Marta in tears as Brazil World Cup hopes hang in the balance

Published

1 year ago

August 1, 2023

Football legend Marta was moved to tears Tuesday as the Brazilian reflected on her career and legacy on the eve of what could be her final Women’s World Cup appearance.

Brazil face Jamaica in Melbourne in their final group match on Wednesday knowing they must win to guarantee they stay in the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

The 37-year-old Marta — nicknamed “Pele in a skirt” by the late football great — has already said this will be her last World Cup.

She is the all-time leading goal-scorer in World Cups, men’s or women’s, and if she adds to her tally of 17 she will be the first footballer in history to score at six World Cups.

“You know what’s good? When I started there were no idols in women’s football,” she told reporters on the eve of the match with Jamaica, tears filling her eyes.

“How could there be if you didn’t show women’s football? How could I understand that I would reach the national team and become a reference point?

“Now I go out on the street and people stop me, parents say to me, ‘My daughter adores you, she wants to be just like you.'”

Marta has spent a lifetime overcoming obstacles, from a childhood of poverty to sexism and, more recently, the worst injury of her career.

“It is logical that I am happy to see all this because 20 years ago, in 2003, nobody knew Marta,” she added, looking back at how far women’s football has come.

It is unclear if the attacker, who has never won the World Cup despite all her achievements, will start against Jamaica.

But she could be called off the bench by coach Pia Sundhage if Brazil are chasing the win they so desperately need to stay in the competition.

‘Lethal weapon’
Jamaica are second behind Group F leaders France going into the last round of games, and won their first Women’s World Cup game in history when they defeated Panama 1-0 last time out.

They were missing the prolific striker Khadija Shaw in the Panama win after she was sent off for a second yellow card in their opening 0-0 draw with France.

The 26-year-old Shaw, who scored 31 goals in 30 games for Manchester City last season, will be back to face Brazil and could have a major say in proceedings.

“She’s a lethal weapon, she scores goals and is the leading goal-scorer in Jamaica,” coach Lorne Donaldson said.

“She’s a very good leader and an outstanding footballer.”

Donaldson, whose side is ranked 43 in the world to Brazil’s eight, said his team were the underdogs despite being in a better position to make it out of the group.

But he called his players “resilient”, adding: “We know Brazil are going to come after us with everything they’ve got, but we have to be ready.

“We want to stay a little longer.”

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

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Rangers Unveil Nwosu As Youth Team Coach

Published

2 weeks ago

September 3, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Rangers Unveil Nwosu As Youth Team Coach

In its effort to make Rangers International F.C a true professional side and meet up with one of its cardinal strategic plans of community social impact, the management of the ‘Flying Antelopes’ have engaged and unveiled coach Felix Nwosu as the head coach of Rangers Youth Team.

The widely travelled young gaffer put pen to paper, Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at the club’s corporate head office with the mandate to comb the nook and crannies of the state to build a strong team of young talents that can graduate into the main team already with playing culture and philosophy of the club.

Coach Nwosu, who has a CAF C coaching licence, had earlier in his career, handled such clubs as; F.C Talanta of Kenya, Heegan S.C of Somali, Ambassador Youth Club of Enugu, DreamStars Ladies F.C of Lagos, Right2Win S.C of Umuahia, BYT Academicals F.C of Lagos, GreenFoot Ladies of Enugu and Delta Force F.C of Asaba.

Speaking after his contract signing, coach Felix Nwosu, said, “I am happy to be here. Everyone knows that Rangers is a very big club in Africa and beyond and I am so delighted to be part of what is happening and there is already progress in Rangers. I am just here to solidify the great things that has been happening and make sure that I get more things into the team and make sure that the name of the team is sustained.”

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

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Nigeria Premier League

Ebi Egbe Lauds Elegbeleye, Aluo On Improved Fortunes Of Nigerian Football

Published

3 months ago

June 11, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Renowned sports facility construction expert, Ebi Egbe, has expressed his satisfaction with the improved standards of the Nigerian football league, particularly, the NPFL and the NNL, ably led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye and George Aluo respectively.

According to Egbe, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Monimitchelle Sports Facilities Company, Elegbeleye, has turned the NPFL to an attractive brand and with huge crowds coming back to watch the matches.

“I’m very impressed with what Hon. Elegbeleye is doing with the NPFL. Standards of matches have improved tremendously and importantly, the crowds are coming back to the stadium to watch their favourite teams.”

Egbe was equally effusive in praises for the Chairman of the NNL, George Aluo, who he commended for bringing vitality and improved organisation to the NNL.

“And without a doubt, George Aluo, has improved the organisation and standard of the league. The ongoing NNL Super 8 is a testament to the fact that the league can only get better,” Egbe said.

He went ahead to admonish well placed individuals and corporate organisations to give more supports to the Nigerian local football bodies.

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

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Nigeria Premier League

10th Nigeria Pitch Awards: Sanwo-Olu, Elegbeleye, Soname, Finidi in the spotlight as ceremony holds on Saturday

Published

3 months ago

June 6, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

There will be real pomp and pageantry in the city of Uyo on Saturday as the tenth edition of Nigeria Pitch Awards comes to town. The Ibom Hotel and Golf Resorts is the venue.

Shina Phillips, chief organizer of the awards, said on Thursday that all is set for a ceremony that will be full of panache, glitz and glamour.

“As I said a couple of weeks ago, we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure a memorable tenth edition of the awards. All is set, and we are in Uyo not only to put up a super-show, but to mobilize resources within our capacity to support the Super Eagles to victory in tomorrow’s match. As an organization, we will continue to genuinely appreciate the NFF, the Super Eagles, all our friends, enablers, affiliates and commercial partners, for their support over the past 10 years, and to promise that the values of transparency, integrity and credibility will never depart from the Nigeria Pitch Awards.”

Nominees have been picked in all 18 award categories, with the winners to be unveiled on Saturday. The award categories include Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Striker of the Year, Queen of the Pitch, King of the Pitch, Sam Okwaraji Award, Football Pitch, Football-Friendly Governor, Corporate Sponsor, alongside several honours for media representatives.

Goalkeeper of the Year: Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars); Amas Obasogie (Bendel Insurance); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

Defender of the Year: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC); Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK)

Midfielder of the Year: Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC)

Striker of the Year: Robert Mizo (Bayelsa United); Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)

Queen of the Pitch: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico de Madrid Femenino); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC)

King of the Pitch: Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC); Emeka Obioma (Enyimba FC); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)

Team of the Year: Super Falcons; Enyimba FC; Remo Stars

Coach of the Year: Daniel Ogunmodede (Remo Stars); Finidi George (Enyimba FC); Randy Waldrum (Super Falcons)

Sam Okwaraji Award: Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC); Ahmed Musa; Kunle Soname (Proprietor, Remo Stars)

State With The Best Grassroots Football Development Programme: Edo State; Delta State; Lagos State

Football Pitch of the Year: Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos; Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne; Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo

Football-Friendly Governor of the Year: His Excellency Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom State); His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos State); His Excellency Godwin Obaseki (Edo State)

Corporate Sponsor of Football: Bet9ja (Sport Betting); GTI (Financial Services); MTN (Telecom)

Sportsmanship Award: Hon. Kunle Soname (Proprietor, Remo Stars); Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC); Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye (Chairman, NPFL Board)

Football Journalist of the Year (Print): Christian Okpara (The Guardian); Charles Diya (New Telegraph); Johnny Edward (Punch Newspapers)

Football Journalist of the Year (TV): Miyen Akiri (TVC); Mozez Praiz (SuperSport); Cecilia Omorogbe (Channels TV)

Football Journalist of the Year (Radio): Olawale Adigun (Mainland FM); Yinka Oyedele (Brila 88.9 FM); Anthony Bekederemo (Brila 88.9 FM)

Football Journalist of the Year (Online): Samuel Ahmadu (Savid News); Tobi Adepoju (Oganla Media); Kunle Solaja (sportsvillagesquare.com)