NIGERIA
The Federal Government has commenced the removal of the remaining floodlights inside the National Stadium, Lagos.
This comes after one of the four floodlights’ pillar caved in from the middle, bringing down the ramshackle floodlights, following a windstorm last month.
The latest move is meant to avert another tragedy at the fifty-one year-old stadium, with the remaining giant floodlights also dilapidated.
Outgoing Minister of Youth and Social Development, Sunday Dare, sounded a note of warning that the remaining three floodlights had also been affected by “age and weather elements.
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Super Eagles Head Coach, Jose Peseiro has thumbed up the Flying Eagles following their impressive win against Italy.
Ladan Bosso’s side secured a place in the knockout round of the competition following the team’s two-nil victory against Italy.
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Flying Eagles has arrived Buenos Aires on Thursday for their final Group D clash against Brazil.
The game is billed for Estadio Unico Diego Maradona in La Plata on Saturday.
Ladan Bosso’s boys booked a spot in the Round of 16 following a 2-0 victory against Gil Azzurrini of Italy.
A draw will be enough for the Flying Eagles to secure top position in the group.
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Ligue 1 club, Lille have established contact with KAA Gent for Nigerian international, Gift Orban.
A number of top European clubs are interested in the Nigerian forward, but Lille are leading the race.
Lille are expecting bids for their Canadian striker, Jonathan David this summer.
The former Ligue 1 champions see Orban a suitable replacement for David.
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The quarter-final pairings of this year’s Federation Cup has high-profile games, with six Nigeria Professional Football League sides facing off in the last eight, which will be played on Sunday.
Top of the pairing is a potential pre-Super six clash between Bendel Insurance and Sunshine Stars.
Meanwhile, Plateau United and Kwara United will do battle in the third quarter-finals pairing, while the last pairing will also see Group B foes, Enugu Rangers and Doma United meet again.
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Kwara United have dedicated the Federation Cup victory against Nasarawa United to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazak.
The Harmony Boys defeated Nasarawa United by a lone goal at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.
Kwara United will play Plateau United FC on Sunday, in the quarter-finals of the Federation Cup.
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Lobi Stars has defeated Bendel Insurance Feeders three-one at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in their Round of 16 tie.
The match was postponed to this morning after a heavy downpour in Owerri on Wednesday.
Surr Kamaga and Joseph Atule’s brace was enough to salvage the much-needed win for the Pride of Benue.
Also, Rangers maintained their impressive display in the competition with a three-one win over FC Ebedei.
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Warri Wolves striker Sodiq Okunlola, says the team’s victory in the Federation Cup Round of 16 against Gombe United was a worked out plan.
The Seasiders defeated NPFL side Gombe United 1-0 through Okunlola’s 89th minute strike at the FIFA Goal Project Pitch Abuja.
Okunola who came in as a substitute in the first-half, said he capitalised on the shaky display of the opposition defenders to score his goal.
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ENGLAND
Manchester United have booked their Champions League place with a game to spare, after the team beat a dismal Chelsea side four-one at Old Trafford.
Casemiro headed the hosts in front, with Anthony Martial sweeping in Jadon Sancho’s pass from close range to double their advantage.
Bruno Fernandes added United’s third from the penalty spot after being fouled by Wesley Fofana.
Marcus Rashford score a fourth before Joao Felix’s late consolation for Chelsea, who suffered their eighth defeat in ten games under Frank Lampard.
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Antony has been carried off on a stretcher during the first-half of Manchester United ‘s final home match of the season against Chelsea on Thursday evening.
The Brazilian went down in a heap just before the half-hour mark after successfully navigating his way through a crowded Chelsea defence before being clattered in a challenge by Blues defender Trevor Chalobah.
Antony hit the Old Trafford turf, momentarily rising to demand a foul before curling up and rolling around in agony as play carried on.
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Chelsea interim manager, Frank Lampard once again hit out at his unperforming players after their defeat by Manchester United, insisting that tactics ‘do not matter’ without standards.
Heading into their loss at Old Trafford, Lampard’s side were already guaranteed to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time in 27 years.
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Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah said he is “devastated” the club have missed out on a spot in next season’s Champions League and added “there’s absolutely no excuse for this”.
Salah posted his comments on social media shortly after Liverpool’s failure to finish in the top four was confirmed by Manchester United beating Chelsea.
Liverpool will finish fifth and play in next season’s Europa League.
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Former Liverpool player, John Barnes, has given his verdict on Chelsea target, Moises Caicedo.
Barnes said Caicedo reminds him of former Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele.
Caicedo, who currently plays for Brighton, has been linked with a move to Chelsea this summer.
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Former Chelsea defender William Gallas has urged Chelsea to make three signings this summer, namely a striker, midfielder, and centre-back, for their incoming new manager, Mauricio Pochettino.
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Everton midfielder, Alex Iwobi has opened up on Dele Alli’s nightmare time at the club under Frank Lampard.
Iwobi claims Alli couldn’t be trusted by the club’s coaching staff.
Alli is currently recovering from surgery in England after his loan move to Besiktas ended in tatters.
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Tottenham chiefs were left stunned after being slapped with a fifteenth million pounds bill for managerial target Arne Slot just days after being told he could be released from Feyenoord for six million pounds.
They were turning their attention to identifying new managerial candidates on Thursday after Slot released an
early statement saying he was staying at Feyenoord and intended to sign a new deal.
Luis Enrique held talks with Tottenham and remains an option, while Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou’s chances of the job are improving.
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West Ham’s hope of sparking a bidding war for captain Declan Rice is becoming a reality after Manchester United joined the race to land the England international.
Hammers skipper Rice is set to leave this summer with the London Stadium club open to listening to offers for the midfielder.
It is thought a fee of around one hundred million pounds would be enough to tempt West Ham into selling.
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Former Liverpool player Didi Hamann has warned Arsenal against signing Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan this summer.
Hamann believes Gundogan would improve Arsenal, but the Germany international will not make the Gunners win the Premier League title next season.
Gundogan, has been linked with a move away from Manchester City.
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Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland has admitted his record-breaking first season in English football has surpassed his expectations.
Haaland who scored 52 goals in 51 games for Manchester City, has set his sights on history as the team chase the treble.
The striker remained focused on City’s finals as he collected the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year award in London on Thursday.
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Police have concluded their investigation into allegations of a break-in that sent Raheem Sterling home from the World Cup, without making any arrests.
The England winger who has been left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for the forthcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers abruptly left Qatar mid-tournament.
Now, their inquiries have come to a halt and the case will be left on file.
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England moved top of Group E and sealed a last-16 spot at the Under-20 World Cup with a 3-2 victory over Uruguay in Buenos Aires.
Defender Bashir Humphreys headed England’s opener from an Alfie Devine corner, with Devine adding a second with a low drive to the bottom corner.
Uruguay replied with Franco Gonzalez’s tap-in but Darko Gyabi struck England’s third after a superb run and finish.
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OTHER SPORTS
Italy’s Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs says he will have to miss his sprint showdown with American Fred Kerly because of a back injury.
The pair were scheduled to race at a Diamond League meet in Rabat, Morocco on 28 May.
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Nat Sciver-Brunt says there is no extra pressure on England despite record ticket sales for the Women’s Ashes.
With just under a month to go before the multi-format series against holders Australia, more than 70,000 tickets have been sold across seven venues.
England’s women’s football and rugby union teams have tasted success before huge home crowds during the past year.
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Terence Crawford is to fight fellow American Errol Spence Jr for the undisputed welterweight title on 29 July in Las Vegas.
Crawford, 35, is the WBO champion, while 33-year-old Spence holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts in the category.
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Britain’s Geraint Thomas extended his overall race lead as Italy’s Filippo Zana won stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia.
Team Jayco AIula rider Zana edged Frenchman Thibaut Pinot in a sprint finish, with his compatriot Warren Barguil crossing the line in third.
Ineos Grenadiers’ Thomas held off attacks from Primoz Roglic to defend the pink jersey and extend his race lead to 29 seconds.
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OTHER LEAGUE
La Liga president, Javier Tebas says the league could reduce the amount of racist incidents in Spain’s top flight in six or seven months if it had the “necessary powers”.
The Spanish league has requested more power to punish incidents of racism.
That came after Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior was the target of racist abuse at Valencia on Sunday.
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Real Madrid have been offered the opportunity to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham striker, in a deal that could see Eden Hazard go the other way.
Kane’s future will be the subject of speculation this summer, with his current deal to expire in June 2024.
Tottenham, ideally, would prefer to sell Kane to a foreign club.
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Former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has told Vinicius Junior he must be ‘more mature in his behaviour’ amid the racism storm that has engulfed Spanish football.
Real Madrid ‘s Brazilian winger was racially abused by Valencia fans during last Sunday’s LaLiga match at the Mestalla.
Reina, who now plays for Villarreal, has suggested that Vinicius would gain more respect if he stopped ‘provoking’ opposition fans and protesting to the referee.
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Paris Saint-Germain attacker Neymar Junior, has been told to leave the club and never look back.
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit told the Brazilian to leave PSG this summer as the Brazilian remains heavily linked with a move away from the Parc des Princes.
The Brazil superstar is eager to leave the French capital and also that the Parisians are willing to offload him.
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Roma boss, Jose Mourinho has claimed Tottenham are the only club he has managed, with which he does not have a connection.
Mourinho was sacked by Tottenham in April 2021 after only seventeen months.
Before taking charge of Tottenham, the Portuguese had managed Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United.
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TODAY’S FIXTURE
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IN TALIAN SERIE A
Sampdoria vs Sassuolo
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SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND.
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IN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
ON SUNDAY
Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Aston Villa vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Brentford vs Manchester City
Chelsea vs Newcastle United
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
Everton vs AFC Bournemouth
Leeds United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Leicester City vs West Ham United
Manchester United vs Fulham
Southampton vs Liverpool
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IN SPANISH LA LIGA
ON SATURDAY
Sevilla vs Real Madrid
ON SUNDAY
Almería vs Real Valladolid
Athletic Bilbao vs Elche
Atlético Madrid vs Real Sociedad
Barcelona vs Mallorca
Cádiz vs Celta Vigo
Getafe vs Osasuna
Girona vs Real Betis
Rayo Vallecano vs Villarreal
Valencia vs Espanyol
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IN ITALIAN SERIE A
ON SATURDAY
Salernitana vs Udinese
Spezia vs Torino
Fiorentina vs Roma
Inter Milan vs Atalanta
ON SUNDAY
Hellas Verona vs Empoli
Bologna vs Napoli
Monza vs Lecce
Lazio vs Cremonese
Juventus vs AC Milan
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