Sports
Ademola Lookman finishes Ballon d’Or race in 14th position
Nigeria’s Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman has finished the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or award ranking in 14th position, behind Spain and FC Barcelona’s midfielder, Dani Olmo, who ranked at the 13th place for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.
The winner of the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or award will be revealed today in Paris, France after the 30-man shortlist for the award was first released in September, with Lookman, who plays for Italian Serie A side, Atlanta, shortlisted.
However, announcement made so far indicate that Lookman finished the ranking in 14th position, only behind Olmo, who followed Florian Wirtz, in 12th place, in the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or award ranking, while Phil Foden is ranked at the 11th place.
Meanwhile, Lookman ranks above Nico Williams in 15th place, Granit Xhaka in 16th place, Fede Valverde in 17th place, Emi Martínez in 18th place, Martin Odegaard in 19th place and Hakan Calhanoglu in the 20th place.
Sports
Man Utd confirm Ruben Amorim as new manager
Manchester United have officially announced Ruben Amorim as their new manager.
In a club statement on Friday, the Red Devils confirmed that Amorim will remain with Sporting Lisbon until November 11.
This means the 39-year-old’s first game in charge will be a Premier League trip to Ipswich Town.
Amorim has agreed a contract until June 2027, with the option of a further year.
United have paid Sporting an extra €1m (£840,000) in addition to his €10m (£8.4m) exit clause for an early release from his 30-day notice period.
He will replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked on Monday, while Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue in an interim role until Amorim joins.
United’s next game is a league fixture at home against Chelsea on Sunday
Sports
Flying Eagles win WAFU B championship, beat Ghana
The Flying Eagles have emerged as champions of the 2024 WAFU B U-20 Championship, defeating rivals Ghana 2-1 in a thrilling final.
Under the guidance of head coach Aliyu Zubairu, the Flying Eagles dominated the first half, surging to a 2-0 lead at halftime thanks to two well-taken goals by Remo Stars forward, Kparobo Arierhi. With their early dominance, the team appeared set to defend the title they clinched in the previous edition of the tournament.
Ghana fought back with a goal early in the second half, narrowing the scoreline to 2-1. Despite the pressure from the Ghanaians, Nigeria’s defence held strong, ensuring they retained the championship title.
In addition to the win, both Nigeria and Ghana secured qualification for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), representing the WAFU B region at the prestigious continental tournament.
This triumph further cements the Flying Eagles’ status as one of Africa’s top youth football teams and serves as a major morale boost as they prepare for the upcoming U-20 AFCON.
Sports
NPFL: Kano Pillars fined N2m for improper conduct
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has fined Kano Pillars N2 million following the misconduct of players and officials during their recent match against Nasarawa United.
The NPFL cited improper conduct, including a controversial statement from Kano Pillars’ Media & Communications Directorate, which quoted player Ahmed Musa making disparaging comments about match officials.
Additionally, the league accused Kano Pillars of failing to control their team’s behavior, leading to a nine-match suspension for Ugochukwu Gabriel starting from matchday 10. Gabriel was penalized specifically for his unruly actions during the game.
The NPFL also warned Kano Pillars about future inflammatory statements, advising the team to use appropriate channels to file complaints. The league stated that a recurrence of such behavior could lead to even harsher sanctions.
Kano Pillars have 48 hours from the notice date to appeal these sanctions. The Sai Masu Gida, former NPFL champions, are now under scrutiny to ensure improved conduct in upcoming matches.
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