Dstv viewers will be in for a thrilling night of professional wrestling action as SuperSport features the 2020 WWE Royal Rumble from the Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, United States on Monday 27 January 2020.
The live kick-off show begins at 11:00 PM on SuperSport 4, SuperSport 9, SuperSport Maximo 2 and the WWE Channel 128, before the Pay-Per-View Special is screened live from 01:00 AM on the same channels.
For those who love their wrestling but are not night owls, there will be a repeat later the same day at 06:00 PM on SuperSport Maximo, SuperSport 4 Africa, SuperSport 9 and the WWE Channel 128.
This WWE event is headlined by men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches. In this format, participants enter the ring at timed intervals and wrestlers are eliminated by being thrown over the top rope until only one remains – the men’s and women’s winners will then have a world championship match at WrestleMania 36.
The key narrative in the men’s Royal Rumble is the rivalry between Brock Lesnar and former UFC fighter Cain Velasquez, with the latter rumoured to be entering the 30-man clash with hopes of taking down Lesnar.
“I can win it, hell yeah, that’s my mentality for everything,” Velasquez told the media last week. “For everyone as well, that is how your mentality has to be. I’m going in to win this thing.”
SuperSport viewers can look forward to the chaotic brilliance of the Royal Rumble, in which it is not unusual to have a melee of wrestlers in the ring, but there are also significant singles matches on the card.
One of these is a battle for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship between belt-holder Becky Lynch and Asuka. ‘The Man’ has been unable to solve the riddle of ‘The Empress of Tomorrow’, who is renowned for spitting green mist into the eyes of her opponents.
The WWE Universal Championship will also be on the line when ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan bring their rivalry to a thrilling conclusion with a ‘strap match’, while a grudge clash between ‘The Big Dog’ Roman Reigns and King Corbin is another which will shake up the Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas with a ‘falls count anywhere’ battle which will surely spill over to all areas outside of the ring.
Don’t miss the 2020 WWE Royal Rumble on DStv. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream the action on DStv Now.
WWE Royal Rumble, broadcast details
Monday 27 January
11:00 PM: Kick-off show – LIVE on SuperSport Maximo 2, SuperSport 4, SuperSport 9 and WWE Channel 128
01:00 AM: Royal Rumble – LIVE on SuperSport Maximo 2, SuperSport 4, SuperSport 9 and WWE Channel 128
WWE Royal Rumble, confirmed matches
– Men’s Royal Rumble match – 30 man over-the-top-rope eliminator for a world championship match at WrestleMania 36
– Women’s Royal Rumble match – 30 woman over-the-top-rope eliminator for a women’s championship match at WrestleMania 36
– ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt v Daniel Bryan – Strap match for the WWE Universal Championship
– Becky Lynch v Asuka – Singles match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship
– Roman Reigns v King Corbin – Falls count anywhere match
– Shorty G v Sheamus – Singles match
– Bayley v Lacey Evans – Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
Asuka
Becky Lynch
Daniel Bryan
DStv WWE TLC
Every football fan on DStv and GOtv can look forward to a thrilling weekend of pulsating action as heavyweight teams in La Liga and the Serie A clash in their quests for glory. The games scheduled for the weekend of January 24-26 promise to put the sport’s lovers at the edge of their seats.
One of the clashes to look forward to on Saturday is the meeting of Valencia and Barcelona at Estadio de Mestalla, with Los Che looking to take down the champions and boost their hopes of finishing in the top four.
Barcelona will be attempting to build a winning momentum after sacking manager Ernesto Valverde over a week ago. But their showdown with Valencia will be no walk-over, as the side has grown significantly in recent months under the eye of manager Albert Celades.
SuperSport viewers will hope that this meeting of Barca and Valencia is as entertaining as their last, a La Liga clash back in September 2019 which ended 5-2 in favour of the Catalan side and saw young Guinea-Bissau-born star Ansu Fati announce himself to the world with the opening goal of the game.
Another entertaining game to look forward to at the weekend is Real Madrid’s clash with Real Valladolid at Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla on Sunday night, as the giants aim to continue their slow burn back to ascendancy under manager Zinedine Zidane.
Valladolid held Real 1-1 when the teams met at the Bernabeu back in August 2019, but it has also been more than a decade since the Blanquivioletas’ last victory over the Madrid giants in any competition.
In the Serie-A, the pick of the games from this weekend’s round is the Sunday night meeting of Napoli and Juventus at Stadio San Paulo. While Napoli have fallen from being the title contenders and are struggling to even secure European football next season, new coach Gennaro Gattuso will see this clash against Juve as a chance to galvanise his team and the Neapolitan’s supporters.
The Bianconeri, meanwhile, are in a titanic tussle for the title with Internazionale, and cannot afford a slip-up in their trip to Naples – especially if Antonio Conte’s Nerazzurri get the better of Cagliari at the San Siro earlier the same day.
SuperSport viewers will hope for a repeat of the last Juventus-Napoli clash, which was a seven-goal thriller back in August 2019. Juve won that game 4-3 at home thanks to a late own goal from Kalidou Koulibaly, while this weekend’s clash is given further narrative interest as it sees Maurizio Sarri return to Napoli, a team he very nearly inspired to the Serie A title just a couple of seasons ago.
Elsewhere in Italy this weekend, SuperSport viewers can also enjoy the Derby della Capitale between Roma and Lazio from the Stadio Olimpico, with Le Aquile hoping to overcome the Giallorossi and keep up their hopes as outsiders for the Scudetto. The teams drew 1-1 in their meeting back in August and a similarly tensely fought encounter can be expected on Sunday evening.
Don’t miss the 2019/2020 football season on DStv and GOtv. Visit www.dstv.com and
www.gotvafrica.com to subscribe or upgrade and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on DStv Now.
SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv can look forward to seeing one of Africa’s top footballing sons, Kalidou Koulibaly, looking to inspire Napoli to an upset victory over Serie A leaders Juventus this coming weekend.
The Senegalese defender has been absent recently due to injury, but it is believed that he will return to the Neapolitans’ line-up for the clash with Juve, bringing his experience and physicality to the clash with the Bianconeri.
Koulibaly, despite not playing in recent weeks, has been one of the major figures of transfer speculation, with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain linked with a move for the 28-year-old defender.
Napoli has stood firm in the face of newspaper headlines stating that the player will be leaving the Serie A club, but there is now a sense that Koulibaly will be sold – for major money, likely a world-record fee for a defender – come the end of the 2019/20 season.
However, a move in this closing January transfer window appears to be highly unlikely, with Napoli and new manager Gennaro Gattuso desperately looking to break a poor run of form (a loss to Fiorentina this past weekend was a third in succession). The return of Koulibaly to the centre of their defence cannot come soon enough.
SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv can next see Koulibaly in action this coming Sunday night when Napoli welcome Juventus to Stadio San Paolo for a Round 21 Serie A clash.
Don’t miss the 2019/2020 football season on DStv and GOtv. Visit www.dstv.com and www.gotvafrica.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on DStv Now.
See Koulibaly in the following match on SuperSport this weekend:
Sunday 26 January
08:45 PM: Napoli v Juventus – LIVE on SuperSport Maximo, SuperSport Select 5 Go and SuperSport 9
Kalidou Koulibaly – Player profile
Born: 29 June 1991 in Saint-Die-des-Vosges, France
Position: Defender
Club career
2009-2012 – Metz (France) – 46 appearances / 1 goal
2012-2014 – Genk (Belgium) – 92 / 3
2014-present – Napoli (Italy) – 232 / 10
International career
France U-20 – 11 caps / 0 goals
Senegal senior team – 33 caps / 1 goal
Senegal debut: 5 September 2015, Namibia 0-2 Senegal, 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier
Squad member at the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals; and 2018 World Cup finals
2019-20 Serie A stats
Appearances (subs) 13 (1)
Minutes played 1128
Goals 0
Assists 0
Yellow cards 2
Red cards 1
Shots per game average 0.6
Passing accuracy 89.4%
Tackles per game average 2.6
Interceptions per game average 1.1
Clearances per game average 2.8
Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly in action during the UEFA Champions League group E soccer match between FC Salzburg and SSC Napoli in Salzburg, Austria, 23 October 2019. EPA/CHRISTIAN BRUNA
Kalidou Koulibaly
GOtv will broadcast LIVE a series of top football matches from big English and European leagues this week.
The games, scheduled to hold from 21-25 January, will be broadcast live on SuperSport Select 2 to GOtv Jolli and GOtv Max subscribers, and on SuperSport Select 4 and SuperSport Select 5 exclusive to GOtv Max subscribers.
Tottenham Hotspur will continue their chase for a top-four spot when they host Norwich City at Tottenham Stadium on Wednesday. The game kicks off at 8:30pm and will be aired live on SuperSport Select 2.
Spurs have struggled to score goals following the injury of their talisman and captain, Harry Kane. Manager Jose Mourinho will have to galvanise his players after their disappointing draw with Watford on Saturday, knowing that they are eight points behind the last spot for the UEFA Champions League.
The North London team will fancy their chances against the bottom-placed Norwich, who have lost three matches and managed a solitary win in six matches. The relegation-threatened team managed by Daniel Farke will, however, be encouraged by the first leg result which ended 2-2 at their Carrow Road stadium in December 2019.
In La Liga, the table toppers, Barcelona will travel to Spain’s southeastern coast to face Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday. The game will be aired live on SuperSport Select 4 at 4pm.
Quique Setién began his reign as Barcelona’s manager with a hard-fought victory over Granda last week. He, however, has a tougher task to prepare Los Blaugrana against Valencia as his team continues their quest of retaining the league title. Captain Lionel Messi and striker Antoine Griezmann will be charged to deliver the much-needed goals to help the team remain atop the log. Valencia, on the other hand, are having a decent season and are well placed to qualify for European football next season. Coach Albert Celades will be without star midfielder, Daniel Parejo, who is suspended for the tie.
He will, however, call on his troops, which include striker Kevin Gamiero, midfielders Francis Coquelin, Denis Cheryshev and defender Gabriel, to put aside their weekend loss to Real Mallorca and secure an important win in front of their fans.
Also to be broadcast on Saturday is the FA Cup fourth round encounter between Premier League clubs, Burnley and Norwich City. The game is at 4pm and is live on SuperSport Select 2.
A fascinating game lies in prospect when Napoli welcomes Serie A defending champions, Juventus, to the Stadio San Paulo on Sunday. The game kicks off at 8:45pm and will be aired live on SuperSport Select 5. Napoli are still struggling to find their feet under new manager Gennaro Gattuso, having lost four and drawn one of their last six games. Gil Azzurri finished last season second on the log but have gradually slipped out of the top 10 this campaign, gaining a paltry 24 points from 20 games. Juventus, on the other hand, seems to have recovered from a mini-loss of form and are back on top of the log in a bid to win a record ninth consecutive Scudetto. Manager Maurizio Sarri will once again call on the Old Lady’s goal machine, Cristiano Ronaldo, and strike partner, Paulo Dybala, to find the back and possibly extend their four-point lead over rivals, Inter Milan.
Football fans can subscribe to GOtv Jolli for N2,400 or upgrade to GOtv Max for N3,200 to watch these games and other matches in the LaLiga, Serie A and the Premier League. To subscribe or upgrade, visit www.gotvafrica.com or use MyGOtv app on mobile phones, which is available for download for iOS and Android users.
SuperSport viewers on DStv can look forward to world-class tennis action, with the 2020 Australian Open live from 20 January to 2 February.
The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year and a major event on both the ATP Tour (Men’s) and WTA Tour (Women’s). It will be held at Melbourne Park and features all the best players in the world of tennis, including defending singles’ champions Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka.
SuperSport viewers will have two feeds to choose from at the Australian Open, with coverage of both the Day and Night Sessions for the busy opening week of the tournament, before more specific coverage begins with the Men’s Quarterfinals from Tuesday 28 January.
The massive and tragic bush fires in Australia in recent weeks have cast a shadow over the tournament, with organisers worried about the potential of poor air quality. Yet Melbourne Park has the facilities to play all or most of the games indoor, quelling the danger of delays or cancellations.
On the Men’s side, defending champion and seven-time winner of the Australian Open Novak Djokovic starts as one of the key players to watch, though he insists there are no favourites for 2020 edition.
“I think it’s really open, the Australian Open or any other slam,” explained Djokovic.“I don’t think there are really clear favourites. You have obviously (Roger) Federer, (Rafael) Nadal, myself because of the experience and everything and the rankings that we get to be probably named the top three favourites. But then you have (Daniil) Medvedev, (Stefanos) Tsitsipas, Dominic Thiem that are really showing some amazing tennis.”
Australian fans will be hoping that local favourite Ashleigh Barty can triumph in Melbourne, with the 23-year-old entering the Australian Open as the top-ranked Women’s player in the world.
“Having a number next to your name doesn’t guarantee anything. You have to go and do the work and try to do the best in every match,” explained Barty. “That’s how I want to approach the rest of my career. I won’t change anything no matter what my ranking. I won’t be more or less hungry to be the best that I can be. I pride myself on my fighting qualities.”
Don’t miss the best tennis action on DStv. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on DStv Now.
2020 Australian Open, broadcast details
Monday 20 January
02:00: Day 1, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 1, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Tuesday 21 January
02:00: Day 2, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 2, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Wednesday 22 January
02:00: Day 3, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 3 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 3, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Thursday 23 January
02:00: Day 4, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 4 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 4, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Friday 24 January
02:00: Day 5, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 5 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 5, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Saturday 25 January
02:00: Day 6, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 6 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 6, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Sunday 26 January
02:00: Day 7, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 7 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 7, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Monday 27 January
02:00: Day 8, Day Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 8 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
10:00: Day 8, Night Session – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Tuesday 28 January
02:00: Men’s Doubles Quarterfinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 9 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
04:00: Women’s Quarterfinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
05:30: Men’s Quarterfinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
10:00: Women’s Quarterfinal 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
12:00: Men’s Quarterfinal 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Wednesday 29 January
02:00: Women’s Quarterfinal 3 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 10 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
04:00: Women’s Quarterfinal 4 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
07:30: Men’s Quarterfinal 3 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
10:30: Men’s Quarterfinal 4 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
13:00: Women’s Doubles Semifinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Thursday 30 January
02:00: Men’s Doubles Semifinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
02:00: 2nd Feed, Day 11 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
05:00: Women’s Semifinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
07:30: Women’s Semifinal 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
10:30: Men’s Semifinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
13:00: Mixed Doubles Semifinal 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Friday 31 January
06:00: Men’s Legends Doubles – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
06:00: 2nd Feed, Day 12 – LIVE on SuperSport 12
07:00: Women’s Doubles Final – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
10:30: Men’s Semifinal 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Saturday 1 February
10:30: Women’s Final – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
13:30: Mixed Doubles Final – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
Sunday 2 February
06:00: Men’s Doubles Final – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
10:30: Men’s Final – LIVE on SuperSport 2 and SuperSport 6
A series of top-flight games involving elite European teams across various football competitions will be aired live on GOtv during this weekend.
The games, scheduled to hold from Saturday, 18th – Sunday, 19th January, will be broadcast live on SuperSport Select 2 to GOtv Max and GOtv JOLLI subscribers, and on SuperSport Select 4 and SuperSport Select 5 exclusive to GOtv Max subscribers.
A fascinating game lies in prospect when Real Madrid host Sevilla at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga on Saturday. The game kicks off at 4pm and will be aired live on SuperSport Select 4.
Los Blancos, who are joint league leaders (currently second based on goal difference), head into the match on the back of a 3-0 win away at Getafe. Zinedine Zidane’s team have the chance to temporarily pull ahead of their arch-rivals, Barcelona, who play on Sunday. Yet Sevilla, managed by Julen Lopetegui, a former Real Madrid manager, will be no easy prey for the hosts. Los Palanganas might have won just two of their last five games, but the fourth-placed team have shown that they can wreak damage on teams.
In the Premier League, defending champions, Manchester City, welcome Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. The game will be aired lie at SuperSport Select 2 at 4pm.
Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola, know that they cannot afford any more slip-ups as they attempt to close the 14-point deficit created by Liverpool and successfully defend their league title. The Citizens head into the game with a rich vein of form having won four out of their last five games. On the other hand, the Eagles seem to be punching above their weight as they are currently in ninth position. Although they have drawn three and lost one of their last five games, Roy Hodgson’s team are still a danger, as Guardiola will remember from his team’s 2-3 loss in their December 2018 encounter.
Also to be broadcast on Saturday is the Serie A encounter between Napoli and Fiorentina at the Stadio San Paulo. The game is at 8:45pm and will be shown live on SuperSport Select 5.
Napoli are still looking to find their feet under new manager Gennaro Gattuso, having lost three and drawn one of their last five games. Gil Azzurri are struggling to fight their way into contention for a place in Europe next season but will need to replicate last season’s scintillating form to get back to the top six. They, however, meet a Fiorentina side, who have stumbled into the wrong end of the league log and are just nine points from safety. Manager Giuseppe Iachini will hope to galvanize his players to pick a surprise win against their Naples-based host.
Sunday’s action will see Leicester City hopes to continue their improbable challenge for the Premier League title when they travel to face Burnley at the Turf Moor. The game begins at 3pm and will be live on SuperSport Select 2. Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi will be missing in action through injury but fellow countryman, Kelechi Iheanacho is likely to be deployed by manager Brendan Rogers during the game.
The weekend’s coverage will be concluded with the game at the Camp Nou between the defending La Liga champions, Barcelona, and Granda. The game kicks off at 9pm on Sunday on SuperSport Select 5. Quique Setién will take charge of his first match as Barcelona’s manager following the club’s dismissal of Ernesto Valverde. Los Blaugrana will be eager for revenge over Granda, after the Andalusian team claimed a 2-0 home win during their last meeting in September 2019.
The Step Up offer is back on! Football fans can subscribe to GOtv Jolli for N2,400 and get upgraded to GOtv Max to watch these games and other matches in the LaLiga, Serie A and the Premier League. To subscribe or upgrade, visit www.gotvafrica.com or use MyGOtv app on mobile phones, which is available for download for iOS and Android users.
SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv can look forward to seeing one of Africa’s top footballing sons, Riyad Mahrez, looking to continue his excellent form in the Premier League this coming weekend.
The Algerian star was at his brilliant best when Manchester City crushed Aston Villa 6-1 in Birmingham this past weekend, scoring the opening two goals and providing an assist for Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick strike (which saw the Argentine become the Premier League‘s highest-scoring non-Englishman [177 goals] and rack up a record 12th hat-trick).
Mahrez has not been a permanent fixture in Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up this season, but his Premier League statistics are nonetheless excellent: seven goals and seven assists from 18 appearances (only 12 as a starter), a passing accuracy of 89.9 per cent and a shots-per-game average of 2.4.
The Citizens have been without Leroy Sane for much of the campaign, but the excellence of Mahrez means that the German winger’s absence has not been the cause for the significant gap which has developed between them and Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Mahrez has won two Premier League titles, one with Leicester City and one with Man City, though it appears unlikely that this season will bring a third, with the Reds a full 14 points clear of the defending champions (while also having a game in hand).
SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv can next see Mahrez in action this coming Saturday when City host Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium for a Round 23 Premier League clash.
The Algerian is also an Africa Cup of Nations champion, having helped the Fennec Foxes to glory in mid-2019, while he has racked up over 50 caps since making his international debut ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
The French-born Mahrez continues to go from strength to strength and will be looking to add to his impressive Premier League stats between now and the end of the current campaign.
Don’t miss the 2019/2020 football season on DStv and GOtv. Visit www.dstv.com and www.gotvafrica.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on DStv Now.
See Mahrez in the following match on SuperSport this weekend:
Saturday 18 January
04:00 PM Manchester City v Crystal Palace – LIVE on SuperSport Maximo, SuperSport Maximo 360, SuperSport Select 2 Go and SuperSport 3
Riyad Mahrez – Player profile
Born: 21 February 1991 in Sarcelles, France
Position: Winger/forward
Club career
2009-2010 Quimper (France) 17 appearances / 1 goal
2010-2013 Le Havre II (France) 60 / 24
2011-2014 Le Havre (France) 67 / 10
2013 -2018 Leicester City (England) 179 / 48
2018-present Manchester City (England) 72 / 21
International career
Algeria – 57 caps / 15 goals
Algeria debut: 31 May 2014, Algeria 3-1 Armenia, International Friendly
– Winner of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
– Squad member at the 2014 World Cup
– Squad member at the 2017 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations
2019-20 Premier League stats
Appearances (subs) 12 (6)
Minutes played 1086
Goals 7
Assists 7
Yellow cards 0
Red cards 0
Shots per game average 2.4
Passing accuracy 89.9%
Key passes per game average 1.9
Dribbles per game average 1.7
Fouled per game average 0.8
SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv enjoyed another great weekend of football action, with the continuation of the 2019/20 Premier League and Serie A campaigns.
In the Premier League, two of the top-performing Africans of the weekend both scored in the same game, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netting in the 12th minute of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away to Crystal Palace at Sehurst Park. The Gabonese was also sent off midway through the second half, leaving the Gunners to hang on for a share of the spoils and ruling him out of their next game against Sheffield United.
The other goal scorer was, of course, Ghanaian Jordan Ayew, who converted from an assist by Senegalese Cheikhou Kouyate to continue his fine Premier League season in the colours of the Eagles.
Another top African in the Premier League this weekend was Manchester City’s Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez, who scored two goals and provided an assist as his team racked up a 6-1 away win over Aston Villa on Sunday evening, reclaiming second place on the log from Leicester City in the process.
Mahrez and Ayew are set to come up against one another when City host Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday 18 January, a match you can see live on SuperSport.
In Serie A the top-performing African player was Ivorian Seko Fofana, who set up two goals – for Ken Sema and Rodrigo De Paul – in Udinese’s 3-0 home win over Sassuolo on Sunday. The win lifted the Udine club to 12th place on the log and they are now a full 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Another African performance of note came from Franck Kessie, with the Ivorian putting in a solid 90-minute shift as Milan claimed a much-needed 2-0 win at Cagliari to return to the top half of the standings. The match at Sardegna Arena also featured a first goal since his return to the Rossoneri for the legendary Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
You can see Fofana and Kessie go head-to-head on SuperSport this coming weekend when Milan and Udinese meet at the San Siro on the afternoon of Sunday 19 January.
Don’t miss the 2019/2020 football season on DStv and GOtv. Visit www.dstv.comand www.gotvafrica.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on DStv Now.
Broadcast details for the week ahead
Catch Ayew and Mahrez in the following Premier League game:
Saturday 18 January
04:00 PM: Manchester City v Crystal Palace – LIVE on SuperSport Maximo, SuperSport Maximo 360, SuperSport Select 2 Go and SuperSport 3
Catch Kessie and Fofafa in the following Serie A game:
Sunday 19 January
12:30 PM: Milan v Udinese – LIVE on SuperSport Maximo, SuperSport Maximo 2, SuperSport Select 5 Go, SuperSport 8 Africa and SuperSport 9
Seko Fofana
Riyad Mahrez
Jordan Ayew
Franck Kessie
Tennis maestro, Novak Djokovic is set to kick off his 2020 by participating in the Adelaide International from Sunday, January 12 to Saturday, January 18 to the delight of the racket sport’s ardent followers. The Memorial Tennis Drive Centre in Adelaide, Australia, will be fully packed as fans will aim to catch a first glimpse of Djokovic’s fitness level going into the new tennis season.
The Serbian, a 16-time Grand Slam winner and one of the greatest to ever play the sport has been confirmed as the headliner of the event which is being held for the first time as a replacement for Sydney International on both the ATP Tour and WTA Tour.
As professional tennis players look forward to a successful year on the court, the Adelaide International will serve as part of their warm-up for the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, a competition which will see Djokovic gleefully return as defending champion.
The 32-year-old Serbian will have company on the court with fellow professionals including Australia’s own Alex de Minaur, French contenders Lucas Pouille, Jeremy Chardy and Gilles Simon, American Sam Querry and Spaniards Pablo Carreno-Busta and Fernando Verdasco all set to feature.
Djokovic, despite being the clear favourite and top seed, will face good competition in the Men’s Singles, considering the fact that many of the 28 players are ranked in the top 100 of the ATP Tour.
The Adelaide International will also feature 16 players in the Men’s Doubles, as well as 30 players in the Women’s Singles and 16 in the Women’s Doubles. For the Men’s Doubles, the Colombian pair of Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah, as well as South Africa’s Raven Klaasen who will pair up with Austria’s Oliver Marach, are some of the top seeds.
Djokovic had defeated Rafael Nadal 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 in last year’s Australian Open final before going on to win his 5th Wimbledon title months later, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against his fierce rivals in the new tennis season.
All the thrilling actions from Adelaide International will be live on DStv, and if you’re on the go and don’t want to miss out on the action, simply download the DStvNow App and have fun!
2020 Adelaide International broadcast details
Sunday 12 January
02:30: Day 1, Session 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
08:00: Adelaide International Rally for Resilience – LIVE on SuperSport 5
Monday 13 January
02:30: Day 2, Session 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
10:00: Day 2, Session 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
Tuesday 14 January
02:30: Day 3, Session 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
10:00: Day 3, Session 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
Wednesday 15 January
02:30: Day 4, Session 1 – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
10:00: Day 4, Session 2 – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
Thursday 16 January
02:30: Quarterfinals – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
10:00: Quarterfinals – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
Friday 17 January
02:30: Semifinals – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
10:00: Semifinals – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
Saturday 18 January
06:00: Men’s Doubles finals & Men’s Singles finals – LIVE on SuperSport 6 and SuperSport 8
Alex de Minaur
Jeremy Chardy
Novak Djokovic
SuperSport viewers on DStv can look forward to seeing one of Africa’s top footballing sons, Jordan Ayew, looking to continue his excellent form in the Premier League this coming weekend.
Ayew was written off a potential leader of the attack for Crystal Palace this season, but the Ghanaian international has struck five goals thus far, including a brilliant solo effort last month against West Ham United which will surely be a contender for the 2019/20 Premier League ‘Goal of the Season.
The 28-year-old’s value has not been just in his goal tally, but in the way his pace and movement provides space for his fellow African Wilfried Zaha to shine as the Eagles’ true attacking talisman, while Ayew’s consistency and fitness has seen him feature in 20 of his club’s 21 Premier League games so far in 2019/20.
The Black Stars forward has admitted that working on his weight and fitness has made a major difference compared to his first season at Palace in 2018/19 when he was on loan from Swansea City.
“I was overweight so it was a difficult season for me but this season I had the chance to have a full pre-season and I’m feeling better,” explained Ayew. “I’m feeling relaxed at this football club and I’m enjoying it. Everything is perfect for me to be good on the pitch.”
The younger brother of Andre Ayew has also played for Olympique Marseille, Sochaux, Lorient and Aston Villa in his club career, while his international debut for Ghana came in 2010 when he was still a teenager and has seen him rack up over 50 caps and feature in four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the 2014 World Cup.
SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv can next see Ayew in action this coming Saturday when Palace host London rivals Arsenal at Selhurst Park for a Round 22 Premier League clash.
Don’t miss the 2019/2020 football season on DStv. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on DStv Now.
See Ayew in the following match on SuperSport this weekend:
Saturday 11 January
01:30 PM: Crystal Palace v Arsenal – LIVE on SuperSport Maximo and SuperSport 3
Jordan Ayew – Player profile
Born: 11 September 1991 in Marseille, France
Position: Forward
Club career
2009-2014 Olympique Marseille (France) 147 appearances / 22 goals
2013-2014 Sochaux (France, loan) 18 / 5
2014-2015 Lorient (France)
2015-2017 Aston Villa (England) 58 / 10
2016-2018 Swansea City (Wales) 58 / 12
2018-2019 Crystal Palace (England, loan) 25 / 2
2019-present Crystal Palace (England) 22 / 5
International career
Ghana U-20 1 cap / 1 goal
Ghana 58 / 16
Ghana debut: 5 September 2010, Swaziland 0-3 Ghana, 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier
Squad member at 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals; and 2014 World Cup finals
2019-20 Premier League stats
Appearances (subs) 20 (0)
Minutes played 1673
Goals 5
Assists 1
Yellow cards 3
Red cards 0
Shots per game average 1.7
Passing accuracy 78.7%
Key passes per game average 0.8
Dribbled per game average 1.7
Fouled per game average 2.5
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