46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016
Hazard prepared for Conte audition E
DEN Hazard is determined to get Belgium’s Euro 206 campaign off to a winning start and hopes to impress his new Chelsea manager in the process. Belgium take on Italy, led by Antonio Conte, in the teams’ Group E opener in Lyon today. The former Juventus boss will leave the Azzurri to take over at Stamford Bridge after his country’s involvement in the European Championship comes to an end. If Hazard gets his wish, Belgium could have a hand in sending Italy home as early as possible, with the playmaker aiming to make a fast start at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. “[I’m] very happy to play against my future manager tomorrow. I hope that I’m going to be able to show him everything I’m capable of producing and that next season he’ll be able to rely on me,” he told a news conference when asked about the meeting with Conte.
•Eden Hazard
And the 25-year-old was not averse to giving Conte some advice on potential transfers, offering a ringing endorsement of international team-mate Radja Nainggolan, who has been linked with a switch from Roma to Chelsea. “I think Radja Nainggolan is one of the
best in the world in his position,” he said. “So of course [Chelsea and Belgium goalkeeper] Thibaut Courtois and I would love him to come to Chelsea, but we’re not going to get involved in that situation. He’s focused on the European Championship and we’ll see what happens after that.”
O´Neill lauds ´overrated´ Ibrahimovic R EPUBLIC of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill has dismissed his own claim that Zlatan Ibrahimovic was overrated and heaped praise on the Sweden captain ahead of their Euro 2016 opener today. O’Neill labelled Ibrahimovic “probably the most overrated player on the planet” in 2006, a quote that has been regurgitated several times in the build up to the game at the Stade de France. Speaking on Sunday, the former Aston Villa and
Sunderland manager admitted he had changed his mind over the intervening period. “Ten years ago that might have been the case,” O’Neill said, “but a lot of things can happen in that time. I can remember feeling that Henrik Larsson was overrated and then after three-and-a-half minutes I changed my mind. “He’s a top-class player, one of the best in Europe, if not the world. He’s their talisman and he will be hard to keep quiet during the game. All world-class
Lagos Seasiders, Grasshoppers, ASPAC shine at Sam Ocheho-InnJoo Handball tourney By Solomon Nwoke
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SPAC of Benin Re public Handball sharp shooter, Aliyu Shehu provided nine goals to see his side beating the hard fighting Sokoto Rima by 26 -24 in the last game of the morning session of the 3rd Sam Ocheho-InnJoo international Handball Championship yesterday at Rowe Park Handball Courts, Lagos. The Benin Republic side were leading the scoreline before the Sotoko Rimas leveled up at the nick of half time at 15-15. Speaking at the end of the game, the match winner, Shehu of ASPAC expressed happiness for his exploit in the game. “The game is good and we enjoyed ourselves. I am very happy helping my team to win the match against a Nigerian side, it is my desire to help my team lift the trophy at the end of the championship”, he said. Also Speaking was the coach of Sokoto Rima, Abdulhakeem Yakubu who blamed their loss to Ramadan fast. Rima lost their first game at the weekend to Eko Utd of Lagos 2030. He said, “We lost our first game due the Ramadan fast most of the players are engaged in. All the players are fasting and it affected them. Out of 14 of them only one is not fasting, so that reduced the strength of the players and their game as
well. But we are picking up our normal tactical game. In our next game we shall continue to improve insha allah” In some of the matches played earlier yesterday in the male category, Idah Pillars and Civil Defenders ended their tie in a draw with both sides scoring 28 goals apiece. Lagos Seasiders beat Flowers of Benin Republic 27-21 in the female category, while Defence Babes inflicted the second defeat on Edo Dynamos, winning 2523. On the the opening day, Idah Lions defeated Delta Force 29-27, ASPAC OF Benin Republic beat Eko United 32-21 in the male category. In the female category, Imo Grasshoppers defeated Delta Force 33-23, Edo Dynamos lost to Flowers of Benin 21-22, while ASPAC defeated Lagos Seasiders 29-23. Sponsors of the event, Innjoo Mobile Technology, has called on the fans to
come out in large numbers to cheer their teams to victory. Innjoo’s Country Man-
ager, Rakesh Rocque, who made this call, stated that the presence of the fans would boost the perform-
ance of the teams as the organiser, Sam Ocheo also enjoined the teams to eschew violence and play according to the rules of the game.
•Ibrahimovic players, regardless of how closely they are marked are able to do things throughout the course of the game, and he’s one of those players.”
Modric fires Croatia past Turkey
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SMILES . . . From left, Mike Obiku, coach Feyenoord Academy, Holland, Sola Abule communications manager SPDC and gido Vader, Manager international Relations, Feyenoord academy
EAL Madrid midfielder Luka Modric scored a brilliant volley as Croatia defeated Turkey 1-0 in their Euro 2016 Group D opener on Sunday. Ante Cacic’s Croatia dominated throughout, twice hitting the bar in the second half, but it was only Modric’s 41stminute strike – his 11th international goal – that separated the teams at the final whistle. Victory gave Croatia revenge for their elimination on penalties by Turkey in the quarterfinals at Euro 2008, although they had previously beaten them in a qualifying play-off prior to Euro 2012. “What can I say about the goal?” said Modric, the man of the match. “I hit the ball perfectly and thank God I scored.
Shell Cup: Two top players for Holland T
WO outstanding players of the 18th edition of the annual NNPC/Shell Cup football competition organised for secondary schools in the 36 states of the country will have the opportunity of visiting Feyenoord Rotterdam’s Football Academy for further training. The communication
Manager of Shell Petroleum, Sola Abulu, who represented the General Manager of the company, Igo Weli, made this declaration during a media briefing ahead of the semifinal of the competition in Lagos on Sunday. “We are happy to announce the introduction of
a new reward for the two most outstanding players in the tournament,” Abulu said. “The best two players in this year edition would be sponsored to Feyenoord Football Academy for a short further practical sessions and exposure. “Scholarship rewards will also be given to some
other outstanding students while the semifinalists players and their coaches will be rewarded with a total cash of N3.4m while their schools get a total of N4.8m in cash for the development of facilities and infrastructure in their respective schools.” Former international, Mike Obiku, who was a
member of the visiting Feyenoord Academy team to the country applauded NNPC/Shell for their decision to send two students to the academy. He said some of the things lacking in most players in the country are their level of intelligence which has to do more about coaching.