Sports

Brahim Diaz Shines as Real Madrid Thrives Without Bellingham in Dominant Victory

Published

1 year ago

November 9, 2023

Brahim Diaz embraced the opportunity to demonstrate his depth and brilliance, stepping into the shoes of Real Madrid’s big man, Jude Bellingham. The match against Braga on Wednesday night demonstrated that there is life without Los Blancos’ main player this season.

Jude Bellingham, consistently overshadowing Brahim Diaz with his stellar performances, was rested for the match, providing the Spaniard the chance he had been patiently waiting for. Diaz not only lived up to the occasion but left an indelible mark on the game, contributing significantly to Real Madrid’s commanding 3-0 triumph.

The visitors initially had an opportunity to take the lead when Lucas Vazquez fouled Cristian Borja in the box, resulting in a penalty. However, reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made a crucial save to deny Braga the early advantage.

Undeterred by an earlier disallowed goal, Brahim Diaz demonstrated composure and skill to open the scoring for Real Madrid. Capitalizing on Rodrygo’s cutback, the attacking midfielder ghosted into the box, securing a well-deserved 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Diaz had another chance to find the net but was thwarted by an exceptional save from Matheus. However, Vinicius made no mistake, converting a smooth counter-attack to extend Real Madrid’s lead to 2-0 after 58 minutes. The third goal came shortly after, with Rodrygo gracefully chipping the ball over Matheus, sealing a comfortable victory for Los Blancos.

Brahim Diaz’s standout performance underscores the squad’s depth and resilience, proving that even in the absence of key players like Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid has the talent and capability to secure convincing wins on the pitch.

Sports

Enyimba Exits CAF Confederation Cup

Published

4 days ago

January 20, 2025

Samson Adeyanju

By Njoku Chijioke

Enyimba Football Club has crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup after a series of disappointing performances, dealing a major blow to Nigerian football’s continental aspirations.

Despite their status as one of Nigeria’s premier clubs, Enyimba failed to secure crucial victories, resulting in an early elimination from Africa’s second-tier club competition.

Fans and supporters have expressed frustration over the team’s poor showing, with management and coaching staff facing heightened scrutiny.

Enyimba’s exit leaves Nigeria without representation in the later stages of the tournament, a setback for the country’s efforts to enhance its football competitiveness on the continental stage.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), and League Management Company (LMC), are expected to evaluate the team’s performance and address underlying issues to avoid future disappointments in international competitions.

Sports

Can Chelle Lead Eagles to CHAN 2024 Glory? –Akuneto

Published

1 week ago

January 17, 2025

Admin

By Oluwamayowa Fakande

Former Nigeria international and Oldham United coach, Chukwuma Akuneto, has questioned whether Mali-born manager Eric Sekou Chelle can guide the Super Eagles to their first African Nations Championship (CHAN), title in August.
Despite finishing as runners-up in 2018 and securing bronze in 2014, Nigeria has yet to lift the CHAN trophy.
After missing the last two editions, the Super Eagles B team secured qualification by defeating Ghana’s Black Galaxies 3-1 on aggregate.
The 2024 tournament, hosted across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, will feature 19 teams competing for a $3.5 million prize.
Nigeria has been drawn in Group D alongside defending champions Senegal, Congo, and Sudan—the only four-team group in the competition.
While Nigerians celebrate the team’s return, Akuneto remains cautious about Chelle’s ability to deliver success.
“Our local league has improved in organization, positively impacting the quality of the NPFL, so I expect a strong performance from our players at CHAN,” he said.
On whether Chelle can lead Nigeria to glory, Akuneto admitted uncertainty but acknowledged the coach’s experience.
“I don’t know, but he is currently coaching in Africa (MC Oran of Algeria), so he understands the football landscape.
“His coaching and playing career suggest he is highly experienced,” he added.

Sports

Diallo Matches Solskjaer, Rooney’s Feat with Hat-trick Against Southampton

Published

1 week ago

January 17, 2025

Admin

By Oluwamayowa Fakande

Amad Diallo joined an elite club of Manchester United players after his stunning hat-trick secured a dramatic 3-1 comeback win against Southampton.
Diallo became only the third player in Premier League history to score three times in the final 10 minutes of a match, matching Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s feat against Nottingham Forest in 1999 and Wayne Rooney’s against Hull City in 2010—all as United players.
Southampton took the lead just before halftime through an own goal by Manuel Ugarte.
However, Diallo turned the game around, equalizing in the 82nd minute before netting twice more in stoppage time to seal the victory.
The win lifted United to 12th place in the league table with 26 points.