Sports
Rivers Utd Clinch Super 4 After Ranger Slip
By Clement Nwankpa
Rivers United rounded off an impressive outing at the NPFL Super4 with a 1-0 defeat of Wikki Tourists on Sunday to emerge winners after Rangers failed to beat FC Ifeanyi Ubah in the second game of the final matchday.
Guy Kuemian’s 5th minute goal ultimately proved enough for Stanley Eguma’s wards to pocket all three points.
But this was a game that showed Rivers United could mix it well. In previous games, fans had been enchanted by their sleek passing and robust attacking displays but they showed tenacity to protect their early lead in this game.
In what could best be described as a game of two halves, Rivers United started like house on fire and dominated proceedings in the first half.
As soon as Kuemian rounded Wikki keeper Emeka Nwabulu and tapped into an empty net in the 5th minute, it pointed towards another good day in the office for last season’s NPFL runners-up.
Five minutes later, Kuemian’s chip over onrushing Nwabulu narrowly missed target.
At this point, it was Rivers United all the way as Esosa Igbinoba and Nzube Anaezemba dominated proceedings in the middle of the park.
In the 32nd minute, the marauding right-back of Rivers United, Ifeanyi Nweke’s delivery was falling graciously for Kuemian in the box but just as he was set to pull the trigger, Nnaemeka Anyanwu’s last ditch interception saved the situation for Wikki.
If the first half showed Rivers United’s prowess in the final third, the second showed their resilience. They had to hang in to survive Wikki’s unrelenting forays.
In the process, keeper Abiodun Akande became a ‘screaming keeper.’ He could be heard from every part of the arena as he shouted himself hoarse organising his defence against the rampaging opposition.
Eguma tightened up things at the back bringing in Joseph Douhadji for Gabriel Olalekan. Douhadji’s partnership with charismatic captain Festus Austine at the heart of defence helped to keep Wikki at bay.
In the 67th minute, Sadiq Adamu teed on Muktar Alhassan but his effort narrowly missed target.
Then in the 72nd minute, Christopher Waziri’s goal-bound free kick was nodded off the line by Austine. From the ensuing corner, Harrison Madu’s volley was inches wide.
In the 81st minute, Omo Johnson let fly a cannon from the edge of the box but Akande was in a good position to gather the ball.
Six minutes later, Adamu’s ‘wicked’ delivery was headed for the top corner before Akande tipped over.
Ultimately, Rivers United hung in to secure a victory that highlighted their grit. A display that should come in handy on those Champions League nights on away soil when only resilience can bring favourable results.
http://npfl.ng/index.php/super-4/1914-rivers-utd-win-super4-after-rangers-falter
By Adedapo Adesanya
The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Mr Patrice Motsepe, has congratulated President Gianni Infantino on his re-election as President of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), calling for more development for the sport on the continent.
He said CAF and football in Africa have had a committed and dependable partner in President Infantino and FIFA in the development and growth of African and global football.
“CAF is committed to developing and promoting football for boys and girls as well as amateur and professional football on the African Continent. The construction and upgrading of football infrastructure and facilities and improving the standard and quality of football in Africa are essential for African football to become globally competitive and self-sufficient.
“President Gianni Infantino and FIFA have been committed and dependable partners in developing, uplifting and promoting African football. CAF is delighted and welcomes the re-election of President Infantino as FIFA President and is confident that football in Africa and globally will continue to develop and grow and be a force for good under his leadership,” the CAF president noted.
The re-election of President Gianni Infantino took place in Rwanda and was the first elective congress in the history of FIFA to take place in Africa.
The 52-year-old Italian-Swiss, renewed under the same conditions in 2019 by the delegates of the 211 member federations, could remain at the head of world football until 2031, with his first three years (2016-2019) being considered incomplete because he completed the tenure of the scandalous former helmsman, Mr Sepp Blatter.
The FIFA chief has seen some changes in his first official term at the helm of affairs. One such was an 18 per cent increase in income and 45 per cent in reserves over the 2019-22 cycle compared to the previous one, allowing the body to increase its subsidies to confederations and federations further.
African football is set to benefit more, starting with the passage of the men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in the 2026 edition, which will be shared between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The continent could see up to 9-10 countries representing in the tournament moving forward from the current five teams.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The President of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), Mr Gianni Infantino, has been reelected to begin his second term as the head of the world’s football governing body.
This came during the 73rd FIFA Congress held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, on Thursday.
He took over the reins from Mr Joseph Blatter, who had to leave the spot due to a scandal in 2016 but was officially elected for his first term in 2019, and upon this re-election, he can continue for another term in 2027 until 2031.
Speaking immediately after the re-election to serve from 2023 to 2027, President Infantino said, “Being FIFA President is an incredible honour, an incredible privilege, and it is also a great responsibility. I am truly humbled and touched by your support, and I promise you that I will continue serving FIFA, serving football all over the world, and serving all 211 FIFA member associations.”
It was the first time in its history that an elective FIFA Congress took place in Africa, and the proceedings were opened by Mr Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda.
In his address, President Kagame welcomed delegates from the 208 gathered member associations to his country and congratulated President Infantino on his impending re-election.
The FIFA President stressed FIFA’s role in organising competitions and developing football.
The President revealed that the 32-team FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand later this year would receive an extensive increase in prize money to over $150 million – more than three times the value from the last tournament in 2019 and 10 times more than in 2015.
President Infantino also referenced impending changes to the FIFA Under-17 World Cups at the boys’ and girls’ level, which will see those tournaments played on an annual basis, as well as the launch of the FIFA World Series and the revised 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, with the intention of giving teams from every confederation more opportunities to compete on the global stage.
Continued good governance was also a key pledge – including additional changes to the transfer system and a continued commitment to financial sustainability across the football pyramid.
For the next financial cycle, he made the commitment of $11 billion in revenue over the next four years, which represents a substantial increase on the initial target of $6.4 billion from the previous cycle and an increase on the $7.5 billion in revenue which was eventually reported.
Have you ever wondered who the world’s most successful sports bettors are? Are they modern-day Great Gatsby, extravagant millionaires, tech gurus, or analysts?
Sports betting is a multibillion-dollar industry. The world’s most successful sports bettors demonstrate big money involved in the sector by betting amounts on the top gambling platforms like betway, etc. Stay with us as we list out the top sports bettors of the world and walk you through the characteristics that define them.
Parlay Patz
Ben Patz, also known as Parlay Patz because of his successful parlay betting, was born in 1996 and began sports betting as soon as he was of legal gambling age. Patz, an American University of Paris and Columbia Business School graduate, realized early in his career that teams were more concerned with winning the game than with scoring points, so betting money came naturally to him.
Tony Bloom
Tony Bloom is a British professional sports bettor known as “The Lizzard” due to his cold-blooded approach to betting; as an industry veteran, Tony competed in the world’s most prestigious poker competitions.
The Lizzard is said to have won up to $1 million in a single football game. Bloom is now the owner of the English football club Brighton & Hove Albion and a key figure at StarLizard, the UK’s betting syndicate and consultancy firm.
Zlatko Ranogajec
Zeljko Ranogajec, born in Australia, is best known for his horse-betting activities. Zeljko is said to bet on every thoroughbred horse race in Australia. The billionaire employs computer technology to queue bets in the TAB system just seconds before the race begins. This way, he ensures that other bettors do not copy him and that bookmakers do not profit from the tumbling odds he generates.
Marco D’Angelo
Marco D’Angelo has been betting since the 1980s. He moved to Las Vegas in 2008 and rose to prominence in 2010 when he established one of the longest-documented streaks in baseball betting. The 25 consecutive games he won resulted in a massive profit.
Marco is well-liked for his openness and willingness to assist other bettors and show them his tricks. His betting strategy is based on a percentage system, as he always bets a small portion of his budget to avoid losses. He likes playing on Betway and other leading betting platforms.
Bottom Line
The Rise of Sports Betting in Nigeria is fuelled by many such sports bettors worldwide. People who want to make it big in the betting arena can learn a lot from the insight and traits of these betting legends.
