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[Edoman]

EPL: Guardiola Reveals Why Man City Defeated Man United


Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiolas has explained why his side defeated Manchester United 3-1 in Sunday’s Premier League derby clash at Etihad.

Three goals from David Silva, Sergio Aguero and IIkay Gundogan ensured victory for Guardiola’s men.

Forward, Anthony Martial’s lone strike was not enough to get a point for Jose Mourinho’s side.

Guardiola said his City defeated United because his players played better in the second half of the encounter.

“The first half was not so good, we played like ‘I don’t want to lose the ball’ but not with the intention to attack, or to do something,” Independent UK quoted Guardiola as saying at post-match.

“I felt when I watched my team, that we felt the pressure. The second half, we started much, much better. After we conceded, always it’s inevitable to think about last season what happened again in that situation. But we didn’t concede one other chance, we defend so well. The last 30 minutes we made a very, very good game.”

“After the second goal, the most satisfying [thing] is after 2-1, we react well. We are stable. We didn’t concede chances. Step by step we regain our game again. And after of course, after the third goal was easier.”

The win against United means City now occupies the top position in the Premier League log with 32 points from 12 games.

Man City will take on West Ham United in their next Premier League clash on November 24.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/11/epl-...-city.html

[Edoman]

Ighalo’s club relegated from Chinese super league
November 11, 2018[url=https://www.blueprint.ng/ighalos-club-relegated-from-chinese-super-league/][/url]
 
Ighalo
Except he escapes during January transfer window in Europe, Odion Ighalo will play in the Chinese League One next season after Changchun Yatai’s relegation from the Super League.
Chen Jingang’s men, without the Super Eagles forward, succumbed to a 2-0 loss against Dalian Yifang in their last league game of the season.
The 29-year-old ended the season as the second top scorer in the Chinese top-flight with 21 goals from 28 games.
Changchun Yatai and John Obi Mikel’s Tianjin Teda wrapped up the 2018 campaign with 32 points from 30 games but the latter were saved based on head-to-head advantage despite conceding a 5-1 loss to Guangzhou Evergrande.

[Edoman]

Afelokhai, Onyekuru, Iheanacho are early birds as Eagles begin training today
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 SPORT
 
                         
Officials of the Super Eagles were pleasantly surprised yesterday when the bulk of the players invited for this weekend’s Cameroun 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa arrived the team’s camp ahead of today’s opening training session.

The early birds are Henry Onyekuru, Kelechi Iheanacho, returnee Mikel Agu, Theophilus Afelokhai and Moses Simon.

Afelokhai is making his second coming to the Eagles having been involved in the squad when the late Stephen Keshi was head coach. He came in as replacement for first choice goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, who has been ruled out by injury.


Onyekuru is returning to the team as replacement for the injured Odion Ighalo after missing the games against Libya. Agu has not played for Nigeria since he was omitted from the team to the Russia 2018 World Cup.

A Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official told The Guardian yesterday that Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Ola Aina, Jamilu Collins and Sunday Adeleye are also in camp.

Others expected today are William Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Daniel Akpeyi and Brian Idowu.

Wilfred Ndidi is out of the game having received two yellow cards in the qualifying series.

Super Eagles are expected to fly to Johannesburg on Thursday evening for the match scheduled for Saturday.

The team’s official training programme begins today at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, but according to the Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye, Thursday’s session would be closed to observers.

Ibitoye said the team would fly to Johannesburg aboard a chartered flight at 5.00 p.m. and return immediately after the game to prepare for next Tuesday’s friendly against Uganda at the Stephen Keshi Stadium.


“We are focused on beating South Africa and I am sure we will get the desired result.”

He revealed that the team would train twice daily from today until they leave for South Africa.

Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana coach, Stuart Baxter, has said that he holds no fear over facing Nigeria at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.

According to timeslive.co.za, the Briton said he expects Nigeria to have vengeance on their minds when they arrive in Johannesburg after unexpectedly going down 0-2 to Bafana Bafana in Uyo in his maiden match in June last year.

‘‘We do have Nigeria first‚ in the small matter of an African Nations Cup qualifier‚” he said yesterday.

‘‘Everybody knows the list of injuries that we have had. Everybody knows what I said in the first press conference (a week ago) that despite that (the injuries) I want to speak about the players that we do have because even though we respect Nigeria, we do not fear them.

‘‘I think we still have enough talent‚ enough desire and if we can structure a game plan in the next three or four days‚ I think by the time we run out onto the FNB Stadium we would be confident‚ we would not be complacent‚ because Nigeria have just come from a (2018) World Cup (in Russia).

‘‘They are undefeated since we beat them the last time (in the first qualifier in June last year) and they will certainly want to wreak their revenge.

‘‘So‚ we will be ready and I still believe that we have a very good chance of getting the result that we need.”

[Edoman]

Referee Bakary Gassama Apologises To Nigeria After South Africa Match



Report has it that the head referee who officiated the AFCON 2019 qualifying match between Bafana Bafana and Nigeria on Saturday in South Africa - has apologised for the costly mistakes made by officials during the game.

The Gambian football referee identified as Bakary Papa Gassama apologised to the Nigerian team after wrongly denying them two goals due to wrong offside calls, according to a report by OwnGoalNigeria.

Ahmed Musa put through Kelechi Iheanacho who tapped home believing he has given Nigeria the lead but Musa who supplied the pass was judged by the assistant referee as been in an offside position, something which turned out to be wrong after video replays.

In the second half with less than five minutes to go, Musa was once again at the receiving end of another poor referee decision as he was once again flagged offside incorrectly after slotting home what could have given Nigeria all three points.

The game ended 1-1 with Nigeria sealing her passage to next year Africa Cup of Nations but officials of the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF) still expressed their unhappiness to Gassama over the poor decision which cost Nigeria a win.

Gassama admitted the error and even went a step further by sending his apologies to Musa over the incident although he admitted that such errors are sometimes unavoidable particularly due to the non-availability of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) .

See more; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/11/south-africa-v-nigeria-referee-gassama-admits-mistake-on-offside-calls-against-nigeria.html