Author: The Nation

Liverpool’s Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been granted a work permit to play in the UK – six years after signing for the club.

The 23-year-old joined Liverpool on a long-term deal in August 2015 from Nigeria’s Imperial Academy, but has never played for The Reds due to his inability to secure a work permit. It means Awoniyi, who is currently on a seventh loan spell outside of the United Kingdom at German side Union Berlin is now eligible to be included in the Liverpool squad for next season.

“It’s been a long process but finally [Taiwo] Awoniyi can now focus on his career either at Liverpool or somewhere in England,” a top official at Imperial Academy told BBC Sport Africa. “He has the ambition to play in the Premier League and hopefully, he can do that next season.”

Fit-again Awoniyi, who has a contract with Liverpool until June 2023, scored five goals in 20 appearances for Union Berlin despite an injury-blighted campaign in the Bundesliga.

Since becoming a Red, the forward has enjoyed loan spells with then German second-tier club FSV Frankfurt, Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, Belgian outfits Royal Excel Mouscron (twice) KAA Gent and Mainz in order to attract interest from national selectors and gain a work permit.

Under-17 World Cup winner with Nigeria in 2013, Awoniyi has represented the West African country at all youth levels.

Tyson Fury’s heavyweight unification fight with Anthony Joshua could be put on hold after an independent arbitrator ruled that the WBC heavyweight champion must face former champion Deontay Wilder in a rematch.

Retired judge Daniel Weinstein upheld a claim lodged by Wilder that Fury must face him in a third fight by September 15 following their February 2020 title battle.

While the arbitrator’s ruling is not a formal court order, it would be deemed enforceable by courts if Wilder and Fury are unable to reach agreement.

Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told the BBC he hoped Wilder would, for a lucrative fee, agree to step aside and allow the bout to go ahead.

“Until we can reach an accommodation with Deontay Wilder’s people, I can’t say that (Fury’s fight with Joshua) will definitely happen,” said Warren. “But we are working hard to get that over the line.

“We were talking last night and hopefully we can do that. If not then Tyson, if he wishes, will go to the fight with Wilder. They’re the only two options.”

Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn was left fuming by the latest glitch, blaming Fury’s camp for being complacent over the arbitration hearing.

“We can’t wait around,” Hearn said on his company Matchroom’s social media channels. We had a deal in place with Tyson Fury and we were told the arbitration wouldn’t be an issue, that we could move on with this fight.”

He added:  “They were wrong and that’s on them, that’s their responsibility and their problem.”

“We hope they can solve that problem, but we have to look after ourselves and Anthony Joshua.

“We have to maintain the position of unified world champion, and those talks will continue and we want to be in a position by the end of this week to know, are we fighting Tyson Fury or are we moving forward with another option.”

Erstwhile first Vice President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam, said the continent’s flagship competition, Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) would enjoy a new lease of life with the appointments of President of the Senegalese Football Federation Augustin Emmanuel Senghor and his Nigerian counterpart Amaju Melvin Pinnick in the new management committee.

The continental soccer ruling body CAF announced on Monday ‘a new team that will lead the work of CAF in the standing committees’ with the approval of both Senghor and Pinnick as the two vice presidents to manage the Organising Committee of Total Africa Cup of Nations to be headed by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe.

“Frankly, I’m happy with the appointment of both Senghor and Pinnick in the new management team for the Organising Committee of the Total Africa Cup of Nations and I have no doubt that they will assist the CAF President in ensuring that the competition becomes bigger and better,” Uchegbulam, who served for many years as Vice President of CAF Board of Appeal, said in a statement.

Uchegbulam further said the forthcoming AFCON 2021 in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6, 2022, would be a big test for the continent since it would accommodate 24 teams for the first time, adding CAF has started on a positive note with the approval of the new management team for the continent’s most sought-after trophy.

“I’m not surprised at all with the appointment of Senghor into the AFCON Organising Committee as well as being named as the President for the Committee for Legal Affairs and National Associations because he is one of the most experienced members of the CAF Executive Committee,” Uchegbulam said.

Just three days after Leicester beat Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final, Chelsea got some measure of revenge to win thanks to Antonio Rudiger and Jorginho goals in front of 8,000 fans.

Kelechi Iheanacho gave the Foxes hope but they did not create enough chances to deserve anything out of the game.

Chelsea’s win takes them up to third place in the table, while Liverpool could knock Leicester down to fifth place if they win at Burnley on Wednesday.

There was no doubt Thomas Tuchel’s side deserved their victory as Rudiger bundled home from close range from a corner.

Jorginho put the game beyond doubt with a penalty after Wesley Fofana clipped Timo Werner.

They had been unlucky not to be ahead at the break as Werner had a penalty appeal controversially turned down and two goals disallowed.

Iheanacho’s goal after good pressure from Wilfred Ndidi was not enough for Leicester, who now need to score at least three goals against Tottenham Hotspur on the final day or hope for Liverpool to drop points.

There was a late melee with most of the players and the benches involved too – with Leicester’s Ricardo Pereira and unused substitute Daniel Amartey booked. BBC