Bayern Munich Guns Down Manchester United

Pin It Now! Manchester United’s quest for yet another EUFA Champions’ league title this seasoned got dimmed last night as they lost 1-2 to the superior fireworks of Bayern Munich at Old Trafford. The match which was watched by united’s teeming supporters saw their darling team loosing at home to a better organized Munich.

Alex Ferguson had hoped to carry the day hence he reserved his goals talisman Wayne Rooney for this crucial encounter. The host team started well and drew the first blood through Rooney in the 2nd minute of the first half. Thereafter the game became a keenly contested one as the visitors tried to equalize to no avail.

The first half ended 1-0 in favour of Man. United but on resuming the second half, the Munich boys added more bite to their attack increasing their pressure on the host. The host team would have conceded several goals but the goal keeping prowess of Edwin Van Der Sar who blocked, parried and defended his territory gallantly. But just as Sir Ferguson was almost concluding that he had won the match Bayern Munich struck through their priceless attacker Frank Ribery in the 77th minute.

Bayern Munich continued to pile more pressure on the defence line of Manchester United causing the goal keeper to make more saves. They never relented; they were determined to defeat the 2008 champions in front of their ardent fans. Their attackers ran ring around Man. United’s defence from time to time but were resisted by Evra and the rest defenders.

Just as the fans were beginning to rise up to give their players a pat on the back for a job well done the Munich boys stunned everyone by adding their second goal in the 92nd minute through a perfect finish by Olic who cashed in on Patrice Evra’s goal mouth error to seal victory for the visitors. It was hardly believable but victory had gone to the side of Bayern Munich. By this result Man. U now has an uphill task in their second leg match in Germany.

With Wayne Rooney sustaining an injury in the dying minute of the game, Alex Ferguson and indeed all the team’s supporters need to pray for his early recovery so as to enable him play in the second leg. Rooney has no doubt been a source of strength to his team this season with 26 goals in the premiership alone.

Bayern Munich Guns Down Manchester United

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The Return Of Tiger Woods

Pin It Now! Tiger Woods has finally made up his mind to return back from his self-imposed exile into the game that brought him to limelight – Golf. Those of us who had always loved his game never felt at ease all through the period he was away from the game, especially during his period of silence.

We hated to see him take a leave of the game of golf but the circumstances at the time warranted his exit. Thank God the storm is finally over and he is coming back to put smiles once again on the faces of his followers. I believe he has passed through his wilderness experience and now realizes how much the world values the family unit. Thank God also for his loving wife who has decided to forgive and stick by him.

Now that he is returning on April 8th it would be wise for his sponsors to see him as a repentant soul and forget the past and renew their contract with him again. I am sure both parties benefited immensely from each other while the going was good. Sometimes we err but the saying goes that ‘To err is human but to forgive is divine’. I do believe he is now better refined and would do anything humanly possible to avoid disappointing his family again or soiling his long built reputation.

Woods, we really missed you and we did not enjoy the game of golf as we should because you were unavoidably absent. We still love you and wish to say we have gotten over the shock and disappointment and are ready to move ahead. We love your family and we love your game.

I do hope all public figures and role models have learnt from Wood’s experience and now understand that no matter how wealthy and popular we are if we loose our name and reputation we have lost everything. The world would sure be a better place to live in if we learn to accord respect and honour to our family and think of our integrity each time we are tempted to do wrong.

The Return Of Tiger Woods

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Pin It Now! The confederation of African Football (CAF) is supposed to be a detribalized, impartial, fair and just umbrella body of football administration in Africa . Unfortunately recent developments in the continent have shown that the body that is supposed to treat everyone equally is actually bias when it comes to certain players and certain football federations.

To start with, Nigeria's Samuel Okwaraji died at the national stadium in Lagos on the 12 th of August 1989 while playing in the CAF/FIFA organized world cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Angola, and that was the last thing that was ever heard about this young promising player who had earlier dazzled the whole of the African fans with his soccer artistry at the 1988 Cup of nations Tournament in Morocco. CAF did nothing to immortalize this player neither did it do anything to help his family. Reason he died unsung was because he was a Nigerian. Alhaji Issa Hayatou never saw any reason why a Nigerian player should be honoured in death.

But Marc-Vivien Foe of Cameroon died on the 26 th of June 2003 in their match against Columbia while representing his country at the confederations cup in France+ and guess what, CAF immediately announced that it would sponsor Vivien Foe's children's education up to the university level apart from paying certain compensation to his family. Vivien Foe died doing exactly the same thing Sam Okwaraji died for playing in a CAF/FIFA organized competition. Foe's family got compensated and his children awarded scholarships. The only thing that separated the two heroes was their country of origin; Vivien Foe was from CAF's President Alhaji Issa Hayatou's country while Okwaraji was not.

On the 8 th of January 2010, while the Togolese national team were on their way to participate in the 2010 CAF Orange Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Angola they were attacked by rebels at Cabinda which left 2 members of the crew dead and some players injured including the goal keeper who was badly injured and was flown to South Africa for surgery, and he spent weeks there recovering. Recently however, the French football federation came to the rescue of the young man by paying his hospital bill and his repatriation money to enable him return to France for rehabilitation, all because CAF refused to live up to expectation. Angola which hosted the tournament and whose rebels shot the player also refused to act until a country from a different continent and from a different confederation decided to save his career.

The question I would love CAF to answer is if the goal keeper were to be a Cameroonian would he be abandoned by CAF'? if Togo were to be Cameroon would they be hastily banned from the next two editions of the tournament for pulling out after it was obvious they were not in the right frame of mind to continue with the tournament in Angola? What made Marc Vivien Foe's case so distinct, so emotional and so meritorious as to deserve such a royal treat?

CAF and Issa Hayatou should remember that what is good for the goose is good for the gander' and treat everyone the same way before they break the confederation into factions that would tear the game of football in Africa apart.

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Why CAF Should Not Continue To Thrive On Partiality

Pin It Now! The confederation of African Football (CAF) is supposed to be a detribalized, impartial, fair and just umbrella body of football administration in Africa . Unfortunately recent developments in the continent have shown that the body that is supposed to treat everyone equally is actually bias when it comes to certain players and certain football federations.

To start with, Nigeria's Samuel Okwaraji died at the national stadium in Lagos on the 12 th of August 1989 while playing in the CAF/FIFA organized world cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Angola, and that was the last thing that was ever heard about this young promising player who had earlier dazzled the whole of the African fans with his soccer artistry at the 1988 Cup of nations Tournament in Morocco. CAF did nothing to immortalize this player neither did it do anything to help his family. Reason he died unsung was because he was a Nigerian. Alhaji Issa Hayatou never saw any reason why a Nigerian player should be honoured in death.

But Marc-Vivien Foe of Cameroon died on the 26 th of June 2003 in their match against Columbia while representing his country at the confederations cup in France+ and guess what, CAF immediately announced that it would sponsor Vivien Foe's children's education up to the university level apart from paying certain compensation to his family. Vivien Foe died doing exactly the same thing Sam Okwaraji died for playing in a CAF/FIFA organized competition. Foe's family got compensated and his children awarded scholarships. The only thing that separated the two heroes was their country of origin; Vivien Foe was from CAF's President Alhaji Issa Hayatou's country while Okwaraji was not.

On the 8 th of January 2010, while the Togolese national team were on their way to participate in the 2010 CAF Orange Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Angola they were attacked by rebels at Cabinda which left 2 members of the crew dead and some players injured including the goal keeper who was badly injured and was flown to South Africa for surgery, and he spent weeks there recovering. Recently however, the French football federation came to the rescue of the young man by paying his hospital bill and his repatriation money to enable him return to France for rehabilitation, all because CAF refused to live up to expectation. Angola which hosted the tournament and whose rebels shot the player also refused to act until a country from a different continent and from a different confederation decided to save his career.

The question I would love CAF to answer is if the goal keeper were to be a Cameroonian would he be abandoned by CAF'? if Togo were to be Cameroon would they be hastily banned from the next two editions of the tournament for pulling out after it was obvious they were not in the right frame of mind to continue with the tournament in Angola? What made Marc Vivien Foe's case so distinct, so emotional and so meritorious as to deserve such a royal treat?

CAF and Issa Hayatou should remember that what is good for the goose is good for the gander' and treat everyone the same way before they break the confederation into factions that would tear the game of football in Africa apart. Efoghor Joseph is a sports analyst with special interest in football, wrestling, golf, boxing, athletics and long jump. For more of his articles visit

Why CAF Should Not Continue To Thrive On Partiality

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