naptu2: Asisat Oshoala marked her birthday by scoring in her 6th consecutive match as Barcelona beat archrivals, Atletico Madrid, 3-0 away at the Centro Deportivo Wanda Alcalá de Henares in Madrid.
Oshoala has scored 9 goals in her last 6 consecutive matches. She scored 2 goals against Real Betis, 2 goals against Valencia, 2 goals against Villarreal, 1 against Alaves, 1 against Arsenal in the Champions League and 1 against Atletico Madrid yesterday. She is the highest goal scorer in the Liga Iberdrola with 8 goals.
With Atlético defending well, the opening minutes were tightly contested. Both sides had hit the woodwork before deadly winger, Caroline Graham Hansen, fed Oshoala whose initial shot was blocked by the keeper, but she pounced on the rebound to open scoring for Barcelona in the 35th minute. Someone joked that Oshoala got both the goal and the assist because she played the initial shot that was blocked.
Scores remained Atletico 0-1 at half time.
Barça really started piling on the pressure after the restart, with Alexia Putellas getting three of the best chances and extraordinarily not managing to convert any of them. Barca rang the changes in the 61st minute and brought on Lieke Martens and Jenni Hermoso for Mariona and Asisat Oshoala and it was down to Aitana Bonmatí to finally get the second goal that Barça more than deserved (in the 71st minute), and for Lieke Martens to top things off with a third just three minutes later.
It was a quiet game for Sandra Panos who marked her 200th appearance in the Barcelona goal. Rasheedat Ajibade of Nigeria did not make the Atletico squad as she continues to recover from the injury that kept her out of the Aisha Buhari Cup, while Thembi Kgatlana of South Africa was on the Atletico bench.
Barcelona top the table as expected, but their arch rivals, Atletico Madrid, are 3rd.
I wish I could show you a clip of the wicked way that Oshoala dribbled an Atletico defender, but unfortunately it's not in the highlights.
naptu2: Asisat Oshoala scored and provided two assists as European champions, Barcelona Femeni, defeated Arsenal WFC 4-1 in the first ever group stage of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Barcelona were completely dominant in the first half and were rewarded with the first goal on 31 minutes when Asisat Oshoala's terrific shot was punched away by Zinsberger in the Arsenal goal, but Mariona Caldentay was there to knock the rebound into the goal.
Oshoala flew down the Barca left wing in the 42nd minute and centred the ball for Barcelona captain, Alexia Putellas to slot into the Arsenal goal and give Barca a 2-0 lead which they took into the break.
Barca scored again, barely a few minutes after the restart as Mariona Caldentay, from midfield in Barcelona's half, saw Oshoala's run and played a beautiful long pass to her. Oshoala used her pace and power to beat the defenders and was one on one with the keeper before burying the ball in the goal. She looked like she was about to start celebrating, then she remembered that it was Arsenal, her former club, so she stopped.
There followed a string of changes and former World Player of the Year, Lieke Martens replaced Asisat Oshoala, while Arsenal star, Vivianne Miedema, who had been starved of service all night, was also replaced.
Barcelona then took their foot off the pedal and uncharacteristically gave the ball away deep in the second half. This provided the opportunity for Arsenal to pull one back. Tobin Heath powered her freekick into the box from the edge of the Arsenal area and Maanum was there to guide it into the Barca goal. It was 3-1 in the 71st minute.
However, Barca was not done scoring and Lieke Martens put the icing on the cake with a typically beautiful goal in the 84th minute. Martens has often been called the "Female Messi" and that was a Messi-like goal.
Alexia Putellas missed a penalty late in the game, but Barca's victory was already certain by then.
This is the first time ever that the women's Champions League is having a group stage. It used to be a straight knock out competition.
Here is a video of the entire match.
1st goal 49:40 minute in the video. 2nd goal at 1:01:02 minute in the video. 3rd goal at the 1:23:00 minute mark. Oshoala goes off to a resounding applause at the 1:46:40 minute mark. Arsenal goal off freekick at 1:50:00 minute mark. Tobin Heath freekick. 4th goal at the 1:59:33 minute mark. Barcelona penalty at 2:09:57 minute mark. Alexia Putellas missed the penalty.
Asisat Oshoala scored 4 goals as Barcelona defeated Tacon 0-6 yesterday. Real Madrid is in the process of (or has already) taking over Tacon.
This "stadium" looks small because CD Tacon plays at Real Madrid's training ground. Madrid has actually taken over Tacon (the take over was approved at their general meeting last year), but Tacon cannot change their name and logo in the middle of the season (that's the reason that I wrote "in the process of taking over" ). Tacon will register with a new name and logo at the beginning of next season.
In one of my previous threads, one of the "exposed people" said that Asisat Oshoala cannot chip the keeper like Messi does, that's why she always goes round the keeper. Obviously this is not true (Oshoala scores lots of different types of goals) and she actually did chip the keeper yesterday (unfortunately the camera work is poor because of the size of the stadium).
naptu2: 1) The golden ball for being the best player at the 2014 FIFA Under 20 World Cup.
2) The golden boot for being the highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA Under 20 World Cup.
3) The golden ball for being the best player at the 2014 African Women's Nations Cup. She also won the silver boot for being the second highest goal scorer at the tournament (second to Desire Oparanozie).
4) The golden boot for being the highest goal scorer at the 2016 African Women's Nations Cup.
This article was published ahead of last year's award ceremony.
L’ÉQUIPE GROUP HAS JOINED FORCES WITH PEACE AND SPORT TO CREATE A SOCIETAL AWARD AS PART OF THE BALLON D’OR CEREMONY: THE SÓCRATES PRIZE
Professional footballers have become media figures who provoke contradictory reactions: objects of identification or vehicles for celebrating triumph, talent, and effort, they are also subject to much criticism condemning their attitudes, the amount and use of their incomes. In contrast, there is a growing number of athletes who are willing to take control of their image and demonstrate their commitment to building fairer and inclusive societies.
More than ever, the media exposure of football and footballers implies assuming a social responsibility: with the creation of the Sócrates Prize, this is what L’Équipe Group, Peace and Sport and the family of the former captain of the Brazilian team wish to highlight. Inspired by the incredible career of the Doctor and great Brazilian football player Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, the Sócrates Prize will identify the best actions of solidarity carried out by committed football players.
This year, the jury was made up of Rai, former captain of PSG and the Seleção, Sóstenes, General Director of the “Gol de Letra Foundation”, Joël Bouzou and Jean-Jérôme Perrin-Mortier, President and General Director of Peace and Sport, as well as Jérôme Cazadieu and Pascal Ferré, Editor-in-Chief of France Football. This prize is intended to be a long-term project. A jury of seven people (in addition to the two members of Peace and Sport, two members of the Socrates family and two members of the L’Equipe/France Football Group, a qualified personality will join the jury) will meet each year to choose the winner. The winner will be chosen from the profiles selected in advance and discussed by the jury members.
This prize will be added to the list of the most prestigious individual awards in the world: the Ballon d’Or which has already six trophies and prizes – the men’s Ballon d’Or, the women’s Ballon d’Or, the Kopa Trophy, the Yachine Trophy, the Gerd Müller Trophy and the Club of the Year Prize – and now it has a seventh award in line with changes in our society, a responsible accompaniment to all those who are committed to inclusion and equal opportunities.
Joël Bouzou, President and Founder of Peace and Sport said:
“The media exposure of athletes, and in particular footballers, means that they must set an example and assume a social responsibility. The creation of the Socrates Prize responds to this paradigm shift and to the growing desire of athletes to invest in projects aiming at common good. Since 2009, through the Champions for Peace, Peace and Sport has been working to demonstrate that high-level athletes, beyond their sporting performance, can use their fame to contribute to positive social change. We are therefore very proud to partner with the L’Équipe Group, the Sócrates family and the prestigious Ballon d’Or Ceremony to reward athletes who are committed to building more inclusive and peaceful societies.”
For Rai, President and Founder of Gol de Letra Foundation and brother of Sócrates:
“Sócrates has always believed in the power of sport to mobilize and transform society to make it more equal. He demonstrated this as a player through his fight for the democratization of Brazil during the revolutionary experience of the Corinthians’ Democracy. After his career, he remained very active in supporting Brazilian youth through several social institutions. Almost eleven years after his death, he remains the symbol of a champion committed to a fairer world.
Jérôme Cazadieu, Editorial Director of L’Équipe and France Football, said:
“We wanted to create a prize that pays tribute to the often-invisible work of footballers in supporting initiatives in favor of social integration, environmental development, or aid to populations in extreme poverty or victims of conflict. The Ballon d’Or rewards the best male and female player of the year for their performances but also for their exemplary behaviors. It was necessary to create an award that honors his or her charitable actions.”
About Peace and Sport:
Peace and Sport is an international organization under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, and is aware that athletes are also citizens who can play a role in society. In 2009, Peace and Sport created the Champions for Peace Club, a group of more than 120 athletes of some forty nationalities from all five continents. Heroes, role models and sources of inspiration for young people around the world, they dedicate part of their time, their fame, and their experience as athletes to projects using sport to address social, economic, and educational issues.
About the Ballon d’Or:
Since 1955, France Football, owned by the L’Équipe Group, has organized the Ballon d’Or, the world’s most prestigious individual award. This trophy rewards the best male and female football player of the season. During this ceremony, the Kopa Trophy (best young player), the Yachin Trophy (best goalkeeper), the Gerd Müller Trophy (best striker) and the Club of the Year Prize are also presented.
Dr Socrates was a legendary Brazilian footballer and medical doctor who was one of the stars of the 1982 World Cup (he captained Brazil at the tournament). He was also famous for fighting against military rule in Brazil and for supporting social causes. His younger brother Rai captained Brazil at the 1994 World Cup. Dr Socrates earned his medical degree while still playing professional football.
L'Equipe Group (owners of France Football and the Ballon d'Or) teamed up with his family to create this award for footballers who have worked to give back to society either through charity or some other social activity. Sadio Mane won it last year.
The nominees this year are:
Ballon d'Or #ballondor @francefootball
Nominated for the Socrates Award with @peaceandsport. @alexmorgan13 for the Alex Morgan Foundation
Nominated for the Socrates Award with @peaceandsport. @AsisatOshoala for the Oshoala Academy
Nominated for the Socrates Award with @peaceandsport. @MarcusRashford for the Child Food Poverty Task Force
Nominated for the Socrates Award with @peaceandsport. @ToniRuediger for the Antonio Rudiger Foundation
Nominated for the Socrates Award with @peaceandsport. @vinijr For Instituto Vini.Jr
Deltamani: NFF’s Comms Director Ademola Olajire -who said Randy Waldrum is a "blabbermouth" and "the worst Super Falcons coach in history.
They said that his situation is similar to Ngozi Okobi's situation. They said that he didn't say these things in an interview or press release, rather he said it on a private forum and journalists that were also on that forum published his comments.
Charles asked if there is any document that says that the NFF must pay players. Everybody else said that it's normal practice. Someone asked if there's any document that says that the NFF must owe coaches. They are owing Waldrum, owing Paseiro, even owing two of their dead coaches (Amodu and Keshi).
lovewins: Charles has always been pro mediocrity since the APC government came into power. Always amazed at some of his positions. A shadow of the Charles Anazodo I used to think I know
Charles has always been someone that likes to take a contrary view. If everybody says no, he'll say why no? If everybody says hey, he'll say ho. That's why he's always involved in arguments on radio and TV and why he always trends on Twitter.
Someone said that as journalists they can help the NFF by highlighting some of these things because it's since he was a kid that he has been hearing about NFF owing players (he used Oliseh as an example).
He said that the NFF is disgracing the country.
He said that it's even more embarrassing when the NFF goes to get people that grew up in other countries to play for Nigeria. He said that these people are used to things being done properly, then you go and brong them to play for Nigeria and you put on this shameful display.
He likes looking at tne other side of the story, so it seems like he is defending the NFF and this is seriously annoying other people in the studio. One of them used the word stupid on air.
Sports › Re: Asisat Oshoala Has Been Nominated For The Socrates Award. by naptu2(op): 4:34am On Jul 08, 2023
One of them used the word stupid on air.
