EPL: Haaland Scores Four In Man City Rout Of Wolves

Published

1 year ago

May 4, 2024

Editor

Erling Haaland scored four as Manchester City closed to within three games of an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title by thrashing Wolves 5-1 at the Etihad.

Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth earlier on Saturday had opened up a four-point lead for the Gunners.

But City showed no signs of feeling the pressure as they cut the gap back to one point and have three matches remaining to Arsenal’s two.

Haaland has faced criticism for not matching the standards of his stunning first season in Manchester, when he scored 52 goals as City won the treble.

However, the Norwegian took his tally for this season to 36 goals in 41 appearances with a devastating display of finishing.

Haaland was restored to Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up after coming off the bench to score against Nottingham Forest last weekend on his return from injury.

Wolves had inflicted one of City’s just three Premier League defeats this season.

But the visitors were blown away as Guardiola’s men extended their unbeaten home streak to 43 games.

Wolves felt fortune also did not go their way as Haaland converted two first-half penalties.

Josko Gvardiol was wiped out by Rayan Ait-Nouri for the first spot-kick after the Croatian’s shot flew off target and Haaland sent Jose Sa the wrong way to open the floodgates.

The City striker then rose highest to power home a header from Rodri’s hanging cross to the back post.

Haaland looked set to complete his hat-trick when he raced through in first-half stoppage time only to be clipped by Nelson Semedo.

Referee Craig Pawson initially waved play on, but overturned his decision after a VAR review.

Haaland showed no mercy to fire home his second hat-trick in as many appearances against Wolves at the Etihad.

Any suggestion City could rack up a huge score to chip away at their goal difference deficit compared to Arsenal was punctured as Wolves pulled a goal back early in the second period.

Ederson flapped at a cross from the right to tee up Hwang Hee-Chan perfectly to fire into an unguarded net.

Yet, City’s three-goal cushion was restored in spectacular fashion within a minute.

Phil Foden’s long ball over the top picked out Haaland, who cut onto his lethal left foot and picked out the top corner.

Haaland’s four-goal haul looks to have settled the race for the Golden Boot as his 25 Premier League goals are now five more than Alexander Isak and Cole Palmer.

There could even have been more for City’s number nine, who has twice before scored five in one game since arriving in England.

Sa made a spectacular save to deny Haaland matching that feat once more.

And the 23-year-old was left less than impressed with Guardiola’s decision to hand him a rest for the final eight minutes when he was replaced by Julian Alvarez.

The Argentine rounded off the scoring by finding the far corner from Rodri’s pass.

City are now unbeaten in 19 Premier League games and their only dropped points since February came in draws against title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.

The defending champions travel to Fulham and Tottenham in their next two games before hosting West Ham on the final day of the season.

Arsenal must hope there is one more twist in the title race to come if they are to end a 20-year wait to win the league.

But City show no signs of slipping up in their quest to become the first side to ever win four consecutive English top-flight titles.

Related Topics:#EPL #man city Haaland Wolves

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Nigerian Women Are Built Different, Says Ogoke After D’Tigress Win As Practising Surgeon

Published

8 hours ago

August 7, 2025

Editor

arah Ogoke, a practising surgeon and veteran member of Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has hailed the mental strength and resilience of Nigerian women after the team clinched a historic fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title.

Speaking during an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday, Ogoke credited discipline and resilience as the major factors in how she’s been able to combine her medical career and playing basketball.

“I’m built different. Nigerian women are built different. We do amazing things and the impossible. My secret is nothing short of discipline, resilience, determination, hard work, and focus,” she said.

The 35-year-old veteran, who specialises in podiatric medicine, the diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle conditions, was named in the squad months after giving birth and suffering the loss of her father last year. She revealed that she had taken time off her medical duties to join the team for the tournament.

“Absolutely, I’m using my vacation days to be here. My job is waiting for me when I go back,” she said.

Ogoke, who holds a degree in biology, drew parallels between the discipline of medical training and elite sport.

“The four years that I spent in medical school, I learnt how to work diligently and steadily on a specific skill set over the course of a long period of time. That can be translated to the skills necessary to be successful in basketball.”

A key figure in Nigeria’s basketball resurgence over the past decade, Ogoke has been part of every AfroBasket-winning squad since 2017. She attributed the team’s sustained dominance to the grit and mentality of Nigerian women.

“The blood we have in our veins as Nigerian women is different. We have the tenacity, pride, grit that we just refuse to lose. We’ve held our crown since 2017, and we don’t plan on giving it up soon.”

Reflecting on the final match where Nigeria was tied 41-41 at halftime against Mali, she revealed a wake-up call from the coach, Rena Wakama, pushed the team to step up.

“Coach Rena wasn’t nice about it at all. She told us, ‘We were the better team, but this team here came to beat us. They didn’t come for vacation or just to be here. Their objective was to beat us, and if we let that happen, then let them do it.’ That woke us up, and we played like the team that we are.”

Now, with Nigeria qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, Ogoke says her focus and that of the team is on reaching new heights on the global stage.

“I see playing for Nigeria as a privilege and not a right. Every year that they reach out to me and ask me to be a part of the programme, I’m thankful because they don’t have to call me. Now that we’ve qualified for the World Cup, we’re hoping to build on our success at the Olympics and, by God’s good grace, bring home a medal.”

Following the team’s victory, President Bola Tinubu on Monday, gifted the D’Tigress $100,000 to each of the players, $50,000 each for the 11-man coaching and technical team, and bedroom flats at Renewed Hope Estate for every member of the team and coaching staff.

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NPFL: Bendel Insurance Announce Departure Of 25 Players

Published

2 days ago

August 5, 2025

Editor

Bendel Insurance have announced the departure of 25 players ahead of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, season.

Captain Meyiwa Oritseweyinmi, Austin Ogunye, and Bernard Ovoke are among the top stars who have left the Benin Arsenal.

Other key players, who left the club are Moses Abioye, Uche Collins, Michael Enaruna, and Uche Collins.

The Benin City club are expected to make new signings to replace the departed players before the commencement of the new campaign.

Insurance finished in a respectable fifth position last season with 56 points from 38 games.

They will face El-kanemi Warriors in their opening fixture of the new season.

Sports

PHOTO: Okocha Hosts Ex-coach Clemens Westerhof In Lagos

Published

4 days ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

Nigerian football icon Jay-Jay Okocha recently hosted his former Super Eagles coach, Clemens Westerhof, at his Lagos home.

Westerhof, who posted photos from the visit on Instagram on Friday, called it an “unforgettable night of my life” and thanked Okocha for his warm hospitality.

Westerhof, a Dutch national, managed the Nigerian national team from 1989 to 1994.

Under his leadership, the Super Eagles won their second Africa Cup of Nations title in 1994 and made their FIFA World Cup debut the same year, impressively topping a group that included Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece.

Okocha made his national team debut during Westerhof’s tenure and later became one of Nigeria’s most iconic footballers.