It was a comedy of errors culminating into an utterly disappointing evening as the Super Eagles of Nigeria squandered a 4-1 first half lead against The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone to end the game 4 apiece in their 2021 African Nations Cup qualifying match.

The game, which was played at the Samuel Ogbebudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State, ended up to be one that many Nigerians would want to forget in a hurry. Despite the huge expectations of a smooth victory to give the Super Eagles a better chance of qualifying for the biggest football competition in the continent, the Nigeria national side showed that perhaps, they were not mentally ready for the task at hand.

The goals started pouring in as early as the 4th minute of the match when Alex Iwobi made it 1-0 to the Super Eagles. Victor Osimhen added the second goal in the 21st minute and Iwobi scored a brace to make it 3-0. Samuel Chukwueze joined the party as he included a 4th for the Eagles in the 29th minute. It was almost turning into a pool party for the Nigerian side before Kwame Quee scored what many thought was going to be a consolation goal to make the score line 4-1 at half time.

No one would have predicted a comeback for the Sierra Leoneans in such circumstance. Nigeria's coach, Gernot Rohr, showed tactical deficiency and incompetence as his team was smoldered in an unprecedented manner by a relatively inexperienced Sierra Leone side. Nevertheless, it was a brilliant performance by the Leone Stars in the second half as they fought their way into salvaging a valuable point against the lacklustre, disgraceful Super Eagles of Nigeria. Two goals from Alhaji Kamara and another from Kwame Quee secured the fantastic draw for Sierra Leone.

The draw leaves Nigeria still top of Group L with 7 points, while Sierra Leone is third with 2 points.

The return leg of the tie will take place in Sierra Leone next week, Tuesday 17th November.

https://9newsng.com/super-eagles-squander-4-1-lead-to-salvage-a-disappointing-draw-against-sierra-leone/

By Emmanuel Ebimoh

Two familiar foes in English Football – one in the heart of West London, and the other in the Metropolitan Borough in Mersyside – 56 Premier League games between them with 140 goals scored, one recently crowned champion and the other ready to fight for the crown again. We are all set and ready-to-go for the first titanic battle in the 2020/2021 English Premier League Season.

When the curtains are lifted at Stamford Bridge, West London tomorrow, it’ll be another nail-biting clash between the Blues of Chelsea and the Reds of Liverpool. Undoubtedly the top of the pack in this weekend’s games, there’ll be more than three points at stake in this mouth-watering Premier League battle.

Both teams had their winning starts to the 2020-21 campaign, with Liverpool narrowly coming through against newly-promoted Leeds United in a seven-goal thriller, and Chelsea comfortably defeating Brighton & Hove Albion away from home. Both teams have also been very active in the transfer market as they look to strengthen their squad for the long battles that lie ahead.

Chelsea’s coach, Frank Lampard, has made his attacking intent known in his acquisitions so far in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, and Ben Chilwell for an accumulated fee of about £204.1million. Having finished 4th in the last campaign and without a trophy, Frank Lampard has definitely come out with a strong intention to place his Chelsea team as one of the real contenders for this season’s coveted title.

On the other hand, just fresh from their outstanding performance last season, Liverpool are set to defend their title and this battle against Chelsea might be the litmus test they need to decide if their title ambition will be sustained. Jurgen Klopp’s side were far from impressive in their first game last weekend against Leeds United, but the arrival of Spanish International, Thiago Alcantara during the week might just be the big morale boost the team needs for the challenge ahead. Thiago, who arrived from Bayern Munich for a fee of around £25million, has been confirmed to be eligible for tomorrow’s game and he will definitely play a pivotal role in the aspirations of Liverpool this season. But whether he starts and makes his debut in Liverpool’s first big clash of the season will be a decision Klopp has to make.

One thing Jurgen Klopp will however be wary of will be the leaky defence of his team. Having conceded three goals in their last game against Leeds United, Virgil van Dirk, who was arguably one of Liverpool’s best players last season and a monumental figure for them in defence, will need to resurrect his form and help marshal his back-line if they are to stand any chance of conceding less goals against the obviously potent Chelsea attack. Interestingly, one of Liverpool’s new signings, Kostas Tsimikas, is expected to be available in defence after recovering from Coronavirus, but again, whether his presence will be the force the defence needs will be known in the game tomorrow.

For both teams, their attacking force might just be the difference that decides where this tie would swing to, as there are a lot of exciting attacking prospects to watch out for. Liverpool’s attacking trio of Salah, Mane, and Firmino are definitely not short of goals and they would be hoping to replicate their fireworks against a familiar Chelsea defence. But their London rivals may look to have come prepared with the same token with an attacking force of Werner, Pulisic, and Havertz, all ready to start in the big game. If the attack of both teams decide to come to the party, then we may be in for some scintillating attacking display.

The dream of a back-to-back English Premier League title for Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team will decidedly start from their trip to Stamford Bridge. The team has already been injected with the drive for victory, and the arrival of Thiago may bring another magic winning formula for them this season. But for Frank Lampard, it’ll be a good opportunity to have his revenge for their 5-3 loss to Liverpool in the EPL just two months back.

The stage is set and for fans all over the world who will be watching from home, this will be an unmissable delicious encounter.

By Emmanuel Ebimoh

After a disappointing 2019/2020 Premier League season, marked possibly as their worst league campaign in a generation, Arsenal FC have shown that they have more to offer and they are ready to make a strong statement as contenders for the league title this time around. Arsenal, buoyed by their FA Cup success last season as a possible consolation for a poor league campaign, have demonstrated a knack and craving for victory in their first game of the new season, typical of a team that is eager to win the coveted English Premier League title. And they have done so this afternoon with an emphatic 3-0 victory against newly-promoted Fulham.

In a demanding league where victory is mandatory, a winning start for the Gunners and a promising performance to a start of the new season is surely a welcome development for the aspirations of the Arsenal team and fans all over the world. With an all-important first away win, maybe Critics can now start rethinking about giving Arsenal a strong chance in their prediction books.

For Fulham, their first fixture to life back in the Premier League couldn’t have come any difficult as they faced a resurgent Arsenal side that looked more than hungry for success. And it took Arsenal just 10 minutes into the game to register the first goal of the new campaign after Alex Lacazette finished from close range inside the box to give Arsenal the lead. Arsenal’s new signing, Gabriel dos Santos Magalhãess - who was making his debut for the club - was impressive and dominant in defence, and in the 49th minute, just after the half-time break, the big Brazilian was on hand to give Arsenal their second goal of the game with a thumping header from a Willian’s corner kick. It was a well-orchestrated Brazilian connection, perfect start to life at Arsenal for the two National team-mates.

And then, eight minutes later, it was 3 goals for Arsenal. A quick counter-attack that saw a series of deft passes culminated in a fantastic finish by Arsenal’s captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, to give Arsenal a comfortable 3-goal lead. The Gabonese International took the ball coolly on his chest from a superb pass from Willian, and struck home a devastating shot into the top corner of the Fulham post, giving the keeper no chance at all. Perfect beginning for Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team.

Unarguably, one major change in this resurgent Arsenal side is the way they press their opponents and defend whenever they lose the ball. Although one may object to the quality of their opponents today, but the improvement seen in the team after today’s victory is worth every commendation. And with more repeats of today’s performance in the coming games, it may not be too early for Arsenal fans around the world to start having sight on the league trophy, come May next year.

https://9newsng.com/arsenal-begin-new-season-with-convincing-victory/

By Emmanuel Ebimoh

The highly anticipated start of the 2020/2021 football season in Europe is finally here! At last, despite the temporary suspension and shortcomings due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, football fans can now enjoy the best of football from the top leagues in the world albeit from the comfort of their homes or viewing centres. For fans of Arsenal, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, and many others, it’s another season to savour the sheer pleasure of top-class football spectacle as top players entertain us with devastating dribbles, defence-splitting passes, unbelievable saves, and of course, fantastic goals.

During the unprecedented conclusion of last season in all the major leagues in the world in June and July, the beautiful game of football took a slightly new shape in terms of some on-field rules and viewership. Some of the new changes noticed in this period were 5 substitutions per team in a game, drink/cooling breaks in each half of a game, and a tight fixture of matches for teams. However, even as restriction of fans into stadia to watch live games is still on, the football excitement that keeps us at the edge of our seats, biting our nails in suspense, and screaming at the top of our lungs cannot be altered. We are indeed ready for more!

Let’s take a look at some of the games to expect in the first week of the English Premier League 2020/2021 season.

Arsenal will be the first to kick-off the early starters as they travel to Craven Cottage to play newly-promoted Fulham in their first game of the season. After a ‘satisfying’ campaign last season that saw the Gunners lift the FA Cup trophy for an impressive 13th time, Arsenal will be hoping to secure all 3 points in the bag when they visit their London opponents, Fulham. Mikel Arteta, coach of Arsenal, is looking to fortify his squad for the daunting challenge ahead as he has made some good signings in the ongoing transfer window, including Willian from Chelsea. Fulham, on the other hand, would be tasting the intensity of the EPL again after being relegated to the Championship in 2019. The West London club were promoted to play in top-flight English football and they would be facing a stern test when they welcome Arsenal in the first match of the season on Saturday, 12th September.

In the other games in the EPL, reigning Champions Liverpool will host another newly-promoted side, Leeds United, in what promises to be another crunch encounter at Anfield. The Reds of Liverpool secured the league title last season after an outstanding run throughout the season. All eyes will be on them to see if that impressive dominance can be sustained in this new season. For Leeds United, it’s a start in the top league after 16 years and they have toiled for this opportunity to compete with the ‘big boys’ again. However, starting life again in the EPL against the reigning Champions may not have been the start they would have envisaged, but then, maybe, just maybe there’s a slice of surprise for us. We can’t wait.
On Sunday, there’ll be another savoury encounter as Tottenham welcome Everton to White Hart Lane in their opening game of the new season. Tottenham, coached by the ever controversial Jose Mourinho, will be hoping for an impeccable start, but it’ll definitely not be a slice of cake for them. Everton have been surprisingly busy in the transfer market and they have secured the talented James Rodriguez from Bayern Munich on a two-year deal.

It’s going to be an incredible opening weekend of club football from the major leagues in the world and for those who have remained faithful to the clubs they support, it’s another opportunity to fly the colours of their favourite clubs. For those who are just expecting to be entertained with some scintillating performances on the pitch, well, the game is about to begin. Grab your seat and get ready. Our favourite club football is back!

https://9newsng.com/the-english-premier-league-is-back-heres-what-we-are-expecting-for-the-new-season/

Enwhen:



Is on a ration basis... Like 10/24hour(a day)

10 hours a day is a very good start. So you can also testify of the improved electricity supply in your area in Lagos. That's great!

Oh OK. How has power supply been in that area in the past one month, please?

Enwhen:



Ogudu

Which part of Lagos do you live in?

Enwhen:


How is it a pass mark for the Gov ??...when did they amend the law to allow State Government the right to power generation ??... Abi u don smoke Igbo ?... Pls tell the Gov that , they are not observing the social distancing in the BRT buses and operators are still collecting the double increament amount as a result of social distancing in the BRT bus...it's a criminal offended on the part of Govt if they can't revert back to normal price since the BRT operators are not observing the social distancing for which is the cause for the double increament in amount for routes .

By Emmanuel Ebimoh - 9News Nigeria

There’s an unexplained feeling of excitement that accompanies every emergence of electricity in this part of the world. It feels almost divine, devoid of human explanation or criticism. It’s a natural inclination that makes us happy and we feel like we have conquered the obstacle that is trying to stop us from achieving our goals in every area of life. I know this because growing up as a boy in the boisterous city of Lagos, Nigeria, there weren’t many happier moments in the day like the unanimous ‘Up NEPA’ chant that would thunder across corridors and open compounds whenever electricity is restored. Boys, girls, and even women at home would immediately erupt into strings of ecstasy, jumping and shouting in obvious jubilation at the sight of shiny light bulbs.

However, if, by a little stroke of misfortune, the electricity suddenly goes off in the middle of an interesting programme on TV, that joy unwittingly disappears and everyone would wear a gloomy, disapproving face, perhaps with a few curses towards the power supply authority.

The joy of constant electricity transcends beyond its domestic usage at home; it is also a determining prerequisite to the economic development of any state and country. In the past years the poor condition of electricity supply in Nigeria, including generation and distribution, has been a big cause of worry for many a Nigerian. With only about 5,000 Megawatts of power generated and transmitted daily to the final consumer as at December 2019, Nigeria was ranked as one of the most underpowered countries in the world. Today, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the country achieved its all-time national peak of 5,420.30 Megawatts in August, 2020. While this is commendable, it is still barely enough to meet up with the growing population and electricity needs of the country.

However, Lagosians have seemingly been enjoying unprecedented long hours of daily power supply. A steady observation in most places in Lagos metropolis showed that there has been substantial increase in power supply in the past couple of weeks. Notwithstanding the period of the Covid-19 lockdown, this new change of increased electricity supply has prompted commendations to the State Government for its continued effort to transforming the state into a Mega City in the nearest future.

So what is the Lagos State Government doing right to revamp power supply in the state? In 2018, the Lagos State Government approved plans to reform the state’s power sector through an Embedded Power Supply Project. This project was targeted towards generating 3,000 MW of electricity for the state within 3-5 years, and ultimately reduce the state’s reliance for electricity on the National Grid. As part of plans to implement this power supply reform, the State Government signed a cooperative deal with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to position the state to effectively launch the Lagos Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) under the Power Africa-Nigeria’s Power Sector Programme initiative (PA-NPSP). So far, from evidences across the state, it is certain that the State Government is obviously doing something right and Lagosians are delighted at the result.

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-olu has also reiterated the commitment of his administration to extend the capacity of the state-owned Independent Power Plant (IPP) to sustain the ‘Light-Up Lagos’ project which was started by former governor of the state and present Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, in 2013. Looking at these positive moves from a neutral point of view and considering the present laudable changes in power supply in the state, it is only natural to commend the immense work the Lagos State Government is doing to ensure that Lagosians have something to smile about.

The implication of this power supply reform in Lagos State will indubitably trickle down to other sectors in the long run. First, the over-reliance on diesel plants and generators for electricity by companies in the state would drastically reduce. This would enable companies and indeed, small businesses, to save more and use the extra funds to increase their business capacity and yield more profit. Second, the long term goal of transforming Lagos into a Mega City would steadily take shape with this improved electricity supply. Streets, markets, roads, and highways would be beautified with the brightness of lights and the city can confidently live up to its recognition as ‘the city that never sleeps’. What about security, tourism, and job creation? These are areas that would benefit from the effect of the power sector reform in Lagos State.

It’s been 15 months since the inception of the present government in Lagos State led by his Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu, and as far as efforts to give constant power supply to residents in the state and improve the standard of living are concerned, it is only fair to commend the government for its good work. As residents of the state, we are hopeful that the efforts of the government will be sustained to ultimately give the Lagos of our dreams for us and our children.

https://9newsng.com/improved-electricity-supply-in-lagos-state-a-pass-mark-for-governor-sanwo-olu/

This is beautiful, really. And coming from a Nigerian company, it's super encouraging. I can't wait for the movie to be out!

By Emmanuel Ebimoh

In what would seem like the greatest comeback in Champions League history, Liverpool pulled what many would term as ‘magical’ when they historically came from 3 goals down at half time to beat AC Milan in penalties in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final.

It was simply magical. On the night at Istanbul, the Italian giant had the likes of Andriy Shevchenko, Hernan Crespo, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Kaka, Paolo Maldini, Cafu, and Alessandro Nesta. It was a star-studded AC Milan team. At half time, the game had already gone one-sided as goals from Paolo Maldini and Hernan Crespo pierced an indelible thrust into the hearts of the Liverpool faithfuls. It was Liverpool 0 – AC Milan 3. It seemed like a mountain too high to overcome.

Then it happened. The glory of Liverpool came forth like many stars glittering in the sky. Not that many people didn’t believe in miracles at the time, but on that night, even the gods stood marvelled at the scenes at Istanbul. Goals from captain Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer, and Xabi Alonso sent Liverpool fans all over the world into complete ecstasy. And it all happened in 10 minutes! In just 10 minutes, Liverpool had turned the game around. It was 3-3!

Such scenes, such drama, such European night would surely live long in the hearts of many football fans. It reignited the old adage that says “It’s not over until it’s over.” Indeed, it was an unprecedented comeback. Liverpool eventually became the champions of Europe after winning AC Milan in that final game on penalties.

If the magic on that night at Istanbul was termed as the greatest comeback in champions league history, then whatever happens tonight in Liverpool’s favour would be beyond words - indescribable. Tonight, Liverpool will play Barcelona in a UEFA Champions League 2nd leg semi-final showdown. Tonight, Anfield will have no choice but to pray, hope, and believe without any shred of doubt that the word ‘impossible’ doesn’t exist anymore in any vocabulary.

Just as it was in 2005, Liverpool have a 3-goal deficit to turn around. And if they are to reinvent the magic of that historical final, they have to start by scoring three unreplied goals against Barcelona. However, in this case, there’s a big tricky clause. For every goal Barcelona scores tonight, Liverpool would have to make sure they win with a goal difference of 4! That is, if Barcelona scores one goal, Liverpool would have to score five to win the game. If Barcelona scores two goals, Liverpool would have to score six. It’s that simple, but…but, anyway, an average Liverpool fan would know better.

Let’s have a quick review at the prospect of both teams going into tonight’s game.

Liverpool are in a rather dicey situation. Key players like Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, and probably Virgil Van Dijk have been ruled out of the game due to injuries. This would undoubtedly leave a disappointing dent on the team when they file out tonight.

For Barcelona, they seem to be cruising with an almost injury-free team. However, not ignoring the presence of other key players in the team, the impact of one man would, without a doubt, be a big factor in the game. His name is Lionel Messi.

Mark Lawrenson, football pundit and former Liverpool defender succinctly explains the impact of the ‘Little Genius’:

“Clearly Liverpool need to score some goals, but they also need to stop him, somehow. To do that, they will need to play in Barcelona's half as much as possible because, as brilliant as Messi is, I haven't seen him score from his own half yet.

“If Liverpool do manage to get some control of the game, and see lots of the ball in Barca's territory, then it is possible that they can negate Messi a bit.

"But, even if that works, you just know there will be a spell in the game where he will come alive and then it will be a case of "’hang on to your hats’.”

Tonight, history will either repeat itself or the red flames of Anfield will be quenched this season.

For Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, they’ll be hoping that while they plot a way to stop Lionel Messi and Barcelona from scoring, the fire and passion of that special night at Istanbul in 2005 will be reignited for their favour. But, regardless of the outcome of the game, Liverpool Manager, Jurgen Klopp has assured that he’s sure his side will put up a good performance to either shock Barcelona or “fail beautifully”.



Emmanuel Ebimoh is a media enthusiast, loves reading and writing, and has a special interest in sports and news reporting. He is an editor and writer for 9News Nigeria.[i][/i]

[/b]By Emmanuel Ebimoh[b]

The 2018 FIFA World Cup came to an end on Sunday in Moscow, Russia. It was 31 days of the best of football, spanning through 64 breathtaking games, from 12 beautiful venues, among 32 teams in the world. For many who travelled to Russia, it was indeed a perfect holiday. While for about 2 billion people who viewed the games on TV around the world, it was an unforgettable one month of some thrilling spectacle.

Yesterday, the Les Bleus of France were crowned champions of the world after they overcame Croatia 4-2 in a final game that will be etched on the memory of football fans for a very long time. At the end of the game, the sky opened and poured out showers of tears, perhaps an indication that the heavens were sad the World Cup was ending.

Amidst the celebration and tears that accompanied the 21st edition of the most prestigious football competition in the world, there are a few life lessons we can take from the just concluded fiesta.

First, no matter what happens in life, whether good or bad, we should always find a reason to be happy. This seems like the most important lesson to be learnt, and as simple as it seems, it could be very vital in our journey to find happiness in life. Let's look at one of the participants in the World Cup - Panama.

The Panamanian team went into the 2018 World Cup as debutants. It was the first time since the history of Panama, a country of less than five million people, to be competing in the World Cup. Of course, as supporters travelling to watch their team play in a major tournament, they'd expect nothing less than a win, regardless of the opponent. But when Panama played England in their second group game, it was a 6-1 thumping for the new boys, as the English decided to play to the gallery. However, as goals leaked in, instead of being dismayed, the Panamanian fans were having one big party in the stadium. It did not matter that their team was crashing out; they were just enjoying the whole experience.

We need to understand that we can still find happiness even in the midst of failure and defeat. We need to learn to embrace our mistakes as stepping stones to greater achievements, with a positive mind-set. Winning or losing in the game of life is relative, but the real winners are those who celebrate and enjoy every moment of life.

The second lesson to take from the tournament is the importance of humility and team work. We'll use the Croatian team as an example. Croatia went into the World Cup with three strikers, Mario Madzukic, Andrej Kramaric, and Nikola Kalinic. In their first group match against Nigeria, Nikola Kalinic was on the bench. With about five minutes to the end of the game, the coach instructed him to prepare and replace another player. But Kalinic refused to play. He insisted he was good enough to start the game instead of being brought in with just five minutes to go as a substitute. He saw himself as a top player, perhaps better than the rest, so he was too proud to play as a substitute.

After the match, Kalinic refused to apologize, despite appeals from other coaching staff to get his apology. As a result, the coach evicted him from the team and he was sent home from Russia. Kalinic flew for holidays and even posted pictures of himself enjoying elsewhere.

Subsequently, the Croatian team, against all odds and for the first time in their history, got to the finals of the FIFA World Cup. They achieved their greatest football achievement ever, breaking the jinx in their footballing history. The players in the team, despite losing to France in the finals and coming second in the tournament, are now national heroes. All of them, except Nikola Kalinic who allowed pride get the better of him, will be celebrated. Their names will forever be inscribed in the hearts of generations. And yes, Kalinic failed to be part of the winning team because of his anger and pride.

In life, some people have lost big unforeseen opportunities because of a moment of uncontrolled anger or an over-bloated ego. They've lost friendship, trust, opportunities for success, and happiness because they were either too proud to say "I'm sorry" or too angry to make peace. It's important that we let go of pride and anger in our pursuit of happiness and success in life.

Also, it is worthy to note that to make it to the top of the ladder in life, one will need the help of other people. No one has ever made it in life as an island regardless of how smart or intelligent they are. As seen in Nikola Kalinic's Croatian story, to succeed in life, you need to be ready to lower your ego and play with other people with the same purpose as a team.

The third lesson we can take from the World Cup is that sometimes, the fastest man might not win a race, and even the strongest might fall in battle. If a man is favoured he can become the best from the last. During the tournament, we saw many shocking results as the supposedly 'big guns' were either eliminated in the group stage of matches or in the second round. By the quarter final stage of the competition, top teams like Germany, Argentina, Spain, and Portugal had been eliminated.

By the semi-final stage, five times world champions had been kicked out of the competition. Surprisingly, Croatia, a team that had never gotten to the finals of the world cup, emerged second, ahead of the 'giants' in world football. At the beginning of the competition, no one would have given Croatia the chance of getting to the semi-finals, but then, they did it. They were not the strongest team, they didn't have the fastest and most skilful players, they were arguably not a big threat, yet they made it to the finals, a stage where other bigger teams had dreamed of.

You see, sometimes in life we see mountains and oppositions that we think are insurmountable and we give up even before we begin. We belittle ourselves in our mind when we are supposed to stand up and face our fears. There’s a place for hard-work, preparation and determination, like we saw in all the teams that participated in the World Cup, but there’s also a place for grace, like we saw in the Croatian team at the tournament. So while we make up our mind to conquer the world, we should also remember that grace can locate the least amongst many and catapult them to a place beyond their wildest imagination. Ask for that grace.

[/b]Emmanuel Ebimoh is a writer and social media strategist. You can reach him on Facebook as Emmanuel Ebimoh. Email: emmyebimoh@gmail.com[b]

By Emmanuel Ebimoh

The die is cast, the crown is here. The world awaits the shouts of victory, as the flags of glory are hoisted beyond the skies. This is the assembly of champions, the ones who went, saw, fought with every inch of their blood, and are ready to kiss the cup with tears of joy. These are the ones who have conquered the world, for all they now see is the crown.

It’s been 21 days of the most entertaining spectacle in the world. We’ve seen heart-breaking moments, exhilarating goals, controversial decisions, pain, defeat, celebration, and laughter all packed in streams of undiluted football. The dribbles, the tackles, the shots, the saves, the paparazzi, the fans, the celebrations, the FIFA World Cup. Brace yourself, there’s more to come!

With a total of 146 goals so far after 56 matches, the 2018 FIFA World Cup has truly lived up to expectations. For the first time in the history of the World Cup, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was used. France were the first team to benefit from the first ever VAR decision, when Antoine Griezman was awarded a penalty after a replay and he finished it off perfectly in France’s 2-1 victory against Australia.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi was the first player to miss a penalty in the tournament and it happened in their opener against debutants Iceland in a 1-1 draw. A total of 28 penalties have so far been awarded in the tournament – a record for a World Cup. 21 have been successfully converted.

10 own-goals have been scored at the tournament, breaking the record of six set at France 1998. 39 years old Sergei Ignashevich of Russia became the oldest player to score an own-goal in the World Cup.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup has so far recorded a total of 189 yellow cards and 4 red cards. Carlos Sánchez of Colombia became the second fastest player to be shown a red card in World Cup history (3 minutes) when Columbia lost 2-1 against Japan.

Kylian Mbappe of France became the fifth youngest player to score multiple goals in a World Cup, 60 years after Pele of Brazil became the fourth.

Belgium are the first team after 48 years to come back from two goals down and win a knockout-phase match at the World Cup after they stun Japan 3-2. The last had been West Germany, who came from two goals down to edge England 3-2 at Mexico 1970.

Portuguese skipper, Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest player at 33 years old to score a hat-trick in the World Cup in the thrilling 3-3 draw against Spain during the group stage.

And for the first time since 1982 all the African participants failed to progress from the group stage. In 1982 both Algeria and Cameroon slipped and this term Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia have all exited after the group stage.

No doubt, the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup has been nothing but exciting, with record breakers and record setters. Hold your breath however, there’s still more to come.

Tomorrow, Friday 6th July, Uruguay will tackle France in the first quarter final match, while the Samba boys of Brazil will tackle the star-studded Belgium team. On Saturday, it’ll be Sweden against the Three Lions of England, while hosts, Russia doing battle against Croatia.

It’s surely going to be an explosive weekend of exciting football.


www.9newsng.com

Emmanuel Ebimoh is a writer, blogger, and social media strategist. You can reach him on Facebook and LinkedIn at Emmanuel Ebimoh. Email: emmyebimoh@gmail.com

It was a World Cup football weekend with a truck load of goals. From the most dramatic comeback to celebrations of the first goal scored at a World Cup, nothing beats the feeling of a harvest of goals for a beautiful footballing weekend. While a few teams have already secured their spots in the second round of the competition, many other teams will have to slug it out during the final group matches to determine their fate.

The Three Lions of England couldn’t have asked for an easier match when they faced debutants Panama on Sunday afternoon. England, who have never won their first two games in a World Cup went into the match full of confidence after their 2-1 victory over Tunisia in their first match. They needed a second win to cement their place in the last 16 and they made no mistake about it. A hat-trick from Harry Kane, a brace for John Stones, and a beautiful stunner from Jesse Lingard were enough to completely destroy Panama. However, a very significant moment of the match came when substitute Filipe Baloy scored Panama’s first ever World Cup goal. The 37 year old defender lashed onto a nicely swept-in free-kick to score what could be the most memorable goal in his career. Although England ran away with a triumphant 6-1 victory, Panama will relish the moment they made history at the FIFA World Cup for a very long time.

In the other match played yesterday, one of African representatives at the tournament, Senegal, had a difficult day at the Ekaterinburg Arena when they faced Japan in a group H thriller. Both teams had already won their first games and so they needed a win to firmly secure a position in the second round. Senegal, with their inspiring attacker, Sadio Mane drew the first blood when Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima failed to hold onto a near shot, allowing the loose ball to rebound off Sadio Mane and into an empty net. But Japan responded with a beautiful goal from Inui just before halftime.

After the break, the Japanese side had a few decent chances to take the lead but they were a bit wasteful in goal. Soon, Senegal made them pay for their profligacy as 19-year old full back, Molla Wague lashed onto a cross from the left to fire home his first international goal and gave Senegal a priceless lead.

Japan introduced Honda and Shinji Okazaki from the bench as they looked to equalise for a second time. And it was the former who provided the goal, turning home Inui’s cross after Senegal’s N’Diaye had failed to deal with a routine ball into the penalty area. In the end, neither side could produce any late drama to secure all three points as they both shared the spoils in a 2-2 thriller.

Japan will now face Poland, who lost 3-0 to Columbia, in their final group game while Senegal plays Colombia in what will be an enthralling encounter.



Emmanuel Ebimoh is a Writer, Blogger, and Social Media Strategist. You can reach on Facebook and LinkedIn at Emmanuel Ebimoh. Email: emmyebimoh@gmail.com

By Emmanuel Ebimoh

It was arguably the best of the Nigerian Super Eagles in a very long time. After the disappointing loss to Croatia last Saturday, many football pundits didn’t give the African team a chance when they met Iceland at the Volgograd Arena in their Group D World Cup showdown. But for the Super Eagles, they had only one thing in mind – victory. And they did it in the most exhilarating style, to the jubilation of African fans all over the world.

The match started rather shaky as both teams struggled to find a firm grip of possession. Iceland however got the first glance on goal with a few attempts but not enough to trouble Nigeria’s young goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho. At the end of the first half, though the Nigeria team had the highest percentage of ball possession, they still struggled to find a target on goal. But all that was going to change in the second half.

Whatever the Nigerian coach, Gernot Rohr, told his players at half time must have light up a spark in their heels as the Super Eagles of Nigeria came out blazingly smoking for the second half. First, the German tactician brought in young right full-back, Tyronne Ebuehi for the Russian-born Bryan Idowu. The substitution, which was done at half time, seemed to change the complexity of the game, and in less than 5 minutes into the second half, the Super Eagles drew the first blood. A devastating counter-attack found Victor Moses free on the right. The Nigerian danger man sprinted through and gave a tantalizing ball to Ahmed Musa who, with so much to do in the box, controlled the ball superbly with his right foot and struck and unstoppable shot pass goalkeeper Hannes Thor Halldorsson. It was the perfect start the African team needed after the break.

The goal sent Iceland into shambles as the Super Eagles kept sending strings of attack into the Icelandic half. Few minutes later, after a series of one-two passes, Wilfred Ndidi found space outside the edge of the Icelandic box and gave a thunderous shot which needed the full stretch of Halldorsson to prevent a goal. But it was only a matter of time before the Super Eagles put the game beyond their opponent. 75 minutes into the game, Kenneth Omeruo threw a long pass to Ahmed Musa who ran freely across an Icelandic defender, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home into an open net. It was Nigeria 2 – Iceland 0.

With only 15 minutes to go, the job was almost done for the Nigerian team. Although Iceland got a late penalty, play-maker, Gylfi Sigurdsson blasted the ball over the bar. In the end, it was an emphatic, electrifying, and exhilarating victory for the Super Eagles of Nigeria. They now have 3 points, seating behind Croatia who have 6 points. They play Argentina in their last match of the group for a spot in the second round of the World Cup.


Emmanuel Ebimoh is a Writer, Blogger, and Social Media Strategist. You can find him on Facebook and LinkedIn as Emmanuel Ebimoh. Email: emmyebimoh@gmail.com

Every World Cup game brings with it a certain kind of surprise or expectation. No doubt, since the beginning of the biggest football fiesta in 1930, we’ve been thrilled with some of the most overwhelming upsets and sometimes, devastating results. For many years since its inception, teams participating in the World Cup have almost been separated into two undeniable categories: the ‘Giants’ and the ‘Underdogs’. Most times before a game, we are carried away by the array of stars lined up in a particular team that we give no chance to the opponents. Not taking anything away from the sheer brilliance of talented players and tactical display of teams to win matches, the disparity between certain teams in the World Cup over the years has been tumultuous. To get a clearer picture, let’s look at some heartbreaking results in past World Cup games.

In the 1938 World Cup, just eight years after the competition began, Sweden came up against Cuba in a quarter final match. Although the Cubans went into the match confident after winning their previous match against Romania, they were walloped 8-0 by the Swedes. It was the first highest defeat in a World Cup game. But there were more to come. In 1954 World Cup, Hungary, who were favourites to win the competition that year, opened up their tournament with a 9-0 demolition of South Korea in Zurich. It was South Korea’s first appearance at the tournament and the Hungarians gave them a destructive reception.

In the 1982 World Cup, when Hungary filed out again against El Salvador, their team wasn’t as fantastic as the formidable team of the 50s. But El Salvador obviously went into the match as the underdogs. In the end, the victory was expected but the result was devastating. Hungary clinically put their opponents to the sword with a 10-1 victory, to rack up the only double digit win in World Cup history.

Coming into the 21st century, the trend of the ‘Giant’ and ‘Underdog’, and also some mind-blowing results in the World Cup continued. In 2002, when Korea and Japan hosted the tournament, previous 3-times champions, Germany, started their campaign with an 8-0 smashing of Saudi Arabia. It was the perfect start for the Germans as they went ahead to the final of the tournament where they lost 2-0 to Brazil.

However, what would arguably be the most shocking result ever in the World Cup history came 12 years later, in 2014, when Brazil hosted the tournament. Playing in the semi-final, the host were expected to put up a fine display in front of her expectant supporters. They played host to Germany, maybe a replay of the 2002 final match. The Germans had only one thing in mind – revenge, and they did get their revenge albeit totally humiliating their opponent in the process. It was a heartbreaking 7-1 destruction of Brazil, much to the shock of football fans around the world.

So far, the games in the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia have been intriguing and mind-blowing, yet one could argue that the trend of ‘Giants’ and ‘Underdogs’ is slowly dissolving into hard fought battles on the pitch. We’ve been treated to mouthwatering games that has seen a revolution in the mind of people and left many in disagreement with the final outcomes. Yesterday, in the game between Portugal and Morocco, the stakes were high on the side of Portugal, with the presence of danger man, Cristiano Ronaldo, to destroy their African opponents. But the events on the pitch completely betrayed many expectations as Morocco, though they lost the game courtesy of an early goal by Ronaldo, completely outplayed the favourites and gave them a good run for their money. It was a silent victory for Portugal yet an undeserving loss for the African side.

European giants and 2010 champions, Spain, and South American heavyweight, Uruguay, filed out against Iran and Saudi Arabia respectively in their second games of the World Cup yesterday. The Iranians and Saudi Arabians, who probably went into their respective games as underdogs, played beyond many expectations and were deserving of at least a point each. With respect to the teams they played against, the performances of these ‘lesser teams’ based on FIFA rankings showed an arguable improvement and a drastic shift in the hierarchy of football on the pitch. Although both Iran and Saudi Arabia lost by a narrow one goal margin in their respective games, it was obvious that the reign of the Giants is gradually coming to an end.

Emmanuel Ebimoh is a Writer, Blogger, and social media strategist. You can reach him on Facebook and LinkedIn at Emmanuel Ebimoh. Email: emmyebimoh@gmail.com

I too dey quick vex o

victorazy: THIS IS END TIME INDEED

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NNMUU:
MY GOD!!!
I have been fooled

Lols... Dis boys on nairaland will not kill me o!

lavita2: All I want is your ...

Foolizh boyz! Zo all u want iz 2 luk @anoda man'z wit deceit

J12: "Greatest gov ever liveth"? What is this guy smoking?

If u azk me,na who i go azk? But if am 2 guez,he muzt be high on marijuana az uzual

dasparrow:

Since you know that women influence their husbands negatively, I do hope you never get married to a woman because that will make you a bloody hypocrite as far as I am concerned.

Typical rantings of a chauvinist!

Wil u sharrap dia! Wen u dnt undaztnd wot sum1 sayz why dnt u jez kip ur mouth shut. Read d post again n re-comment...smh

But i waz alzo in dat flight n i didnt see any of them. I guez maybe it waz bcoz i waz holdin d engine so d plane wuld nt crazh again

You're d most beautiful thing i've ever seen. Would u gimme a chance to love you?

Mynd_44:
Men are not programmed that way dude. Society, home and peers decide for the child and so the male child follows. A child who has a senior brother who is crazy about them is likely to like it too.

Me for example, everyone in my house plays chess and so, I was taught chess and I played it at home and eventually liked it. I was not given a choice to like it or not.

NB: I hate goth Football and wrestling so no one should come and say all men loves it

Are u sewiouz! I'm alzo a chess playa bt i dnt realy gt fwndz to play wit. Cn u plz gimme ur no xo we cud hook up n play chess 2geda?

What! Am i d 2nd or 3rd to comment!

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Okpe o! Thnk God o! See wigan wan score o

Diz wigan playaz dey madt ! Xo 4 dier mind,dem wan score arsenal

Chai,na who bring ramzey enta match na?

My time go soon cum

Wel if she'z damn sure abt dem,y nt kal dier namez xo we nairalanderz can go fight 4 her!

Abeg na who cum be d man of da match Diz ma foolizh radio battery jzt die?