May 12, 2019
Across three match venues on Sunday, three Nigerian players were involved in action for the respective sides on the penultimate weekend of La Liga.
Daniel Akpeyi’s unwanted Record ends Miserably for Kaizer Chiefs Goalie
Daniel Akpeyi suffered his first defeat between the sticks for Kaizer Chiefs on the final day of the 2018/19 PSL season, a defeat away to his former employers Chippa United.
Manchester City beat Brighton 4-1 to retain Premier League title
Manchester City became the first team to successfully defend the Premier League title in 10 years as a 4-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion ensured the trophy returned to the Etihad Stadium despite Liverpool’s win over Wolves.
Not since Alex Ferguson guided Manchester United to back-to-back titles in 2009 has an English team successfully defended the Premier League crown.
City started the day a point ahead of closest challengers Liverpool but their grasp on the title threatened to slip completely as Brighton took a surprise lead at the Amex Stadium while Sadio Mane’s goal at Anfield had put Liverpool briefly on course for a first English title since 1990.
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been named the Premier League Player of the Season for 2018-19.
Van Dijk missed only 35 minutes of the Reds’ 37 matches before the campaign finale on Sunday, helping to register 20 clean sheets and scoring four goals.
The No.4’s imperious form – which also earned him the PFA Players’ Player of the Year honour last month – has been a significant factor in Liverpool’s pursuit of the Premier League title.
Van Dijk saw off competition from teammates Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling, and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, to claim the accolade.
MFM FC of Lagos hosts Remo Stars for a mouth-watering South West derby at the Agege Township Stadium on Sunday.
The Olukoya Boys are desperate to pick one of the available three playoff ticket in NPFL Group A, while the Sky Blue Stars are battling for their lives to stay in the top flight division.
The away side are coming into the game at the back of their home win against Sunshine Stars of Akure in another South West derbylast Thursday and they need to avoid a defeat in their second consecutive derby.
MFM won the first fixture between both sides early in the season are confident coming into the game following their impressive away draw against Wikki Tourists on Wednesday’s after making fourteen changes to the team that defeated Rivers United 1-0 in Agege last Sunday.
The Olukoya Boys who are yet to taste defeat in the league at home and in three derby games this season are third on the log of Group A with 28 points from 18 games, they are closely followed by Lobi Stars with 27 points from same number of games.
Remo Stars on their part occupies the bottom of the log, with 17points from 18 matches and they 6 away from safety with 5 games to the end of the abridged league.
Abia Governor Ikpeazu dissolves Enyimba and Abia Warriors management board
The board of Nigeria Professional Football League sides Enyimba FC and Abia Warriors has been dissolved by the Government of Abia State.
In a press statement released by the Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, on Saturday, the dissolution is with immediate effect, but reasons behind the decision was not disclosed in the statement which was signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary,Enyinnaya Appolos.
Enyimba and Abia Warriors board aren’t the only affected, the dissolution is across all corporations owned by the State .
Ikpeazu is expected to form a new cabinet after May 29 and its unclear if Felix Anyansi and Emeka Inyama will retain their position as the chairman of Enyimba international and Abia Warriors respectively.
Super Eagles’ striker, Victor Osimhen was on target yesterday, as he bagged his 17th goal of the season to help Sporting Charleroi to a 3-0 away victory over KFCO Beerschot-Wilrijk at the Olympisch Stadium.
The young forward scored his side’s second goal of the game in the25th minute with a superb header, after Belgian centre back, Dorian Dessoleil had given Charleroi the lead in the third minute through a well-placed header from a Massimo Bruno‘s corner kick.
However, the ex-Golden Eaglets’ forward missed an opportunity toadd to his tally in the 66th minute when he failed to convert a penalty kick awarded to his side.
The penalty missed would mean nothing, as Malian forward, Adama Niane compounded Beerschot-Wilrijk woes with third goal in the89th minute.
Osimhen who has been linked with a move to Italian Side Ac Milan is one of the players Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr is banking on ahead of African Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The head coach of Nigeria senior volleyball team, Japhet Nuhu said the crop of players will excel at the 2019 Men’s All Africa Games qualifiers in Abidjan.
The Zone 3 Men’s All Africa Games Qualifiers men come up from 17th to 25th May, 2019.
Nuhu who stated this during training session in Kaduna said the players are in high spirit.
The Niger Brass coach said, “I believe the set of players in camp for the All Africa Games Qualifiers will succeed. The pressure is high, some believe we cannot perform but we will prove doubters wrong.
“The level of preparations is in top gear and the players are in high spirit”.
He revealed that the country is about to witness a new generation of volleyball players adding that for a nation to succeed they have to invest in the younger generation.
Nuhu said, “Anyone that has the young generation in mind means that he is building for the future. The present administration has a future for volleyball in Nigeria that is why we are ensuring we encourage the younger players.
“Most of the younger players will be representing Nigeria at the World Championships and of course they need exposure and working. That is why we feel they should be part of the All African Games qualifiers preparations”.