Premier League
Nearly Half Time, 3SC Swims To Comfort Zone
BY JUBRIL AROWOLO.
Thanks to substitute striker, Assiri Emmanuel, it would have been another tale of 1-1 draw for Shooting Stars. Ten minutes after his introduction, he netted the late winner that has seen Shooting Stars drifting away from the murky waters of relegation as they had a hard won 2-1 win over Niger Tornadoes.
The Ivorian striker had come in for injured Merenini Junior and gave seemingly hopeless home fans something more cheer when he slotted in the winner on 85th minute of the game.
The game had started on a fast note with the home side getting it underway after a minute silence for the departed coach of Remo Stars, Mohammed Perez, at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
In an apparent search for early goals, the quartet of Sunday Faleye, Merenini Junior, Ayobami Junior and Lekan Bola were firmly on the pedal with much trouble for Niger Tornadoes’ defence line.
Also at the receiving end was goalkeeper and captain, Mustapha Aliko who punched, parried and saved to keep the rampaging homers in check, even his occasional dangerous counter from his side notwithstanding.
However, they caved in towards the end of the first half with Sunday Faleye registering his fourth goal of the season in a clinical way.
A nice exchange between Tolu Olaifa and Ibrahim Babalola had prompted a floated pass from the middle to the right side of the field and Sunday dazzled two defenders on him before he finished with his left to the bottom corner of the post in the 43rd minute to cap up a scintillating display in the half.
On resumption of the second half, the domineering display continued for Shooting Stars with the visitors also giving a fight from the defence to the attack and goal keeper Tambe Charles had to come out to save some dangerous incursions.
This was the situation until 79th minute when Tornadoes’ substitute Ammeh Wilfred equalized to silence the home fans.
Ammeh came for Ebenezer Odeyemi early in the second half. Another substitution also saw Abubakar Mohammed come in for Bolaji Adeyemi. They added pep into their forays before the goal.
A free kick into six yards was over looked by 3SC’s Promise Ebiaku before Hamzat Owolabi nodded down for unmarked Ammeh for a cool finish and equalizer for the away team.
Shooting Stars fought back from the restart of the game and earned two successive corners. Lekan Bola has taken a short one before a neat one-two touch involving Tolu, Babalola and Assiri who tapped it in, to bring the stadium alive again with a 2-1 score line.
Though Niger Tornadoes responded, it was too little too late and a secured three points for the Oluyole Warriors with their three consecutive home wins since Rangers visit.
In his reaction to www.3sc.com.ng shortly after the game, Niger Tornadoes Head Coach, Bala Abubakar, said “Shooting Stars are a good side and with a good coach in Fatai Amoo, they deserved the victory”.
For Edith Agoye of Shooting Stars, the victory was well worked out. “We studied their last game against Remo Stars and this gave us an insight into their style of play and that’s exactly what they did here but we outsmarted them”, he submitted.
Meanwhile, centre back, Shittu Taiwo, for his outstanding performance emerged the Most Valuable Player in the game with an award from the management of Ibadan City Polytechnic. “I’m excited to emerge the MVP and this will make me to work harder and I thank our supporters for standing by us” he concluded.
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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