Jack Grealish ensured Manchester City ended their four-game winless run as the Premier League champions survived a scare from Luton in their 2-1 victory on Sunday.

With star striker Erling Haaland absent due to injury, Pep Guardiola’s side trailed to Elijah Adebayo’s goal late in the first half at Kenilworth Road.

But, after squandering a host of chances, City finally clicked into gear with two goals in three minutes after the break.

Silva equalised and Grealish bagged the winner to give City a much-needed first victory in five league matches.

After their lethargic 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday, which followed draws with Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham, City were in danger of falling out of the title race.

Liverpool’s win at Crystal Palace on Saturday had moved the leaders seven points clear of City.

But fourth-placed City responded with a gritty display to close the gap on Liverpool to four points.

City still have work to do to regain control of their bid for an unprecedented fourth successive top-flight title and Haaland’s fitness scare could not have come at a worse time.

Haaland, who had started all of City’s league matches this season, was sidelined with a foot injury that could impact his availability for the treble winners’ hectic Christmas schedule.

City boss Pep Guardiola said Haaland, who has 19 goals this season, noticed the injury after Wednesday’s defeat at Aston Villa.

Guardiola will be sweating on his fitness with City travelling to the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia before returning for the busy festive programme.

Despite their lowly position, Luton have been a tough proposition at home on their return to the top flight after a 31-year absence.

They drew 1-1 with Liverpool, who needed a late equaliser to avoid defeat, and came within seconds of a point against Arsenal, before losing 4-3 on Tuesday.

On their first visit since 1998, City were the latest star-studded side to find an inhospitable welcome amid the terraced houses that surround tiny Kenilworth Road.

Ex-Super Eagles captain and legend, Christian Chukwu, on Sunday, decried the state of Nigeria’s national football team, Super Eagles, saying that the nation doesn’t “have a national team now,” while the home-based players lack the opportunities to grow.

He opined that the team coach, Jose Peseiro, should be based in the country, and that would enable him to discover local talents and train them to become better players,  rather than coming from abroad to train the players for a match and then travelling back.

Chukwu expressed his concerns as a guest on the Channels Television programme, ‘Channels Sports Sunday.’

The former team captain said, “Our coach should come and stay with us in Nigeria. We have a lot of talents in Nigeria, in our local league and when you don’t camp and train them and forget about this we have a match, we come on Thursday, they train on Friday, they play on Saturday and they disperse again. We don’t have a team.

“Let’s come back home, all those playing overseas are good players. They have the opportunities, we have those players back home who are equally good but they don’t have that opportunity to go abroad and play and if you come here and discover them, let you be their manager and then expose them to the Europe people. We have players who are very good, better than the foreign-based players but they don’t have the opportunity.”

Chukwu, who also coached the Super Eagles from 2003 to 2006 said, “You have to come home and discover them and train them. I am not saying they should not be mixed with the foreign-based. Invite the foreign-based but give the home-based opportunity. They are the ones you can use to get anything you want to get.

“As far as I am concerned we don’t have a national team now because even our coaches stay abroad. He comes with the players to come and play and travel again. He should come and reside here, let us work together. We are ready to help him with whatever he wants to achieve.”

Despite guiding Nigeria to qualification for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, the Portuguese has been in the headlines, owing to the poor form of the Super Eagles in recent matches.

In November, Peseiro told the Nigeria Football Federation Technical Committee not to teach him his job but rather pay him and his team their outstanding allowances.

Peseiro allegedly said this while reacting to the committee Chairman, Shariff Ahlan’s comment in the wake of his future as the Eagles coach, stating that the Eagles’ job is bigger than the Portuguese.

Pride of Rivers claim second home win of group stage

Rivers United defeated Tunisian outfit Club Africain by a lone goal in their CAF Confederation Cup group stage meeting at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Having won their first game against APC do Lobito, Nigeria’s sole representatives lost their second game of the group phase in Ghana against Dreams FC last week by a scoreline of 2-1.

Tunisian outfit Club Africain came into the clash on the back of two successive wins over Dreams FC and APC do Lobito, which had them topping the group after the first two rounds of matches.

The match between both sides was keenly contested from the first whistle, with neither side able to break the deadlock. The game’s first and only goal came from the boot of the captain of the home side, Nyima Nwagua, in the 40th minute.

Rivers United held on to claim a second win of the group phase, taking them level on points with Dreams FC and Club Africain. They became only the third Nigerian side ever to defeat the Tunisian side.

London based ex- Super Eagles striker, Benedict Akwuegbu has backed his compatriot or fellow countryman, Victor Osimhen to win the 2023 men’s African Player of the Year award.

Akwuegbu, who spoke to us on telephone from his base where he is now currently studying nursing (Mental health) at the Angel Ruskin University London, said that Osimhen is by far the best player in Africa last season where his 26 goals contribution in the league helped Napoli to break a 33 years aged long jinx by winning the Scudetto for the very first time in their history.

The Austrian Bomber as he was fondly called by his admirers during his active football playing days, noted that he is not unmindful of the challenge from Salah and Hakimi, insisting that the Napoli forward is miles ahead of them by his achievement last season which is why he is throwing his weight behind him.

The press service of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) revealed the names of the top contenders for the title of the continent’s best footballer in 2023 recently with three players standing as the main contenders for this prestigious award: forward Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli), winger Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool), and defender Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, PSG.

Osimhen’s contribution to Napoli’s championship season in 2022/23 is invaluable. With 26 goals, the Nigerian emerged as Serie A’s top scorer.

Although Salah hasn’t boasted significant team accomplishments at Liverpool (only winning the English Super Cup), the Egyptian netted 30 goals across all competitions last season. The 25-year-old Hakimi claimed victory in both the French championship and the French Super Cup alongside PSG, being a key player for the team (39 matches, five goals, and six assists)

Juventus delivered an efficient performance as they moved back to provisional top spot in Serie A on Friday, securing a 1-0 home win against a wasteful Napoli thanks to a header from Federico Gatti.

Six minutes into the second half, Juve broke the deadlock when Gatti collected an Andrea Cambiaso cross at the back post, outjumping his marker to head it into the back of the net.

Napoli had numerous opportunities but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed a huge chance, while Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made several saves to thwart the visitors’ clear scoring chances.

Juve top the standings with 36 points, one ahead of Inter Milan who host lowly Udinese on Saturday.

“We did well in the first half, moving the ball side to side, then in difficult moments the team becomes a block of granite,” Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri told DAZN.

“I have a group of players who work hard. We need to slow things down, not always try to make it one-touch football. We should control the ball better in some moments of the match.”

Asked about Juve’s stated hopes of a top-four finish, Allegri said: “We can even say in the dressing room that we have the ambition to win the Scudetto but you need to get results. There’s no point talking about what might be, we need to focus on what is.”

NAPOLI MISS CHANCES

For Napoli, the match highlighted their struggling form, marking three consecutive defeats across all competitions for the first time since October 2016. They are fifth with 24 points.

“Anyone who knows football realises there are moments. The guys played a great game, I think they dominated the match and forced Juventus to defend in their own area for almost the entire second half,” manager Walter Mazzarri said.

Napoli’s intense start saw them creating several early chances, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo denied by Szczesny’s goal-line save and Matteo Politano narrowly missing the post moments later.

Juve had their best chance of the first half when Dusan Vlahovic’s close-range attempt was blocked by Natan, and Weston McKennie’s subsequent rebound with an overhead kick was denied by Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret.

Just before the half-hour mark, Kvaratskhelia found himself alone with Szczesny inside the box after being set free by Victor Osimhen. However, the Georgian winger sent the ball over the bar, much to the surprise and relief of the home fans, and causing visible frustration for Mazzarri.

“I have seen a team that always played good football, better than the opposition, but we don’t seem to be able to score goals. If we do not score that Kvara chance, it is a clear sign we are in a negative period. Bad luck happens too,” Mazzarri said.

“I am convinced that if we play like this, we will have a run of positive results and really climb the table.”

Napoli’s difficulties in front of the goal continued when Di Lorenzo struck a powerful shot from close range just before the break, only to be denied by Szczesny’s exceptional diving save.

After Gatti’s goal, Napoli’s momentum dropped and they struggled to create chances or mount an offensive to equalise.

Osimhen put the ball into the net for Napoli after Szczesny’s pass was intercepted and knocked back to the Nigerian, but the offside flag was raised.

Napoli host Braga in their last Champions League group-stage match on Tuesday and need at least a draw to qualify for the knockout stage. Juve travel to Genoa on Friday for their next Serie A match.

Quantity-wise, Nigeria may not weigh much in this year’s CAF Awards which hold in the next few hours in the Atlas Mountain city of Marrakech in Morocco on Monday.

But the country has quality representatives who are most likely to win the prime awards for the African Footballer of the Year – Men and Women – in addition to possibly winning the Goalkeeper of the Year in the Women’s category.

Besides that, Nigeria, with seven, has the highest number of legends invited for the ceremony which will hold at the at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech.

Headlining the seven Nigerian legends expected at the ceremony is Austin Jay Jay Okocha, who inspite of his stellar performances, agonisingly missed out in 1998 and 2003.

Also invited is Mikel Obi who also missed out in 2013, 10 years after that of Okocha. He will be joined by another Nigerian legend, Emmanuel Amuneke, winner of the award in 1994.

Other Nigerian legends expected to grace this year’s CAF Awards are: Mercy Akide, Onome Ebi, Perpetua Nkwocha and Precious Dede.

Among the prestigious guests from other countries who have confirmed their presence are football legends, music and art celebrities and prestigious names from other sporting disciplines, including Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Abedi Pele (Ghana), El Hadji Diouf (Senegal), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo),  Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), Ahmed Hassan (Egypt), and Patrick Mboma (Cameroon),  among others.

The United States and Mexico submitted a joint bid on Friday to co-host the 2027 women’s World Cup that, if successful, would see the North American neighbours stage global soccer’s two showcase events in back-to-back years.

Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands earlier on Friday put in a joint bid to be the 2027 hosts, while Brazil put forward their bid to world soccer governing body FIFA last month.  

U.S. Soccer said in a statement that bringing the women’s World Cup to North America would capitalise on a moment of extraordinary growth in women’s sports to deliver a tournament of unprecedented success.

The United States and Mexico, along with Canada, are set to co-host the 2026 men’s World Cup but rather than viewing that as negative U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone described it as a huge plus.

“This is a pivotal time for women’s soccer,” said Parlow Cone. “The U.S. and Mexico are in a unique position to host a World Cup that will leverage the same venues, infrastructure, and protocols used for the Men’s World Cup just a year prior.

“This will not only unlock the economic potential of women’s soccer, it will send a message to young players around the world that there is no limit to what they can achieve.”

Member associations had until Friday to submit their bids to FIFA. South Africa had also submitted a bid but withdrew last month, saying they felt it was better to present a “well-prepared bid” for the 2031 edition.

“Extensive and detailed consultations between the three federations along with key stakeholders including central governments dates back to 2021,” the Dutch football federation (KNVB) said in a statement accompanying the European nations’ bid.

“This has led to alignment around the belief that our three countries are well placed to stage a FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 of unparalleled quality and impact.”

FIFA will organise on-site inspection visits to bidding countries in February before the hosts are appointed in May by the FIFA Congress.

The 2023 tournament was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand this year, with Spain beating England in the final.

Iwobi, who didn’t score on the day, provided an assist for one of the goals at Craven Cottage.

Alex Iwobiplayed a key role in Fulham’s 5-0 demolition of West Ham United on Sunday, helping Marco Silva’s side to their second five-goal victory in five days.

Iwobi, who didn’t score on the day, provided an assist for one of the goals at Craven Cottage.

The win was Fulham’s fourth consecutive league game with 3+ goals, the first time they’ve achieved this feat in 62 years.

Raul Jimenez continued his impressive return to form, scoring the opening goal with a header from Joao Palhinha’s cross. The Mexican forward, who suffered a life-threatening skull fracture three years ago, has now scored four goals in his last five league games.

Fulham were in complete control by half-time, with Willian adding a second before Tosin Adarabioyo headed in the third from a corner.

Substitute Harry Wilson scored a stunning left-footed curler from the edge of the penalty area before Carlos Vinicius sealed the win late on after being teed up by Wilson.

The victory lifted Fulham into the top half of the table, three points behind ninth-placed West Ham.

While the Sky Blue Stars are on 26 points after 13 games, the Savannah Tigers have 25 points from the same number of games. Interestingly, the top two teams currently dictating the pace on the NPFL log are privately owned.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) witnessed another exciting weekend of action, with key clashes shaping the league table.

Remo Stars continued their impressive run as they returned the top of the table, defeating Kwara United 2-0 at their home ground in Ikenne, Ogun State.

Adedayo Olamilekan opened the scoring in the 25th minute, finishing a well-worked move with Dayo Ojo.

Samad Kadiri, who haunted his former club Enyimba last week, secured the victory with a close-range tap-in in the 69th minute.

This win sees Remo Stars open a solitary point lead at the top of the table ahead of second-placed Doma United who on Saturday piped Kano Pillars 1-0 at the Pamtani Stadium in Gombe.

While the Sky Blue Stars are on 26 points after 13 games, the Savannah Tigers have 25 points from the same number of games.

Interestingly, the top two teams presently dictating the pace on the NPFL log are privately owned.

Enyimba Win Derby Battle in Aba

In a thrilling encounter, Enyimba emerged victorious in the Aba derby against Abia Warriors.

The People’s Elephant scored a goal in each half to claim all three points.

E. Eze broke the deadlock in the 39th minute before D. Nnachi doubled the lead just before the hour-mark.

While it appeared Finidi George’s men had done enough for a flawless victory over their city rivals, Abia Warriors pulled a goal back in stoppage time through A.’ C Njoku.

Unfortunately, the goal by the Warriors was a little too late as Enyimba held on for the maximum points on offer

With Sunday’s bragging right from the Oriental Derby, Enyimba have to the fourth on the log with 22 points from 12 matches.

Other Notable Results

Akwa United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Lobi Stars, moving them further away from the relegation zone.

Bayelsa United picked up a comfortable 2-0 win against Enugu Rangers, to kickstart what many terms a resurgent.

In Benin City, Bendel Insurance continued their impressive form with a 1-0 victory over Sunshine Stars.
Niger Tornadoes were however not that lucky as they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat against Plateau United despite a spirited performance.

Shooting Stars and Katsina United played out a 1-1 draw in a closely contested match.
Gombe United secured a much-needed 2-0 victory over Heartland FC, boosting their survival hopes.