Connect with us

Sports

Ten-man Manchester United dim Arsenal FA Cup hope

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Altay Bayindir was Manchester United’s unlikely hero as the holders held out for over an hour a man down to knock Arsenal out the FA Cup on penalties after a feisty 1-1 draw at the Emirates on Sunday.

United’s stand-in goalkeeper saved a penalty from Martin Odegaard in normal time and then denied Kai Havertz in the shootout as the wasteful Gunners had another day to forget in front of goal.

Bruno Fernandes had fired the visitors into the lead early in the second half before Diogo Dalot was sent-off on the hour mark for a second bookable offence.

Gabriel Magalhaes quickly levelled for Arsenal, but they wasted a host of chances to win the tie in 90 minutes and were made to pay.

Advertisement

United were perfect from the spot as the much-criticised Josua Zirkzee stroked home the winning penalty in front of the jubilant travelling support.

Defeat is another hammer blow to Mikel Arteta’s attempts to end a five-year trophy drought for Arsenal, who also lost the first leg of their League Cup semi-final 2-0 to Newcastle on Tuesday.

Sports

Ex-Super Eagles Captain William Troost-Ekong Converts To Islam

Published

on

By

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Former Super Eagles captain and Al-Ahli star, William Troost-Ekong, has converted to Islam.

Troost-Ekong was said to have recited the Shahadah in Doha, Qatar, where he plays for Qatar Stars League club Al-Ahli, as reported by a Qatari press, “Al-Arab” on Wednesday.

A respected Islamic cleric, Dr Muhammad Salah, also shared a video on his verified Facebook account wherein the defender recited the testimonies.

The 33-year-old defender first moved to the Arab region in the summer of 2024, when he signed for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Khaleej.

Advertisement

He joined Qatari side, Al-Ahli in January 2026 on a one-and-a-half-year contract and has since played 14 matches across all competitions, including a single appearance in the current season.

On the international stage, Ekong won 83 caps for Nigeria between 2015 and 2025, scoring 8 goals.

He reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire and was named best player of that edition.

Troost-Ekong also represented Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games, establishing himself as one of the country’s most experienced defenders of the past decade.

Advertisement

He enjoyed a distinguished international career with Super Eagles, making more than 70 appearances for the Super Eagles.

Continue Reading

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News