March 2023 – Football Flame

31Mar

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Uncategorized

Super Eagles star suffers another injury setback, set to miss Sassuolo, Roma clashes

Ola Aina of Torino FC reacts during the Serie A match between Torino FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on March 19, 2023 in Turin, Italy. Super defender Ola Aina could be out of action for some time after he sustained a lesion on his left soleus. Aina spent most of the World Cup break recuperating from a hamstring injury. And he just returned from his three-month layoff on the 6th of March. Upon his return, the Super Eagles star featured as a substitute in his first three games for Torino. However, he was not called up to Nigeria’s squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations double-header against Guinea-Bissau as he had a one-game suspension. It was expected that Aina would be fully fit and ready to find his way back into the starting eleven after the internation...

31Mar

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NEWS, Richarlison, Tottenham Hotspur

Richarlison ‘sorry’ for not delivering for Conte

Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur is embraced by Antonio Conte, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, after being substituted off during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Friends Provident St. Mary's Stadium on March 18, 2023 in Southampton,Tottenham forward Richarlison has denied that he led a player “mutiny” against former manager Antonio Conte. Conte, 53, left Spurs by mutual consent on Sunday after 16 months in charge. Brazil international Richarlison, who joined Spurs from Everton for £60m in July, criticised a journalist for the “awful lie” and apologised to Italian Conte for his performances this season. “I wasn’t a mutiny leader against him, it was quite the opposite,” Richarlison, 25, wrote on Twitter. “I’m sorry I didn’t deliver as much as he e...

30Mar

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Jack Diamond, NEWS, Sunderland

Sunderland forward Jack Diamond charged with rape and sexual assault

Lincoln City's Jack Diamond during the Sky Bet League One between Lincoln City and Peterborough United at LNER Stadium on March 18, 2023 in Lincoln, United Kingdom.Sunderland winger Jack Diamond has been charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. The 23-year-old’s loan at League One club Lincoln City has been terminated after charges were brought against him on Thursday. Diamond was arrested after an alleged sexual assault in Washington, Tyne and Wear in May 2022 and he has been suspended by Sunderland pending the outcome of legal proceedings. A Northumbria Police investigation has led to him being charged and a brief statement from Lincoln confirmed his loan spell had been cut short “with immediate effect”. Diamond is due to appear in South Tyneside Magistrates’...

30Mar

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NEWS

Arsenal, Barcelona progress to UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals

A view of the UEFA Women's Champions League trophy ahead of the UEFA Women's Champions League 2022/23 Quarter-finals and Semi-finals Draw at the UEFA Headquarters, The House of the European Football, on February 10, 2023, in Nyon, Switzerland. Arsenal and Barcelona qualified Wednesday for the 2022-23 UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals. England’s Arsenal beat their German opponents Bayern Munich 2-0 at London’s Emirates Stadium as home team players Frida Maanum and Stina Blackstenius scored in the first half of the quarterfinals’ second leg. Maanum, who scored a spectacular goal outside the box, was named the player of the match. Arsenal won 2-1 on aggregate. Meanwhile Barcelona thrashed Roma 5-1 at Spotify Camp Nou to cruise into the semis in the Women’s Champions Le...

30Mar

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Fabio Paratici, NEWS

Tottenham Hotspur managing director Fabio Paratici handed worldwide FIFA ban

Tottenham Hotspur Director of Football, Fabio Paratici looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on January 19, 2023 in Manchester, United Kingdom.Tottenham managing director of football Fabio Paratici has been given a worldwide ban by FIFA that could end his time with the north London club. Paratici was handed a 30-month ban from Italian football in January after his former club Juventus were found guilty of false accounting. The 50-year-old Italian was sporting director and managing director at Juventus before joining Tottenham in June 2021. His initial ban only applied to his homeland, meaning he was free to continue working at Tottenham, where he was involved in Sunday’s departure of manager Antonio Conte and the...

30Mar

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Argentina, Lionel Messi, NEWS

Messi passes 100 goals for Argentina with hat-trick

Lionel Messi of Argentina jumps over Roshon van Eijma of Curaçao during an international friendly match between Argentina and Curaçao at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades on March 28, 2023 in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Argentina captain Lionel Messi passed 100 international goals as he scored his seventh international hat-trick in a friendly win at home to Curacao. The 35-year-old forward reached the landmark when he opened the scoring on 20 minutes in Santiago del Estero. He added two more before the break to complete a quickfire treble. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez also scored, before Argentina paraded the World Cup trophy in front of more than 42,000 supporters. It was Argentina’s second match on home soil since beating France in Qatar on penalties in December to win ...

29Mar

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EURO 2024, Mateo Kovacic, NEWS

Turkey lose in first home game since earthquakes

Mateo Kovacic of Croatia celebrates goal with Luka Modric of Croatia, and Marcelo Brozovic of Croatia during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group D match between Turkey and Croatia at at Bursa Buyuksehir Belediye Stadyumu on March 28, 2023 in Bursa, Turkey.Turkey played their first home international fixture since two powerful earthquakes in the country claimed 50,000 lives. A giant banner paying tribute to those affected was unveiled before kick-off in the Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia in Istanbul. Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic scored twice to secure the win for the visitors. The midfielder struck from close range before firing in from a rebound on the stroke of half-time. It was a little harsh on Turkey, who had started the game as the better side. Kerem Akturkoglu saw an exce...

29Mar

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Belgium, Kevin de Bruyne, NEWS

De Bruyne scores as Belgium edge Germany

Niclas Fullkrug of Germany in action with Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium during the international friendly match between Germany and Belgium at RheinEnergieStadion on March 28, 2023 in Cologne, Germany. Belgium made it two wins from two under new coach Domenico Tedesco as they beat Euro 2024 hosts Germany in a friendly. The visitors outclassed their opponents in the first half and took the lead when Yannick Carrasco fired in. Romelu Lukaku then converted from Kevin de Bruyne’s pass to make it 2-0 before Niclas Fullkrug reduced the deficit from the penalty spot. However, De Bruyne made it 3-1 after a swift Belgium attack before Serge Gnabry added a late consolation. The victory was Belgium’s second in four days after a Lukaku hat-trick beat Sweden in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier...

28Mar

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Kieffer Moore, NEWS, Wales

Moore’s header sees Wales beat Latvia

Kieffer Moore and Neco Williams of Wales celebrate after the team's victory during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group D match between Wales and Latvia at Cardiff City Stadium on March 28, 2023 in Cardiff, Wales.Wales maintained their good start to Euro 2024 qualifying as Kieffer Moore’s header gave them a 1-0 win over Latvia and put them top of Group D. Wales took the lead shortly before the break as Moore’s powerful header from Daniel James’ cross nestled into the bottom corner of the net. Neco Williams rattled the crossbar as Wales pushed for a second goal. Wales gave record scorer Gareth Bale a guard of honour before the match as he said goodbye to the home supporters. It proved a night to celebrate for Wales as they moved top of their group thanks to their away goal scored...

28Mar

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EURO 2024, NEWS, Scott McTominay

Terrific Scotland stun Spain in seismic victory

Scott McTominay of Scotland celebrates scoring his second goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group A match between Scotland and Spain at Hampden Park on March 28, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. Sensational Scotland took a seismic leap in their bid to reach consecutive European Championships by stunning Spain in a heroic triumph. Scott McTominay crashed in a deflected opener after just seven minutes, triggering an explosion of noise inside a charged Hampden Park. Steve Clarke’s team rode their luck to stay ahead at the break, only for McTominay to repeat his earlier feat just after the restart to cause chaos in the stands as well as in the bamboozled Spanish defence. Scotland, in their first competitive victory over Spain for 39 years, now top Group A – three points above the ...