Sports

14, October 2021

Women’s 10km world record holder Agnes Tirop stabbed to death in Kenya ⁰

Kenyan distance runner Agnes Tirop, a two-times World Championship bronze medallist, was found stabbed to death at her home, Athletics Kenya said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old represented Kenya in the 5,000m event at the Tokyo Olympics and finished fourth in the finals.

“Tirop was found dead at their home in Iten after she was allegedly stabbed by her husband. We are still working to unearth more details surrounding her demise,” Athletics Kenya said in a statement.

Local police said Tirop’s husband was a suspect.

“We received a message from the family of Tirop’s husband that the husband had phoned the parents while crying and asking that God forgive him as there is something bad he had done,” Tom Makori, Keiyo North Sub County Police Commander, told the private-owned NTV Kenya Television.

“When police went to Tirop’s house they found her in bed with blood under the bed and a lot of it on the floor.

“When police looked at the body, it looked like she had been stabbed on the neck with what we suspect to be a knife.”

Last month, Tirop smashed the women-only 10km world record in Germany, crossing the line in 30:01 to shave 28 seconds from the previous record held by Morocco’s Asmae Leghzaoui from 2002.

Tirop won bronze medals at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships in the 10,000m, and also won the 2015 World Cross Country Championships.

“It is even more painful that Agnes, a Kenyan hero by all measures, painfully lost her young life through a criminal act perpetuated by selfish and cowardly people,” Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement.

“I urge our law enforcement agencies led by the National Police Service to track down and apprehend the criminals responsible for the killing of Agnes.”

(REUTERS)

12, October 2021

Eto’o not happy with Barcelona’s poor results ⁰

The four-time African Footballer of the Year is far from happy with his former club’s form in all competitions this campaign

Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o has admitted that he has been made to suffer with Barcelona’s poor results, who are experiencing a difficult period.

The Blaugrana are yet to win a match in the Uefa Champions League this season having suffered defeats to Bayern Munich (3-0) and Benfica (3-0) in their first two games.

In La Liga, Ronald Koeman’s men currently occupy the ninth spot with 12 points after seven games – five points behind leaders Real Madrid.

Eto’o expressed his disappointment with Barcelona’s form and he has called on the players to avoid bowing out of the Champions League in the group stage.

They sit at the bottom of Group E behind Bayern Munich, second-placed Benfica and third-placed Dynamo Kyiv after two games.

“Recently, Barcelona have made me suffer,” Eto’o was quoted by Marca. “These are tough times for those of us who love the club.

“It would be hard to accept group stage elimination in the Champions League. I still hope they can go through.”

After the international break, Koeman’s side will aim to turn things around when they host Valencia for a La Liga fixture on Sunday before a cracking league game against Real Madrid on October 24.

Eto’o, who featured in a number of El Clasicos during his playing career, talked up the importance of encounters against the Blancos at the Camp Nou.

“Barcelona have started the season badly, but the Clasico is a unique match and the players must make the most of it to change the dynamic of the season,” he added.

“Beating Real Madrid could be worth six points.

“Those of us who have played that fixture know it’s the most beautiful game in the world. I have played in Champions League finals, but I can say that the Clasico is unique. There’s nothing else like it.”

During his five-year stint at Barcelona, Eto’o enjoyed tremendous success with three La Liga titles, two Champions League trophies and other domestic honours.

The 40-year-old recently announced his intention to become the next president of FecaFoot, who has been without a substantive head since 2018.

Cameroon, meanwhile, are getting ready to host the continent for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in January.

Source: Goal.com

11, October 2021

Football: France wins Nations League in late-scoring 2-1 final against Spain ⁰

France won the Nations League on Sunday after coming from a goal down to beat Spain 2-1 in Milan.

Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe struck to claim the title for world champions France after Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain ahead midway through the second half.

The win will ease some of the pain created by an early exit from Euro 2020 at the hands of Switzerland and highlighted just how powerful France are going forward.

Les Bleus came out on top of a match at the San Siro which came to life after Oyarzabal slid home the opener in the 64th minute.

As well as the two goals from their superstar attackers, France had other opportunities to score through Mbappe before a frantic finish in which Spain launched an assault on the French goal.

Didier Deschamps can thank Hugo Lloris the match didn’t go into extra-time after the France captain pulled off a fine stoppage time save to deny Yeremi Pino a late leveller.

Earlier Italy took third place after beating Belgium 2-1 in Turin through goals form Nicolo Barella and Domenico Berardi.

(AFP)

10, October 2021

Boxing: ‘Best of era’ Fury hailed after Wilder classic ⁰

Tyson Fury believes he is the greatest heavyweight of his era after producing a scintillating display to beat Deontay Wilder in a boxing classic on Saturday.

The 33-year-old undefeated Englishman recovered from two knockdowns against the hard-hitting Wilder before knocking out the American in the 11th round to retain his WBC crown.

“I know I’m the greatest heavyweight of my era, without doubt. Number one,” Fury said following an epic battle at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I’ve fought the most devastating puncher in the history of our sport, not once, not twice, but three times.”

At a towering 6ft 9in tall and weighing in at 277lbs, Fury is unarguably one of the biggest heavyweight champions of all time.

Icons of the heavyweight division like Muhammad Ali or Joe Frazier would be giving away massive advantages in height and weight in any theoretical match-up with the reigning champion.

Fury was initially reluctant on Saturday to rank his chances against past greats.

“I don’t like competing with fighters from the past because it’s fantasy, not reality,” he said. “I can only beat the best of my day. And I’ve done that. I’m the best fighter in my era.

However, he later could not resist comparing himself favorably to the greatest heavyweights to have graced the division.

“There’s been so many of them, so many great champions,” he said.

“Without sounding too clever, I place myself at the top of the pile. I believe I can beat any man in history, any man.”

– ‘Magnificent’ –

Saturday’s thriller meanwhile left many at ringside struggling to think of a better heavyweight contest in boxing history.

“Listen, I’ve been in this business 57 years promoting fights and I truly have to say I have never seen a heavyweight fight as magnificent as this,” said Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum, who promoted 27 of Muhammad Ali’s fights including the 1975 classic “Thrilla in Manila” against Joe Frazier.

Frank Warren, Fury’s veteran English promoter, said Saturday’s bout was “boxing history.”

'Warriors': Tyson Fury landing a punch against Deontay Wilder — ‘Warriors’: Tyson Fury landing a punch against Deontay Wilder Robyn Beck AFP

“It’s the best live heavyweight fight I’ve seen,” Warren said. “It was just amazing. Two warriors and just so absorbing. Tyson is the standout heavyweight of his generation.

“I have seen him box better. But the heart and the bravery he showed tonight were just amazing. Boxing should be proud of what he did tonight.”

Fury, who now plans to take a break from the sport before contemplating a potential unification fight with WBA, IBF and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, or British rival Anthony Joshua, insisted he had never felt in danger against Wilder.

“He caught me twice. But I was never like thinking ‘Uh oh, this is over.’ I thought ‘Okay, good shot — but I will get you back in a minute, and I did’,” he said.

“He shook me and he put me down, but that’s boxing. And that’s life as well — no matter how many times you get put down, it’s all about getting back up.”

Source: AFP

9, October 2021

Hamilton fastest in Istanbul F1 qualifying but Bottas takes pole ⁰

Lewis Hamilton dominated qualifying Saturday for the Turkish Grand Prix but his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas will start the race from pole position.

Hamilton, the championship leader, set a new lap record three times in qualifying but because his team incurred a 10-place grid penalty by changing his engine ahead of the race he will start 11th.

His closest rival for the title, Dutchman Max Verstappen of Red Bull, will start alongside Bottas, a Finn, on the front row.

Hamilton improved his time in each of the three qualifying phases. After breaking the 16-year-old track record in practice on Friday he broke it again in each of the three qualifying sessions.

He finished the session with a time of 1min 22.868sec, 0.130sec ahead of Bottas with Verstappen 0.328 back.

Frenchmen Charles Leclerc in a Ferrari, and Pierre Gasly in an Alpha Tauri will start on the second row.

Veteran Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Mexican Sergio Perez of Red Bull occupy the next two places.

Source: AFP

9, October 2021

Indomitable Lions: Choupo-Moting double powers Cameroon to victory as Ivory Coast thrash Malawi ⁰

The Indomitable Lions grabbed a comfortable home win while Patrice Beaumelle’s men outshone their hosts in Johannesburg

Bayern Munich striker Eric Choupo-Moting scored a brace as Cameroon defeated Mozambique 3-1 in a Fifa World Cup qualifying match on Friday.

Choupo-Moting found the target in each half of the encounter and Lyon star Karl Toko Ekambi brought his goalscoring form from Ligue 1 to the Indomitable Lions’ camp to seal their victory in the 63rd minute.

Following their 2-1 loss to the Ivory Coast in September, Cameroon bounced back in style with the Bayern Munich forward breaking the deadlock at Stade Omnisports in the 28th minute.

The goal separated both teams at the break and six minutes after the restart, Choupo-Moting made it 2-0 for the hosts.

The lead was later extended by Toko Ekambi, however, the Indomitable Lions goalkeeper Devis Epassy Mboka could not keep a clean sheet as Mozambique pulled a goal back through Sporting Lisbon midfielder Geny in the 80th minute.

With two minutes left on the clock, the visitors were reduced to 10 men as second-half substitute Danilo was given a straight red card.

The victory means Cameroon now have six points after three matches in Group D while Mozambique suffered their second straight loss, and they have picked up just a point so far.

In South Africa, Ivory Coast put in a commanding display to defeat hosts Malawi 3-0 in the other group fixture.

Max Gradel opened the scoring in the 35th minute followed by goals from PSV midfielder Ibrahim Sangare and Sassuolo’s Jeremie Boga extended their unbeaten streak in Group D.

The Elephants remain at the summit of the group with seven points from three outings while Malawi are third on the table with three points.

Patrice Beaumelle’s men will host Malawi for the return fixture on Monday while Mozambique are scheduled to face Cameroon in Morocco on the same day.

Source: Goal.com

7, October 2021

FIFA World Cup: Biya regime to permit 10,000 fans into qualifier against Mozambique ⁰

Cameroon will allow up to 10,000 fans to attend World Cup qualifier between Cameroon and Mozambique, according to the Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi.

“The Confederation of African Football has exceptionally permitted 10,000 spectators (to watch the match). Tickets are available for sale,” Kombi said in a statement on Tuesday and stressed that COVID-19 guidelines instituted by CAF and FIFA must be respected in the stadium.

The game is scheduled to take place at Japoma Stadium in the economic hub of Douala on Friday, Oct. 8. The ground has a capacity of 50,000.

Cameroonian football has been played behind closed doors since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country last year.

The Central African nation is also getting set to host Africa’s biggest football event, Africa Cup of Nations from January 9 to February 6 next year.

Source: Xinhuanet

30, September 2021

Brazil football legend Pele leaves hospital, will now undergo chemotherapy ⁰

Brazilian football legend Pele was released from hospital Thursday after undergoing surgery for a colon tumor, but will continue undergoing chemotherapy, his medical team said.

Pele, 80, had been receiving treatment at Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo since August 31, after a suspected tumor was detected during routine tests.

The player considered by many the greatest footballer of all time is in “stable” condition, doctors said.

(AFP)

28, September 2021

Football: Koeman seeks extra time as Barca get set for Benfica ⁰

Ronald Koeman’s future as Barcelona coach may already be decided but the outcome of the next two games, starting with Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday, could buy him some extra time.

Three matches without a win and a press conference in which Koeman cancelled questions and demanded support felt more like the final week of a tenure about to be brought to an end.

A goalless draw away at Cadiz ended with Gerard Pique playing up front and while Pique called for calm after the game, the club captain also shied away from backing his coach.

“The club has been on the crest of a wave for many years and we are not used to this,” Pique said. “We all need to make an effort to give stability. We can complain or pull in the right direction. Let’s not look for friction because this doesn’t help anyone.”

After drawing with Granada, Koeman seemed both to dismiss Barcelona’s possession mantra and denigrate his players in one breath. “If you look at our squad, what are you supposed to do? Play tiki-taki?” Koeman said, in a reference to tiki-taka, the name attributed to the style played under Pep Guardiola.

But a 3-0 victory over Levante on Sunday has, at least briefly, lifted the mood ahead of a week that is likely to be taken as a litmus test for whether Koeman returns from the international break still in charge.

After facing Benfica, with the pressure on in Group E after the opening defeat by Bayern Munich, Barcelona play on Saturday away at Atletico Madrid, La Liga’s reigning champions, who are enduring a rocky start themselves.

A loss in either game, even at this early stage, would represent a damaging blow to Barca’s hopes in either competition and perhaps convince the board the need for change is now.

Yet a better combination of results could also earn Koeman some breathing space, even if it appears clear the Dutchman is not the long-term choice of club president Joan Laporta.

A period of stability would suit Laporta, given he needs time not only to identify a successor but also persuade them to join a club still working off more than a billion euros of debt and too broke to make significant signings for at least another year.

And while the two-week international break might seem the preferable moment to make a change, a new coach would then be plunged into three games against Valencia, Dynamo Kiev and Real Madrid, meaning a potentially turbulent start.

The better scenario both for Koeman and the board would be that the team recovers, in a similar way to last season when an uncertain first few weeks gave way to a gradual gathering of momentum.

There were certainly reasons for optimism against Levante, who rolled over for the kind of morale-boosting victory ideally suited for the start of a testing week.

The biggest cause for enthusiasm was the return of Ansu Fati, the inheritor of Lionel Messi’s number 10 shirt, who raised the roof by coming on after 10 months out through injury and then sent the fans ballistic by scoring in the 91st minute.

Ansu’s return could be transformative, not only because of what the 18-year-old brings to Barcelona’s attack but for what he represents, now more than ever: a La Masia graduate and one of the club’s last remaining claims to belonging with Europe’s elite.

Even before Ansu’s introduction, the crowd were admiring the performances of the 19-year-old Nico Gonzalez and the 17-year-old Gavi in midfield. Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay scored the opening goals to suggest the summer transfer window was not entirely a backward step.

Barca also scored early, which allowed the players to operate more freely and avoid the unpalatable tactics witnessed in recent weeks when the team has been searching for a goal.

Levante, though, were generous opponents and Koeman cannot expect the same from Benfica, who are unbeaten, having won 10 of their 12 games so far this season, with the scrap to join Bayern in the last 16 – which also includes Kiev – far from clear-cut.

“We are Barcelona, we are going for La Liga and the Champions League and all the competitions we are in,” said Fati on Sunday. “All the teams want to win everything but we are Barca, we have to fight.”

Source: AFP

26, September 2021

Football: Lewandowski wins Golden Shoe 2021 ⁰

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has been awarded the Golden Shoe as top scorer in European football last season.

The Polish sensation scored 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern in the 2020-21 season. The 33-year-old Striker broke Gerd Mueller’s record of 40 goals in the German top flight set in 1971-72.

Lewandowski’s tally represents the highest in Europe since Cristiano Ronaldo received the prize in 2015 with Real Madrid, after bagging 48 goals. The Pole has already scored seven goals in only five games this season, as the Bavarians top the early Bundesliga Table.

Source: Presstv