Nigerian Football

Manchester City held at Forest to fall behind Arsenal in title race

Published

2 years ago

February 18, 2023

Manchester City fell two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after being held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Arsenal left it very late to beat Aston Villa 4-2 earlier on Saturday and climbed back to the top of the standings, putting pressure on City to earn victory at Forest, with the visitors starting the encounter at a blistering pace.

City dominated possession and deservedly took the lead four minutes before the break with Bernardo Silva slamming the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

The visitors should have doubled their advantage midway through the second half but the usually lethal Erling Haaland hit the crossbar from close range before blazing the rebound over the top.

That miss proved pivotal as, out of nowhere, Forest’s January signing Chris Wood tapped home at the far post to level six minutes from time and lift the roof off a damp City Ground.

The champions threw everything at Forest in search of a dramatic late winner but they could not break the hosts’ resistance, leaving City two points behind Arsenal having played one game more. Forest climbed to 13th.

It is one of the best games we have played but we drop two points,” City coach Pep Guardiola told the BBC. “We should be more aggressive. There are many games still to play, we know it.

“We had amazing chances but it’s football. We have to score. We did everything. You have to do it. There were too many clear [chances] to score.”

HAALAND WASTES CHANCE

City beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday to drag themselves back to the top of the standings after having trailed the Londoners for much of the season.

Victory over Forest, whom they beat 6-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, was expected, with the only downside in an impressive first-half display being that City were unable to score more than once to make their dominance count.

Haaland, eyeing a 33rd goal in all competitions in his remarkable debut season in England, had to wait for his moment, but his wastefulness ended up costing City all three points.

The Norwegian looked odds on to find the net after his own effort came back to him off the crossbar but he got underneath the rebound effort and put the ball into the stands.

Wood’s first goal for Forest since joining from Newcastle United on loan could not have been better timed, earning his side a valuable point in their fight to stay in the Premier League and damaging City’s title tilt in the process.

City failed to beat a newly-promoted side in the top flight for the first time since April 2021 when they lost to Leeds United — they had won nine such games in a row before Saturday’s draw.

“For me Manchester City are the best team in the world,” Forest coach Steve Cooper said. “They are fascinating to watch and study. There was no shame City had the ball as much as they did.

“I owe a lot of gratitude to the players for sticking to the plan.”

-Reuters

Nigerian Football

Nigeria Football Federation Congress backs Pinnick for FIFA post

Published

5 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Kunle Solaja

One of the high points of the Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation on Friday in Asaba is the endorsement of the body’s immediate past president, Amaju Pinnick to retain his position as a FIFA Council member.

Pinnick was elected into FIFA Council at the CAF Congress in Rabat, Morocco on 21 March 2021. He seeks re-election next year and has already secured the backing of the Nigerian president.

Nigerian Football

NFF budget surpasses Nigeria’s spending at Paris 2024

Published

5 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Super Eagles’ Coaching Job Now An All-comers Affair As NFF Throws The Gates Open -

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has budgeted N17.6 billion for next year. The body’s Congress approved the budget, which sat in Asaba on Friday.

By the current exchange rate, the approved budget is $10,591,610. The figure is higher than the N12 billion that Nigeria budgeted for the Paris 2024 Olympics where no medal was won.

Next year, The NFF programme includes the six remaining qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations which will be held in December if the Super Eagles qualify.

Nigerian Football

NFF launches monthly Football Awards

Published

2 days ago

October 2, 2024

Kunle Solaja

NFF spokesman, Dr. Ademola Olajire

As football leagues across the globe resumed fully last month, the Nigeria Football Federation has announced the launch of NFF Monthly Awards, a celebration of the outstanding performances of Nigerian football players across various Football Leagues including Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL.

With the football calendar in full swing, the NFF Monthly Awards aim to honour the brilliance, dedication and passion that Nigerian football players bring to the game, recognizing the top players who have left their mark on the pitch.

Award Categories:

Player of the Month (Male & Female)
Goal of the Month
Discovery of the Month

Nomination Process

According to the NFF, the nomination process for the awards is scientific, ensuring a fair and accurate selection of nominees. An independent organization will collect and analyse players’ statistics throughout the month, ensuring that the best performances are highlighted.

“This unbiased, data-driven approach guarantees that the nominations reflect the top-performing players based on their contribution to their teams”, an NFF statement signed by its director of communication, Dr Ademola Olajire disclosed.

Nominations for the first round of awards will be announced on Thursday. From there, voting will be opened to fans and journalists alike, making this a truly inclusive and engaging event for the Nigerian football community.

Voting Process

Fans and journalists will have the chance to vote for their favourite players via the official NFF voting portal on the website www.thenff.com.

The voting period will run for one week following the announcement of the nominations.

Fan Votes will account for 40% of the final decision, enabling supporters to have their voices heard and directly influence the outcome of these prestigious awards.

The remaining 60% will be determined by journalists and industry professionals, ensuring a balanced and well-rounded selection process.

Speaking on the launch of the awards, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said:
“The NFF Monthly Awards are a key part of our efforts to further elevate Nigeria football, not only by recognizing outstanding talent but by engaging with fans and the media in a way that brings the football community closer together. We believe that this initiative will encourage excellence on the field and foster a deeper connection between players and their supporters.

“The NFF Monthly Awards are a step forward in celebrating the rich and growing talent pool, and we look forward to the excitement that the awards will bring to fans, players and the media.”

Key Dates: Nominations Announcement: 3^rd October, 2024; Voting: 3^rd October – Midnight of 7^th October 2024.