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Cricket’s golden girl Etim retires after Ghana heroics

Captain of Nigeria senior women’s cricket team, Blessing Etim, has retired from the Female Yellow Greens after leading the team to a historic bronze medal at the ongoing 2023 African Games in Ghana, where the team defied the odds as the lowest-ranked side at the tournament, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
She played 63 T20i matches for the country.
Etim started playing cricket as a student in 2004 and earned her first Female Yellow Greens call up in 2011 while her first T20i game for Nigeria was in January 26, 2019 against Rwanda in Abuja.
Her last assignment for Nigeria was the five-wicket win over Uganda on Wednesday at the 13th African Games in Ghana, where cricket was also played for the first time in the Games’ history.
The 31-year-old announced her retirement after Nigeria stunned Uganda by five wickets to win the third-place match. She was given a guard of honour by her teammates and officials of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, including the president Uyi Akpata, after the game.
In December 2023, she reached a record 50 caps for the Female Yellow Greens against Namibia during the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers in Uganda. She has now added 13 appearances to take her caps to 63.
In her five-year spell playing T20i games for Nigeria, the team won the maiden Nigeria Cricket Federation Women’s T20i invitational tournament in 2019 before she led them to their second title in 2023.
Some of her individual T20i record include the best bowling analyses in an innings (conceding three runs and getting two wickets in 1.1 overs) against Gambia in 2022, best economy rate in an innings and most maidens in an innings (four in four overs), which she set against Cameroon in 2021.
Etim’s immediate focus will be on coaching in her home state, where she was posted to in 2014 by the NCF and has been doubling as a player and development officer.
The state currently has a target of discovering 30,000 talents after they were given new cricket practice nets, which were donated by PET Foundation at the playground of Community Secondary Commercial School, Ibiaku Itam last year.

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Messi Extends MLS Record With Latest Brace

Lionel Messi extended the Major League Soccer record for scoring multiple goals in successive games to five with another double as Inter Miami beat Nashville 2-1 on Saturday.
The Argentina forward scored in each half to draw level with Nashville’s Sam Surridge at the top of the MLS scoring charts with 16 goals in 16 games.
Messi has scored twice in each of those five games, starting with wins over Montreal and Columbus in May, before competing at the Club World Cup.
The 38-year-old scored once in four games as Miami reached the Club World Cup last 16, before returning to the MLS with further doubles against Montreal, New England Revolution and now Nashville.
He opened the scoring in Fort Lauderdale with a low free-kick that went through the Nashville wall after 17 minutes.
Hany Mukhtar levelled for the visitors early in the second half, but Messi intercepted a loose pass from Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis to score what proved to be winner after 62 minutes.
The victory keeps Miami in fifth place in the Eastern Conference but moves them to within five points of leaders of Philadelphia with three games in hand.
Bbc.com
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Boniface Prefers Germany, Spain Over Premier League

Super Eagles and Bayer 04 Leverkusen striker, Victor Okoh Boniface, has revealed why he wouldn’t fancy a move to the English Premier League, according to Soccernet.ng.
The 24-year-old had a brilliant debut season at the Bay Arena, but his second season was a little less so, largely due to the injury problems he suffered.
During the winter transfer window, Al-Nassr were interested in Boniface, but they signed Colombian forward, Jhon Duran instead.
The former Union Saint-Gilloise man has been linked with an exit from Die Werkself, with Newcastle United and AC Milan interested.
The one-time Bundesliga winner has always been clear that he prefers a move to La Liga over England, stating a preference for the style of football in Spain.
“I don’t really like the Premier League. It’s not like if I have the opportunity to go, I won’t take it,” the 2024 UEFA Europa League finalist said on The Culture League podcast alongside Frank Onyeka.
“If I’m going to make that move, it has to be to a certain type of team. “Before I agree to a transfer or join a club, I always look at the type of football they play.
“Will it suit me? Is it a team with too much pressure? because some players can’t perform well under pressure.
“So before I moved to Leverkusen, I had a great season in Belgium. There were offers from England, good money, but I just didn’t want to join that kind of team.
“If you put me in a possession-based side, I’ll give you everything. I can go to a club and be the standout player, but we might lose a game, and everyone points fingers at me.
“From the grassroots level, that’s how I’ve always played. If I’m on the pitch, I bring everyone along with me,” the Super Eagles star concluded.
Boniface is now set for his third season in Germany, this time under Erik Ten Hag, after Xabi Alonso moved to Spain to join Real Madrid.
News
Beware Of Chelsea: PSG Get Final Warning Ahead Of Club World Cup Showdown, “We’ll Shock People Today” – James

Chelsea captain Reece James had made a bold statement ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final today, July 13
The England international believes the Blues are not pushovers despite all odds favouring the reigning UEFA Champions League winners
Both teams recorded one loss each during their group stage matches and are expected to light up the MetLife Stadium
Reece James is confident Chelsea will surprise doubters when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday, July 13.
The Ligue 1 giants have been labelled favourites to win the tournament, but the England international said the Blues will make a statement when they clash at the MetLife Stadium
The Premier League side outclassed South American side Fluminense by two goals to nothing in the semi-final last Wednesday, July 9.
New signing Joao Pedro, who was on holiday in Brazil, scored a brace for Chelsea against his boyhood club.
I don’t care- James
Chelsea captain Reece James said he is not bothered about the pedigree of Paris Saint-Germain during the Club World Cup.
According to Daily Mail, the 25-year-old said the Blues are preparing to win the tournament for the second time.
The England star emphasised that had had played for a favourite in the final, where they did not eventually win the trophy, adding that the same fate may befall PSG. He said BBC:
“I want to be honest with you, I do not care that everyone is hyping our opponent. The team is preparing right, and Chelsea is going to the final to win.
“As a player, I have been to many finals before where my team were the favourites but we ended up losing.
“PSG are amazing and we’re expecting a tough game, but we also have an amazing team and we’re going to surprise a lot of people.”
Stats on PSG form Paris
Saint-Germain are currently in the best form of their life since Lius Enrique took over as coach.
According to beINSPORTS, PSG have won a treble consisting of the French Cup, Ligue 1 and Champions League, and are a game away from a fourth major trophy of 2025 after dismantling Real Madrid 4-0 in their semi-final last Thursday, July 10.
The French giants have beaten other Premier League sides, Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal, in the Champions League before humbling Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.
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