T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
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THURSDAYSPORTS
W O R L D C U P 2 0 1 8 … JUNE 14 TO JULY 15
WORLD CUP 2018…
Bet King Gives Reasons for Partnering GOtv Boxing Night Croatian players celebrating with the match winner, Mario Mandzukic yesterday in the 2-1 win against England in Moscow… yesterday
Croatia Sends England Back Home England’s bid to reach a first World Cup final since 1966 came to an end in the last four as they lost in extra time to Croatia in Moscow. FC Juventus striker, Mario Mandzukic was the hero of the night after he scored the match winner in the 109th minute, connecting from left side from Ivan Perisic’s flick-on into the area. Perisic’s volley sent the match into extra time after Kieran Trippier had given England a fifth-minute lead with a sublime free-kick. Unfancied before the competition, Gareth Southgate’s young side defied expectations by reaching the semi-finals, but
were undone by an experienced Croatia side. England, playing in their first World Cup semi-final
since 1990, got the perfect start through Trippier’s brilliant freekick and Croatia were finding it extremely difficult to deal
with England’s high-tempo game. Harry Kane could have doubled the lead but was denied by goalkeeper Danijel Subasic and Jesse Lingard placed a shot wide from a good position. Croatia grew into the game in the second half and equalised through Perisic, and the Inter Milan winger hit the post with a low drive shortly after. In extra time John Stones saw a header cleared off the line, while Pickford made a brilliant save from Mandzukic’s close range effort - but the Everton man could do nothing about the winner. England will now play Belgium in Saturday’s third/fourth place play-off in St Petersburg.
Anderson Dumps Federer Out of Wimbledon Defending champion Roger Federer is out of Wimbledon after eighth seed Kevin Anderson fought back from two sets down in a gripping quarter-final. Top seed Federer, who was aiming for a record-equalling ninth singles title, missed a match point in the third set. It proved pivotal as the South African recovered to win 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-4 13-11 in four hours and 13 minutes. The 2017 US Open finalist plays John Isner, who beat Milos Raonic, in a first SW19 semi-final for both men. Eight-time champion Federer has already won more Wimbledon
singles titles than any other man, but was aiming to equal Martina Navratilova’s all-time record. Defeat also ended the Swiss’ chance of a romantic reunion in the final with second seed Rafael Nadal in the final. It would have happened on the 10th anniversary of their epic meeting in the 2008 final. Federer, who turns 37 next month, had been utterly dominant on his way to the last eight, swatting off Dusan Lajovic, Lukas Lacko, Jan-Lennard Struff and Adrian Mannarino in a combined total of little more than six hours on court. But Anderson finally made the
20-time Grand Slam champion look human in unfamiliar territory on Court One, where the Swiss had not played in three years. The 32-year-old became the first opponent to win a service game, and then a set, against Federer at this year’s Championships. Anderson continued to grow in confidence and stature as the match wore on, holding his nerve to earn his first win over Federer in five attempts. “He played the match of his life,” said former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker. It was an absorbing battle full of surprise, suspense and swings of momentum - unquestionably
the match of the men’s singles tournament so far. Nobody could have predicted the trouble that lay ahead for Federer after he cruised to the opening set, taking Anderson’s serve in the first game and again in the seventh. Federer’s serve had been untouched in the tournament until Anderson, who won just one receiving points in the opener, took it in the second game of the second set. It was the first time in 85 games that Federer had lost his serve - the previous occasion being against Tomas Berdych in last year’s Wimbledon semi-final.
Braimah Heads Edo Cycling Tour 12-man LOC Organisers of the Edo state Cycling Tour have named a 12-man Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the championship slated to hold in the state next month, spokesman of the event, Osaretin Emuze sad last night. According to Emuze, the CEO of Neo Media, Mr Ehi Braimah is the Chairman of the LOC and he will be supported by two Vice Chairmen, the Edo state commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Osaze Osemwegie-Ero as first vice chairman and his Sports, Youth and Special Duties counterpart, Mika Amonokhai as second vice. Other members of the Committee are Bashir Mohammed, the Technical Director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, CFN, Shama Alitu Makpa, secretary general of CFN, Osaretin Emuze, Patrick Omorodion,
Vincent Braimah as well as three others to be nominated by Edo state.
The 5-day cycling extravaganza which will hold from August 18-23 is expected
to attract over 200 cyclists from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.
L-R The Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Franco Maria Maggi, Corporate Communications and Brand PR Manager, Patrick Olowokere, Sustainability and Regulatory Relations Manager, Edem Vindah and the Human Resources Services Manager, Eric Olalaye at the Super Eagles Dome during one of the matches of the Russia 2018 World Cup.
Top betting firm, Bet King, has explained why it teamed up with pay television service provider, GOtv, to sponsor GOtv Boxing Night. Speaking at a press conference to announce the 15th edition of the event on Tuesday, Mr. Neil Bothma, Chief Operating Officer of Bet King, said the company took the decision to support the event because boxing is a non-discriminating sport that has the potential to take young people off the streets and teaches them discipline. “Boxing is an equalizer in the sporting world. Anybody can win on any day. It is the same at Bet King; anybody can win on any day. By supporting boxing, Bet King can take the sport to many homes and teach young people discipline,” he said. GOtv Boxing Night 15 will hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo (formerly Liberty) Stadium, Ibadan, on 29 July. The event will feature seven fights, including an African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight title defence between Nigeria’s Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph and Ghana’s Nathaniel Nukpe. There will also be an international light middleweight challenge duel featuring
Nigeria’s Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku and Franc Houanvoegbe of the Republic of Benin. African Boxing Union light welterweight champion, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, will equally be in action when takes on Kazeem “Iberu” Ariyo in a national challenge duel. Idowu “ID Cabasa” Okusote will take on Michael “Lion Heart” Godwin in a cruiserweight challenge bout, while Prince “Lion” Nwoye will fight Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola in a lightweight challenge duel. The light welterweight division will equally see Vincent “Dada” Essien face Segun “Showboy” Olalehin, while Daniel “Big Shark” Emeka and Sulaimon “Olags” Adeosun will lock horns in a heavyweight clash. The event, sponsored by GOtv and Bet King, is supported by MultiChoice, Paragonis Multimedia Limited, KSquare Security, Brila FM, Bond FM, Complete Sports and Newsbreak. ng It will be beamed live on SuperSport in 47 African countries. The best boxer at the event will win a cash prize of N1million along with the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.
Sports Ministry Signs 10-year Sponsorship Agreement for NSF The Ministry of Youth and Sports has signed an agreement with Greenfield Assets LTD to sponsor and promote the next five editions of the National Sports Festival. At the event which took place yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development Solomon Dalung said that the Ministry approved Greenfield’s proposal following the unwillingness of states to take up hosting rights of the National Sports Festival. “The prevailing low capacity and motivation of states to host the National Sports Festival is affecting its sustainability and value to the extent that the NSF is gradually getting moribund. It was against this background that Greenfield’s proposal for sponsorship and promotion of the NSF for the next five years was approved. “It is a realistic and strategic option to leverage on private sectors’ capability to mobilize resources that will not only revitalize the NSF but make it more marketable, efficient, innovative and more profitable”. Dalung called on Greenfield Assets to bring their experience to bear on the successful sponsorship, promotion and hosting of the 2018 edition and subsequent editions. Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Greenfield Assets Mr Paul Obanua expressed delight in the partnership
with the Sports Ministry to give greater impetus to the National Sports Festival. He pledged his commitment to make the NSF an African touchstone in sporting events, a unifying factor and a national pride. “Through this patriotic partnership, the NSF will serve as a vehicle for discovering, exposing and nurturing talents that can take our country’s sporting profile to the next level. This PPP initiative promises a win-win outcome for all stakeholders in the Nigerian sports industry. “With this partnership, we shall create a bigger, wider and more inclusive festival open to mature and professional athletes, with robust management, marketing, sponsorship and promotion support base. This will ultimately make the project rival the best sports festivals anywhere in the world”. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Olusade Adesola however explained that the ownership of the NSF will still reside with the Ministry which will also be in charge of the technical, organisational and host selection aspect of the games. The 19th National Sports Festival is scheduled to hold from December 6-16, 2018 in Abuja. 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory are expected to participate.