Sports
We’ll Explore Ghana’s Weaknesses, Says Yusuf
Ahead of tomorrow’s final round of Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against the Galaxies of Ghana, Super Eagles B coach, Salisu Yusuf, has said the team is aware of the Ghanaians weaknesses and has fashioned out a winning strategy.
Speaking ahead of the clash, which will hold in Ghana’s Cape Coast Stadium, Yusuf, who led the team to a silver medal finish in 2018 in Morocco, said the Ghanaians had more time to prepare, but he is optimistic that the Nigerian team is more experienced and poised to win the match.
“The boys are in good condition, I can confidently say that. Our preparation is not up to theirs, but I think we have the game to beat them. We have an idea where their strength as a team lies and we will seek to exploit their weaknesses,” he said.
Yusuf noted that the two teams’ previous encounters at the 2018 West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Cup, where Nigeria prevailed 2-0 in the group stage, but lost 4-0 in the final, would play no impact in the encounter as the team are filled with new players. “We have an idea what to do this time around, and more importantly, this is not the same team and coach.”
Ghana will take on the Super Eagles today at 5pm Nigerian time whilst the return leg will hold on September 3 at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. The winner of both legs will qualify for the finals of the seventh edition of the continental tournament strictly meant for players who ply their trade in their domestic leagues.
The 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2022 will hold in Algeria between 8 and 31 January 2023.
Sports
Bayern Fail To Win, Again In Bundesliga
Bayern Munich failed to win for a second consecutive Bundesliga game as they were held to a draw at Union Berlin.
After toiling for 75 minutes, Bayern appeared to have found the win to move them 11 points clear at the top through Leroy Sane.
But Benedict Hollerbach equalised eight minutes later to earn a point for Union and move them further clear of the relegation zone.
At the top of the German league, it means Bayer Leverkusen can close the gap with Bayern to six points if the reigning champions beat Stuttgart on Sunday evening.
Bayern took the lead when Michael Olise picked the lock with a clever pass in behind to Josip Stanisic.
Stanisic cut it back towards the penalty spot where Sane nipped in to finish.
After being shocked on their 125th anniversary by Bochum last weekend, Bayern appeared to have recovered as they knocked Leverkusen out of the Champions League in midweek.
But Vincent Kompany’s side suffered a setback as 21-year-old keeper Jonas Urbig – playing in just his third league game – spilled a cross, allowing Hollerbach to volley home.
The point moves Union seven points clear of the Bundesliga relegation play-off spot.
Meanwhile,RB Leipzig moved up to fifth place in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Champions League quarter finalists Borussia Dortmund, who struck the woodwork three times in a pulsating second half.
Leipzig looked to be coasting after dominating the first 50 minutes and going ahead through goals by Xavi Simons and Lois Openda.
But Dortmund responded strongly, with Maximilian Beier hitting the bar and the post within five minutes of Leipzig’s second goal.
Karim Adeyemi’s shot was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulasci, while Pascal Gross and Nico Schlotterbeck also missed chances to get Dortmund back into the game.
Openda had already hit the bar from close range when Leipzig took the lead, Simons latching on to a rebound from Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel with a first-time shot from near the penalty spot.
Leipzig struck the woodwork again before half-time when Ridle Baku hit Dortmund’s bar from the edge of the penalty area, and they looked to taking total control when Openda volleyed in from a corner two minutes into the second half.
Dortmund, who qualified for the last eight of the Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate win over Lille, were stung into action but after spurning multiple chances they remain in 11th place in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig are one spot short of Eintracht Frankfurt, who played Bochum late yesterday, on goal difference.
Sports
Serie A: Napoli Miss Chance To Go Top
Napoli missed the chance to go top of Serie as Antonio Conte’s side were held to a goalless draw by struggling Venezia.
The 2023 champions had 15 shots on goal but were frustrated by an excellent performance from home goalkeeper Ionut Radu, whose seven saves earned his second-bottom side a valuable point.
Venezia also had a chance to steal a winner late in added time, but were unable to cap off a sweeping counter-attack with a goal.
Napoli have drawn five of their last seven league games, but Conte said: “I am satisfied with the performance, then we wanted to win it. The positive aspect is that we created a lot, the negative is that we didn’t convert them.
“We had to be more incisive, the one who scores goals wins. There are nine games to go, we’ll try to be a nuisance until the end, fighting tooth and nail.”
Napoli host AC Milan after the international break which Conte said would afford his exhausted squad a break.
“We only have half a team left,” he added.
Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Conte has won Serie A as a manager with Inter and Juventus.
Elsewhere, Bologna thrashed Lazio 5-0 to climb above the Rome side and move into the top four.
Two goals in 94 seconds just after the break were decisive as Riccardo Orsolini and Dan Ndoye put the game beyond Lazio.
Claudio Ranieri’s Roma remain in the hunt for a European place as they beat Cagliari 1-0 with Ukraine forward Artem Dovbyk scoring the only goal.
Leaders Inter face third-placed Atalanta later yesterday night.
Sports
Mbappe Stars For Real In La Liga

Kylian Mbappe fired Real Madrid back to the top of La Liga as he scored twice in a comeback victory at Villarreal.
Juan Foyth opened the scoring for the hosts but two Mbappe strikes in six first-half minutes earned the points for Madrid.
It puts Los Blancos three points clear of previous leaders Barcelona, who visit third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday night.
Villarreal remain fifth in La Liga, five points off the Champions League qualification places after back-to-back league defeats.
They started the stronger, with top scorer Ayoze Perez twice denied by Thibaut Courtois in the opening seven minutes.
After Courtois tipped a low curling Perez effort behind, Villarreal scored from the resulting corner when captain Foyth slammed home amid a goalmouth scramble.
This sparked Madrid and Mbappe into life and they equalised 10 minutes later.
Mbappe played a through ball to Brahim Diaz and, when his shot was saved by Diego Conde, the Frenchman was on hand to score the rebound.
After netting, Mbappe ran straight back to the centre-circle without celebrating. He meant business and showed it again on 23 minutes.
Following a cutback from the byline, Mbappe was given too much space on the edge of the Villarreal box and used it to curl a shot unstoppably past Conde.
It moves Mbappe to 20 league goals this season, just one behind La Liga top scorer Robert Lewandowski.
Having endured a tough start to life in Madrid, Mbappe has firmly found his feet and will be essential to Real’s push for both La Liga and Champions League success.
He took centre stage here, with usual attacking partner Vinicius Junior starting on the bench following a below-par showing against Atletico in midweek.
Villarreal did push Madrid hard in a fixture which ended 4-4 last season and proved entertaining again here.
Courtois had to go full stretch shortly before half-time to keep out a long-range effort from Nicholas Pepe and again to deny Alex Baena after the break.
After the game, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his fury at the lack of rest following their Champions League marathon against Atletico last Wednesday.
Madrid played three days after beating their city rivals on penalties following 120 minutes of action at Wanda Metropolitano.
Ancelotti said Real would refuse to play any further games with less than three days between them.
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