Nigeria’s men’s and women’s team kicked off their tournament with straight forward wins.

Nigeria’s table tennis team at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Friday had a bright start in both the men’s and women’s team events.

The women’s team of Offiong Edem, Fatima Bello and Esther Oribamise defeated their St. Vincent and the Grenadines counterparts 3-0.

In their Group One fixture’s doubles game, the pair of Edem and Bello defeated Velox and Cumberbatch 3-0 (11-6 11-2 11-5).

In one of the fixture’s singles games, Oribamise beat Delpesche 3-0 also, winning 11-2 11-3 11-2.

The other singles game saw Edem dispatch Cumberbatch 11-1 11-2 11-3 for another 3-0 routing of their opponents.

Meanwhile, in another Group One fixture, Singapore beat England 3-0.
Group Two results show India beating South Africa 3-0, while Guyana also beat Fiji 3-0.

In Group Three, Australia beat Malaysia 3-0 while Mauritius beat Maldives 3-2.
Matches in Group Four of the event saw Canada beating Uganda 3-0, just as Wales spanked Vanuatu 3-0.

The Nigerian men’s team were also superlative as they whipped South Africa 3-0 in their Group Two fixture. Ghana and Cyprus are their other group opponents.

In Group One of the event, England beat Guyana 3-0, while India beat Barbados 3-0 in Group Three action.

Competition continues in the event later on Friday in round-robin fashion.

 After seven years at the Liverpool helm, Jurgen Klopp finally got his hands on the Community Shield at the third attempt

Liverpool won the first title of the new 2022/23 football season as the Reds beat defending Premier League champions Manchester City 3-1 courtesy of a first half goal from Trent Alexander-Arnold and two late goals. A penalty from Mohamed Salah in the 83rd minute after Julian Alvarez poked City’s equaliser and Darwin Nunez’s first competitive goal, in the 94th minute for the Reds put the gloss on the victory.

Jurgen Klopp thus got his hand on the one remaining local trophy since he moved to Liverpool in 2015 and the Reds for the first time since 2006. Liverpool started without first choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker while Pep Guardiola named new recruit Kalvin Phillips, John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan, and Phil Foden on the bench.

Mohamed Salah created the first scoring chance of the game in the fourth minute when he waltzed past Joao Cancelo but his shot went into the side netting. While City have controlled possession, Liverpool have gone direct, thereby breaking through the City press.

Andy Robertson should have done better with a headed chance in the 14th minute but he also found the side netting.

In the 19th meeting, Jordan Henderson’s cross almost found Roberto Firmino in the box but Ederson got fingertips to deflect away the danger.

Two minutes later, Liverpool went ahead after some concerted play on the edge of the City box. Salah found Alexander-Arnold on the edge and the Liverpool right back’s shot took a nick of Nathan Ake’s head to nestle in the far post.

City’s new No.9 Erling Harland got two quick chances in the 34th minute but his first shot was well saved by Adrian but seconds later Bernardo Silva put in a cross that he should have tried to get his head on it but he went with his left foot. Chance missed.

There was a penalty shout as Riyad Mahrez was bundled to the ground by Thiago but referee Craig Pawson waved play on.

The second half began with City on top and they almost got an immediate riposte from Mahrez but his scuffed effort was parried away from danger. Five minutes into the second half, Liverpool were back on top and Guardiola had to make two changes.

Mahrez and Grealish were pulled off for Foden and summer signing Julian Alvarez. The City substitute Alvarez poked home from close range in the 70th minute after Adrian was robbed by Foden. There was a VAR check but it was given. That was Alvarez’s first goal for City.

The match was now in the balance as Klopp sent on Milner for Henderson and Harvey Elliott replaced the goal scorer Alexander-Arnold.

Another substitute, this time a Red won the penalty that ultimately won the game. A cost from Salah was headed by Nunez unto Ruben Dias’ outstretched right hand and after another VAR check, the penalty was awarded.

Salah stepped up and fired past Ederson for the winning goal. Robertson won the ball off Bernardo Silva in the 87th minute and he chose to shoot when Salah and Luis Diaz were in space in the box. Nunez got the goal his play deserved with a stooping header in the 94th after a great headed knock down from Robertson.

Haaland still had a chance to get one back from City but the former Borussia Dortmund smashed his shot off the crossbar in the last minute. Guardiola has some worries but not so much as the season begins next weekend.

Aribo is happy to have scored in his second match and hopes to carry that momentum into the new season.

outhampton’s new midfielder Joe Aribo, has kept everyone talking because of the incredible goal he scored against Villarreal on Saturday as the Saints concluded their preseason schedule.

Aribo scored in the 64th minute, picking up a loose ball from Villarreal’s player then drove from the Saints’ half down, dribbling three players before looping the ball high past Pepe Reina to cancel Yeremy Pino’s first half header.

Aribo’s strike was not enough as Gerald Moreno got the winner for the Submarines in the 72nd minute.

Aribo, while speaking about his debut goal, believes he can do more in the 2022/2023 season.

“I was laughing with the boys inside. I said I didn’t even know where I pulled that chop on the right foot out from, but it was a really good feeling to score at home and hopefully I can take that into games to come and help the boys this season.

“It’s really important [to have scored] and hopefully I can take that momentum into the games to come.”

Meanwhile, Aribo raised optimism that Southampton will correct mistakes made during preseason ahead of their visit to the White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspur next weekend for its first EPL game of the season.

“I think it was a really good test and one that we needed.”

He continued, “You could see out there that Villarreal are a very good team and are comfortable on the ball, and that’s what’s to come in games to come this season, so it was a really good test for us in pre-season to see where we’re at.

In large spells of the game we were solid and communicating together. At times we weren’t really the best on the ball, but that’s all going to come.

“Pre-season is where you get the mistakes out and find yourselves. I think the boys stayed solid and were a good unit today,” he added.

The gold medalist also set a new Games Record.

Team Nigeria has made a good start as the country won her first gold on Saturday at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games came through the record-setting Adijat Olarinoye, who emerged as the overall best in the women’s 55kg weightlifting.

She lifted 92kg in the snatch, 111kg in clean and jerk, lifting 203kg in total which is a Games Record.

India’s Sorokhaniban lfter settled for the silver, while England’s Fraer settled for the bronze.

Olarinoye’s victory threw Team Nigeria’s camp into jubilation after the other Nigerian lifters failed to make the podium.

Many remain optimistic that more medals will be won after Saturday’s first gold.

One of such hopes is in the boxing event where Nigeria’s Abdul-Afeez Osoba also on Saturday knocked down his Bahamian opponent, Carl Hield (Red) to easily qualify for the Round of 16 in the men’s Light Middleweight division.

Unfortunately, it was a different story in the Women’s Light Middleweight category (over 66kg -70kg) as Nigeria’s Bolanle Shogbamu lost her round of 16 match to England’s Jodie Wilkinson who won the bout 4-1 on points.