SPORT NEWS

Under-fire Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is in pressing need of a positive outcome as his side prepare to welcome Premier League leaders Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium this Sunday.

Fourth-place Arsenal are only three points below United, but Wenger’s methods have once again fallen under scrutiny following the London club’s abject 3-2 home defeat by Olympiakos in the Champions League on Tuesday.

File: Manchester United’s Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini (L) and Manchester United’s English striker Wayne Rooney (3rd L) prepare to kick off after conceding the first goal during the FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on March 9, 2015. AFP PHOTO

The result left Arsenal struggling to avoid a first group-stage exit since 1999 and saw Wenger aggressively rebuked in the British press for his decision to select second-choice goalkeeper David Ospina, who palmed a first-half corner into his own net, instead of new signing Petr Cech.

Wenger came out fighting in his weekly press conference on Friday, branding the media’s focus on Ospina “very, very, very, very boring” and threatening to walk out when he was asked about Jose Mourinho’s claim that he is the only English top-flight manager free from pressure.

Defeat at United’s hands would only provide further fuel for those critics who cite Arsenal’s 11-year wait for a league title and five successive last-16 eliminations in the Champions League as proof that Wenger is presiding over a period of terminal decline.

But Wenger would point to Arsenal’s successive FA Cup triumphs as evidence to the contrary and having seen his team end Leicester City’s unbeaten start to the season with a 5-2 win at the King Power Stadium last weekend, he is confident of a first home win over United since May 2011.

“It is a special fixture because usually Man United are always fighting at the top,” said the Frenchman, who shared a tumultuous rivalry with former United manager Alex Ferguson between 1997 and 2005.

“It has an even bigger meaning now because there are three points between the teams and we play at home in a big game.

“We have just come from a big win at Leicester and we want to continue our run. We are the only team who has beaten (Leicester), so I don’t see why we should not believe we can beat Manchester United.”

United manager Louis van Gaal describes Wenger, who this week celebrates 19 years with Arsenal, as “one of the best coaches in the world”, but says that he would not like to endure a comparable league title drought.

“I have won a lot of titles and I want to do that in different countries,” said Van Gaal, whose side beat Wolfsburg 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday to register a fourth successive victory.

“Not only in the Netherlands, but after that in Spain and after that in Germany, and after that in England. That’s my ambition. I am not that type. I like to win a lot.”

Michael Carrick is available for United after missing the Wolfsburg game with what Van Gaal described as “tiredness”, but it is not known if his fellow midfielder Ander Herrera, who also sat out that match, is fit.

While Cech is expected to come in for Ospina, Arsenal will be without centre-back Laurent Koscielny, who sustained a hamstring injury against Olympiakos that saw him join Mathieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky on the sidelines.

Last season United won 2-1 at the Emirates, where they have lost just once in seven visits, and Van Gaal believes another victory would fuel belief that his team can maintain their position until the end of the campaign.

“I think you have to believe always in this (winning the title) and I think the balance in our selection is much better than last year,” he said.

“And last year we also had the chance, so I believe in that, but the most important thing is not only that I believe, but that the players are believing in that.

“And when we win at Arsenal, then the belief shall rise a lot.”

Afrobasket Women Championship: D’Tigress blow out Guinea 100 – 47

Nigeria didn’t really break a sweat blowing out lowly Guinea in Sunday’s only game of AfroBasket Women 2015 in Yaounde, Cameroon.

ON TARGET: D’Tigress foward, Adaora Elonu shoots during the match against Guinea yesterday.

Although coach Scott Nnaji sat out team leading scorer Olayinka Sanni, Nigeria easily recorded an easy 100-47 victory.

Joyce Ekworomadu inspired five other Nigerians, who scored 12 points or more, while Nadia Peruch-Niang paced Guinea with 17 points and 7 rebounds.

Guinea  made 3 shots from beyond the arc in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to just 13 points, but it was a matter of time as Nigeria went on to close the third quarter with a 73-40 lead.

Nigeria took total control of the game, and it became more evident in the painted area where they out-rebounded Guinea 63-30.

Helen Ogunjimi came off the bench to make 15 of her game-high 19 points from beyond the arc.

Guinea arrived Yaounde with a nine-player roster, and keeping Peruch-Niang on floor for the entire first three quarters indicated the struggles they face in the competition. While Nigeria, who led the entire contest, climbed to third-place in group B with a 2-1 mark, Guinea conceded their third defeat in as many games.

Eventually Peruchi-Niang summed up Guinea aspirations in the competition: “I have told the girls not to worry about the score. Those teams Senegal and Nigeria are way too ahead of us. But we still have to get better and learn from our mistakes.”

Ahmed, Lubcon urge grassroots sports devt

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and the acting Group Managing Director of Lubcon Limited Kalu Onwunta on Tuesday said grassroots sports development would help identify budding sports talents, nurture and them to become stars.

The duo also said it would assist in reducing youth restiveness and terrorism as well as provide a pool of sports stars that would earn foreign exchange for the country.

They spoke during a media briefing on the 10th Kwara State All Secondary Schools Football Competition organised by Lubcon in Ilorin.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Jubril Haruna, said his administration was committed to sports development.

Onwunta called on other corporate organisations and government to invest more in sports development.

He said his company took over the organisation of the competition since 2005 to enable teenagers in Kwara to showcase their talents.

Onwunta said, “In the past 10 years, the organisation of this competition has enabled the discovery of talented footballers, some of who have moved ahead to join football clubs in the country as well as representing Kwara State.

“Through this scheme, employment opportunities have been created for the numerous talents that have been discovered in the past 10 years.”

Niger gov under fire over Chelsea, Arsenal

NIGER State Governor Abubakar Sani has come under criticism following 

his trip to London to watch Saturday’s Premier League game between Chelsea and Arsenal.

Residents of the state on Monday described the governor’s visit to Stamford 

Bridge as “frivolous” considering the financial problems of the state.

However, the governor explained on his Twitter page that he was at Stamford 

Bridge to watch the match at the instance of Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi, 

who plans to set up a football academy in the state.

“I was at Stamford Bridge to watch the derby between Chelsea and Arsenal 

at the invitation of John Obi Mikel,” he wrote.

According to him, Mikel   approached the state government to partner with the state in developing its   sports, stressing that it will be wrong to turn down an investor who is willing to invest in the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ibraheem Dooba, said Bello was in

 Europe and his visit to Stamford Bridge was part of his itinerary since he 

was to meet other international development partners, adding that he was invited by Mikel.

But a trader, Moses Akwu said, “Things are hard for us in Niger while our governor is travelling to watch matches. I heard they said he was invited but is it not government resources that he used to go on the trip?

“We did not vote him in to watch football, we voted him because we want him to work and bring back the lost glory of the state. Watching matches is not governance, it is absolute recklessness.”

Another resident, Gambo Mohammed, said the governor needed to focus on governance.

“Sports development is not what Niger State needs now. We need jobs for our unemployed youths, boost for our economy and agriculture, and good roads.”

Bello had on August 31 warned sports officials not to use his name to organise sports competitions. He made this known when board members of the Nigeria Chess Federation and the state hockey team that won the National Super League visited him.

The President of Nigeria Chess Federation Suleman Gora had requested to organise a national championship in his honour which he objected saying, “I am not a billboard.”

Olympic qualifier: Siasia banks on Iheanacho, Awoniyi

In a bid to ensure automatic qualification for the 2016 Olympics,

Chief Coach of the national U-23 team, the Dream Team IV,
Samson Siasia has began moves to have Manchester City
of England young prodigy, Kelechi Iheanacho and new Liverpool signing,
Taiwo Awoniyi join his team.

                 Awoniyi and Iheanacho

Siasia told Sports Vanguard yesterday in Abuja that the forthcoming Africa Youth Championship (AYC) to be hosted by Senegal in November is very crucial because it will also serve as a qualifier for the 2016 Olympic Games.

According to the coach, what affected his team adversely at the just ended African Games where the team managed a bronze medal was the inability of the
strikers to score goals.

“Talking about our outing in Congo, I will say that the team didn’t play
badly but the only problem we had was the inability of the strikers
to convert our chances, I hope to bring in Iheanacho and Awoniyi but
 the only problem is if their clubs will release them. We hope they will
but in the interim we will continue to work with the boys in camp, we will
 continue to work on their goal scoring ability.

“For now we are going on a one week break and when we return we will
 begin to prepare for a possible international friendly with Brazil in London
 in the next few weeks. This is to further expose these boys and we hope
 they will continue to improve.

On expectations in Senegal, the former international said the aim of the
team is not just to qualify for the Olympics but also to win the AYC to make
 up for the poor outing at the African Games.

Siasia equally revealed that he was still open to welcoming new players
 to the team, provided such players are smart and gifted to the extent
that they can catch up with the rest of the players that have been in camp
for nine months.

Nigeria will play Mali, Algeria and host nation,Senegal

Former assistant Super Eagles coach, Daniel Amokachi has
said that the Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas and proprietor
of Ifeanyi Uba Football Club, Ifeanyi Uba remains his boss.

               Amokachi-Ifeanyi-Ubah

Speaking after quitting his Technical Adviser post, Amokachi said that “Ifeanyi Uba will forever remain my boss and friend. My relationship with him goes beyond sports. He is my boss and will remain my boss”.

“I’m disappointed at leaving after only a short spell but football goes on,” Amokachi told BBC Sport.

“I have always been a fan of the club before my appointment as a manager because of the idea behind its foundation.

“But right now I wish the club all the best moving forward
and I will follow their progress with great pride.

“Football life is unpredictable and there is no point going
 back and forth,” he said.

“It has been an honour to be involved with the club but right now it is
 over for me at FC Ifeanyi Ubah.”

Happy dad! Mikel Obi cradles newborn
 twins in his arms

His baby mama, Olga Diyachenko shared this photo of the footballer
carrying his twin girls in their nursery

UCL: PSV not afraid of Manchester United + Possible Lineups

PSV Eindhoven coach Phillip Cocu says his team will “go for
 the win but not be naive” against Manchester United in their first
group stage fixture since 2008/09.

Phillip Cocu says PSV will not sit back, rather “we will go for the win”.
 PSV are unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions as United forward
Memphis Depay returns to the club he left this summer

“We have European experience [from the UEFA Europa League] and will get more by playing matches at this level. Everybody is looking forward to this game. It is prestigious and the stakes are high – it is important.

United have a lot of individual quality, they are experienced and they are a top football team. You can see the hand of Louis van Gaal. Our intention is to go for the win, but we will not be naive. Our initial aim, however, is to try to win,” Cocu said.

Cocu who played under United boss Louis van Gaal for Barcelona and Netherlands led PSV to record their biggest victory since February 2013, 6-0 victory over Cambuur.
Luuk de Jong hit a hat-trick and Jürgen Locadia struck twice as PSV maintained their unbeaten start to the season. They are fourth, two points behind leaders Ajax.

Possible lineups
PSV: Zoet; Brenet, Moreno, Bruma, Arias; Guardado, Hendrix, Pröpper, Lestienne; De Jong, Narsingh.
Out: Willems (knee), Jozefzoon (knee), Koch (knee), Maher (leg)

United: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw; Carrick, Schweinsteiger; Mata, Herrera, Memphis; Fellaini.
Out: Jones (blood clot), Rooney (hamstring)

Everton 3- 1 Chelsea: How Mourinho got it wrong

Chelsea’s defence of the Premier League title was plunged into turmoil on Saturday as Steven Naismith’s hat-trick condemned the champions to a woeful 3-1 defeat against Everton.

                      File: Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho’s side made a miserable start at Goodison Park as Scotland forward Steven Naismith came off the bench to score twice in the space of five minutes midway through the first half.

Nemanja Matic pulled one back for Chelsea before the interval, but Naismith completed his treble in the closing stages to ensure the Blues, with three defeats and only four points from their five matches, made their worst start to a season since 1988.

Chelsea’s second successive loss means they will trail Manchester City by 11 points by the end of the day if the unbeaten leaders win at Crystal Palace later on Saturday.

Mourinho’s misery started in the 17th minute when Brendan Galloway whipped a cross towards Naismith, who advanced unchecked into the six-yard box to bury his header past Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

Naismith was only on the pitch due to an ninth minute injury suffered by Muhamed Besic, but he made the most of his opportunity by doubling Everton’s lead with a fine low strike in the 22nd minute.

Matic reduced the deficit with a superb effort that flashed past Tim Howard from 30 yards in the 36th minute, but Naismith struck yet again in the 82nd minute to cap an embarrassing afternoon for the visitors.

Later, in the day’s most eagerly anticipated match, Manchester United face bitter rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford.

United are likely to include goalkeeper David de Gea for the first time this season after the Spaniard signed a new contract this week following the collapse of his proposed transfer to Real Madrid.

The hosts could also give a debut to young French striker Anthony Martial, who arrived from Monaco for an initial £36 million ($55 million, 49 million euros) on transfer deadline day.

Nigeria to play friendlies with Cameroon, Congo

Nigeria are to play two friendly matches against Cameroon and Congo next month in Belgium, the president of the country’s football association said on Monday.

“I can confirm that we will play against Congo on October 8 in Antwerp and against Cameroon on October 11 in Brussels,” Amaju Pinnick said on Nigeria’s Channels television.

Congo denied Nigeria a spot at the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea earlier this year by finishing second in the qualifying group behind South Africa.

Pinnick said the Nigeria Football Federation was also eyeing another friendly with a north African team before the Super Eagles’ 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt in March.

Tunisia and Algeria are being considered as possibilities for the fixture in November, he added.

Egypt currently lead Group G with six points from two matches. Nigeria are second on four points.

The two sides clash in a double-header in what is being seen as the decider for automatic qualification for the tournament in Gabon in two years’ time.

Enyimba stay top as Sunshine fall at home

Former ABS FC forward Andrew Abalogu, who replaced Mfon Udoh, broke the deadlock in the 64th minute when he headed in from six yards.

Veteran goalkeeper Rotimi Sunday pulled off several saves in the first half to keep Enyimba at bay.

In Enugu, Rangers fought back from a goal down to defeat traditional rivals Shooting Stars 2-1.

Tope Orelope put the visiting 3SC ahead after 23 minutes, but Rangers drew level 10 minutes later through Emmanuel Eze.

Osas Okoro gave the home team the lead via a free kick just before half time.

In the second half, Rangers goalkeeper Akor Itodo saved a penalty after dangerous play by Morris Chebem inside his own box.

Shooting Stars were led by goalkeeper Abiodun Akande, who stopped Bobby Clement from scoring against his former club as early as the 11th  minute.

Messi welcomes new baby

Argentine football star Lionel Messi has added two-time dad
to his long list of honors, after his girlfriend gave birth to a
son, relatives announced. Mateo Messi was born Friday in
 Barcelona, the athlete’s brother wrote on Twitter.

“Mateo has just been born, he is beautiful,” Matias Messi wrote. 

“We’re savoring this moment of happiness.”  Messi, 28, and 

longtime companion Antonella Roccuzzo are already parents to
a toddler son, Thiago, who turns three later this year.

Considered among his sport’s most prodigious talents, 

Messi last month was voted UEFA’s best player in Europe for 2014-2015.

The Argentina star — who won the Champions League, Spain’s La Liga

 and Spanish Cup with Barcelona — claimed the award for the second time.

All Africa Games: Team Nigeria women win gold in cycling 

Team Nigeria on  Thursday afternoon clinched a gold medal in the cycling event of the on-going 11th All Africa Games here in Congo Brazzaville.

GOLDEN QUARTET: Happiness Okafor, Rosemary Marcus, Gripa Tombrapa
and Glory Odiase display their medals after winning the women’s time trial cycling event in Congo yesterday.

The gold medal was won by Team Nigeria women cycling team in the Women’s Time trial event as the cycling event got underway at the Conference Center in Masamba.

Nigerian quartet of Glory Odiase, Gripa Tombrapa, Happiness Okafor and Rosemary Marcus (pictured here with their gold medals) finished the 25km race in a time of 37.11 secs against Team South Africa’s time of 37.15 secs to clinch the gold medal.

Team South Africa women’s cyclists went home with the silver while Ethiopia consoled themselves with the bronze medal.

Thursday’s gold medal brings to three the number of gold medals Team Nigeria have won as the All Africa Games entered day seven on Thursady.

In the men’s Team Time Trial event, Team Nigeria’s quartet of Eyo Effiong, Ajibade Quadri, Innocent Emmanuel and Khalis Izebe finished a distant ninth.

The cycling event continues on Friday with the event expected to end on Saturday.