Sports
Leads United Manager, Allardyce, Names Okocha In Best XI

New Leeds United manager, Sam Allardyce, has named Super Eagles legend, Austin Okocha, in the best 11 of players he managed in his illustrious coaching career, The PUNCH reports.
Allardyce was in charge of Bolton Wanders from 1999 to 2007, where Okocha also played from 2002 to 2006, going on to captain the side and hero-worshipped by fans of the club.
Best associated with Bolton, Allardyce named Okocha in midfield alongside Fernando Hierro, Youri Djorkaeff and Garry Speed. A chunk of other players are also from Bolton as he chose Jussi Jaaskelainen in goal; Habib Beye, Ryan Nelsen, Phil Jones and Patrick Van Aanholt made up the defence line, while Jermain Defoe and Nicolas Anelka are his favourite strikers.
READ ALSO: Fans Knock Okocha Over €150m Claim
A two-time BBC African Footballer of The Year, seven-time winner of Nigerian Player of The Year, AFCON winner in 1994 and the tournament’s best player and top scorer 10 years later, Okocha is widely regarded as one of the greatest African stars to ever play the game.
At Bolton, the Nigerian quickly endeared himself as something of a cult hero in his first season after joining PSG, before taking the armband in his second. Under Allardyce he scored 18 goals from attacking midfield in 144 games, although he is surely best remembered for his dazzling array of skills that thrilled fans and neutrals alike.
“He’s so good they named him twice! The Bolton fans printed some t-shirts with that on. Even the non-Bolton supporters enjoyed watching Jay-Jay Okocha,” Allardyce was quoted as saying by Daily Mail.
READ ALSO: World Cup: Jay Jay Okocha Predicts Winner Of England Vs Senegal Clash
Sam Allardyce made an unlikely return to the Premier League on Wednesday when the 68-year-old former England coach was hired by Leeds until the end of the season after the relegation-threatened club fired manager Javi Gracia.
Allardyce’s last coaching role was at West Bromwich Albion for the second half of the 2020-21 season, when he failed in his short-term mission to keep the team in the Premier League.
Sports
PSG To Play First Intercontinental Cup Final In December

European Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will play their first-ever Intercontinental Cup final in Doha, Qatar, on December 17, FIFA announced on Sunday.
Their opponents will only be determined four days earlier in the final playoff, called the Challenger Cup.
This will pit Egyptian club Pyramids, the African champions, against the winner of the match between Central American champions Cruz Azul from Mexico and the future winner of the Copa Libertadores.
READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year
The South American tournament is currently in the semi-final stage and includes two Brazilian sides.
Palmeiras are up against LDU Quito of Ecuador, while Flamengo take on the Argentinian side Racing.
The Copa Libertadores final takes place on November 29.
READ ALSO:Ligue 1: PSG Captain Marquinhos Out With Thigh Injury
From 1960 to 2004, the Intercontinental Cup pitted the champions of Europe and South America against each other.
In 2005, it was renamed the Club World Cup to include other continental champions, but that competition was relaunched this year as a quadrennial tournament featuring 32 teams, with Chelsea as the inaugural winners of the new format.
The Intercontinental Cup was relaunched in its new form last year when Real Madrid beat Mexican club Pachuca.
AFP
Sports
La Liga: Barca Beat Real Sociedad 2-1 As Yamal Returns

Lamine Yamal returned from injury to help Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 2-1 on Sunday and move to the top of La Liga by one point.
After Real Madrid were thrashed 5-2 by rivals Atletico Madrid in a derby on Saturday, Hansi Flick’s side had the chance to claim pole position above Xabi Alonso’s side.
Alvaro Odriozola gave Real Sociedad the lead against the run of play in the first half, but Jules Kounde headed the Spanish champions level.
Yamal, who missed the last four games with a groin injury, created the winner for Robert Lewandowski just moments after coming on as a second-half substitute.
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Barcelona held the game at the Olympic Stadium, where they have played for the last two seasons, after the city council refused them a permit to reopen their Camp Nou home earlier in the week.
Flick handed 17-year-old attacking midfielder Dro Fernandez his debut, also starting Roony Bardghji on the right wing and bringing in veteran Wojciech Szczesny for injured goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Barcelona dominated the ball in the first half but found it hard to beat Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
The Spain international made a fine save to deny Marcus Rashford in the early stages.
READ ALSO:LaLiga: Mourinho Speaks On Replacing Ancelotti At Real Madrid
On loan from Manchester United, Rashford is finding his footing at Barca and played a superb through ball for Robert Lewandowski, who fired across the face of goal from a tight angle.
Real Sociedad hit Barca with a sharp counter-attack to open the scoring after 31 minutes.
Former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Odriozola applied the finishing touch to Ander Barrenetxea’s cross.
Barcelona stepped up a gear and found Remiro in their way again, with the goalkeeper superbly palming away a Kounde cross which was deflected towards his goal.
Remiro also tipped a Bardghji effort away for a corner, which led to Barcelona’s equaliser.
READ ALSO:EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle
Rashford, who provided an assist from a corner against Real Oviedo in midweek, whipped it to the near post, where Kounde powered home a header.
Yamal’s return
Flick replaced Dro with Dani Olmo at half-time and also brought on Yamal before the hour mark, after the teenager recovered from his groin issue.
Voted second best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala on Monday, Yamal made an instant impact.
The 18-year-old burst into the box and crossed for Lewandowski to head home off the post, just over a minute after his introduction.
READ ALSO:LaLiga: Real Madrid Miss Chance To Go Top After Villarreal Defeat
Szczesny made a good save from Oyarzabal as La Real gave Barcelona a couple of scares, while Remiro denied Rashford and Olmo with two more good saves.
The game grew increasingly chaotic, and both sides hit the crossbar in quick succession.
Kounde, daydreaming in midfield, was robbed and Real Sociedad worked the ball to Takefusa Kubo, who crashed a shot against the woodwork.
Then Barcelona broke away and Ferran Torres teed up Lewandowski, who battered the crossbar when well placed to put the game to bed, but the hosts were not punished.
Barcelona host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, also at the Olympic Stadium.
AFP
Sports
EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle

Arsenal staged a late comeback to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time header from Gabriel Magalhães at St James’ Park, on Sunday.
The game looked to be slipping away from the visitors after Nick Woltemade scored one for Newcastle in the 34th minute.
Arsenal had dominated the opening half but failed to find the net despite good chances from Eberechi Eze and Leandro Trossard.
READ ALSO:Theo Walcott Changes EPL Prediction, Names Team To Win UCL This Season
The London club were left frustrated when a penalty awarded for a foul on Viktor Gyökeres was overturned following a VAR review.
Newcastle had weathered the storm with the help of goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Mikel Merino rose to nod home from close range in the 84th minute to level, setting up a frantic finish.
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Arsenal pushed with everything they had and were ultimately rewarded deep in stoppage time when Martin Ødegaard’s corner found Gabriel, who rose highest to head the winner in the sixth minute of added time.
Arsenal’s late victory will feel like a statement of character for Mikel Arteta’s side, who move on with a precious away win after dominating long spells of the match but having to fight until the final whistle to secure the three points.
Newcastle will take encouragement from a dogged defensive display.
Arsenal now have four wins, one draw, and one loss in six Premier League games. They sit in the second position on the table, while Newcastle is in 15th.
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