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HEARTBEAK FOR ENGLAND AS ITALY WIN EURO ON PENALTIES

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England’s bid to end their 55-year wait for a major trophy ended in agony at Wembley as the Three lions lost out to Italy in a penalty shootout afater a pulsating 120 minutes of football.

On a night of huge expectations, England looked on course for their most joyous day since 30 July 1966 when Luke Shaw gave them the perfect start after two minutes.

Italy, unbeaten in 33 matches before this final, slowly edged their way back into the game and were level in the 67th minute when Leonardo Bonucci pounced after England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford turned Marco Verratti’s header on to a post.

And after a tense period of extra time failed to find a winner, it was on to penalties and bitter disappointment for England manager Gareth Southgate and his players, who had gone into this final on a wave of expectation and high emotion.

England missed three of their five penalties, Marcus Rashford hitting a post and Gianluigi Donnarumma denying Jadon Sancho before – so cruelly for such a fine young player – Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka also saw the giant Italy goalkeeper save his spot-kick.

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Harry Kane and Harry Maguire were on target for England while Pickford kept hopes alive with saves from Andrea Belotti and Jorginho while Domenico Berardi, Bonucci and Federico Bernardeschi scored for Italy.

The tearful 19-year-old Saka, who showed such courage to step forward, was consoled by England team-mates and manager Southgate but there was no real consolation for the entire team or the expectant fans packed into Wembley.

 

 

 

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BREAKING: Ex-Eagles captainHenry Nwosu dies aged 62

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Henry Nwosu, a former Nigerian international footballer and member of the 1980 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning team, has passed away.

He was 62.

His death was confirmed by fellow ex-international Segun Odegbami in a Facebook post on Saturday.

According to Odegbami, Nwosu passed away at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja after a five-day battle for his life.

He also revealed the details of Nwosu’s final days, stating that the man he fondly called “Youngest Millionaire” died at 4:00 a.m. after being in intensive care since Wednesday.

“After 5 days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4:00 am this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos where he had been in Intensive Care since Wednesday,” he wrote.

“It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the conveyor of the news of the death of Henry Nwosu MON. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in Heaven.”

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Arsenal beat Sunderland to move nine points clear

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Arsenal moved closer to a first Premier League title for 22 years after a 3-0 victory over Sunderland took the Gunners nine points clear at the top of the table.

Martin Zubimendi’s long-range drive just before half-time settled the nerves of the home crowd at the Emirates Stadium before Viktor Gyokeres struck twice to quieten his critics.

Manchester City can reduce the gap at the top back to six points should they end a wait since 2003 to beat Liverpool at Anfield in front of a crowd on Sunday.

But after three consecutive second-placed finishes, it appears a matter of when, not if, Mikel Arteta’s men will finally be crowned champions.

Defeat dented Sunderland’s dream of European football on their first season back in the top flight.

Regis Le Bris’ side showed why they sit eighth with a dogged first-half showing that left the Arsenal crowd again bemoaning a lack of creativity from open play.

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However, Zubimendi picked the lock of the Black Cats’ defence with a crisp strike from outside the box that clipped the inside of the post on its way in for the sixth goal of his impressive debut season in English football.

Gyokeres has attracted plenty of criticism for failing to replicate his free-scoring form at Sporting Lisbon in the Premier League.

But the Sweden international is the club’s top scorer and took his tally for the season to 13 in all competitions.

Gyokeres made the points safe when his powerful drive from Kai Havertz’s pass had too much power for Robin Roefs 25 minutes from time.

He was then presented with an open goal by Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage time.

The shine was taken off Arsenal’s day late on when Leandro Trossard was forced off through injury.

Arteta needs as many players available as possible, with Arsenal still competing in four competitions.

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Arsenal face City in the League Cup final next month, host Wigan in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and cruised into the Champions League last 16 with eight wins from eight games in the league phase.

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Herbalist who promised Mali AFCON win arrested for €33,500 fraud

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A funny twist has been introduced to the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations tournament after a self-proclaimed marabout, or traditional folk healer, who collected 33,500 euros by promising victory for Mali was arrested for fraud after the team lost.

Mali’s national team was eliminated on Friday in the quarter finals by Senegal 1-0.

The man, identified only as Mr Sinayogo, collected more than 22 million CFA francs in donations, according to an associate.

Following Mali’s defeat, an angry mob showed up at his home before police intervened and arrested him.

Sinayogo was arrested in the Malian capital Bamako on Saturday for “fraud” and was being held at the  cybercrime division, according to two videographers who visited him.

“Charlatanism is punishable by law in Mali”, an official from the division told AFP.

However, arresting the man while the national team was still competing would have been difficult “in the heat of the Africa Cup of Nations,” he added.

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The man, formerly known as a political activist, “proclaimed himself a marabout overnight and made a fortune”, a social media content creator close to him said.

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