International Football
It’s Good Friday for Super Falcons as winning streak continues
After a spell of seven lost matches, Nigeria’s Super Falcons may have turned a new leaf, winning two matches back-to-back. On Friday, they recorded a 2-1 win over Haiti. This is a cheery follow-up to their 1-0 defeat of Costa Rica in February, breaking a spell of losses since their 1-0 defeat of Cameroon in Morocco last year July.
Two goals, one in each half, steered nine-time African champions Nigeria past Haiti’s senior women national team in an international friendly in Antalya, Turkey on Friday.
Returnee marks-woman Asisat Oshoala had already seen her simple tap-in disallowed in the 22nd minute, and fellow Spain-based forward Rasheedat Ajibade has seen her shot miss by the whiskers, before Esther Okoronkwo caught the Haitian defence completely off-guard with a free-kick from the right that slipped past the goalkeeper in the 40th minute.
Haiti, who are also heading to the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand this summer, came back from the dressing room looking to take the fight to the Super Falcons, but goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, former U20 captain Tosin Demehin and captain Onome Ebi warded off their incursions.
Two minutes before the hour-mark, Oshoala jabbed in from close range to make it two for the Falcons, in the process registering her first goal for the team since scoring in a Turkish Women’s Tournament defeat of Equatorial Guinea two years ago.
A defensive mix-up accounted for the Haitians pulling one back in the 75th minute, but there was no stopping the Super Falcons who have now won their last two matches, going back to the defeat of World Cup-bound Costa Rica in Mexico in February.
Next up for the African heavyweights is a clash with World Cup co-hosts New Zealand also in Antalya on Tuesday evening.
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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