Nwaneri: Arsenal Will Keep Working Hard

Ethan Nwaneri played his part in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over AC Milan in the Singapore National Stadium on Wednesday, and afterwards said he is excited for what is to come this season. Three of our summer signings all made their first outings for the side, while several academy players were also involved. After the game Ethan said: “I think it’s a good start from the team, we’re ready to keep pushing and training and working hard. “It was hard, it was tough, but you need to do it in pre-season to get fit, so I think it was good and I enjoyed it.” Ethan came close to opening the scoring in the first half, with a crisp drive that was well saved just as it was heading into the bottom corner. Arsenal got the winner in the second half though, by which time Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga had come on for their non-competitive debuts, after Christian Norgaard had impressed in the first-half. Ethan said the squad is are shaping up well ahead of the new campaign. “Yes, I think all the signings we’ve made have been brilliant and sharpening the team and making us even stronger. We’ve got some more back at home coming, so we’re ready for them to all come and build together.”

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Nigerian Goalkeeper Bags Two-Month Ban

Super Eagles and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who had been accused of match-fixing, has been cleared of all charges but given a two-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Serie A club said. The FIGC National Federal Court, which met on Tuesday to discuss the charge against Nigerian Okoye, “has excluded any involvement of the player in sports offences, after accepting the arguments of his lawyers”, Udinese said in a statement. “During the trial, all charges of alleged sporting misconduct were dropped, and the decision to impose a two-month ban was based solely on a violation of the general principle of fairness (Article 4 of the Federal Sports Justice Code). “The club has stated that it is satisfied with the court’s conclusion that the player was not involved in the infamous match-fixing theory. The club wishes to reiterate its full support for Okoye, who is awaiting the reasons for the decision. Udinese Calcio reasserts that it is firmly convinced of Maduka’s proper conduct.” The 25-year-old Nigerian international was alleged to have deliberately collected a booking during his team’s Italian league match against Lazio in March 2024. The German-born goalkeeper received a yellow card for time-wasting, after an alleged deal reached with a friend who won 120,000 euros ($140,000) as a result of a bet. The FIGC investigation established that there was no intention to fix the match, which would have been punishable by a four-year fine. However Okoye, who has been with Udinese since 2023, will be suspended from August 18 to October 19. He will therefore miss seven of his team’s matches — six in the league and one in the Coppa Italia.

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FIFA Appoints Match Officials for U-20 World Cup Chile 2025

The FIFA Referees Committee has announced the match officials who will oversee games at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025, which will take place from 27 September to 19 October. A total of 54 match officials (18 referees and 36 assistant referees) from 22 FIFA Member Associations are set to take charge of the matches. “Following the success of the FIFA Club World Cup, we look forward to another exciting tournament, for which we have once again appointed a very strong Team One line-up. From a refereeing perspective, it’s very important that the officials have the opportunity to be involved at a tournament featuring the stars of tomorrow and for us to carry out further testing of Football Video Support (FVS), which has been a great success so far,” said the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina. The use of Football Video Support (FVS) at the tournament follows on from the trials implemented last year at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. The FVS trials followed numerous requests from member associations for an alternative, cost-effective way of using technology to support match officials. Unlike the video assistant referee (VAR) system, FVS does not use dedicated video match officials and therefore does not check all match-changing incidents. Instead, the onus falls on the respective head coaches, who are allowed to make a limited number of review requests per game when they feel that a clear and obvious error has been made in match-changing incidents, such as goals, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents or cases of mistaken identity. The players can also recommend that their coaches request a review. “Chile is a football-loving country, and we have an excellent opportunity to ensure that this year’s edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup leaves a legacy on a refereeing level. The (FIFA) U-20 World Cup is a highly competitive tournament that requires officials to have a sound reading of the game,” noted FIFA Director of Refereeing Massimo Busacca.

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WAFCON 2024: Falcons’ Captain, Ajibade Wins Woman of the Match Again

Super Falcons’ skipper, Rasheedat Ajibade has once again been adjudged as Woman of the Match in their semi-final win over arch-rivals, South Africa at the ongoing Women Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The Spanish Liga F club Atlético Madrid player was in tears after she announced as the award for the second consecutive time. She however dedicated the award to her teammates for working hard to qualify for the final match of the tournament. “The captain leading the way! “Rasheedat Ajibade earns the TotalEnergies Woman of the Match award for her semi-final performance!,” CAF wrote on Twitter now X. Victory meant the Super Falcons’ first win over the Banyana in the Africa Cup of Nations in the three tournaments, with the South Africans having won group stages matches in 2018 and 2022 with 1-0 and 2-1 score-lines respectively.

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Sport Integrity Foundation Presents Half-Year Report of Activities in Nigeria Football

The Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday received an independent Mid-Year report of Activities in Nigeria Football from the Sport Integrity Foundation. NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi (MON) hailed the efforts of the Foundation and praised it for contributing its quota as partners-in-progress to moving Nigeria football, which is in line with the objectives of the Ibrahim Gusau-led administration to inspire all stakeholders to contribute what they can to grow the Nigeria game. “We’re very impressed to see such initiative coming from your organisation. The NFF cannot see everything but having organisations like yours delights us. You are becoming an important eye for the integrity of the game. “The NFF board is very committed to ethics and integrity and we’re doing everything to make sure that anybody trying to bring the game into disrepute will be punished. We also need the collaboration of law enforcement agencies so that when we pass resolutions, such individuals can be punished within the ambit of the law,” Dr Sanusi said. The delegation of Sport Integrity Foundation included Abiola Shodiya, Co-ordinator and; Sammy Ejegwa, Georgina Bode and Taofeek Lawal, who are members.

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WAFU B U20 Boys Tourney: Flying Eagles Strategise to Stop Ivorians in Final

Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles know they must be at their very best to surmount the challenge of in-form Young Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in Wednesday’s Final match of the WAFU B U20 Boys Tournament in Accra, Ghana. The Ivorians have taken no prisoners at this tournament, winning all their four previous matches. They edged Burkina Faso 2-1 in their first match, and went on to conquer Niger Republic and Togo with 1-0 and 2-0 scorelines in their other two matches in the group phase. In Sunday’s semi finals, they came from behind to defeat host nation Ghana 2-1, underscoring their strength, resilience and adversity quotient. Forward Mohammed Abdullahi earned Nigeria a point with an 84th minute equalizer against the Black Satellites of Ghana in the competition’s opening match, and the Flying Eagles then came from behind to rout Benin Republic’s U20 boys 4-1 in the three-team group A. In their semi final, two-time FIFA U20 World Cup runners-up Nigeria edged the U20 boys of Niger Republic 4-3 after a penalty shootout, following 0-0 in regulation time. There will be plenty of fireworks at Ghana’s Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Wednesday, with the Nigerian President of WAFU B, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON), seated alongside other top officials of WAFU at the grand finale. Wednesday’s encounter is an opportunity for Head Coach Aliyu Zubair to put some polish on his rising reputation as a winner, having led the Flying Eagles to win the WAFU B U20 Championship in Togo last year and coming away with a FIFA World Cup ticket from the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt a couple of months ago. Mohammed Abdullahi and Ezekiel Kpangu are the players to watch out for in the Nigerian side, while Abdoul Bamba and Ali Kone constitute potent threats at the fore of the Ivorians.

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Mission X: Super Falcons to Play Zambia in Quarter-Final

Algeria’s Lady Fennecs successfully stifled the Super Falcons to earn a scoreless draw in their final group B match of the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday and earn a spot in the tournament’s quarter-finals for the first time ever. Head Coach Justine Madugu made eight changes to the squad that started against Botswana in Thursday’s 1-0 defeat of Botswana, with defenders Shukurat Oladipo, Miracle Usani and Sikiratu Isah, midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Jennifer Echegini, and forwards Francisca Ordega, Ifeaoma Onumonu and Chinwendu Ihezuo starting alongside goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender Tosin Demehin and captain Rasheedat Ajibade. The intention was clear, which was to rest a lot of key players ahead of Friday’s potentially-explosive quarter-final encounter against Zambia’s Copper Queens. In Casablanca on Sunday, Algeria, like Botswana before them, threw women behind the ball in numbers, and stymied the play of the Super Falcons. However, Francisca Ordega was vibrant, as she was against Portugal in the friendly match in Lisbon last month. Her cross just before half time spilled to Ifeoma Onumonu, whose effort was blocked before it got to the brilliant goalkeeper Chloe N’gazi Boumrar. In the 52nd minute, a melee ensued in the Algerian box but the ball would not just not in, and three minutes later, Ordega, unselfishly, laid the ball in the path of Ajibade, who was double-teamed off the ball. Later on, Echegini, Ordega and substitute Esther Okoronkwo made efforts, but it ended scoreless and ensured the Lady Fennecs’ progress to the last eight.

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WAFU B U20 Boys Tourney: Flying Eagles Spank Junior Cheetahs, Reach Semi-Finals

The match began with a slow response from the Flying Eagles, as the Benin Republic team approached the game with intensity. This strategy paid off when Junior Olugbade scored a brilliantly executed free-kick into the bottom corner, giving the Junior Cheetahs the lead in the 24th minute. The scoreline was level going into recess, thanks to an equaliser from Mohammed Abdullahi. In the second half, the Flying Eagles quickly asserted dominance, demonstrating effective play within the box. A well-coordinated buildup led to a pass for Ezekiel Kpangu, who scored effortlessly, bringing the score to 2-1 in favour of the Flying Eagles. The team extended their lead to 3-1 when Imrana Mohammed skillfully navigated through the Junior Cheetahs’ defence and successfully placed the ball past the goalkeeper. As the match drew to a close, the Flying Eagles maintained their momentum with a strategic long ball for Imrana Mohammed, who then assisted Abdulahi Majid. Majid’s remarkable shot from outside the box resulted in the fourth goal of the match for the Flying Eagles. The game concluded with a score of 4-1 in favour of the Flying Eagles, and defender Odinaka Okoro was selected as the Man of the Match.

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