Sports
NPFL: Kano Pillars shock Rangers in seven-goal thriller
Kano Pillars bagged their first away win of the season at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu against Rangers International and have thrown a spanner in the Nigeria Premier Football League reigning champions title challenge.
It was a Matchday 7 tie that came barely three days after Kano Pillars were pinned 2-0 in Uyo by Akwa United. But they were at their best against the Flying Antelopes and raced to a 4-0 first half lead to the bewilderment of Rangers’ head coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu.
Rabiu Ali scored the game’s first goal for the visitors in the 19th minute from the spot kick while Rabiu Muhammed Zulkifilu made it two 10 minutes later. Ali got his brace in the 41st v minute from the penalty spot again before Ahmed Musa’s icing on the cake in the 45th minute.
But Isaac Saviour scored a quick-fire double in the 46th and 59th minutes for the home side to raise the hope of a comeback but they could only add one more in the 90th minute. The game finished 4-3 with Sai Masu Gida having the last laugh on the Flying Antelopes’ stomping ground.
Rangers slipped to the fifth spot with 10 points but Kano Pillars moved to the fourth spot with 10 points. The arrival of Super Eagles Skipper Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi is helping to provide the necessary stability at Kano Pillars.
In the remaining games played yesterday, Lobi Stars were held to a 2-2 draw by unbeaten El Kanemi Warriors at the Lafia City Stadium.
Lobi Stars went 2-0 up through the goals of Ossy Martins in the 17th and 53rd minutes. It was Martins’ third goal in his last two games for the Pride of Benue.
El Kanemi Warriors began their comeback in the 57th minute through Ibrahim Mustapha’s goal before Mukhtar Mohammed’s equaliser four minutes from full time. It was the Borno Army’s fifth draw of the season after six games. They are still with a game at hand against Kwara United in Maiduguri.
In another game played in Lafia, Nasarawa United’s Anas Yusuf notched his second hat trick of the season in their 3-0 whiplash of Abia Warriors. Yusuf has seven goals from the seven games played thus far.
In Aba, Enyimba had to comeback from behind to avoid a first home defeat of the season against Niger Tornadoes. The People’s Elephant had held Shooting Stars to a goalless draw in Ibadan last weekend but they went behind to God’s time Joseph’s 42nd minute stunner.
Enyimba’s Chinedu Ufere got the leveller in the 76th minute to ensure it was a draw.
At the Kwara Sports Complex, Ilorin Wasiu Alalade was the star man for Kwara United who whipped Sunshine Stars 3-0.
Alalade scored twice in the 30th and 38th minutes while Shola Abdulraheem hit the target for the third goal of the game in the 73rd minute.
The remaining Matchday Seven games slated for today are: Bendel Insurance versus Bayelsa United; Rivers United versus Shooting Stars; Heartland versus Ikorodu City; Plateau United versus Remo Stars and Katsina United versus Akwa United.
NPFL Matchday 7 Results
Lobi Stars 2-2 El Kanemi
Nasarawa United 3-0 Abia Warriors
Enyimba 1-1 Niger Tornadoes
Kwara United 3-0 Sunshine Stars
Rangers FC 3-4 Kano Pillars
Sports
I Failed In Front of the World Four Years Ago — Lookman’s Touching Speech After Winning CAF Award
Super Eagles star, Ademola Lookman had delivered a touching speech after winning the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
According to him, he learned from his failure four years ago which made him a better player.
He said: “Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.
“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.
“Firstly. I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.
“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates- club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”
“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”
Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie emerged as some of the standout winners at the 2024 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards.
Lookman, who plays for Atalanta, clinched the prestigious CAF Men’s Player of the Year title, beating contenders such as Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy.
South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams dominated the night, bagging both the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year and the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year awards.
Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, known for her stellar performances, was named Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Full List of CAF Awards 2024 Winners
CAF Men’s Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy
Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Women’s Club of the Year: TP Mazembe
Men’s Club of the Year: Al Ahly FC
Men’s National Team of the Year: Ivory Coast
Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria
Men’s Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Women’s Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi
Men’s Coach of the Year: Emerse Faé
Goal of the Year: Mabululu (Angola)
Brazil legend Ronaldo has confirmed he wants to become president of the country’s football governing body to address a “deep crisis” the sport is facing nationally.
“I have hundreds of motivations, but I think the biggest of them is really to restore international respect to Brazilian football,” he said in an interview on Monday with the Globoesporte website.
Ronaldo said he wanted to be an “alternative for significant change” as candidate for the job of running the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
“O Fenomeno” (“The Phenomenon”), as the 48-year-old became known over the course of his 1993-2011 career, said he wants to use the CBF presidency to help Brazil’s national team to regain its glory as five-time world champions.
“The Selecao has to recover its prestige. I’ll do everything so that the players understand the historic importance of playing for the national team,” he said.
Ronaldo scored both goals when Brazil beat Germany in the 2002 World Cup final in Japan, and was twice winner of the Ballon d’Or.
To lodge his CBF candidacy, he needs the support of Brazilian regional clubs and federations.
To get those, he promised to travel “all around Brazil” and share the “incredible plans” he has for the sport.
The date of the next CBF election has not yet been set, but should happen between March 2025 and March 2026, according to Brazilian media.
‘Much deeper problem’
Current CBF chief Ednaldo Rodrigues has been criticized for slotting in temporary coaches for the national team after Tite’s 2022 exit while waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to arrive — something that did not happen when the Italian decided late last year to extend his contract as manager of Real Madrid.
Currently coached by Dorival Junior, the Selecao are fifth in South America qualifying for the 2026 World Cup tournament, seven points behind leaders Argentina.
“My problem is not Ednaldo. The problem is much deeper. My goal is to bring the people closer to the Selecao. Today, the people are indifferent when the Selecao plays,” Ronaldo told Globoesporte.
“I am an alternative of significant change for Brazilian football, which is going through a deep crisis,” he said.
Ronaldo, a former star for Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, already has leadership experience.
In 2018, he took majority control of Spain’s Real Valladolid, and in 2021 did the same for Cruzeiro, the Brazilian club where he started his career.
He sold his Cruzeiro stake in April this year.
In his interview, Ronaldo said he was in talks to “very soon” sell his Valladolid stake to avoid “any obstacle” to his CBF candidacy.
AFP
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