Sports
Germany Survive Euro 2024 Scare As Hungarian Star Suffers Horror Injury
Germany survived a scare to finish top of Group A at Euro 2024 as Niclas Fuellkrug’s stoppage-time goal rescued a 1-1 draw against Switzerland, while Scotland were eliminated after a last-gasp 1-0 defeat against Hungary whose striker Barnabas Varga suffered a sickening injury.
Dan Ndoye’s first-half goal in Frankfurt had put Switzerland on course to climb above hosts Germany into top spot.
But Fuellkrug’s late header ensured Julian Nagelsmann’s side advanced to the last 16 in pole position with seven points.
The Germans, who last won the Euros in 1996, will take on the Group C runners-up — currently slated to be Denmark — in the last 16.
Denmark, two points behind leaders England, play Serbia in their last group game on Tuesday.
Germany are also on track for a potential quarter-final clash with Spain, who have been among the best teams at the tournament so far.
Switzerland, who reached the quarter-finals at the last Euros in 2021, have now made the knockout stage in six successive major tournaments.
As Group A runners-up with five points, the Swiss will face the second-placed team in Group B in the last 16.
Although Germany were already through to the last 16 after beating Scotland and Hungary, Nagelsmann opted against resting his stars as he named an unchanged team for a third successive game.
Switzerland took a shock lead in the 28th minute as Ndoye met Remo Freuler’s cross with a close-range volley that flashed past Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Ndoye’s first international goal was made in Bologna as both he and Freuler played for the Serie A club last season.
Adding to Germany’s problems, Jonathan Tah was booked, earning the centre-back a ban for the first knockout game.
Germany dominated possession but Ilkay Gundogan scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy after Yann Sommer parried Jamal Musiala’s stinging strike into the midfielder’s path.
Their pressure was finally rewarded in stoppage-time when Fuellkrug rose highest to power his header into the top corner.
– Scotland misery –
In Stuttgart, Scotland were unable to secure the victory that would likely have taken them into the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time.
In 11 previous appearances at major competitions — eight World Cups and three European Championships — Scotland had bowed out at the group stage.
Once again, they will fly home early after taking just one point from their three matches.
Steve Clarke’s team, who lost to Germany and drew with Switzerland in their first two games, were sunk by a goal 10 minutes into stoppage-time from Kevin Csoboth, whose clinical finish capped a rapid raid from the Hungarians.
Hungary may not secure a last 16 berth despite their victory as they have only three points from their three games.
The four third-placed teams with the best records from the six groups will move into the last 16.
Hungary’s win came at a cost as Varga was stretchered off after a sickening collision.
Varga collapsed to the pitch and was struggling to move after chasing a long cross into the area as Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn came to collect the ball.
After a long delay, medics took the 29-year-old from the pitch while a sheet was draped around the stretcher.
Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai appeared to be in tears as he consoled his stricken teammate.
Varga was immediately taken to hospital after the incident where he was said to be conscious and talking.
“The condition of Barnabas Varga is stable,” the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) wrote on X.
“The Hungarian national team player is currently in one of the hospitals in Stuttgart. We will inform you immediately if there is any news on his status.”
In Group B on Monday, Italy take on Croatia, while Spain, already qualified in first place, face Albania.
Italy are second in the group with three points, while Croatia and Albania both have one point.
Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, four days after being set on fire by her boyfriend at her home in Kenya, has been confirmed as the third female athlete killed by her partner since 2021.
According to reports from CNN and the BBC, Cheptegei’s death follows a troubling trend in Kenya, where several female athletes have been killed by their partners in recent years.
All three of these cases occurred in Iten, Kenya’s renowned hub for elite runners.
Cheptegei, who trained in Kenya, launched her international career at 19, competing for Uganda in the junior category of the 2010 World Cross Country Championships. She later transitioned to road racing, making her marathon debut in 2021.
The following year, Cheptegei achieved a personal best time of 2:22:47, making her the second-fastest Ugandan female runner in history.
In the past three years, two other female Olympians have been killed in Iten, Kenya.
In 2021, Kenyan authorities identified the husband of renowned long-distance athlete Agnes Tirop as a prime suspect in her brutal murder. Tirop, who was 25, was fatally stabbed.
According to CNN, the suspect contacted Tirop’s parents, suggesting his involvement and leading authorities to conclude that he was aware of the circumstances surrounding her death.
The police determined that Tirop’s fatal neck wounds were inflicted by a knife.
Tirop had secured back-to-back bronze medals in the 10,000m at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships and placed fourth in the 5,000m event at the Tokyo Olympics.
She also broke the women’s 10km world record by 28 seconds at Germany’s Adizero Road to Records event, a historic achievement that came just a month before her death.
Approximately six months later, another tragic incident occurred in the same town when marathon runner Damaris Mutua was strangled by her boyfriend, who then attempted to conceal his crime by placing a pillow over her face.
He subsequently fled the country and remains at large, according to authorities, as reported by the BBC.
Mutua earned a bronze medal representing Kenya in the 1,000m event at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore in 2010.
Mutua’s standout season was in 2018, when she achieved personal bests in the 20km (1:08:28), the fastest time that year, with a victory in Marrakesh, and the half-marathon (1:11:51), claiming second place in Mozambique.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ latest data released in January 2023, 34% of women in Kenya have faced physical violence at some point in their lives since the age of 15.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced on Friday that the city will pay tribute to the late Cheptegei by dedicating a sports facility in her name.
By Mario Deepromoter
Former Italy captain and 2006 World Cup winner, Fabio Cannavaro, says he turned down the Super Eagles job to wait for offers in the Italian Serie A and other European clubs.
Cannavaro was one of the candidates interviewed for the role during the Nigeria Football Federation’s race against time to fill the vacant role ahead of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against the Benin Republic and Rwanda.
“I had offers from Nigeria [national team] and Iranian clubs, but I want to wait for Serie A and European clubs until December. After that, I may start travelling again,” Cannavaro told La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview.
German coach Bruno Labbadia was eventually announced by the NFF as the new coach of the Super Eagles, but the 56-year-old eventually turned down the offer over stringent German tax laws.
The team are currently under the guidance of NFF Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen, who is working with coaches of two Nigeria Premier Football League sides, Daniel Ogunmodede (Remo Stars) and Fidelis Ilechukwu (Enugu Rangers), as assistants, ahead of the qualifiers.
They are also joined in Uyo by Tomaz Zorec, a fitness trainer from Slovenia, goalkeeper trainer Olatunji Baruwa, and match analyst Eboboritse Uwejamomere.
After the clash against the Benin Republic at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Saturday, the team will depart for Kigali on Sunday for Tuesday’s clash with the Amavubi (Bees) of Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium.
The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by French magazine France Football since 1956 to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous season.
Over the years, Nigerian players have also proven to be worthy of this award after being shortlisted by the organisers.
Following Wednesday’s announcement, Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman joined the train of Nigerian players to be nominated for the prestigious award after his blistering performances for both club and country.
Here is the full list of nominees from Nigeria and the year.
1. Finidi George- 1995
2. Daniel Amokachi – 1995
3. Austin Okocha – 1995
4. Kanu Nkwankeo – 1996, 1999
5. Victor Ikpeba – 1997
6. Sunday Oliseh – 1998
7. Victor Osimhen – 2023
8. Ademola Lookman – 2024
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