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Portugal must tire out Slovenia in Euros last 16, says Fernandes

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By Francesca Hangeior

Portugal playmaker Bruno Fernandes said his team needs to “tire out” Slovenia on Monday in their Euro 2024 last 16 clash in Frankfurt.

The Manchester United midfielder admitted he gets frustrated playing against defensive sides but pledged to find solutions against the minnows in only their second Euros.

Slovenia held England to a goalless draw to progress third from Group C and after Portugal struggled to break down a defensive Czech Republic in their opener, Fernandes said patience was the key.

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“Sometimes people don’t understand when we face such low blocks, there’s no space between the lines and if there’s no space then we can’t play the ball there,” Fernandes told a news conference Sunday.

“Against the Czechs I was very frustrated — we needed to play the ball out wide and our goals came from two crosses…

“(Tomorrow) we need to tire them out. If we have the ball we’re closer to scoring our goal.”

Fernandes scored in the 3-0 win over Turkey in Portugal’s second group game, which was his team’s best performance thus far, but the Selecao were shocked in a 2-0 defeat by Georgia last time out.

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Earlier this week, veteran defender Pepe, 41, called on the team to be more focussed ahead of the clash against Slovenia, who have reached the knock-out stages in a major tournament for the first time.

“Whatever Pepe said, we take it seriously, he is very experienced,” said Fernandes, who won the competition with Portugal in their singular triumph in 2016.

“Pepe is very assertive in everything he says, he’s very honest and open and nobody takes anything the wrong way.

“The defeat shows some things we have to improve, we’ve been working on it and tomorrow we have to show it.”

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The Spaniard said the defeat should not be taken too strongly to heart given the circumstances around the game, with Portugal already through top of Group F.

“Let’s put the game against Georgia into context, our performance is a consequence of being first in the group and having six points already,” Martinez explained.

“We need to learn some lessons from the game… if we don’t stick together and we’re not as intense as the opponent, if we don’t have the thirst to win, then it’s not possible, because there are no easy games.”

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Rupture In PDP Governors’ Forum deepens

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By Ojomah Austin.

 

The evolving fall-out, which comes barely days to the contentious National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP, followed a back and forth between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike and the Governors forum, who declared support for Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to be made leader of the party in the state.

After a meeting with some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Bauchi on Wednesday, Governor Mohammed, said “According to our party’s constitution, any leadership vacancy should be filled by someone from the region where it originated,” stressing that Damagum would be replaced soon considering that he hails from North East and not the North Central.

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Same day, Makinde, during the groundbreaking of the upgrading of Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, to an international airport, which was attended by another set of NWC members, led by Damagum, said he would support whatever decision the Damagum-led NWC would take to reposition the party.

Damagum, who is considered a close ally of Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, was appointed acting national chairman after the removal of Iyorchia Ayu in June 2023.

Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP led by Senator Adolph Wabara, met with members of the National Assembly caucus in Abuja.

The close door meeting comes barely hours after the BoT met with Wike in Abuja.

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While Wabara refused to comment on the essence of the meeting with the lawmakers, it was noticed that most of the lawmakers didn’t honour the invitation.

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Tears As Man Takes Own Life Over Tinubu’s Govt Hardship

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By Mario Deepromoter

Sad development in Marika village, Kiyawa Local Government, Jigawa, where a 40-year-old man, Jibrin Adamu, committed suicide by hanging himself.

According to eyewitnesses, Adamu’s lifeless body was discovered in a classroom at Miftahul Khairat Islamiyya and Primary School Gurdiba on Thursday.

Police spokesperson DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations revealed Adamu had struggled with mental health issues.

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“Police received a report on Thursday that at about 1830hrs, a tragic incident was reported at the Command headquarters that one Jibrin Adamu ‘m’ age 40yrs of Jigawar Maroka village, Kiyawa LGA has committed suicide by hanging himself over the ceiling at Islamiyya school,” the Police spokesperson told Daily Post.

The Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP AT Abdullahi, has instructed officers to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

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Just in: Dangote Petrol Now Available at N765.99 Per Litre

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By Mario Deepromoter

11plc, Total Energies, AA Rano, and other marketers have begun lifting Dangote Petrol through Nigerian National Company (NNPC) Trading Limited for N765.99 to retail outlets nationwide.

Findings showed some petroleum marketers who were able to complete their payment process on the NNPC trading payment portal commenced the lifting of petrol earlier this week under the existing agreement between marketers and the refinery.

Tunji Oyebanji, managing director, 11Plc confirmed to BusinessDay on Thursday evening that some marketers have started lifting the products at N765.99 from Dangote Refinery through NNPC who remain the sole off-taker of product.

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“We were among the first marketers to complete the payment on the NNPC portal. We have no direct arrangement with the refinery,” Oyebanji said.

It was gathered that NNPC Retail, 11plc, Total Energies, A.A Rano are among the marketers that have picked up products from the refinery.

He added, “We don’t know the contractual financial arrangement between NNPC and the refinery but what I can confirm is we are buying at N765.99 from NNPC to lift Dangote petrol”.

Efforts to get the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to confirm if its members have picked up products at the Dangote Refinery proved abortive at the time of writing this report.

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See also Nigeria’s Petrol Landing Cost Revealed
Adedapo Segun, executive vice-president, downstream at NNPC said marketers cannot purchase petrol directly from the refinery because the product is still sold at a subsidised rate.

“That is the same thing happening with Dangote. I said earlier that Dangote is a company and it is going to sell at market price,” he told Journalists.

According to Segun, “The market value of PMS is still higher than what N766 or N765 or N799 that NNPC is selling.

“The situation has not changed there. So, NNPC’s off-taking is only because the others would not buy at the price Dangote will be willing to sell, which is reasonable.

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“As soon as the price allows for it, you will see the marketers go to Dangote and buy.”

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