CONFEDERATION CUP PREP: Flying Eagles Thrash Opponents In Germany

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles defeated non-league Feldmoching 3-0 in their second friendly near Munich in Germany on Monday.

The Nigeria U20s controlled the game from start to finish and looked more co-ordinated than their first game against the Nurnberg U23 team last week.

Wilfred Ndidi from the Nigeria U17 was outstanding in the heart of the defence with his timely interventions and total self belief.

The Nigeria U20s took the lead on 39 minutes through an own goal which was prompted by centre half Chizoba Amaefule.

For the start of the second half, four changes were made as Amaefule, Umar Aminu, Bright Ejike and skipper Abduljaleel Ajagun were withdrawn.

Double

Substitute Oluwasemilogo Ajayi from Charlton Athletic youth team in England doubled the Flying Eagles lead seven minutes from the end when he towered above the Feldmoching defence to power home a header off a Christian Pyagbara corner.

Two minutes later, Uche Agbo made it 3-0 when he rounded up the goalkeeper after a through ball by Samuel Edouk.

Agbo threatened early in the first half, but his shots in the 17th and 32 minutes were wide off target.

Pyagbara injected more urgency into the attack when he replaced Lucky Omeruo and he could have opened scoring three minutes from the interval, but his shot from the top of the box was not powerful enough to beat the Feldmoching goalkeeper.

Read More

PHOTO: Wayne and Coleen Rooney Welcomes New Baby (LOOK)

Wayne Rooney on His Official Facebook Page: "My family with our new baby boy Klay!"

Share this post if you're happy!

Read More

Senegalese El Hadj Diouf Beaten At A Restaurant

It is reported by our colleagues from the website Senego.com. The Senegalese international El Hadj Diouf had a difficult Saturday night at a restaurant called “FIVE”.

The bad boy of the Senegalese football was beaten by two friends exceeded by the behaviors of the player. According to reports, after a drunken show with his wife, Diouf began to insult everyone in his path.

So he went in the toilet of the restaurant, he shakes anew a man called Thierry who suddenly saw red. With the help of a friend, they thrashed the Leeds striker in the toilet, before fleeing. The bodyguards of Diouf have arrived a bit too late.

The holidays of Diouf in Senegal started well. His true doubtful departure for the AS Kaloum is now forgotten.

Read More

BREAKING THE BANK! Arsenal Offer Record Fee To Sign Higuain

With £70 million to spend, Arsenal are preparing for their most adventurous transfer window under Arsène Wenger and are conscious of the need to move quickly within a market that will become intense following all the major managerial changes.

Wenger was interested in Higuaín before he even joined Real Madrid from River Plate in 2007 and there is a feeling that he could now be attainable for what would be a club-record transfer fee of £19 million.

Arsenal have also watched Stevan Jovetic, the Montenegro and Fiorentina striker, but there are doubts over whether he will leave Italy. Wayne Rooney is another striker to have been considered, but he is unlikely to fit into Arsenal’s wage structure.

Wenger confirmed on Friday that Arsenal were in talks for Yaya Sanogo but the Auxerre forward, 20, would be seen as a signing for the long term.

Arsenal are also targeting a goalkeeper, a holding midfielder and, should Bacary Sagna depart, a right-back. Asmir Begovic, Étienne Capoue and Lukasz Piszczek have all been scouted recently.

Read More

Gareth Bale's Shocker! "PAY ME 200K OR I WILL LEAVE"

Tottenham’s failure to secure Champions League football is going to impact heavily on contract talks with their star performer Gareth Bale.

The triple Footballer of the Year, who scored 26 goals for Spurs in a brilliant personal campaign, is expected to commit his future to White Hart Lane for at least one more season.

But Tottenham are going to have to improve his salary to around the £200,000-a-week mark — putting him on a par with the best-paid players in the Premier League such as Yaya Toure, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie — to make up for his huge disappointment at not taking part in European club football’s flagship competition.

Celebrate: Gareth Bale, after scoring his latest screamer against Sunderland, has signed a new Spurs deal

Applause: The news will keep Andre Villas-Boas armed with his star player next season

The Wales international realises his chances of playing in a World Cup or even a European Championship with his national team are slim, making Champions League involvement all the more important to him.

So Spurs will have to grant Bale a massive pay rise to compensate for parading his talent in the second-rate Europa League even though there are three years left on his £110,000-a-week contract.

A Spurs source said: ‘The vital issue will be getting the Champions League out of Gareth’s head before he commits for another season.That won’t be easy.’

Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas’s remarks after the fifth-place finish in the Premier League point to his hardball chairman Daniel Levy realising he will have to almost double Bale’s current deal, with Real Madrid likely to offer at least £50m to lure him.

Read More

TODAY'S DEBATE: Will Real Madrid Do Better Without Jose Mourinho??

How many managers would kill to have the worst season of Jose Mourinho’s career?

Following Friday’s Copa del Rey defeat to local rivals Atletico Madrid, the Real Madrid boss told reporters the current campaign would go down as his poorest in 13 years of club management.

“With a final, a semifinal, a second place and a Super Cup, for me it is the worst,” he said to Marca, adding, “When things go well it’s because of everyone. When things go bad it is the manager’s fault. For me it is the worst season.”

The 50-year-old went as far as saying that even the previous term, in which Madrid won La Liga and compiled 100 points, had been a failure given the club’s inability to win the Champions League—remarks Florentino Perez hinted at in announcing Mourinho’s exit in a Monday press conference.

“I would have liked Mourinho to stay for many more years,” stated the Madrid president after revealing the Portuguese would be leaving the club at the end of the season, according to Marca. “But,” he continued, “many Madrid fans believe the pressure he was subjected to wasn’t normal and a person can only put up with so much.”

And he certainly did put up with a lot—the club’s demanding fanbase and a core of egotistical establishment players saw to that.

But he created his own drama as well, picking fights with the likes of Iker Casillas and losing his temper when a more statesmanlike approach would have served him better.

After hearing Perez announce Mourinho’s exit, Barcelona vice president Carles Vilarrubi lashed out at the departing Madrid manager, saying he had been “a scourge” to La Liga and that seeing him leave Spanish football was positive because “he had created a negative atmosphere,” per Marca.

It seems the decision makers at Madrid eventually came around to Barcelona’s way of thinking (something that doesn’t happen often), and one of the first points of business for the new manager will be to restore an element of respect at the Bernabeu.

Enter Carlo Ancelotti.

Set to leave Paris Saint-Germain, it is thought the Italian already has a personal agreement in place with Real Madrid, according to Goal, and his behavioural style is certainly something that would have been considered in approaching him.

A league winner in both Serie A and Ligue 1, Ancelotti is widely regarded as a gentleman. His ability to manage relationships with the media, the club hierarchy, the establishment players and the fans would no doubt settle the nerves of some executives who, in recent seasons, grew increasingly exasperated with what they saw as childish antics from Mourinho.

But Ancelotti, or whomever will be brought in to replace Mourinho, will be expected to win as well, and lifting the club’s 10th European Cup—the elusive Decima—will be at the top of their to-do list.

It’s here that the new manager will struggle to replicate Mourinho’s success. For while he couldn’t quite get Madrid into a Champions League final, he nevertheless brought them into three successive semifinals after six straight years of Round of 16 defeats.

He gave Barcelona a run for their money in La Liga as well, coming second to the Catalan juggernaut on two occasions and finishing nine points above them (and 39 above third-place Valencia) last season.

Even Perez conceded Mourinho had done well from a purely footballing perspective, saying to Marca, “It has been a successful period. Real Madrid is back where it should be.”

Chelsea fans have long been clamouring for a Mourinho return, and they may soon get their wish.

Only legendary manager Miguel Munoz, who was in charge of Madrid’s glory years between 1960 and 1974 (nine titles and two European Cups), has delivered more victories for the club than Mourinho’s 127, and only Manuel Pellegrini, who was at the helm just a single season, boasts a better winning percentage than Mourinho’s 72.57.

But Pellegrini was sacked in May 2010 after coming second to Barcelona—something Mourinho would get used to as well.

And it’s Barcelona that is really the quiet influence in all this.

Had Madrid’s archrivals not hit on the magic formula of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta some years back, the capital side would surely have enjoyed a rather more prosperous last few seasons.

What Madrid and their carousel of managers is up against just happens to be the most dominant club side of recent times, and in that light, it’s hard to blame them for their desperate scrambling and attempts at quick fixes.

Read More

BIG BLOW: Uche And Moses Pull Out Of Eagles Upcoming Fixtures

The duo of Victor Moses and Kalu Uche have been ruled out of the busy scheldue that lies ahead for the national team, the Super Eagles.

The busy roster includes the high-profile friendly with Mexico, the World Cup qualifying matches against Kenya and Namibia and the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament.

In a message to Head Coach Keshi, Kalu Uche claimed to have been playing with injury for some time now in the Turkish League, and on the advice of his doctor, will be using the opportunity of the off-season to undergo treatment.

Big loss

Chelsea FC ace Victor Moses, one of the best players of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa, is said to be dropping out in order to treat a recurring injury and won’t be fit in time for the World Cup qualifiers and the ‘Festival of Champions’.

However, his club says he will be with the Chelsea squad at their pre-season tour of USA to be monitored by closely by doctors, but would not participate in the tour.

Read More

Meet The Turkish Iniesta: Chelsea's New Target

A deal between Chelsea and Jose Mourinho has yet to be confirmed publicly, but the Spanish press is already going into overdrive with speculation about who the Portuguese coach may want to bring with him to Stamford Bridge from Madrid.

The latest name is Arda Turan, though the talented Turk plays on the other side of the Spanish capital.

Name: Arda Turan
Date of birth: 30 January, 1987
Birthplace: Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
Position: Attacking midfielder
Club: Atletico Madrid
Honours: UEFA Europa League
(2011/12), UEFA Super Cup (2012), Turkish Super Lig (2007/08)
International appearances: 64 (Turkey)

What's the latest?
Turan's dream of playing in the Premier League is nothing new, with the Turk making eyes at Liverpool in the past, and Atletico Madrid are aware that he will need convincing to stay at the Vicente Calderon beyond this summer. Their task could be even greater now, however, as Turkish newspaper Fanatik claim that one of the conditions Jose Mourinho has attached to taking the Chelsea job is that Roman Abramovich coughs up the €24m necessary to meet Turan's buyout clause.

Did you know?
1) Turan joined Galatasaray as a 12-year-old, and was promoted to the first team in 2004 by the Maradona of the Carpathians, Gheorghe Hagi.

2) After a spell on loan at Manisaspor, Turan returned to the Galatasaray first team in 2006, and established himself as a key player with the Turkish giants. He was handed the number 10 shirt and made captain of the club in 2009.

3) In 2011 he brought an end to his Galatasaray career with a triumphant double, lifting the league and super cup in his homeland. Atletico Madrid made him the most expensive Turkish player ever when they paid €12m for him ahead of the following season.

4) Turan's golden touch continued with his new team, and by the end of the 2011/12 season he was providing the assist for Radamel Falcao's second goal in Atleti's Europa League final win. In August 2012, the number 10 played 90 minutes in Atleti's 4-1 humbling of Champions League winners Chelsea in the European Super Cup.

5) This season, the Turk has continued to be a pillar of Atletico's team. Widely accepted as their most creative player, he is often lauded for his ability to play between the lines, and has been compared to Andres Iniesta in his style. With Diego Simeone's side suffering from a notable drop in creativity during the Turk's six week battle with injury, Atleti will be glad to have him back ahead of their Copa del Rey final clash with Real Madrid on May 17th

Read More

MONDAY TRANSFER GIST: Chelsea To Offload Torres, Alves Eyes Barca Exit

Chelsea are set to take a £30million hit and sell Fernando Torres this summer as incoming boss Jose Mourinho wants a new-look attack and hopes to splash £70m on Napoli star Edinson Cavani and Bayer Leverkusen's Andre Schurrle.

West Ham are ready to make a move for Sunderland's Phil Bardsley.

Reading skipper Jobi McAnuff is a target for QPR.

Thibaut Courtois has told Chelsea he wants to stay with Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea want Manchester United to name their price for Wayne Rooney.

Paolo Di Canio has claimed Sunderland would have been relegated this season if he had not replaced Martin O'Neill.

Manchester City are fast-tracking Patrick Vieira to become their new manager.

Brendan Rodgers will try and jump the queue to sign Asmir Begovic if Pepe Reina joins Barcelona.

Marouane Fellani has made it clear he'd like to follow David Moyes to Manchester United.

Monaco are the latest club eyeing Wayne Rooney's uncertain future at Man United.
Roy Hodgson has revealed his shock and disappointment at three top Premier League clubs going on tour this week ahead of England's next two matches.

Phil Neville has met with Bill Kenwright to discuss succeeding David Moyes as Everton manager.

Manchester City's players have been told a new manager will be in place when they return from their post-season tour of the USA.

Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio is ready to raid former club Lazio for Modibo Diakite.

Arsenal flop Marouane Chamakh is desperate to return to France.

Santos have turned down Barcelona's offer for star forward Neymar.

Swansea boss Michael Laudrup wants a new striker to help share the burden with Michu next season.

Giorgos Karagounis and Simon Davies are both set to leave Fulham.

Gareth Southgate is being lined up to replace Danny Wilson at Sheffield United.

Read More

THE PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE SEASON!!

The English Premier League season has come to a close, and fans all over the world are constructing their teams of the season.

We've made ours in a 4-2-3-1 formation and based it solely on performances this season in the 38 league games—the only ones that count.

Take a browse and see how we'd line up. Does yours differ? Detail yours in the comments below!

GK: Brad Guzan, Aston Villa

Christian Benteke has taken an awful lot of plaudits this season, but Aston Villa would have been relegated had it not been for Brad Guzan's heroics in goal.

The American won the starting job in Week 3 and excelled on a consistent basis, producing outstanding saves in every game to keep Villa in with a chance.

He's conceded a lot of goals and Villa failed to keep a clean sheet in 2013, but Guzan is not to blame—the stunning, springy stop against Christopher Samba is one of the pivotal moments in this season and typifies why he swept the awards ceremony at the club.

Alternate: David de Gea, Manchester United

RB: Pablo Zabaleta, Manchester City

The debate over who is the best right-back in the English Premier League is fierce.

Pablo Zabaleta gets the nod here. It's arguable his all-round game is better, defending with steely determination but also popping up at the right time to score a goal.

His engine is impressive and he's beloved by the fans at the Etihad Stadium, providing a stable leadership presence for all the players around.

Alternate: Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea

CB: Laurent Koscielny, Arsenal

Laurent Koscielny's dealt with injuries at the start of the season, but once he finally established himself, Arsenal's fortunes spiraled upward.

He's a dominant defender—on form, he's one of the top 10 in world football—and his vital goal on the final day to win it for the Gunners assured them of UEFA Champions League football.

He's emerged as the best centre-back of the pack and keeps captain Thomas Vermaelen out of them team.

Alternate: Matija Nastasic, Manchester City

CB: Jan Vertonghen, Tottenham Hotspur

Jan Vertonghen aced his debut season in the English Premier League and has quickly become one of the best centre-backs in the nation.

His marauding, surging runs forward—either from central defence or left-back—have been too much for established defenders to handle. His four-goal haul was only diminished by the dubious goals panel.

Just another Belgian off the La Masia-esque assembly line...

Alternate: Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United

LB: Leighton Baines, Everton

One of the easiest choices for our team of the season, Leighton Baines takes the left-back spot.

He's been a creative machine—finishing top of Europe with 116 chances created—but hasn't neglected his defensive duties and formed part of a solid line.

The Englishman has surpassed Ashley Cole in many people's opinions. There's a real clamour for him to become England's No. 1.

Alternate: Ben Davies, Swansea City

DM: Michael Carrick, Manchester United

Michael Carrick is no longer an unsung hero.

He's widely lauded for his contributions—both defensively and offensively—in a strong Manchester United side, and his impressive season has seen him catapulted back into the England setup.

Red Devils fans adore him for a very good reason.

Alternate: Mousa Dembele, Tottenham Hotspur

DM: Morgan Schneiderlin, Southampton

Morgan Schneiderlin has won plenty of admiring glances this season and stamped his authority on the holding midfield position.

He has excelled under both Nigel Adkins and Mauricio Pochettino, but it's arguable the latter's high-pressing system suits his dogged tendencies better.

He finished the season with the most interceptions in the league (139), averaging 3.9 per game.

Alternative: Steven Gerrard, Liverpool

RF: Luis Suarez, Liverpool

Like him or dislike him, love him or hate him, Luis Suarez is a fantastic player who's enjoyed a stunning season.

His season was cut short, but he still managed to scored 23 goals and lay on five assists—second only to Robin van Persie in the chase for the Golden Boot.

The Uruguayan's goal against Newcastle United was a Goal of the Season contender.

Alternate: Kevin Mirallas, Everton

AMC: Juan Mata, Chelsea

Chelsea's players' and fans' Player of the Year Juan Mata deserves every accolade going for a truly stellar season.

He ended the season with a goal against Everton, giving the stands at Stamford Bridge the chance to adore him one final time this season.

He totaled 12 goals and 12 assists, establishing himself as the creative force in the Blues' 4-2-3-1 formation. What a year for the Spaniard.

Alternate: Santi Cazorla, Arsenal

LF: Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur

Gareth Bale's late strike against Sunderland took his goal tally to 21 for the season—a truly incredible feat for a midfielder.

He's moved from left wing to right wing to the No. 10 position in an attempt to evade double- or triple-marking and established himself as one of the best players in the English Premier League.

His stock is high and his price tag is sky-high. Tottenham missed out on UEFA Champions League football. Fans will spend the summer worrying about the chance of him departing.

Alternate: Eden Hazard, Chelsea

ST: Robin van Persie, Manchester United

Robin van Persie moved to Manchester United under immense pressure.

He reacted by scoring 29 goals (26 in the league) in his debut season, firing his new club to the English Premier League title.

The volleyed strike against Aston Villa sealed the title and epitomised his entire campaign—he shows up when he's needed and fires in a beauty.

Alternate: Christian Benteke, Aston Villa

Read More

NPFL REVIEW: Heartland Regain Top Spot, Nembe City Shock Wikki

Sharks of Port Harcourt continued their progress under new coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, as they secured a hard fought 1-0 victory over Sunshine Stars in a match day 13 encounter at the Sharks stadium in Port Harcourt on Sunday, May 19 2013.

This was one of the nine matches played in the Nigeria Professional Football League at the weekend.

In the other matches decided, Heartland of Owerri followed up their shock 2-0 victory over Shooting Stars in Ibadan, with a1-0 win over ABS in Owerri, and climbed to the number one spot on the log.

Nasarawa United, playing in front of their fans, could only manage a 0-0 draw against Akwa United. In Ilorin, Kwara United played out the only other draw of the day, ending their contest with Dolphins 1-1.

Apart from the Sharks and Heartland matches, two other games were settled by a lone goal: Kaduna United defeated Lobi Stars by hat score, and Gombe United could only manage 1-0 over El Kanemi Warriors.

At Yenagoa, newly promoted Nembe City football club co tinted to dazzle in the Premiership, with a 2-1 win over Wikki Tourists, and Warri Wolves also managed the same score over defending Champions, Kano Pillars.

The final game of the day was the 2-0 victory of former Champions, Enyimba over Bayelsa United.

The much anticipated game between rangers and Shooting Stars did not hold, because Rangers had a continental assignment this weekend

Read More

CONFEDERATION CUP: Ugonna Rescues Rangers With Last Gasp Winner

Ugonna Uzochukuw was the hero for Enugu Rangers on Sunday May 19 2013 as his 87th minute header secured a 1-0 win for the Flying Antelopes over hard fighting Tunisian side CS Sfaxien at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium in a First leg Round of 16 CAF Confederations Cup clash.

The Flying Antelopes had huffed and puffed before Uzochukwu broke the deadlock in the dying minutes of the game.

Tight rope

The win nonetheless, Rangers are walking a tight rope in the CAF Confederation Cup as a lone victory is far from being  a comfortable victory to be taken to North Africa.

The Flying Antelopes having been promised the sum of N.5m for each goal and N6m for victory were expected to go all out for a big win against their North African opponent but a deficient final touch by the Nigerian representatives means they have all the job to do in the reverse fixture in Sfax, Tunisia in a fortnight when the second leg is been played.

Read More

Prem Review: Kosicelny Secure Champions League Spot For Arsenal

Arsenal secured fourth spot in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St James' Park.

After a goal-less first-half, which mirrored what was happening at White Hart Lane between Tottenham and Sunderland, it took Arsenal less than ten-minutes into the second-half to to claim the winner which guaranteed their top-four finish ahead of their arch-rivals.
Newastle failed to deal with a Theo Walcott free-kick, and it fell for Laurent Koscielny just six-yards out and he volleyed home with great aplomb.
That goal was enough to mean that the result in North London was meaningless, although Tottenham's did do their part as Gareth Bale fired home to win it for them but Arsenal's did their job and claimed the three points they needed to claim a top-four finish by just one point.

Read More

EPL REVIEW: Arsenal finish Fourth, Lukaku Hattrick Stun United

Arsenal pipped Spurs to fourth place in the Premier League on Sunday, while Manchester United drew Sir Alex Ferguson's last game in charge 5-5.

The Gunners earned a hard-fought 1-0 win at Newcastle, while Tottenham finished fifth despite sinking 10-man Sunderland 1-0 thanks to another fantastic goal from Gareth Bale.

Ferguson took charge of United for one last time before heading into retirement, and watched his troops go 5-2 up against West Brom at The Hawthorns, where Albion staged a stirring comeback thanks to a hat-trick from on-loan striker Romelu Lukaku.

Norwich pulled off the shock result of the day after beating Manchester City 3-2 in an Etihad thriller, while Chelsea earned a 2-1 win over Everton at Stamford Bridge, where Fernando Torres hit the winning goal.

Full review to follow...

Prem results: Chelsea 2 Everton 1, Liverpool 1 QPR 0, Man City 2 Norwich 3, Newcastle 0 Arsenal 1, Southampton 1 Stoke 1, Swansea 0 Fulham 3, Tottenham 1 Sunderland 0, WBA 5 Man Utd 5, West Ham 4 Reading 2, Wigan 2 Aston Villa 2.

Read More