International Football
IT’S AN HONOUR TO SCORE THE FIRST GOAL IN A NEW STADIUM
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is always an honour for a player to be the first scorer in a football stadium. Some Nigerian footballers achieved this feat. One of them, Josiah Dombraiye, even had the honour of being the first scorer in a foreign stadium, when Nigeria beat Cameroun 2-1 at the commissioning of the then, Ahmadu Ahidjo Stadium, (now Omnisport Stadium) Yaoundé on February 13, 1972. Dombraiye scored the two goals for Nigeria.
Similarly, foreigners have scored the first goals in Nigeria’s stadiums. One of such was QPR’s Tony Ingham in the 3-0 defeat of Northern Nigerian team at the commissioning of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on August 2, 1964. Also, the first goal in an international match at the Abuja National Stadium was scored by Ghana’s Patrick Agyemang in a 3-1 defeat by Nigeria on May 30, 2003.
But the very first goal of the arena was by Shooting Stars’ Sikiru Lawal in a 1-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars on April 8, 2003.
Other first scorers are: Ghana’s Aggrey Fynn in a 5-1 defeat of Mali on October 2, 1960 at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan; Enugu Rangers’ Sylvanus Nsofor in a 2-0 defeat of Zambia’s City FC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on January 16, 1986.
El-Kanemi’s Mark Odu was the first scorer at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan when IICC Shooting Stars were defeated 1-0 on May 28, 1988. Peter Obi (not the former Anambra State Governor) of Mid West side scored first at the Ogbe Stadium when it was commissioned on December 7, 1968. It was in a 1-1 drawn game with Western State team.
Umo Eyo of Calabar Rovers scored first at the old Calabar Stadium (now UJ Esuene Stadium) when it was commissioned on April 2, 1977. Scoreline was 1-1 in a game with Bendel Insurance.
It turned to be a splendid home coming for Emem Eduok, an indigene of Akwa Ibom as his 34th minute header off a cross from Solomon Kwambe became the first goal at the Akwa Ibom stadium when it was commissioned on Novemeber 7, 2014.
Junior Ajayi then of Shooting Stars became the first scorer of Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium when he opened scoring in Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat of Congo in a 2016 Olympic Games qualifier on July19, 2015. He scored Nigeria’s two goals.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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