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Adam Idah scored a 90th-minute winner as Celtic beat Glasgow rivals Rangers 1-0 on Saturday to lift the Scottish Cup and complete a league and cup double.
A scrappy game was decided by an error as Jack Butland fumbled Paulo Bernardo’s effort and Idah pounced for his ninth goal of a loan spell from Norwich.
“I said I’d come here to try and score as many goals as I could, I didn’t think I’d score a goal like this in front of all these fans. It’s an amazing feeling,” said Idah, who only made the move to Glasgow in January.
People Talk: On sale of new Naira notes at Nigerian parties0:00 / 1:00
“It’s hard to put into words. Anyone here can see what it means to the fans, to the players. I’ve always supported Celtic, it’s amazing!”
Rangers thought they had taken the lead earlier in the second half when Abdallah Sima turned home a corner at the far post.
But after a VAR review, Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart was handed a reprieve in the final match of his career as the former England international had been pushed by Nico Raskin.
Celtic were far from their best but maintained their unbeaten record in five meetings against Rangers this season, which has also secured them direct qualification for next season’s Champions League by winning the Scottish Premiership.
Victory also continued Brendan Rodgers’ remarkable Scottish Cup record across two spells in charge of the Hoops.
Rodgers has never lost a Scottish Cup tie in 17 matches and takes his trophy haul as a Celtic boss to nine in three-and-a-half seasons.
Celtic’s win also has historical significance as they move level with Rangers’ total of 118 trophies.
The head-to-head between the clubs is also now level after 441 meetings with 169 wins each and 103 draws.
Erik ten Hag made a convincing case to be spared the sack as Manchester United upset Manchester City to take the FA Cup with a shock 2-1 victory in Saturday’s final.
Ten Hag was reportedly set to be dismissed regardless of the result at Wembley after a troubled campaign that even the United manager described as “terrible” this week.
But United’s hierarchy might be having second thoughts after Ten Hag’s tactical masterclass ruined City’s history bid.
City were hot favourites to win a second successive Premier League and FA Cup double.
Yet Ten Hag found a way to neutralise Pep Guardiola’s side as first half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo put United on course to win the FA Cup for the first time in eight years.
Jeremy Doku squeezed an 87th minute strike past Andre Onana’s weak attempted save but it was too late to rescue City.
Having ended a turbulent season on a high note, if Ten Hag’s two-year reign does end, his exit would provoke memories of fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal’s Old Trafford departure.
Van Gaal was fired just two days after United’s FA Cup final victory against Crystal Palace in 2016.
Ten Hag will hope a more apt comparison is Alex Ferguson’s 1990 FA Cup final win against Palace, which kick-started his remarkable run after calls for his sacking earlier that season.
Ferguson was in attendance as a match labelled Ten Hag’s funeral turned into a triumph for the much-maligned Dutchman.
United shareholder Jim Ratcliffe, who has control of football operations at Old Trafford, was also watching from the stands alongside co-owners Joel and Avie Glazer.
Linked with Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino and Gareth Southgate, among others, there is still plenty for Ratcliffe to ponder after United finished eighth in the Premier League this season — their lowest final position since 1990 — and crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage.
Ten Hag believes a lengthy injury list was the root of the problems and can point to the two trophies he has won in three cup final appearances with United as proof of what he can do when his team are at full strength.
Ten Hag ended United’s six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup last year and has now avenged their 2-1 loss to City in the FA Cup final 12 months ago despite finishing 31 points behind the champions this term.
– Stay of execution –
United will also qualify for the Europa League, avoiding a first season without European action since 2014-15.
They benefitted from an unusually tepid City performance as their double bid fell flat in their first domestic defeat since losing at Aston Villa in the league 171 days ago.
Last weekend, City became the first team to win the Premier League in four consecutive seasons.
But Guardiola’s men looked hungover after the celebrations that followed their sixth title in seven years.
City were furious when their strong penalty appeal was rejected inside the first minute after Lisandro Martinez’s shove sent Erling Haaland sprawling.
Content to sit deep with all 11 men behind the ball, United stifled City impressively and gleefully accepted their gift-wrapped opener in the 30th minute.
Diogo Dalot’s punt forward should have been dealt with by Josko Gvardiol, but the left-back hesitated as he looked for an offside flag.
Gvardiol headed the ball over City keeper Stefan Ortega, who had rashly rushed off his line, leaving Garnacho with the simple task of tapping into the empty net as Ten Hag clenched his fist in celebration.
Garnacho, 19, was the first teenager to score in the FA Cup final since Cristiano Ronaldo for United against Millwall 20 years ago.
Just nine minutes later, the 19-year-old Mainoo punished more sloppy City defending.
Garnacho advanced unchecked down the right wing and found Fernandes, whose superb first-time pass reached the unmarked Mainoo for a clinical close-range finish.
City pushed harder after the interval but although Doku’s shot slipped through Onana’s grasp to set up a tense finale, it wasn’t enough to deny United.
As the final seconds ticked away, Ten Hag stood in the sunshine nervously waiting to celebrate a dramatic win that could earn an unexpected stay of execution or serve as his final fling.
Former England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney was appointed as the new manager of Championship side Plymouth on Saturday.
A move to Argyle is the fourth managerial role of Rooney’s coaching career, which has so far failed to live up to his stellar playing days.
“Taking this role at Plymouth Argyle feels like the perfect next step in my career,” said Rooney in a club statement.
“This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project. I look forward to helping to build a squad of players to play expansive football – and to entertain the Green Army.”
The 38-year-old was sacked after just 83 days in charge of Birmingham earlier this year.
Rooney won just two of his 15 matches in charge of the Blues, which contributed to their relegation to League One.
He previously had a short spell with former club DC United in Major League Soccer.
But United’s all-time record goalscorer did thrive in difficult circumstances during his first job at Derby as the club entered administration.
“Throughout the interview process, Wayne showed himself to be a passionate, intelligent, and knowledgeable candidate with an appetite to prove himself and develop his managerial career,” said Plymouth chairman Simon Hallett.
“His ambitions and aims match ours perfectly and we feel he is the perfect candidate to provide the exciting and attacking brand of football that we all like to see and help us achieve the club’s mission.”
Plymouth narrowly avoided relegation in their first season back in English football’s second tier for 14 years, finishing 21st in the Championship.
AFP
A great-grandfather living in Fairfield, Ohio, in the United States, has been chronicled in the Guinness World Records for living longer than others before him with one lung.
The 83-year-old Donald Cantrell has even run marathons and taken on triathlons, with one lung turning 84 on 2 June, 2024.
GWR on its X disclosed that the octogenarian has marked the longest time to survive with one lung as a male with a total of 66 years 204 days, as of 15 January.
It added that very soon, “it’ll be 67 years since Don had his left lung surgically removed.”
Despite having just one lung for the majority of his life, Donald Cantrell popularly known as Don has never considered himself to be disabled and has lived a very active life.
He told GWR, “I feel blessed to have lived long enough to achieve a Guinness World Records title that I never tried or even thought of accomplishing.”
Don’s record-breaking journey began when he was just two years old and contracted pneumonia after getting the flu. He was hospitalised in April 1943 and spent almost a week in a coma.
He regained consciousness and was allowed to return home, but his health condition deteriorated over the next few weeks and he found himself back in hospital.
When he was 17 years old, after finishing his second year of high school, Don said he was continually troubled by bad chest colds and coughs.
A doctor examined Don and found that his left lung had been destroyed by an abscess and the best course of action was to remove it.
Abscess is an enclosed collection of pus in tissues, organs, or confined spaces in the body, and it is a sign of infection and is usually swollen and inflamed.
Disturbed about how the family would afford the surgery, Don disclosed that his mother assured him they would find a way, even if they had to sell their farm.
Don was admitted to hospital in June 1957 for the surgery, and soon discovered members of his church had pulled together to raise the money to pay his bill.
“I was discharged on 4 July, with instructions to return for a follow up in a month,” Don said. “I never went back. I was doing so well it did not seem like I needed to go back.”
The first ever lung transplant did not take place until years later in 1963, according to Guinness world Records.
When Don had his surgery, it simply was nott a possibility to replace his damaged lung with a healthy one.
He said, “By the time this possibility became known, I was healthy and strong, having run many road races, including four 26.2 mile marathons.
“Transplant never crossed my mind. In fact I did not think of myself as having a disability.
“Only my family and close friends ever knew of my lung removal. In competitive racing I never told anyone. Even today, most of my acquaintances do not know. I will tell them soon when the certificate arrives.”
Don went on to work in the manufacturing industry, marry his loving wife Janette in 1960, and welcome two sons and a daughter, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
And he also found his passion for running.
“I remained active in sports, I played basketball, softball, disc golf, bowling with my wife, and golf. Eventually running would be my sport of choice,” he said,
With practice and hard work, he went on to compete in over 100 races, running five marathons and completing several 30-mile triathlons too.
Don found that running had a huge positive impact on his health. His remaining lung even got bigger.
Don continued running until he was in his late 70s and unable to because of his neuropathy, a type of nerve damage.
His final race was The Shark Tooth 10k in Venice, Florida, in 2011.
He believes he has even run a marathon quicker than any other one-lunged athlete – completing one in Colombus, Ohio, in 1984 in 3 hr 37 min 2 sec.
Don said, “My competition in sports brought only benefits. I was never injured and never trained for a race I didn’t run and finish. It certainly strengthened my lung.
“My lungs doctor, whom I visited for the first time earlier this year, in order to complete the application for the record, said that my right lung had expanded, so that my lung capacity is equal to 3/4 of a man with two good lungs.
“My overall health dramatically improved when I began to run and become more active all the time.
“I have rarely been sick in the last 40 years. The Lord blessed me greatly through running.”
Don said he did not know what kind of longevity he could expect after having his lung removed.
He said, “I’m not sure what I expected, but I do know that other people that know about the surgery did not expect me to live very long.
“My brothers and I were at a local country store soon after my operation and the subject came up about me being scheduled to return to the hospital in Lexington for my check-up, and the store owner commented, ‘You will probably be doing that for the rest of your life.’
“Perhaps that is one reason I didn’t ever go back for a check-up. But I truly think I just didn’t let others influence what I thought, it was not up to me or them, it was in the Lord’s hands.”
Although Don cannot run anymore, he still walks an average of two miles every day.
[Vanguard]
What the Super Eagles need is a manager and not a coach.
In the national team, there is less coaching and more player management; less technical training and more tactical planning – a very thin but delicate difference.
Coaching is about teaching players the rudiments of how and what to play through repeated practise. Management is telling them what strategies to play at short notice, and hoping they do so!
Coaching requires a lot of time and rehearsals to master a winning strategy.
Managing is a quick-fix of tactics and organisation.
That’s why the best coaches of clubs hardly ever consider being managers of national teams. The two roles have very different approaches.
The best news out of African football is that Nigeria has finally bowed to the voices of reason to end the ugly, mental enslavement of coaches on the basis of the colour of their White skin, ahead of better experienced and better qualified local coaches.
Finidi George, an experienced Nigerian ex-international player with the highest qualifications is the manager Nigeria needs at this time, a gentleman to the core, one commanding great admiration and respect from the players, administrators and fans.
His success will be determined by the number of exceptionally-gifted players he is able to assemble at very short notice to play as close to a team as possible.
To have several players come from a particular club or league often helps.
But the most important ingredient is having a collection of extremely gifted players for all the positions. Nigeria is enroute to achieving that.
There is a very thin line separating a very good player from greatness. That transition often comes in a sudden boost of needed fuel ‘idling’ in every good player’s mind.
There is a talented football player sought after by many clubs, big and small.
For a few seasons, he plays from match after match displaying occasional glimpses of something exceptional without quite getting there, convincingly. He sometimes moves from one club to another, brandishing those flashes of brilliance but ending up with a shortfall in self-belief and consistency that are needed for greatness.
Then, one day, it happens. He finds a great coach who helps him to make the transition aided by conspiringelements. Mother-luck offers the player the gift of an opportunity which, if exploited, provides the perfect platform for the player to be launched into the stratosphere of greatness!
In one match of magic, it happens and everything changes in the player’s career and even life.
I know because it happened to me.
For several years at the start of my football career I was doing well, earning personal accolades, winning some important matches for club and even the country, winning local cups and championships including the league and even the FA Cup, topping the league’s goal-scorers charts for three consecutive years, and even scoring the most number of goals in winning Nigeria’s first African club cup. I was the first Nigerian football player to be listed in the top ten (and ended up as Third) best players in Africa in 1977, when I was not fully aware of just how good I was and could be.
Through all of that period, I was just a very good player, not very consistent, afraid to take certain risks, unappreciative of my depth in the game and how good I was despite all the shower of encomiums. Even when I was the most celebrated football player at the eve of the 1978 AFCON in Ghana, and ended up as a joint highest goalscorer, I was still not convinced, in the depths of my mind, of my true capability.
Then it happened on that fateful and eventful evening of March 22, 1980. Buoyed by some good fortune, I flew like I had never flown before, played without fear and with a certain conviction, scored two goals created in heaven, and contributed to earning for Nigeria its greatest trophy at the time.
In the 90 minutes of that match, I knew for the first time, what greatness was: knowing what to do beyond the ordinary; being unafraid; deliberately aware of one’s capability; playing like the greats of football – cool, calm, sure, confident and deadly!
When I scored a brace (I could have scored more), it was the turning point of my football playing, the transition point from being good to being great.
Not every player gets to that point of realisation. The few that do, stand out after that. Watch the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Friday Ekpo, Haruna Ilerika, Henry Nwosu, Finidi George, Samuel Garba Okoye, and some others. Once they get to that transition point, they come into the fullness of their ability and ‘greatness’ starts to manifest through their consistency, confidence and masterful displays.
That’s the slight shortfall, so far, in Victor Osimhen’s place in football till now. He is a very good player but still on the periphery of greatness despite his becoming Africa’s best player and his stellar goalscoring in Napoli. When he makes that final mental transition, when he becomes fully aware of his capability and starts to play deliberately with ease, confidence and composure, he will immediately join the ranks of the gods of African football.
Last Sunday night, during the final match of the Europa Cup, Ademola Lookman who flew like an eagle, may have transited into that realm.
His three great goals, with a historic victory for his team to boot, may have taken him to the edge of greatness. In 90 minutes, at the moment of his club’s greatest challenge in football, his earned the transition rights through his performance. It is not easy to score a goal in football. To score two goals is extremely difficult. To score three in the finals of a European Club championship is a ‘miracle’.
I listened to Ademola Lookman after the match when he addressed the press. I saw in his eyes and heard in his voice, the evidence of his metamorphosis from a really ‘good’ player to a ‘great’ one, going forward. Ademola will never be the same player again. In a quantum leap, he finally completed what he started at AFCON 2023. Now, he is in the territory of the gods of the ‘Beautiful game’.
I congratulate him, and wish him great days ahead in his football. It is now that Nigeria will start to enjoy and benefit from the greatness of the man.
Former Bayern Munich coach, Hansi Flick is on the verge of becoming the head coach of FC Barcelona.
Earlier this week, Hansi Flick travelled to London, England to meet with the sporting director of FC Barcelona, Deco and Sports Commission member Bojan Krkic.
After the meeting, Flick and the Spanish giants reportedly agreed on a deal which will see the German tactician replace the departing Xavi Hernandez this summer.
A report by Spanish publication, AS, claimed that Hansi Flick was at the meeting with his agent, Pini Zahavi.
Reports in Spain claimed that the parties involved in the discussion had already agreed on the terms of the deal in principle. The purported agreement will see Flick stay at Barcelona for two seasons.
Meanwhile, there are reports that FC Barcelona sent scouts to watch the Europa League final between Italian Serie A club, Atalanta and German Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen.
Spanish outlet Sports claimed that Barcelona directors, Deco and Krkic were at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to watch the game.
The report claimed that the directors were impressed with the performance of Super Eagles’ forward, Ademola Lookman who scored the three goals that won Atalanta the Europa League.
Following the outstanding performance of the 26-year-old, the Barca directors are said to be considering making a move for the €30 million-valued-winger this summer.
Lookman who has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 43 games this season has two more years in his contract with Atalanta.
West Ham United appointed former Real Madrid and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui as their new manager on Thursday after David Moyes’ departure from the London Stadium.
The 57-year-old Spaniard, who had been unemployed since leaving Wolves just before the recently concluded Premier League season, will officially begin working with the Hammers on July 1.
“We came here with the idea and the thought to make a big, big noise.
“That’s why we came here, and we are excited by this challenge.
“Of course, we are going to do our best to help the club and the team to achieve the best level and to achieve our aims.
“I assure the fans that they are going to be key in all our achievements,” Lopetegui said.
West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan said Lopetegui’s appointment would “ensure a strong opportunity to build on the positive progress made in recent seasons.”
Recall that David Moyes had confirmed that he will be leaving West Ham United at the end of this season as he rolls out his achievements at the club.
David Moyes first coached West Ham United from 2017 to 2018 and then returned to the side in 2019. Since then, he has been enjoying a series of ups and downs in terms of the team’s run under his watch.
Most West Ham United fans seem not to be big lovers of his style of football as they prefer more free-flowing football from the Scottish tactician.
The Hammers secured a ninth-place finish in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season.
Former Chelsea midfielder, Cesc Fabregas has disclosed the reason behind his visit to Chelsea’s training ground last week.
Fabregas, currently managing Como, also dispelled speculations that he might be in line to take over the managerial role following Mauricio Pochettino’s departure.
Speaking on BBC Sounds’ Planet Premier League podcast, Fabregas said on Wednesday, “It’s difficult sometimes to acknowledge or have an opinion when you are not there to see what happened.
“Look, I was there actually. Funnily enough, I went to London on the weekend.
“First of all, I had a good relationship with Mauricio. When we played against them I always felt that he was a really nice guy, a gentleman.
“So I felt they won four games in a row, that was Friday [that he visited], two days before the end of the season, so everything was fun and good and relaxed around the training ground, last game of the season.”
[DailyPost]
Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman has attributed his career and personality evolution to his decision to play for Nigeria.
Ademola Lookman was born in Wandsworth England on October 20, 1997, to Nigerian parents which makes him eligible to play for both countries.
The 26-year-old striker has played for England’s under-19, 20, and 21 levels before he decided to settle for Nigeria at the senior level in 2022 after failing to get the Three Lions of England invite.
Since then, the tricky winger has made himself a very important member of the national team which he has scored 6 goals in 21 games.
“It’s incredible [to play for Nigeria]. The support and the love I get back home from the people is unbelievable,” Lookman told the UEFA official website.
“It gives me the motivation to evolve in different areas – as a person, not just in my game.”
Just like at the 2023 AFCON where Ademola Lookman recorded some brilliant moments as he helped Nigeria to reach the final of the tournament, Lookman has enjoyed some unforgettable moments at Atalanta this season.
The best of them all was his performance in the Europa League final on May 22, 2024, where he became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final.
The most mind-blowing aspect of that achievement is that Ademola Lookman achieved the feat against newly crowned German Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen who were enjoying a 51-game unbeaten run before the final.
Meanwhile, Lookman’s national teammate, Kenneth Omeruo has urged the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) to make Atalanta winger the 2024 Africa player of the year.
”@CAF_Online your Arica Player of the Year..@ALookman_ top player”, Kenneth Omeruo wrote on X after Ademola Lookman helped Atalanta to win the Europa League with a hat-trick on Wednesday.
Atalanta winger, Ademola Lookman, has said the 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final on Wednesday is one of the “best nights of my life’.
Lookman scored twice in the first half and once after the break, as they became the first Serie A team to win the title.
The win also ended Leverkusen’s 51-game unbeaten run in emphatic style.
Lookman, speaking to TNT Sports, said: “One of the best nights of my life.
“Amazing performance from the team, we did it, we did it, we did it! Not got much else to say but yeah fantastic.
“They do always say third time lucky, so yeah it is for us today [winning a final at the third attempt this season]. I’m just happy we won. We won today so yes very pleased.”
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Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, Ademola Lookman has noted that all he and his teammates need to do to win their first Europa League trophy is to be at the top of their game.
At 8 p.m. tonight, May 22, the German Bundesliga giants, Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta will clash at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland for the Europa League title.
While Atalanta are in the 5th spot of the Italian Serie A table, Bayer Leverkusen finished their league season as champions without losing a game for the first time in the history of the Bundesliga.
In the league alone, Atalanta have recorded 10 defeats so far this season, while Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten in all competitions. Hence, it is a bit of an imbalance in terms of the form of the respective teams.
However, the fact that Atalanta defeated Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool on their way to the Europa League final will be a huge motivation for the Serie A side.
Ademola Lookman believes that his team can stop the unbeaten run of Bayer Leverkusen tonight and grab the European title.
“A big occasion for us as a club, as players, as a team, so I’m looking forward to it. We need to be at the top of our game. We know that coming into the tie against a top team, we play top football,” Ademola Lookman told the club’s official website.
“Like we’ve shown this season we play our football to the best of our abilities and we do the necessary.”
[NaijaNews]
The Champions League final in 2026 will be played in Budapest, Hungary.
UEFA confirmed this on Wednesday.
The European football governing body also delayed giving the 2027 final to Milan amid uncertainty over the future of San Siro.
The Puskás Arena and San Siro were the venues for the two finals scheduled to be awarded.
This year’s final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund will be played on June 1 at Wembley Stadium in London.
Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena will host next year’s showpiece event.
[DailyPost]
Super Eagles coach Finidi George has emphasized his unwavering commitment to victory, regardless of tactical formations.
Finidi, who was appointed coach of the three-time African champions on April 19, was unveiled on Monday, May 13, by NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and Sports Minister Sen. John Owan Enoh at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
The 53-year-old, who is currently on a media tour, made this known in an interview on Brilla FM on Tuesday.
His words: “My philosophy is to win. For me, formation is not that important, because if players interpret when to attack and when to defend and do it well, there won’t be problems.
“You can play 2-5-2 or 4-4-2, but if the players know they have to attack or defend, the team won’t have problems. That is what Manchester City, Arsenal, and every other team do, but the difference is when players recognise this moment.”
In another interview, Finidi, who was a guest on Arise TV on Wednesday, addressed issues surrounding his contract as Super Eagles head coach.
Finidi stated that regardless of the number of years on his contract, performances on the pitch will determine whether he stays longer as coach, adding that the NFF is not being disrespectful with the terms of his contract.
His words: “It’s not a one-year deal,” he clarified. “It is based on how well we perform. Even if you have given me a five-year deal and I don’t perform, definitely, I will leave before that five years… My focus is on adding value, winning games, and playing attractive football. If I achieve that, the contract length becomes secondary. But currently, it’s a two-year performance-based deal.
“Personally, I don’t think so, even Peseiro who came was given a target; Nigeria has gotten to a level that you can’t bring a coach and say, let him stay for four or five years hoping he will turn things around.”
The Super Eagles will host South Africa in their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, June 7th.
The three-time African champions will travel to face Benin at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan three days later.
Names have been mentioned regarding the manager likely to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea.
DAILY POST reported on Tuesday that the Argentine gaffer left the Blues on mutual consent.
Chelsea witnessed a significant improvement towards the end of the season, finishing sixth in the Premier League table.
But the former PSG and Tottenham boss could not stay any longer at Stamford Bridge, as he is reportedly at loggerheads with the club’s owners.
Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that the Blues are looking for a dynamic manager.
He said that several candidates are being discussed internally with owners and directors involved.
“Thomas Frank is among the names mentioned internally; also Kieran McKenna but still all open. Seb Hoeneß, highly rated but fully focused on Stuttgart,” he said.