Sports
There will be a significant African feel to this LaLiga season
More than half of the 20 LaLiga teams have at least one African player in their 2018/19 squad.
The new LaLiga season should be especially exciting for football fans based in Africa, as there are so many players from the continent who’ll be competing at the highest level in Spain this year. In fact, 13 of the 20 LaLiga clubs have at least one African in their squad, while some of these teams have several.
Morocco and Ghana can both claim to have the most African players in the Spanish top division, with five each, which is a very impressive tally when considering that only eight other countries – including Spain – have more representatives in LaLiga.
Amongst the Moroccan contingent, there’s the experienced Real Betis defender Zouhair Feddal, Girona goalkeeper Yassine ‘Bono’ Bounou and Leganés forwards Nabil El Zhar and Youssef En-Nesyri.
There’s also Sofiane Boufal, who has just arrived at Celta Vigo after spending the past two seasons at Southampton. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder had previously been at Lille before moving to England as the second-most expensive Moroccan ever and will be looking to shine in Galicia while on loan. With Celta expected to play direct football under new coach Antonio Mohamed, there will be plenty of opportunities for Boufal to express himself.
As for the Ghanaian quintet, they are made up of Atlético Madrid’s Thomas Teye Partey, plus Alavés midfield duo Patrick Twumasi and Mubarak Wakaso, and Levante strikers Raphael Dwamena and Emmanuel Boateng. Of course, Partey is the most high-profile of these players as he plays for one of the very best club sides in Europe and he has already made an impact this season during the UEFA Super Cup, where he created the decisive third goal for teammate Saúl Ñíguez in Los Rojiblancos’ victory over Real Madrid, becoming the first Ghanaian to win that competition. This will be the 25-year-old midfielder’s fourth season in Diego Simeone’s first-team squad and his importance has been growing with each year.
Another African nation with a significant presence in this year’s Spanish top division is Equatorial Guinea. National team striker Iban Salvador is at Celta Vigo, while Equatoguinean full-backs Sergio Akieme and Carlos Akapo will spend this season at newly promoted sides Rayo Vallecano and Huesca respectively.
Then there’s the Senegalese contingent to keep an eye on too. Abdoulaye Ba, Pape Diop and Amath Ndiaye have all joined new LaLiga clubs within the past year and they all became very important for their new sides in the 2017/18 season, with Ba helping Rayo Vallecano win promotion and with Diop and Ndiaye helping Eibar and Getafe with their respective battles for European football.
Ivorian striker, Seydou Doumbia joined the African LaLiga train following his move from Portuguese side, Sporting Lisbon to Girona on a three- year deal. The 30year old who has been capped thirty-nine times by his country was a member of the Elephants squad that won the 2015 African Cup of Nations.
Nigeria are also well-represented in LaLiga this time around. Leganés have signed Chelsea’s Nigerian centre-back Kenneth Omeruo on loan for one season and this is very exciting for the Madrid-based club given that the 24-year-old defender already has close to half a century of caps for his country, who he represented at the 2018 World Cup. Also in LaLiga is Moses Simon, the Levante winger who has also played many times for his country and who would have been likely to go to Russia in the summer had he not been injured. The 23-year-old has just signed for Levante from Gent, for whom he scored six times and provided three assists in the Belgian league last season.
Then there’s goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, who played every minute of Nigeria’s World Cup campaign and who made some impressive parries for his country. At just 19 years of age, he is a really special prospect and he’ll be playing in Spain too this season, as he’ll be at Deportivo La Coruña. Their senior team are playing in LaLiga 1|2|3, the second tier of Spanish football, and it remains to be seen if he’ll make the jump up from the B team, but sooner or later he’ll likely be making excellent saves against some of the best strikers in the country.
There are actually a number of African players in the Spanish second division this season. Numancia have Senegalese midfielder Pape Maly Diamanka and Ghanaian winger Yaw Yeboah. Lugo have Cameroonian duo Jean Marie Dongou and Serge Leuko, as well as Nigerian midfielder Ramon Azeez. Gimnàstic de Tarragona have another Nigerian, in the form of striker Ikechukwu Uche, while Cameroonian defender Mohammed Djetei is also at the Catalan club. Then there’s Almería’s Cameroonian defender Lucien Owona, Mallorca’s Ivorian forward Lago Junior and Elche’s Guinean forward Sory Kaba.
Returning to the top flight, there are some other African stars not yet mentioned who are worth looking out for as they come up against the likes of Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Luka Modrić in the coming season.
Real Betis are an exciting possession-based team who will fight for European qualification and they boast Algerian pair Aïssa Mandi and Ryad Boudebouz among their ranks. Cheick Doukouré of the Ivory Coast will be expected to step up and to take on more responsibility at Levante this year after they lost Jefferson Lerma in the transfer window. Togo international Djené Dakonam plays for Getafe and is one of the best centre-backs in the entire league, while big things are expected of his 20-year-old teammate Merveil Ndockyt, a Republic of the Congo midfielder with a bright future. Elsewhere in Madrid, Rayo Vallecano will hope wingers Gaël Kakuta and Lass Bangoura – of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of Guinea respectively – can score the goals to keep them up.
Over the course of the 2018/19 LaLiga campaign, there will be some mouth-watering clashes between international teammates from these African countries. It promises to be a season with a significant African feel.
John C. Nwosu, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has hailed the Super Falcons for lifting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s African Cup of Nations (WACON) held in Morocco for the 10th time, after a dramatic outing in Rabat, capital of the North African nation.
The Nigerian female team came from behind after a 2:0 lead they were handed down by the Atlas Lionesses at half time to turn the tide in a dramatic fashion, marked by energy, resilience, determination and skill, slotting in three goals in less than 30 minutes.
A totally enthralled Nwosu declared that feat clearly showed how with determination and focus, the most difficult tasks could be achieved and toughest challenges could be surmounted, adding that the feat embodied a lot of life’s lessons.
“What we saw today is the can-do spirit of that Nigerians are known for. It is a spirit that has broken many barriers and achieved great things. I particularly noticed the teamwork and synergy among the girls and their determination not to give up. It shows the reward of unity of purpose.
“As I watched our girls lift this beautiful trophy up, my spirit was also lifted. I am sure I am not alone. This spectacular achievement today shows how much we can achieve in Nigeria when we de-emphasise those things that divide the nation and emphasise the things that unite us.
“This is the focus of the ADC. We take it as a task to unite Nigeria by promoting unity, equity, justice and fair play in all facets of the society, knowing that together, working individually and collectively, we wake the sleeping giant.
“It is particularly so as we make deliberate moves to recreate a new Anambra where the government and the people will form an environment of common vision and move in the same direction, achieve a common goal. That vision has gained a strong fillip by this wonderful feat in Morocco.”
Well done girls. Once again, you have put smiles on millions of Nigerians, both home and abroad. May this joy continue to resonate everywhere in the life of our dear nation, now and in future.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has congratulated the Super Falcons of Nigeria on their 10th Women African Cup of Nations, WAFCON, title, saying that they demonstrated the resilience of the Nigerian spirit.
The Super Falcons, who fell behind by two goals in the first half, staged a memorable comeback in Rabat in the second half, beating their Moroccan counterparts before their huge crowd of home fans to lift the WAFCON 2025 trophy courtesy of goals delivered by Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini.
Mbah, who took to his verified social media handle, @PNMbah, to celebrate the impressive Nigerian side wrote, “Congratulations, Super Falcons, on your well-deserved WAFCON 2025 triumph.
“Coming from two goals down to beat the Moroccans to the trophy underscores the resilience and invincibility of the Nigerian spirit and what we can achieve as a people by working together in oneness of mind.
“We are super proud of you.
“Again, congratulations, girls, and keep flying higher.”
Sports
Mbah Receives EPL Trophy, Seeks Guinness’ Partnership to Grow Sports in Enugu
…Why we choose Enugu- Guinness, reports SANDRA ANI
The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has expressed his eagerness to partner with Guinness Nigeria PLC to accelerate his administration’s sports development effort, describing the state as the home of sporting legends, who have ruled the world of sports as well as home of abundant talents for the future.
Mbah spoke when a team of Guinness Nigeria’s management showcased the English Premier League, EPL, trophy, to him at Government House, Enugu, on Friday.
It is recalled that Guinness Nigeria and the Premier League partnered to bring the iconic silverware for display in Enugu on Friday, May 16 and in Lagos on Saturday May 17 and Sunday, 18 to give EPL’s teeming fans in Nigeria the rare opportunity to experience the trophy.
Speaking during the presentation of the trophy at the Lion Building, Enugu State Government House, Mbah noted that beside putting in place legislative frameworks for sports development, his administration was also embarking on a massive reconstruction of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and Awgu Games Village preparatory to hosting the 2026 edition of the National Sports Festival.
“Like Guinness, we regard sports as a positive force in Enugu. We are not surprised that the Guinness flagship event is being held here in Enugu. Just like Guinness, we also see sports as a platform to foster social cohesion. We are not just paying lip service to sports; we actually have our skin in the game.
“We believe that the EPL is quite a spectacle with audiences across the world and you couldn’t have chosen a better city for the flagship event than Enugu.
“Again, since here is the home of Rangers and since we have also recognised that this is where it all happens, let us begin to think about more collaboration with Guinness to see how we can secure endorsement with the Guinness corporate brand. This should be on the table because Rangers also won the 2023/2024 Nigerian Premier League title.
“We are just about giving the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and Awgu Games Village a new lease of life, making sure they meet FIFA and World Athletics standards ahead of the National Sports Festival. So, we look forward to more strategic collaboration with Guinness. We are quite a business-friendly state,” he stated.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and the Corporate Relations Director at Guinness Nigeria PLC, Rotimi Odusola, described Enugu State as the spiritual home of sports in Nigeria, noting the exploits of Rangers.
He said it was only natural to choose Enugu for the display of the EPL silverware, given its history and the great job Governor Mbah had done in repositioning the state.
“Some may wonder why Enugu. There is a reason for us to choose Enugu as the first place in Nigeria since this trophy arrived yesterday. It is because we know that Enugu State is the spiritual home of football in Nigeria. As a young football lover, I can’t forget all of the stories around Enugu Rangers football team.
“I want to also appreciate you for the work you are doing. The last time I was in Enugu was in 2022 and I have seen remarkable improvements in Enugu State since my last visit.
“This presentation of the EPL trophy is an opportunity for us to reinforce Guinness Nigeria being a business that has been intricate in the fabric of Nigeria for 75 years. We also want to use this opportunity to create magical moments for our consumers and members of the public through the collaboration between Guinness globally and the English Premier League,” he added.
The event was witnessed by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Enugu State, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke; Director, Marketing and Innovations, Guinness Nigeria, Yinka Bakare; Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria, Rotimi Odusola; Head of Marketing, Guinness Nigeria, Ramanathan Sollayepan; Head of Division, South-East Region, Guinness Nigeria, Adesoji Opeyemi; General Manager, Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, Barr. Amobi Ezeaku; and the Chairman, Enugu State Football Association, Barr. Tony Ugwu, among others.
Energy Experts Proffer Solution To Nigeria’s Energy Conundrum
Nwosu hails Super Falcons: You’ve shown the Nigeria spirit
NGX Boss, Umaru Kwairanga, to Chair Business Journal Fintech Roundtable 2025
LASG Acquires New Outboard Engines For Optimum Boat Performance
Elon Musk builds Hotel in Mars, Sets to launch soon at $5million per night – Photos
We Do Not Accept Refugee Application Directly From People – Canadian Govt.
-
Sports2 days agoNwosu hails Super Falcons: You’ve shown the Nigeria spirit
-
Finance2 days ago
NGX Boss, Umaru Kwairanga, to Chair Business Journal Fintech Roundtable 2025
-
Energy2 days ago
Energy Experts Proffer Solution To Nigeria’s Energy Conundrum
-
News2 days ago
France Urged to Address Colonial Legacy as Senegalese Activists Call for Reparations in Dakar Roundtable
