The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FA Cup

  • 2015 IMO FA CUP: Heartland, other three clubs through to the semis

    2015 IMO FA CUP: Heartland, other three clubs through to the semis

    Heartland and other  teams are through to  the semi final of the Imo FA Cup after victories in their quarter final matches played on Monday and yesterday respectively.

    The Naze Millionaires who emerged back to back winners of the 2011 and 2012 Federation Cup defeated Campos FC 2-1 at the Njaba Township Stadium yesterday to scale through to the last four while Baton FC, Nek United and Papillo FC all booked places in the semi final.

    Heartland won the match played in Njaba through the goals of Mohammed.

    Mohammed and Bright Ejike before Campos reduced the arrears in the dying minutes.

    Baton FC also went past Amacuff FC 3-1 on penalties after the regulation time ended goalless while there were victories for Nek United (who beat Ezena FC 1-0) and Papillo who displaced Pakat 1-0 too.

    Heartland have always emerged as state champions for the past successive years but they must not take it lightly this term with the emergence of other quality non league sides.

  • Man Utd, Arsenal battle for FA Cup ticket

    Man Utd, Arsenal battle for FA Cup ticket

    WHAT will be perceived as a successful season for Louis van Gaal and Arsène Wenger  is a top-four place alone enough to satisfy frustrated boards and fans? Perhaps not, which is why both are striving to add the FA Cup, something Arsenal managed to do last season. Wenger has not overseen a win at Old Trafford since 2006, however, and no win over United at all in seven attempts.

    In a Friday press conference, Wenger stressed that Arsenal care about winning the FA Cup, and doesn’t see any type of advantage of separating the Gunners from their rivals in the Premier League table.

    “It’s a different competition,” Wenger said. “For us, we won the FA Cup last year, and we are the holders of the Cup, and we want of course to keep it. This competition is important to us. We want to go up there and produce the result. I don’t think it’s linked at all with the Premiership.”

    He also dismissed Arsenal’s past struggles at Old Trafford.

    “I don’t believe too much in history. I believe just in performance of the day.

    “At the moment we are doing very well away from home. The size of the pitch is exactly the same everywhere. It’s just down to how much we turn up and how much effort we put in to win the game.”

    As usual, Wenger is dealing with a litany of injuries, and he can add center back Gabriel to the list. The Brazilian injured his hamstring this week in a match against Queens Park Rangers, and will be sidelined for two-to-three weeks. Midfielders Jack Wilshere (ankle), Mikel Arteta (ankle), Abou Diaby (calf) and right back Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder) are also out. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who was absent against QPR due to illness, may not be fit by Monday. Left back Nacho Monreal (back) and defensive midfielder Mathieu Flamini (hamstring) are also questionable for the match.

    Despite the injury setbacks, Arsenal have reason to feel confident. After losing to Tottenham on Feb. 7, Arsenal are riding a four-game Premier League winning streak. In FA Cup play, Wenger’s side outscored Hull City, Brighton, and Middlesbrough by a combined score of 7-2. The lone disappointment in recent weeks has been the painful first-leg home loss to AS Monaco, 3-1, on Feb. 25.

  • Arsenal celebrate FA Cup victory

    Arsenal celebrate FA Cup victory

    It was celebration galore in London as thousands of Arsenal fans flooded the streets to celebrate their club’s dramatic FA Cup victory that ended a nine-year failed attempt of winning the cup.

    The players were driven round the city in red double decker buses from the Emirates Stadium at to Islington Town Hall, Upper Street.

    They attended a short reception with local dignitaries before re-boarding the bus and heading back to the stadium, waving to fans as they basked in the May sunshine.

  • ABS win Kwara FA Cup

    ABS win Kwara FA Cup

    ABS FC on Sunday defeated Kwara United 6-5 on penalties to win the 2014 Kwara State Football Association Cup.

    Regulation time had ended 1-1, and ABS FC scored five out of six spot kicks to edge their city rivals. Agoh Christian put ABS FC ahead in the first half, after an inter-change of passes with Ossy Eugene, and he met the return pass inside the box to slot in beside goalkeeper Suraju Aiyeleso who was displaced.      Kwara United struggled to come back from the deficit, with Coach Samson Unuanel employing all the arsenals in his armoury, including the introduction of goal machine, Segun Alebiosu.

    His introduction in the early part of the second half paid off when Kwara United slotted home from the edge of the 18-yard box free-kick, to make it 1-1 for Kwara United.

    The highly interesting encounter, which brought out the best out of the two teams ended goaless.      The penalty session was won by ABS FC, even though they lost the first kick through Kunle Lawal, but Segun Alebiosu also lost what would have been the winning kick for Kwara United.

    Ossy Eugene scored for ABS FC , with goalkeeper Suraj Aiyeleso losing the last kick to hand ABS FC the victory.

    Highlight of the match was the introduction of goalkeeper Boje Abdullahi as a field player for ABS FC.

  • FA Cup: Mikel to start against Man City

    FA Cup: Mikel to start against Man City

    Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho looks set to start Super Eagles midfielder, John Mikel Obi in this weekend’s English FA Cup game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium after report emerged that the ‘Happy One’ plans to rest a number of key players.

    John Terry, Ramires, Eden Hazard, Oscar, and Samuel Eto’o could all sit out the last-16 tie as the Blues boss has prioritised the Champions League and Premier League over the competition, according to The Mirror.

    Mourinho is believed to be keen to hand starts to Ashley Cole, John Obi Mikel, Frank Lampard, Andre Schurrle, Fernando Torres and new signing Mohamed Salah to give them match practise ahead of the Premier League run-in.

    Defender Gary Cahill will miss the cup tie with a calf injury, while midfielder Nemanja Matic is doubtful after limping off during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

  • FA Cup: Blackburn send Arsenal packing

    COLIN Kazim Richards scored the only goal of the game as Blackburn stunned Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

    Arsene Wenger’s decision to rest a host of stars for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich backfired spectacularly and they now must win that competition to avoid an eight consecutive season without a trophy.

    Ironically Blackburn got the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute of the match just moments after Arsenal had brought on Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere in a bid to avoid a replay.

    They won’t have to worry about that though as they struggled to turn mountains of possession and corners into meaningful attacks as Blackburn scored with one of their few ventures forward.

    After having been knocked out of League Cup by League Two Bradford, it is the second cup humiliation against lower league opposition this season for Arsenal.

    The goal that undid them was cruel on Arsenal though as Kazim Richards actually scuffed his shot into the ground; but it spun into the corner of the net after the Turkish international had been the first to react when Wojciech Szczesny could only push Martin Olsson’s half-volley into his path.

    Arsenal threw everything at Blackburn from then until the final whistle but the Blackburn defence was expertly organised with Grant Hanley in particular standing out at the heart of the defence and Jake Kean also making some important saves in between the sticks.

    Arsenal dominated possession in a drab opening 45 minutes but struggled to break down their Championship opponants.

    As well as the big three that came on in the 72nd minute, Lukas Podolski and Aaron Ramsey were also on the bench, as Wenger decided to give some fringe players the chance to do the job.

    The Gunners had an incredible 12 corners in the first-half but only really made an impact with two of them.