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BOWFT 2023: Edo Prepares For Betsy Obaseki Women Football Pre-season Tourney

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competition kicks off October 23

The Organising Committee for the Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament (BOWFT) has said all is set for the hosting of the FIFA-accredited pre-season women’s tournament which is to be held in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The tournament is scheduled to commence on October 23, 2023, with 13 participating teams.

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Conducting journalists around designated centres in Benin City on Monday, the Head of Facility Sub-Committee for the tournament, Victor Edokpaiyi, said the 2023 edition of the tournament would surpass the previous editions.

He listed the centres to host the games for the female competition to include Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the University of Benin Sports Complex, Western Boys Mini Stadium, while the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Edo State School of Health Technology Mini Stadium will be used as training centres.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Nigeria Inflation Climbs To 26.72%

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He said, “We are set for the pre-season competition as we just finished inspecting the centres for the competition and all the facilities have been put in place.

According to him, “The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will host the opening and the closing ceremony of the competition, while group matches up to the semi-finals would be played at UNIBEN sports complex and Western Boys Mini Stadium.

“The School of Health Mini Stadium and University of Benin Teaching Hospital would serve as training centres for participating teams.”

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The third edition of the BOWFT will focus on the Edo State Government’s campaign to end gender-based violence.

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Chelsea Sign Brazilian Joao Pedro From Brighton

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Chelsea signed Brazil striker Joao Pedro from Brighton in a deal worth a reported £60 million ($79 million) on Wednesday.

Pedro jetted to the United States, where Chelsea are playing in the Club World Cup, on Sunday after the terms of his eight-year contract were agreed.

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With the transfer now confirmed following a medical, Pedro is available to play for Enzo Maresca’s side in their Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras in Philadelphia.

FIFA has given clubs involved in the Club World Cup knockout phase until July 3 to register new players for the tournament.

READ ALSO:FULL LIST: Nigeria, Host Nation In Group A Of FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Draw

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“Everyone knows this is a big club with a great history,” Pedro said.

“They had brilliant players in the past and have brilliant players now, so I am excited to join and you know when you are a Chelsea player you must think one thing – win.”

Pedro, who joined Brighton for £30 million from Watford two years ago, scored 30 goals in 70 appearances for the Seagulls and has been capped three times by Brazil.

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The 23-year-old missed Brighton’s final two matches of the season after being dropped due to a training ground altercation with team-mate Jan Paul van Hecke.

READ ALSO:FULL LIST: Nigeria, Host Nation In Group A Of FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Draw

Pedro is the fourth player Chelsea have signed from Brighton in recent years after Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Robert Sanchez.

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Chelsea, who qualified for next season’s Champions League, have already splashed out on striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr since the end of last term.

Brazilian rising star Estevao Willian, 18, will join the Blues after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras.

Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens could also be a Chelsea player soon after a deal worth up to a reported 65 million euros ($76 million) was agreed for the 20-year-old on Saturday.

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Chelsea Agree Deal To Sign Brighton Forward Joao Pedro

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Chelsea’s forward options could be bolstered by the time they face Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Friday after reportedly agreeing a deal with Brighton for Joao Pedro.

The Athletic reported the Brazilian international is on his way to the United States for a medical before joining up with the Chelsea squad after terms were struck for a transfer in excess of £50 million ($69 million).

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Pedro, who joined Brighton for a then club record £30 million from Watford two years ago, scored 30 goals in 70 appearances for the Seagulls.

READ ALSO:Full List: Maresca No Longer Needs Nine Players At Chelsea

However, the 23-year-old missed Brighton’s final two matches of the season after being dropped due to a training ground altercation with team-mate Jan Paul van Hecke.

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FIFA has given clubs involved in the Club World Cup knockout phase until July 3 to register new players for the tournament.

READ ALSO:Chelsea Set To Offload Jackson, Madueke, 8 Others [See list]

Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens could also be a Chelsea player by then after a deal worth up to a reported 65 million euros ($76 million) for the 20-year-old was agreed on Saturday.

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Chelsea have already signed striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr this summer.

Brazilian rising star Estevao Willian, 18, will also join the Premier League giants after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras.

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Club World Cup: PSG Crush Inter Miami 4-0 To Reach Quarter-final

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) steamrollered Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 4-0 to reach the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Miami hoped the Argentine superstar’s magic could help them produce an unlikely result against his former side, but the Major League Soccer side were dismantled in Atlanta by Luis Enrique’s rampant European champions.

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Ageing great Messi and his former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba had done well to reach the last 16 but the gulf in quality between the teams was laid bare over the 90 minutes.

Joao Neves netted twice for PSG, who benefitted from a Tomas Aviles own goal, while Achraf Hakimi was also on target.

After Neves opened the scoring early on Miami resisted until PSG hit three goals in 10 minutes towards the end of the first half.

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READ ALSO:PSG Beat Reims To Win French Cup Ahead Of Champions League Final

Messi was the main draw, as fans chanted his name and most of the 66,000 crowd were clad in Miami’s hot pink interspersed with Argentina shirts.

PSG dominated from the start, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia floating into the box and teeing up Bradley Barcola, but Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari thwarted him with an outstretched leg.

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However shortly afterwards over-run Miami right-back Marcelo Weigandt fouled Desire Doue and it led to PSG’s opener.

Vitinha whipped a free-kick to the back post where Portuguese midfielder Neves ran in completely unmarked, stooping to nod past Ustari after six minutes.

PSG’s Fabian Ruiz had a goal disallowed for offside before Miami defender Noah Allen limped off injured in a further blow for Javier Mascherano’s side.

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READ ALSO:PSG Knock Liverpool Out Of Champions League On Penalties

With the Ligue 1 champions pressing high and keeping possession Miami found it hard to get Messi involved.

The 38-year-old Argentine superstar played a superbly weighted pass down the right flank for Tadeo Allende but a rare Miami break came to nothing.

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Messi’s intermittent interventions were not enough to hold back the Parisian tide.

PSG doubled their lead in the 39th minute when veteran holding midfielder Busquets got his footwork wrong in front of his own box.

Spanish compatriot Ruiz rapidly relieved him of the ball and combined with Barcola to set up Neves to tap home his second.

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READ ALSO:Elliott Gives Liverpool Slender Win Over PSG In Champions League

PSG grabbed their third when Aviles deflected Doue’s cross into his own net, and Hakimi netted the fourth before half-time to put PSG out of sight.

The Morocco international’s first effort was deflected onto the crossbar but he stayed alert at the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium to fire home the rebound.

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Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi lost his cool with a swipe aimed at Vitinha as the Argentine raged against the midfielder, Miami’s impotence and PSG’s swagger.

– Determined Messi –

Messi produced a brilliant pass for Suarez early in the second half, chipping a ball over the PSG defence, but the Uruguayan could not finish to offer Miami a lifeline.

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Despite the impossibility of a comeback — there was to be no comeback like the one Luis Enrique’s Barcelona managed in 2017 against PSG from four goals down in which Messi and Suarez scored — the Argentine was determined to bow out with a bang.

READ ALSO:Asensio Stars Again As Villa Beat Brugge To Book PSG Showdown

Messi drew a first save from PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma after the hour mark with a low effort.

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Luis Enrique sent on winger Ousmane Dembele for his first appearance at the tournament after a hamstring injury, but the Frenchman was rusty and imprecise.

When Suarez was fouled by Lucas Beraldo on the edge of the box Messi had the chance to repeat his free-kick winner against Porto in the group stage, but his effort hit the wall.

It was not to be for Messi or Miami, but their second-half performance was respectable and the defeat was by a lesser margin than the French side’s 5-0 Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan.

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PSG will face Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarter-finals in Atlanta on Saturday.

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