Sports
Ten Hag begs for more time to remould Man U after Tottenham demolition
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag remains convinced he will be handed time to turn around the Red Devils’ fortunes after a dispiriting 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Sunday.
United never recovered from a terrible start as Brennan Johnson tapped in from Micky van de Ven’s storming run through the heart of the home side’s defence after three minutes.
Ten Hag then lost his captain Bruno Fernandes to a straight red card before half-time.
Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke then gave Tottenham’s dominance a fair reflection in the scoreline in the second half.
Ten Hag began the season under scrutiny after surviving an internal review at the end of last season.
United finished eighth last season — their lowest-ever Premier League finish — and have won just two of their opening six games of the new campaign to sit 12th in the table.
“We all made it together, this decision to stay together as ownership and leadership group in the summer,” said Ten Hag when asked if he feared the club’s new football leadership group will turn to a new manager.
“We made the decision from a clear review on what we have to improve and how we want to construct the squad.”
Ten Hag was even handed a one-year extension to his contract three months ago.
The former Ajax boss badly needs a quick turnaround in fortunes with two tough away games to come this week at Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa in the Premier League.
“I think we will get better and we need some time,” he added.
“We are all on one page, in the same boat, together, ownership, leadership group, staff and players.”
Ten Hag was critical of the manner his side conceded an equaliser in a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League on Wednesday.
And he could not contain his frustration as Tottenham struck in similar fashion within minutes.
Van de Ven charged from deep inside his own half to the United by-line and crossed for Johnson to apply a simple finish.
“As a team, it cannot happen twice in a few days that a defender can dribble through the whole park,” said Ten Hag.
“What I saw in the first 30 minutes is below the level we can expect from a Manchester United team.
“The players got very stressed after conceding so quick and they made bad decisions.”
United’s first-half display was branded a “disgrace” by former captain Gary Neville.
Fernandes, though, came out fighting over his dismissal.
The Portuguese international slipped as he slid into a challenge with James Maddison and caught the Tottenham midfielder just below the knee.
“Never a red card, that is my view,” said Fernandes.
“If he wants to give me a yellow (card) because they are going to go on a counter-attack then I agree. But more than that, no. It is not the case.”
AFP
Nigeria’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, have secured a place in the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations U-20 tournament and qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Senegal.
The tightly contested knockout stage encounter ended goalless after regular and extra time, with both teams unable to find the back of the net.
Ultimately, it was Nigeria who triumphed 3–1 in the penalty shootout.
The match, held in the knockout stage of the continental youth championship, saw the two sides locked in a stalemate throughout regulation and extra time.
Despite numerous attempts from both sides, neither team could break the deadlock, leading to a penalty decider.
Nigeria converted three of their spot-kicks, while Senegal managed only one, allowing the Flying Eagles to clinch the win and progress to the last four of the competition.
The result not only sends Nigeria into the semifinals of the U-20 AFCON but also confirms their place in the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Veteran Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti has been officially appointed as the new head coach of Brazil’s national football team, according to reports by sports journalist David Ornstein. The 65-year-old will take over the role on May 26, immediately after overseeing his final match with Real Madrid against Real Sociedad in La Liga.
Ancelotti’s appointment marks a historic moment as he becomes the first foreigner to manage Brazil’s senior men’s team. Ornstein confirmed that all agreements have been finalized and contracts signed, with the transition negotiated amicably between Ancelotti, Real Madrid, and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). The deal was led by Diego Fernandes on behalf of the CBF.
One of the most decorated coaches in football history, Ancelotti will be tasked with leading Brazil through their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign, aiming for a record-extending sixth World Cup title when the tournament kicks off in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Athletic previously reported that Ancelotti had agreed to take charge through the 2026 World Cup. He will succeed Dorival Júnior, who was dismissed in March after 14 months at the helm.
Ancelotti’s debut on the Brazil touchline is expected on June 6, in a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador.
Since returning to Real Madrid in 2021, Ancelotti has added two La Liga titles and a Champions League trophy to his illustrious resume, which includes eight major European finals. However, recent performances by Madrid have been underwhelming, including a Champions League quarter-final exit to Arsenal, a Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona, and trailing Hansi Flick’s side by seven points in La Liga with three games to go.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele was named the Ligue 1 player of the year on Sunday, after leading the club to a 13th French title and the Champions League final.
Dembele is the top scorer in Ligue 1 this season with 21 goals and has struck 33 times in 46 matches across all competitions, including eight goals in Europe.
He succeeds Kylian Mbappe who won the prize five times in a row before departing for Real Madrid at the end of last season.
Luis Enrique earned coach of the year honours at the UNFP (French players’ union) Trophies gala, while Desire Doue took home the prize for the best young player in Ligue 1.
Lille’s Lucas Chevalier denied PSG a clean sweep of the accolades as he beat Gianluigi Donnarumma to the best goalkeeper award.
PSG are on course for a treble after easing to an 11th Ligue 1 title in 13 years. They will play Inter Milan in the Champions League final on May 31, a week after facing Reims in the French Cup showpiece.
AFP
-
News10 hours agoJust in: NNPC Cuts Petrol Price Amid Competitive Moves with Dangote Refinery
-
News4 hours agoJust in: FG receives Wigwe’s helicopter crash report from NTSB
-
News8 hours agoSAD! Popular Broadcast Journalist Bukola Agbakaizu Slumps, Dies Before Afternoon Shift
-
Economy13 hours agoCBN launches new platform, targets $1bn monthly diaspora remittances
-
News13 hours agoKano varsity shuts female hostel over immorality
-
News14 hours ago19-Year-Old Candidate Commits Suicide over Low UTME Score
-
News14 hours agoCultists murder final-year student two days after sign-out
-
News7 hours agoPDP headache: Saraki’s Cttee signals there’s genuine intention to reconcile and resolve knotty issues -Hon Teejay Yusuf