Sports
Unbelievable FA Cup upset: Wigan defeat Almighty Man City to qualify for last eight
WILL GRIGG showed the football world he really was on fire as the Wigan star extinguished Manchester City’s hopes of a Quadruple.
The Northern Ireland international pounced late on as the League One side shocked the Premier League leaders in a pulsating FA Cup tie.
REUTERS: Will Grigg shocked Manchester City as he Wigan dumped them out of the FA Cup
GETTY: The Northern Ireland international struck late on to cause a huge upset
AFP: Will Grigg capitalised on Kyle Walker’s mistake to fire home on 79 minutes
The game exploded into life moments before half time when Fabian Delph was sent off for a foul on Wigan’s Max Power.
That sparked furious scenes as Pep Guardiola and his opposite number Paul Cook squared-up on the touchline, with Sergio Aguero also confronting the Latics boss.
The row continued into the tunnel at the break, but it was all smiles an hour later as City-supporting band Oasis’ Wonderwall track blasted over the tannoy as home fans invaded the pitch to celebrate with their heroes.
GETTY IMAGES – GETTY: The FA Cup clash exploded into life when Fabian Delph was sent off just before half time
REUTERS: The England international was given his marching orders for this challenge on Wigan ace Max Power
Wigan famously beat City by the same scoreline in the 2013 FA Cup final before dumping them out of the same competition the following season.
Even so, the prospect of Paul Cook’s current Latics vintage repeating the dose seemed a fanciful notion against a City team who have been imperious at home and abroad over recent weeks.
REUTERS: That sparked mayhem as both managers squared-up to each other on the sideline
REUTERS:City striker Sergio Aguero also attempted to confront Wigan boss Paul Cook
PA:PRESS ASSOCIATION: Both managers continued the verbals for some time before the referee could restore order
But Fabian Delph altered the complexion of the contest with a rash challenge on Max Power – the England international’s first-half red card meaning his is set to miss Sunday’s EFL Cup final against Arsenal and subsequent Premier League matches against the Gunners and Chelsea.
Referee Anthony Taylor approached Delph with a yellow card in his hand while being harangued by Wigan players and that seemingly contributed to the angry reaction from City’s players and bench when the left-back’s dismissal was confirmed.
As was to be expected given the abundance of excellent ballplayers in Pep Guardiola’s side, the numerical disadvantage did not stop them dominating possession, but an error from Kyle Walker allowed Grigg to bring the house down 11 minutes from time and book a quarter-final home tie against Southampton.
GAMES
GOALS
WILL GRIGG IS ON
Sergio Aguero almost gave City a third-minute lead but headed over when he stole in front of Dan Burn to meet Bernardo Silva’s cross from the right.
Ilkay Gundogan then forced Wigan goalkeeper Christian Walton into a sharp save down to his right before the hosts showed their capabilities as an attacking force.
Right-back Nathan Byrne bustled into the box and a loose ball trickled under Danilo’s boot, forcing Claudio Bravo to fling himself at Gary Roberts’ feet.
More poor work from Danilo allowed Grigg to get the run on John Stones and fire into the side netting.
An apparent hamstring injury forced off former Manchester United midfielder Nick Powell, interrupting Wigan’s momentum, and City should have led when record signing Aymeric Laporte failed to convert Gundogan’s flick-on from Leroy Sane’s 26th-minute corner.
A similarly glaring miss came when Fernandinho smashed Stones’ knockdown over and City were left to regret such profligacy when their task became taller on the stroke of the interval. Walton saved well from Aguero and, after Wigan partially cleared the resulting corner, Delph dived in over the ball on Power to earn his red card.
The enraged Guardiola brought on Walker for Sane at the start of the second half, moving Danilo to the left-back slot Delph vacated.
Clear chances were proving hard to come by for the depleted City and Guardiola introduced Kevin De Bruyne with 25 minutes remaining.
Gundogan was unable to turn in De Bruyne’s corner five minutes later and the Belgium midfielder’s arrival lifted the intensity.
BBC: The row escalated into the tunnel following the half time whistle
PA:PRESS ASSOCIATION: Former Manchester United man Nick Powell was forced off for Wigan through injury
REUTERS: Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan tries to break the deadlock at the DW Stadium
REUTERS: Wigan’s Gary Roberts goes close to an opener in the first half
Aguero’s touch let him down after De Bruyne raided down the Wigan left, leaving Grigg to cast himself as the match-winning striker when Walker inexplicably let Elder’s pass run under his boot.
Still with plenty to do, the Northern Ireland favourite kept his cool to slot his seventh of the competition past Bravo and claim a place in FA Cup history.
Wigan survived a couple of late scares and the full-time whistle sparked wild scenes of celebration as many home fans jubilantly invaded the pitch.
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.
South Africa vs Nigeria: Why we failed to defeat Super Eagles – Percy Tau
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.
Kanu advocates for establishment of standard soccer academies
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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