My Naija News

FIFA.com - Top of the Kopps

If you find yourself in the round of 16 by luck, what do you expect? Germany won matches to get there, Nigeria went in by luck. It would have been shame for Germany to loss on that night. The Nigerian team had already won the game but did not play as if they wanted to, they played like bigs boys. No attacking spirit, no zeal which we saw in 2005. They should go back to thier drawing board as usual. Football is all about goals.

via www.fifa.com

femi Olubosi
The Under 20 world cup is over for Nigeria. We gave the game to Germany and everybody is sad. These days every country has skilled footballers, but a few can put together a team that can win. Siasia probably would have put together a better team. Instead, he was called to salvage an already dysfunctional one.

If we had, by some freak of Nature, won the tournament, it would have been a fluke or a miracle. The people in charge do seem to believe more in miracles than hardwork.

A Malawian miracle

In Africa, it seems that there is still much work to be done, compared to developed nations. Last week, the BBC ran a report about a young Malawian boy who invented a windmill. William Kamkwamba was forced to drop out of school because his parents couldn’t pay $80 a year for his schooling. But he did not loose hope. Instead he educated himself using a local library.

via www.mercatornet.com

The human mind is unstoppable

Milan Struggle Continues as Sevilla do Barcelona Favour

By Adeleke Afolayan
Winners of seven Champions League titles and numerous league titles, AC Milan finds itself struggling in the Italian Lega Calcio while in Spain, Barcelona went three points clear of Real Madrid after the latter lost at an impressive Sevilla.

Placed in the lower rung of the league table, Milan could only manage a 1-1 draw at bottom club Atalanta with Ronaldinho salvaging a point for the visitors with his last minute equaliser for Milan.

City rivals Inter on the other hand lead the table with 16 points as a stoppage time Dejan Stankovic goal earned the Nerazurri a 2-1 win at home to Udinese while Sampdoria drop to second on goal difference after being held 1-1 at home to Parma.

Juventus failed to capitalise on Sampdoria's draw to go top however as the Old Lady fell to a 2-0 defeat at Palermo, leaving Ciro Ferrera's side two points behind in third.

Other results saw Roma beat Napoli 2-1, Fiorentina held goalless at home by Lazio, Chievo Verona winning 2-1 at Cagliari while Bologna fell 3-1 at home to Genoa and Catania drew goalless at Bari.

In Spain, Pedro Rodriguez scored a second goal in as many weeks for Barcelona in the hard fought lone goal win at home to Kalu Uche's Almeria to put the Blaugrana on 18 points atop the la Liga.

Real Madrid follow on 15 points after coming out of an imperious performance from Sevilla with only a 2-1 defeat thanks to the heroics of keeper Iker Casillas especially in the first half that ended with only Jesus Navas' goal.

Renato sealed a deserved win for Sevilla; third on goal difference from Madrid, after Portuguese defender Pepe had given the visitors an unlikely equaliser in the second half.

Other results saw Valencia beat Racing Santander by a lone goal while Tenerifé lost by the same score at home to fourth placed Deportivo la Coruna and Atletico Madrid finally got its first league win, 2-1 at home to Ike Uche's Real Zaragoza.

Heartland Take Giant Stride Towards Champions League Final

Heartland FC of Owerri this afternoon at the Dan Anyiam Stadium put a strong foot into the final of this year's CAF Champions League with a 4-0 demolition of fellow Nigerian clubs Kano Pillars.

It was a semi-final debut to forget for Pillars as the 2008 league champions in Nigeria well torn apart by a blistering first half display from the Naze Millionaires that resulted in all four goals being scored before half time.

The result leaves Pillars needing to win the second leg coming up on October 10 in Kano by a five goal margin to qualify for the Champions League final in only its debut appearance in the competition.

Otherwise, Heartland will be awaiting the winner of the second semi-final between former champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Sudanese outfit Al-Hilal. Heartland lost its only previous final appearance to Entente Setif in 1988.

Chelsea Beat Liverpool as Arsenal Put Six Past Rovers

By Adeleke Afolayan
Chelsea sealed a miserable week for Liverpool and its manager Rafael Benitez courtesy of a 2-0 win at home to the Reds in Sunday's league encounter while Arsenal put six past Blackburn Rovers earlier at the Emirates.

At Stamford Bridge, Liverpool started the brighter of the two evidently trying to put behind the disappointing defeat at Fiorentina in midweek but it was Chelsea that got the best goal chances in the first half with Nicholas Anelka's header well saved by Pep Reina.

The Spanish international keeper also did well in stopping Branislav Ivanovic's dipping and slightly swerving shot as well as Michael Essien's low drive in a first half that ended goalless.

The competitive nature of the game continued in the second half but the Blues finally broke the deadlock on the hour mark as Didier Drogba fed Anelka to slot past a full stretch Reina; Anelka himself having to stretch to reach Drogba's ball in.

Fernando Torres came inches away to an equaliser for the visitors while captain Steven Gerrard saw a fierce drive go just over the Chelsea goal and substitute Yossi Benayoun went inches wide as well but only after Chelsea had sealed the three points on the dot of 90 through substitute Florent Malouda.

Chelsea now lead the league with 21 points from eight matches played ahead of Manchester United on 19 points after the Red Devils held visiting Sunderland to a 2-2 draw thanks to a late Anton Ferdinand own goal.

Liverpool meanwhile drop to 5th with 15 points from eight matches ahead of Manchester City on goal difference with City visiting Aston Villa in Monday night's league encounter at Villa Park.

In other matches today, Arsenal twice came from behind before despatching Blackburn 6-2 with six different players on the scorers list for the Gunners as its manager Arsene Wenger began his reign as the club's longest serving manager.

Having beaten the same club in his first league matc since joining Arsenal on October 1 1996, Wenger saw his side display some fantastic football true to his tactics though a bit of resilience was needed as well.

Thomas Vermaelen with his fourth league goal brought the Gunners level after Nzonzi had put Rovers ahead early on but David Dunn restored the visitors lead as Sam Allardyce's side looked to spoil the celebratory mood in north London.

Robin van Persie equalised for Arsenal before Andrey Arshavin ensured the home side went into the interval in the lead for the first time in the game with a 37th minutes strike.

Captain Cesc Fabregas scored Arsenal's fourth just before the hour mark before late efforts from substitutes Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner sealed a sterling performance for Arsenal.

Everton was held to a disappointing 1-1 draw against the impressive Stoke City with Leon Osman equalising Robert Huth's opener for Stoke, West Ham United meanwhile needed a stoppage time Stanislas goal to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to fellow Londoners Fulham who had Dikgacoi sent off just before half time.