Sports

Nigeria Vs Chile: Five Talking Points From Clash

Published

3 years ago

October 18, 2022

Nigeria’s U-17 Women’s football team on Monday defeated Chile 2-1 in the third match of Group B at the Kalinga Stadium to book their place in the quarter-finals of the ongoing U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in India.

Stand-in captain Blessing Emmanuel scored an early goal for Flamingos in the fourth minute, following an assist from Opeyemi Ajakaiye to give Nigeria the lead.

Bisola Mosaku added the second in the 82nd minute to guarantee Nigeria a place in the last eight despite Rovemer Tali converting a late penalty for Chile.

The win earned the Flamingoes a place in the quarter-finals, with a date against the United States on Friday.

PUNCH takes a look at some of the other talking points of the game.

Trademark salute

As was the case against Germany and New Zealand in their first two games, coach Bankole Olowookere and his girls carved a niche for themselves at the ongoing tournament in India with their trademark salute celebration.

At every goal scored, the girls would rush to the technical crew’s corner to salute the coach and his assistants, to the delight of spectators at the two stadiums they played in. The celebration has become so loved and one of the commentators during the game said, “Aye, yes. Salute to the boss.”

Shooting at will

The 2-1 scoreline against the North Americans didn’t paint the true picture of the Flamingos shooting prowess, thanks to the heroics of the Red Ones goalkeeper, Catalina Alvarado, who made a series of saves to keep the scoreline minimal.

The Flamingos had a total of 27 shots, with 13 of them on target, but managed to convert only two of them.

Fans treated to ‘Buga’

The Flamingos had local support on Monday, with Nigerians living in Bhubaneswar coming out to cheer the young ladies to victory against Chile.

The crowd was treated to popular Nigerian track ‘Buga’ by Kizz Daniel, which was played for the Nigerian girls when they scored.

Unrelenting Olowookere

The game on Monday was important match for both teams, Nigeria needed at least a draw to advance to the quarter-finals, while Chile needed a win.

But the Nigerians put up an impressive outing to claim all three points. Despite taking a two-goal lead into the last 10 minutes of the encounter, coach Bankole Olowookere was unrelenting and continued to dish out instructions and screamed from the touchline every minute to keep his girls focused.

Pidgin English, Yoruba take centre stage

The Nigerian girls were very vocal all through the entire 90 minutes of the game, communicating in the languages best understood by them, with Pidgin English and Yoruba taking centre stage.

The North Americans were equally very loud on the pitch of play, making use of their official language, Spanish.
PUNCH

Sports

Ballon d’Or 2025: Full List Of Winners

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

In a night of celebration and surprises at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned new champions in men’s and women’s football. PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé emerged as the men’s winner, capping off a stellar season that saw him lead his club to Champions League triumph.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí made history by securing the women’s award for the third consecutive year. Here’s the complete rundown of all the major awards from football’s most prestigious gala.

Men’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

The 28-year-old French star beat out fierce competition from Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Dembélé’s pivotal role in PSG’s European success, including key goals and assists, propelled him to the top. This marks his first Ballon d’Or and continues a trend where winners since 2013 have been 28 or older.

Top 5 Rankings:
1 Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

2 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Women’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Bonmatí became the first player to win three in a row, despite Barcelona’s loss in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to Arsenal and Spain’s defeat to England in the Euro 2025 final. Her standout performances as the best player in both the Euros and Champions League sealed the deal, edging out Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Barcelona’s Mariona Caldentey.

Other Major Awards
• Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player, Under 21): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
The 18-year-old wunderkind took home this award without contest, with speculation swirling about his potential for the senior Ballon d’Or in future years. Yamal’s speech humbly acknowledged the bigger prize ahead.

• Yashin Trophy (Donnaruma): Now in Manchester City, however the Italian shotstopper was pivotal during PSG’s quest for its first European glory.

• Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
Honoring their dominant 2024-25 campaign, including Champions League victory. The Paris crowd erupted as DJ Snake presented the award amid chants.

• Women’s Club of the Year: Arsenal
Recognized for their undefeated run in the Champions League and overall excellence.

• Coach of the Year: Luis Enrique

Highlights and reactions
The evening was a mix of glamour and minor gaffes—think awkward dance breaks and a quirky DJ presentation—but the focus remained on the stars. Dembélé’s win has sparked debates on X and beyond, with fans crediting his team’s support while others lament Salah’s perennial near-miss. “What does Mo Salah have to do?” one BBC commenter quipped.

Bonmatí’s third win cements her as a legend at just 27, though some voices argued for Russo’s dual Euros and Champions League heroics. Real Madrid’s boycott drama from 2024 was absent this year, with their stars like Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior attending gracefully despite missing the podium.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: 2025 Women’s Club Of The Year Emerge

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Arsenal Women have been named the 2025 Women’s Club of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.

The award comes after a historic season for the Gunners, who lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League, defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. Stina Blackstenius scored the decisive goal to hand Arsenal their second European crown.

Beyond their European success, the North London side also impressed domestically, finishin second in the Women’s Super League and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup..

The Women’s Club of the Year award recognises not only on-field success but also the club’s wider contribution to the growth of the women’s game.

Arsenal’s strong development structure, international recognition, and fan engagement were also factors behind their recognition.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned the Best Team of 2025 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

The French champions, who enjoyed a remarkable season both domestically and in Europe, were recognised for their consistency and dominance across competitions.

The French giants enjoyed an extraordinary 2024-25 season, capturing four major trophies: the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Champions League, and the Trophée des Champions.

They also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, underlining their quality and ability to compete with the very best across continents.

The Best Team award at the Ballon d’Or gala highlights the Parisians’ evolution from domestic dominance to genuine European and global contenders.