Other Leagues
Balogun, Aribo suffer defeat with Rangers as Celtic move closer to season’s tittle
Five days after a lacklustre outing in Super Eagles of Nigeria’s World Cup 2022 ouster at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja to Ghana Black Stars, the duo of Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo were on the losing side at home as FC Rangers lost 1-2 to eternal rivals, Celtic at the Ibrox Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The duo just like last Tuesday in Abuja played all through 90 minutes and gave their eternal rivals, the chance to move closer to reclaiming the Scottish Premier tittle which Rangers won in grand style last season without losing any match.
In the performance rating after the match, Nigerian strongman was given, 4/10 because of his weak header before Carter- Vickers’ goal and was adjudged to with sloppy passes all through the match while his compatriot, Aribo got average pass mark.
In the match proper, a frantic opening ten minutes saw Rangers rock a flimsy-looking Celtic backline before the visitors responded.
Aaron Ramsey netted his second league goal in as many games, coolly finishing off Ryan Kent’s cross for the opener. However, Celtic responded with their first major attack of the game as Tom Rogic tucked in from close range after Allan McGregor palmed Reo Hatate’s shot into his path.
The game settled after its chaotic opening, with the next chance presenting itself to goalscorer Rogic. However, the Australian could only curl high and wide when promisingly positioned.
Goalkeeper McGregor was needed to keep the scores level, sprawling at the feet of Daizen Maeda before Connor Goldson and Calvin Bassey combined to deny Rogic a tap-in. Maeda wanted a penalty soon after following a similar interaction with McGregor, though nothing was given.
Celtic had made the better chances in the first half and took the lead as the opening 45 minutes came to an end when Cameron Carter-Vickers slammed in a loose ball from a set-piece.
A broken bottle and shards of glass at Joe Hart’s side of the pitch delayed the start of the second half.
Rangers struggled to carve out clear openings, with Kemar Roofe hardly making his presence felt as the replacement for the injured Alfredo Morelos up front. They wanted a penalty for a handball shout against Carter-Vickers, but it was rejected.
Celtic were largely penned in during the final throws as Rangers piled forward looking for an equaliser, but the Bhoys again went close on the counter attack as substitute Liel Abada brought a magnificent save from McGregor. The hosts continued to push to make it 2-2, but late half-chances for Roofe and Sakala proved fruitless.
The victory takes Celtic six points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership as Ange Postecoglou targets a first title win in Scotland.
Galatasaray have strengthened their squad with another Napoli player, announcing on Friday that Dutch winger Noa Lang has joined the Turkish champions on loan for the remainder of the season, linking up with former Napoli player, Victor Osimhen in Istanbul.
The Super Lig giants confirmed that they have reached an agreement with Napoli for the temporary transfer of the 15-cap Netherlands international, with the deal including a non-mandatory purchase option that Galatasaray may activate at the end of the season.
Under the terms of the agreement, Galatasaray will pay €2 million as a loan fee to Napoli, while Lang will earn a seasonal salary of €1.75 million, according to a statement released by the club.
Lang joined Napoli last year from PSV Eindhoven but struggled to fully establish himself in Italy. He featured in 27 matches across all competitions, scoring once during his time with the Serie A side.
His arrival adds attacking depth to Galatasaray and further strengthens the Napoli connection at the club, with Osimhen already a central figure in their squad as they continue to push for domestic success and progress in European competition.
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Three Sudanese clubs will join the league in Rwanda this season in a bid to keep playing while the civil strife in their country negates any chance of normal sporting activity.
Sudan has been in the grip of conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, with more than 150,000 people killed and about 12 million uprooted, creating the largest displacement crisis in the world.
People who fled when the conflict erupted have started to return this year after Sudan’s army retook the capital Khartoum, but the city’s two biggest clubs will continue their sporting exile with their old infrastructure badly damaged.
Last season Al Hilal and Al Merrikh were allowed to play in the league in Mauritania, on the other side of the continent, where they could stay active and keep up their club structures.
Now, along with Al Ahli Wad Madani, they have been given permission to join Rwanda’s league this season, the Rwanda Football Association said.
In July, Al Hilal and Al Merrikh, who between them have won all but four of the championships since Sudan’s league was created in 1965, were home for a mini-tournament to decide who would compete in continental competition in the 2025-26 season.
The eight-team tournament was hosted away from the conflict in Ad-Damer, some 430km from Khartoum, and Atbara, which is 320km north of the capital, with Al Hilal and Al Merrikh dominating again and Al Ahli Wad Madani finishing third.
But a normal league is not possible amid the continuing conflict, leading to the request to play in nearby Rwanda.
Al Hilal have secured a place in the group phase of this season’s African Champions League with a 4-1 aggregate win over Police of Kenya. They won the ‘home’ leg of their second-round tie 3-1 on Friday, which they hosted in Benghazi.
Libya has also served as the base for Sudan’s national team, who will compete at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco at the end of the year despite not playing at home since March 2023.
-Reuters
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Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has been appointed vice captain of Turkish giants Beşiktaş JK, following a leadership shake-up announced by the club’s board and technical team.
In an official statement released on Friday, the club confirmed that the decision was approved by President Serdal Adalı and the Board of Directors, in line with a new approach to appoint captains who occupy more influential on-field positions.
As part of the changes, Orkun Kökçü has been named first captain, while Ndidi assumes the vice-captaincy role.
Beşiktaş also expressed appreciation to former captains Necip Uysal and Mert Günok for their service and leadership, wishing the new captains success in their responsibilities.
“We thank Necip Uysal and Mert Günok for their efforts during their time as captains and wish our new captains, Orkun Kökçü and Wilfred Ndidi, success in their respective roles,” the statement read.
Ndidi, who joined Beşiktaş earlier this season, has quickly established himself as a key figure in the team’s midfield. His elevation to a leadership position underscores the club’s confidence in his experience and influence both on and off the pitch.
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