GLOBAL ASSOCIATION NEWS
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FIFA President, Gianni Infantino has threatened to not broadcast the Women’s World Cup in five European countries
unless TV companies improve their rights offers.
Infantino said “disappointing” offers from the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France were a “slap in the face” of the players
and “all women worldwide”.
He added that it was FIFA’s “moral and legal obligation not to undersell” the event.
The World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, starts twentieth July.
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NIGERIA
Ahead of today’s second game against Morocco at the ongoing Under-seventeen AFCON in Algeria, Nigeria Football
Federation, has charged the Golden Eaglets to go for a win as they bid to book an early spot to the tournament’s quarter-
finals at five in the evening Nigerian time.
Its President, Ibrahim Gusau, said the team must go all out against Morocco to achieve victory and bounce back to the top
of the group.
As a 12-nation tournament, the top two teams in each of the three groups will advance to the quarter-finals, alongside the
best two third-place teams.
The four semi-finalists will also automatically qualify as Africa’s representatives to this year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup finals.
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Meanwhile, the Confederation of Africa Football has named Malian official Ousmane Diakate as referee for today’s clash
between Nigeria and Morocco in Constantine.
Queency Clodia Victoire from Mauritius will be assistant referee 1, Cape Verde’s Djêry Gomes Lopes is assistant referee
2, while Ben Amisy Tsimanohitsy from Madagascar will serve as fourth official.
Negash Teklit Negassi from Eritrea is the match commissioner, with Raphael Evehe Divine from Cameroon the referee
assessor and Gabonese Eric Otogo Castane is general coordinator.
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Flying Eagles Head Coach, Ladan Bosso has hailed some of his foreign-based players to the FIFA Under-twenty World
Cup tournament.
The coach singled out his two Italy-based stars, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Victor Eletu who play for the youth sides of
Inter Milan and AC Milan in Serie A.
The Flying Eagles have up to twelve foreign-based players in the provisional squad for the FIFA Under-twenty World Cup
in Argentina.
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The Interim Management Committee, IMC has insisted that the Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL Super Six will go
ahead as planned this month.
Its chief operating officer, Davidson Owumi, acknowledged that Rivers United’s fixtures will affect their proposed schedule
but remained optimistic that the league could end in May as planned.
According to the IMC calendar, the regular season is expected to conclude fourteenth May.
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Remo Stars head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede is confident his side can pull an away win against Plateau United in the
Nigeria Premier Football League this weekend.
Ogunmodede said his team is working hard to secure a place in the season-ending Super Six competition.
The Sky Blues will travel to Jos to take on the Peace Boys in a matchday seventeen encounter at the New Jos Stadium.
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Twenty-seven International and Six Local Squash players are participating in the forthcoming Lagos International Squash
Classics holding at the Molade-Okoya Thomas Indoor Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, from nineth to thirteenth
May.
According to the Lagos State Squash Association, players are expected from England, Egypt, Iraq, France, Hong Kong
and Germany, among other countries.
Its Chairman, Tomi Falase, says the upcoming international squash classic would give exposure to players and improve
their competitive skills.
INSERT; SPORTS (1) 02-05-2023 18SECS
CUEIN:Preparation is ongoing…
CUEOUT:…are prepared.
Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Oluwatoyin Gafaar states that the forthcoming games is part of the
strategic mandate of the Commission for the development of grassroots sports.
Gafaar charges Lagos Squash players to put in their best in order to excel and do the State proud by coming tops at the
games.
INSERT; SPORTS (2) 02-05-2023 23SECS
CUEIN:The message is……..
CUEOUT:…ever ready.
They made this known while speaking on the forthcoming Lagos International Squash Classics.
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Asaba will host the best of Nigeria’s Women Football League, the Super Six tournament, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium
from fifth to twelfth May.
According to Director General, Delta State Sports Commission, Christopher Anazia, the Admiralty University Sports
Complex, Ibusa, has been designated as the second venue for the tournament.
He listed the six participating teams as the host state’s team, Delta Queens, Bayelsa Queens and Rivers Angels from
Group A, FC Robo, Edo Queens and Confluence Queens from Group B.
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The President of Nigeria Mixed Martial Arts Federation Henry George has lauded Nigerian woman police fighter, Juliet
Ukah, for emerging as the latest African EFC Mixed Martial Arts champion.
Ukah extended her winning streak in the competition as she dominated South Africa’s Crystal Van Wyk in the strawweight
clash as she won the EFC 102 fourteenth April.
The Nigerian police officer left scars on Van Wyk’s face before winning the fight by unanimous decision. Ukah now has her
sights set on the strawweight title that is currently held by Alice Ardelean.
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Senegal reached the quarterfinals of the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history after
thrashing hosts Algeria 3-0 at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.
In the previous two times they have played in the tournament, the Teranga Cubs bowed out at the group stage, but this
year, they have shown an impressive improvement, with their second win in Group A to move to six points.
They become the first team to make the last eight, while hosts Algeria, will now need to win their last group match against
Congo to qualify for the quarterfinals automatically.
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ENGLAND
Arsenal has delivered an emphatic warning that they remain serious title contenders as the team outclassed abysmal
Chelsea at Emirates Stadium to return to the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners had gone four league games without a win and heavily beaten last time out at reigning champions
Manchester City, who replaced them at the summit with victory at Fulham.
Arsenal responded by producing a magnificent first-half display, racing into a three-nil lead inside thirty-four minutes
courtesy of two crisp strikes by captain Martin Odegaard and a scrambled finish by Gabriel Jesus.
Chelsea, who fell to a sixth straight loss under interim manager Frank Lampard, pulled one back through Noni Madueke.
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Chelsea Interim manager, Frank Lampard has warned it will take more than an “overnight” fix to turn around the Blues’ torrid
form.
It was their sixth consecutive defeat with the Blues now twelve in the Premier League table, nine points above the
relegation places.
Meanwhile, former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher said the club is an absolute mess at the moment.
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been charged by the Football Association for his comments about referee Paul
Tierney after his side’s four-three win against Tottenham.
The German, who regretted the headlines created by his comments, said Tierney appears to have something “against” his
team.
The FA alleged Klopp’s comments constitute “improper conduct”.
Klopp has until Friday to respond to the charge.
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Leeds United have sacked director of football Victor Orta after their four-one defeat to Bournemouth.
Orta who joined the club from Middlesbrough in 2017, received heavy criticism from supporters in recent weeks after their
dire run of form under Javi Gracia.
Leeds confirmed the Spaniard had left the club in a statement on Tuesday.
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Former Liverpool prospect Andre Wisdom has admitted that his football career ‘was not the same’ after he was stabbed in
an attack by an armed gang.
The defender, who was playing for Derby at the time, was stabbed in the head and buttocks by the gang who stole his
watch.
Opening up on the incident, Wisdom revealed that the attack took place after a party when he refused to hand over the
watch after he was confronted by ‘five guys with knives’.
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Manchester City star, Jack Grealish has donated five thousand pounds towards the funeral of an Aston Villa fan who
passed away.
Aston Villa season ticket holder Shawn Francis, who was expecting his first child with his partner Danielle which is due in
July, was tragically found dead at the age of twenty-nine.
A donation page has been set up to cover the costs of the funeral and to help raise the baby.
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Former Manchester United defender, Gary Neville has insisted Tottenham cannot sell Harry Kane this summer despite the
fact they could lose him on a free transfer next year.
Kane continues to be a talisman for the club and helped to inspire a stunning comeback from three-nil down against
Liverpool, before Ryan Mason’s side eventually succumbed to Diogo Jota’s last-gasp winner.
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Chelsea forward, Kai Havertz has revealed his surprise at Thomas Tuchel’s sacking earlier this season as he delivered a
damning verdict on Chelsea’s miserable campaign.
Bayern Munich boss Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea just seven games into the season at a time when they were sitting
sixth in the Premier League, and had made a poor start in the Champions League.
Since then, the Blues have axed Graham Potter and installed Frank Lampard until the end of the season.
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Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has admitted that the team are surprised by the levels of Erling Haaland’s
goalscoring in a record-breaking debut campaign.
Haaland plundered his fifty of the campaign at Fulham and is one away from setting a new Premier League record.
Manchester City face West Ham United on Wednesday and one more strike will take the Haaland ahead of Alan Shearer
and Andrew Cole’s thirty-four.
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Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag has told Alejandro Garnacho to use his new contract as inspiration to improve
further, after the Argentine celebrated signing a five-year deal alongside his family.
Garnacho signed his new contract with the Red Devils, with the teenage winger committing his future to United until June
2028.
He was joined by his family at United’s training ground Carrington, where Ten Hag’s offered his congratulations to
Garnacho.
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Former Aston Villar defender, Micah Richards has been left baffled by Richarlison’s back tattoo which has his own face on
it, alongside his international team mate Neymar and Brazil legend Ronaldo.
The Tottenham star revealed the tattoo as he took off his shirt to celebrate their ninety-three minute equaliser as they came
from three goals down against Liverpool.
Despite his emphatic celebrations after his first Premier League goal for the club, Tottenham still lost the game as Diogo
Jota netted for Liverpool one minute later.
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Former Manchester United striker, Louis Saha has claimed Neymar Junior would be great for the Premier League, but
does not see him playing for Manchester United.
The Paris Saint-Germain ace is the most expensive player in history following his one hundred and ninety-eight million
pounds transfer from Barcelona to the Ligue 1 outfit.
The Brazilian star is tied to a contract at his current club that is set to keep him in Paris until 2027.
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Former Aston Villa forward, Gabriel Agbonlahor has warned Manchester United against paying over the odds for Napoli
striker, Victor Osimhen.
The Red Devils are among the clubs interested in signing the Nigeria international this summer.
The other clubs are; Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
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England and Scotland have been drawn together in the inaugural Women’s Nations League.
They will also face the Netherlands and Belgium in League A Group A1 of the tournament, which starts in September.
Wales will play Euro 2022 finalists Germany, Denmark and Iceland in League A Group A3.
Northern Ireland have been drawn alongside the Republic of Ireland, Hungary and Albania in League B Group B1.
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Chelsea and England midfielder Fran Kirby will miss the World Cup because of a knee problem that requires surgery.
The club said she was expected to be out for a “significant period”.
A “gutted” Kirby later confirmed on social media that her World Cup ambitions were over.
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OTHER SPORTS
Former heavyweight boxing champion, Deontay Wilder, was on Tuesday arrested for possessing a gun following a routine
traffic stop in Los Angeles.
According to TMZ, Wilder was pulled over in Hollywood after officers said they observed that his Rolls-Royce had illegally
tinted windows and an obstructed license plate.
Officers said they smelled an odour of burnt marijuana during the stop which prompted the police to search his car.
During the search, police found marijuana and a handgun. Wilder was arrested and booked on a charge of possession of
a concealed weapon.
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Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz cruised past Alexander Zverev to reach the Madrid Open quarter-finals but Daniil
Medvedev fell to a shock defeat.
Top seed Alcaraz dominated throughout against Zverev, who he defeated in last year’s final, in a 6-1 6-2 victory.
The 19-year-old Spaniard will face Karen Khachanov in the last eight after he beat fifth seed Andrey Rublev.
Medvedev, seeded second, complained about the crowd in a 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 loss to fellow Russian Aslan Karatsev.
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James Harden inspired the Philadelphia 76ers to a thrilling 119-115 victory over the Boston Celtics in game one of their
Eastern Conference semi-final.
Harden scored 45 points, including a three-pointer to put the 76ers ahead with eight seconds remaining at TD Garden in
Boston.
Game two of the best-of-seven series is at the same venue on Thursday.
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World Snooker Championship finallists Luca Brecel and Mark Selby partied together in style after the Belgian’s historic
victory at the Crucible.
Brecel beat Selby 18-15 to become snooker’s first world champion from mainland Europe, having defeated both Ronnie
O’Sullivan and Si Jiahui in a stunning comeback win before reaching the final.
There was no ill feeling between the pair after Brecel’s triumphant win on Sunday, as Selby joined in with the Belgian’s
celebrations – even requesting Queen’s famous hit song ‘We are the Champions’ for the victor.
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OTHER LEAGUE
Leaders Barcelona require five points from their last five games to wrap up the La Liga title after substitute Jordi Alba
struck an eighty-five-minute winner against ten-man Osasuna at the Nou Camp.
The mid-table visitors had Jorge Herrando sent off less than half an hour into his debut for a professional foul on Pedri –
the seventh red card for the club in La Liga this season.
But Osasuna stayed organised and frustrated their opponents until Alba’s winner with the outside of his foot.
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Real Madrid’s slim hopes of regaining the Spanish La Liga title were all but extinguished by a defeat at Champions League
hopefuls Real Sociedad.
After a tight first half, Real Madrid fell behind when Eder Militao sold Thibaut Courtois short with a backpass and Takefusa
Kubo slid into an empty net.
The home side, made to tick by veteran midfielder David Silva, sealed a deserved win when Ander Barrenetxea fired in a
late second.
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Paris Saint-Germain Football Club have suspended Argentine superstar, Lionel Messi, for two weeks over an unauthorised
visit to Saudi Arabia.
French outlet RMC Sport reports that Messi was suspended with immediate effect for his trip to the Arabian country.
The report said everything had been considered by the club for what is described internally as a “serious mistake” by the
football star.
Messi, who recently won the World Cup for Argentina, will miss PSG’s next two games, in Troyes this Sunday, and against
Ajaccio thirteenth May.
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Al-Nassr striker, Cristiano Ronaldo has been named as the world’s highest-paid athlete in Forbes’ annual rich list after
collecting an incredible one hundred and nine million pounds over the past year.
Forbes revealed the list of the ten highest-paid athletes in 2023, with Ronaldo, Messi and Mbappe occupying the first,
second and third positions.
Ronaldo topped the list with one hundred and thirty-six million dollars, while his arch-rival Messi came in second with one
hundred and thirty million dollars.
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Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants to leave Al-Nassr only months after his switch to the Saudi club from
Manchester United.
The Portuguese superstar mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Manchester United following his bombshell
interview with Piers Morgan.
Ronaldo agreed a one hundred and seventy-five million pounds-a-year contract until 2025 with the Saudi Arabian giants.
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Real Madrid has shortlisted three strikers, Marcus Thuram, Rasmus Hojlund, and Victor Osimhen, to sign as they prepare
for life after veteran attacker Karim Benzema.
The team is preparing for the post-Benzema era and has already prepared a three-man shortlist for the centre-forward
position, with Thuram, Hojlund and Osimhen populating it.
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TODAY’S FIXTURE
IN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Liverpool vs Fulham
Manchester City vs West Ham United
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IN SPANISH LA LIGA
Valencia vs Villarreal
Atlético Madrid vs Cádiz
Getafe vs Celta Vigo
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IN ITALIAN SERIE A
Atalanta vs Spezia
Juventus vs Lecce
Salernitana vs Fiorentina
Sampdoria vs Torino
Lazio vs Sassuolo
AC Milan vs Cremonese
Monza vs Roma
Hellas Verona vs Inter Milan
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