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These Flying Eagles Can’t Fly at All, Nigerians Knock U-20 Team

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Football-loving Nigerians have slammed the Flying Eagles following their lethargic display against The Gambia in Monday’s U-20 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash at the Cairo Stadium, Egypt, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Adama Bojang scored the winner for the Junior Scorpions after seven minutes after he raced onto a defence-splitting pass from Ebrima Singhateh.

Despite trailing by the early goal, Ladan Bosso’s team dominated possession but lacked the brilliance in midfield to create chances and score.

Forwards Ibrahim Muhammad, Samson Lawal, Haliru Sarki and Francis Abubakar all failed to get their strikes on target, while substitute and Belgium-based forward Ahmed Abdullahi, who won a penalty in the dying minutes of the game, watched agonisingly as his spot kick hit the left post and rebound into play in the 85th minute.

Gambia’s goalkeeper Ebou Dampha, who was adjudged the man of the match for his brilliant display in goal for the Junior Scorpions, is yet to concede a goal in the tournament after five games.

The Flying Eagles recorded 21 shots in the encounter four on target while Gambia had three shots and scored from one of the two shots they had on target.

Fans back home were left furious by the team’s performance and took to social media to unleash their anger. While some feel the team won’t go far at the U-20 World Cup in Indonesia billed to kick off from May 20 to June 11, others are of the opinion that the team should be disbanded.

Eddie Ekpo wrote on Twitter, “These Flying Eagles squad should be disbanded and that includes the coaching crew. Terrible squad all round. Are there no coaches in the Nigerian Professional Football League that can handle this squad? Must it be Ladan Bosso crowding the squad with northerners?

Jumoke Josh-Falade @FaladeJumi added, “This flying eagles team should be disbanded! No tactics, useless long balls and an outdated coach!”

Jamiyu Ganiyu does not want the team to represent the country at the World Cup in Indonesia.

“I hope this is not the team going to the world cup? I have never seen a poor and technically deficient U-20 team like the current one. The coach did not try at all in his selection.”

Gbolahan Philips stated, “The Flying Eagle U-20 are not good at all. They are just kicking the balls instead of passing the ball around and keeping possession. @thenff. I expect something better from Ladan Bosso. Don’t mind the NFF I’ve not seen any one of these guys who can transcend into the senior team. Plus the age palava. These guys look older than me and I’m in my thirties. I’m just angry with everything boss. How can you lose to the Gambia, with an overage team? Nawa…”

Damilola Adenusi insisted coach Bosso was not good enough for the team.

“Lasan Bosso is not a good coach. He has impacted nothing in the team. The current Flying Eagles is just lucky to qualify. They lack quality and the coach lacks the ability to impact technical and tactical knowledge.”

With this disappointing result, the Flying Eagles will face Tunisia in the third-place match on Friday, while Gambia battle Senegal, who beat Tunisia 3-0 in the other semis, in the final on Saturday.

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UCL Quarter Final: Arsenal Draw Bayern, Madrid to Play Man City

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Arsenal have been drawn against FC Bayern Munich while Real Madrid will face defending champions Man City in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

The draws are as follows:

Q4: Paris Saint Germain vs FC Barcelona

Q3: Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Q2: Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund

Q1: Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

Here’s the

Winners of Q2 vs Winners of Q4

Winners of Q1 vs Winners of Q3

The eight teams that get past the round of 16 will compete in the draw, with all eight teams likely to face each other as there is no seeding for the draw.

Teams from the same country and teams that played against each other in the competition’s group stage will be allowed to meet in the draw going forward. The host team will draw the first ball, while the visiting team will draw the second.

The semifinal and final routes will also be determined here, as has been the tradition since the 2018–2019 campaign. Thus, the eight qualified teams will be aware of the path required to get to the final.

The quarter-finals will be played on April 9 and 10 for the first leg, while the conclusions will come one week later, on the 16th and 17th of the same month.

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Anthony Joshua Secures Second Round Knockout Against Ngannou

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Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua halted Francis Ngannou’s nascent climb to crossover stardom Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, defeating the mixed martial arts star via second-round knockout.

Joshua (28-3, 25 knockouts) made quick work of Ngannou, ending the fight with a massive right overhand that knocked the Cameroonian out cold. Ngannou (0-2, 17-3 in MMA) was fighting in his second professional boxing match after claiming the UFC heavyweight crown in 2021.

“It is what it is,” Joshua said on the DAZN broadcast after the match. “When I saw the fight between Francis and Tyson Fury, I realized he could fight. And I wanted a piece of that. He’s an inspiration. He’s a great champion and this result doesn’t take anything away from his capabilities.”

Ngannou’s October bout against Fury, the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, went decidedly different. The 37-year-old MMA star entered that match as a substantial underdog but dropped a stunned Fury with a left hook in the third round. After 10 frames, Fury escaped with a controversial split decision victory on the scorecards.

Ngannou had said boxing was his first love before he discovered MMA. But that showing in his professional boxing debut sparked excitement.

Ahead of Friday’s fight, Joshua said he would not underestimate Ngannou as some believed Fury had. His coach, Ben Davison, said Ngannou carried a “false sense of confidence” into the match.

He landed a powerful right jab to drop Ngannou late in the first round. Joshua connected with the right hand to drop him again in the second round. Seconds after Ngannou returned to his feet, Joshua delivered a crushing right overhand that flattened his opponent on the canvas. Ngannou was given oxygen by the ringside doctors and regained consciousness.

“I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing,” Joshua said of Ngannou. “He can do well. He’s fought two of the best.”

For Ngannou, a decisive defeat potentially bruises his chances of a rematch against Fury, who is scheduled to face Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 for the undisputed heavyweight title. After leaving the UFC for the rival Professional Fighters League last year, Ngannou is scheduled to return to the cage to face Renan Ferreira in what will be his PFL debut and his first MMA bout since January 2022.
Usyk defeated Joshua in 2021 to capture his title belts, then repeated the feat in 2022 to retain them. Promoter Eddie Hearn has said the winner of Friday’s match will face the winner of the May 18 fight, opening the door for a potential blockbuster fight between Joshua and Fury, which Hearn has failed to secure in the past.

“My team will shape my future,” Joshua said. “I’m just here to fight. I will go back to my cage and lock myself away and I will come back when it’s time to fight.”

Source: WashingtonPost

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Eguavoen Takes Over Super Eagles As Paseiro Resigns

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Follwing the resignation of Jose Paseiro as Coach of the Super Eagles, former Nigerian coach and captain, Augustine Eguavoen, is reportedly set to be appointed as interim coach.

Nigeria’s national team job became vacant after February 29, 2024, when Peseiro’s contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officially expired.

The Portuguese tactician took over 18 months ago and led the Super Eagles to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) in the Ivory Coast.

He was, however, unable to end the country’s 10-year trophy drought as Nigeria lost 2-1 to hosts Ivory Coast in the final.

Afrik Foot reports that Eguavoen is in line to be appointed as the interim coach of the Super Eagles.

The 58-year-old has prior experience in managing the national team, having acted as its technical director from 2020 to 2021.

He has also served as caretaker coach of the Super Eagles in two different spells – first in 2010 and again from 2021 to 2022.

During his second spell as caretaker boss, Eguavoen guided Nigeria to a round of 16 finish at AFCON 2021 but could not lead them to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup after the Super Eagles were beaten by rivals Ghana in the playoffs.

Though the Portuguese born tactician had an option to renew the contract, he chose to resign from the job.

afrik.foot.com

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