Solskjaer reacts to Van de Beek’s performance against West Ham

 

Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has defended Donny van de Beek’s performance after they struggled past West Ham to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Scott McTominay netted the winner in extra time after a drab affair at Old Trafford.

Van de Beek, who arrived in a £35 million deal from Ajax in the summer, started in midfield with Bruno Fernandes benched.

In the absence of their main creative outlets, United struggled to find a way through West Ham.

But Solskjaer was satisfield with how Van de Beek performed.

“I thought in the first half, we and Donny played really well,” Solskjaer told reporters.

“We created spaces and he was part of that. He did his job neat and tidy, had a half chance. In the second half, the whole team fell off a little bit and we just wanted to make a few changes.”

Van de Beek was replaced after 73 minutes by Fernandes.

Pirlo reacts as Juventus qualify for final, names best player

 

Juventus manager, Andrea Pirlo, has reacted after his team qualifies for the Coppa Italia final ahead of Inter Milan on Tuesday night.

Pirlo also identified goalkeeper, Samir Handanovic, as the best player on the pitch following his side’s Coppa Italia semi-final second leg 0-0 draw against Inter Milan at Allianz Stadium.

Juventus qualified for the final of the Coppa Italia for the 20th time after a 2-1 aggregate against Inter Milan.

The Old Lady had won the first leg 2-1 against Antonio Conte’s men at San Siro last week.

Pirlo’s side will face the winner between Napoli and Atalanta, who are locked at 0-0 ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in Bergamo, in May’s final in Rome.

“I hoped to get to this stage of my debut campaign and be in the last 16 of the Champions League, have won the Super Cup and reached the final of the Coppa Italia, but we haven’t done anything yet, so we have to keep working away and stay focused,” Pirlo was quoted by Juventus’s official website as saying after the game.

“I’m lucky to have four excellent centre-backs and they’re all doing well. We played well today because Inter hardly had any shots on goal. We had the best chances and [Samir] Handanovic was the best player on the pitch.

“We defend in a 4-4-2 but mix it up when we’re building moves depending on the opponents.”

BIAFRA : Blessing Okagbere receives recognition from Guinness Book

 

Nigerian athlete, Blessing Okagbare has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the only athlete to have attended the Athletics Diamond Meetings 67 times.

The sprinter shared the good news via her Instagram account on Wednesday.

According to her, the recognition is a dream that turned into reality through God’s grace and determination.

“A dream made reality through God’s grace and determination.

“Look what finally came in the mail.

“Thanks to Guinness book of world records, I am indeed honored, proud and grateful,” she said.

In 2018, Okagbare, won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympic.

She won silver and bronze in the long jump and 200 meter events respectively at the 2013 World Championships held in Moscow, Russia.

The 32-year-old also won two gold medals and a silver at the 2014 commonwealth games in Glasgow.

FOOTBALL : We’ll no longer play matches with empty stomach – Kogi Queens threaten boycott

 

Players of Kogi State female team, Confluence Queen have threatened to boycott their Nigeria Women Premier League, (NWPL) game against FC Robo if their demands are not met by the Kogi State Government.

This latest threat is coming a few days after their male counterparts, Kogi United protested for a backlog of entitlements and sign-on fees for two seasons.

The game between Confluence Queen and FC Robo is scheduled to take place today, Wednesday, at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium by 4PM.

The players had accused the government of failing to give priority to their welfare as they continue to play their league matches with empty stomachs.

The State female team players are calling on the government to pay their match allowances, sign on fee, provide better accommodation, and improve their welfare in the State.

Some of the players, who spoke  on Wednesday, under the condition of anonymity accused the government of neglecting its own state teams, but found solace in outsiders despite their achievement in the State.

 however, gathered that Confluence Queen who are 11th on the NWPL log have been cash strapped following alleged neglect by the state government.

Some of the players who spoke to said “We are treated here in Confluence Queen as if we are animals. We have been training and preparing with everyday promises that things will get better, but nothing yet, except the government answers us by giving us what we need, no match.

“We’ve not been paid our sign on fees for two and half seasons, even to play matches is always a problem. Nothing to eat. We are tired of this and we cannot be playing on empty stomachs.

“Our camp is not concussive for living. Recently, our camp got burnt, up till now, no government official has come to check on us, as we lost several of our properties.

“Most times, we go out to play matches with empty stomachs. Our team bus is nothing to write home about. We get stranded on the road on a timely basis. Whenever we are playing matches away from home, it is usually hell in a cell.

“The salary we are collecting is not enough to cater for our wellbeing, yet we are not complaining. We came second in the league in 2019 after losing 1:0 to Rivers Angel.

“As we speak, nobody has come from this government to say well-done for making the state proud. We decided to play football because of the passion we have for the game. We don’t want to engage in the act of selling our bodies because we are women. The government must do something or else there will be a walkover against our team today”.

They called on Governor Yahaya Bello to come to their aid before things got out of hand.

It could be recalled that the NWPL matches were postponed last month due to Covid 19 mandatory test for all players in the league.

Boko Haram Fighters Attack Yobe As Army Chief Visits North-East

 It was learnt that apart from Geidam, the terrorists have also established strongholds in Tarmuwa and Yunusari local government areas in Yobe.

Boko Haram terrorists and their Islamic State West African Province faction have invaded Geidam communities in Yobe State, looting foodstuffs and drugs as residents flee from their homes.

SaharaReporters learnt that the insurgents attacked the communities around 6pm on Tuesday, only a day after the Chief of the Army Staff, Major General Attahiru Ibrahim, visited troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri, Borno State, and assured that the military would tackle the insurgency headlong.

“The communities were attacked by Boko Haram and ISWAP who broke into shops and looted foodstuffs and drugs. The insurgents attacked Geidam and forced the residents of the surrounding villages to flee. The terrorists have turned the communities into their stronghold.

“They operate from at least eight communities,” a military source said.

It was learnt that apart from Geidam, the terrorists have also established strongholds in Tarmuwa and Yunusari local government areas in Yobe.

During his visit, the army chief who was at the Special Army Super Camp in Ngamdu, had noted that the insurgency war would soon end.

“I have met commanders; I have received briefs and they told me what their critical requirements are with emphasis on military effectiveness.

“This we are working in tandem with the troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force towards the defeat of terrorists. On issues of equipment and other logistics items, I have been briefed on it and we are making tremendous effort on it.

“I have reliably been told about the challenge of kitting. In the next couple of weeks, you will have your uniforms and protective gear.

“Furthermore, I know the issue of overstay in the mission area has been a major problem. Rest assured that in the next couple of weeks and months, we shall have a standard rotation plan for replacements of troops who have overstayed with fresh hands,” he had said.

NEWS UPDATE : Blood bath In Kaduna Again As Bandits Kill 10, Injure Six Residents

 

Locals were fleeing mostly because of the message from the bandits that “they were coming back because of the killing of their members by youths.

About 10 people have been reportedly killed and six others wounded in fresh attacks on Unguwar Gajere, in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

SaharaReporters learnt that over 300 people, mostly women and children, were also displaced as a result of the bandits’ invasion of Unguwar Gajere area.

A resident of the Dogon Dawa area, Musa Sa'idu, on Tuesday told SaharaReporters that the attack occurred around 6 to 7.30pm on Monday, when the gun-wielding bandits invaded the area and opened fire on the residents.

He explained that the fleeing residents were currently looking for shelter at Dogon Dawa, about 20km from Saulawa community where they had fled their homes as result of the abduction of 14 women last Saturday.

“Ten people were killed and six others wounded during yesterday’s attack at Unguwar Gajere. The people are fleeing due to fear of another attack by bandits as a result of the killing of two bandits during the attack by brave youths of Unguwar Gajere,” he said.

Babawo added that the locals were fleeing mostly because of the message from the bandits that “they were coming back because of the killing of their members by youths.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached for comment.

On Monday, barely 24 hours after the massacre of 19 people in Kutemeshi in the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area by bandits, the people of Saulawa community fled their home in their numbers.

An eyewitness, who captured the video of thee fleeing women, children and aged persons, told SaharaReporters that the exodus occurred around 4.30pm in the evening of Monday.

“Saulawa community is a distance of about 20km from Dogon Dawa,” the eyewitness said, adding that “the people were fleeing their abode as a result of the attack and abduction of 14 women on Saturday.”  

A source added that the displaced residents were heading towards the Funtua area of Katsina State.

BIAFRA : Facebook Blocks Nnamdi Kanu's Account, IPOB Labels Company As Accomplice To Fulani Herdsmen Atrocities

 

IPOB said that Kanu’s Facebook account was blocked after his revealing live broadcast on Tuesday night.

The Indigenous People of Biafra has berated the social media giant, Facebook, for blocking the account of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

This was contained in a press statement issued and made available to SaharaReporters by the media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, on Wednesday.

Powerful said that Kanu’s Facebook account was blocked after his revealing live broadcast on Tuesday night.

“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is appalled at the despicable attitude of Facebook for blocking the Facebook page of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, after his expository and explosive live broadcast on Tuesday night. It is not only baffling but too petty for a global social media giant like Facebook to allow itself to be used by agents of oppression in Nigeria to suppress the truth,” the statement partly read.

“We strongly condemn this attitude of Facebook managers in Lagos and Abuja who collude with corrupt Nigerian government officials to suppress the free flow of Information via their platform. This unconscionable and reprehensible attitude amounts to partnering with perpetrators of human rights abuses and other criminal activities masterminded by the Nigeria state against innocent citizens.

“The Fulani-controlled federal government and its foot soldiers - terrorist herdsmen and bandits - have continued to subjugate indigenous nations in the country, including Biafrans with the intent for conquest. These foot soldiers on a daily basis unleash all sorts of mayhem on the innocent and hapless indigenous peoples while the federal government mischievously remains docile. 

“These vampires masquerading as herdsmen have forcibly seized our forests and converted our farms to grazing fields for their cattle. They have equally turned our ancestral lands to slaughterhouses where they kill with impunity in most dehumanising manners, innocent locals going about their legitimate business. They commit these crimes unchallenged by security operatives. They kidnap for ransoms, maim and rape our women. They feed their cattle with our crops, and Facebook is saying we don't have a right to cry out?”

The IPOB spokesperson described the attitude of the Mark Zuckerberg-managed Facebook as oppressive and prevention of information flow, which he said was similar to how the British government prevented information from Biafra from going out during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 — 1970.

“Now that our leader has started exposing the atrocities of these wolves in human clothing, Facebook has decided to be an accomplice to mass murder and oppressive tendencies of Fulani Janjaweed rulers of Nigeria. Why should Facebook block the account of the leader of the largest peaceful mass movement in the world for speaking the bitter truth people are too terrified to talk about?

“Why hasn't Facebook prevailed on the perpetrators of these heinous crimes in Nigeria to stop their atrocities instead of denying innocent victims media access? Facebook is quick to fall for the lie of agents of oppression and accuse us of hate speech but fails to realise that hate action begets hate speech if in the Facebook lexicon, bitter truth translates to hate speech.

“This unholy act is only akin to what Britain and her allies did to Biafra during the Genocidal War of 1967-70 when they imposed land, air and media blockade on Biafra in order to deny the truth about the ongoing genocide from going out.

“Facebook, it seems does not want the atrocities of Fulani killer herdsmen to come to the knowledge of the world but they have failed woefully. Facebook is today assisting an oppressive government that pampers, frees and settles 'captured' terrorists while doing nothing to protect or rehabilitate victims of terror.

“But our message to Facebook is simple: no matter how hard you try to suppress the gospel of truth being preached by our leader, the struggle for Biafra liberation cannot be slowed down. On the contrary, our efforts will be intensified because Biafra restoration is a divine mandate that must be accomplished in this era.

“We are very resolute in our resolve to restore Biafra and will not be deterred. If you like, block all Biafran activists on your platform, we shall keep pushing on until Biafra is fully restored.

In the release, however, IPOB spokesman enumerated other options to be explored in getting information from Kanu henceforth.

“We, therefore, wish to encourage our leader's teeming global audience to follow him and hook up to his live broadcasts via IPOB's numerous other platforms. Our leader can be followed through many other platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, IPOB Community Radio App, Radio Biafra app, satellite and FM. 

“May we therefore remind all those compromised local staff of Facebook in Lagos and Abuja that but for Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, their families in their communities would have today been overrun by herdsmen and terrorists. An accomplice to a cruel man will surely get the reward of cruelty!”