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Rock climbing is one of the most dangerous forms of extreme sport but if done the right way, it is a thrilling adventure. NTVSPORT joined the Mt Kenya School adventure for what was an exhilarating day in and around the scenic mountain, where we came to learn, that extreme sports is also a team sport.
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba says he is “really happy” in China and intends to see out his two-and-a-half-year contract at Shanghai Shenhua. The 34-year-old Ivorian soccer genius left Chelsea in the summer to join Shanghai.
According to BBC sports, reports of financial instability at the club has raised doubts over the Ivorian’s future and led to suggestions he could return to the Premier League.
But Drogba has told Football Focus he expects to remain in China until the end of his contract and “maybe more”.
Drogba joined Shanghai Shenhua in June after seeing out his contract at Chelsea
His future in China was soon in doubt when club owner Zhu Jun, who pays the star’s wages, reportedly threatened to withdraw funding
Drogba has scored five goals in seven games for the Chinese Super League outfit
“I hope more because I’m really happy here,” he said. “I miss the Premier League because it’s the best league in the world, but really I don’t regret my choice.
“I just arrived like two months ago so I’m really happy. I am, I’m really happy here so I have no reasons to leave. I don’t want to leave here.”
Drogba scored 157 goals during his eight years at Chelsea and was central to the London club’s first Champions League title last season.
He arrived at Shenhua midway through the Chinese Super League campaign, eight weeks after ex-Fulham boss Jean Tigana had stepped down as head coach. The side have had a disappointing campaign and are ninth in the table with six games remaining.
A Shanghai Shenhua FC fan watches her team play Beijing Guo An at Hongkou Stadium in Shanghai.
“I want to stay here, as long as I can win some trophies with my team and make our fans very happy,” added Drogba.
“It’s difficult at the moment, but I know that there’s hope and I believe.”
Drogba, who also denied reports he was not being paid by the Chinese club, described winning the Champions League with Chelsea – he scored the winning penalty in the final – as the “best moment of my career”.
“To be able to win it in that kind of game was perfect and it’s something you will never forget,” he said.
“But you have to carry on in life, so now I am focused on what I can bring to the Chinese league.
“Hopefully, within a few years, when my contract finishes here, I will be sitting with you and talking about how fantastic it was to win the Asian Champions League.”
Two goals from Moussa Konate gave Senegal a 2-0 win over Uruguay in the Group A game at Wembley despite having Abdoulaye Ba sent off on the half hour.
It was an open, entertaining game at England’s national stadium, with the home crowd cheering the Africans on to an unlikely victory to see them temporarily top the group with four points.
Senegal’s Moussa Konate celebrates his goal against Uruguay with team mates during their men’s preliminary first round Group A soccer match against Uruguay at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the Wembley Stadium in London
The game’s first action came in the third minute. Uruguay won a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Gaston Ramirez, who scored with a set piece at Old Trafford in the 2-1 win over UAE, took it but it fizzed over the crossbar.
Seven minutes later Senegal were in front. Pape Souare’s corner from the right was met with a powerful diving header from Cheikhou Kouyate. Martin Campana made an outstanding one-handed save, diving low to push out the effort, but merely pushed the ball straight into the path of Moussa Konate who converted the easiest of chances from close range.
The Wembley crowd were enjoying watching the Lions of Teranga, particularly when Sadio Mane received the ball. The tricky right-sided midfielder from Metz was giving Uruguay right back Ramon Arias a torrid time and almost created Senegal’s second when he found goalscorer Konate on the edge of the box. Konate’s accurate right footed shot seemed destined for the top corner, but Campana showed great agility to tip the ball over.
Senegal began to give away free kicks which Uruguay looked to capitalise on. Once again, they conceded one 30 yards from goal, Ramirez elected to take it and this time he went even closer than in the third minute. His sweet left footed shot clipped the Senegal wall and hit the bar.
The Africans’ task of maintaining their lead was made all the more difficult on the half hour mark when Abdoulaye Ba was shown a straight red card by Felix Brych for a cynical trip on Luis Suarez. The same player had been booked four minutes earlier for a foul on the same player.
Uruguay were dreadfully unlucky not to equalise in the 33rd minute. Edinson Cavani’s looping shot from the right seemed destined for the net but Ousmane Mane made a brilliant save to tip the ball away. However, Ramirez was lurking at the back post and looked certain to score, but Saliou Cisse managed to clear it off the line.
How Uruguay were made to regret that miss as four minutes later, Senegal doubled their advantage. A corner, this time from the left, was swung into the danger zone by Soaure and Konate created enough space for himself to head home.
There was an entertaining end to the first half. A free kick for Uruguay on the dead ball line was played intelligently by Suarez into the path of Ramirez, who forced a fine save from Ousmane Mane. The keeper then hit a long ball to the other end which found his namesake Sadio. He controlled it brilliantly, beat two defenders, but shot wide with just the keeper to beat.
More drama came in first-half stoppage time. Cavani was onside much to the surprise of the Senegal defenders, rounded the keeper and seemed certain to score until Kouyate ran back to clear off the line.
Oscar Tabarez brought forward Abel Hernandez off the bench for midfielder Maximiliano Calzada at half-time and the change almost made an instant impact. The Palermo forward was bearing down on goal, but Kouyate was able to do just enough to distract and the chance went begging.
It was obvious what Senegal coach Abdoukarim Diouf said to his ten men at half-time: be disciplined and do your best to go forward on the counter attack. They were helped enormously in the 62nd minute when Liverpool forward Luis Suarez somehow headed wide under no pressure from a Lodeiro free-kick.
Substitutions midway through the second half interrupted the flow of the game as the sun came out at Wembley for the first time in the afternoon. The game needed a goal, but time was ticking away for the South Americans. Indeed, with four minutes to go it was Senegal who had a great chance to go 3-0 up four minutes from time when Kara Mbodji’s free kick from distance was well claimed by Campana.
In injury time, Suarez has the chance to score a consolation for Uruguay, but Mane save well low down as the Africans held on for the three points. In the group’s next games on Wednesday, Senegal play UAE in Coventry, while Uruguay meet Great Britain in Cardiff
