Sports

Italy Defeat England to Win EURO 2020

Published

4 years ago

July 11, 2021

Eric

If there is anything the English football fans had wish as an all time gift, it would have been the Three Lions victory at the final of the EURO 2020 game against the Azurris of Italy.

But that was not to be as Italy came from a goal down to practically snatch the trophy from the English.

After the second minute goal from Shaw, bookmakers were so sure the trophy was coming home. However, a second half equiliser from Bonnocci was all the Italians needed to restamp their influence in the game.

After 120 minutes of sweat between the two teams, penalty kicks were used to decide the winner. England lost three of its kicks to lose the hard won final game.

Earlier before the match, England captain Harry Kane said the final will go down to the wire because the teams are so evenly matched.

England and Italy headed into the Wembley showdown as the tournament’s two stand-out sides.

Four-time world champions Italy, who last won the Euro in 1968, made a flying start as they tore through their group before battling past Austria, Belgium and Spain to reach the final.

England initially found it harder to hit top gear as they scored just twice while winning their group, but Gareth Southgate’s men were dominant in knockout stage victories against Germany, Ukraine and Denmark.

Kane believes either team would be fitting champions, but he is confident England have enough quality to win the European Championship for the first time.

“It’s a real 50-50 game I think. Of course Italy have a better history than us in terms of winning tournaments, but a lot of us in our team now have had experience at club level of playing in the biggest games, the biggest finals,” Kane told reporters on Friday.

“It’s a real tough game. From our point of view we have full belief in what we have been doing and how we have been setting up, and of course we believe we can win the game.

“But we also know it will be very tough. They’ve got some great players, some great experience.

“In any final, in any big game, you have to be on it on all aspects. We know that’s the case on Sunday and hopefully we can swing it in our favour.”

Asked if he had allowed himself to imagine lifting the trophy at Wembley in front of 60,000 England fans, Kane said: “For sure, as players you think of that moment, you dream of that moment.

“Obviously we’re all grounded enough to know we have a very tough game on our hands on Sunday. But there’s a good belief in this team.

“You play football to win, you dream of these moments as a kid, lifting trophies for your country and we have that opportunity now.

“A great prospect for us, we just have to enjoy the moment, take it all in, but of course perform, and we want to be on the winning side come Sunday.”

If England win their first major silverware since the 1966 World Cup, Kane can be mentioned in the same breath as Three Lions icon Bobby Moore, who lifted the trophy 55 years ago.

“Whenever your name is mentioned in the same company as players like that, it only gives you motivation, gives you confidence,” Kane said.

“Of course, it would be an incredible achievement. We’ve all waited so long as players, as public, as people to see us in a final.

“So these are the opportunities you have to grab with both hands. We have an amazing chance to win our second major trophy as a country. We’ve got to be excited for it.”

AFP

Sports

Anthony Joshua Defeats Jake Paul in Sixth-round Knockout

Published

16 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Eric

Former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, delivered a dominant performance on Saturday morning, stopping YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul with a sixth-round knockout in their heavyweight bout in Miami.

Although Paul exceeded expectations by lasting beyond the early rounds, Joshua’s superior power and experience proved decisive, according to The Athletic.

The British boxer dropped Paul twice during a chaotic fifth round, setting the stage for the finish.

Joshua sealed the victory in the sixth round, unleashing a sustained combination of heavy punches that left Paul unable to continue, prompting the referee to halt the contest.

Speaking after the fight, Joshua turned his attention to longtime rival Tyson Fury, challenging him to step into the ring.

“Put down (your) Twitter fingers and put on some gloves and come and fight me,” he said.

Paul, who later revealed he suffered a broken jaw in the bout, declined to name a future opponent.

Instead, the boxer said he would take a break from boxing following the loss, which marked the second defeat of his professional career.

Paul, who is ranked as the No. 14 cruiserweight with the WBA, has defeated back-to-back former boxing world champions.

He comfortably beat a 58-year-old Mike Tyson in November 2024 on Netflix’s boxing debut and most recently outpointed a 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. this past June.

Sports

FirstBank Elephant Girls Win in Zone 3, Qualify for WBLA Final Round

Published

2 weeks ago

December 8, 2025

Eric

FirstBank Basketball Club of Nigeria, popularly known as the “Elephant Girls”, have secured their spot in the final round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA), scheduled to hold in Cairo, Egypt from 5-14 December 2025.

The Elephant Girls put up a commanding performance at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, winning all three games. Representing Nigeria as the country’s sole team in the tournament, they overcame fierce competition from Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin Republic, Ghana, and Togo in the Zone. Their undefeated run included a 66–55 upset against home favourites CSA of Côte d’Ivoire and a thrilling 63–59 comeback win against FBA of Côte d’Ivoire, after trailing by 20 points in the second quarter.

The remarkable performance, marked by resilience, discipline skill, and mental strength, earned the team a triumphant return to continental basketball after a six-year absence. Emerging as champions of Zone 3 and the only English-speaking team to advance, the Elephant Girls have reaffirmed FirstBank’s long-standing commitment to promoting women’s sports in Nigeria and across Africa.

Speaking on the qualification, FirstBank’s Group Head, Human Capital Management and Development and Chairman of the Sports Council, Olumuyiwa Olulaja, said: “We are incredibly proud of the Elephant Girls for their outstanding performance. They have once again shown the world the strength, resilience, and excellence that define FirstBank.

“At FirstBank, we are committed to continuing our support for sports in Nigeria and Africa, and this victory is a significant step forward in our mission to promote excellence in sports on the continental and global stage,” he added.

The Elephant Girls had advanced to represent Nigeria at the WBLA Qualifiers for FIBA Africa Zone 3, following an impressive Silver Medal finish at the Zenith Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Premier League.

With their place secured in Cairo, the Elephant Girls are poised to showcase their talent on the continental stage once again, carrying the pride of Nigeria and the FirstBank brand as they aim to make history in the Final Round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa.

Sports

Morocco’s Hakimi Wins Africa Football Player of the Year Award

Published

1 month ago

November 20, 2025

Eric

Morocco and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi has been crowned the Confederation of African Football Men’s Player of the Year Award for 2025, edging out finalists Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool) and Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray).

The announcement came on Wednesday during the glittering CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat, Morocco, where Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain right-back, was the only finalist in attendance, adding to the electric atmosphere.

This marks a historic breakthrough for Hakimi, after finishing as runner-up in both 2023 and 2024 (behind Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, respectively), the 27-year-old has finally claimed Africa’s top individual football honour.

It’s also the first win for a Moroccan since Mustapha Hadji in 1998, and only the fourth for a defender in the award’s modern history.