Category: International Sports

[Photo courtesy of Al- Nassr]

By Eugene Oyier 

Sadio Mane’s time at Bayern Munich came to an unexpected end, with the Senegalese forward making a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. A turbulent season at Bayern saw him fined and suspended after an altercation with a teammate. Now, at Al-Nassr, Mane joins a star-studded lineup, including Cristiano Ronaldo, hoping to rediscover the form that made him a Liverpool legend.

After joining Bayern Munich last summer, Mane faced numerous challenges, including an injury just before the World Cup. His impact on the field was hampered, leading to a joint decision to seek a fresh start at a different club. Bayern’s CEO expressed gratitude for his contributions and wished him success at Al-Nassr.

Mane now finds himself at Al-Nassr, playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and other highprofile recruits like Marcelo Brozovic, Seko Fofana, and Alex Telles. The Saudi Pro League’s spending spree continues to attract European football stars to the Middle East.

At Al-Nassr, Mane aims to recapture the form that made him a prolific scorer during his sixyear tenure at Liverpool. He contributed 120 goals in 269 appearances for the Reds, helping secure multiple prestigious titles.

As Mane prepares to debut in the Saudi top flight, his journey brings him to a fresh start and new challenges. With renewed enthusiasm, he seeks to leave a lasting impact at Al-Nassr and showcase his talent once again.

[Photo courtesy of Allfootball]

In a whirlwind of intense matches, the group stages of the 2023 Women’s World Cup are coming to a close, leaving football enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the Round of 16.

As of Tuesday 1, five groups have been decided, while the remaining three will be finalized by August 3rd.

Switzerland emerged victorious in Group A, securing their place in the Round of 16 with an impressive performance. Their sights are now set on a fierce encounter with Spain, who were runner-up in group C.

Japan topped Group C in style winning all their matches, and are now set to take on Norway who were runner-up in Group A.

The Netherlands made their mark by winning Group E, showcasing their attacking prowess and solid defense. The Dutch team now eagerly awaits the finalization of the group stages, as they prepare to face the runner-up in group G.

The reigning champions, the United States, showcased their mettle in Group E but failed to top the group. They now eagerly await the results of group G as they will take on the winner of Group G.

England secured their place in the Round of 16 as they topped Group D earning a face-off against Nigeria, who came in second in Group B.

As the 2023 Women’s World Cup continues to captivate audiences with its exhilarating displays of talent and passion for the sport, fans can expect more breathtaking moments and memorable matches in the journey towards crowning a new champion.

[Photo courtesy of of Allfootball]

The scoreboard saw an avalanche of goals as Dalot, Antony, Donyell Malen, and Youssoufa Moukoko all found the back of the net in this pre-season thriller.

The contest got off to a fast start in the 24th minute, when Dalot struck the back of the net with a thunderous strike, giving his team an early lead. The excitement didn’t end there, as Donyell Malen stole the show shortly before halftime with two consecutive goals in the 43rd and 44th minutes, leaving the opponents startled and trailing by a goal.

After the break, Antony showed brought the Red devils back in the game in the 52nd minute, gliding past defenders and putting the ball into the net. However, the competition remained fierce, with both teams vying for control of the game.

In the 71st minute, Youssoufa Moukoko added another goal to give the German side the lead after he was found by German international Marco Reus in the box.

The winner ensured Manchester United suffered back to back defeats as they’re set to take on Lens in their next match. The German side will take on English side Chelsea in their next match.

[Photo courtesy of AFC]

In a thrilling encounter Arsenal showcased their attacking prowess to secure a remarkable 5-3 victory over Spanish giants Barcelona. The match, filled with twists and turns, left fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.

The game kicked off with an early lead for Barcelona when Robert Lewandowski found the back of the net in the 7th minute, setting a confident tone for the visitors. However, Arsenal’s young talent, Bukayo Saka, equalized the score just six minutes later with a skillful finish in the 13th minute.

The action continued as Arsenal was awarded a penalty in the 22nd minute, giving Saka a chance to put his team ahead. Unfortunately, the young Englishman missed the spot-kick, allowing Barcelona to breathe a sigh of relief. However, Chelsea’s star midfielder, Kai Havertz, made amends for the missed opportunity, giving Arsenal a 2-1 lead with a goal in the 43rd minute.

Just when it seemed Arsenal would enter halftime with a narrow advantage, Raphinha of Barcelona produced a moment of brilliance, leveling the score at 2-2 with a well-taken goal in the 34th minute.

As the second half commenced, Leandro Trossard showcased his scoring prowess, firing two crucial goals for Arsenal in the 55th and 78th minutes, giving his team a commanding 4-2 lead. The Belgian winger’s brace left the Barcelona defense in disarray.

In the 88th minute, Ferran Torres gave Barcelona a glimmer of hope, pulling one back for the visitors and making it 4-3. However, the late-game drama wasn’t over, as Fábio Vieira of Arsenal sealed the deal for his team with a composed finish in the 89th minute, sealing a memorable 5-3 victory for the Gunners.

The match displayed an enthralling display of attacking football from both sides, delighting fans and neutrals alike.

This result will undoubtedly boost Arsenal’s confidence as they head into the upcoming season, leaving their supporters hopeful for an exciting and successful campaign.

[Photo courtesy of Getty Images]

On Tuesday evening in San Diego, Manchester United’s Under-21s team suffered a 3-1 defeat against Wrexham. Fast forward 24 hours to Houston’s NRG Stadium, and the first team faced a harsh reality check from a talented and energetic young Real Madrid squad.

Andre Onana, the newly acquired No. 1 goalkeeper for £47.1 million this summer, couldn’t prevent the two goals, as Real Madrid ran riot.

The first goal was a display of brilliance from Jude Bellingham, who once had the privilege of touring United’s Carrington training base with the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. Real Madrid’s latest star recruit skillfully controlled a long ball from Antonio Rudiger before casually chipping it over Onana, leaving the defense stunned.

The second goal was an audacious bicycle kick from Jose Luis Mato after Lucas Vazquez set up the fellow Spaniard with a cross.

Manchester United has only one more match in the US to face German Bundesliga side Dortmund.

[Photo courtesy of sky news]

By Eugene Oyier

Saudi club Al-Hilal, now home to Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Kalidou Koulibaly, has expressed interest in acquiring Kylian Mbappe (24). The club made a record-breaking offer of 300 million euros (£259m), but Paris Saint-Germain is in no rush to respond.

PSG plans to wait until July 31st before considering the various offers for their star player.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano disclosed Al-Hilal’s substantial offer, although there have been no discussions with Mbappe yet. The final decision from PSG is yet to be revealed.

RMC Sport confirmed that Al-Hilal submitted a written offer. Additionally, Barcelona has entered the race, scheduling direct talks with PSG officials on Monday, as reported by the French daily L’Équipe.

Apart from Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Inter are also reportedly interested in signing Mbappe.

[Photo courtesy of Inter Miami]

By Eugene Oyier

World Cup winner Lionel Messi, 36, has been appointed as the new captain of Inter Miami, confirmed by coach Tata Martino on Monday.

Upon his recent signing with Miami, Messi donned the captain’s armband in his debut during a Leagues Cup tie against Liga MX’s Cruz Azul on Friday, where he scored a stunning stoppage-time free-kick.

The club’s previous captain, Brazilian midfielder Gregore, is sidelined with a foot injury, paving the way for Messi to assume the leadership role.

When asked about Messi’s captaincy, Martino asserted, “Yes, he will be,” indicating the star’s continued role as captain.

Inter Miami aims to secure advancement to the knockout stages of the Leagues Cup, a World Cup-style tournament featuring all teams from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, as they face Atlanta United in the final game of the two-game group stage on Wednesday.

[Photo courtesy of CFC]

Mauricio Pochettino secured his second victory as the newly appointed Chelsea manager as his team rallied from a goal down to beat Brighton 4-3 in a pre-season friendly last Saturday. The Seagulls took the lead early on through Danny Welbeck, who skillfully volleyed the ball home after an impressive collaboration involving Kaoru Mitoma and former Chelsea star Billy Gilmour.

However, Chelsea quickly bounced back, and their recent signing Christopher Nkunku scored his second goal of the pre-season campaign with a delicate touch, guiding the ball into the net after a clever buildup play in the Brighton penalty area.

At half-time, the score was level, and both teams missed several opportunities to take the lead until Roberto De Zerbi’s side was reduced to ten men. Jan Paul van Hecke had already received a yellow card but made an ill-judged challenge against Cesare Casadei, resulting in a second yellow card and his dismissal from the game.

Seizing the advantage of having an extra player, Chelsea capitalized on the situation, and Mykhailo Mudryk struck an impressive half-volley from the edge of the box to put his team in front.

Connor Gallagher extended Chelsea’s lead on the 72nd minute, and then their new signing Nicolas Jackson broke free from Brighton’s defense to score his debut goal for the London side, making it 4-1 in favor of Chelsea.

And just as things seemed to be winding down, Pedro would convert a spot kick to reduce the the deficit before a winding run along the left flank to find Deniz Undav in the middle of the penalty area. The German would make no mistake with his shot, firing the ball into the right corner to make the score 4-3

[Photo courtesy of MUFC]

During their pre-season tour in the United States, Manchester United beat Arsenal 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium in a fiesty encounter.

Red Devils’ captain, Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring with a long range shot which Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale failed to pary away despite getting his hands to it. Manchester United doubled their lead after Jadon Sancho’s tight angle finish found the back of the net.

Tensions on the field were running high, particularly when Lisandro Martinez made a late challenge on Bukayo Saka, leading to a heated altercation between players. The incident occurred just before halftime.

Renowned for being feisty, the fixture saw a total of three yellow cards issued during the match, with Harry Maguire receiving one for Manchester United and Gabriel Jesus also picking up a yellow card

The Match culminated with penalties where United came out on top. Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard converted their first kick, followed by Trossard who also converted his. Fabio Viera missed the decisive kick before Jorginho converted his own.

Manchester United converted all their spot-kicks through Casemiro, Diego Dalot, Victor Lindelof, Marcus Rashford and finally Christian Eriksen to end the shootout 3-5 in favour of the red devils.

United’s preseason tour in the States includes matches against Wrexham, Real Madrid, and Borussia Dortmund, while the Gunners are scheduled to face Barcelona next on Thursday.