Sports
Maguire Slams ‘Naive’ Man Utd After Shock Fulham Defeat
Harry Maguire admitted “naive” Manchester United paid the price for being too attacking in the final minutes of their shock 2-1 defeat against Fulham on Saturday.
Erik ten Hag’s side suffered a major blow to their hopes of a top four finish in the Premier League as Alex Iwobi snatched Fulham’s winner seven minutes into stoppage-time.
United defender Maguire looked to have rescued a point when his close-range finish in the 89th minute cancelled out Calvin Bassey’s 65th minute opener.
But United were caught throwing players forward in search of all three points as Iwobi capped a counter-attack to seal Fulham’s first victory at Old Trafford since 2003.
“Overall on the balance of play we didn’t do enough in the first 60 minutes or so. We started the game not great,” Maguire said.
“The first half was pretty even, but when you’re not playing at your best you have to do the basics right.
“To be a goal behind, I thought our reaction was brilliant especially in the last 30 minutes and when we equalised probably only one team was going to win it.
“We were probably naive in the end by throwing too many bodies forward and getting done on the counter attack.”
Sixth placed United are now eight points adrift of fourth placed Aston Villa in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
United could have no complaints after Fulham dominated with a display that punctured the optimism around Old Trafford following the confirmation of Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a 25 percent stake in the club this week.
British billionaire Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, has taken control of the club’s football operations from unpopular owners the Glazer family.
But United’s tame performance underlined how much work they have to do to fulfil Ratcliffe’s bold ambition of knocking Manchester City and Liverpool “off their perch”.
Maguire claimed United were hampered by the absence of Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund, who had been in fine form before suffering an injury this week.
“We got hit by the injury to Rasmus, who has been big focal point for us. But it is up to us to find the solutions and the areas we need to improve on,” Maguire said.
“We can play into him, he holds it up, he starts the press really well, not only that but Marcus (Rashford) has been playing really well on the left.
“It’s the story of our season, we’ve been injury hit, as other teams have, and we need to find a solution quick.”
AFP
Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, has generously awarded Nasarawa United a sum of two million Naira in recognition of their impressive 2-1 away victory against Lobi Stars in Enugu on Wednesday, during the NPFL Matchday 36.
The announcement was made via the club’s official WhatsApp group, where the Governor actively engages with live updates on matches and other significant events.
This latest reward fulfills a prior pledge of two million and five hundred thousand Naira that the Governor had promised after the Solid Miners triumphed over fellow zonal rivals, Plateau United, in Lafia.
Additionally, the Governor’s Deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, contributed five hundred thousand Naira as a reward for the team’s success against Lobi Stars in Enugu.
The State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Kwanta Yakubu, presented the funds to the team’s Chairman, Solomon Babanjah, and Captain, King Osanga, on behalf of both the Governor and Deputy Governor.
In a thrilling match at the Cathedral Stadium in Enugu, Nasarawa United exhibited remarkable resilience, overcoming Lobi Stars with a 2-1 victory in this highly anticipated derby during Matchday 36 of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League Season.
FIFA World Cup Announcement
The FIFA Council has officially approved the expansion of the Women’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, effective from the 2031 edition, during a virtual meeting held on Friday.
This new format will feature 12 groups, resulting in an increase in the total number of matches from 64 to 104, paralleling the expanded men’s World Cup scheduled for 2026. The tournament’s duration will also extend by one week.
For the upcoming 2027 Women’s World Cup, set to take place in Brazil, the tournament will maintain the 32-team format.
The 2023 edition, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, marked the inaugural participation of 32 teams, up from 24 teams in the 2019 tournament held in France.
“This expansion is not merely about adding 16 teams to the FIFA Women’s World Cup; it represents a significant advancement for women’s football as a whole,” stated FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
He emphasized, “More FIFA member associations will have the opportunity to leverage this tournament to enhance their women’s football frameworks from a comprehensive perspective.”
The United States is expected to be named the host for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, as it is the only candidate, marking the third occasion the country will host the tournament, previously doing so in 1999 and 2003.
The United Kingdom is the sole bidder for the 2035 tournament, with the hosts for both the 2031 and 2035 editions still pending ratification.
Despite concerns regarding potential mismatches with the inclusion of 48 teams, Infantino highlighted the competitive progress showcased in the 2023 edition, where teams from all confederations secured victories and five confederations advanced to the knockout stage.
He remarked, “The 2023 Women’s World Cup set a new benchmark for global competitiveness, achieving several records along the way.” (NAN)
Arsenal’s bid to win the Champions League for the first time is over after they suffered a 2-1 second-leg defeat to Paris St Germain at the Parc des Princes.
Mikel Arteta’s players were already one goal down in the semi-final first leg, and, despite a strong start, they were two behind in the tie when Fabian Ruiz struck for PSG after 27 minutes.
Vitinha missed a penalty – after Myles Lewis-Skelly was adjudged to have handled the ball following a contentious VAR review – before Achraf Hakimi put the match out of sight in the 72nd minute.
But it is PSG, who have now beaten three Premier League sides in a row, with Arsenal following Liverpool and Aston Villa in succumbing to the French champions, that will play Inter Milan in the final on May 31 after a 3-1 aggregate success.
Arsenal’s sole appearance in a Champions League final came here in Paris in 2006 where they suffered a late defeat to Barcelona, and the French capital was the scene of yet more heartbreak for the north Londoners.
RESULTS
UCL
PSG 2-1 Arsenal
(PSG 3-1 agg.)
U20 AFCON
Nigeria 2-2 Kenya
(F’Eagles for Q’finals)
Tunisia 1-3 Morocco
(Morocco for Q’finals)
Europa League
Man Utd v Bilbao
Bodo/Glimt v Tottenham
Europa Conference
Chelsea v Djurgarden
Fiorentina v Betis