English Premier League
Fixtures Released
Manchester United manager David Moyes has been handed a first match in charge at Swansea as the full 2013-14 football fixtures are announced.
Jose Mourinho starts his second spell at Chelsea with a home game against newly promoted Hull on 17 August Manuel Pellegrini’s first game in charge of Manchester City is against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium. Following their promotion from the Championship, Cardiff travel to West Ham while Crystal Palace hosts Tottenham Hotspur.
Meanwhile, the FA Cup final has returned to its place at the end of the domestic season, with the match scheduled for May 17, a week after the end of the Premier League season. The 2010 season was the last time the match took this slot. New Everton boss Roberto Martinez takes his team to Norwich on the opening weekend, while Liverpool hosts Mark Hughes’ Stoke at Anfield. Arsenal start with a home game against Aston Villa, Sunderland host Fulham and Southampton travel to West Brom.
After the game at Swansea, Moyes’s United host Chelsea at Old Trafford before the former Everton manager returns to Merseyside to face Liverpool the following weekend. City host United in the first Manchester derby of the season on the weekend of 21 September and they travel to Old Trafford for the return game on the weekend of 22 March. Cardiff’s first Premier League derby against Swansea takes place at the Cardiff City Stadium on 2 November and the Welsh sides meet again at the Liberty Stadium on 8 February.
On Boxing Day, Chelsea host Swansea, Manchester United head to Hull and Manchester City face Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. Arsenal entertain Cardiff on New Year’s Day, Manchester United face Tottenham at Old Trafford, Pellegrini’s City travel to Swansea and Chelsea head to Southampton. The season ends on 11 May, with Manchester United travelling to Southampton, Chelsea at Cardiff and Arsenal at Norwich, while Manchester City hosts West Ham this season.
Super Eagles look to land knockout blow
Stephen Keshi’s men were underwhelming in their 6-1 victory over part-time Tahiti and will face a sterner test against the South Americans, who are in desperate need of points
It was a case of mixed fortunes for Nigeria and Uruguay in their opening Confederations Cup fixtures.
The history books will tell of a resounding 6-1 win for the Super Eagles over minnows Tahiti, but the Africa Cup of Nations champions were far from at their best and came in for criticism after the game.
Dynamo Kiev striker Ideye Brown could be named in the starting XI at the expense of Anthony Ujah or Ahmed Musa – both of whom failed to score against the Polynesian island.
Uruguay endured struggles of their own, as they went down 2-1 to Spain, in what was very much a one-sided affair against the world and European champions, though Oscar Tabarez may give the same XI a second chance to impress on Thursday.Victory for Nigeria will see them qualify for the Confederations Cup semi-finals.AC Milan forward Nnamdi Oduamadi scored a hat-trick in the 6-1 win over Tahiti, prompting Rossoneri chief Adriano Galliani to call for him to be promoted to the first team next season. The Super Eagles have kept just one clean sheet in their last five games but are unbeaten since defeat to Peru in May last year.
Uruguay had just six shots to Spain’s 16 in their 2-1 defeat on Sunday.
The Copa America winners also enjoyed just 29% of possession, with la Roja dominating from start to finish.
Luis Suarez is Uruguay’s top scorer in their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign with eight goals.
Total Promotions reclaims NPFL title sponsorship from Globacom
Total Promotions which won the bid to sponsor the elite division has decided to withdraw the title sponsorship which it ceded to Globacom because payment was not completed
After several months of logjam over the title sponsorship of the Nigeria Professional Football League (Npfl), the future of the local league remains shrouded in uncertainty as Total Promotions Limited has written to the League Management Company Limited to reclaim the title sponsorship which was conditionally ceded to Globacom recently.
In a letter dated June 14, 2013 and written by lawyers to TPL, Ayanlaja, Adesanya & Co, and directed to the Chairman of the LMC, TPL declared that Globacom and the LMC reneged on the Memorandum Of Understanding entered into on March 19, 2013 between LMC, Globacom and TPL.
TPL lawyers in the letter, a copy of which was sent to Globacom, informed that Total Promotions Limited is no longer bound by the Agreement of the 19th of March, 2013 and in particular is not bound by the provisions thereof which forbid litigation in respect of this matter by the parties. “Our client (TPL) remains the title sponsorship rights owner of the Nigerian Football Premier League (NFPL) and shall avail itself of all avenues legally open to it to assert this claim if it becomes necessary,” stated the letter.
Under the March 19 MOU, the LMC is to assume all rights, title and interest in the title sponsorship rights of the Nigerian Premier Football League upon payment of N100 million by Globacom to TPL in final settlement of TPL’s title sponsorship rights.
According to the TPL repudiation letter, “Glo has not paid the said sum of N100 million to TPL, a fact which you (LMC) are well aware of, you have publicly announced Glo as the new title sponsorship right owner and continue to advertise Glo as such in breach of the MOU.
“This, is no doubt, a gross breach of the tripartite Agreement as LMC has not and cannot assume the rights which continue to reside in our Client until the sum of N100 million is paid to our Client by Glo.
Continuing, the letter stated: “Consequently, LMC cannot transfer any rights whatsoever to Glo. The breach of Agreement which started over 70 days ago when payment was due according to the MOU is continuing.”
A staff of TPL who spoke to journalists in Lagos on Monday added that the letter has been sent to LMC since Friday last week.
CONFEDERATIONS CUP 2013
19/6/13
Brazil — Mexico
Italy — Japan
20/6/31
Spain — Tahiti
Nigeria — Uruguay
ASIA WORLD CUP RESULTS
Australia 1 0 Iraq
Iran 1 0 South Korea
FEDERATION CUP ROUND OF 16 GAMES
18/6/13
Lobi Stars — Crown fc
Kano Pillars — Global Academy (Anambra)
Prime fc — Bayelsa Utd
19/6/13
Sharks — Kogi Utd
Yarma Light (Gombe) — Akwa Utd
Plateau Utd — Wikki Tourist
Warri Wolves — Dynamite (Edo)
ElKanemi W. — Apa Utd (Benue)
Gombe Utd — Bussdor Utd
Adamawa Utd — Nasarawa Utd
Nembe City — Mgbom Amb. (Ebonyi)
Fountain fc (Ekiti) — SunshineStars
Enyimba — Police M. (Nasarawa)
Gateway — 3SC
Dolphins — NAF fc (FCT)
Akwa Starlets — Kawara Utd
Kdauna Utd — Unicem
