Sports
Suarez Double Ends Goal Drought
Luis Suarez ended his Barcelona goal drought with a pair of scruffy goals as LaLiga’s leaders escaped Leganes with a hard-earned 3-0 win.
Barca were nowhere near their fluent best, but ground out their 11th win from 12 games this term regardless.
Suarez broke his five-game goal drought with a scavenger’s effort after an Ivan Cuellar error rendered a promising Leganes start redundant, and the hosts’ goalkeeper was left helpless by a deflection as the Uruguay international struck again in the second half, with Paulinho tapping in a late consolation.
At the other end, Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a string of saves to preserve the comfortable nature of the scoreline, with half-time substitute Claudio Beauvue missing two fine Leganes openings.
Daunting trips to Juventus in the Champions League and second-placed Valencia next week now await Ernesto Valverde’s side, although this victory ensures they will travel to Mestalla sure of keeping top spot.
Leganes were defensively determined and dangerous on the counter-attack, Nordin Amrabat off-target from a raid forward in the 20th minute, but Cuellar’s error undid their good work just before the half-hour.
Paco Alcacer’s radar was off as he whipped a ball into the area, but Cuellar’s attempt to parry clear spun back into danger and Suarez pounced to end his drought.
Barca’s joy was almost immediately tempered as Gerard Pique picked up a booking to rule him out of next week’s clash with Valencia and Alexander Szymanowski brought a sharp save out of Ter Stegen before the break as Leganes stuck to their task.
Ter Stegen was again called into action when Amrabat sent Beauvue clear seven minutes into the second half, but the Frenchman could only hit the keeper from close-range.
Suarez was booked for a tangle with Cuellar, though the goalkeeper made the most of minimal contact, and the Barca star gleefully rubbed it in the goalkeeper’s face when he scored his second scrappy effort of the game shortly afterwards.
Cuellar could count himself unlucky as he denied Alcacer’s shot, only to see the rebound fall to Suarez, whose acrobatic effort was deflected past his own goalkeeper by Ruben Perez.
Ter Stegen smothered Amrabat to deny Leganes again soon after and the difference of luck could be summed up when Pique deflected Szymanowski’s cross goalwards, but straight into his goalkeeper’s hands.
Beauvue blazed over unmarked from 12 yards as Leganes’ hopes of a comeback began to fade and Aleix Vidal failed to mark his return from an ankle injury when he blasted a rebound over, following a blocked Suarez effort.
Cuellar spurned a driven Lionel Messi effort and denied Suarez a hat-trick on the follow-up, but the Argentine’s determination, despite a game spent on the periphery, led to the clincher in the final minute, Paulinho prodding in his fourth goal of the season to add a sheen to the scoreline that neither side particularly deserved.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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