Sports

Mbappe Penalty Powers France Past Greece In Euro Qualifier

Published

2 years ago

June 19, 2023

A Kylian Mbappe penalty gave France a 1-0 victory over 10-man Greece on Monday that maintained their perfect record in qualifying for Euro 2024.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar, and France captain, had his initial kick saved early in the second half but was allowed a second attempt because of encroachment into the area by a Greek defender.

He made no mistake second time around and France could have gone on to win by a greater margin after Greece defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was sent off for barging Randal Kolo Muani to the ground, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

France’s win follows their 3-0 defeat of minnows Gibraltar last Friday and leaves them clear at the top of qualifying Group B with 12 points from four games.

We’ll fight to keep Gundogan – says Guardiola amid Barca interest
They have not conceded a goal so far and are six points clear of Greece, albeit having played a game more.

Having already opened their campaign with wins against the Netherlands the Republic of Ireland in March, last year’s World Cup runners-up appear certainties to qualify for next year’s finals in Germany.

Their next match is against Ireland at the Parc des Princes in September, by which time it will be clear where Mbappe will be playing his club football next season.

The 24-year-old, who took over as skipper of Les Bleus when Hugo Lloris quit international football following the World Cup, last week confirmed he would not extend his contract at PSG, which expires next year.

That has raised the prospect of the Qatar-backed club selling the forward in this transfer window, even if he has said he intends to stay with the French champions next season.

Mbappe put the talk of his future to one side to score a penalty against Gibraltar and he was the matchwinner here in what was not a vintage French display.

– Griezmann’s bloodied head –

He had been frustrated in the first half in front of a sell-out Stade de France crowd as Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz dismissed his appeals for a penalty when he went down under a George Baldock challenge.

Kolo Muani and Jules Kounde both came close for the hosts in the first half, with the latter seeing his shot saved by goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos just before the interval.

France got the chance to go in front when Mavropanos caught Antoine Griezmann in the head with a high boot four minutes after the restart.

A spot-kick was awarded and VfB Stuttgart stopper Mavropanos was booked with Griezmann needing his bloodied head bandaged.

Vlachodimos did well to save Mbappe’s penalty the first time but he could not repeat his heroics when a retake was ordered, despite diving the right way.

It was Mbappe’s 13th goal in 13 games for France this season, to go with 41 in all competitions for PSG.

He now has 40 goals in 70 games for his country and needs just one more goal to equal Michel Platini’s tally in a France shirt.

Greece, the 2004 European champions, have been enjoying something of a revival under their Uruguayan coach Gustavo Poyet, but their chances of claiming anything from this game died when Mavropanos was dismissed in the 69th minute.

Kolo Muani was sent through on goal by a Kingsley Coman pass only to be bundled over by Mavropanos. Already on a yellow card, this time the defender saw a straight red.

However, France could not add to their lead with the extra man, with substitute Ousmane Dembele just unable to get on the end of Mbappe’s low centre at the end of a breakaway.

Sports

AC Milan Scrap Victor Boniface Transfer Over Failed Medical Tests

Published

5 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

AC Milan has called off its proposed transfer of Nigerian striker Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen, claiming the player failed to pass mandatory medical examinations.

The deal, which had been verbally agreed upon with a €5 million loan fee and a €24 million buy option, fell through despite Boniface’s arrival in Milan within the last 48 hours.

The decision was confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, on Sunday.

“AC Milan call Victor Boniface deal off as Nigerian striker did not pass the medical tests,” Romano posted.

“Despite verbal agreement for €5m loan fee and €24m buy clause with player in Milano in the last 48h, deal called off due to medical. Boniface, returning in Germany today.”

According to reports, the 24-year-old Nigerian international had two anterior cruciate ligament operations and recurring groin problems that have affected his availability in recent seasons.

Milan are not the first Serie A club to have reservations about the striker’s fitness, with reports suggesting that Roma rejected a swap proposal involving Boniface and Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk several weeks ago due to similar concerns over the Nigerian’s condition.

Sports

Why I’ll Never Advise My Son To Visit Nigeria – Taribo West

Published

3 days ago

August 22, 2025

Editor

A former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, on Friday, berated the Nigeria Football Federation and Lagos State Government for allegedly abandoning the family of late goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.

Speaking at Rufai’s burial in a video posted by News Central on Friday, the ex-Inter Milan star expressed disappointment over what he described as the neglect of Nigerian football heroes after their death.

“It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family. I felt in my spirit that there is nothing to put your life for. That’s why I say I have to shift back so that I will not implode. It’s grieving.

“My mother passed on. I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands. I never shed tears. When Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body. And every individual I’m speaking to, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?” he said

The former international recalled similar situations with late football icons such as Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha, stressing that the treatment of ex-players discouraged him from encouraging his children to serve the country through football.

“With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Send me out! Do we have a Football Federation or do we have a Football Association in this Lagos State? That this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way in his family.

“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit in within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart,” he stated.

Rufai, fondly called “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and the country’s debut at the FIFA World Cup the same year.

He passed away in July 2025.

Sports

CHAN 2024: Top Scorers Ahead Of Quarter-final Fixtures

Published

4 days ago

August 20, 2025

Editor

Uganda’s Allan Okello and South Africa’s Thabiso Kutumela are currently joint top scorers at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), with three goals each as the tournament heads into the quarter-final stage.

The group stage concluded on Tuesday, with Sudan holding Senegal to a 0-0 draw to finish top of Group D, while Nigeria defeated Congo 2-0.

Here are the top scorers going into the CHAN quarter-finals:

Allan Okello (Uganda) – 3 goals
Thabiso Kutumela (South Africa) – 3 goals
Abdelrazig Omer (Sudan) – 2 goals
Kaporal (Angola) – 2 goals
Austin Odhiambo (Kenya) – 2 goals
Clement Mzize (Tanzania) – 2 goals
The quarter-final fixtures are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.