Sports

Lukaku Keeps Napoli Top Of Serie A With Roma Winner

Published

7 months ago

November 24, 2024

Editor

Romelu Lukaku ensured Napoli maintained their one-point lead at the top of Serie A with the only goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over his old club Roma.

Belgium striker Lukaku poked home his fifth Napoli goal seven minutes after half-time in Naples, handing veteran Claudio Ranieri a defeat on his return to management with his boyhood club Roma.

Napoli lead Atalanta, Inter Milan and Fiorentina by a point in a crowded title race which is yet to offer up a clear favourite for the Scudetto.

Lazio can join the chasing trio on 28 points with a home win over Bologna in Sunday’s late match, with Juventus four points off the pace in sixth.

Napoli were the better team at the Stadio Maradona and should have been ahead as early as the second minute when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia somehow sent a free header wide from less than six yards out.

Kvaratskhelia was also involved four minutes after half-time with a pinpoint cross from which Lukaku glanced just wide.

Ranieri has a job on his hands at Roma, who are four points above the relegation zone in 12th, but his team were unlucky not to level in the 66th minute when Artem Dovbyk thwacked a header off the bar.

– Reborn Kean –
Moise Kean continued his revival at Fiorentina by netting in a 2-0 win at Como which was his team’s seventh in a row in Serie A.

The 24-year-old has been reborn in Florence after failing to score a single goal at Juventus last season and has scored seven times in his last four matches in Italy’s top flight.

“Obviously people look at the goal, but the whole team has worked very hard with him… he’s developing and starting to reap the rewards,” said Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino.

Kean’s 68th-minute strike was his ninth in 12 league appearances under Palladino, whose team host champions Inter next weekend.

Fiorentina didn’t have things all their own way, and had David de Gea to thank for a superb triple save on the hour mark when they still only led by Yacine Adli’s 20th-minute opener.

Como are one point and place above Lecce, who are just inside the relegation zone and take on bottom side Venezia on Monday, after a fifth defeat in a worrying seven-match winless run.

– Vieira denied –

Patrick Vieira was denied a winning start as Genoa manager after a late penalty gave fellow Serie A strugglers Cagliari a 2-2 away draw.

Roberto Piccoli lashed home his spot-kick two minutes from the end after being fouled by Aaron Martin, snatching a point for Cagliari with his team’s second penalty of the game.

“My players delivered an good performance and focused on what we practised in training,” said Vieira.

“I’m disappointed for then because I think they deserved to win today.”

Vieira, who replaced sacked Alberto Gilardino on Wednesday, was heading for a debut win at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris after goals in each half from Morten Frendrup and Fabio Miretti which put Genoa ahead in the 59th minute following Razvan Marin’s early penalty for the away team.

The draw leaves Genoa in 16th, level with Cagliari and two points above Lecce.

AFP

Related Topics:Lukaku Napoli Roma Serie A

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Sports

Enabulele Hails Edo-born Athletes’ International Feats

Published

6 hours ago

June 19, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has expressed delight over the outstanding performance of Edo athletes representing Nigeria on the international stage.

Enabulele, while describing the athletes as worthy ambassadors of the state and the country in general, singled out the impressive participation of seven Edo kickboxing athletes in Team Nigeria at the African Union Kickboxing Championship in Cameroon.

In a congratulatory message signed by his media aide, Edoko Wilson Edoko, Enabulele lauded the accomplishments of Flora Ugwunwa and Christopher Michael, who clinched gold medals at the 2025 World Para Athletics (WPA) Grand Prix in Tunis, Tunisia.

INFO DAILY reports that Ugwunwa bagged gold in the F54 women’s shot put and discus events, while Michael emerged victorious in the T11 men’s 100m event.

He said: “The remarkable performance of the country’s para-athletes in Tunisia, where Nigeria finished second overall out of 42 participating nations with 10 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze medals, is highly commendable.”

The Edo sports boss, while recalling the impressive performance of Team Edo during the recently concluded National Sports Festival (Ogun 2024), where Edo kickboxers secured 20 gold medals, said the feat which earned many of them national call-ups.

Enabulele reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to grassroots sports development and consistent support for para-athletes and other promising talents who continue to bring pride to Edo State and Nigeria.

“I’m proud of our athletes. Flora, Christopher, and our kickboxing team have done exceptionally well. This is what we want to see—Edo athletes in large numbers representing Nigeria at global events,” he emphasized.

Enabulele added that the achievements of Edo athletes reflect the deliberate investments in sports development by the current administration.

Sports

Full List: Maresca No Longer Needs Nine Players At Chelsea

Published

15 hours ago

June 19, 2025

Editor

Chelsea are preparing for another major squad overhaul this summer, with as many as nine players set to leave Stamford Bridge.

New manager Enzo Maresca is keen to trim the squad further, targeting players who no longer fit into his long-term plans.

According to BBC Sport, the Italian tactician has identified nine players who are now available for transfer.

The players reportedly on the exit list include Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, Djordje Petrovic, Armando Broja, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu.

Sterling and Félix were both omitted from Chelsea’s squad for the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Sterling, who spent last season on loan at Arsenal, struggled to make an impression at the Emirates and failed to secure a permanent move.

Félix, meanwhile, was on loan at AC Milan from January until the end of the campaign, but the Serie A club have reportedly decided against making the deal permanent.

Sports

NPFL: Go For Victory, Enabulele Tasks Bendel Insurance FC

Published

2 days ago

June 18, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has charged Bendel Insurance Football Club to go for victory.

His charge follows the official announcement of the commencement of the 2025/26 season by the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board Chairman, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

Announcing the commencement in Abuja, Elegbeleye said the season will run from August 22, 2025, to May 24, 2026.

He emphasized that maintaining a stable football calendar is critical to Nigeria’s improved performance in continental tournaments.

Reacting to the announcement, Enabulele commended the NPFL leadership for the consistency in scheduling.

The Edo Sports Commission Boss who spoke through his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, called on players, coaches, and the entire management of Bendel Insurance FC to approach the new season with renewed vigor and a winning mentality.

“We are aware that the league calendar has been stabilized. This means every club must be better prepared. For us at Bendel Insurance, this is a fresh opportunity to compete strongly, win games, and aim for the top. The people of Edo State deserve nothing less,” he said.

Enabulele also pledged continued support for the team’s technical crew and urged the players to maintain discipline, focus, and unity both on and off the pitch, he also appreciated His Excellency, Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo and his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for their unwavering commitment and support in elevating the team.