Connect with us

Sports

Son Heung-min To Miss Spurs’ Europa League Decider Against Frankfurt

Published

on

Tottenham Hotspur will be without star forward Son Heung-min for their crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt, manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed on Wednesday.

The South Korean international has been nursing a foot injury in recent weeks and did not travel with the squad to Germany.

Son also missed Spurs’ 4-2 Premier League defeat at Wolverhampton on Saturday.

READ ALSO: Gabonese Striker, Aaron Boupendza Dies After Tragic Fall In China

“Sonny didn’t travel in the end, he’s the only one that misses out,” Postecoglou told reporters ahead of Thursday’s clash at the Waldstadion.

“He’s been battling with his foot problem for a few weeks now and managed to play through it. He trained the last few days, he tried to train yesterday and it wasn’t right, so we made the decision to leave him at home to allow him to recuperate.”

Son has been a key figure in Spurs’ European campaign this season, registering three goals and an assist across nine Europa League appearances.

The tie remains finely balanced after a 1-1 draw in the first leg in London, where Pedro Porro’s equalizer cancelled out Hugo Ekitike’s early goal for Frankfurt.

A win on Thursday would secure a place in the semi-finals.

Postecoglou, whose side has struggled in domestic competition and sits 15th in the Premier League, dismissed concerns over mounting pressure on his position.

“If you don’t think I’m a good coach, that’s not going to change because of what happens tomorrow,” he said. “We’ve got a great opportunity tomorrow, and I’m not going to let that slip by without fighting tooth and nail.”

On the opposite bench, Frankfurt boss Dino Toppmoeller expects Spurs to be fully focused on the Europa League, brushing aside suggestions that their poor league form could offer his team an advantage.

“Their latest league setback plays absolutely no role because their only focus is the Europa League,” Toppmoeller said.

Despite Frankfurt sitting third in the Bundesliga, he refused to label his side as favourites. “It doesn’t matter whether any team is the favourite or not.”

Frankfurt will also be without their captain and first-choice goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, who remains sidelined through injury. Brazilian shot-stopper Kaua Santos is expected to continue in goal.

With the tie poised on a knife-edge, Toppmoeller remained unfazed by the possibility of the match going to penalties — a scenario often discussed when English and German sides meet in European competition.

“I have absolutely no fear of a shootout, because I have total confidence in the boys. And if it comes to penalties, we’ll win on penalties,” he said.

Sports

Team Nigeria Stuns Commonwealth Games with Record-Breaking Performances

Published

on

Buhari rewards Tobi Amusan, others

Team Nigeria delivered a remarkable display at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, producing a world record, a historic gold medal and a hard-fought bronze to underline the country’s growing dominance in athletics.

Leading the charge was para-athlete Goodness Nwachukwu, who successfully defended her women’s F42 discus throw title in spectacular fashion by setting a new world record of 39.66 metres with her final throw.

ALSO READ: FIFA in Turmoil as Senior Adviser Steps Down Over Controversial World Cup Deal

The 27-year-old surpassed her previous world record by more than three metres to register her fourth career world record and add another Commonwealth gold medal to her impressive collection.

Wales’ Funmi Oduwaiye settled for silver with a throw of 38.52 metres, while Bree Cronin claimed bronze after recording 36.00 metres.

Reacting to her achievement, an emotional Nwachukwu said, “I feel like I am on top of the world. I feel so great. I feel so wow, I was like, ‘Ah, what?’ and I started shouting.”

She also expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their unwavering support, adding, “I love you all and I can’t wait to see you. Love you.”

Nigeria’s celebrations continued in the men’s shot put, where Chukwuebuka Enekwechi made history by becoming the first Nigerian to win Commonwealth Games gold in the event.

The African record holder secured victory with a throw of 21.07 metres, improving on the silver medal he won at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while erasing the disappointment of his fourth-place finish in Birmingham four years ago.

Defending champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand claimed silver with a throw of 21.03 metres, while England’s Scott Lincoln finished with bronze after throwing 20.99 metres.

Meanwhile, world record holder Tobi Amusan displayed determination in the women’s 100m hurdles, clocking 12.60 seconds to claim bronze and extend her Commonwealth Games medal streak to three consecutive editions.

Although she narrowly missed out on a third successive Commonwealth title, Amusan revealed after the race that she had been hampered by a knee injury sustained during Team Nigeria’s training camp in Aberdeen.

The outstanding performances by Nwachukwu, Enekwechi and Amusan capped another memorable day for Team Nigeria, as the athletes combined to deliver medals, history and a world record at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Continue Reading

Sports

FIFA in Turmoil as Senior Adviser Steps Down Over Controversial World Cup Deal

Published

on

FIFA has been thrown into fresh controversy after a senior adviser to President Gianni Infantino resigned over a proposed plan to sell a stake in the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup, describing the move as harmful to the future of football.

The resignation, announced on Friday, marks a major setback for Infantino as criticism continues to mount over the governing body’s plans to commercialize aspects of the world’s biggest football tournament.

SEE MORE: FIFA Makes Historic Change as World Cup Winners to Receive Championship Rings

Carlos Cordeiro, a former president of the United States Soccer Federation and one of Infantino’s senior advisers, said he could not support the proposal, insisting it would undermine the interests of FIFA’s member associations and the sport itself.

“As a senior advisor to the FIFA president, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” Cordeiro said in his resignation statement.

He stressed that he had no role in developing the proposal.

“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” he said.

Cordeiro further described the initiative as detrimental to football’s long-term future.

“It is a bad deal for FIFA’s member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game,” he added.

His resignation came just hours after FIFA announced it would continue with what it described as an “open and democratic” consultation process on the proposal, despite growing opposition.

The development represents one of the most significant internal challenges facing Infantino in recent months and is expected to intensify debate over the commercial direction of global football and the governance of the FIFA World Cup.

Continue Reading

Sports

End of an Era: Neymar Retires from International Football After 16 Years

Published

on

Neymar Cries After Losing Over N512m To Online Gambling

Brazilian football icon Neymar Jr. has officially announced his retirement from international football, ending a remarkable 16-year career with the Brazil national team and closing one of the most celebrated chapters in the country’s football history.

The 34-year-old Santos forward confirmed his decision after his side’s 4-2 victory over Universidad Central in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana knockout round playoffs, putting an end to months of speculation about a potential return to the Seleção.

SEE ALSO: World Cup Setback: Neymar Ruled Out of Brazil’s Crucial Haiti Clash

Reflecting on his decision, Neymar said he had given everything for his country.
“My time with the national team is over. I made history, I was very happy, I gave my blood, my life. I always fought for the yellow jersey, but now I don’t want to anymore,” he said.

Neymar’s final appearance for Brazil came in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Norway. Although he converted a stoppage-time penalty, Brazil suffered a 2-1 defeat, ending their hopes of winning a sixth World Cup title.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star retires as Brazil’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer, having scored 80 goals to surpass the legendary Pelé’s record of 77.

Since making his senior debut in 2010, Neymar represented Brazil in four FIFA World Cups, multiple Copa América tournaments, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Olympic Games.

He played a key role in Brazil’s 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup triumph and captained the nation to its first-ever Olympic men’s football gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games.

Despite his extraordinary achievements, injuries often hampered his international career. A calf injury sustained while playing for Santos ruled him out of Brazil’s opening two matches at the 2026 World Cup.

He later returned as a substitute against Scotland in the final group-stage match before making his final international appearance against Norway, scoring the last goal of his Brazil career.

Neymar’s retirement marks the end of an era for Brazilian football, leaving behind a legacy of record-breaking achievements, unforgettable moments and unwavering commitment to the famous yellow jersey.

 

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2022. Biztellers, powered by Alphaxristi.

1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x