46— Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 Nigeria first to book FIFA U17 World Cup ticket Five –time world champions Nigeria became the first African team to book a 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup ticket after 1-0 defeat of Angola <strong>in</strong> Dar es Salaam yesterday. Olakunle Olusegun earned the ticket to the tournament semi f<strong>in</strong>als and to Brazil 2019 when he hooked a 21st m<strong>in</strong>ute penalty to the roof of the net with Angola’s goalkeeper Geovani stranded. But the Golden Eaglets were guilty of profligacy and the technical crew certa<strong>in</strong>ly has much to do still. As happened aga<strong>in</strong>st host nation Tanzania on Sunday, the Eaglets proved to be masters of use of space and close control, but they mostly lacked the right ideas and punch <strong>in</strong> the f<strong>in</strong>al third, just as some passes went astray at critical moments. Two –goal hero aga<strong>in</strong>st Tanzania, Wisdom Ubani could have been on the scoresheet <strong>in</strong> the 11th m<strong>in</strong>ute but his fierce effort from a 22 –yard free kick went narrowly off target. Angola were not to be brow-<strong>beat</strong>en, as Zito latched onto the ball a few metres from the centre and nce aga<strong>in</strong> Nigerian referees Owill not whistle at the Africa •Ronaldo Cup of Nations. Confederation of African Football (CAF) yesterday released the list of 27 officials that will handle the games of the 2019 AF- CON tournament and it followed a decade long tradition of Nigerian referees miss<strong>in</strong>g out on FIFA and CAF tournaments. The 2019 African Cup of Nations will take place <strong>in</strong> Egypt between June 21 and July 19. Full list of referees: Mostafa Gharbal (Algeria), Helder Mart<strong>in</strong>ez (Angola), Joshua Bondo (Botswana), Pacifique Ndabihawenimana (Botswana), Aliom Aliom (Cameroon), Gehad Geresha, Mahmoud El-Banna, Am<strong>in</strong>e Omar (Egypt), Bacary Gassama (Gambia), Daniel Laria (Ghana), Peter Waweru (Kenya), Mamadou Keita (Mali), Radwan Jaid, Nour ElD<strong>in</strong> El- Jaafari (Morocco), Jackson Bafaza (Namibia), Jean Jack Ngambo (DR Congo), Louis Hazikimana (Botswana), Megete N’Diaye (Senegal), Bernard Camille (Seychelles), Al- Fadel Mohamed Husse<strong>in</strong> (Sudan), Victor Miguel (South Africa), Sadek Al-Salmy, Youssef El-Sarairi, Haitham Kairat (Tunisia), Gianni Sikazowi (Zambia). unleashed a rocket that goalkeeper Sunday Stephen, <strong>in</strong> for the jittery Suleman Shaibu, did well to punch away. Three m<strong>in</strong>utes later, Stephen had to be alert to push away another fierce Angolan shot, but two m<strong>in</strong>utes later, at the other end, Ubani’s swift turn and shot came quite close with Geovani <strong>beat</strong>en. An Angolan defender handled the ball <strong>in</strong> the box under pressure <strong>in</strong> the 21st m<strong>in</strong>ute, and Olusegun made no mistake from the spot to put Nigeria <strong>in</strong> front. They could have had Salah named one of Time magaz<strong>in</strong>e’s 100 most <strong>in</strong>fluential people AFCON 2019: CAF shuns Nigerian referees aga<strong>in</strong> ferent. ‘I just live my life normal. Most of the time I stay at home, I don’t like to go out.’ Salah also spoke about the importance of gender equality <strong>in</strong> a passionate speech. He added: ‘I th<strong>in</strong>k we need to change the way we treat women <strong>in</strong> our culture. It’s not optional. ‘I support the woman more than I did before, because I feel like she deserves more than what they give her now, at the moment.’ John Oliver, who is a huge Liverpool supporter and the host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight Juventus’ share price on the Borsa Italiana tumbled by 24 p e r - With John Oliver, wrote about the Egypt <strong>in</strong>ternational. Oliver wrote <strong>in</strong> the magaz<strong>in</strong>e: ‘Mo Salah is a better human be<strong>in</strong>g than he is a football player. And he’s one of the best football players <strong>in</strong> the world. ‘You’d be hard-pressed to f<strong>in</strong>d a professional athlete <strong>in</strong> any sport less affected by their success or status than Mo, which is <strong>in</strong>credible because I can’t imag<strong>in</strong>e the k<strong>in</strong>d of pressure that comes with the <strong>in</strong>tensity of adoration he receives.’ Champions League ouster: Mohamed Salah is one of the covers star for the Time magaz<strong>in</strong>e’s 100 most <strong>in</strong>fluential people. Music artist Taylor Swift, actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, actress Sandra Oh, journalist Gayle K<strong>in</strong>g and politician Nancy Pelosi were on the other covers. NBA’s LeBron James, U.S. soccer’s Alex Morgan, tennis player Naomi Osaka, middle distance runner Caster Semenya, golfer and pro gamer ‘N<strong>in</strong>ja’ (Richard Tyler Blev<strong>in</strong>s) were also named <strong>in</strong> the top 100. Masters w<strong>in</strong>ner, Tiger Woods, has featured three times and La Lakers’ James has been on the list four times. Osaka, Morgan and Semenya are among a record 48 women to be named <strong>in</strong> the top 100. In an <strong>in</strong>terview with the Time, Salah said football fans <strong>in</strong> the Middle East herald him like a son. He said: ‘To be the first Egyptian <strong>in</strong> [this] situation and no one has done this before … it’s someth<strong>in</strong>g difmany more, but Shedrack Tanko bundled aga<strong>in</strong>st the upright <strong>in</strong> the 42nd m<strong>in</strong>ute when it Juve share price tumbles cent after their Champions League exit to Ajax Juve closed bus<strong>in</strong>ess on Tuesday at €1.69 but opened the follow<strong>in</strong>g morn<strong>in</strong>g at just €1.30, although the price has s<strong>in</strong>ce climbed back up to €1.41. Nonetheless, it repre- •Tijani •MO sents the Bianconeri’s biggest fall for some time – greater than after their 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid <strong>in</strong> February. The Old Lady have also missed out on €13m <strong>in</strong> prize money, as well as potentially €33m if they won the competition Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr’s wish to test the team with the Black Stars of Ghana ahead of the African Cup of Nations may not materialise. Reports <strong>in</strong> Ghana suggested that the Black Stars would be <strong>in</strong> the UAE at the time of the match and it would be difficult mak<strong>in</strong>g the trip to Nigeria to play the game. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to a report on Footy-Ghana.com, Nigeria approached only one member of the Ghana authority. “They actually wanted to play us [Ghana] <strong>in</strong> Nigeria and they had discussions with only the Deputy Sports M<strong>in</strong>ister (Perry Okudzeto),” said Ghana football official. “But we may be <strong>in</strong> United Arab Emirates which will be difficult.” Ghana have chosen to hold a three-week pre- Afcon 2019 camp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Abu Dhabi. In recent past, the four-time African champions have used the U-17 AFCON: Zenith Bank hails Eaglets, Olusegun Zenith Bank Plc on Wednesday congratulated the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria for pick<strong>in</strong>g a ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup billed to take place later this year <strong>in</strong> Brazil. Nigeria defeated Angola 1-0 yesterday <strong>in</strong> Tanzania to confirm a place <strong>in</strong> the U-17 f<strong>in</strong>als with six maximum po<strong>in</strong>ts from two matches. The country earlier defeated host Tanzania 5-4 on Sunday <strong>in</strong> a highly enterta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g encounter. The bank specifically showered praises on the scorer of the lone goal for Nigeria, Olakunle Olusegun, who <strong>in</strong>cidentally is a product of outfit <strong>in</strong> the NFF/Zenith Bank Future Eagles project. It was learnt that shortly after the match yesterday, an official of the bank called the team camp <strong>in</strong> to congratulate the players and officials of the team. The ongo<strong>in</strong>g Africa U-17 Africa Cup of Nations has cont<strong>in</strong>ued to be of huge <strong>in</strong>terest to the chiefta<strong>in</strong>s of Zenith Bank plc because of the bank’s <strong>in</strong>vestment on <strong>you</strong>th football <strong>in</strong> the country. “Some of the players here are products of Zenith Bank football projects and so we understand why the company is excited at this time. Our key players are from the NFF/Zenith Future Eagles project,” an official of the team said on Wednesday. Apart from Olusegun, Ak<strong>in</strong>wunmi Amao, voted as MVP of the n<strong>in</strong>e-goal thriller <strong>in</strong> the Tanzania/Nigeria match, is also a product of the Zenith/NFF partnership. Nigeria’s last match <strong>in</strong> the prelim<strong>in</strong>aries of the ongo<strong>in</strong>g competition is aga<strong>in</strong>st Uganda. The Eaglets will need to avoid a defeat aga<strong>in</strong>st the Ugandans to f<strong>in</strong>ish as group leaders. Uganda defeated Tanzania 3-0 yesterday. He<strong>in</strong>eken UCL Tour: Puyol ignites Uyo fans The quiet city of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, erupted with ecstasy moments the long awaited UEFA Champions League Tour got underway yesterday morn<strong>in</strong>g when former Barcelona defender Carles Puyol brought the famous Big Ears, the UEFA Champions League Trophy sponsored by He<strong>in</strong>eken to the public glare. The symbolic entry first at the Emerald Event center where the World Press conference took place was backed by an ensemble of former Nigeria <strong>in</strong>ternationals; Aust<strong>in</strong> Jay Jay Okocha, Mutiu Adepoju Aust<strong>in</strong>e Eguavoen and ‘Gentle Giant’ Uche Okechukwu, Puyol held aloft the UCL Trophy on stage for the first public view of the iconic UEFA Champions League trophy. The three-time w<strong>in</strong>ner of the Champions League with FC Barcelona,Puyol addressed the gather<strong>in</strong>g that also had <strong>in</strong> attendance, <strong>in</strong>digenes of the State expla<strong>in</strong>ed that his excitement at com<strong>in</strong>g to Uyo and be<strong>in</strong>g able to see the Super Eagles legends who he played aga<strong>in</strong>st as the Star Sh<strong>in</strong>e Sh<strong>in</strong>e Bobo Team dur<strong>in</strong>g the Unmissable game at the Uyo International Stadium later <strong>in</strong> the day. •Okocha and Puyol Super Eagles, Black Stars friendly off United Arab Emirates (specifically Dubai) twice as pre-tournament base for some Nations Cup campaigns – first the 2013 Afcon <strong>in</strong> South Africa and the recent one, Gabon 2017. •Eagles
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