NIGERIA
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Niger Tornadoes have intensified preparation ahead of the Nigeria Professional Football League matchday two encounter against Rivers United at Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.
The Ikon Allah Boys were put through tactical and group practice to recover fully and sharpen their skills ahead of their first home game of the season.
The team’s head coach, Hamza Abara, urged the players to focus their minds on how the team will grab their first win of the season against the former Nigeria Premier Football League champions.
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Nigeria Professional Football League champions Enyimba have announced the signing of Ghanaian goalkeeper, Frank Boateng.
Boateng moved to the Aba Giants from the Ghanaian club, Kotoku Royals FC.
He will slug it out with Olorunleke Ojo and Djeri Bassa for a starting berth.
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Bayelsa United head coach, Diepreye Teibowei, says the team’s matchday one victory against Akwa United will send warning signals to other teams.
The Prosperity Boys defeated Akwa United 5-3 at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa.
The experienced tactician declared that Bayelsa United are out to better their performance from last season.
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Nigerian international, Alex Iwobi, who plays for Fulham is among the nominees for the team’s Goal of the Month award.
Iwobi was nominated for his goal in the Cottagers’ Carabao Cup two-one win against Norwich City twenty-seventh September.
Nigerian-born youngster Chibuzor Nwoko is also in the running for the award.
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Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis is confident Nigerian International, Victor Osimhen will sign a new contract at the club.
Osimhen was in discussion with the Serie A champions over a contract extension in the summer.
He has two years remaining on his contract.
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ENGLAND
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A football club ranker, says Manchester United stand a better chance of winning the Europa League than the Champions League this season.
The Red Devils’ torrid start to the campaign continued with a three-two defeat to Galatasaray which saw them fall to the bottom of Group A after two matchdays.
Erik ten Hag’s side have now lost six of their ten games this season and face an uphill battle to qualify for the round of sixteen in a group that also contains Bayern Munich and Copenhagen.
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Manchester United fans are fuming that hundreds of Galatasaray supporters watched Tuesday’s Champions League game in ‘home’ sections of the stadium and that a huge banner celebrating the history of the club was ripped down.
There were huge cheers loudly from followers of the Turkish club when a sign reading ‘There is nothing on earth like being a Red’ was ripped from the second tier of the East Stand.
It capped a problematic at Old Trafford with large numbers of Galatasaray fans dotted throughout the stadium in addition to the official away end where they have been allocated nearly two thousand tickets.
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Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp has sensationally called for the team’s match with Tottenham to be replayed following VAR’s ‘significant error in disallowing Luis Diaz’s goal for offside
Liverpool’s Colombian winger scored but his goal was chalked off for offside due to a monumental mess-up by VAR which saw those at Stockley Park wrongly believe the on-field decision to be ‘goal’, meaning they said the check was complete, with the player clearly onside.
The Reds officially demanded the recording on Monday and their request was granted on Tuesday, with referee’s body PGMOL making the audio tape public which showed officials knew of their huge mistake immediately but still did not stop the game.
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Meanwhile, Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp’s call for Liverpool’s match with Tottenham to be replayed following an error by VAR has been mocked by Manchester United legend, Gary Neville.
The Reds left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having suffered their first defeat of the season, with a huge sense of injustice.
The Anfield club were on the wrong end of a few decisions but were most incensed by a monumental mess-up by VAR which resulted in Luis Diaz’s legitimate goal being chalked off.
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Former Arsenal winger, Freddie Ljungberg has urged the team’s manager, Mikel Arteta to rest Bukayo Saka, who he described as the club’s ‘most important player.’
Ljungberg said this while expressing his worries about an Arsenal side lining up against Manchester City in a Premier League tie this weekend without Saka.
Saka has been nursing an injury for a month but has hardly been given any form of a break by Arteta.
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Manchester United legend, Paul Scholes has blamed three Red Devils’ players after their UEFA Champions League three-two defeat against Galatasaray.
Scholes was frustrated, particularly with how Galatasaray’s second goal was scored, blaming Sofyan Amrabat, Victor Lindelof and Andre Onana.
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Chelsea captain, Reece James has been given a one-match suspension and fined ninety thousand pounds over an incident in the tunnel after his side’s loss to Aston Villa in September.
The defender admitted using improper, insulting and abusive words and behaviour towards a match official.
It had previously been reported that the England international confronted referee Jarred Gillett.
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The revolving door at Chelsea continues to turn with a trio of major, off-field new faces announced to staff.
The club’s chief executive, Chris Jurasek confirmed the departure of president of business Tom Glick, who had been in the role for little more than a year.
He also unveiled three executive appointments, as the Premier League giants’ American owners continue to ring the changes.
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Everton’s prospective new owners 7-7-7 Partners have been accused of missing another payment to the British Basketball League last week raising further concerns about the company seeking to take control at Goodison Park.
Mail Sport has learned that last Friday 7-7-7 transferred one hundred and thirty thousand pounds of an eight hundred, thousand pounds payment to the BBL that was due before the end of September.
7-7-7 are understood to have paid a further seven hundred and seventy-seven thousand pounds to the BBL.
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FIFA has confirmed the 2030 World Cup will be held across six countries in three continents.
Spain, Portugal and Morocco have been named as the co-hosts, with the opening three matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
The opening matches in South America are to mark the World Cup’s centenary as it would be one hundred years since the inaugural tournament in Montevideo.
The decision is set to be ratified at a Fifa congress next year.
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Former England captain, David Beckham says he was proud to have been a Qatar 2022 World Cup ambassador.
Beckham was criticised for associating himself with a country where same-sex relationships are illegal.
The Gulf state’s treatment of migrant workers has also been questioned by human rights campaigners.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Chicago Fire have offered a financial incentive for fans attending Wednesday’s MLS match against Inter Miami, whose star player Lionel Messi could miss out through injury.
Chicago Fire sold more than sixty-one thousand tickets for the game at Soldier Field.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi missed Miami’s past three matches.
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The United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland will now bid unopposed for Euro 2028 after Turkey withdrew to focus on a joint bid with Italy for Euro 2032.
Turkey agreed to merge their Euro 2032 bid with Italy in July and that has now been approved by governing body UEFA.
While Italy had only bid for the 2032 tournament, Turkey had bid to host both Euro 2028 and 2032.
Both bids still need official approval by UEFA at a meeting of its executive committee.
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Scotland manager, Steve Clarke, says Elliot Anderson has “a big decision to make” about his international future, after the midfielder and defender Kieran Tierney were omitted from the squad for this month’s match in Spain.
Newcastle’s Anderson, briefly trained with the squad for last month’s games and could represent the country of his birth, England.
Clarke indicated Anderson was not in his plans for the Spain trip twelfth October and the friendly away to France seventeenth October.
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Wales will be without captain Aaron Ramsey for their key Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia this month because of a knee injury.
Midfielder Ramsey, may face surgery after injuring his right knee in training with his club Cardiff City.
In his absence, Tottenham defender Ben Davies is expected to lead Wales.
Spurs forward Brennan Johnson also misses out through injury, while Charlie Savage and Owen Beck earn first senior call-ups.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Tennis, Britain’s Andy Murray has suffered another early exit in the Chinese hard-court swing after losing to Roman Safiullin in the Shanghai Masters first round.
Former world number one Murray was beaten 6-3, 6-2 in a dominant display from Chengdu finalist Safiullin.
The Russian secured early breaks in each set, with Murray became increasingly frustrated.
It is Murray’s second consecutive first-round defeat after losing at the China Open last week.
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In Formula one, Liam Lawson will stand in for Daniel Ricciardo once more at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix as the Australian continues his recovery from injury.
A spokesperson said the team hoped Ricciardo, who broke his left hand at the Dutch Grand Prix, would be back for the succeeding race in the US.
Alpha Tauri want to give Ricciardo a little more time to recover.
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In Rugby, Kyle Sinckler has warned his England team-mates that they will never have an opportunity like France 2023 again.
Sinckler is one of several players, such as Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Manu Tuilagi and Courtney Lawes, who have passed their 30th birthday.
Jack Willis, David Ribbans, Henry Arundell and Joe Marchant will play in France next year and may be ineligible.
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OTHER RESULTS OF THE MATCHES PLAYED ON WEDNESDAY IN UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
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IN EUROPA LEAGUE
SC Freiburg vs West Ham United
AEK Athens vs Ajax
Marseille vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Aris Limassol vs Rangers
Sporting Lisbon vs Atalanta
Liverpool vs Union Saint-Gilloise
Villarreal vs Rennes
Roma vs Servette
Molde vs Bayer
SPORTS UPDATE.
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