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Man City Beat Sevilla On Penalties To Win UEFA Super Cup

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Manchester City has won the UEFA Super Cup for the first time on Wednesday but needed penalties to beat Sevilla after a 1-1 draw in Athens.

Youssef En-Nesyri’s towering first-half header gave the Spaniards the lead.

European champions City were far from their slick best, but hit back to force the game to penalties through Cole Palmer’s header.

Manchester City’s players celebrates after winning the 2023 UEFA Super Cup football match between Manchester City and Sevilla at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on August 16, 2023.

City were then perfect from the spot and prevailed 5-4 in the shootout after Sevilla defender Nemanja Gudelj smashed against the bar.

Pep Guardiola has bemoaned his side’s lack of preparation for the new season and it showed under the baking heat in the Greek capital.

City badly missed the creative presence of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva through a combination of injury and illness.

Sevilla’s players react after the penalty shootout of the 2023 UEFA Super Cup football match between Manchester City and Sevilla at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on August 16, 2023.

A four-month absence for De Bruyne due to a serious hamstring injury has exacerbated the loss of firepower offered by Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez since last season.

West Ham’s Brazilian international Lucas Paqueta has been linked with a move to the Etihad and this performance may serve as further proof City need to strengthen before the end of the transfer market.

Sevilla began their La Liga season with a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Valencia.

Manchester City’s players celebrate victory after the penalty shootout of the 2023 UEFA Super Cup football match between Manchester City and Sevilla at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on August 16, 2023.

But just as they did last season in lifting a seventh Europa League despite a 12th-placed league finish, they rose to the big occasion.

Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was playing what is expected to be his final game for the club before a move to Saudi side Al Hilal.

The Moroccan international denied City a perfect start when he clawed away Nathan Ake’s powerful header that was destined for the bottom corner.

But Guardiola’s men soon became ponderous in possession and were punished on 25 minutes.

AFP

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Peter Rufai’s burial : Taribo West explodes, lashes out at NFF, LASG ‘What kind of nation is this?’

Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit in within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart.

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• Taribo West

Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has condemned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for alleged abandonment of the family of deceased goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.

During Rufai’s burial at Ikoyi cemetery on Friday, Taribo West expressed outrage at what he described as the consistent failure of Nigerian authorities to honour football heroes after their death.

In a video shared by News Central on Friday, the ex-Inter Milan star , lamented: It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family. I felt in my spirit that there is nothing to put your life for. That’s why I say I have to shift back so that I will not implode. It’s grieving.

“My mother died . I never shed tears. My father died in my hands. I never shed tears. When Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body. And every individual I’m speaking to, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?”

“With this kind of example they have shown in (Yisa) Sofoule, Stephen Keshi, Thompson Oliya and Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory), I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Send me out! Do we have a Football Federation or do we have a Football Association in this Lagos State? That this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way in his family.

“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit in within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart,” he stated.

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Bayelsa to host 2028 National Sports Festival

Bayelsa State presented an amazing bid for the 2028 sports festival. I was happy to know that there is an intentional desire by Bayelsa to host the sports festival.

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• Bukola Olopade, DG National Sports Commission

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has said Bayelsa State can comfortably host the 2028 National Sports Festival (NSF).

The Director-General, of the NSC, Mr. Bukola Olapade, stated this on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa.

Olopade said that the team was in the state to inspect facilities before announcing the 2028 sports festival host.

He said facilities inspected included the security infrastructure, medical facilities, wrestling gyms, table tennis halls as well as the ongoing construction of an ultramodern stadium.

According to the NSC DG, from what the team saw, he was confident that Bayelsa will get the nod to host the festival.

He described the state as very peaceful, hospitable and a sleeping giant with great potential in the sports sector.

His words: “Bayelsa State presented an amazing bid for the 2028 sports festival. I was happy to know that there is an intentional desire by Bayelsa to host the sports festival.

Bayelsa is a sleeping giant in sports.“Yenagoa is beautiful and peaceful. This is an amazingly peaceful and beautiful state and it tells me that these are people ready to welcome visitors.

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Enyimba unveil faces of 22 new players

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Eight-time Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba International Football Club, have confirmed a massive shake-up in their squad with the departure of 22 players ahead of the new season.

The players released include Imo Prince Ikemdinachi, Musa Usman Babalolo, Innocent Gabriel, Nelson Michael, Alade Muyiwa Balogun, Nnachi Chidiebere, Chisom Ejio, Junior Lokosa, Fatai Abdullahi, Imo Obot Udo, Umeh Gozie, Olufemi Opeoluwa, Somiari Orinate Alalibo, Chidera Eze, Ukadiike Chiemerie Divine, Augustine Onyemaechi, Gideon Peter, Tobias Orkuma, Leonard Obinna, Brown Ideye, Ani Ozoemena, and Elijah Akanni.

The Nation, reports that in an official statement, the Aba-based club expressed appreciation to the departing players for their service, dedication, and contribution to the team, while wishing them success in their future careers.

In addition to the permanent exits, three players have been sent out on loan to gain more playing time and experience. They are Obichere Wisdom Odinaka, Purpose Ahubaraezemma, and Samuel Buah Nuako.

The clear-out follows a disappointing 2024/25 campaign in which the People’s Elephant fell well short of expectations, finishing outside continental qualification spots and ending the season trophies.

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