Football

28 April 2011 Round 35 of the English Premier League takes place over the coming weekend and Arsenal, who are all but out of the title race after their defeat at Bolton Wanderers last weekend, could still have a say in where the trophy ends up as they face leaders Manchester United at the Emirates on Sunday. The Gunners are…

28 April 2011 Nigeria have booked a place in the 2011 African Youth Championships final after a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Mali at the Dobsonville Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The Flying Eagles were always in control of the game and earned their victory via goals from Uche Nwofor, his third of the tournament, and Stanley Okoro (penalty). Mali looked toothless…

27 April 2011 Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson basked in the 2-0 Champions League semi-final first leg win over Schalke on Wednesday and admitted that his team now face a crucial seven days. United tackle Arsenal on Sunday and fellow Premier League title rivals Chelsea the weekend after with the return European leg against Schalke sandwiched in between. "I…

27 April 2011 English side Chelsea have confirmed Michael Essien is not injured as initially feared which means he is on course for a Black Stars return in June as widely speculated. This also means Essiens charity game between an African XI select side and a World XI select side the AU Peace Ambassador has lined for 25 May will…

25 April 2011 The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have formally requested Dutch club VVV Venlo to release striker Ahmed Musa for Thursdays African Youth Championship semi-final against Mali. A top NFF official informed MTNFootball.com that a letter was despatched to VVV immediately the Flying Eagles booked their place in the last four of the biennial Under-20 tournament in South Africa…

24 April 2011 Tunisian outfit Esperance led a show of force by clubs from northern countries in African Champions League last-16 ties this weekend. The 'Blood and Gold' were ahead within two minutes against Senegalese visitors Diaraf and romped to a 5-0 victory that virtually assures them of a mini-league place after the early May return fixture. Wydad Casablanca of…

25 April 2011 Super Eagles of Nigeria coach, Samson Siasia, would pick the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon as opponents for a friendly to mark next months inauguration of the countrys president, Goodluck Jonathan, who was recently re-elected. MTNFootball.com has scooped that Siasia would like to meet Cameroon because they would provide his team with a good test as well as…

23 April 2011 Sir Alex Ferguson urged caution as Manchester United kept their Premier League title charge firmly on course. A hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday, United's 13th successive home league success this season, left Ferguson's leaders just two wins away from a record 19th domestic title. Javier Hernandez's goal piled the pressure on second placed Chelsea, who…

24 April 2011 Two goals in the second half from Stanley Okoro and Ramon Azeez saw Nigeria U20 beat Gambia U20 2-0 in their final Group B game of the African Youth Championship at BidVest Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The win sees the Flying Eagles into the semifinals of the competition while Gambia exit the tournament and will head home.…

23 April 2011 The Nigeria Football Federation have doubled the win bonus of the national U-20 team, Flying Eagles, ahead of their must-win Group B match against Gambia on Sunday at the African Youth Championship in South Africa. At an afternoon meeting with other top NFF officials in Johannesburg on Friday, NFF president Aminu Maigari approved that the players should…

22 April 2011 Nigeria coach Samson Siasia will include Arsenal starlet Chuks Aneke when he names the squad to battle Argentina in Abuja on June 1. Last week, Siasia convinced the young midfielder, who has represented England at Under 18 level, to switch his international allegiance to Nigeria, and has now said he will bring him in as early as…

21 April 2011 Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny insists his side are mentally strong enough to win the Premier League title race. Arsene Wenger's side squandered another chance to close the gap on leaders Manchester United as they blew a 3-1 lead in Wednesday's 3-3 draw against Tottenham at White Hart Lane. Szczesny, 22, was partially responsible for Arsenal's latest meltdown…

22 April 2011 Carlo Ancelotti has admitted misfiring striker Fernando Torres could return in place of in-form Didier Drogba for Chelsea's vital London derby against West Ham on Saturday. Ancelotti's side have been revitalised since the Italian dropped Torres and recalled Drogba, with successive wins over West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham lifting Chelsea back into the title race. Torres has…

21 April 2011 Tens of thousands of euphoric Real Madrid fans welcomed their team home to the Spanish capital in the early hours of Thursday after they clinched their first Spanish Cup win since 1993. Supporters, many wrapped in the club's flag, cheered as the squad arrived Madrid's central Cibeles Square, the traditional home for raucous Real Madrid victory celebrations,…

21 April 2011 Cameroon have taken a giant step towards the semifinals of the 2011 African Youth Championships with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nigeria on Thursday. The only goal of the game was scored in first-half injury-time by Franck Ohandza and the result leaves Cameroon on top of the pool with six points and with one foot in the…