SPORTS

Ghana Goalkeeper, Richard Ofori Arrives In South Africa To Sign For AmaZulu

Published

3 hours ago

September 24, 2024

Richard Ofori arrives in South Africa to sign for AmaZulu | fab.ng

Richard Ofori, the 30-year-old Ghanaian goalkeeper, has touched down in South Africa to finalize his move to AmaZulu. Ofori, who became a free agent after his contract with Orlando Pirates expired in June 2024, spent the summer maintaining his fitness through individual training sessions.

Since 2018, Ofori has established himself as a prominent figure in South African football. He began his journey with Maritzburg United. There, he quickly gained recognition as one of the league’s premier goalkeepers. His exceptional performances between the posts at Maritzburg caught the eye of Orlando Pirates, one of South Africa’s most prestigious clubs.

During his tenure with the Buccaneers, Ofori played a pivotal role in the team’s successes. His contribution was particularly noteworthy in the Pirates’ MTN 8 Cup triumph. Ofori started in goal for the final match, helping his team secure a 2-1 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic and end a six-year trophy drought.

Throughout his career in South Africa, Ofori has amassed over 100 appearances for both Maritzburg United and Orlando Pirates combined. This wealth of experience now accompanies him to AmaZulu, a club with ambitions to improve upon their 11th-place finish from last season. AmaZulu aims to secure a spot in the top eight. This would qualify them for the MTN 8 competition.

Richard Ofori brings international experience to AmaZulu as well, having earned 33 caps for the Ghanaian national team. His most recent appearance for the Black Stars came during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in a match against Mozambique. The goalkeeper hopes to leverage this high-level experience to elevate AmaZulu’s performance.

The club aspires to replicate the success of their 2021/22 season. During that time, they finished as MTN 8 runners-up and competed in the group stages of the CAF Champions League. Ofori’s arrival signals AmaZulu’s intent to strengthen their squad and push for higher achievements in the upcoming season.

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Former Manchester United Forward Anthony Martial Joins AEK Athens On A Three-Year Deal

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SPORTS

Former Manchester United Forward Anthony Martial Joins AEK Athens On A Three-Year Deal

Published

4 days ago

September 20, 2024

Reporter

Anthony Martial joins AEK Athens on a three-year deal | fab.ng

Anthony Martial, the 28-year-old forward, embarks on a new chapter in his career as he joins AEK Athens. The Greek club officially announced the signing on Thursday. They welcomed Martial as a free agent after his nine-year tenure at Manchester United concluded in June.

The talented striker commits his future to AEK Athens with a contract extending until 2027. Further, he chose to don the number 26 jersey for his new team. This move marks a significant addition to the roster of the 13-time Greek champions.

While AEK Athens kept the financial aspects of the deal confidential, British media outlets have shed some light on the terms. Reports say that Anthony Martial will command an annual salary of 2.5 million pounds (equivalent to $3.32 million). Indeed, this will position him among the top earners at the club.

🟡✈️ 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Anthony Martial arrives in Greece to sign for AEK Athens! ✅

Many fans waiting for him at airport. 🧨🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/z1OauTAasW

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) September 18, 2024

This substantial investment underscores AEK’s ambition and their faith in Martial’s abilities to make a significant impact on the pitch. The French international brings a wealth of experience to Athens. They have notched an impressive 90 goals across 317 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions.

His contributions played a crucial role in United’s success, helping the English giants secure the Europa League title, an FA Cup victory, and two League Cup triumphs. However, persistent injury problems marred Martial’s final years at Old Trafford, with his last appearance for the Red Devils coming in December.

AEK Athens continues to demonstrate their intent to compete at the highest level, with Martial’s signing following the acquisition of former Tottenham Hotspur and Sevilla midfielder Erik Lamela earlier in the transfer window.

The Greek club currently sits atop the Super League Greece standings, having accumulated 10 points from their opening four matches. They aim to maintain their strong start to the season as they prepare to face Kallithea in an upcoming away fixture on Sunday.

With these strategic reinforcements, AEK Athens looks poised to challenge for domestic honours and make their mark in European competitions. Indeed, they’re leveraging the experience and skill of their new star signings.

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SPORTS

Sparta Prague’s Nigerian Star, Victor Olatunji Sets Champions League Record

Published

4 days ago

September 20, 2024

Reporter

Victor Olatunji, Sets Champions League Record | fab.ng

Victor Olatunji, at 25, made history as the first Nigerian to both score and assist on his Champions League debut. He achieved this during Sparta Prague’s 3-0 win against RB Salzburg on Wednesday.

The Sokoto-born forward, lined up with Veljko Birmancevic and Lukas Haraslin, made an immediate impact in European competition. From the start, his performance stood out. He helped his team to a victory.

Lars Friis’ side extended their unbeaten streak to 15 matches across all competitions. They wasted no time at the Epet Arena, taking an early lead in the second minute through Kaan Kairinen. The Finnish midfielder reacted swiftly to a loose ball, calmly slotting home after a brilliant save by Salzburg’s goalkeeper Janis Blaswich.

Just before halftime, Olatunji doubled the lead for Sparta Prague. He fired home from a tight angle, capitalizing on a well-placed assist from team captain Filip Panak. In the second half, Olatunji played provider, setting up Qazim Laci for a composed finish, sealing the game at the hour mark.

With his goal and assist, Victor Olatunji carved his name into the Champions League record books.

He became the first Nigerian to achieve this feat on his debut. Also, he joined an elite group of players and became the third footballer to score and assist in his first Champions League match. Ivorian international Serge Aurier and Gabonese legend Daniel Cousin are the only other players to have achieved this milestone.

3 – Victor Olatunji is the third African player to score and assist on his UEFA Champions League debut, after Daniel Cousin in 2007 (for Rangers vs Lyon) and Serge Aurier in 2015 (for PSG vs Shakhtat Donetsk). Indeed, he’s the first 🇳🇬 Nigerian player to do so. Eagle. pic.twitter.com/BhSQeW09oo

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 18, 2024

Cousin first accomplished the feat in 2007 with Rangers during their 3-0 win over Olympique Lyonnais. Eight years later, Aurier followed suit as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 in 2015.

Sparta Prague’s win also ended their long wait for a Champions League victory. This was their first since defeating Lazio 1-0 in December 2003. Additionally, it marked the first time they had opened the competition with a win. Yet, it is in their eighth appearance in the tournament.

“I feel good, I feel great and I’m very happy for myself because I worked hard to get to this point. I’m also happy for the team,” Olatunji told UEFA media after the match.

“We always play like a team – I really enjoyed it. For the third goal, I could have shot but I wanted to give us a bigger chance (of scoring) because missing that chance would not have been good for the team.”

Sparta Prague will next face Ceske Budejovice in a domestic league match on Sunday. Following that, they will travel to Germany to take on Bundesliga giants Stuttgart in their upcoming Champions League fixture on October 1st.

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SPORTS

Retirement Can Make You Feel “Like An Alien” In Tennis, Says Roger Federer

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5 days ago

September 19, 2024

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Roger Federer says retirement make you feel 'like an alien' | fab.ng

Roger Federer, the 43-year-old tennis legend, discussed his post-retirement involvement in the sport on Wednesday. He revealed that staying connected to tennis has helped him avoid feeling “like an alien.” His remarks came as he prepared for this week’s Laver Cup tournament in Berlin.

Federer played a pivotal role in establishing the Laver Cup. He retired from professional tennis at this same event in London two years ago. Since then, he has remained closely involved with the competition, continuing to serve as an ambassador.

“I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters.

“I feel I ripped the bandaid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there.

“I don’t feel like an alien, which is a good thing because you can feel like that very quickly.

“People (and) players ask you ‘what are you doing here?’ and you’re like ‘exactly – if you keep talking like this, I will never come back’.”

He continued, “I’m happy I’m still able to feel comfortable in a setting like this because it would be so much easier just to stay home, get comfortable at home and realise you don’t need to be on tour anymore.”

The 20-time Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer, expressed his admiration for rising stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. According to him, he looked forward to next year’s Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were absent from this year’s Laver Cup. But Federer remained optimistic about their future prospects.

“With Rafa we don’t know – it remains to be seen. It’s hard for me to make a prediction on Rafa because of the little tennis he has played this year.

“Novak, winning the Olympics and playing somewhat let’s say a full season – he didn’t bow out because of injuries, he chose to play less which is normal when you get a bit older. I feel like he has chances moving forward.

“I look forward to Australia which is the next Slam; I think he’s definitely going to be one of the favourites along with Sinner and Alvarez; I think the Australian Open story will be a very cool one to follow.”

Nadal withdrew from the Laver Cup due to an injury. However, his fellow Spaniard Alcaraz will participate as a member of Team Europe, competing against Team World. German player Alexander Zverev will also represent Team Europe.

Federer commented on Zverev’s Grand Slam prospects, stating that he was “so close” to securing his first major title. The tennis legend advised that Zverev needs to adopt a more aggressive approach during critical moments in matches.

“I see someone who’s playing much too passively, much too defensively when it matters the most,” he said.

“I think (Zverev) has to remind himself to try to not be too passive and then I think honestly something really great can happen for him.”

Team Europe claimed victory in the first four Laver Cup events, beginning in 2017. However, Team World has emerged triumphant in the last two competitions.

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