Arteta Hails Consistent Home Form as Arsenal Defeats Lens

Published

1 year ago

November 30, 2023

Oluwamayowa Fakande

Mikel Arteta hailed Arsenal’s consistency after thrashing Lens 6-0 in the Champions League.

The Gunners qualified for the last 16 as Group B winners and the Basque head coach was full of praise for his players.

He said: “We had the chance to qualify top and we did it in a convincing way against a good side.

“From the beginning, we showed the determination to go for it. Everything happened in the right way and I am really happy.

“It is great we are able to win this way and we have been so consistent at home.

“The players need to have these experiences and believe we can do it against big players and teams.

“Now we wait and see who we have in February.”

Arsenal were prolific at the Emirates with six different players managing to get on the scoresheet, including last Saturday’s match winner Kai Havertz.

And with the hectic schedule starting to have an impact on teams, Arteta admits he is going to have to rely on his leaders to guide them through a tough period.

He added: “We share six different scorers. The team has the capacity which is really good for the confidence of the players.

“We only have five subs and are very short, we have to prioritise. Martin [Odegaard] said he was fine and managed himself in the second half.

“There are different options but today we were really attacking and we want to approach to win and be dominant.

“Declan Rice was superb. His consistency and understanding of the game, his decision-making and timing to win the ball back and the speed that he plays is so good.

“Havertz is scoring and playing well too, it is positive. The crowd are singing his name and being with him, he is a tremendous player.”

Arteta’s attention will now turn to Saturday as Arsenal return to Premier League action at home to Wolves.

Enyimba Exits CAF Confederation Cup

Published

6 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.