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Real Out To Thwart Bayern’s Dreams

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Secondary school football players struggling for honour during a soccer event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State recently.

Secondary school football players struggling for honour during a soccer event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State recently.

Bayern Munich’s UEFA Champions League defence reaches a crucial juncture in today’s semi-final first leg at Real Madrid.
The Bavarian giants are bidding to become the first team to defend Europe’s premier club competition since Milan did so in 1990.
Pep Guardiola’s men secured the Bundesliga crown last month, allowing them to turn their full attention to lifting the Champions League trophy once again.
Nine-time winners Real – who will be hoping key men Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are passed fit – do not have the same luxury and are involved in a three-horse race, with city rivals Atletico and Gerardo Martino’s Barcelona, for La Liga glory.
Real were not in action at the weekend, but Bayern beat Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0.
Captain Philipp Lahm felt that the win, which came after back-to-back Bundesliga defeats, was crucial ahead of their crunch clash in Madrid.
“We did very well, especially in the second half. It’s important we set off for home feeling good, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Lahm told the club’s official website.
“(Against Real it will be) sensational. I’m really looking forward to it. We’ll see two massive games.
“On Wednesday (today) we’ll show we’re always up for it in the important games. But it’s still 50-50.”
Bayern, who have won the competition five times, is set to welcome Manuel Neuer back from a calf problem after the Germany goalkeeper missed the last two matches.
Bayern will have happy memories of facing Real in the Champions League, with a 3-1 penalty shootout win securing their place in the 2011-12 final.
The Germans won the first leg 2-1 thanks to goals from Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez, and although Ronaldo struck twice in the early stages of the second leg, an Arjen Robben penalty forced extra time.
The tie was eventually decided by a penalty shootout, with Neuer Bayern’s hero as he saved from Ronaldo and Kaka, while Sergio Ramos’ miss allowed Bastian Schweinsteiger to strike the winning penalty.
The two sides have met five times in the semi-finals of the competition, with Bayern winning four – in 1976, 1987, 2001 and 2012 – while Real’s sole success came in 2000.
Real has not won the competition since 2002, but will take heart from the fact they are unbeaten in their last 17 home matches in Europe.
In fact their last Champions League defeat at Santiago Bernabeu came when Guardiola steered Barcelona to a 2-0 success in the 2010-11 semi-finals.
Bayern are unbeaten in their last 10 away Champions League matches and know if they can extend that run they will take a big step towards next month’s Lisbon final.

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City Crime

‘NFF Conducted Federation Cup Draw Fairly’

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The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.

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Act Sports Signs New Teqball Specialist Contract In Nigeria

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A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.

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Nigeria Name Handball Squads For Zonal Champs

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Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.

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