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Monday Evening Ticker: West Brom stun Liverpool, Nigeria coach resigns following AFCON win, and more

BY JUSTIN FERGUSON

West Bromwich Albion was on the verge of falling behind 1-0 to Liverpool on Monday as Steven Gerrard lined up for a spot kick against Ben Foster.

Twenty minutes later, the Baggies were walking out of Anfield with a 2-0 win.

Foster’s penalty save, his seventh stop of the match, sparked a struggling West Brom side to generate its first offense of the match. Youssuf Mulumbu struck the team’s first shot on goal moments later, and Gareth McAuley headed home a corner kick to take the lead. Liverpool’s chance at salvaging a point was erased ten minutes later when substitute Romelu Lukaku powered home his ninth goal of the campaign.

The victory was West Brom’s first since Boxing Day, ending the club’s six-match winless streak and propelling the club to eighth in the league table. Liverpool, still without a win over a top-half club this season, slipped to ninth with the loss.

Here are some more stories to wrap-up your Monday:

NIGERIA COACH STEPHEN KESHI RESIGNS

Nigerian head coach Stephen Keshi told a South African radio station on Monday that he handed in his resignation letter immediately after his team’s 1-0 win in the AFCON final.

Keshi spoke of tensions between himself and the Nigerian Football Federation before the Super Eagles’ semifinal with Mali, saying that he would “pack his bags and leave” if he ever felt unwanted.

Reports indicated that the federation scheduled a flight home for the Nigeria squad before its quarterfinal match against favored Ivory Coast. Keshi took that gesture from the NFF as a vote of no confidence.

“It doesn’t really matter what people think about what Stephen Keshi is doing,” Keshi told reporters before the semifinal versus Mali. “The most important thing is what I am doing here and passing on to my team. If back home in my country, they don’t appreciate what I am doing with the team, so be it.”

Keshi was the captain of the Nigeria’s 1994 World Cup and African Cup of Nations squads. He is only the second person to win the tournament as both a player and a coach.

INTER MILAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR FANS’ BALOTELLI CHANTS

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has made an official statement on the racist chants that were directed at former Inter and current AC Milan player Mario Balotelli.

“I was told about it because I couldn’t make out clearly what they were saying,” Moratti told Inter’s website. “I’m very sorry and I really hope it doesn’t happen during the derby.”

A section of Inter fans targeted their former striker during the club’s 3-1 win over Chievo Verona on Sunday.

This incident comes shortly after AC Milan vice president Paolo Berlusconi was filmed using a racial slur to describe Balotelli during a political meeting. Balotelli has been back in Milan for less than two weeks.

The two Milan clubs will face each other on Feb. 24.

QUICK KICKS

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini told reporters that he is ready to implement changes to his squad after Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Southampton, saying he only wants players “who are ready to fight.” (REPORT)

Arsenal has loaned defender Andre Santos to Brazilian club Gremio for the rest of the season. (REPORT)

New York Red Bulls player Thierry Henry says that he wants officials to deduct points from teams when their fans racially abuse players. (REPORT)

Notts County, the world’s oldest professional club, is still running after a court dismissed a winding-up order over unpaid taxes. (REPORT)

PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti says that he is unsure of his future with the French league leaders. (REPORT)

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What do you think of these reports? Think that this loss puts Liverpool out of contention for a European spot? What are your thoughts on Keshi’s resignation? How do you think the chants will affect the Milan derby? What do you think of Henry’s suggestion of taking points away from clubs with fans that racially abuse players?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I like Henry’s idea. It may not stop all of it but it may be a start. Maybe the fans will start to police themselves. I know I say that and people are snickering but what else can be done?

    I don’t understand why this crap is happening again. It has to stop. FIFA needs to do something.

    Reply
    • I don’t like the idea at all. The people doing the racist chants and name-calling are thugs and hooligans, not fans. They couldn’t care less about the fortunes of the team – they’re there to verbally (and sometimes physically) assault others. Something certainly needs to be done, but I don’t think this would prevent a single act of racism, though it would hurt clubs and fans who have nothing to do with it.

      Reply
      • +1 the individuals doing the crime should be arrested and punished for that crime. The team hosting the game should not be punished unless one of their players, coaches or the entire environment is crossing the line.

    • As a neutral I was so happy when Foster saved it. The game completely changed when Lukaku was introduced, I imagine he’ll be huge for Chelsea next year. Unfortunately.

      Reply
      • Lukaku was a monster, that run he made at Agger when all Agger did was back up for like 50 yards was impressive.

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