Sports
Niger Flickers Win 3rd Hockey Super League Title
Defending champions Niger Flickers of Minna, last Saturday, in Abuja, emerged champions of the male competition of the 2017 Hockey Super League, making it three consecutive wins.
Tidessports source gathered that Niger Flickers, winners in 2015 and 2016, were once again winners with a 1-0 defeat of Police Machine of Kaduna.
In this final match played at the National Stadium’s astro-turf pitch, the defending champions did not find it easy however in this very cagey affair.
Niger Flickers came into the final with a perfect winning record having won all their six matches in the league phase, while Police Machine won three, drew two and lost one.
The only defeat for Police Machine, who came second behind Niger Flickers in the league phase, was a humiliating 4-0 defeat against the defending champions.
Police Machine this time around showed persistence, as well as fortitude, grit and resoluteness, in charging at the defending champions and holding them back.
Niger Flickers, however, maintained their calm in a nervy and tight contest, before scoring through a powerful field goal by Umar Danladi in the 42nd minute.
According to our source, the classification match for third and fourth places played earlier, Kada Stars of Kaduna, defeated Yobe Desert Rollers of Damaturu 3-1 to place third.
Also, in the classification match for fifth and sixth places played early in the day, Union Bank of Lagos beat IGP Flickers of Kaduna 2-1 to finish fifth.
Riv Kings of Port Harcourt finished seventh and last in the seven-team competition, after only one point from one draw in six matches and scoring two goals and conceding 13.
In the individual awards at the competition, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award (male category) went to Adamu Kolo of Niger Flickers.
Kada Queens’ Folarin Adeyemo, was the MVP of the female category.
Niger Flickers’ Benard Wilson, won the highest goal scorer award with seven goals, while Bomoya Idirigo of Kada Stars was the female’s highest goal scorer with five goals.
Baba Abdulkadir of Niger Flickers and Komi Kumi of Kada Stars scooped the best goalkeeper awards in the male and female categories, after conceding only a goal each.
The Most Improved Player awards of the male and female categories went to Kada Stars’ Victor Kish and Itua Adagboyin of Plateau Queens respectively.
The youngest player awards in the male and female categories were won by Peter John of Kada Stars and Ruth Linus of Kada Queens respectively.
Also, the fair play awards were given to Kada Stars (male) and Benue Amazons (female) respectively.
Meanwhile, the final match and closing ceremony were graced by dignitaries such as the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, and the Governor of Niger State Sani Bello.
They helped to hand out the prizes to the winners, alongside Abdul Ningi, the re-elected President of the Nigeria Hockey Federation, among others.
The league had begun on July 8 with 14 teams, seven each in the male and female categories, with the El-Kanemi Flickers of Maiduguri notable absentees.
The Kenya Football Federation (FKF) has launched an investigation into allegations that goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has been involved in match manipulation.
The 37-year-old, who plays for Kenyan Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz, has won over 30 international caps.
His most recent appearance for the Harambee Stars came in October last year, in a qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
An undated video posted online appears to show Matasi agreeing a deal to influence the outcome of a league game.
“I have spoken to him. He was also shocked at what he was seeing in the video and he told me he doesn’t know about match-fixing,” Homeboyz owner Cleophas Shimanyula told Tidesports source .
The FKF said it would work with world governing body Fifa, the Confederation of African Football and other “relevant authorities” during its investigation.
“We reaffirm our zero-tolerance policy on match manipulation and are committed to safeguarding the credibility of our competitions,” a statement added.
“This investigation will adhere to FKF’s anti-match manipulation regulations and Fifa guidelines, ensuring a fair, transparent, and thorough process.
“The rights of the player and his club will be respected, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.”
Shimanyula backed Matasi, pointing to the fact the veteran has kept three clean sheets in as many games since joining the club a month ago.
“When we watched this video, we found that Matasi has not wronged the club,” he said.
“In a video there can misinterpretations and false narratives and we cannot trust everything.
“He will keep playing for us because there’s no wrongdoing on his part as far as we are concerned – unless there’s evidence or the FKF writes to us to say they are suspecting the player of some wrongdoing.
“He is innocent until proven guilty and then we will act.”
The FKF has called on anyone with credible information to assist its investigation, with any reports to be handled with strict confidentiality.
Shimanyula also challenged the Kenyan footballing community to provide evidence against Matasi.
“Kakamega Homeboyz is against any form of match manipulation,” he said.
Uefa has opened an investigation into allegations of indecent conduct by four Real Madrid players during their Champions League last-16 win against Atletico Madrid.
Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Dani Ceballos allegedly made gestures towards the home fans after Real Madrid beat their city rivals on penalties to book their place in the quarter-finals.
TV pictures showed German defender Rudiger appearing to make a throat-slitting motion, apparently towards the crowd after the shootout victory, while Mbappe was shown seemingly making a crotch-grabbing gesture.
Spanish media said Atletico reported the actions to Uefa last week.
The players could be at risk of suspension but there is no guarantee the case will be heard before their quarter-final with Arsenal. The first leg for that tie is at Emirates Stadium on 8 April and the return leg a week later.
In a statement, Uefa said: “[An] ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct” made by the four Real Madrid players.
“Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course.”
The Premier League has announced it will have two transfer windows this summer to allow Manchester City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.
The window will open between Sunday, 1 June and Tuesday, 10 June, then close for five days before running again from Monday, 16 June until Monday, 1 September.
This summer features the first expanded Fifa Club World Cup, which involves 32 teams and adopts the format of the regular World Cup of the past few years.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the Premier League teams in the tournament which takes place in the United States from Sunday, 15 June.
But the Premier League can only have 12 weeks of a summer window – hence the five-day break in order to run it until 1 September.
Fifa has allowed new players to be registered for the Club World Cup from 1-10 June, and again from 27 June-3 July for the knockout stage.
This is happening firstly, to bring order to the global registration system, world governing body Fifa only permits the transfer window in any individual country to be open for 16 weeks in any calendar year.
In Europe, precedent dictates four of those weeks are for the winter window, leaving 12 in the summer. In 2024, the Premier League transfer window opened on 14 June and closed on 30 August.