Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl has expressed his excitement after the club were drawn against Liverpool in the Europa League round of 32.
Weinzierl says everybody at the club is eagerly awaiting the games against Jurgen Klopp’s side.
“Anticipation for the Liverpool clash is sky-high. Everyone’s delighted, everyone cheered. We are happy with the draw. We will be outsiders but we gladly accept that role.”
“We have courage and confidence. Jurgen Klopp knows us, he will not underestimate us. We will give our all to achieve a sensational result. This match is something special. Liverpool are a cult club, Jurgen’s got a big name in Germany. I am delighted for everyone at the club.”
Augsburg captain Paul Verhaegh said: “Anfield is football history, we wanted that and it’s just super. We’ve shown in the past that we can surprise. We want to do that against Liverpool.”
Anfield Stadium, Liverpool FC
Augsburg sporting executive Stefan Reuter added: “It’s sensational for us and for our fans, for everyone at the club this is a real highlight. I’ve seen a very strong Liverpool in recent weeks. They’ve got great quality in Firmino and Emre Can they have two players who know the Bundesliga. We’ve won our last match against Klopp 1-0. We take that as a good omen. We have an experienced team and playing Liverpool is something very special. It’ll be a highlight to play at Anfield.”
Bulgarian champions Ludogorets say they could quit the league after claiming that referees are favouring title rivals Levski Sofia.
On Saturday, Levski were trailing 1-0 against Litex Lovech but the game was abandoned when Litex players walked off the pitch in protest after a second red card and a penalty was awarded against them.
“We’ll probably quit the championship if such precedents in favour of Levski continue,” said Ludogorets’ owner Kiril Domuschiev.
The four-time champions lead Levski by three points, although they will be level at the top if the Bulgarian league do give Sofia the win.
Domuschiev added: “Why should we spend our money, allowing teams who have neither the necessary skills nor the necessary class to win the title with such an approach?”
Ludogorets photo credit: Ludogorec.net
On Saturday, Litex sporting manager Stoycho Stoilov said of his decision to take his players off the pitch: “There was a huge difference in the referee’s decisions. I’ve never seen something like this in football. This is a farce, an insult to all Litex supporters and all football fans. It was the peak of the absurd situation of football in Bulgaria.”
The final leg of the 2015 Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship began on a rather bad note for some Nigerian players as the first round of the main draw got underway at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan on Monday.
Unlike in the first leg (Future 3) where Nigerian players made positive impacts with few of them making progress to the latter stages, it was a forgetful experience for the host players as they were sent packing by their highly experienced foreign counterparts.
In the men’s singles, Nigeria’s Thomas Otu was beaten by number two seed Harris Llyod of South Africa in 0-6,2-6 while his compatriot, Christopher Edwar also stumbled to a 6-2, 6-2 defeat to third seed Takanyi Garanganga of Zimbabwe.
It was the same fate for Christian Paul, who was Nigeria’s best performer in the first leg where he reached the quarterfinals, as he was outclassed 6-2, 6-1 by New Zealand’s Ben McLachlan.
In the women’s singles, Patience Onebamhoin was comprehensively beaten 6-0, 6-0, by number eight seed Prarthana Thombare of India while another Nigerian, Osariemen Airhunmwunde was defeated with embarrassing ease by Ushua Suhail of Pakistan 6-0, 6-1.
Nigerian-born Russian player, Melissa Ifidzhen defeated Sabath Ibrahim 6-1, 6-0 just as Norwegian Ulrikke Eikeri advance to the second round with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Ester Masuri of Israel
China’s Xiaoxi Zhao and Margarita Lazareva, the sixth seed from Russia also progresses with wins over Slovakia’s Nina Kolar and Eden D’Oliveira from South Africa 6-1,6-0 and 6-4,6-4 respectively.
Daughter of Zimbabwe Tennis Federation president, Valeria Bhunu, a runner up in the women’s doubles final in the first leg, bagged a 6-2, 6-0 win over Riley Alexandia of USA to also stay on course.
Other first round matches are billed to be completed on Tuesday with no fewer than five Nigerian players scheduled for action.
Flykite Productions, promoters of GOtv Boxing Night, have announced plans to make the fifth edition, holding on 26 December, a family-friendly one. According to Jenkins Alumona, Flykite Managing Director/CEO, this edition is aimed at giving families fun during the Yuletide holidays. Alumona called on parents to come to the National Stadium in Lagos, venue of the event with their children, who are assured of being given a wide variety of gifts.
“The season calls for giving. We are committed to that. It is why we are inviting parents to let their kids be part of the fun and get gifts. We assure them of security in and around the venue. We are proud to say security has always been good at every edition. It is not going to be different this time. Every kid at the venue will get gifts for Christmas. Parents who come early are also assured of gifts,” Alumona said.
GOtv Boxing Night V will feature three title fights and one national challenge duel. The biggest will be between national and West African Boxing Union Featherweight champion, Waidi “Skoro” Usman taking on Uganda’s Edward “Shaka” Kakembo for the African Boxing Union Featherweight title.
Also lined up Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, who will take on reigning national Welterweight champion, Sadiq “Police Fighting Machine” Ahmed. The third title fight will see Stanley “Edo Boy” Eribo attempt to win the National Light Welterweight title by taking on Sunday “Capo” Olalekan.
Sponsored by GOtv, the event, slated for broadcast in 47 African countries by Supersport, is supported by MultiChoice, Brilla FM, Newsbreak.ng, Complete Sports, Brilla FM and Bond FM.
The Nigeria Football Federation will hold its 71st Annual General Assembly at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Wednesday. The opening ceremony will start at 10am.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed on Monday that the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, will declare the big event open. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Christian Ohaa and the Director –General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, are also expected.
It is the second successive year that the NFF is holding its annual general assembly in a high-octane hotel facility. Last year, the concluding part of the NFF’s annual general assembly took place at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The assembly is coming few days after Nigeria lifted the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal, making the country the champions of the continent at U-23 boys, U-20 boys and senior women categories, apart from being champions of the world at U-17 boys level.
Further successes in a highly fruitful year for Nigeria football also include qualification of the home –based senior boys for the African Nations Championship; progress of the Super Eagles to the group stage of the African series for the 2018 World Cup; qualification of the Falconets for the 2016 U-20 World Cup; bronze medal–finish of the U-23 boys at the All-Africa Games; a domestic League praised at home and abroad and; quality, overseas capacity–enhancing programs for referees, coaches and administrators.
The assembly welcomes 88 delegates, made up of chairmen and secretaries of the Football Associations of the 36 States and the FCT, the Leagues, referees association, coaches association and players union.
All 12 members of the NFF Executive Committee as well as the General Secretary, former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries, members of NFF Management and stakeholders will also grace the occasion.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the appeal filed by David Nakhid against the FIFA Ad hoc Electoral Committee’s decision of 28 October 2015 (the FIFA AEC Decision) in which his candidacy for the upcoming FIFA presidential election was refused. The CAS has dismissed the appeal and upheld the FIFA AEC Decision.
In its decision of 28 October 2015, the FIFA AEC found that Mr Nakhid had not presented declarations of support from at least five member associations, and for this reason, could not be admitted as a candidate for the election for the office of FIFA President on 26 February 2016.
In appealing to the CAS on 13 November 2015, Mr Nakhid sought the annulment of the challenged decision and an order that his candidacy be reinstated.
In line with the FIFA AEC, the CAS Panel found that one member association had issued declarations of support to two candidates, including one for Mr Nakhid, in violation of the applicable FIFA rules. As a consequence, those letters of support were disregarded, meaning that David Nakhid had not met the qualifying criterion of obtaining declarations of support from at least five member associations, and accordingly, his candidature could not be validated.
The full award with the grounds will be notified to the parties in a few days.
The International Shooting Sport Federation – ISSF – notes with greatest concern that ANOC President and long-time IOC member Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah (“Sheikh Ahmad”) reportedly received a six-month prison sentence from a court in his native Kuwait for allegedly insulting the judiciary.
These very disturbing news appear to be the next level of escalation of a dispute between the Kuwaiti Government and the sports world.
From ISSF perspective this dispute began when ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña prevailed against the Kuwaiti Minister of Sports and Youth, Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Homud Al-Sabah (“Sheikh Salman”), in the ISSF Presidential election in December 2014. In the following Sheikh Salman refused to initiate a change of Kuwaiti state laws to guarantee the autonomy of sport in Kuwait despite intensive attempts by the IOC to convince him to do so. As a consequence the IOC suspended the recognition of the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee because of undue governmental interference in sports in Kuwait. Several International Federation followed the step taken by the IOC and suspended their Kuwaiti members in order to convince the Kuwaiti government to take the legislative measures to guarantee the autonomy of the Olympic movement in Kuwait for the sake of the Kuwaiti Athletes. However, until today the Kuwaiti Government did not follow the suggestions by the IOC. Quite to the contrary, this dispute sadly now seems to have reached a new level of escalation.
ISSF President Olegario Vazquez Raña
The ISSF experienced already during Sheikh Salman’s campaign to become ISSF President in 2014 that he showed little sensitivity for a democratic process, the autonomy of sports and ethical behavior within an election process which was displayed by the following incidents which will be discussed and investigated by the ISSF Ethics Committee:
– Prior to the election of the ISSF President in December 2014 the Public Authority for Youth and Sport of the State of Kuwait led by Sheikh Salman sent inter alia a letter to the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of South Africa. In this letter, the Kuwait Public Authority stated the following: “the friendly relationship between our two countries is unchanged by mutual cooperation in projects related to youth and sport” and hereafter asked for the “kind support for HE Sheikh/Salman Sabah Al-Homoud Al Sabah (sic), Minister of Information, Minister of State for Youth Affairs”
– Furthermore, prior to the election the Kuwait Shooting Federation (KSF) which had nominated Sheikh Salman as candidate and is apparently controlled by him, sent invitations to various ISSF member federations inviting them to the “H.H.The Amir of Kuwait 4th International Shooting Grand Prix” in Kuwait in January 2015. The KSF offered to provide airfare, accommodation, transportation, and participation fees – free of any charge – for an entire team. According to ISSF’s knowledge this had never happened before, let alone less than two months before a President’s election with a candidate nominated by the host making such offer.
– Additionally, alleged members of Sheikh Salman’s campaign staff apparently approached ISSF member officials offering financial assistance, including the payment of airfare for the journey to the ISSF General Assembly 2014, if they were willing to support the Sheikh Salman with their vote.
– There were also strong indications that the Sheikh paid the membership fees for several ISSF members which tellingly gave proxies to federations that were known for supporting Sheikh Salman’s candidature.
Despite all these more than questionable actions to influence the outcome of the election in December 2014, Mr Olegario Vazquez Raña prevailed in the election over Sheikh Salman.
However, instead of accepting the democratic decision of the ISSF members Sheikh Salman filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the election of Olegario Vazquez Raña. With his appeal the Sheikh inter alia submitted various identical written witness statements in his desperate attempt to build a case against his defeat. However, the decisive declaration within these witness statements turned out to be incorrect after questioning the witnesses directly at the two day hearing at CAS. Also for this reason CAS rejected the appeal by decision dated 16 November 2015.
The ISSF observed with greatest concern the further escalation of the senseless dispute between the Kuwaiti Government the IOC, its members and the ISSF.
The ISSF urges the Kuwaiti Government for the sake of the Olympic Movement in Kuwait and in particular the Kuwaiti athletes to stop its behavior contrary to the values according to the Olympic Charter triggered apparently also by personal interests and animosity immediately.
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has released the nominees for the other categories for the 2015 Glo-CAF Awards. The categories are; Women Player of the Year, Youth Player of the Year, Most Promising Talent, Coach of the Year, Referee of the Year, African Legend, National Team of the Year, Women National Team of the Year, Club of the Year, Platinum Award.
The list was unveiled at a press conference attended by CAF Excutive member Anjorin Moucharafou and Glo representatives on Monday, 14 December 2015 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The winners will be decided by votes from the CAF Footbal land Media Committees except Legend and Platinum awards, which are not subject to vote while Referee of the Year Award will be decided by the votes of CAF Refereeing Committee.
The winners will be announced at the Glo-CAF Awards Gala scheduled for Thursday, January 7, 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria.
Below are the nominees for the various categories in alphabetical order;
Women Player of the Year
· Gabrielle Onguéné, Cameroon
· Gaelle Enganamouit, Cameroon
· Ngozi Ebere, Nigeria
· N’rehy Tia Ines, Cote d’Ivoire
· Portia Boakye, Ghana
Youth Player of the Year
· Adama Traore, Mali
· Kelechi Nwakali, Nigeria
· Samuel Diarra, Mali
· Victor Osimhen, Nigeria
· Yaw Yeboah, Ghana
It was fun galore with lots of excitement over the weekend at the Emmanuel School complex, as the Oluwanisola Cup kicked off, Organiser and Sponsor of the Football Championship Olanrewaju Oladunjoye Speaking with the media expressed his joy at being able to put together such a tournament.
Oladunjoye said: “I feel that sports, and football in particular is a universal language and it unifies us as a people and country, hence the reason for this tournament in the last four years”
The man also fondly called “Omo Olore” stated that engaging the youths of the area postively is his montivation,”Youths of this area as part.of the future leaders of the country, it important for them to embrace good virtues and desist from things that will negavatively affect their lives.” He noted.
He however called on the state government and other well meaning people of the state to look into the area of developing a standard sports facility for the area.
Oladunjoye revealed that the Emmanuel School complex can be easily turned into a befitting sporting complex where talents discovered and developed.
The tournament will continue this Saturday, with the finals holding on Sunday at the same venue.
The annual Charity Cup match, which opposes the winner of the Nigeria Professional Football League against the champions of the men’s Federation Cup, will now be played a week before the kick–off of the 2015/2016 League Season.
Traditionally, the Charity Cup game is played on the day of the NFF annual general assembly. However, the NFF Technical and Development Committee has ruled otherwise this term.
2015 Federation Cup Winners Akwa United FC, football, Nigeria. photo credit Alonge Akinlolu
“We have decided that, in line with what obtains in most big footballing nations of the world, the Charity Cup match will now serve as the season–opener.
“It will no longer be played on the day of the annual general assembly of Nigeria Football Federation. We intend to make it a big show,” Vice Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Alh. Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, said on Monday.
The Charity Cup match should have come up on Wednesday – the day of the NFF annual general assembly – between league champions Enyimba FC of Aba and Federation Cup winners, Akwa United of Uyo.
Andrew Abalaogu of Enyimba against Odinga Odinga and Yusuf Jaiyeola of Sharks photo credit: LMC Media
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the third round schedule of the ICC Intercontinental Cup and ICC World Cricket League Championship.
Ireland is undefeated in the Intercontinental Cup with a maximum of 40 points from its victories over UAE and Namibia after round two of seven. They stand 14 points clear of the Netherlands in second place, with Afghanistan five points back in third place on 21 points. Hong Kong will face Scotland, while UAE play host to the Netherlands (21-24 January) before leaders Ireland travel to face Papua New Guinea in round three of the tournament in Townsville, Australia (31 January – 3 February).
The winners of the ICC Intercontinental Cup will qualify for the ICC Test Challenge, which will be played against the 10th-ranked Test side on a home and away basis in 2018. If the ICC Intercontinental Cup winner wins the four-match ICC Test Challenge, then it will secure Test status until the next edition, which will take place in 2022.
Meanwhile, there is a four-way tie at the top of the ICC World Cricket League Championship between Hong Kong, Kenya, Netherlands and Scotland who are all on six points after four games. The top four sides of a total of eight participating in the competition will progress to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will be held in Bangladesh in 2018.
Live Scoring:
Live scoring will be available for all matches on http://www.icc-cricket.com and there will also be match reports from each of the ICC Intercontinental Cup / World Cricket League Championship matches.
Third round matches:
Hong Kong v Scotland
21-24 January 2016 – Four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup, Mission Road
26 and 28 January – ICC World Cricket League Championship, Mission Road
UAE v Netherlands
21-24 January – Four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup, Abu Dhabi
27 and 29 January – ICC World Cricket League Championship, Abu Dhabi
ICC Intercontinental Cup 2015-17, photo credit ICC:Noel DeSouza
Papua New Guinea v Ireland
31 January – 3 February – Four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
Afghanistan v Namibia
10-13 April – Four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup, tbc
Nepal v Namibia
16 and 18 April – ICC World Cricket League Championship, University Ground, Kathmandu (subjection to infrastructure/security assessment/approval)
Papua New Guinea v Kenya
April / May tbc – ICC World Cricket League Championship
After 22 World Tour events in 2015, the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals champions are MA Long and DING Ning, after an action filled event concluded today 13 December in Lisbon, Portugal.
MA Long became the most successful ITTF World Tour Grand Finals player, winning his fourth title in dramatic circumstances in the final match of 2015.
The world champion, who has only lost one match in 2015, had a titanic battle with his team mate, 18 year old FAN Zhendong, in one of the most exciting finals in history. The world number one raced to a 2-0 lead only for FAN Zhendong to win the next three games and looked like he was going to do the unexpected of to beat the world number one. However he was left heartbroken, as MA Long closed out the match 12-10, 12-10, 11-13, 7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9.
Ma Long celebrates his victory at the Liebherr 2015 ITTF Men’s World Cup
The newly crowned champion stated: “We had a tough match, the feeling wasn’t the best for both of us, and neither of us could lead in the match. I had to just stay calm, as I knew I would have a chance to win the match if I just kept my level high.”
“I am very happy to beat my ex-captain WANG Liqin’s record of World Tour Grand Finals victories. He is a well respected athlete, so I’m happy to have made this history.”
“I wasn’t thinking much about the records, but just played the best I could.”
2015 World Champion DING Ning won her first World Tour Grand Finals, after losing four of her previous finals. Despite being exhausted after a packed year, DING made it fifth time lucky and defeated her team mate CHEN Meng, who earlier beat world number one LIU Shiwen en route to the final.
The 25-year-old was pushed by her younger team mate but her experience that has lead her to two World Championships titles led to her victory: 13-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-2, 9-11, 11-7.
A relieved DING stated after the match: “I have made it to the World Tour Grand Finals Singles final for the past 4 times, but lost all 4, this is my fifth attempt.”
“Before the match, I have a strong desire for victory, and break the ‘curse’. Since I started playing in the ITTF World Tour, every time I qualified for the Grand Finals, I could always reach the final, so I really hoped to win. Now that I have won, I feel really happy about it.”
Masataka MORIZONO & Yuya OSHIMA became the first ever Japanese pair to win the World Tour Grand Finals Men’s Doubles title. In the process, the young Japanese duo broke the hearts of the capacity Portuguese crowd, beating local favorites Tiago APOLONIA &Joao MONTEIRO 11-6, 8-11,13-11, 12-10, 11-8 in a thrilling gold medal match.
The women’s defending champions, 15-year-olds Miu HIRANO & Mima ITO could not make it two doubles victories for Japan, losing to the Chinese pair DING Ning & ZHU Yuling 11-5, 11-3, 11-9, 11-4 in a one sided final.
Yuya OSHIMA added a second gold medal to his collection, by winning the men’s under 21 title. OSHIMA, who had a breakthrough year winning two under 21 events and a senior World Tour event in 2015, beat ZHAI Yujia (DEN) 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-3, 11-8 to secure the title.
Singapore’s LIN Ye won her second under 21 title by defeating Yui HAMAMOTO (JPN) 12-10, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 in the women’s under 21 final.
Ma Long celebrates becoming the most successful World Tour Grand Final player in history
The GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour was the year-ending finale to the US$3,000,000 ITTF World Tour, whereby the top 16 singles and 8 doubles pairs qualified through collecting #Race2Lisbon points throughout the 2015 ITTF World Tour.
The GAC 2015 ITTF World Tour is split into three tiers (highest first): Super (6 events), Major (6 events), Challenge (11 events). The higher the series, the more prize money, world ranking points, Race to Lisbon points and higher quality of competition on offer.
newfanzone 