Author: Chronicle Editor

Arsenal have been drawn in the same group as BATE Borisov, Cologne and Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League. It is the first time in 20 years that the Gunners, who finished fifth in the Premier League last season, have started a season in Europe’s second-tier competition. Everton are in the same group as Lyon, who host the final on 16 May 2018. READ: Sigurdsson screamer fires Everton into Europa The Toffees will also face Italian Serie A side Atalanta and Apollon Limassol of Cyprus. Everton, who completed their play-off victory over Croatian side Hajduk Split on Thursday, are…

Gylfi Sigurdsson marked his first Everton start with a stunning 50-yard strike as Ronald Koeman’s side reached the Europa League group stage at the expense of Hajduk Split. Leading 2-0 from the first leg, Everton hopes looked shaky when Josip Radosevic unleashed a wonderful, swerving shot from 35 yards beyond Jordan Pickford. But Sigurdsson, making just his second Everton appearance following his £45m transfer from Swansea, put even that superb strike in the shade just 14 seconds into the second half. Picking up a loose ball on the right of the pitch, just a few yards inside the Hajduk half,…

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said that the Federal Government has commenced construction of houses in 33 states for workers under its National Housing Programme. Fashola made this known at the sixth meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development organised by the ministry on Thursday in Abuja. Under the housing programme, he noted that 653 contractors were engaged in the pilot scheme to deliver 2,736 units, while a total of 54,680 people were employed in the process. He said the construction which was made possible because of the availability of…

Chapecoense plane crash survivors Neto, Jakson Follmann and Alan Ruschel tell their story on The Players’ Tribune On November 28, 2016, LaMia Flight 2933 left Bolivia for Colombia. It was carrying the Chapecoense football club to the Copa Sudamericana final — the first appearance in the club’s 44 year history. The plane crashed as it approached the airport. Only six of the 77 passengers survived, including three players. This is their story. Neto I dreamed that it would happen. A few days before we were supposed to leave for the Copa Sudamericana finals in Colombia, I had a terrible nightmare.…

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been named as Uefa’s Player of the Year, beating Lionel Messi and Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon to the prize. Ronaldo, 32, helped Madrid to a second consecutive Champions League title and finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 12 goals last season. The Portugal international has now won the award three times, one more than Barcelona’s 30-year-old forward Messi. Barca’s Netherlands midfielder Lieke Martens, 24, won the women’s prize. Read Also Zlatan Ibrahimovic signs new Manchester United contract Martens was instrumental in her country’s European Championship victory this summer, where she was named player…

Tottenham will face reigning champions Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League group stage, while Chelsea will go up against Atletico Madrid. It will be a tall order for Mauricio Pochettino’s men in Group H with the prospect of facing former player Gareth Bale, while Apoel of Cyprus also in the group. Group C should prove to be a lively one with Premier League winners Chelsea facing Atletico, the La Liga team striker Diego Costa is desperate to rejoin. Roma and Qarabag, the first side from Azerbaijan to reach this stage, are also in the group. Manchester United…

OurMumuDonDo movement, the coalition of groups that asked President Muhammdu Buhari to resign or return to the country, has demanded the extradition of former Minister for Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke This is contained in a joint statement on Friday issued by co-conveners, Charles Oputa and Deji Adeyanju. They said plans have been concluded to hold a two-day sit-out next Monday and Tuesday in front of EFCC office at Wuse 2, Abuja. OurMumuDonDo said allegations of corruption and wanton looting of public funds and the collective patrimony of Nigerian citizens levelled against Diezani were “mind-boggling”. “We call on the Economic and Financial…

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday signed some international agreements that will reinvigorate his administration’s anti-corruption war, improve national security and boost the nation’s economy among others. The agreements ratified included Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters; Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons; and Extradition Treaty. The President described the ceremony as a very important milestone in his administration’s demonstration of sovereign capacity to fulfil international obligations and take important steps for the benefit of the economy, security and the anti-corruption war within and outside Nigeria. Buhari said…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has re-signed for Manchester United on a one-year contract. The Swedish superstar is still recovering from a serious knee injury which cut short his debut season at Old Trafford in April after 28 goals in 46 games. But the 35-year-old has posted regular positive bulletins on his progress, and United have seen enough to sign him up until the end of the season. “I am back to finish what I started,” said Ibrahimovic, who will wear the No 10 shirt formerly in Wayne Rooney’s possession. “It was always mine and the club’s intention for me to stay. Read…

Nigeria’s oil production, excluding condensates, was slightly below 1.8 million barrels per day in July, the country’s oil minister said on Thursday. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, speaking on the sidelines of an event in the capital, Abuja, said there had been issues with aging pipelines. “We continue to have challenges, some of our pipelines are old, so these are basically technical. They are not militancy-induced stoppages, but they are basically maintenance-induced stoppages,” he said. Nigeria’s oil output has rebounded this year, aided by government efforts to placate militants in the Niger Delta region where the bulk of the country’s crude is…