Pogba expecting a baby soon

Paul Pogba’s girlfriend Maria Salaues showed off her huge baby bump at Old Trafford ahead of Manchester United 's win against Huddersfield.


The heavily pregnant Bolivian was among the 75,000 people in attendance as her man stole the show to help put the Terriers to the sword.


Things are looking good for Pogba and once again he was at his majestic best as he netted twice in a 3-1 win over David Wagner’s side.


The 25-year-old Frenchman has been given a new lease of life under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and is due to become a father in 2019.


Salaues, 23, wore a black leather jacket with a yellow top and had her baby bump out on display for all to see as she watched Pogba from the stands.


 However, there is more than one expectant father in the Manchester United dressing room, as Pogba’s teammate Victor Lindelof and his wife Maja are due to become parents too.

READ ASLO:Neymar parties with 26 women to celebrate New year in Brazil

Back in October, the newlyweds made the announcement that they were expecting a child in spring, although no definite time has been given by Pogba and Salaue on when she will give birth.


Pogba will aim to continue his fine form under the Solskjaer regime when Bournemouth visit Old Trafford on Saturday.


The Frenchman provided two assists in the 5-1 demolition of Cardiff last weekend and bagged a brace against Huddersfield.

Solskjaer - who previously worked with Pogba when he managed United's reserves - was asked about the smile that had been seen on the Frenchman's face and said: "That's the Paul I know, the Paul I have known since he was in the reserves and in the youth team.

"He's always been a happy boy, he's always had a big smile on his face and when you score a goal, or if you score two, of course you're happy. And when you play football for Manchester United you should be happy.

"Of course it's a responsibility but it's an honour and a privilege.

"Paul loves playing for this club. He's a Man United boy through and through. He's a kid that knows what it means to play for Man United."


He added: "I'm spending time with the players of course, and trying to get as much time with each individual as possible.

"Paul is one that's really enjoyed... Last time (against Cardiff) he creates two or three goals, this time he scores two himself. I think he's enjoyed this today."

Source:Standard Media.co

Modric wins Croatian Sportsman of the year 2018

Luka Modric added to his collection of awards after a successful 2018 when he was named Croatian sportsman of the year on Wednesday.


Sandra Perkovic, five times European champion in discus, won the women’s award. The football squad, runners-up in the World Cup, were named Croatian team of the year after a vote by 322 journalists.


Modric led his country to the final in Russia in July and played a key role as Real Madrid won a third straight Champions League title in May.

Firmino scores Hattrick as Liverpool thrash Arsenal 5 - 1

Liverpool made their title ambitions clear with a whooping 5 - 1 win over Arsenal at Anfiled.Ainsley Maitland-Niles gave Arsenal the lead 11 minutes in scoring from an Alex Iwobi cross.

The grateful Arsenal defence gifted Firmino his first goal just three minutes later making it 1 - 1.

Firmino later then put on a show as he gave Liverpool the lead for the first time after dribbling past three Arsenal defenders to make the score 2 - 1.

Sadio Mane extended Liverpool's lead after 32 minute,as mo salah created a very fine assist.Salah was then on point to score his own goal with a soft penalty right before half time.

 

Liverpool then cruised to close out the win, Firmino completing his hat-trick from the spot after 65 minutes following Sead Kolasinac's push on Dejan Lovren.

 Manchester City, ten points adrift, will attempt to close the gap at Southampton on Sunday before they meet Liverpool in a pivotal encounter at Etihad Stadium on 3 January.

Arsenal were totally outclassed and have given Manchester United the chance to reduce the opportunity to reduce the gap to three if they defeat Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

Liverpool will  now finish 2018 at the top of the Premier League 9 points above Manchester City.

Mbappe wins 2018 French Player of the Year Award

The Paris Saint-Germain forward has picked up another presitigous prize in 2018 after tasting Ligue 1 title glory and a World Cup win with his country.

 

 

Kylian Mbappe’s remarkable rise to the top of the global game has now seen the Paris Saint-Germain forward crowned French Player of the Year for the first time.


The 20-year-old frontman has enjoyed a remarkable 2018.He had already enjoyed a stunning rise to prominence prior to entering the current calendar year.


 After bursting onto the scene as a precociously-gifted teenager at Monaco, a big-money transfer had taken him to Parc des Princes.


Another Ligue 1 title triumph was enjoyed in 2017-18, as PSG swept the board in terms of domestic honours.
Mbappe then headed to Russia with his country and a shot at World Cup glory.


READ ALSO:Hazard scores his 100th Chelsea goal as Blues see of Watford


He helped Les Bleus to go all the way, with a fine individual effort netted in a 4-2 final triumph over Croatia.

His efforts were recognised with the Young Player Award, and his game has continued to go from strength to strength.


Mbappe has hit 16 goals in 19 appearances for PSG this season, as they continue to chase down more trophies at home and abroad.



Alongside those heroics, he has also become the inaugural winner of the Kopa Trophy – the prize bestowed upon the finest under-21 player on the planet.


He finished fourth in the vote for the 2018 Ballon d’Or, with that lofty standing placing him above five-time winner Lionel Messi.

 
While this is the first time that he has scooped the award, it is unlikely to be the last.
More is expected of Mbappe in the years to come, with many tipping him to become the world’s best player and be involved in more high-profile transfers.


For the time being, though, a humble performer is merely seeking to remain on an upward career curve that has already carried him a long way in a very short space of time.

Hazard scores his 100th Chelsea goal as Blues see of Watford

Eden Hazard struck against Watford to make it 100 goals in the Chelsea shirt.He is the Chelsea's 10th player to reach this benchmark.


Mateo Kovacic picked up a loose ball in mid field and knocked it on to the Belgian star before he rounded Ben Foster to make it 1 - 0.

Roberto Pereyra hit back almost instantly to level matters prior to the break.

In the 58th minute,Foster picked up a yellow card as he burst into Hazard with the refree pointing to the spot.The Belgian star stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to give Chelsea the 2 - 1 win.

He joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012 and has now made 322 appearances for them across all competitions.

Of Hazard's 101 goals for the club, 79 of them have come in the Premier League, with eight having been scored in the Champions League, seven in the League Cup, five in the FA Cup and one in both the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup.


Bournemouth, Newcastle and West Brom are Hazard's favourite opponents in terms the opposition he has the best goalscoring record again during his time at Stamford Bridge, with seven having arrived against each of those sides.

Hazard has now scored in three of his last four games for Chelsea.

Victor Moses set to leave Chelsea in January

Chelsea are reportedly willing to sell Victor Moses in the January transfer window, with Crystal Palace and Fulham interested in his services.

According to Alan Nixon at The Sun, the 27-year-old who retired from international football after the world cup "will find a new club next month," and the Blues want a fee of £12 million for the former Nigeria international.

Moses has fallen out of favour under new manager Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge. His only start has come in the Carabao Cup, and he's managed just 26 minutes in the Premier League.

Moses joined Chelsea from Wigan Athletic in 2012 but has found it difficult to cement a first-team place at Stamford Bridge. He has been sent out on loan to Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United, before returning to Chelsea and enjoying his best spell at the club under Antonio Conte.

Moses became a key player under the Italian. He was used as a wing-back to great success and helped the Blues win the 2016-17 Premier League title. The 27-year-old has also won the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League during his time at Chelsea, but his lack of game time this season means he may need to leave if he wants to play regularly.

Sarri has changed the style and formation since replacing Conte at the helm. Cesar Azpilicueta is the club's first-choice right-back, while Willian and Pedro have taken the wide attacking positions.

FIFA Women's World Cup Draws:See Who Nigeria is facing

So the draws for the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 (Now when they were choosing the hosts,who knew France would win the Men's World Cup) was held on Saturday at La Seine Musicale on the island of Île Seguin, Boulogne-Billancourt,Paris(Meself i don't know that place,its only PARIS i know LOL)

The Super Falcons were grouped in group A alongside France,Korea Republic and Norway.The current champions of the FIFA Women World Cup is United States winning it back in 205.


Nigeria has made an appearance in every edition of the competition since 1991 and the closest they came to winning it was the quarter finals in 1991.Now the interesting fact is for the first time a foreign coach will take the Falcons to the competiton.

Nigeria will kickstart their campaign against Norway on June 8 before facing South Korea on June 12 and then squaring up against hosts France on June 17.


The Falcons recently dropped a spot in the latest FIFA ranking released on Friday.Though they are still the highest ranked African team.They dropped to 39th in the world.

Other contries representing Africa at the tournament are AWCON finalists South Africa and Third place Cameroon

Tammy Abraham wins Championhip Player of the month

Nigerian born Aston Villa striker wins November's Sky Bet Championship Player of the month.

Tammy Abraham was in fine form scoring six times in the month of November to win this award.


He scored 4 times in a chaotic 5 - 5 draw with Nottingham Forest becoming the first Aston Villa player to score four goals in a league match in the 21st century.


He also clinched a goal in the away win at Derby County and fired home from the penalty spot in the 4-2 triumph over Birmingham City.


Tammy Abraham said: “I’m delighted to be named Player of the Month. It’s been a great few weeks for us as a team as well as me personally. Hopefully, we can continue that over a busy Christmas period and beyond.”


Aston Villa Coach Dean Smith said: “Tammy has been a key part of our recent good form. His previous spell in the Championship showed everyone what he’s capable of and he’s displaying his goalscoring abilities once again. Long may it continue.”

 Since arriving at the Villa Park in August, Abraham has scored 11 goals in 14 league appearances this campaign and will aim to increase his tally when they visit West Bromwich Albion for Friday’s West Midlands derby.

Bet9ja NNL:Super 8 is starting soon

The Chairman of the Bet9ja Nigeria National League,Chidi Ofor Okenwa assured Nigerians on Thursday that the Super 8 tournament which was delaying the commencement of the Nigeria Professional Football League would start soon.


 He made this announcement while inaugurating the Nigeria Football Reforms Committee.The Super 8 is a tournament consisting of 8 teams from the second tier of Nigerian Football,NNL fighting for 4 slots to gain promotion into the Nigeria Professional Football League.

This is contrasting to the initial concept of many that all 8 teams would progress to the Nigeria Professional League with no team relegating into the third tier,Nigeria Nationwide League.

READ ALSO: NFF:NPFL starting soon

In this Super 8 tournament,4 teams will fight for two slots in the southern conference in Lagos.While the remaining 4 will compete for the slots in the Northern Conference to be played in Kano.


The Nigeria Professional Football League which was originally slated for November this year was moved to December and then January.The League may be stopped again due to the 2019 General Elections holding in February.

AFCON 2019:CAF reveals potential hosts

The Confederation of Africa Football,CAF have asked South Africa to to host the AFCON 2019 after Cameroon was stripped of the hosting right.


Cameroon was originally stripped of the hosting rights on 30th November 2018 due to Boko Haram Insurgency and Anglophone crisis in the country.


According to Kick-off, Danny Jordaan, the President of South African Football Association, SAFA, disclosed this at the association’s Annual General Meeting on Sunday.
Jordaan said CAF stripped Cameroon of hosting right because of concerns about the country’s security and infrastructure.


According to him, a number of compliance conditions were not met by the West African nation, adding that CAF had to make the decision to seek a different country to host the tournament.


South Africa last hosted the tournament back in 2013, where the Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 to win the tournament.

The 2019 AFCON will start in June next year.

CAF Confederations Cup:Enugu Rangers ease past Defence Force

The Flying Antelopes of Enugu fired past Defence Force of Ethopia 5 - 1 in the CAF Confederations Cup to Qualify for the next round.

2018 AITEO Cup winners Enugu Rangers  have qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup next round after a 1 -3 second leg win over Defence Force of Ethopia.Enugu Rangers won the first leg of the game 2 - 0 in Nigeria.


Things were not first rosy for the flying antelopes as they conceded a penalty kick early in 3rd minute.Minyelu Wendimu converted the spotkick reducing the deficit to 1 - 0. Bright Silas made all square in the 36th minute at the Addis Ababa Stadium.

With the first half close to the end,Striker Godwin Aguda scored a penalty after being fouled in the box making it two goals in nine minutes.


Read Also: CAF Champions League:Lobi Stars overturn 1st Leg Deficit to Qualify


All doubts were cleared when substitute Kelvin Itoya sealed the victory with a well worked goal.Rangers won 5 - 1 on aggregate against Defence Force.


Rangers to face USM Bel Abbes of Algeria in the next round.The first leg is coming up in Algeria between 14-16 December while the second leg comes up in Nigeria between 21-23 December.

CAF Champions League:Lobi Stars overturn 1st Leg Deficit to Qualify

The Nigerian Professional Football League Champions,Lobi Stars were able to to overturn a 1 - 0 first leg defeat to UMS de Loum in the CAF Champions League by defeating the Cameroonian side 2 - 0 in the second leg.


The game originally scheduled to take place at the Aper Aku Stadium,Makurdi was shifted to the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium,Enugu over UMS de Loum being denied landing rights in Makurdi


The game started at an high pace with Lobi Stars needing exactly the 2 - 0 result to qualify.The pace soon paid off with new signing Sikiru Alimi giving Lobi Stars the lead in the 14th minute by finishing off behind the UMS de Loum goal keeper beautifully.


Read Also: CAF Confederations Cup:Enugu Rangers ease past Defence Force


Sikiru Alimi was just recently brought in from Sunshine Stars and he could not score his first goal for the club at a better time.

The first half of the game ended 1 - 0 in favour of Lobi Stars.Coming into the second half,Lobi knew exactly what they needed to do with Yahaya Kone scoring an important goal to give Lobi Stars their much craved lead in the 69th minute.

With the job now done and dusted,Lobi Stars repelled all UMS de Loum's attempts on their with a strong performance.Lobi Stars proceed to the next stage of the prestigious CAF Champions League with a 2 - 1 aggregate win over UMS de Loum  to face Gor Mahia of Kenya.


With the first leg coming up on December 14 in Nairobi,Kenya while the return fixture will be played in Nigeria on December 21 in Markudi,Nigeria


Do you think Lobi Stars can become the second Nigerian club to win the CAF Champions League title after Enyimba won the title in 2003 and 2004? Comment below.

National Sports Festival gets Underway in Abuja

The 19th edition of the National Sports Festival started today December 6th 2018 in Abuja.The competition is a biennial event but due to funding or lets say the"Nigerian mentality",it last held six years ago "Eko Fiesta 2012".This year's edition tagged "Abuja 2018" is set to last for ten days from December 6th 2018 to December 16th 2018.

In this year's edition,about 8,861 participants from 35 states of Nigeria are competing for medals.Out of this 8,861 participants,7,227 are athletes,710 are coaches,222 are team members and 702 are state officials.

The athletes are to take part in ten games.Whilst the Ebonyi state government could not fund their team,Delta state governor Ifeanyi Okowa has decided to splash the cash telling his athletes from Delta that for every athlete who wins a gold medal he/she gets a whooping 1 million Naira,Silver medalists gets 500 thousand Naira while bronze medalists get 250 thousand naira.

Zonal eliminations for team sports will take place simultaneously in all the six geo- political zones from October 8-13.

The sum is per medal and this could just serve as a motivator for Delta State to go on and win the competition but who knows?Comment below who you think will win the National Sports Festival.

7,227 are athletes, 710 are coaches, 222 are team members, while 702 are state officials.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/national-sports-festival-8861-athletes-vie-for-honoursEbonyi state has no athlete in the competiton due to th fact that they could not meet up with time.

CAF Awards:Iwobi,Musa,Ighalo,Rohr and Oshoala all listed

Super Eagles stars Ahmed Musa,Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi are all in the 34-man shortlist released by CAF for the 2018 African Player of the Year.Mohammed Salah,Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,Riyad Mahrez,Naby Keita,Sadio Mane,Wilfried Zaha,Wahbi Khazri,Kalidou Koulibaly and Mehdi Benatia have all also been nominated for the award.

Asisat Oshoala,Onome Ebi,Francisca Ordega,Desire Oparanozia have been nominated for the Women's Player of the Year award also.

Wilfred Ndidi has been nominated for the Youth Player of the Year award.The list also contains Achraf Hakimi from Dortmund.

Gernot Rohr is in the list for the Men's Coach of the Year while Super Falcons Coach Thomas Dennerby has also been nominated for the Women's Coach of the Year.

Suprisingly,the Men's National Team was not nominated for the Team of the Year but the Super Falcons were nominated for the Women's National Team of the Year.

AWCON:Falcons crowned Champions for the 9th time

Super Falcons were able to beat South Africa on penalties 4 - 3 after a goaless full time.Ngozi Ebere, Rita Chikwelu, Veronica Ihezuo and Chinaza Uchendu scored thier respective penalties for the falcons with Onome Ebi hitting the upright while Asisat Oshoala firing wide.


Lebohang Ramalepe missed South Africa's second penalty with Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi saving Linda Motlhalo’s penalty to ensure a ninth African Women’s Nations Cup for the Super Falcons.The Super Falcons have now won the African Women Cup of Nations 9 times in 1998,2000,2002,2004.2006,2010,2014,2016 and 2018.

The Super Falcons, South Africa and bronze medallists Cameroon will represent Africa at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.