South Africa News
Manchester United 0 – 1 Aston Villa
Bruno Fernandes missed a 93rd-minute penalty as Aston Villa won at Old Trafford for the first time in 12 years in a pulsating match.
Kortney Hause had put Villa ahead with a powerful header two minutes from the end of normal time before the defender handled inside the box to present Manchester United with a lifeline.
However, Fernandes blazed high over the bar in front of the Stretford End as United’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season came to an end.
Having suffered an early Carabao Cup exit at the hands of West Ham, United have lost their past two home games without scoring.
Villa missed two big chances before a dramatic finale.
After Matt Targett blazed over inside the six-yard area, Ollie Watkins could only fire at David de Gea after the United keeper had passed straight to the Villa forward following Harry Maguire’s backpass.
In a thrilling game, Ezri Konsa also headed another chance over after beating Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the air, while Watkins was denied by De Gea at full stretch in the second half.
At the other end, Emiliano Martinez kept out Maguire’s header and Paul Pogba nodded wide when the France midfielder should have scored.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used his pre-match news conference to voice concerns about United’s lack of penalties in recent weeks.
The Red Devils boss thought his side were denied “two stonewall penalties” in a 2-1 win at West Ham last Sunday, while he also felt they should have had a spot-kick in the cup defeat by the Hammers on Wednesday.
When substitute Edinson Cavani’s header struck Hause’s arm deep into stoppage time, referee Mike Dean immediately pointed to the spot.
Fernandes, however, ballooned his attempt high over Martinez’s crossbar leaving Villa to celebrate a famous win.
It capped a bitterly frustrating day for United.
They had 28 shots yet failed to find the net. It was also the first time Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score since re-signing.
Suddenly, United and Solskjaer find themselves under pressure before Villarreal’s Champions League visit to Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Solskjaer is expected to deliver trophies this season after a busy – and expensive – summer in the transfer market.
With one avenue closed in the EFL Cup, they need to bounce back and beat Villarreal after losing their first group game against Young Boys.
Villa arrived at Old Trafford seeking a first point on the road in the Premier League. They left celebrating a memorable victory after a highly impressive performance.
Not since Gabriel Agbonlahor scored the winner in 2009 have Villa won at Old Trafford but Dean Smith’s side revelled in their surroundings as they carved out several clear-cut chances.
Targett will wonder how on earth he missed from close range after a lovely move involving John McGinn and Matty Cash.
With England boss Gareth Southgate watching from the directors’ box, Watkins will feel he should have done better after De Gea’s mistake before the United keeper denied Villa’s number 11 after half-time with a diving stop.
Villa secured nine away wins on their way to finishing a respectable 11th last season.
After back-to-back defeats on their travels, they are up and running on the road after a powerful headed finish by Hause, making his first league start of the season in place of Axel Tuanzebe, who was not eligible to face his parent club.
source – BBC Sport
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called for transparency, accountability and the elimination of unnecessary expenditures to cut down on the cost of governance in the country. Akpabio made the call on Monday at a one-day dialogue on the cost of governance in Nigeria organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, in Abuja.
Akpabio, who was represented by Sen. Agom Jarigbe (PDP-Rivers) highlighted the possible factors contributing to the high cost of governance in the country.He said the size of the country’s bureaucracy, the escalating public service wage bills, the overhead costs of appointed public officials, and the salaries and allowances of elected officials are major factors.
According to him, the running of government institutions among other substantial components contributed to weighing down the economy and hindering development efforts. Let us hold ourselves accountable and take responsibility for the betterment of our nation. We have to ensure that our government operates efficiently and effectively, serving the needs of the people and fostering sustainable development,” he said.
The president of the senate emphasized the need to streamline bureaucracy, eliminate unnecessary expenditures, and ensured transparency and accountability at all levels of governance. We must invest in our human capital, empowering our public officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive progress.
“And we must foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where new ideas can flourish and transform our nation,” he said.Akpabio urged all Nigerians to remain united, become agents of change and be committed to making sacrifices for the nation. He said that the 10th Assembly was ready to partner with all stakeholders to do everything within its constitutional powers to make Nigeria for all citizens.
Source: pmnewsnigeria
In other news – Bad leaders making the life of Nigerians miserable – Pastor Giwa
The senior pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, on Sunday, lamented that the economic situation in Nigeria has gone from bad to worse under President Bola Tinubu.
The clergyman noted that bad leaders were intentionally making life miserable for Nigerians. Read more
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Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal. Manchester City and Arsenal handed Liverpool the advantage in the Premier League title race as they played out a bitterly disappointing goalless stalemate at Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool are now top of the table and two points clear of Arsenal after they came from behind to beat Brighton at Anfield, their delight increased by their two closest rivals cancelling each other out.
This was a game that made a nonsense of its billing as a potential classic, as Arsenal’s containing tactics snuffed out City while the Gunners had only limited chances of their own in a desperately poor affair.
Nathan Ake had an early close-range header saved by Arsenal keeper David Raya before going off injured while former City striker Gabriel Jesus posed an occasional threat, just failing to connect with Bukayo Saka’s cross inches from goal after the break.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be happier than City counterpart Pep Guardiola with this outcome – but the real winners were Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
Guardiola’s side were under greater pressure to win this match but their usual fluent passing game was rarely in evidence, stifled by the visitors’ organisation and infuriated by referee Anthony Taylor’s reluctance to punish the Gunners for a succession of infringements.
It led to a scrappy, disjointed game in which City were never allowed to gather their usual momentum and rhythm, with even the best efforts of master creators Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva unable to carve out meaningful opportunities for Erling Haaland, who was kept on the margins throughout.
The hosts held sway in possession for most of the second half but it was illustrative of the game that Raya barely had an anxious moment, his counterpart Stefan Ortega also idle for long periods.
Indeed, it is the first time City have failed to score at home in the Premier League since October 2021, a run of 47 games.
The reigning champions, as usual, will remain confident of retaining their title but Guardiola will be bitterly disappointed at his side’s failure to trouble Arsenal, with substitute Jack Grealish on the end of some lengthy post-match advice from his manager.
City are back here at Etihad Stadium to face in-form Aston Villa on Wednesday night knowing they cannot afford any more slip-ups in this tight Premier League title pursuit.
Arsenal arrived at Manchester City with a point to make and a chance to show their improvement at a ground where they have had a miserable record in the past.
The Gunners last won here in January 2015, drawing one and losing eight of their subsequent nine visits before this game.
Here, Arteta set his side out to be fiercely drilled and well-organised to frustrate, a strategy seemingly designed to earn the point they secured rather than risk more for victory.
It was a conservative approach but what it did demonstrate was that Arsenal do have more resilience and character than on previous occasions, when they have sometimes capitulated under City’s attacking assault.
Arteta’s side were composed but also willing to throw bodies on the line when danger threatened, not that they were ever in serious peril of conceding – a tribute to their display in itself.
They have kept clean sheets in both games against Manchester City this season, making them only the fourth team to shut out a Guardiola side twice in the same season.
Whether this is one point gained or two lost remains to be seen, but Arteta seemed satisfied enough at the final whistle.
source – BBC