All sports stories from Naija – Latest from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigerian Super Eagles and Super Falcons preparations for the FIFA World Cups, and the Nigeria athletes compete at the Commonwealth Games, Olympics and the IAAF World Championships.
14 February 2011 Real Madrid showed real character to close the gap on leaders Barcelona to five points winning 1-0 at Espanyol, despite playing virtually the whole match with 10 men after goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas was sent off after just 90 seconds. Brazilian international left back Marcelo scored the decisive goal on 23 minutes as Real took advantage…
14 February 2011 South Africa and Niger booked their place in the African Nations Championship quarterfinals on Sunday when they finished in the top two positions in Group B in Sudan. The pair, who also share a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification pool, completed wins that see the South Africans top the group, and Niger second. South Africa will now…
14 February 2011 Dolphin maintained a four-point lead at the top of the Nigeria Premier League after a 1-0 win at Zamfara United, just as closest rivals Sunshine Stars beat Ocean Boys 2-0 at home. Dolphin have thus recorded 33 points from 15 matches, while Sunshine moved up to second spot on 29 points. Surprise package Bukola Babes also consolidated…
14 February 2011 It was an action packed weekend in the PSL which saw the six matches taking place averaging three goals per game. Kicking off the goal feast on Friday night was as seven goal thriller between Ajax Cape Town and Santos (the first Absa Premiership game with seven goals this season). This was certainly one local derby that…
12 February 2011 Sir Alex Ferguson described Wayne Rooney's winning goal in the Manchester derby as the best he had ever seen, but the United manager still wants more from his star striker. Rooney, so disappointing for much of this season, scored for just the fifth time in the league as his stunning overhead kick from Nani?s cross secured a…
12 February 2011 Patrick Vieira is expecting Manchester United to be even more fired up than usual for their derby match against his Manchester City side at Old Trafford on Saturday. Premier League leaders United's shock loss to relegation-threatened Wolves ended their unbeaten run and dreams of an 'invincible' season. It also allowed second-placed Arsenal, who squandered a 4-0 lead…
12 February 2011 Tunisia took a giant step towards the quarterfinals of the 2011 African Nations Championship on Friday when they defeated Rwanda 3-1 in Port Sudan. The Group D result dumps the Rwandans out of the competition and leaves the Carthage Eagles top of the pool on four points, above Senegal on goal-difference, and ahead of Angola (one point)…
11 February 2011 Nigeria Premier League title-chasing pair of Dolphin and Warri Wolves could slip this weekend away at Zamfara United and Gombe United. Dolphin have opened a four-point lead at the top of the NPL table, but this could be cut back if they fail to win at relegation-threatened Zamfara on Sunday and second-placed Sunshine Stars make the most…
10 February 2011 Real Madrid may be trailing their arch-rivals Barcelona in La Liga but financially they still have the edge on their old foes after topping the table of the world's 20 richest football clubs, compiled by accountants Deloitte. Real finished top for the sixth straight year with Deloitte's table for the 2009/10 season saying the Spanish giants had…
10 February 2011 Democratic Republic of Congo clawed back into contention for a second African Nations Championship title by coming from behind to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1 in Sudan on Thursday. All the goals came during the first half with midfielder Jean-Paul Kesse giving the Ivorians a ninth-minute lead, Matondo Salakiaku levelling and Dioko Kaluyituka bagging the 30th-minute winner. It…
9 February 2011 England manager Fabio Capello has admitted he faces tough decisions over his first-choice strikers after Ashley Young and Darren Bent scored the goals to beat Denmark 2-1 in a friendly international. Young, only recently converted from winger to striker by Aston Villa, came off the bench to win the game at the Parken Stadium here on Wednesday…
9 February 2011 Samson Siasia got off to a winning start as Nigeria coach as the Super Eagles defeated Sierra Leone 2-1 in an absorbing friendly Wednesday night in Lagos. The Eagles took the lead after a quarter of an hour when Olympique Marseille ace defender Taye Taiwo tucked away a penalty past John Tyre in goal for the Leone…
10 February 2011 South Africa's 2-0 victory over Niger in the 2011 African Nations Championship has put them on the brink of the knockout stages, despite the majority of the squad only competing in the third-tier of the game in that country. Premiership and First Division sides refused to release their players at this important time in the season, and…
9 February 2011 Having seen his side breeze into the knockout stages of the 2011 African Nations Championship (CHAN), Sudan coach Mohamed Abdallah says the best is yet to come from his charges. The CHAN hosts have recorded 1-0 victories over Gabon and Uganda in Group A, which mean they cannot finish outside the top two spots in the pool…
9 February 2011 South Africa warmed up for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt next month with a comfortable 2-0 friendly victory over Kenya in north-west mining town Rustenburg on Wednesday. Bafana Bafana (The Boys) dominated the first half and led 2-0 at half-time courtesy of goals from Leeds United striker Davide Somma in the second minute and…