Sports

Al-Hilal Dare Madrid As Spanish Giants Target Fifth Club World Cup Final Win

Published

3 years ago

February 10, 2023

Eric

Real Madrid have proved they can find the net even if they must take the field without talisman Karim Benzema in Saturday’s Club World Cup final against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in Morocco.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side, reigning European and Spanish champions, are aiming to win the competition for a fifth time and build confidence after a shaky start to 2023.Madrid captain Benzema missed the semi-final with a thigh injury but is set to train with the squad on Friday before the final.Los Blancos are already the record four-time winners and are firm favourites to beat Al-Hilal after their 4-1 semi-final victory over Egyptian outfit Al Ahly on Wednesday.Madrid won the competition under Ancelotti in 2014 during his first stint in charge, as well as in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Fede Valverde lined up in attack and all scored in the triumph, along with youngster Sergio Arribas from the bench.

Madrid were not at their best but the forwards had enough cutting edge to blow past the 10-time African Champions League winners in the final stages.

Ancelotti said Benzema’s injury was not serious, but the coach may choose to begin with the Ballon d’Or holder on the bench, even if he is fit to play, after his team’s clinical performance.

Madrid lost the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona in January and have fallen eight points behind their rivals in the La Liga title race.

Winning their second trophy of the season, after lifting the European Super Cup in August, would boost morale in the Spanish capital.

Al-Hilal, who overcame Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo in the other semi-final, have former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo and ex-Atletico Madrid forward Luciano Vietto leading the line.

The 2021 Asian Champions League winners are aiming to win the trophy for the first time, having finished fourth in 2019 and 2021.

“We have to respect this team, they’ve got good players and play well collectively. They’ll be excited to play in the final and so will we,” said Ancelotti on Wednesday.

“Football’s changing because there are a lot of teams all over the world that can compete, fight and win too.”

– Finding form –

At two goals up against Al Ahly Madrid appeared to have sealed progress to the final but their opponents hit back with a penalty and missed a golden chance to equalise.

It was Valverde’s first goal for the club since November and Ancelotti was happy the Uruguayan was back on the scoresheet.

Amid reports of a family issue away from the game and after the World Cup, Valverde has not been at his best.

In the first half of the season the midfielder was Madrid’s key player, driving them through in the Champions League and helping them keep pace with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

“I’m happy because he played a good game,” said Ancelotti.

“He produced the goods, showed his quality and scored. Little by little he’s coming back.”

Vinicius was able to brush off the issues he has been suffering from in Spain recently too, including several instances of racist abuse, opening the scoring for Madrid with a delicate chip.

Madrid are undeniably more dangerous with Benzema leading the line but the forward has been set back by a string of niggling injuries this season.

Several other Madrid players have also been sidelined, including Thibaut Courtois, Ferland Mendy, Lucas Vazquez and Eden Hazard, who will not make the final, while Eder Militao is another doubt.

However after their goal glut against Al Ahly, Ancelotti will be confident his strikers can get the job done and make history on Saturday.

AFP

Sports

Anthony Joshua Defeats Jake Paul in Sixth-round Knockout

Published

13 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.