has signed a contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as head coach of the Nigerian men’s senior national team, the Super Eagles. . Keshi, who first took charge of the Super Eagles in 2011, led the side to unexpected success at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. . He also guided the team to a round of 16 finish at the 2014 Fifa World Cup finals in Brazil before his contract lapsed. . The ‘Big Boss’ then masterminded Nigeria’s ultimately futile bid to reach the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea…
Legendary Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has insisted he wants another boss to surpass his fantastic record of silverware at Old Trafford. . The Scot oversaw the arrival of 38 trophies in his 27 years in charge of United before retiring in 2013 and, having also won 11 more competitions during his preceding career in Scotland, Ferguson is the most successful manager in British football history. . But Ferguson insisted he wanted to see his United record eclipsed, telling the Sunday People: “We had a wonderful run of success when I was here and we won a lot of…
Manchester United’s top-four aspirations suffered a setback as Louis van Gaal’s side were blown away 3-0 by clinical Everton in the Premier League on Sunday. First-half goals from James McCarthy and John Stones put hosts Everton in control at Goodison Park and substitute Kevin Mirallas sealed victory late on to push Everton into the top half of the table for the first time this season. Fourth-placed United enjoyed 65 percent of possession but lacked any real cutting edge with striker Radamel Falcao’s frustration complete when he had a well-taken consolation goal disallowed for offside. Defeat, following last week’s reverse against…
Chelsea midfielder Oscar was rushed to the hospital for scans after hurting himself in a collision with Gunners goalkeeper David Ospina during Sunday’s 0-0 draw, manager Jose Mourinho revealed. . Ospina clattered into Oscar after the Brazil playmaker had lobbed a shot over him mid-way through the first half at the Emirates Stadium, leaving the Chelsea player flat on his back. . After receiving treatment he returned to the fray, but was taken off at halftime, with Didier Drogba going on. . “He went to the hospital at halftime. So we are waiting,” Mourinho told his post-game press conference. .…
Louis van Gaal accused his Manchester United players of being out-fought in a 3-0 scandalous defeat at Everton on Sunday that left the Premier League top-four door slightly open for Liverpool. . Victory at Goodison Park would have all but guaranteed a return to the Champions League for United after this season’s absence from Europe but they were picked off by a clinical Everton side despite hogging possession. . A breakaway goal after five minutes by James McCarthy put Everton ahead and they doubled their lead before halftime with a glancing header from John Stones. . Kevin Mirallas fired Everton’s…
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal may still have a mathematical chance of lifting the Premier League but he himself conceded it was now “impossible” for Chelsea not to finish as champions following the London rivals’ 0-0 stalemate on Sunday. . The result at the Emirates Stadium leaves Chelsea, who have five games remaining, top on 77 points, 10 clear of champions Manchester City, who have four games left, and Arsenal, who also have five to play. . If Chelsea win at Leicester City on Wednesday, the only team that can still theoretically catch the leaders are Arsenal, but Wenger admitted he did…
Bayern Munich were pronounced German champions for the 25th time on Sunday as Wolfsburg’s 1-0 defeat at Borussia Moenchengladbach meant Pep Guardiola’s Bavarians can no longer be reached. . Gladbach’s Germany striker Max Kruse sent the title to Munich as his 90th-minute winning goal at Borussia Park saw Bayern finish the weekend with an unassailable 15 point-lead with four games left. . Bayern had picked up their 24th victory in 30 league games on Saturday when Bastian Schweinsteiger’s late goal sealed a 1-0 home win over Hertha Berlin at the Allianz Arena. . “It’s already something just to have defended…
Chicharito a.k.a Javier Hernandez scored a brace as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Celta Vigo 4-2 away and keep the pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Sunday. . The Mexican forward is only in the side due to a Real injury crisis but followed up the goal that knocked Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League last Wednesday with a strike in both halves. . Toni Kroos slotted in the equaliser after 16 minutes following the opener by Celta winger Nolito and then Hernandez finished clinically after 24 minutes. . In a pulsating game,…
Chelsea FC will have to save the champagne for later after their seemingly inevitable progress towards the Premier League title was hampered by a goalless draw away to Arsenal on Sunday. . Had they beaten their London rivals at the Emirates Stadium, Jose Mourinho’s men would have travelled to Leicester City on Wednesday knowing that victory over the resurgent Foxes would have been enough to secure Chelsea’s first English title since 2010. . However, a win on Wednesday will set Chelsea up to take the Premier League trophy in front of their own fans should they also beat Crystal Palace…
Englishman Ashley Young says Manchester United will aim to secure second spot in the Premier League with five “cup final” displays in their remaining games. . United are a point behind second-placed Arsenal, who have played one match fewer, but Young is confident Louis van Gaal’s third placed side can overtake the Gunners and finish as runners-up behind likely champions Chelsea. . “Everybody is confident in the team that we can finish as high as we can,” Young said ahead of United’s trip to Everton on Sunday. . “Second place is still there for us to take and we just…
Chelsea’s trip to east london this Sunday is being billed as a Premier League title decider, but in reality it is likely to have more of a bearing next season. . With 11 wins and two defeats since the turn of the year, Arsenal have amassed more points per game in 2015 than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues, but still they trail Chelsea by 10 points. . Chelsea will be champions if they beat Arsenal and win at Leicester City on Wednesday, but even though defeat on Sunday would probably only delay their coronation, it could herald…