The Nation Newspaper

Tag: first goal

  • Mascherano scores 1st official goal for Barça

    Mascherano scores 1st official goal for Barça

    • Barca 7-1 Osasuna

    Javier Mascherano has finally ended his amazing goal drought for Barcelona by firing home from the penalty spot during the Catalans’ clash against Osasuna.

    Incredibly, the former West Ham and Liverpool star had never previously scored in Blaugrana colours, despite playing for the club for almost seven seasons.

    But when Denis Suarez was chopped down in the penalty at Camp Nou with Barca already cruising 5-1 up, Masche stepped forward to convert the penalty.

    He beat Salvatore Sirigu to end a run of 319 games without hitting the net, to the delight of his team-mates who mobbed him after the successful effort.

    A midfielder at Liverpool and with the Argentina national team, Mascherano dropped back into the centre of defence after moving to Camp Nou, and rarely crosses the halfway line.

    Wednesday’s effort was only the fourth goal of his professional club career, while he has scored another three with the senior Argentina team in 136 appearances.

  • Francisca Ordega nets first goal for Sydney FC

    Francisca Ordega nets first goal for Sydney FC

    Nigeria international Francisca Ordega scored her first goal in Sydney FC’s 6-0 win against Canberra United in the Austrailia Women League on Tuesday.
    The 23-year-old, who is currently on loan from Washington Spirit, was making her third appearance but second consecutive start in the colours of the Sky Blues at Lambert Park.
    Aside Ordega, Remy Siemsen netted a brace plus a strike each from Nicole Bolger, Kyah Simon, Leena Khamis as Daniel Barrett’s ladies silenced their visitors.
    She was later replaced by Princess Ibini in the 80th minute. Ordega’s Austrialian side will next face reigning champions and fourth place Melbourne City on Sunday.

  • Alhaji Gero scores first goal in Denmark

    Alhaji Gero scores first goal in Denmark

    Ex-Nigeria U-20 striker Alhaji Gero has ended his goals drought in Denmark after he scored his first goal of the season for Viborg yesterday in a 3-0 win over hosts Bronshoj.

    The former Rangers forward gave his team the opening lead from the penalty spot in the 12th minute.

    Viborg lead the table with 64 points from 32 games and have already secured promotion to the Danish top flight.

    Gero’s had played 10 goals without a goal for Viborg since his winter move.

    His last goal was a brace in Sweden while playing for Osters in a 3-3 draw at Jonkopings on October 27, 2014.

    He scored eight goals last season in Sweden for Osters.

  • Kaita scores first goal for Enyimba

    Kaita scores first goal for Enyimba

    The People’s Elephant lost over 20 scoring chances in their Glo Premier League Week 14 tie against Kaduna United at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba and had to rely on the individual brilliance of newly recruited Sani Kaita to conjure up a 1-0 win over the Crocodiles.

    The club’s head of media, Farriel Allaputa in a chat with SportingLife shortly after the Aba Millionaires 1-0 victory against Kaduna United harped on the fact that the players  must display enough consistency and resilience to be counted among the title contenders.

    He hinted that a situation where they keep on frittering away scoring opportunities that come their way may put the club in a dire situation when the chips are down.

    However,   the former Nigeria World Cup star  is being paid by the League Management Company (LMC) in a bid to woo  some of the country’s top stars back from overseas to add glamour to the domestic league.

    Kaita, who featured at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, has signed a short-term loan with six-time champions Enyimba after stints in Holland, France, Ukraine, Greece and Russia.

    However, a bid for him to return to Europe after a knee surgery was not successful and he was forced to return to the local league, where  he started out with hometown club Kano Pillars.

    A top source informed only AfricanFootball.com: ”The LMC is the one paying Kaita in a bid to encourage other top players who are stranded overseas to return home and add glamour and class to our league.

    “Kaita’s presence has already got the fans excited in Aba and we now have packed stadiums when he plays.

    However, officials refused to disclose how much the LMC is paying defensive midfielder Kaita, who is best remembered for his dismissal against Greece at the 2010 World Cup.