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NFF needs stiffer measures to curb hooliganism, poor officiating —- Osun official

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By Gistflash News

June 28, 2021

Vincent Akinbami, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Sports Development to Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, says the increasing rate of hooliganism in the Nigerian football league is worrying.

Akinbami told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that drastic action was needed against cases of hooliganism at match venues as well as referees and other officials involved.

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“It is high time the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and all the league management boards start taking drastic action against hooliganism and bad referees to avoid killing the league.

“If this is not done, we may well be on the way to killing our football, in spite of the immense efforts put into developing it at all levels,” he said.

Akinbami stated that it was time Nigerians started to take a dispassionate look at the league competitions across the country to determine whether they were getting better or deteriorating.

“There are so many indices for us to do this: whether what we have is commensurate with what we should have, given the talents and resources, or whether what we have can compare with what other countries have.”

Akinbami said it was worrying that hooliganism was now becoming something of a norm, with club officials, referees, players and their fans getting away with criminal acts.

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He appealed to the NFF, the League Management Company (LMC), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nationwide League One (NLO) and Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) not to shy away from applying the measures.

“It is important to apply the stick, no matter whose ox is gored, and in order to ensure we stem the tide of what we are having now.

“A lot has happened in recent weeks this season, and in order not to allow things degenerate, we must start to apply the laws as they should.”

Akinbami pointed at Sunday’s incident in Ado-Ekiti where he alleged that Osun United FC of Osogbo were robbed of at least a point and also had their players and officials attacked.

“I witnessed the worst officiating in Nigerian league in the last 20 years in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday in our NNL week 19 match against Ekiti United.

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“The centre referee, Arinze Victor from Delta, was neutral in the first half of the game. But he changed totally in the second half, and at a time he signaled to the First Assistant Referee to stop picking calls for him.

“In the 85th minute of the game, the Secretary of the host club, Ayodeji Olowolafe, poured water and threw the bottle at the players and officials of my team on the away team’s bench.

“I was not spared too, while sitting in the crowd. This led to an uproar, with some of us running into the pitch.

“Almost immediately, our goalkeeper was held down in the penalty box for Ekiti United to score the only goal of the match.

“We were forced to run into the pitch because of the threats from some of the fans,” he stated.

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The aide to Gov. Oyetola, who oversees the state-owned male and female football clubs, said this was not only a clear case of biased officiating but also intimidation.

“Not only that, the stadium’s gate was totally thrown open, and it is an indication that COVID-19 protocols as specified by NFF and NNL were not complied with.

“There was also a threat to the lives of the match referees during the game’s half-time.”

Akinbami said this was a match both the NNL and NFF should seriously look into and apply the sanctions in order to serve as a deterrent.

NAN

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“No Way Back For You In Man United Squad, Spoilt Brat” – Darren Bent Slams Ronaldo

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Darren Bent, a former Charlton, Tottenham and Sunderland striker, has suggested that the end of Cristiano Ronaldo has come at Manchester United.
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Darren Bent, a former Charlton, Tottenham and Sunderland striker, has suggested that the end of Cristiano Ronaldo has come at Manchester United.

The former England man said he sees no way the former Real Madrid star can come back from this.

Ronaldo has been widely criticised for disrespecting his manager, Erik ten Hag, teammates and fans by leaving early and also refusing to go on.

Erik ten Hag’s team defeated Tottenham 2-0 on Wednesday, and their success was somewhat overshadowed by Cristiano’s early departure from the stadium.

The Portuguese have since been punished. He won’t be taking any part in the game against Chelsea on Saturday and has been banned from training with the first team.

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Bent told talkSPORT Drive: “What he did… I thought was really disrespectful to his teammates.” I thought he let himself down.

“The club is trying to go in the right direction and I think Erik ten Hag is doing a good job.”

“It was their performance of the season and it has been overshadowed by Ronaldo’s being upset because he didn’t come on.”

“It was like a spoiled brat.” There’s no way back for him.

“We know how good he’s been. He’s one of the best to ever do it, but we are talking about the here and now.”

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EPL: No Way Back For You In Man United Squad, Spoilt Brat – Darren Bent Slams Ronaldo
Darren Bent

“He’s been petulant and disrespected his teammates who have worked hard.” They’ve put in the performance of the season and he’s just left”

Cristiano Ronaldo sought to leave Old Trafford last summer but was said to have been prevented by the Dutch manager.

Ten Hag had, on more than one occasion, said that Ronaldo was in his plans for the club for the season and was going nowhere. And at the beginning of the season, he used fitness as an excuse for not starting him, saying the Portugal captain had not taken part in the club preseason tour of Asia and Australia.

Ronaldo, who scored 24 goals in all competitions last season, has netted just two this term, majorly due to a lack of game time.

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D’Tigress beat Mali to retain African title for third straight triumph

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By Gistflash News

Sept 26, 2021

Nigeria’s senior national women basketball team, D’Tigress, on Sunday emerged champions of the 2021 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship by defeating Mali 70-59 in Yaounde.

D’Tigress’s victory in the Cameroonian capital city makes it the third consecutive one for them, having won the championship the 2017 and 2019 editions.

The team, who are now unbeaten in three championships, led from the beginning of the game and but for a few moments never looked back in dominating game proceedings.

They won the first quarter 22-11, but lost the second one 9-13, even though they still led the game with seven points into the long break.

D’Tigress returned from the break to win the third quarter 28-14 to extend their lead to 21 points.

It meant they could afford to remove their foot from the throttle in the fourth quarter, which they lost 11-21, and still maintain an 11-point lead to win the game.

Victoria Macaulay was their top performer with 15 points, three rebounds, one assist and three blocks, while Ify Ibekwe recorded 10 rebounds and Ezinne Kalu four assists.

Earlier in the day, hosts Cameroon had won the third-place match by beating Senegal 53-49.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the title win has earned D’Tigress qualification for the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

NAN

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Fernandes misses late penalty kick as Aston Villa stun Manchester United

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By Gistflash News

Sept 25, 2021

Bruno Fernandes blazed a stoppage-time penalty kick over the crossbar as Aston Villa earned a shock 1-0 victory at a below-par Manchester United in the English Premier League on Saturday.

Kortney Hause’s 88th-minute header had put Aston Villa on course for their first league win over Manchester United since 2009.

But the defender’s handball gifted United an opportunity to steal a point, only for Fernandes to miss the target.

Since Cristiano Ronaldo re-signed for Manchester United, there has been much debate over who will take penalty kicks and free-kicks this season —- Fernandes or his fellow Portuguese.

It was Fernandes who took the first direct free-kick on Saturday, firing into the wall, with Ronaldo getting the next one.

Fernandes, following Hause’s handball, never looked back as he placed the ball on the penalty kick spot in the 92nd minute.

But last season’s top goalscorer missed only his second penalty kick for the club to the dismay of an expectant crowd.

“First of all, the way they (Aston Villa players) get round the penalty kick spot, get round Bruno and that, that’s not to my liking,” Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.

“Bruno is usually very good in those positions and unfortunately he missed this one.”

In truth, Manchester United got what they deserved.

Aston Villa had two great opportunities to break the deadlock in the first half with full-back Matt Targett blazing over from two metres out.

That was before Ollie Watkins was denied by a fine save from Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.

The home side, encouraged by a frustrated Old Trafford crowd, stepped it up late in the match.

But Hause climbed highest to stun the hosts before Fernandes’ miss and Manchester United tasted league defeat for the first time this season.

That second successive home loss in all competitions means Manchester United dropped to fourth in the standings on goal difference, with the top four sides all on 13 points.

Aston Villa climbed to seventh.

Solskjaer called for a fast start from his side in his programme notes, having seen his team often struggle to get going.

And that is exactly what he got as Fernandes wasted a great chance inside two minutes.

However, the hosts tailed off and really should have gone behind at half-time as Targett and Watkins missed great opportunities.

The home fans were getting restless as the Premier League’s top goalscorers struggled to create clear-cut chances.

It was just two headers as close as Manchester United came to breaking the deadlock before the break.

The game opened up as the second half wore on with Mason Greenwood going close, before De Gea denied Watkins with another fine save.

But the Spanish goalkeeper could do nothing as Hause powered his header home, sparking wild scenes of celebration in the away end.

The headlines, however, went to Fernandes, as his miss gave Aston Villa a famous and thoroughly deserved success.

“It (an Aston Villa win at Old Trafford) has been a long time coming,” Aston Villa coach Dean Smith said. “Our performance levels have been good the last couple of times we’ve been here.

“What that does is it gives an awful lot of belief to the players now.”

Reuters/NAN

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