Connect with us

Sports

Golden Eaglets battle Ghana’s Black Starlets for U-17 AFCON ticket

Published

on

Five-time world champions, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, will face the Black Starlets of Ghana in a high-stakes West African derby today, Tuesday, at the Stade Charles Konan Banny, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.

This second semi-final of the WAFU-B U-17 Championship is a do-or-die affair, as the winner automatically secures a coveted ticket to the 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.

The Golden Eaglets, led by coach Manu Garba, enter the match in strong form. They topped their three-team Group B with four points, routing the Baby Cheetahs of the Benin Republic 4-1 in their opener before holding Burkina Faso to a goalless draw. The team’s defense has been solid, having conceded only one goal in the tournament.

In contrast, Ghana’s Black Starlets struggled significantly to reach this stage. They played a 1-1 draw with Togo, suffered a three-goal loss against host nation Ivory Coast, and were nearly eliminated by the Niger Republic before securing a late 3-1 victory in the second half to clinch their semi-final spot.

This semi-final clash between the West African giants promises an interesting encounter, though the Eaglets hold a recent historical advantage. Nigeria secured a 4-2 victory over the Black Starlets in the opening game of the 2022 edition and repeated their success with a 3-2 win in the bronze medal clash of the last tournament.

The stakes are enormous for the Golden Eaglets. A year ago, their failure to reach the final of the last WAFU-B Championship cost them a place at the 2025 U-17 AFCON and, by extension, a chance to compete in the expanded FIFA U-17 World Cup, a tournament Nigeria has won five times. A victory in today’s 8:00 pm kick-off will not only secure a berth in the final but, more importantly, guarantee their return to the continental stage.

See also  How Omoyele Sowore Reacted After President Tinubu Gifted $100,000 To Super Falcons

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Atletico push for Lookman as Fenerbahce near deal

Published

on

Atletico Madrid have intensified efforts to sign Ademola Lookman as the Turkish club Fenerbahce edge closer to completing a deal for the Nigeria forward, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Spanish side tried to sign the 28-year-old last summer but failed to reach an agreement with Atalanta.

Their primary midfield target, Leon Goretzka, announced on Friday that he would not leave Bayern Munich until the summer, forcing Sporting Director Mateu Alemany to pursue alternative options.

Atletico are now targeting Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi for midfield reinforcement, but Lookman remains their priority signing.

However, competition for the Nigeria international is fierce. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Fenerbahce’s deal is at the final stages, with the Turkish club offering a package worth €40m including variables.

According to Spanish publication Marca, Atletico acknowledge that Fenerbahce’s bid is currently higher than theirs, though they will do all they can to bring Lookman to Spain.

The player had expressed interest in a move to Spain during the summer.

Diario AS reports that Fenerbahce sporting director Devin Ozek is currently in Bergamo trying to finalise the deal.

Romano posted on Friday that while Atalanta and Fenerbahce have a verbal agreement on a €40m package, they are yet to agree on payment terms and conditions.

He added that Atletico Madrid have been calling in recent hours to ask about deal conditions.

Atletico could return for both Goretzka and Lookman in the summer, depending on what business Alemany completes before February 2.

See also  Liverpool’s Slot urges patience with ‘best striker’ Isak after record move
Continue Reading

Sports

Bayern confirm Goretzka’s end-of-season exit

Published

on

FC Bayern Munich have confirmed that midfielder Leon Goretzka will leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.

The confirmation was given by Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund, who said the 29-year-old will complete the season with the club before moving on as a free agent in the summer.

According to Fabrizio Romano’s post on Friday, Freund was quoted as saying, “Leon Goretzka will leave FC Bayern in the summer as a free agent, not now. Leon’s time at FC Bayern will be over in the summer. He will go another way after 8 successful years. We’ll fight together in the coming months to achieve big things.”

The statement rules out any immediate departure, with Bayern expecting Goretzka to remain part of the squad for the rest of the campaign.

Goretzka joined Bayern in 2018 from Schalke and has been a key member of one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.

During his time in Munich, he won multiple Bundesliga titles, domestic cups, and the UEFA Champions League.

Despite increased competition for places in recent seasons, the Germany international has remained an experienced figure within the squad.

Bayern and Goretzka are now set to focus on their remaining objectives for the season before the midfielder begins a new chapter in his career this summer.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

See also  Chelsea cruise to 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest
Continue Reading

Sports

West Ham sign Fulham winger Traore

Published

on

West Ham announced on Wednesday that they had signed winger Adama Traore from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

The 30-year-old will be reunited at the London Stadium with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, with whom he worked previously at Wolves.

The Premier League strugglers described the forward as “strong, quick and able to create and score goals”.

Traore, who has been a peripheral player for Fulham this season, came through Barcelona’s youth system before joining Aston Villa in 2015. He has also played for Middlesbrough and Wolves.

The winger, who has made 262 Premier League appearances, scoring 14 goals, said he wanted to help relegation-threatened West Ham to the “maximum”.

“I love the challenges,” he said. “I think, of course, we have to go game by game. And this is what we’re going to do, trying to do our best. I think everything comes from belief. And I believe we’re going to achieve what we’re looking for.”

Nuno is relishing the chance to link up again with Traore, who has won eight caps for Spain.

“Adama is someone who knows the Premier League very well, and his qualities, both as a player and a person, will help us between now and the end of the season,” he said.

“He will give us a different option in attacking areas. He is also motivated to fight for us and ready to bring energy, commitment and determination to our challenge.”

West Ham are third from bottom of the Premier League, five points from safety, but have won their past two matches, against Tottenham and Sunderland.

See also  PHOTOS: Uyi Akpata Re-elected As Nigeria Cricket Federation President

The club has been active in the January transfer window as they battle for survival, signing forwards Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos earlier this month.

The January window closes on Monday.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading

Trending