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DELTA QUEENS WIN NIGERIAN WOMEN’S LEAGUE FOR FIRST TIME IN 11 YEARS

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Delta Queens have won the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL), 11 years after they claimed the title.

They defeated Bayelsa Queens 2-1 on Sunday to win the 2022/2023 crown at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State.

 

The home team trailed in the game after Chisom Henry scored an own goal. Tosan Blankson’s ladies searched for a leveller, and almost got it at the stroke of halftime.

 

However, Fehintola Mabokanje missed from the spot, leaving Delta Queens one nil down heading into the break.

 

As the second half began, Blankson rang some changes, bringing Chinaza Agoh and Inyang Esther into the fray in the 65th minute.

 

It did not take time before the switch paid off. Chinaza finished off with an acrobatic goal to bring her side to parity. That’s the first goal Bayelsa Queens conceded in this year’s NWFL Super Six.

 

Both sides continued to search for the goals. However, four minutes from regulation time, Chinaza struck again to give her team the advantage.

 

Delta Queens then held on to win their first league crown since 2012 and their six overall.

 

After the final whistle, an excited Blankson, hailed the girls, especially the goalscorer, for the feat, tipping them for greatness.

 

“These girls are all national team materials. I am short of words but I give God all the glory for the victory,” the gaffer said.

 

“We knew the first half is going to be tough for us so we have to keep Chinaza outside. When she came in, she was fresh and gave us the desired goals,” the coach added.

 

Sunday’s victory hands the Asaba-based side the chance to represent Nigeria at the 2023 WAFU-B Zonal qualifiers for the CAF Women’s Champions League billed for Cote d’Ivoire later in the year.

 

For Bayelsa Queens’ Technical Adviser, Domo Okara, the defeat was painful but he admitted that in football, one can’t win all games.

 

“We would go and prepare and bounce back next season. I wish Delta Queens the best of luck,” he said.

 

But before next season, the team has a chance to start their revival mission when they face Rivers Angels in the final of the 2023 Women’s Federation Cup.

 

Meanwhile, there were also individual accolades, after the Super Six ties. Mercy Omokwo of Delta Queens won the Top Scorer prize having scored nine goals in 15 games. Her teammate Mbechi Anderline scooped the Best Goalkeeper award.
Chinaza also took the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Super Six following Sunday’s brace.

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Iraola: My Fight With Isak Has Never Been About Goals

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Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola says Alexander Isak is a “massive” player for him – but adds he “fights” with the player about needing to do more for the “collective”.

 

Isak scored twice in the opening nine minutes in the 2-0 win over Ipswich to take his tally to three for the season – but Iraola hinted the player needs to do more off the ball for the team.

“He’s a massive player for us,” he told Sky Sports. “My demands will not be about the goals: he’s fit, in a good shape and he will produce the numbers.

“But my fights with him are more about other stuff, how to help the team in other situations. But it’s good he has played two full games and today a good amount of minutes, scoring the goals.”

Iraola did not reveal which specific areas Isak needs to improve, but it could be interpreted that Iraola wants his striker to do more in the pressing.

“I will demand other things so we can play well,” he said in his post-match press conference about those demands to Isak. “And if we play well, we are in good positions, the goals will come.

“He has to contribute to the collective and when everyone helps, after the goals and results will come.”

Iraola also said to Sky: “Today we were much, much better in our press. We were recovering very high and then we can contact him in good positions.

“If we recover the ball lower, it will be more difficult to find him to have less spaces. So we need more quality effort to put our No 9 in situations like he had today.”

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‘It’s So Strong’ – Sabalenka Halts Play Over Cannabis Smell

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Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of a strong smell of cannabis before cruising into the fourth round in New York.

 

Top seed Sabalenka raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed”.

The Belarusian asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong”.

Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her, before play continued.

Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium as she chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title.

Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell of cannabis was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.

Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts on to court from the nearby Corona Park.

It is legal to smoke it in New York for adults aged 21 and over.

“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” Sabalenka said.

“I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium.

“I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”

Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.

Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell.

In past years players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.

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Onana Gets Twins As Salah Welcomes First Son Weeks After Joining Turkish Team

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Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has welcomed his third child and first son, named Lail, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan said after the Turkish club’s third-round league match against Amedspor.

 

Doğan said Salah and his Cameroonian teammate André Onana travelled outside Turkey following the match as their wives were due to give birth.

“After the Amed match, we travelled abroad with Onana and Salah. Onana welcomed twins, while Salah welcomed a baby boy. I congratulate their families and wives,” Doğan was quoted as telling Turkish media.

Salah’s sister, Rabab Salah, later revealed the baby’s name on Instagram, posting a photograph of a baby hat and congratulating her brother on the birth of Lail.

The child is Salah’s first son. The Egyptian star and his wife, Magi, already have two daughters, Makka and Kayan.

Doğan’s comments came after a photograph of Salah and Onana aboard a private jet circulated online, prompting questions among Trabzonspor supporters and local media about the reason for their trip.

The club president said both players had travelled for family reasons following the match.

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