The return of Didier Drogba has sparked light into the Chelsea team as the club legend proved himself supreme twice in a week during a 6-0 mauling of Maribor subsequently followed by the powered header into the Manchester United goal. He has showed why Jose Mourinho placed so much hope in him. His coming into the team as a player was more than being a player; rather he has played a pivotal role in the team’s attack as well as the coaching staff. He serves as a role model to the younger strikers and an institution to learn from. Chelsea came into the midweek game as the favourite and played to its standard, and perhaps they came into the weekend game against Manchester united as favourite also considering the fact that they are yet to lose a game both in home front and otherwise. Robin Van Persie (RVP) fired in the equaliser late into the last two minute to share the spoil for both teams when he clinically took advantage of a Chelsea one man deficiency (red card).
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Van Persie’s goal served more than a goal but a propeller to inspire the Manchester United fateful who carries the flag of the club home and abroad, that there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Van persie in a post-match interview stated specifically that his team still have the chance and capability to catch up with Chelsea football club, a club who are yet to lose a single match both at home and abroad. It ended 1-1.
As a Manchester united team was busy holding and defending her territory at the city gate, sad as it may be; no let me say bitter as it seems to swallow but I must say that another team was been offer vinegar at the table of defeat; a fellow Manchester team named Manchester United. They were beaten and were forced to swallow what seems to be spoilt and sour milk at the hands of West ham United. 2-1 it ended but was lucky to suffer a lesser margin.
Is Ronaldo better than Messi?
Spain was the focal point in Europe last week Saturday when Barcelona football club lock horns with their eternal rivals Real Madrid. It is known that he who reports a crime case has an advantage to win as far as Nigeria is concern, but Real Madrid proved the other way round that if you called the police before a case does not guarantee you victory over the situation. Neymar scored first and did all possible rituals necessary to be done as far as joy and goal is concern, neither did he knew that it was just awakening to defeat. Barcelona scored first as early as the third minute to make known their intentions to their rival by creating awareness that of purpose and direction. Reading the purpose driven life does not guarantee success neither does such principle apply everywhere as Barcelona were eventually beaten and battered by the likes of Ronaldo, Benzema and Pepe. Ronaldo had to pick up the pieces of broken plates left at the city of Liverpool when they crushed the men in red 3-0 in an emphatic one team affair game to make their statement known to the entire Europe that they came to defend their title.
In a pre-match analysis between a former UCJ editor-in-chief and I, I stated that the Barcelona team has never been testing (in Spain) with a team that is very compact in midfield, perhaps having a solid backline, and a well drafted and sharp attack. Actually, the team who came close was PSG in the Uefa Champions league that poked in three goals in the Barcelona goal. As the game begin to ware off in the second half, the likes of Xavi and Iniesta were unable to cope with the tempo of the game as Xavi was gasping for air while Iniesta was been entertained with kn_ocks. It was a very physical game, technical as we may call it and as well expects all players to possess a feet as fast as the hinds feet. Xavi and Iniesta were eventually substituted and that marks the end of Barcelona as they lack creativity to attack and the initiative to map out plan to unlock the Real Madrid defence. Once more, Tiki Taka has been defeated by the usual counter attack tactics which we knew the lengendary AC Milan team that could boast of the likes of Pirlo, Rui Costa, Ambrozini, Nesta, Cafu, Maldini, Inzagi, Gillardino, Seedorf and Gattuso. Rest in peace for Tiki Taka.
Bring Back Our Girls
On Saturday proved beautiful for Nigeria and Nigerian, not because of the bright sun neither is it because of the El classic game which ended few minutes before 7pm, but it was because our girls proved have been tagged the Nigerian fighting spirit. Nigeria went ahead to clinch her 7th Africa Women Championship by crushing every opposition that comes her way. The game placed us on memory lane _in other to recall the last time we played Cameroon in the tournament final, we crushed them five unreplied goals with Pepetual Nkwocha scoring four out of the goals. This time it ended 2-0. Our goals came in before the end of the first half as the Nigerian patriot Oparanozie struck hard well taken freekick to inch her team closer to the trophy and the job became a done deal when the Nigerian wizkid (Azizat Oshoala) breezed in her effort from a close range to settle the game two nil. Cameroon tried to fight back back the Nigerian team proved a hard nut to crack as they stood their ground like the rock of Gilbrata.
Ivory Coast struck it late to leave the Banyana Banyana girls in pain and misery. The South African girls had the chance to execute judgement on the West African side but failed when they missed a host of chances and in the end they were left with nothing as they loosed the final ticket to make it to the biennial world cup jamboree taking place in Canada next year. 1-0 it ended in favour of the team from the west.
First Position: Nigeria (gold and world cup ticket)
Second Position: Cameroon (silver and world cup ticket)
Third Position: Ivory Coast (Bronze and world cup ticket)
Some scores around Europe
Champions League
Europa League
CSKA Moscow 2-2 Man City
Roma 1-7 Bayern
Apoel 0-1 PSG
Barcelona 3-1 Ajax
Chelsea 6-0 Maribor
Schalke 4-3 Sporting
Bate 0-7 Shakhtar
Porto 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Athletic 5-0 Malmo
Olympiakos 1-0 Juventus
Ludogorets Razgrad 1-0 Basel
Liverpool 0-3 Real Madrid
Lerverkusen 2-0 Zenit
Monaco 0-0 Benfica
Anderlecht 1-2 Arsenal
Galatasaray 0-4 Dortmund
Metalist 0-1 Legia
Villareal 4-1 Zurich
Monchengladbach 5-0 Apollo Limasso
Torino 2-0 HJK Helsinki
Brugge 1-1 Copenhagen
Tottenham 5-1 Astera Tripolis
Partizan 0-4 Besiktas
Salzburg 4-2 ZAG
Celtic 2-1 Astra Ploiesti
Estoril 1-2 Dinamo Moscow
PSV 1-1 Panathinaikos
Inter 0-0 AS Saint Etienne
Dnipro 0-1 FK Qarabag
HNK Rijeka 3-1 Feyenoord
Standard Liege 0-0 Seville
FkKrasnodor 2-4 Wolfsburg
Lille 0-0 Everton
Slovan 0-3 Sparta Praha
Young Boys 2-0 Napoli
AaB Aalborg 3-0 Dynamo Kiev
Steaua 2-1 Rio Ave
Dinamo Minsk 0-0 Guingamp
PAOK 0-1 Fiorentina
Trabzonspor 2-0 KSC Lokeren
England
Spain
Germany
West ham 2-1 Man city
Sunderland 0-2 Arsenal
Burnley 1-3 Everton
Tottenham 1-2 Newcastle
Manchester 1-1 Chelsea
Liverpool 0-0 Hull
Southampton 1-0 Stoke City
West Brom 2-2 Crystal Palace
Swansea city 2-0 Leicester
Malaga 4-0 Rayo Vallecano
Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid
Almeria 0-1 Athletic Bilbao
Valencia 3-1 Elche
Getafe 0-1 Atletico Madrid
Sevilla 2-1 Villareal
Monchengladbach 0-0 Bayern
Dortmund 0-1 Hannover
Lerverkusen 1-0 Schalke
Hertha Bsc 3-0 HSV
Wolfsburg 3-0 Mainz
Italy
France
Dutch
Juventus 2-0 palermo
Udinese 2-0 Atlanta
Napoli 6-2 Hellas Verona
Lazio 2-1 Torino
Empoli 0-4 Cagliari
AC Milan 1-1 Fiorentina
Cesena 0-1 Inter
Rennes 2-0 Lille
Guingamp 2-7 Nice
As saint Etienne 1-0 FC Metz
PSG 3-0 Bordeaux
Bastia 1-3 Monaco
Lyon 1-0 Marseille
Reims 1-0 Montpellier
Cambuur 0-1 Feyenoord
Utrecht 1-5 PSV
Ajax 3-1 GAE
Herracles 1-3 Willem II
PEC Zwolle 2-2 Heerenveen
Excelsior 2-1 FC Twente
Goal Keeper shot dead
_Orlando Pirate and South Africa’s goalie was shot dead on Sunday, though did not die instantly but was confirmed dead at his arrival in the hospital. The 27 years old captain whose name Senzo Meyiwa sounds like the Yoruba name Muyiwa whose playing days have remain a moment to remember in the heart of his fans. Details of his death are not been giving to the press as at the time of event as prior investigation are being carried out to ascertain the source death.
We the football community pay our last respect to the falling soldier and pray that the Almighty give his family the strength and fortitude to bear this lose.
