FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Tuesday warned that clubs involved in the European Super League could face “consequences”, as the backlash built against the deeply divisive plans.

Infantino leant his support to European football’s governing body as it attempts to quash an initiative that threatens its prized Champions League and the health of domestic competitions such as England’s Premier League.

“It is our task to protect the European sport model, so if some elect to go their own way then they must live with the consequences of their choices,” Infantino said at UEFA’s congress in Switzerland.

“They are responsible for their choices.”

Twelve powerful clubs – six from England, and three each from Spain and Italy – have signed up for the Super League, which offers guaranteed spots for its founding members and billions of dollars in payments.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are the English clubs involved, together with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid from Spain and Italian trio Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

Currently, teams have to qualify for the Champions League each year through their national competitions, and face a lengthy group phase before reaching the high-profile latter stages.

The Super League would guarantee a spot for its founding members every year, removing the uncertainty of qualification and the accompanying risks to revenue.

The breakaway plan prompted a furious reaction from fans and officials, with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin saying on Monday it was motivated by “greediness, selfishness and narcissism”, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp saying its closed nature was “not right”.

One of the top contenders for the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership title and ticket for the WAFU B qualifiers for the CAF Women Champions League, Edo Queens FC of Benin lost their second match in the ongoing Super Six to narrow the team’s chance of picking the ticket to continental showpiece. The team lost 2-1 against Sunshine Queens of Akure.

The win over Edo Queens has put Sunshine Queens at four-point top of the table lead before the kick-off of the Rivers Angels vs Delta Queens game.

A disappointed Edo Queens coach Stanley Osazee said: “The clubs’ top management members are not happy that we don’t have any points after our second game when the plan was to come to Ijebu-Ode to win the title. Anyway we still have the hope of winning our three remaining games and amassing nine points, we should be able to bounce back and achieve our aim.”

The major result of the Day Two was the shocking result recorded by lowly rated FC Robo of Lagos as the Coach Emmanuel Osahon Girls defeated NWFL Premiership top rated team and multiple champions, Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa 2-0.

The NFF First Vice president, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, was on ground at the Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode all through yesterday’s games watching the brilliant display of soccer artistry by the six best women’s clubs in Nigeria.

Today is a rest day at the NWFL Premiership Super Six as actions will resume tomorrow and continue on Friday before a second rest day on Saturday.

The final games will be played simultaneously on Sunday to determine the 2020/2021 season’s champion and the country’s representative to the WAFU B qualifiers for the CAF Women Champions League.

All is set for the 4^th  MP Tiger Tennis Championship billed for April 22- 24 in Lagos.

According to the organizers, about 120 players representing states and clubs will feature in the invitational tournament which already has Oyo, Ekiti and Abuja confirmed their participation alongside Lagos.

Players would feature in Under 10, Under12 and Under 14 for boys and girls and would be played on round-robin format at the tournament to be held at National Stadium Lagos while the finals would take place at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja.

“We look towards an exciting tournament  as this has been one of the programmes that has helped in  identifying and molding budding talents  over the years,” MP Tiger Tennis boss Paul Moses stated.

Moses, a Professional Tennis Registry UK certified coach thanked the management of the Lagos Country Club for accepting to hold the finals and was equally grateful to the Nigeria Tennis Federation for sanctioning the tournament stressing that the tourney has helped solidify Nigeria’s position as one of the major forces of the game in Africa particularly at the junior level.

The 2021 Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) organized by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing Limited got off to a good start yesterday with matches across four centres.

At the Lagos State University Sports Complex, the first game between ABUAD Stars and FUTA Tigers ended in a 1-1 draw.

FUTA Tigers drew the first blood scoring in the 39^th minute through Adejo Sunday before Egwuatu Ifeoluwa equalized for ABUAD Stars on the 72^nd minute following confusion between FUTA Tigers’ goalkeeper and the central defender.

The match between NDU Oilers and FUOYE Dazzlers at the University of Benin Sports Complex also ended in a 1-1 draw.

However, the thrilling encounter between UNIMAID Desert Warriors and ATBU Bravehearts played at the Bayero University, Kano produced five goals.

The match between UNN Warriors and FUNAI Hawks at the University of Uyo Sports complex ended 2-0 in favour of the Warriors. Goals from Utazi Chigozie and Amichebe Elvis ensured that the Hawks were left with no carcass to feed on after the dwell.

Speaking on the games, Director, PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Sola Fijabi said: “It feels good to have these young people back doing what they like to do best. As a Company, we are determined to provide avenues for Nigerian youths to put their energy into good use, to add value to themselves and society.”

He added: “We thank the Nigerian University Games Association for partnering with us and indeed our esteemed sponsors for supporting the actualization of this dream which has become a reality and now in its third active season”.

The Higher Institution Football League (HiFL) was incorporated by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing Limited in 2018. The maiden edition of the league in 2018 was won by the UAM Tillers while UNICAL Malabites won the 2019 season.

By Taofeek Babalola

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa will play his first game on his  Kano Pillars’ return to the team when Sai Masu Gida engages an amateur side Dabo Babes in a friendly encounter on Thursday’s  morning.

The club’s technical adviser Ibrahim Musa said the friendly games were organized to help the former Leicester City striker get match fitness before the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) resumes for second stanza on April 28.

Ibrahim stressed that the team will play Dabo Babes tomorrow  before facing selected professional players in another friendly game on Friday.

In a chat with NationSport, Coach Ibrahim said the Super Eagles captain is adapting to their style.

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“Musa arrived the training very early today (Tuesday) and he did some light training. So we are planning to arrange some friendly matches so that he can get a playing time before the league resume for the second stanza. He is gradually adjusting to our style,” Ibrahim told NationSport.

Ibrahim has also confirmed that Musa will only available for a handful of Kano Pillars away games. He said Musa will make the trip for any away game where he can travel by airplane due to security reason.

“He won’t be playing in all our away matches for security reasons. He can only travel to states where there are airports,” coach added.

Paul Onuachu has been crowned the Goal King of Belgium after he banged 29 goals for Genk in the regular season, but the stats also show he is the best striker in Belgium, reports ScoreNigeria.com

Onuachu has netted 29 goals in 33 league games, a goal shy of the record set by Wesley Sonck.

He averaged 0.96 goal every 90 minutes, which translates to a goal per game.

This makes Onuachu the sharpest striker in the Jupiler Pro League. After him, Kevin Denkey (Cercle Brugge, 0.73), Bas Dost (Club Brugge, 0.71), Thomas Henry (OH Leuven, 0.65) and Zinho Gano (KV Kortrijk, 0.64) follow at a respectable distance.

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He also proved to be the most efficient striker in Belgium this season – 31%.

In this regard he is ahead of Zinho Gano (KV Kortrijk, 30%), Loris Brogno (Beerschot, 30%) and Bas Dost (Club Brugge, 29%).

On the other hand, with that ratio, Onuachu belongs to the Top 10 centre-forwards in the Top 5 leagues of Europe.

These remarkable numbers mean the man Genk splashed out six million Euros to sign two years ago will now go for a jackpot.

Borussia Dortmund are already preparing for life without Erling Haaland with reports suggesting they may well consider Terem Moffi as a direct replacement for the Norwegian goals machine.

Haaland is a major transfer target for some of Europe’s top clubs and he could be on his way out of Dortmund as early as this summer.

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According to footmercato, Dortmund have been alerted to the Moffi’s exploits in the French Ligue 1 with modest club FC Lorient and the Nigeria striker could be a direct replacement for Haaland.

Dortmund are expected to be one of several top clubs across who will now be interested in the 21-year-old striker, who has netted 11 goals in his debut Ligue 1 season.

His contract at relegation-troubled FC Lorient is till June 2024.

The 2021 VBank Open Snooker and Billiards Tournament held in partnership with the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, closed in grand style  with Gideon John emerging the biggest winner of the night after defeating Shehu Bamidele, 3-0.

Wale Akintola took the billiards game in an exciting 150 to 135 win.

The tournament which kicked off April 6  had 32 initial players before whittling down to the top four  who played their hearts out in the finale event.

Victor Ukueku bested Abiodun Christopher in a match of five frames to clinch the third-place prize of N80,000 and consolation prizes.

At the  colourful closing ceremony, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, VFD Group, Efeturi Doghudje thanked the management of Lagos Country Club for a successful competition and all the players for conducting themselves professionally.

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“I thank the president of LCC, the patrons, captain and members of the Snooker and Billiards section and the guests that are here to witness and cheer the players. Your presence shows the importance you attach to this championship. On behalf of Vbank, I congratulate the winners and hope that you continue to represent the sports at all levels “

Meanwhile, John walked away with the highest cash prize of N150,000 and an extra sum of N20,000 being prize money for the Highest Break of the Snookers tournament, which he set at 38. First runner up  Bamidele won N100,000 in cash prize as well as branded gifts.

Similarly, for the Billiards Championship which held simultaneously, top 3 winners emerged Friday. First-place winner, Wale Akinola, received N100,000 cash while Edafe Agbah came third winning N50,000 only. Snooker’s Victor Ukueku took second place in the billiards tourney winning another N80,000. It was a night of pleasant surprises and upsets.

VBank, the digital banking app and product of VFD Microfinance bank, continues to blaze the trail in its identification with Snooker games as this is its second Snooker tournament in six months, each time giving away fabulous prizes and cash gift. In closing this tourney, the section captain at LCC, Osasogie Osazuwa, was grateful for a successful hosting.

Leicester City’s  Keeper Kasper Schmeichel believes Nigeria  international Kelechi Iheanacho could be awkward  ti play against which may have accounted  for his scoring resurgence with the Foxes.

Excited over Leicester’s FA Cup final berth in 52 years, the Danish knows now is the time to strengthen their concentration as they prepare to contest a number of important Premier League matches before the final takes place in mid-May.

It’s a very old, boring football cliché, but we can’t look that far ahead. There’s a massive, massive job ahead of us to stay in the top four. Focus shifts to Thursday now.”

Sunday’s goal scorer, Iheanacho, took his tally over the last seven games in all competitions to a brilliant haul of 10 goals, side-footing in the winner after some fine work from Jamie Vardy on the left flank on 55 minutes.

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When asked to describe Iheanacho, Schmeichel said: “Incredible form, incredible guy, incredible player. Kelly (Kelechi Iheanacho) has been working so hard ever since he joined the Club.

“He just needed that bit of luck to give him the confidence – that goal, or whatever it was – because he does it in training every day and we see him every day. He’s horrible to play against sometimes, so I’m just buzzing for him that it’s coming to fruition in games.”

Despite an extensive professional playing career that began back in 2005 at Manchester City, the Foxes’ clash with Chelsea at Wembley Stadium next month will be the first final Schmeichel has ever contested.

By Olalekan Okusan

There are strong  indications that Victor Osimhen may be rested when Napoli host Lazio tomorrow in a Serie A tie at the Maradona Stadium.

Osimhen featured in Napoli’s 1-1 home draw against league leader inter Milan  that  ended  the winning streak but words are rife  that  coach Gennaro Gattuso is tinkering  with the attacking  partnership of  Dries Mertens and Hirving Lozano against Lazio.

Italian tabloid Corriere dello Sport claimed  Gattuso may trigger some changes in the attack for the home match :“Demme is disqualified and in his place there will be Bakayoko , but not only: in attack, in fact, Osimhen could rest, with Mertens holder, while Lozano , who returns after the disqualification, could make Politano catch his breath by finding a starting shirt.”

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Speaking about the ill-fated 1-1 draw against Inter, Italian legend Giuseppe Galderisi believes Napoli should have done more.

“Napoli could do more against Inter? The first time I liked, Inter have thought more to close the gaps. When the game could take a different turn, Napoli made little use of the spaces that were there and lowered too much.”

Yet the rank and file of Napoli is looking forward  to tomorrow’s game  with optimism.

“It ends 1-1 between Napoli and Inter at the Maradona Stadium,” the club said in a statement.“ The Azzurri draw against the leaders, a very close relative of the future Italian champion team.
“Napoli conquers the eighth positive result in the last nine  matches and continues its assault on the Champions area.

“Thursday another high-altitude duel against Lazio at the Maradona Stadium; there are two months and seven games left for the season. The stretch of the decisive rush begins,” the statement added.