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Category: News

  • Jude Bellingham: New Star at the Bernabéu

    Jude Bellingham: New Star at the Bernabéu

    [Photo courtesy of Real Madrid]

    By Dennis Mungai

    Signed from Borussis Dortmund for an all- time record fee for a British player and the second-most expensive transfer in Real Madrid history, many wondered how Bellingham would fit into the Spanish giants. 5 matches into the season however, he has proved everyone wrong. The youngster has scored 5 goals and provided 1 assist for Madrid this season, taking them to the top of the table, unbeaten with 15 points.

    So good have been his performances that he became the first English player in Laliga to ever win the Player of the Month award. His 5 goals and 1 assists won him the La Liga Santander August Player of the Month award. He showcased it before the Madrid fans before their match againt Real Sociedad yesterday, where they emerged 2-1 winners. Ahead of their Champions League opener against Union Berlin later in the week, all eyes continue to be on Jude and his exciting performances are sure to leave many optimistic and hopeful of what the future holds for him.

    With Karim Benzema’s departure to Saudi Arabia, many wondered who would replace the Frenchman’s position as their main goal scoring threat. After Kylian Mbappe extended his contract with PSG, potentially ending a possible move to Madrid, Real had to settle for former Real Sociedad striker Joselu. Despite losing Benzema, Madrid have somehow managed to find their rhythm, with their attacking players Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Joselu playing as the front three. Bellingham has formed a good partnership with other midfielders like Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Federico Valverde. It may be too early to say, but with this continued dynamism in the team, Bellingham and his teammates could win all the gold this season.

     

  • Tasty Champions League Encounters to Look out for

    Tasty Champions League Encounters to Look out for

    [Photo courtesy of champions league Instagram]

    The Champions League will commence with the first round of the group stages to be played on Tuesday 19, September.

    The footballing world is set to be treated to a number of tasty encounters especially in group F. Dubbed as the group of death, the group consists of German side Borrussia Dortmund, French giants PSG, Premier League side Newcastle and seven times winners AC Milan.

    AC Milan will take on Newcastle in an early kick off as the premier league side hopes to brush off their start of the season blemishes. The toons have endured a horrid start to the new season compared to their trajectory at the back end of last season. With just two wins in five, the toons will hope their form is not long lasting.

    Milan on the other hand have won three of their four league games and will be looking to bounce back after a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of fierce rivals, Intermilan. The Rossoneri will hope the result of that derby was a one-off occurrence as they take on the Toons.

    In another promising encounter,German side Borrusia Dortmund will take on French champions, PSG. The Bundesliga outfit are yet to taste defeat in their opening four league games, winning two and drawing two.

    The French champions have been back and forth in their last five games with two wins, two draws and a loss. After succumbing 2-3 to Nice on home turf, PSG will hope to bounce back as they take on Borussia Dortmund. The French will look to Kylian Mbappe and hope that he will be up and firing.

    Group F has been dubbed the group of death because of the possibility of either combination of teams progressing. As the first round of the group stages kick-off, all four teams will hope to secure their first wins to help their chances of proceeding to the knockout stages.

    On wednesday it will be a clash of giants as Manchester United take on German champions Bayern Munich. Manchester United going through a rough patch might be poised to be on the losing end but the red devils are not to be written off when the lights of the champions league are the brightest.

    Bayern Munich are yet to taste defeat in the Bundesliga and will be hoping to keep it that way in the champions league as they take on the red devils. The Bavarians are on a good run of games despite being held to a draw by joint top league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

  • Premier league round-up: Manchester United & Chelsea Woes Continue

    Premier league round-up: Manchester United & Chelsea Woes Continue

    [Photo courtesy of Reuters]

    Arsenal stormed to fourth after a hard fought 1-0 victory against Everton.

    The gunners had a goal disallowed as Eddie Nketiah was offside for Martineli’s goal. The Brazilian was taken off with a knock as his subsitute, Leandro Trossard scored the match’s solitary goal.

    In another sunday kick off Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw at the vitality stadium by Bournemouth.

    The blues enjoyed dominance in possesion but could not capitalize on that dominance. Colwill’s goal should have given the london side the lead but was disallowed for being offside.

    Early on in the weekend Manchester City maintained their top spot as they brushed West Ham United aside with goals from Jeremy Doku, Bernardo silva and Erling Haaland.

    Their Manchester counterparts, the red devils fell to abrighton thumping on home turf. Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro put the seagulls three goals ahead as Hannibal scored United’s consolation goal.

    Tottenham left it late as they came back from a goal down against Sheffield United to win the game in stopppage time with two goals in quick succesion from Richarlison and Kulusevski.

    Liverpool brushed of a wolves threat as they fought from a goal down to win 3-1.

    Goals from Cody Gakpo and Andy Robertson saw the res through.

    Later in the evening Nottingham Forest will take on Burnley in the last encounter of Match week 5.

  • Daystar Falcons’ Patrick Odongo Shines at Olympic Qualifiers

    Daystar Falcons’ Patrick Odongo Shines at Olympic Qualifiers

    [Photo courtesy of officialkru Instagram]

    21 year old Daystar University student Patrick Odongo has emerged as the youngest and best player for Kenya 7s in the qualifiers.

    The rookie dazzled in Africa’s rugby 7s tournament, propelling the Shujaa to a 2024 Olympics spot.

    With 2 tries in the final against South Africa’s Blitzboks the Daystar Falcons Rugby player sealed Kenya’s place in the 2024 Olympics as Shujaa captain Vincent Onyala heaped praises on him.

     

    The boys stood out, having six rookies joining the team and giving an outstanding performance. I’d like to dedicate this win to our winger Patrick Odongo.

    Expressed the captain.

    Odongo showed true resilience playing through grief of having lost his dearest mother Sophia Atieno Ogak as confirmed by official Kenya Rugby Union Instagram.

    In the communication, the union complimented the resolve of the young lad and asked the fan base to join with them in prayers for the grieving rookie.

    The explosive winger is one of many Daystar Falcons players to have represented national teams on the international stage.

     

     

  • Vihiga United Handed Transfer Boost

    Vihiga United Handed Transfer Boost

    [Photo courtesy of Festus JR]

    Vihiga United received a significant boost on Tuesday, the 12th, as the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) lifted their transfer ban. This ban had been imposed at the start of the 2021/2022 season due to the club’s failure to settle the outstanding wages of former player Junior Adeyafa, amounting to Ksh 200,000.

    Junior Adeyafa, a Nigerian international, had a stint with Vihiga United during the 2019/2020 season, during which his wages remained unpaid. However, an out-of-court settlement has now been reached between Vihiga United and the player, in accordance with FIFA’s communication via a letter addressed to Vihiga United, effectively ending the transfer ban.

    Vihiga United has faced significant challenges, including having to field just nine players in a match against Kajiado FC at one point. The club confirmed this positive development via their Facebook page, expressing their intent to enter the transfer market to strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming national super league season.

  • Harambee Stars Lose Friendly On Home Soil

    Harambee Stars Lose Friendly On Home Soil

    {Photo courtesy of Capital News}

     

    By  Dennis Mungai

     

    Harambee Stars lost their international friendly match against South Sudan 1-0 at the Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday evening. The only goal of the game was scored by Tito Okello in the second minute of the match. Kenya’s coach Firat made only one change to the team that beat Qatar 2-1 a few days back. Brian Mandela started in defence as Stars looked to beat South Sudan for the fifth time in row in matches between the two teams.

    That was not to happen however, as the home team fell behind after two minutes. South Sudan held on and defended their lead till the final whistle, with Stars missing out on chances through Michael Olunga. This was Harambee Stars’ first match at home in 2 years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic leading to stoppage of football across the country.

    Coach Firat is hoping his boys can make amends and deliver better results ahead of their FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers later this month. Harambee Stars are in the same group with Burundi, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Seychelles.

  • Uncertainty Over the Future of Manchester United Star

    Uncertainty Over the Future of Manchester United Star

    [Photo courtesy of Getty images]

    Antony’s future at Manchester United has taken a sudden turn as the club has announced a “period of absence” for him, and his return to the field is now uncertain.

    This decision comes in the midst of disturbing allegations made by his ex-girlfriend, Gabriela Cavalin, which have led to investigations by police in both Sao Paulo and Manchester. These allegations include claims of physical and mental abuse.

    As a result, Antony will not be participating in the training sessions at Carrington, reserved for players not on international duty. Although he denies any wrongdoing, he has agreed with the club to postpone his return to training until further notice to address the allegations properly.

    Manchester United has acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and is taking the matter seriously. Players who have not been involved in international matches are expected to return to training, but Antony’s situation remains uncertain as the investigations continue.

  • The Days When The Game Of Football Was Just That; A Game

    The Days When The Game Of Football Was Just That; A Game

    {Photo courtesy of Vagabondish}

     

    By Dennis Mungai

     

    Anyone who is a true football fan will remember the last day of the 2011/12 English Premier League season very well. Sergio Aguero scoring the last goal of the season to help Man City beat QPR 3-2 and win the first Premier League trophy for the Citizens. Their noisy neighbors Man United had won their match and a draw for City would have seen the title go to Old Trafford. So memorable is this moment that outside Etihad Stadium, City’s home ground there’s a statue of Aguero celebrating with his shirt off.

    Eleven years later, no one would have envisioned what today’s football has become. It seems there’s always something extra to fight for, not just the trophy and medals. Nowadays Premier League matches begin by players taking a knee to show their support in the “No room for racism” initiative. This was mainly brought by the infamous George Floyd,a black man who was murdered by white cops back in 2020, sparking a “Black Lives Matter” campaign across the globe.

    Black players have suffered the worst due to racism by fans, officials and even other people. Take the Champions League game between PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir for instance. One of the members of the Istanbul technical team was racially abused by a UEFA official. The players got so infuriated that they left the match and was forfeited in the 25th minute.

    Video Assistant Referee ( VAR) is another problem. Teams have lost games and players sent off for mistakes committed only for the referees’ official body to issue an apology for unfair treatment. Countless cases of players being red carded then having it withdrawn have floored the football world in recent past. The unforgettable one is Man United’s game against Brighton. Players had to be brought from the dressing room way after the game was over just to take a penalty after VAR intervened and overturned the ref’s decision.  Of course the technology has its advantages, like helping define whether a ball had completely crossed the line for a goal or was cleared out in the nick of time.

    The issues surrounding gender equality have also slipped into the game. The recently- concluded  FIFA Women’s World Cup has many fans questioning the women- empowerment agenda and how far it should go. People have learnt more about the women’s game because of the drama that surrounds it and not the game itself. Spanish FA président Rubiales is now facing sexual assault charges for kissing World Cup- winning Spanish player Hermoso on the mouth.

    I have not even delved into the Saudi league and the ridiculous amounts of money players are shifting clubs for. There’s debate that value of football is now being equated directly with money spent. LGBTQ community has also gained support, with June being the pride month. The corner flags, stadium designs, background colors on social media pages, captains’ armbands, even boots’ laces all show support for this community not only during that month but generally.

    Sometimes I watch that Aguero goal again and just take in that moment. The aura in that stadium at that exact moment when he celebrates with the fans, while their rivals in the other stadium have dejected faces. We might never go back to such days, when it was only football that mattered and nothing else, but it was special while it lasted.

  • Ballon D’or 2023 nominees revealed

    Ballon D’or 2023 nominees revealed

    {Photo courtesy of Remezcla}

     

    By Dennis Mungai

     

    The 2023 Ballon D’Or nominees list has been released ahead of the awards ceremony slated for October 30 in Paris, France. Football’s most prestigious award went to Karim Benzema last year after winning the Champions League and La Liga with Real Madrid. The nomination for this year’s award has taken into consideration not only domestic league form but also performance on the global stage, notably the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    Lionel Messi is in contention and will battle it out with fellow World Cup finalist Kylian Mbappe and his Argentinian teammate Emiliano Martinez. Another Argentine, Lautaro Martinez is also in the list after having won the World Cup and reached the Champions League final with Inter Milan. Manchester City has a decent representation in the list, with Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne  Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland all being nominated.

    This was after Man City won the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history to complete an unprecedented treble. Sevilla’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made it to the list after his heroics helped Morocco reach the semis of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as the only African team to have gone that far.

    Despite losing out on the Premier League trophy last season, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard have made the list as well. There are quite a number of new names on the list, with first time nominations for players like  Napoli’s Kvichi Kvarastkhelia, Man City’s Josko Gvardiol, who won German Cup for Leipzig last season and Man U’s keeper Andre Onana, who reached Champions League final with Inter Milan last season.

  • Jalang’o Responds Gracefully Following ODM Expulsion

    Jalang’o Responds Gracefully Following ODM Expulsion

    {Photo courtesy of Jalang’os Instagram}

     

    By Janet Wambua

     

    Lang’ata Member of Parliament Felix Odiwuor, alias Jalang’o  has chosen a dignified response after his recent expulsion from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

     

    Jalang’o took to his Instagram page to share his thoughts on the matter. He responded with a Bible verse, accompanied by a symbolic image of himself carrying an evidence box to court during the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party’s presidential election petition.

     

    His message read, “No trial is too heavy to lift! No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Corinthians 10:13.”

     

    In a recent announcement, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, led by Raila Odinga and National Chairman John Mbadi, convened to address the conduct of its members. Their actions were based on a report from the disciplinary committee.

     

    Among those facing expulsion from ODM were five members, including Jalang’o. They were alleged to have violated the party Constitution and the Political Parties Act 2011 by openly supporting a rival political group and opposing the party’s lawful decisions.

     

    The other members include, Members of Parliament Elisha Odhiambo, Gideon Ochanda, Caroli Omondi, and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.

     

    Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, on the other hand, faced reprimand for her defiance of the party’s stance on the Finance Bill 2023. She has been instructed to issue a written apology to the party within seven days and is required to pay a fine of Ksh.250,000 within 60 days.

     

    Furthermore, ODM decided to revoke the nominations of four Members of the Kisumu County Assembly (MCAs); Caroline Opar, Kennedy Ajwang’, Peter Obaso, and Regina Kizito.