Connect with us

Sports

Paris St-Germain 2-0 Real Sociedad: Kylian Mbappe marks return from injury with goal

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Kylian Mbappe marked his return from injury with a goal as Paris St-Germain took control of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad.

The French champions have an underwhelming record in the competition and were enduring a frustrating night until Mbappe pounced.

Having missed his side’s previous match with an ankle problem, Mbappe scored at the back post after a corner.

Bradley Barcola added the second with a lovely finish past Alex Remiro.

Advertisement

Real Sociedad keeper Remiro had earlier denied Mbappe a second when he tipped his attempt on to the crossbar.

PSG, who have never won the Champions League, were far from their best in the first half and Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino hit the bar just before half-time.

“If you told me at half-time we would win 2-0, I would be dancing for two hours,” PSG manager Luis Enrique told TNT Sports.

“We had to change everything because they were pressing us very high. We couldn’t press and it was like a nightmare.

Advertisement

“When that happens you are going to lose confidence, but football is unbelievable and we could change that. In the second half it was more what we wanted.”

Real Sociedad will believe they can turn it around in the second leg in Spain on 5 March, but will have to offer a much more attacking threat than in Paris.

Qatar-owned PSG have spent vast sums on transfer fees and wages in recent years only to be eliminated from the last 16 of the Champions League five times in the past seven seasons.

They have won nine Ligue 1 titles since Qatar Sports Investments took over in 2011 but, with European success eluding the club, they have also appointed seven managers in that time – four of those in the past four years.

Advertisement

Enrique, their latest manager who steered Barcelona to Champions League glory in 2014-15, returns to Spain for the second leg in three weeks’ time knowing his team are in a strong position to advance thanks partly to Mbappe.

With the forward’s contract running out at the end of June there has been much speculation about his future, but to his credit the 2018 World Cup winner with France has delivered goals all season.

Mbappe has been directly involved in 38 in 30 appearances for his club this season – 31 goals, seven assists – the most of any player in Europe’s big five leagues.

In addition, he has now scored 44 times in 68 Champions League appearances for Monaco and PSG.

Advertisement

In January Mbappe, who has been linked with Real Madrid, said he had not made a decision about his future and it remains to be seen where he will be playing his football next season.

His performance against Real Sociedad illustrated what a huge asset he is to PSG, with four of his seven attempts on target.

He would have walked away with the match ball but for Remiro, who denied Mbappe as early as the sixth minute after he was played in with only the keeper to beat.

This was Real Sociedad’s first knockout tie in the competition for 20 years.

Advertisement

It appeared to be going to plan for the team from the Basque Country as they limited PSG to a handful of chances in the first half, before conceding twice in the space of 12 minutes.

The absence of captain Mikel Oyarzabal because of injury was a blow, and manager Imanol Alguacil will hope his leading goalscorer is fit to play in the return leg.

Real Sociedad conceded as many goals in the French capital as they did in the entire group stage – two in six games – while this was their first defeat in European competition since March 2023, ending a seven-match unbeaten run.

“Two goals is nothing, and at home, with our fans pushing as we have done in the last games in the Champions League, I think we have a chance,” said former Newcastle midfielder Merino about his side’s hopes of turning the match around in the second leg.

Advertisement

“It’s all about being efficient, about scoring goals, which is what we haven’t done lately but we know that with our fans we can do it.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Sports

Sadio Mane Builds $20.4m Mango Processing Plant In Hometown

Published

on

By

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Senegalese football star, Sadio Mane, has launched a CFA11.7 billion ($20.4 million) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, aimed at expanding mango processing and creating jobs.

The project, known as SM10 Agro, was launched on September 19 in Bambali, Sedhiou Region.

The complex will include a processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes of mangoes, producing mango pulp, dried fruit and mango butter.

It will also include a 500-hectare plantation of Kent mangoes.

The project is located in Casamance, Senegal’s leading mango-producing region, where limited processing facilities have contributed to significant post-harvest losses.

Senegal loses an estimated 30 to 45 percent of harvested fruit annually, with poor farming practices, harvesting and transportation challenges, and limited processing outlets among the factors contributing to the losses, Ecofin Agency reported.

Speaking at the launch, Mane said he wanted his legacy to extend beyond football.

“I don’t want to be remembered only for the goals I scored. Before the stadiums, the lights and the victories, there was, of course, Bambali. This is where my dreams began… We want to help create jobs and develop agriculture,” Mane was quoted as saying.

The facility is expected to allow more mangoes to be processed locally, including fruit that may not qualify for export to European Union markets because of phytosanitary requirements.

A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that existing mango processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated mainly in the Ziguinchor region, while Sedhiou and Kolda remained poorly equipped despite producing local mango varieties.

The study also identified limited access to packaging and labelling services in Casamance as a challenge for processors, forcing some businesses to depend on Dakar for the services.

Mane’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry recovers from recent difficulties linked to fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary problems.

Senegal exported about 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes subsequently declined following problems that affected access to the European market.

Exports to Europe reportedly rose to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, up from about 14,000 tonnes the previous season, following improved phytosanitary measures, particularly efforts to control fruit flies.

Continue Reading

Sports

Mohammed Salah Fined, Banned In UK From Driving For Six Months Over Speeding Case

Published

on

By

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Former Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah, has been banned from driving for six months after failing to identify the person driving his Rolls-Royce when it was caught speeding in Cheshire, United Kingdom.

Court documents reported by the BBC showed that the vehicle was recorded travelling at 36mph in a 30mph zone in Wilmslow on March 27.

Salah, 34, failed to respond to a notice issued by Cheshire Constabulary requiring information about the driver and did not enter a plea.

He was prosecuted at Warrington Combined Court under the Single Justice Procedure, which allows magistrates to deal with certain cases without a public hearing.

A court spokeswoman said Salah was convicted of failing to provide information relating to the identification of the driver of the vehicle.

He was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay £1,044.

The incident occurred three days after Salah announced his departure from Liverpool at the end of the 2025/26 season, bringing his nine-year spell at the club to an end.

Liverpool had described Salah as oneof the greatest players in the club’s history when it announced his departure on March 24.

Salah scored 257 goals in 442 appearances for Liverpool before leaving the club for Turkish side Trabzonspor after the 2025/26 season.

He currently plays for Trabzonspor in Turkey.

Continue Reading

Sports

Man City Survive Sunderland Scare, Liverpool Sneak Past Bournemouth

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Manchester City moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League after surviving a thrilling Sunderland fightback to claim a 5-3 victory at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

City capitalised on Arsenal’s shock 3-0 defeat to Brighton but were pushed all the way by a Sunderland side that refused to surrender despite falling behind three times.

Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring with his first Premier League goal since his £125 million ($167 million) move from Chelsea, curling a free-kick that caught Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs off guard at his near post.

Sunderland, who had defeated AZ Alkmaar in Europe during the week, showed no signs of fatigue as Brian Brobbey levelled after converting Enzo Le Fee’s pass.

Rayan Cherki restored City’s lead with a composed finish, only for Brobbey to respond again four minutes later after a slick Sunderland move.

Antoine Semenyo put the hosts back in front before half-time and appeared to have settled the contest when he struck again with an accurate left-footed finish shortly before the hour mark.

But Brobbey completed his hat-trick when Nilson Angulo raced onto a ball over the top and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma before setting up the Sunderland striker.

City were forced to withstand further pressure, with Donnarumma involved in a couple of nervous moments and Ruben Dias clearing the ball off his own goal line.

Erling Haaland eventually ended Sunderland’s hopes of a comeback by adding City’s fifth goal, while also maintaining his record of scoring against every Premier League opponent he has faced.

The victory extended Enzo Maresca’s perfect start as he takes on the daunting task of succeeding Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager.

Liverpool Edge Bournemouth

Liverpool also secured an important victory, beating Bournemouth 1-0 on Andoni Iraola’s return to the south coast.

Iraola received a warm reception from Bournemouth supporters after previously guiding the Cherries into Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

His success eventually earned him the Liverpool job, but his start at Anfield has been inconsistent, making Saturday’s victory particularly valuable before the three-week international break.

Liverpool were far from their best but found the decisive breakthrough when Cody Gakpo’s cross fell perfectly for Alexander Isak, who fired home his fourth goal of the season.

The result lifted Liverpool to sixth place, just one point behind third-placed Brighton.

Leeds Held by Palace

Leeds missed the opportunity to climb into third place after being held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace at home.

Palace thought they had taken the lead in the second half when Tyrick Mitchell found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside during the build-up.

United Under Pressure

Manchester United will look to ease the pressure on manager Michael Carrick when they travel to bottom-of-the-table Fulham.

United have collected just four points from their opening four league matches and were knocked out of the League Cup by Brighton in midweek after surrendering a 2-0 lead at home for the first time in 50 years.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News