Sports
Cech: Premier League record-breaker
Arsenal proved that their win over AC Milan at the San Siro was by no means a fluke after comprehensively beating Watford at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, with Petr Cech responding to his critics by securing his 200th clean sheet and denying Troy Deeney from the penalty spot.
The 3-0 win signified the Gunners intentions to do as much as they can to secure a highest possible finish in the Premier League, even though manager Arsene Wenger has already admitted that their chances of overtaking their arch-rivals Tottenham are slim, to say the least.
The impressive victory in Milan was down to a committed team performance which features disciplined midfield position from the triumvirate of Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere. While the latter two weren’t involved against the Hornets, Xhaka’s ability to play between the lines and Mohamed Elneny’s equally positive range of passing helped the Gunners overcome a Watford side who had chances of their own throughout the match in north London.
Shkodran Mustafi has come in for vast amounts of criticism in recent weeks but his performance at the back showcased a solid, composed defender who isn’t shy of going up for set pieces. The German international headed Arsenal in front within 10 minutes and looked strong in one on one duels until he came off injured in the second half.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his third goal in four games while the Gabon forward linked up with his old Dortmund team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan to make it 3-0 and seal the points for Arsenal.
Watford captain Troy Deeney famously criticised Wenger’s side after their 2-1 defeat at Vicarage Road in October, claiming that the Frenchman’s team “lacked cojones”. On 62 minutes the striker stepped up to take a penalty against Cech with the majority of the north London faithful waiting with bated breath for Deeney to pull a goal back for Javi Gracia’s side.
Stunningly, the 35-year-old denied the Watford striker and in turn made his first ever penalty save for Arsenal – which was also his first in the league since 2011.
“Sometimes that [criticism] can motivate you, but what we want to do on a longer term is make sure that the substance of your game is how you want it to be,” Wenger wrote in his programme notes.
“You can not only respond to exterior stimulation because that can’t happen every week. What we want to do is win football games, and win them in the way we want to play.”
While Deeney’s comments undoubtedly served as inspiration to an Arsenal team who have been inconsistent in the league this season, Cech deserves full praise for putting in an excellent performance to make Premier League history.
Admittedly, many of his best games were during his spell with Chelsea but the Czech shot stopper has had his fair share of good games for the Gunners, with Saturday’s match culminating in a record that he has been desperate to secure for months.
The much talked about changes on the playing side are still needed in the summer and while Cech made several astute saves against Watford he has also been guilty of high-profile errors, including a miskick against Brighton last weekend.
However, Sunday was all about a Premier League great who has put in top level performances for several years – and he will be hoping that he gets further opportunities to showcase that goalkeeping talent with rumoured replacements lined up this summer.
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.
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