Nigerian Football
WILFRED NDIDI, COMPOUNDS LAMPARD WOES, FIRES LEICESTER TO TOPPLE MAN UNITED ON PREMIERSHIP TABLE
Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi opened scoring as Leicester compounded Chelsea’ s misery in the English Premier League.
And so, the pressure continues to mount on Chelsea’s Frank Lampard after his Blues fell to a 2-0 defeat away to Leicester City on Tuesday evening.
The result also means that Leicester have overtaken Manchester United on top of the league table. Chelsea lie eighth on 29 points.
Lampard came into Tuesday night’s game as the coach with the joint-worst record under Roman Abramovich, level only with Andre Villas-Boas, and things didn’t get any better for the former midfielder.
Leicester led after just six minutes through Wilfred Ndidi. A cleverly worked corner ended in a cutback that found Marc Albrighton free on the edge of the area, but his mishit fell to Ndidi, who was able to drive his own strike in off the post for the opener.
Sports Village Square recalls that two years ago, Ndidi also scored against Chelsea. Edouard Mendy did well to deny Jamie Vardy Leicester’s second, and then Chelsea momentarily had hope as they were awarded a penalty for a Johnny Evans foul on Christian Pulisic.
VAR, however, intervened and ruled that the tackle had taken place outside of the area, with Mason Mount then firing over with the subsequent freekick.
Leicester went down the other end immediately to double their lead. Antonio Rudiger got caught out by a simple ball forward, being drawn towards Vardy rather than following the ball, and James Maddison was then able to calmly finish past Mendy.
The second half saw Chelsea come into the game a little more, but the hosts’ lead was never really at risk, and Brendan Rodgers’ side saw the game out to go top of the Premier League table.
Timo Werner looked to have pulled a late goal back in the last five minutes after coming off the bench, but his strike was ruled out for a slight offside, while Hakim Ziyech had a chance of his own in stoppage time.
Remo Stars on Saturday made it two straight wins in the Nigeria Premier League after labouring to a 1-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars of Akure to follow-up their last weekend 2-0 away win over Abia Warriors.
On Saturday, under eight minutes they shot ahead through Shuaibu Ibrahim. That was where the story ended as Sunshine Stars came up strongly and almost stalemated scores.
The win, though narrow, is enough to temporarily take Remo Stars to the top of the log after two games.
They are followed by Rivers United who beat Heartland 3-1. It is the second consecutive 3-1 loss that Heartland are getting in the two-week old season.
The situation could change on Sunday when other matches are played.
On the card are: Akwa United hosting Abia Warriors while Kano Pillars will be away to Bayelsa United.
Katsina United host Bendel Insurance and Niger Tornadoes will be home to Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars will host Plateau United.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, who was in Arnhem, Netherlands.
Former Nigeria manager, Clemens Westerhof has recommended one of his former players, Samson Siasia as the substantial coach for the Super Eagles.
Siasia was one of his players of the famed golden generation of the Super Eagles.
“I called him last month to greet him for his birthday and also to celebrate with him for the end of his five-year ban”, Westerhof told Sports Village Square at his house in Arnhem in the Netherlands.
According to him, Siasia is just like Keshi and that he has the capacity to turn the Super Eagles around for the better. Westerhof, the author of the famed ‘Golden Generation’ of the Super Eagles made his suggestion shortly after Germany’s Bruce Labbadia turned down the Nigerian job offer.
Westerhof remarked that he was surprised about the choice of Labbadia in the first instance and that the now Mali coach, Tom Saintfiet who is his friend could have been a better choice.
Saintfiet, a Belgian, was speculated among the coaches initially short-listed for the Super Eagles’ job. But Westerhof, before the naming of Austin Eguavoen, another member of his famous 1994 squad, strongly back Siasia for the job.
He remarked that he was in touch with the former striker as well as Austin Okocha whom he met with in London recently.
To Westerhof, Siasia has the same quality like Stephen Keshi to handle the Super Eagles. “He has done it before and I think he can still do it.”
The balls hit the nets 17 times this Sunday as the Nigeria Premier League Season 2024/25 burst into life this Sunday.
The first of the goals was from Plateau United’s Olawale Doyeni who converted a 24th minute penalty kick against Katsina United in an eventual 1-0 home win.
Another star-man of the the day is Enyimba’s Clinton Jephta who has become the season’s first hat-trickster. His three goals in the 65th , 70th and 73rd minutes sank heartland 3-1 in their home match.
BREAKING! Dubois destroys Anthony Joshua!
CAF Confederation Cup: Enyimba target victory after Solid Showing in Bamako
Enyimba’s midfielder, Daga confident of Confederation Cup group stage ticket
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
AFCON1 week agoRwanda newspaper gives 5 lessons gleaned from Rwanda-Nigeria clash
-
AFCON1 week agoPresent and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen
-
CAF Confederation Cup1 week agoEnyimba continues unbeaten run against Burkina Faso clubs
-
AFCON4 days agoLibya sacks coach ahead of AFCON qualifying back-to-back matches with Nigeria
-
CAF Champions League1 week agoEnugu Rangers in slim CAF Champions League win over Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca
-
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL1 week agoFalconets crash out from U-20 Women’s World Cup
-
Boxing7 hours agoBREAKING! Dubois destroys Anthony Joshua!
-
Governing Bodies7 days agoStorm in CAF over proposed statutes amendments