TheGuardian
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Saturday, March 1, 2014
Conscience, Nurtured by Truth
Man City Gun For First Trophy As Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool Battle Away Odds ANChESTER City can win M the first trophy of the English season this weekend when it plays Sunderland at Wembley in the League Cup final. City is three points away from the top of the league with a game in hand, while Sunderland is in the relegation zone and faces a battle to secure its status as a Premier League club. “A cup final is always special and this one is a chance for us to take a very positive step forward this season,” said City manager, Manuel Pellegrini, who is trying to win his first piece of silverware for the club. The rest of the top four are all away from home in the league: Chelsea takes on London rival Fulham, Arsenal travels to Stoke and Liverpool plays Southampton. Manchester City is the favorite going into the League Cup final on Sunday, but Sunderland has a history of springing an upset. In the last four seasons, Sunderland has won 1-0 in every game between the two at the Stadium of Light. Its victory last November, when defender Phil Bardsley scored the goal to separate the two sides, will give hope that it can surprise City again. “That game in particular gives us that belief that it is possible,” Sunderland manager, Gus Poyet, said. “If you lose against a team all the time, it is very difficult to convince a player that this is going to be the right time to beat them.” Sergio Aguero could play for Manchester City after returning to training Tuesday following a hamstring injury. Stoke has beaten Chelsea and Manchester United at home this season, as well as drawing with Manchester City, and it will look to add another upset to its list against Arsenal today. Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, gave his players two days off this week to rest, and he believes his players will be mentally fresher for it. “We came out of a very heavy schedule. Sometimes it is not only physical, it is mental,” Wenger said. “You are always
under pressure to perform.” Wenger’s team could be without left backs, Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs, so Thomas Vermaelen could play there. Wenger has also said that Mesut Ozil is back in the squad after being left out of the 4-1 win over Sunderland. Liverpool travels to ninthplace Southampton looking to keep up its own title challenge, but will hope for an improved display from last weekend’s 4-3 win over Swansea. The four goals it scored meant it overtook City to become top scorer in the league, but looked defensively vulnerable and twice surrendered the lead. “If you want to be in the top four or win the league, you need to defend well,” Liverpool defender, Kolo Toure said. “We are scoring a lot of goals but for sure we need to get a better balance.” Felix Magath’s first home game as Fulham manager is against city rival, Chelsea, as he looks to guide his team to Premier League safety. Chelsea knows a win keeps it at the top of the league and even a point for Fulham, in last place, would be considered a surprise. But with Sunderland playing in the cup, it gives an opportunity for the teams at the bottom to put pressure on the finalists to pick up points when it returns to league play. Aston Villa has not scored in its last three league games and is only four points clear of the relegation zone. It faces Norwich, manager Paul Lambert’s former club, knowing defeat could push it nearer to the wrong end of the league table. With Norwich defeating Tottenham 1-0 last week, Villa’s opponent will be full of confidence but captain Ron Vlaar believes his side will be safe at the end of the season. “Obviously, we know the situation we are in,” Vlaar said. “We have 11 games left and we need to get the results we need. We know we can do this.” •Culled From AP.
Chelsea’s Mikel Obi tackles Man City’s David Sylva during a past league game. Chelsea meets Fulham in the EPL today, while Man City battles with Sunderland in the League Cup…tomorrow. PHOTO: AFP.
NSC Gets N4B Commonwealth Games Lifeline From Presidency From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja hE National Sports T Commission (NSC) has received a big boost to its preparations for the Commonwealth Games and other competitions slated for this year, as President Goodluck Jonathan has approved release the sum of N4 billion special fund to the Commission. The money would enable the NSC begin full preparation for the Commonwealth Games, African Youth Games
and Youth Olympics, as well as the ECOWAS Games. NSC director General, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said yesterday in Abuja that the approval would solve the problems the Commission had following the delay in the passing of the 2014 budget. The NSC director general, who praised President Jonathan for his continuous support to Nigeria’s sports development, noted, however, that the special fund did
LMC Approves Umuahia Stadium For Glo Premier League ATISFIEd by the condition of facilities at the Umuahia Township Stadium, the League Management Company (LMC) has approved the arena for matches of the Glo Premier League this season. A letter signed by the Chief Operating Officer of the LMC,
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Salihu Abubakar, dated February 24, 2014 and addressed to the Chairman of Abia Warriors, Emeka Inyama, said the “Umuahia Township Stadium met the required standard to host Premier League Matches” following a recent inspection by the LMC carried out on the
stadium. In expressing its pleasure over the development, LMC reminded the club that it would conduct routine spot checks during the season to ensure that minimum criteria for facilities, security and crowd control were sustained and congratulated
Abia Warriors for passing the test as they debuts in the Premier League. Abia Warriors Football Club gained promotion to the Glo Premier league last season and would host Kaduna United at the stadium on March 9, 2014 in their first match at the elite league.
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not cover the preparation and participation of the Super Eagles for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Nigeria registered for eight sports in the Commonwealth Games billed to run from July 23 to August 3, 2014. The Africa Youth Games and the ECOWAS Games are slated for May 23 to May 31 and
July 2014 in Gaborone, Botswana and Cote d’Ivoire respectively. Elegbeleye also assured that with the president’s approval of the special fund, the Commission would commence the camping of athletes for the games, adding that some federations had already begun preparations for the games.
CAF Confederation Cup
Bayelsa United holds AS Kondzo In Congo AYELSA United yesterday advancing to the second B held Congos’ AS Kondzo to round of the second-tier cona goalless draw in a CAF tinental club competition. Confederation Cup tie despite a delayed arrival in the East African country. Bayelsa were in danger of suffering a walkover in the first round first leg clash in Brazzaville due to a delay in the release of funds for the trip. But the Yenagoa club finally departed Nigeria late on Thursday and hours later held their hosts to a scoreless draw.
Bayelsa reached the semifinal of the competition in 2009. Cash was released to the Yenagoa club by the Bayelsa State Government late on Thursday for them to fly out through Lagos. Bayelsa would have been walked over by AS Kondzo yesterday had they failed to honour this first round, first leg match. Last year, another Nigerian The return leg match is slated club, heartland, were walked for Sapele in a week’s time over by US Bitam of Gabon with the overall winners after they failed to arrive in