Sports
Osimhen named CAF men’s player of the year — first Nigerian since 1999
Victor Osimhen, Super Eagles striker, has been crowned 2023 CAF men’s ‘Player of the Year.’
The 24-year-old was announced the winner of the gong at the gala held in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Monday.
Osimhen garnered the highest votes to defeat Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakimi of Morroco to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.
The Napoli striker became the first Nigerian to win the CAF men’s Player of the Year since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
Osimhen had a laurel-laden 2023, which started with leading Napoli to the club’s first Italian Serie A title in 30 years.
The Eagles striker scored 25 league goals to become the league’s highest goalscorer, setting the record as the first African footballer to achieve the feat.
He was also instrumental for Nigeria during the AFCON 2024 qualification campaign and was the top goalscorer in the series with ten goals.
Osimhen was named the eighth best male footballer in the world at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in October. He finished higher than any other Africans on the list. He also became the first Nigerian to be named in the top ten of the Ballon d’Or.
He recently won the Italian Footballers’ Association (IFA) Player of the Year award for the 2022/23 season, in which he was the highest goalscorer in the league with 25 goals.
Osimhen joins the illustrious list of male Nigerian footballers who have men named the best players on the continent. The list includes Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike, Victor Ikpeba and Kanu, who won the prize twice.
Sports
Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley arrested by police
United States Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was tasered and arrested by police following a confrontation with officers in Miami, Florida.
The 29-year-old, who won 100m bronze at last summer’s Paris Games, faces charges of battery, resisting a police officer and breach of the peace following the incident on Thursday evening.
Officers were investigating another incident when Kerley approached them with an “aggressive demeanour” over concern about his car, according to a police report.
The report said Kerley “continued to resist officers and used evasive movements to avoid being arrested” before being wrestled to the ground by four officers.
Police bodycam footage shows Kerley getting back to his feet then being tasered and falling back to the floor before being taken into custody.
Local media in Miami reported, external that on Friday Kerley made an appearance in court and he has now been released on bail.
His lawyer said the incident had been a “total misunderstanding”.
As well as his bronze in Paris, Kerley also won 100m silver at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and gold at the 2022 World Championships.
He has also won world 4x100m and 4x400m gold medals, and has recorded the sixth-fastest 100m time in history with 9.76 seconds.
Sports
Gift Orban joins Hoffenheim after one year at Olympique Lyon
Gift Orban, former Super Eagles invitee, has completed a move to Germany’s Hoffenheim from Olympique Lyon.
The German Bundesliga side announced the 22-year-old centre forward’s signature in a post on their X handle.
Orban signed a four-year deal and will wear jersey number 14 at his new club.
The move ends Orban’s torrid one-year spell at Lyon, in which he featured in 21 matches, scoring only five times.
He has only played five times this season, playing three Ligue 1 and two Europa League games, respectively.
The pacey striker has not been included in nine of the last 10 league matches for Lyon. Orban’s previous league appearance was on September 22, while he last played in a match for the former French League champions in the Europa League, coincidentally against his new club. The game ended 2-2, with Orban lasting 62 minutes before substitution.
Orban, who scored 32 goals in 52 matches for Genk before his move to Lyon, posted on his X that he handled his excitement about swapping France for Germany. He described his new home as “wonderful.”
“New year, new adventures! Excited to be part of This Wonderful Club Hoffenheim,” said Orban.
Andreas Schicker, Hoffenheim’s sporting director, was also excited about the player’s joining the club and believed his attacking skills would improve the struggling side.
“In Gift Orban, we have found exactly the fast striker with good depth that we were looking for. He has proven time and time again his goalscoring talent and his enjoyment of playing.
“We are therefore confident that he will bring our team greater offensive variability thanks to his abilities.”
Sports
AC Milan appoints Sergio Conceicao as new coach
Sergio Conceicao was named the new coach of AC Milan replacing his fellow Portuguese Paulo Fonseca who was sacked earlier on Monday, the Serie A club announced.
“AC Milan announces that Sergio Paulo Marceneiro da Conceicao has been appointed as the Head Coach of the men’s first team until June 30, 2026,” Milan said in a statement.
Conceicao takes over a Milan side that lies eighth in Serie A, eight points off the Champions League places.
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