Joseph Yobo conferred with chieftaincy title in Ogoniland

The former Super Eagles’ skipper has been made a chief in his home town following his exploits for the country.

Former Nigeria defender Joseph Yobo has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Ogoniland.

The honour was bestowed on him a day after he was given a grand exit from professional football by a stellar collection of football stars like Samuel Eto’o,Austin Okocha, Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah, Lomana Lualua and Laryea Kingston during his testimonial in Port Harcourt.

Yobo was conferred with the title of Mene Aborlo 1 of Ogoniland by King GNK Gininwa, with his wife Adaeze given the Waamene Aborlo 1 of Ogoni land.

"Honored to be conferred the title Mene Aborlo 1 of Ogoniland by my King, HRH GNK Gininwa and people#chiefyobo," he tweeted.

Honored to be conferred the title Mene Aborlo 1 of Ogoniland by my King, HRH GNK Gininwa and people#chiefyobopic.twitter.com/WVQwhnenJQ

— Joseph Yobo (@jyobo234)May 29, 2016.

The former Nigeria international defender made his Super Eagles debut against Zambia in a 2002 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on 24 March, 2001 in Chingola, Zambia.

He went on to amass 101 international caps, scoring seven goals in a career that spanned 13 years where he featured at three Fifa World Cups and six Afcon tournaments, leading Nigeria to victory in his last outing in South Africa.

He posted on Instagram:

Mene Aborlo 1 and Waamene Aborlo 1 of Ogoniland#honored #chiefyobo #royalty

A photo posted by Joseph Yobo (@jyobo234) on May 28, 2016 at 11:16pm PDT

Aborlo 1 and Waamene Aborlo 1 of Ogoniland

A photo posted by Joseph Yobo (@jyobo234) onMay 28, 2016 at 10:41pm PDT

Mene Aborlo 1 and Waamene Aborlo 1 of Ogoniland#honored #chiefyobo #royalty

A photo posted by Joseph Yobo (@jyobo234) onMay 28, 2016 at 11:12pm PDT

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Low concerned by Germany's defensive performance

Germany coach Joachim Low has voiced his concerns with his side's defensive showing in Sunday's 3-1 friendly defeat at the hands of Slovakia.

Mario Gomez handed the world champions an early lead from the penalty spot after 13 minutes.

However, goals from Marek Hamsik, Michal Duris and Juraj Kucka ensured victory for Slovakia as Germany failed to keep a clean sheet for the eighth consecutive game.

Low saw reasons for optimism in possession, but was not impressed with Germany's performance at the back.

"I am pleased with our attacking performance. We had a few nice attacks and our movement was quite good," Low said at a news conference.

"But I have to be honest and admit we had problems defensively.

"It might have had something to do with the presence of both Mario Gotze and Julian Draxler, who are both number 10s That's why Slovakia got too much space."

Low handed a number of youngsters the chance to earn a spot in Germany's final squad for Euro 2016, with Julian Brandt, Joshua Kimmich, Julian Weigl and Bernd Leno all winning their first caps.

"We cannot expect too much from the younger players in a game like this," he added.

"But Julian Brandt, Joshua Kimmich, Julian Weigl and Bernd Leno all have a lot of quality and have a bright future ahead of them."

Germany still have a number of injury worries ahead of the tournament in France and Low is keen to get some more insight on the availability of his three doubtful players.

"The most important thing for us is that everybody is healthy," he continued.

"We have a meeting scheduled with the medical staff to see how long Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mats Hummels and Marco Reus will still be unavailable for."

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Low concerned by Germany's defensive performance

Germany coach Joachim Low has voiced his concerns with his side's defensive showing in Sunday's 3-1 friendly defeat at the hands of Slovakia.

Mario Gomez handed the world champions an early lead from the penalty spot after 13 minutes.

However, goals from Marek Hamsik, Michal Duris and Juraj Kucka ensured victory for Slovakia as Germany failed to keep a clean sheet for the eighth consecutive game.

Low saw reasons for optimism in possession, but was not impressed with Germany's performance at the back.

"I am pleased with our attacking performance. We had a few nice attacks and our movement was quite good," Low said at a news conference.

"But I have to be honest and admit we had problems defensively.

"It might have had something to do with the presence of both Mario Gotze and Julian Draxler, who are both number 10s That's why Slovakia got too much space."

Low handed a number of youngsters the chance to earn a spot in Germany's final squad for Euro 2016, with Julian Brandt, Joshua Kimmich, Julian Weigl and Bernd Leno all winning their first caps.

"We cannot expect too much from the younger players in a game like this," he added.

"But Julian Brandt, Joshua Kimmich, Julian Weigl and Bernd Leno all have a lot of quality and have a bright future ahead of them."

Germany still have a number of injury worries ahead of the tournament in France and Low is keen to get some more insight on the availability of his three doubtful players.

"The most important thing for us is that everybody is healthy," he continued.

"We have a meeting scheduled with the medical staff to see how long Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mats Hummels and Marco Reus will still be unavailable for."

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Nolito dreaming of Euro 2016 after Spain double

Nolito is dreaming of playing for Spain at Euro 2016 after he scored his first international goals in a 3-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Switzerland.

The Celta Vigo forward, 29, had not scored in his first six caps, but had a double within the first 18 minutes of his seventh appearance on Sunday.

Emir Spahic got a goal back for Bosnia before being sent off and Chelsea forward Pedro sealed the victory in stoppage-time.

Head coach Vicente del Bosque now has to cut a final two members of his provisional squad for the Euros as Spain look to retain their continental crown in France and Nolito hopes he has done enough in his 60-minute appearance to book a seat on the plane.

"It is clear that the whole world knows the level at the Spanish national team is very high, but you can always dream. I am ready if the coach needs me," Nolito told reporters, before reflecting on his man-of-the-match performance.

"I always try to give my all for Spain, just like I do at Celta.

"I got another chance and could have scored a hat-trick, but I am happy with the win and with my two goals. I want to keep going on the same path."

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Bellerin in line to replace Carvajal - Del Bosque

Vicente del Bosque has confirmed Hector Bellerin will replace Dani Carvajal in the Spain squad for Euro 2016 if the Real Madrid defender is forced to withdraw due to injury.

Carvajal picked up a muscle problem in Madrid's Champions League final win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday and is doubtful for the tournament in France.

Bellerin, meanwhile, made his Spain debut in Sunday's 3-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina and will remain with the squad until there is clarity about Carvajal's fitness.

"It all depends on what the medical staff say about Carvajal's fitness," Del Bosque said at a news conference.

"Bellerin will stay with the squad until we know the extent of Carvajal's injury.

"I also considered [Villarreal defender] Mario [Gaspar], but we have to remain consistent and bear in mind this training camp was in order to prepare for the Euros. That's why Bellerin will stay with the squad."

Del Bosque fielded a young team against Bosnia-Herzegovina as he was still without the Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and some Barcelona players, but he was nonetheless pleased with his side's display as they prepare to try and retain their crown.

"We felt comfortable in the first and were in control with Bruno Soriano and Cesc Fabregas," he added.

"Even though we had a man more following their red card, we were less in control after the break. We did not take advantage of the fact they were down to 10 men.

"I am very happy with the youngsters, though. They will all return to Spain on Monday, except Bellerin. I then have 48 hours left to announce the final squad."

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Deschamps will not consider Sakho recall For Euro

France coach Didier Deschamps insists he has not looked into the possibility of recalling Mamadou Sakho following the expiry of his 30-day suspension over an anti-doping violation.

Sakho was handed the ban by UEFA on April 28 after it emerged he had failed a drugs test following his club's Europa League clash with Manchester United in March.

The suspension, which was subsequently extended by FIFA to include matches around the world, cost Sakho a place in France's Euro 2016 squad, as well as the chance to play in Liverpool's final eight games of the season, which included the Europa League semi-finals and final.

Despite reports on Saturday that Sakho's initial ban would not be extended, Omnisport understands that UEFA's case against the 26-year-old has not yet been dropped, with a final decision expected to be made in the coming days.

Deschamps has faced a defensive selection headache in the build-up to Euro 2016, with Raphael Varane and Jeremy Mathieu both missing out through injury.

Adil Rami and Samuel Umtiti have been called in to fill the gaps in France's 23-man squad but, when asked whether a potential Sakho return was on his radar, Deschamps said: "Seriously? No. Or I would have no respect for the players I have already selected.

"When I made my selection there was no evidence that the outcome would be positive [for Sakho], even if it requires confirmation."

France begin their Euros campaign against Romania in Paris on June 10.

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Germany 1 Slovakia 3: World champions continue to struggle

Germany's worrying form ahead of Euro 2016 continued as they fell to a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Slovakia in Augsburg on Sunday.

Mario Gomez's penalty put the home team in front after 13 minutes, but a stunning strike from Marek Hamsik and a Michal Duris header turned the game on its head before the break.

After stormy weather had delayed the start of the second half, substitute Marc-Andre ter Stegen's dreadful mistake in wet conditions allowed Juraj Kucka to make it three and Germany could not find a way back into the match.

Joachim Low gave first caps to Bernd Leno and Joshua Kimmich, as well as substitutes Julian Weigl and Julian Brandt, but the head coach has major problems to solve with no more matches to play before he cuts his squad down from 27 to a final 23.

Germany, winners of the World Cup two years ago, have now lost four of their last six games and failed to keep a clean sheet for eight successive matches with the Euros under two weeks away.

They only have one more warm-up match against Hungary to play before the competition, while in-form Slovakia are unbeaten in seven as they prepare to face Northern Ireland in their last pre-tournament clash.

Jerome Boateng almost marked his first Germany appearance of 2016 with an early goal when his bouncing effort was tipped over the bar by Matus Kozacik.

But the hosts did not have to wait long to break the deadlock, with Mario Gotze drawing a foul from Kucka in the box and Gomez sending Kozacik the wrong way to make it two strikes in as many caps having previously gone almost four years without an international goal.

The world champions should have added to their lead, Leroy Sane seeing his effort from a promising opening saved by Kozacik's legs and Julian Draxler volleying over.

Slovakia levelled against the run of play in emphatic fashion four minutes before half-time when Hamsik gathered Ondrej Duda's pass and unleashed a blistering finish into the top corner from well outside the box, giving the debutant Leno no chance.

Astonishingly, the visitors then went ahead 185 seconds after levelling as Duris rose to powerfully head Vladimir Weiss' corner over Leno, who could not react quickly enough.

Low had made three changes at the interval and one of his replacements, Ter Stegen, had a moment to forget after 52 minutes when he somehow allowed Kucka's volley from Patrik Hrosovsky's corner to squirm through his legs.

Draxler was just off-target with a long-range drive for Germany, while Ter Stegen had to get out quickly to deny Hamsik. 

After causing him problems for Slovakia's third goal, the wet surface helped the Barcelona goalkeeper on this occasion as it slowed the Napoli star down while he prepared to shoot.

The expected rally from Germany did not arrive in the closing stages, with Gotze firing wide in their best opening as Low's side failed to muster an attempt on target in the second half.

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Mexico and Olympiacos footballer Alan Pulido kidnapped

Mexican international Alan Pulido was kidnapped on Sunday in the northern border state of Tamaulipas, a state official said.

Pulido is a striker for Greek side Olympiacos was part of Mexico's 2014 World Cup team although he wasn't called up for the Copa America tournament that starts this coming week.

The official said the 25-year-old player was kidnapped after leaving a party near his hometown of Ciudad Victoria, the capital of a state that has been plagued by organised crime. 

According to local media reports, Pulido left the party with his girlfriend at around 11.30pm local time.

Several trucks are then said to have surrounded the footballer's car before six masked gunmen released his girlfriend and took him away by force.

Pulido debuted and played several seasons with the club Tigres of Monterrey, whose Twitter account expressed solidarity with the player's family "in the difficult situation they are experiencing."

Pulido left Tigres in 2014 to play in Europe, though he has been in a dispute with the Mexican club about whether his contract there continues to be valid. National team coach Carlos Osorio recently said Pulido has the quality to be on the squad, but was left off due to the legal dispute.

In the most recent season, he scored five times in eight appearances with Olympiacos.

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Ben Arfa wants to match Messi, Ronaldo

Nice attacker Hatem Ben Arfa is confident he has what it takes to reach the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ben Arfa enjoyed an impressive 2015-16 campaign, leading Nice to fourth place in the Ligue 1 table with 17 goals in 34 games.

It was not enough to earn him a berth in the France squad for Euro 2016 on home soil, but that disappointment has not stopped the former Lyon, Marseille and Newcastle man from setting some lofty targets.

"I am far away from reaching the level of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but I still have a number of years to catch them. That is my goal," the 29-year-old told Le Parisien.

"I am not at my best just yet. Everything is possible for me. I feel like I am 24 or 25. I am at an age where I have matured. I have developed and I am ready to take the next step.

"I have found a new strength. I have found peace and tranquillity. I am still getting better and working hard to get there. I am convinced that I will get there.

"There are a lot of similarities between Messi and me, the way we dribble and look out there on the pitch. But we each have our own game.

"I am fully focused on football right now. I had a different focus before. This is all part of my development."

Barcelona and Lyon among the clubs rumoured to interested in signing Ben Arfa on a free transfer when his contract with Nice expires at the end of June.

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Barnsley 3 Millwall 1: Hammill scorcher helps seal Championship return

Barnsley secured a return to the Championship with a 3-1 win over Millwall in Sunday's League One play-off final.

The Yorkshire side, bottom of the league table in December, capped a remarkable turnaround in 2016 with a deserved win at Wembley that seals their place back in the second tier of English football.

Barnsley, who only reached the play-offs by virtue of a better goal difference than Scunthorpe United, made an ideal start as they took the lead with just two minutes played thanks to on-loan Manchester United striker Ashley Fletcher's fine finish.

Caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom, who steered his side to victory in the Football League Trophy final at Wembley last month, led the celebrations when Barnsley doubled their lead through Adam Hammill's sumptuous strike from 25 yards out.

Millwall snatched a lifeline before half-time when Mark Beevers showed great strength to hold off a challenge before turning to sweep the ball high into the net, but they failed to create any sustained pressure in the second half.

And Barnsley made sure of their victory 16 minutes from time, when Lloyd Isgrove leaped highest to power home a header from Hammill's corner, allowing their travelling fans to celebrate the most unlikely of promotion stories.

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Isco: I'll stay if Real Madrid want me

Real Madrid midfielder Isco says he wants to stay at the club following their dramatic Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Isco impressed as a substitute in a tense final at San Siro, which Madrid eventually won on penalties after goals from Sergio Ramos and Yannick Carrasco ensured the match finished 1-1 after extra-time.

The Spain international fell out of favour under former coach Rafael Benitez and came close to leaving Santiago Bernabeu in the mid-season transfer window, but he has enjoyed a more sustained first-team role since Zinedine Zidane took charge in January.

And the former Malaga man says he is keen to enjoy more success in the capital as long as the club want him to stay.

"I am very proud of my team. We had a difficult season, but we have never given up, so we deserve it," he said after the match.

"I hope to stay. If the club wants me here, I will stay. I am very happy here and I hope to keep winning trophies for this club. Zidane has done an amazing job with us.

"It is in our DNA to fight to the very last minute. We showed that in La Liga and right now in the Champions League. We have played against a very competitive opponent who made things very difficult, but thank God we can bring the trophy to the Bernabeu."

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Bayern defend Boateng after politician's insult

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has hit out at Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) politician Alexander Gauland following the latter's controversial comments toward Jerome Boateng.

The deputy leader of the anti-immigration party stated at the weekend that "people like Boateng as a footballer, but wouldn't want to live next to someone like him" in an apparent reference to the Bayern defender's foreign roots.

Gauland's remarks sparked controversy in Germany and Rummenigge has now taken aim at the right-wing politician.

"Discrimination of any kind in sport and this society deserves the red card," Rummenigge said in a statement on the official Bayern website.

"Jerome Boateng is a wonderful human being and an example to follow as a professional football player at this club.

"We are proud that he also plays for the German national team."

The 27-year-old Boateng was born in Berlin and has won 57 caps for Germany, playing a key role in their successful 2014 World Cup campaign.

The defender has a Ghanaian father, with his brother Kevin-Prince Boateng having represented the African country at international level.

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Martial set to miss France friendly through injury

Anthony Martial is set to miss France's Euro 2016 warm-up against Cameroon on Monday with a thigh injury.

The Manchester United striker has been included in the hosts' final 23-man squad and, while his involvement in the tournament is not thought to be in doubt, coach Didier Deschamps expects to be without him in Nantes.

"Martial has pain in his thigh," said Deschamps. "He finished the season late. I will not take any risks tomorrow and it is likely that he will not participate in the match.

"There is no doubt about Martial's participation in the Euros. His thigh problem is muscular fatigue."

Deschamps also confirmed that Lassana Diarra, who was hit with a EUR10million fine following a contract dispute on Sunday, would feature in France's penultimate friendly.

France kick off their Euros campaign against Romania at Stade de France on June 10.

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