Gain money

Matchday Three: AJAX 3-1 MANCHESTER CITY

This disastrous defeat in Amsterdam pushed City one step closer to the Champions League exit door and saw Mancini's tactical competence called into question.

The Premier League champions had led through Samir Nasri but ended up being comprehensively defeated and looked like a side with no identity or clear tactical plan.

Mancini faced huge criticism for an unusual decision to switch to a three-man central defence with the game still in the balance - that included a confused-looking Gael Clichy playing as a centre-back - a move that backfired as Ajax scored a decisive third goal, prompting the manager to swiftly change back to his original system.

After the match, Micah Richards added salt in the Italian's wounds by telling the press that the players did not practice the tactical switches in training and that many were not sure of what they were doing in their new roles.

Matchday One: REAL MADRID 3-2 MAN CITY

Manchester City's Champions League campaign could have been so much different had they been able to hold on to a lead in the opening matchday against Real Madrid.

Leading 2-1 in the Bernabeu with less than five minutes remaining, Roberto Mancini's men somehow managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory. First they allowed Karim Benzema too much time to turn and strike an equaliser, before Cristiano Ronaldo beat two men before cutting inside and driving a shot past Joe Hart.

What would have been a morale-boosting victory was all of a sudden a dramatic last-gasp defeat and City's confidence looked dented in their remaining Group D games.

The first signs of both mental weakness and defensive frailty had been shown and, after a pointless first game, the pressure was on for their remaining fixtures in the competition, with ground to make up.

From a Ronaldo rocket to tactical troubles - how it all went wrong for Manchester City in the Champions League

The Premier League champions have been dumped out of Europe after failing to win any of their six group games. Goal.com looks back at their disastrous continental campaign

5 Dec 2012 07:30:00

More On :  Manchester City, Roberto Mancini, Borussia Dortmund vs Manchester City

Comments

Getty

ANALYSIS
By Chris Myson
The 1-0 defeat to a weakened Borussia Dortmund side on Tuesday night was a tame end to another disastrous campaign for Manchester City in Europe.

Welcome to Stanley Anosike's Blog: List Of The 5 Richest Nigerian Musicians

Welcome to Stanley Anosike's Blog: List Of The 5 Richest Nigerian Musicians:          CLICK

Nigeria Player of the Week Nigeria Player of the Week

The Golden Eaglets

Mali U-17

0-2

Nigeria U-17

Garba Manu's cadet squad went to Bamako wiith high expectations and fulfilled this by defeating the Malians 2-0. They qualified for the African U-17 Championships 4-0 on aggregate. It is the first time since 2007 that Nigeria will present a team at the U-17 tournament. In this maiden Goal.com Nigeria player of the week award, we recognise the impressive feat of the collective and hail their commitment to the task before them. We hope that the team will continue to do the nation proud.

Congratulations to the Golden Eaglets, Goal.com Nigeria's 1st 'Player' of the Week winner!

Honourable Mention

Brown Ideye - Dynamo Kiev The Dynamo striker scored his 13th goal of the season in a 4-2 defeat of Hoverla Uzhhorod last weekend. Ideye is surely making himself indispensable to the national team selectors ahead of the 2013 Afcon.

Imoh Ezekiel - Standard Liege

Young and agile, Imoh Ezekiel has helped Standard Liege to fifth position on the Belgian log, scoring eight goals this season. Imoh is looking good for a national team call up.

Kalu Uche - Kasimpasa

Kasimpasa forward Kalu Uche has scored eight goals this season, with his most recent strike coming against Eskisehirspor at the weekend. Though not in Keshi's plans for the moment, Uche has kept his head, and his goals, high.

Obafemi Martins Jersey – Goal.com Nigeria Quiz Spectacular Part 2

The Second part of Goal Nigeria’s Obagoal quiz arrives, with another of Martins’ signed Levante jerseys up for grabs

Nov 27, 2012 11:30:00 AM

More On :  Levante UD, Nigeria, Obafemi Martins

5

Comments

1 Awesome

1 Dislike

Goal.com

Last week 26-year-old Chuks Ossai from Ebute-Metta, Lagos won himself a signed Obafemi Martins jersey after being the first of many to respond to Goal.com’s recent quiz spectacular. The much-anticipated sequel is now presented to Nigerian readers, as a second signed jersey is put up for grabs. A more demanding challenge awaits Naija fans this week, as the Goal editors are not purely looking for excellent football knowledge, but also for a potential eye for punditry and an ability to express and argue their Super Eagle convictions.

Brazil legend Ronaldo: Messi will beat Cristiano to the Ballon d'Or

The World Cup winner believes that both players have been sensational this year, but feels the Barcelona star does more to entertain spectators at matches

Nov 28, 2012 11:05:00 AM

By Paul Gorst

More On :  Barcelona, Real Madrid, Santos, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Ronaldo

23

Comments

3 Awesome

2 Dislike

Former Brazil striker Ronaldo has tipped Barcelona forward Lionel Messi to win the 2012 Ballon d'Or ahead of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Barcelona » Lionel Messi

 

Barcelona	Lionel Messi Full Name: Lionel Andrés Messi Nickname: Lio Date of Birth: Jun 24, 1987 (Age 25) Place of Birth: Santa Fe Nationality: Argentina Height: 169 cm. Weight: 67 Kg. Position: Striker Squad Number: 10

 

League	Team	Games	Goals	Assists	YC	RC

Copa del Rey Barcelona 0 0 0 0 0 La Liga Barcelona 14 21 5 1 0 Spanish Supercup Barcelona 2 2 0 0 0 UEFA Champions League Barcelona 5 5 2 0 0

Wenger puts Arsenal contract talks on hold until next summer

The Frenchman has told the club that he will not discuss a new deal until the end of the season at the earliest as the feeling grows that he is serving his final Gunners contract

Dec 4, 2012 9:40:00 AM

More On :  Arsenal Fc, Arsène Wenger

3

Comments

0 Awesome

0 Dislike

Getty Images

EXCLUSIVEBy Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Arsene Wenger has told Arsenal that he will not hold contract talks with the club before next summer, Goal.com can reveal. The manager’s current deal runs until June 2014 and Wenger has been informally approached by the board to arrange a time to open discussions over a new deal.

The Barcelona forward has netted 84 goals at club and international level throughout the year, and the 20-year-old feels the Argentina international deserves recognition for his superb displays.

"The winner will be Messi because he has had an extraordinary season," he was quoted as saying by Globoesporte.

"Ronaldo has had a great season too and so it will be close and exciting, but Messi should be the winner."

The Brazil international went on to discuss his future, and reiterated that he is not ready to leave his current club for Europe just yet.

"I still dream of coming to Europe, but the right moment has yet to arrive. I'm very happy here at Santos, close to my family and my friends.

"I have no plans to move for the moment, but it's not because I'm content where I am. My objective is not to be the best in the world, but instead to be happy. Happiness comes first."

Neymar is under contract with Santos until the summer of 2014.

Premier League 2011/2012 (36 rounds)

Navigate Other Seasons:

Nigeria Premier League 2011/2012 (36 rounds)

Updated: 11/09-12 07:37

<> Embed

• Overall
• Home
• Away

#	Team	M	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PT
1	Kano Pillars	36	17	10	9	45	26	19	61
2	Enugu Rangers	36	17	7	12	45	27	18	58
3	Lobi Stars	36	18	3	15	40	30	10	57
4	Enyimba	36	16	6	14	38	30	8	54
5	Sunshine Stars	36	15	7	14	40	36	4	52
6	Kwara United	36	16	4	16	35	36	-1	52
7	Sharks	36	16	4	16	43	46	-3	52
8	Heartland Owerri	36	14	9	13	32	31	1	51
9	Gombe United	36	15	6	15	40	45	-5	51
10	Wikki Tourist	36	16	3	17	34	46	-12	51
11	Dolphin Port Harcourt	36	15	5	16	38	40	-2	50
12	Akwa United	36	15	5	16	29	32	-3	50
13	Shooting Stars	36	14	7	15	31	34	-3	49
14	Kaduna United FC	36	15	4	17	38	43	-5	49
15	ABS FC	36	14	6	16	43	40	3	48
16	Warri Wolves FC	36	13	9	14	32	30	2	48
17	Niger Tornadoes	36	14	6	16	38	42	-4	48
18	Jigawa Golden Stars	36	14	6	16	30	43	-13	48
19	Rising Stars	36	10	9	17	23	37	-14	39

Nigeria Premier League 2010/2011 (38 rounds)

#	Team	M	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PT
1	Dolphin Port Harcourt	38	23	4	11	49	30	19	73
2	Sunshine Stars	38	22	5	11	55	35	20	71
3	Warri Wolves FC	38	19	9	10	44	28	16	66
4	Kano Pillars	38	20	5	13	46	31	15	65
5	Sharks	38	17	12	9	42	37	5	63
6	Enugu Rangers	38	19	5	14	46	30	16	62
7	Enyimba	38	19	4	15	44	28	16	61
8	Kaduna United FC	38	16	8	14	42	39	3	56
9	Kwara United	38	16	5	17	40	45	-5	53
10	Lobi Stars	38	15	8	15	34	40	-6	53
11	Heartland Owerri	38	16	4	18	39	35	4	52
12	ABS FC	38	15	6	17	35	37	-2	51
13	Gombe United	38	14	8	16	34	37	-3	50
14	Niger Tornadoes	38	13	11	14	35	43	-8	50
15	Shooting Stars	38	13	8	17	34	39	-5	47
16	Ocean Boys Brass	38	13	8	17	37	44	-7	47
17	Plateau United	38	12	8	18	42	49	-7	44
18	Zamfara United	38	11	6	21	26	58	-32	39
19	Crown FC	38	11	4	23	34	48	-14	37
20	Juth	38	8	8	22	26	51	-25	32

Delta maintains lead, athletics events begin

DELTA State continued its dominance at the ongoing Eko 2012 National Sports Festival (NSF), where it added 10 more gold medals to its haul at the end of Monday’s events.
The team now has 35 gold medals, 25 silver and 24 bronze to remain top of the medals table, while Team Rivers, which added three gold medals yesterday to bring its medals haul to 27 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze medals, is in second position.
Team Lagos is third with 15 gold, 13 silver and 18 bronze medals while Team Edo has 14 gold, 10 silver and 16 bronze medals to occupy the fourth position.
On Monday, at the swimming pool of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Delta won three gold, three silver and two bronze medals, Lagos took two gold medals, while Team Ondo and Team Cross River got a gold medal each. Lagos also got a gold medal in the 100 metres freestyle women swimming event.
Meanwhile, the much anticipated athletics events of the festival will begin today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. According to the Secretary General of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), Abbah Yola, events in athletics are expected to climax the festival activities and they would commence at 8.00a.m with para-athletics events.
Yola warned that participating states and athletes must adhere to laid down rules or stand the risk of being banned. Proceedings will commence in the 19 categories lined up with the 20km race walk for women final, 20km race walk for men final, 5,000 metres women final, short put F55-56 for men final, and the 100 metres hurdles women heptathlon.
Others are javelin F57-58 women final, short put men final, 100 metres women heat, javelin women final, high jump women heptathlon, discuss amputee F42-44 men final, 100 metres men heat and 100 metres amputee T45-46 women final.
Also to take place this morning are the discuss deaf men final, 400 metres women heat and 400 metres men heat.
In the afternoon session, the short put for women heptathlon event, short put F55-56 women final, discuss amputee F42-44 women final, and long jump women final will be concluded.
These would be closely followed by 400 metres hurdles women heat, 400 metres hurdle men heat, 100 metres amputee T45-46 men final, 100 metres deaf women semi-final, and 100 metres deaf men semi-final.
After these, at exactly 5.20p.m, the 100 metres men and women round two will take place. The events of the day would be rounded off with the 200 metres women heptathlon, 200 metres wheelchair T54 men semi-final, 200 metres wheelchair T54 women final, and 10,000 metres men final.
These events will be immediately followed by the victory ceremonies.

Emenalo may follow RDM's footstep

.
(Photo: sportingafrica.blogspot.com)

Former Super Eagles player, and Chelsea Director has come under intense scrutiny and might just be booted out of the Chelsea fold in a not too distant future.

Emenalo is experiencing increasing pressure at Chelsea as a result of his connection to the club’s acquisition of former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.

Queried

Emenalo is currently been queried at Chelsea after recent results under new manager Rafa Benitez.

Reports in London say the recommendation to appoint Benítez was pushed for by Emenalo, Chelsea's technical director, who is now coming under scrutiny.

Emenalo is said to have suggested that the by the 2005 UEFA Champions League winning Coach replaced ousted manager Roberti Di Matteo, who was sacked by the Chelsea Board of Directors due to poor string of results. 

Critised

The former Chelsea assistant team manager is also under pressure for Chelsea's unbalanced squad, which has been criticised by Benitez since his arrival.

Benitez, who the fans are not happy with is yet to get his first victory since his arrival at Stanford Bridge as he suffered his first defeat at Chelsea at the Upton Park on Saturday at the hands of Sam Allardyce led West Ham United.

Chelsea also have a possible UEFA Champions League exit starring at them as they look likely to miss the knockout phase of the competition for the first time in a long while.