OLYMPICS: LLOYD , MARTA LEAD USA, BRAZIL INTO LAST EIGHT

Carli Lloyd (L) of the USA celebrates her goal during a Rio 2016 Olympic Games first round Group G women’s football match United States vs New Zealand at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on August 3, 2016.GUSTAVO ANDRADE / AFP

United States kept their quest for fourth straight women’s football gold firmly on track when captain Carli Lloyd ensured a 1-0 victory over France to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Brazil are also into the last eight as, inspired by a near 60,000 capacity crowd at the Rio Olympic Stadium and two goals from five-time world player of the year Marta, they thrashed Sweden 5-1.

The United States are now unbeaten in 13 Olympic matches and, a year on from scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final, Lloyd has once again been the United States’ inspiration in Brazil.

After netting the US opener in a 2-0 win against New Zealand on Wednesday, she slotted home the only goal in Belo Horizonte after Tobin Heath’s initial effort came back off the post.

The US team are assured of their place in the knockout rounds as at least one of the two best third-placed sides, but can secure top spot in Group H with just a point against Colombia on Tuesday.

– Solo save –

France had impressed in thrashing Colombia 4-0 in their opening game and had the better of the first 45 minutes.

However, American keeper Hope Solo made a huge save to deny Marie Laure Delie on her 200th international appearance.

The world champions improved after the break and were rewarded when Lloyd was characteristically in the right place at the right time to score her 90th international goal.

New Zealand beat Colombia 1-0 in the other game in the Group to move level with France on three points.

In contrast to their male counterparts, who stumbled 0-0 against South Africa under the pressure to deliver Brazil’s first Olympic football gold, the hosts’ women have been the most impressive side in the tournament.

“Initially the pressure was all about performing well and promoting women’s football,” said Brazil coach Vadao.

“Now we have played so well the pressure changes because people’s expectations rise, so we will face a different pressure now.”

Fresh from brushing off China 3-0 in their opener, Brazil tore Sweden apart to go in 3-0 up at the break.

Beatriz nipped in ahead of Sweden ‘keeper Hadvig Lindahl for the opener, before Cristiane extended her record as all-time top scorer in the Olympics with her 14th goal in her fourth Games.

Marta played against the country where she has played club football for the past four years, just 24 hours after carrying the Olympic flag into the Maracana during the opening ceremony.

However, she looked far from jaded as she converted Brazil’s third from the penalty spot before doubling her tally with a fantastic finish 10 minutes from time.

Beatriz curled home her second six minutes later before Lotta Schelin netted a consolation goal for Sweden.

Tan Ruyin scored with a sensational dipping drive from over 40 yards out as China moved into second in Group E with a 2-0 win over South Africa.

Canada are also through to the knockout stages after sealing their second win in as many games against tournament debutants Zimbabwe 3-1 in Sao Paulo.

Janine Beckie scored twice, whilst veteran striker Christine Sinclair scored her 163rd international goal from the penalty spot.

Two-time world champions Germany came back from 2-0 down against Australia to move into second in Group F.

The Matildas looked set to bounce back from their opening 2-0 defeat to Canada thanks to first-half goals from Samantha Kerr and Caitlin Foord.

However, Sara Daebritz pulled a goal back immediately and Saskia Bartusiak snatched a point two minutes from time.

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PAINFUL THINGS DAD DID TO ME - EUCHARIA ANUNOBI

By Christian Agadibe

Veteran actress, Eucharia Anunobi assumed that the world would be at her feet growing up in a wealthy family. But she was mistaking. Life taught her a different lesson.
With passion to succeed, the Imo State-born actress never threw in the towel. She forged ahead through modelling and saw her way through. In this exclusive interview with Entertainer, Anunobi opens up on her life as an evangelist and actor.
What has been your experience since you lost your father?
My father died last year. My father’s memorial is in August. When I went to see my father in the mortuary, I saw one of the wonders of God. His beards were still growing. I was like ‘excuse me, you mean that hair doesn’t die?’ That was amazing! The hairs on my father’s head were still growing and they needed to be shaved before the final dressing and lay to rest. We are wonderful creatures.
How do you combine acting and being born again?
Do you know when I started ministering? By the grace of God, I gave my life to God on March 17, 1997, at Holy Ghost Power Ministry Church, Adeniyi Jones, Lagos. The pastor of the church then was Pastor Emma Obasi who is still a father of faith to me. March 17, 2017 will make it 20 years I have been with God. While you are seeing me as a movie legend, all the years you have been seeing ‘act all the actable’. I am still acting because I have not left my talent. This is my own definition of being born again. Born again means you have realised and discovered that you were living a life of sin, but now, you want to live a life that would please God.
As a born again, how do your colleagues relate with you?
I remember years ago when I gave my life to God, my colleagues were laughing at me. ‘Your mates are busy doing aristo, your mates are busy seeing governors, your mates are busy going to the clubs in Victoria Island, Ikeja, and everywhere, you sey na church you wan go’. They used to say that ‘something is wrong with Eucharia’. ‘Can you imagine with all her degrees, and doctorate in waiting, na to go church?’ But today, by the grace of God, where I sit they can’t sit; where I go they can’t go. I sit with governors and presidents not for aristo, and not for someone to take me to a corner of a room to sleep with me. I am not among the superstars they would say, ‘that one get good shape, go corner her for hotel for me’ and they come and meet you only in the night. They don’t need to take me to any corner of the room through Personal Assistant. They call me to the lobby of the governor or president’s chapel to pray and declare the word of God Almighty. And when I am done, they shake my hands and say, ‘lay hands on me’.
Tell us something about Eucharia that the people don’t know.
I paid my way through university. I came from a privileged home. I no be ajepako, I be ajebota (butter girl). My family house was at 5, Musa Yar`adua Street, Victoria Island (in Lagos). I went to St. George’s Primary School, the one at Falomo in Lagos and Army Chidren’s School, Guardian Barrack. I had ‘A’ in most of my subjects in secondary school. The next thing, I supposed to enter university, but my father called the whole family because I am the first-born and says, ‘I don’t have interest in training a girl further after secondary school’. My own father, Chief Ejike Emekache Ezenwa Anunobi, said that! He said he would train only the boys. So, after leaving secondary school with brilliant results, my father said ‘no!’ With all the money wey he get. We get two cars that time, to tell you how rich we were. We dey live for flat with Oyibo people around. Yet, my father abandoned me in the middle of the way. That was how, on my own at age 16, I started to fight for my destiny. But then, good friends helped me.
What kept you going and how did you pull through?
The bible says, ‘show me your friend and I will tell you who you are’. My good friend, Peter Ononiwu knew me back then. He saw my tears as I was crying. He said ‘do you know that you are a very beautiful girl with a fine shape? ‘You can start modelling’. It was Peter that introduced me to modelling. That was how I started modelling. Modelling has gone down; it was at that time that modelling was on. There was no modelling show they did that I was not on the front burner. It was then I discovered that God gave me a good shape. It was then I discovered I had a unique face. You know, people call me ‘the ancient lady’, ‘Philippians lady’ or ‘Chinese lady’ because of my face and small eyes and because I have unique features. So, when any fashion designer saw me, he or she would pick me because of God’s glory upon my life, and because I started seeking God early. It was the denouncement of my father that, he’s not going to send me or any other girl to university or higher institution that made me seek God early. After that, I started modelling. But I was determined in myself that, if my father said a girl can be nothing, then I would prove him wrong. I said to myself ‘I am not a mistake of creation’. ‘There is a reason God made me a female’.
I used to hear him telling some of his friends that Eucharia is too brilliant to be a girl; she should have been a boy. And I would say to myself ‘na me come make myself boy? Why would he be saying that I should have been a boy? On my own, I said a girl must be something and I started digging the bible. By the grace of God, I fought for myself. I paid for my JAMB and then passed. I went to University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and in those four years, I paid my school fees by myself. There is a reason why you are depressed, because if I am not denied of the blessing, I won’t be who I am today. There is a reason my father turned his back on me, because if maybe he left me in the comfort zone or comfort home, I wouldn’t be able to discover who I am.
As an evangelist, do you still accept scripts like Ashawo (Prostitute)?
If they give me the one of Ashawo, I will do. But then, I’m not going to smoke, because I don’t smoke in real life, and I’m not going to drink. I can simulate, for instance, like in drinking, but then, I might not wear clothes that will reveal parts of my body. There is one I did with Mama Patience, we went to rob a bank; there’s a film we went to rob a bank. We were carrying AK-47; the gun is heavy o! The title of the movie is Widow’s Gang.

PREVIEW: NIGERIA VS SWEDEN (Rio Olympics)

– Nigeria’s second group game in the 2016 Rio Olympics is against Sweden

– Coach Samson Siasia is not dwelling too much on the win over Japan 

– The match will be played at 11pm (Nigerian time)

Nigeria will tackle Sweden in their second Group B game at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympics.

Samson Siasia’s tired side defeated Japan 5 – 4 despite arriving Manaus, venue of the match, hours before the game.

Etebo Oghenekaro celebrates one of his four goals against Japan

Sweden on the other hand played a 2-2 draw with Colombia in their first match.

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After the match against Japan, coach Samson Siasia said: “We just won a game, we can’t and won’t allow this victory get into our heads. Our target here is to win the gold and this is just the first step of us achieving that aim.

“No two games are the same, for me this hurdle is over, when I wake up tomorrow I will then think of my next game.”

The danger man for Sweden will be Mikael Ishak who plays his football in Denmark. Six players of the squad that became European U21 champions last year are in Brazil hoping to impress for Sweden.

The Swedes are only making their second appearance, with their previous outing coming in the 1992 games in Barcelona when they were knocked out in the quarter-finals.

Nigeria face Sweden in their next match to be played on Sunday August 7 at 11pm (Nigerian time).

STYLISH D’BANJ MEETS LEGENDARY GOSPEL ARTISTE DON MOEN

D’banj met legendary gospel singer, Don Moen at a birthday party in Lagos.

D’banj looked stylish in blue and white, with gold accessories this weekend as he posed with one of the top gospel artistes in the world, Don Moen.

Don Moen has performed in the country a few times and has collaborated with musicians here, so it’s possible there could be something brewing.

Dbanj also posed with stylist, Swanky Jerry in the photos which he shared via social media today, July 6, 2016. According to him,  he was styled by Jeremiah Ogbodo AKA Swanky Jerry for the occasion.

UNIVERSITY LECTURE CAUGHT NAKED WITH STUDENT IN AN HOTEL ROOM

A Delta State University (DELSU), lecturer has been arrested naked at Wembley hotel for trying to sleep with one of his students, Esther Omokinovo.

University school gate

The victim told the police on July 19, that her course adviser in Primary/ Nursery Education department at the university has been harassing her sexually and threatening to fail her if she refused to yield to his sexual desire.

Two days after, during Mathematics examination the victim raced to the police station to inform detectives that she has agreed for a particular date for sex with the lecturer. The state Commissioner of police, Zanna Muhammed Ibrahim at the command headquarters in Asaba, on Saturday, August 6, said the lecturer was caught naked and ready to take on the student.

Ibrahim said: “Based on the complainant’s feigned acceptance of the suspect’s demand, she was taken to Wembley hotel, Abraka, by the suspect on, where detectives were invited and arrested him in the hotel room after he had already undressed.”

LINDA IKEJI ALLEGEDLY MOVES INTO N85m LUXURIOUS OFFICE (photo)

Popular Nigerian celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji just spent about N85million moving into a new office in Lagos. It was disclosed that Linda would be paying the sum of N10m rent for her office every year.

Linda Ikeji

According to Sunday Scoop, Linda Ikeji moved into an office whose rent has been estimated to be about N10m per annum in highbrow Lekki Phase 1.

The building, we learnt has been partitioned into 22-room offices, housing studio, editing suite, two lounges, VIP waiting room, radio booth, section for her yet- to- be unveiled Linda Ikeji Music, LIS administrative office, bloggers office and her own office.

Ikeji, who has engaged the services of top professionals to man different departments, is launching two additional businesses that are online related, TV programmes and an online radio. One of the businesses she will be launching is Linda Ikeji Music, which we learnt will be in competition with NotjustOk. The other one is LIS which might have something to do with fashion.

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Linda Ikeji

A close source to Linda Ikeji disclosed that: “Linda has finally registered her company and is planning to move on to greater things beyond the success that everybody can see. She feels there is still much that she could still achieve, there are unconquered territories and many unexplored opportunities between the worlds of social media she needs to explore. She is not just satisfied with being the number one blogger and she doesn’t want to remain a one-man business anymore. She has the track record and what it takes to function as one of the business houses in Africa and that is what she is doing.”

Linda the boss lady!

I HAVE NEVER DATED NIGERIAN MEN – TOP NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS

Married and talented Nollywood actress, Uche Jombo-Rodriguez has carved a niche for herself in the movie industry and has become a force to be reckoned with. The mother of one in an interview revealed that she has never dated anybody that lives in Nigeria.

Nollywood actress Uche Jombo-Rodriguez

Uche Jombo who has been married for five years disclosed to Punch that, there is not strange feeling being married to someone Nigeria while she is busy shooting her movies in Nigeria. She said:

“Before I got married, I had always dated people who lived outside Nigeria. As a result, being married to someone who lives abroad does not seem bizarre. I didn’t plan to marry someone who lives abroad. Rather, it just happened.”

Advising young ladies on when to finally settle down with their life partner, Uche revealed to them that they do not need to be pressurized before getting married but to follow their hearts.

She said: “Marry because you know this is what you want to do once in your lifetime. You have to be married to someone you can do everything with. Don’t marry because people say it is time to get someone. Get married for yourself. The pressure today will not be worth the ache tomorrow.”

Has she truly not dated anyone in Nigeria?