LAUTARO Martinez scored the only goal as Inter Milan beat city rivals AC Milan at the San Siro. Second-placed Inter remain 13 points behind Serie A leaders Napoli, who won 3-0 at Spezia earlier in the day. Captain Martinez headed the only goal of the game from a corner by former Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu. Inter had two goals disallowed late on – substitute Romelu Lukaku’s effort was ruled out for a foul on Malick Thiaw and Martinez’s strike for offside. A long video assistant referee decision upheld the decision to rule out Argentina striker Martinez’s effort because he was…
Author: Editor
Read More
BARCELONA moved eight points clear at the top of La Liga as a clinical second-half performance helped them to a routine victory against Sevilla. After an uneventful first half the hosts took the lead through Jordi Alba’s 58th-minute side-footed finish. Gavi tapped home Raphinha’s cross to double the lead after 71 minutes and the Brazil winger rounded off the scoring by poking in Alba’s cross. Defeat leaves Sevilla 16th, just two points clear of the relegation zone. One bit of bad news for Barcelona was captain Sergio Busquets going off with an ankle injury after just four minutes. Barca host…
THE late Emir of Dutse, HRH Dr. Nuhu Muhammad-Sanusi, was a great Nigerian who believed in the country, served his people and humanity very well, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Saturday in Dutse, Jigawa, when he paid a condolence visit to the Emir’s palace and to the family of the late monarch, who died on January 30 at the age of 78. He said the late Emir deserves to be celebrated for the positive impact he made in the society. Earlier in Lagos, the VP also paid a condolence visit to the family…
HARRY Kane became Tottenham’s all-time record scorer, surpassing the great Jimmy Greaves, as his 267th goal for the club dented Manchester City’s title ambitions at a raucous Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The England captain reached the landmark with a composed finish from 10 yards out after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg did exceptionally well to find Kane inside the box. Fans jumped from their seats to applaud the 29-year-old striker, whose first Spurs goal came on 15 December 2011, while a message flashed up on the scoreboard inside the ground which read ‘Congratulations Harry Kane’. The 15th-minute finish was also Kane’s 200th on the…
REAL Madrid were stunned 1-0 at Mallorca in La Liga with midfielder Marco Asensio missing a penalty against his former club. Vedat Muriqi’s header deflected in off Real Madrid defender Nacho to put the hosts ahead in the 13th minute at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix. The champions were given a 59th-minute penalty when home goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic brought down Vinicius Junior. But Rajkovic kept out Asensio’s spot-kick, diving to his left to save well. The defeat left Real Madrid second in La Liga, five points behind Barcelona who host Sevilla later on Sunday. Mallorca’s win over Los Blancos was their…
UKRAINE’S defence minister reiterated the view that a new Russian offensive is expected later this month. At a news conference, Oleksiy Reznikov said not all Western weaponry will have arrived by then, but Ukraine had reserves to hold off Russian forces. He added that Ukraine had negotiated the supply of new long-range missiles. It comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops are facing heavy fighting in Bakhmut, Vuhledar and Lyman in Ukraine’s east. Mr Reznikov said Russia’s did not have all of its resources ready to launch an offensive, but may do so anyway as a symbolic gesture, given…
IRAN supreme leader has pardoned or allowed a reduction in jail sentences for “tens of thousands” of prisoners, including some arrested in recent anti-government protests. The pardons approved on Sunday by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came with conditions, according to details announced in state media reports, which said the move would not apply to any of the numerous dual nationals held in Iran. Those accused of “corruption on earth” – a capital charge brought against some protesters, four of whom have been executed – would also not be pardoned, state news agency IRNA reported. Neither would it apply to those charged…
VICTOR Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were again the stars of the show for Napoli as the Serie A leaders won 3-0 at Spezia to extend their advantage to a whopping 16 points. Wing wizard Kvaratskhelia put Napoli ahead from the penalty spot two minutes after the break on the Italian Riviera before Osimhen netted twice, taking his league tally to 16. Nigeria forward Osimhen pounced on a defensive error to double Napoli’s lead in the 68th minute and five minutes later rolled home an easy finish after Mattia Caldara passed straight to Kvaratskhelia on the edge of his own area.…
The Executive Governor of Imo State and Visitor, Imo State University (IMSU), Senator Hope Uzodinma; Honorary Doctorate recipient and Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa(UBA), Mr Oliver Alawuba and wife, Dr (Mrs) Nkeiruka Oly-Alawuba; during the conferment of Honorary Doctorate Degree in Banking and Finance on Mr Alawuba by the Imo State University at its Eight Convocation Ceremony held in Owerri, Saturday, February 4th, 2023. – The publication of this picture is supported by United Bank for Africa(UBA).
FOR his immense contributions to the growth of banking and finance in Nigeria and across Africa, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba, was on Saturday, conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Banking and Finance by the Imo State University (IMSU) Owerri, Nigeria. Alawuba was honoured during the school’s 8thConvocation Ceremony, an event witnessed by the Executive Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. Also in attendance were the former Governor of the State, Dr. Rochas Okorocha, the University’s Pro-Chancellor, Chief Sir, Ernest Nwapa; Vice-Chancellor Professor U.U. Chukwumaeze, Vice-chancellors from various tertiary…
THE National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has cried out that the deliberate suffocating practices of foreign airlines operating in the country have lost 720,000 jobs since 2021 and $500 million yearly. NANTA accused the foreign airlines of hiding under trapped funds to rip-off Nigerians with high fares and wreak havoc in the nation’s economy; even when most of them sell tickets in dollars to Nigerian travellers. The travel association said that between 2021 and 2023, businesses in the travel and tourism sector have lost over 720,000 jobs as a result of the unscrupulous activities of the foreign carriers.…
TODD Boehly spent close to £300million in the January transfer window. The Chelsea co-owner isn’t expected to relax his spending spree next summer, with various reports claiming a new goalkeeper and striker is the priority. Red Bull Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku is already lined-up for a move to the Premier League after months of speculation. But amid Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s uncertain future and talk of Kai Havertz attracting interest from Bayern Munich, another option may be considered. One player who has hit incredible heights is Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian has scored 43 goals in 82 appearances for Napoli with…
ALGERIA’S hopes of winning the African Nations Championship (CHAN) on home soil were crushed in heartbreaking fashion as they lost 5-4 on penalties to Senegal in the final on Saturday. The Local Teranga Lions edged hosts in a very tense final at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers in front of 39,120 spectators on a cold winter night. Pape Thiaw’s side will look back and be proud of their performance on the night that saw them complete the treble for the West African nation in a year that has seen them lift the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as…
ETHOPIAN Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has held his first face-to-face talks on Friday with Tigrayan leaders since a peace deal was inked ending two years of war, officials and state media said. Abiy met senior leaders of the Tigray region forces on Friday about three months since the Addis Ababa government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed agreements to permanently cease hostilities. The conflict, which has at times spilled out of Tigray into the neighbouring regions of Amhara and Afar, has killed thousands of people, displaced millions from their homes and left hundreds of thousands on the brink…
EAST African regional leaders have renewed their call for an immediate ceasefire by all sides in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that pits the country’s military against a rebel group that the government has accused Rwanda of supporting. At a summit in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura on Saturday, the leaders of the regional East African Community (EAC) bloc enjoined an “immediate ceasefire by all parties,” according to a communique issued at the end of the meeting. “The summit reiterated its call to all parties to de-escalate tensions,” the communique read. The M23 rebel group has seized large areas…
CHILE has extended an emergency declaration to yet another region as firefighters struggled to control dozens of wildfires that have killed at least 23 people. The latest emergency order on Saturday covers the southern region of Araucania, next to the previously declared Biobio and Nuble regions, located near the middle of the South American country’s long Pacific coastline. The measure allows the government to mobilise the military to help battle the fires. “Weather conditions have made it very difficult to put out [the fires] that are spreading and the emergency is getting worse,” Interior Minister Carolina Toha told reporters at…
THE US has shot down a giant Chinese balloon that it says has been spying on key military sites across America. The Department of Defence confirmed its fighter jets brought down the balloon over US territorial waters. China’s foreign ministry later expressed “strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US’s use of force to attack civilian unmanned aircraft”. Footage on US TV networks showed the balloon falling to the sea after a small explosion. An F-22 jet fighter engaged the high-altitude balloon with one missile – an AIM-9X Sidewinder – and it went down about six nautical miles off the US…
SEBASTIEN Haller scored his first goal since recovering from testicular cancer as Borussia Dortmund thrashed Freiburg. The former West Ham striker, who returned to action three weeks ago, scored the third goal with a 51st-minute header in front of the Westfalenstadion’s ‘Yellow Wall’. Haller was diagnosed days after signing for Dortmund as Erling Haaland’s replacement, and needed two operations. The 28-year-old has had four rounds of chemotherapy, and surgery in November. Haller returned to the pitch on January 22 in a 4-3 home league win over Augsburg, before making his first Dortmund start against Bayer Leverkusen a week later. Dortmund…
A FINE Lionel Messi strike earned Paris St-Germain a comeback win over Toulouse and moved them eight points clear in Ligue 1. Mid-table Toulouse took a surprise lead in Paris, Branco van den Boomen scoring a free-kick after 20 minutes. Achraf Hakimi drew PSG level before half-time, and after the break, Messi curled home expertly from 25 yards. The win moves PSG on to 54 points from 22 games, eight ahead of second-placed Marseille. PSG were missing both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar because of injuries, and surprisingly fell behind to a set-piece by Dutch midfielder Van den Boomen. Hakimi made…
Everton 1 vs Arsenal 0 New manager Sean Dyche enjoyed a dream start as a much-improved Everton side stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal at a raucous Goodison Park. Dyche was appointed last Monday following the departure of Frank Lampard, who was sacked with the team in the relegation zone. And the hosts picked up their first victory in 11 games in all competitions courtesy of a link-up between two men who played for Dyche at Burnley. Centre-half James Tarkowski rose at the far post to power home a header from Dwight McNeil’s corner to spark the sort of joyous scenes…