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AFCON 2019: Super Eagles Maintain 3rd Place Unbeaten Run, as Ighalo Scores Fastest Goal
Odion Ighalo scored the fastest goal so far in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations as the Super Eagles beat Tunisia 1-0 on Wednesday night to win the Bronze medal at this year’s tournament.
After Sunday’s semi-final losses, Tunisia and Nigeria wanted the bronze medal. But it was Gernot Rohr’s side that prevailed in the third place contest in Cairo.
Nigeria shot into the lead barely three minutes into the game as Ighalo tucked home the ball after Ben Cherifia and Meriah made a mess of Jamilu Collins’ cross.
The Carthage Eagles responded well and would have gotten a quick equaliser had Ferjani Sassi’s header not been cleared off the line.
Ighalo who has five goals to his name was forced out few minutes to the end at half-time.
The China based striker appeared to have suffered a hamstring injury.
Tunisia started brightly in the second half and Whabi Khazri’s superb throughball put Chaouat through on goal a minute after the restart. But with only the goalkeeper to beat, Tunisia’s substitute lashed into the side netting.
Thereafter Samuel Chukwueze’s long-range strike looked to be creeping in just after the hour, but Ben Cherifia made a superb save at full stretch.
The introduction of Samuel Kalu also gave Eagles the edge as he forced two saves from the goal keeper with his dead balls.
With the time tickling away, Ghilane Chaalali bundled himself into shooting range as full-time approached, though a weak effort wide of the upright was all he could muster as Tunisia ended their tournament without a medal.
Ighalo with five goals is also the leading goal scorer in the competition.
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The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
