The South Americans dominated early exchanges before Switzerland rallied impressively, forcing extra time in spite of playing the closing stages with 10 men after Breel Embolo’s dismissal.

Argentina struck first in the 10th minute when Alexis Mac Allister converted Lionel Messi’s clever assist, rewarding their bright opening and sustained attacking pressure.

Messi orchestrated Argentina’s attacks throughout the first half as Switzerland struggled defensively and found few opportunities to threaten the South American backline.

Switzerland’s frustrations deepened before the interval when Embolo received a yellow card in the 44th minute following a late challenge.

The Swiss returned purposefully after halftime and levelled in the 67th minute through Dan Ndoye, who calmly finished Ricardo Rodriguez’s precise pass.

Switzerland’s momentum faded five minutes later after Embolo collected a second yellow card, reducing his side to 10 men for the remainder.

Argentina responded with fresh legs, introducing Nicolas Gonzalez, Lautaro Martinez and Gonzalo Montiel as Coach Lionel Scaloni sought renewed attacking impetus.

Switzerland also reshuffled, bringing on Silvan Widmer, Zeki Amdouni and Miro Muheim before Eray Comert replaced Rodriguez during stoppage time.

Neither side found a decisive goal in normal time, sending the enthralling contest into an additional 30 minutes.

Argentina introduced Thiago Almada immediately before extra time, while Switzerland answered by replacing Denis Zakaria with Ardon Jashari in the 96th minute.

Tempers flared during extra time as Almada and Lautaro Martinez were both cautioned following robust challenges in quick succession.

Argentina regained the lead in the 112th minute when Julian Alvarez finished clinically after excellent work from Junior Lopez to make it 2-1.

Lopez entered the referee’s notebook two minutes later, while Switzerland introduced Ruben Vargas for Remo Freuler in their final substitution.

Lautaro Martinez wrapped up victory in first-half added time of extra time, scoring Argentina’s third goal to confirm a deserved 3-1 triumph.

Switzerland earned admiration for their spirited response after falling behind, but Embolo’s red card ultimately proved decisive against Argentina’s superior quality.

Argentina advanced into the World Cup semi-finals, keeping alive their pursuit of another global title.

Source: NAN

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Both teams displayed tactical discipline, physical resilience and defensive organisation, refusing to take unnecessary risks with a quarter-final place at stake.

Colombia started brightly, dominating possession and moving the ball quickly through midfield while looking to exploit Switzerland with swift counter-attacks.

The South Americans pressed aggressively, won second balls and disrupted Switzerland’s passing rhythm throughout much of the opening half.

Their attackers stretched the Swiss defence with intelligent movement, while the wingers repeatedly threatened down both flanks.

In spite of enjoying more possession, Colombia struggled to break through Switzerland’s disciplined and compact defence.

Switzerland found it difficult to settle early as Colombia’s relentless pressing forced misplaced passes and isolated their forwards.

The momentum shifted after the hydration break as Switzerland grew into the contest and began controlling possession.

The Europeans patiently built attacks from the back and dictated the tempo, forcing Colombia to defend deeper.

Colombia remained dangerous on the counter and finished the first half strongly, keeping the Swiss defence under sustained pressure.

Switzerland introduced midfielder Djibril Sow for Ardon Jashari immediately after the restart to strengthen their midfield.

The substitution added energy and improved Switzerland’s ability to regain possession and launch attacks.

Swiss captain, Granit Xhaka, received a yellow card in the 51st minute for halting a dangerous Colombian attack.

Denis Zakaria was cautioned eight minutes later before Colombia’s Luis Suárez entered the referee’s notebook in the 61st minute.

Colombia responded with a double substitution in the 66th minute as Juan Fernando Quintero replaced James Rodríguez and Johan Campaz came on for Jhon Arias.

The changes injected fresh attacking impetus, but Switzerland’s disciplined defence continued to frustrate Colombia.

Switzerland introduced Miro Muheim for Ricardo Rodríguez in the 71st minute to strengthen their left flank.

Colombia made further attacking changes in the 82nd minute, introducing Carlos Hernández and Richard Ríos for Luis Suárez and Jefferson Lerma.

Switzerland replied by bringing on Cedric Itten and Silvan Widmer before Ruben Vargas replaced Dan Ndoye in stoppage time.

Extra time followed a familiar pattern, with Switzerland enjoying more possession while Colombia threatened through quick transitions.

Fatigue became evident as both sides battled cramps, while Davinson Sánchez received a yellow card in the 95th minute.

Neither side found a breakthrough as disciplined defending protected both goalkeepers throughout extra time.

The tie was ultimately settled by penalties after the deadlock remained unbroken.

Juan Fernando Quintero converted Colombia’s opening penalty before Xhaka responded confidently for Switzerland.

Davinson Sánchez missed Colombia’s second spot-kick, allowing Zeki Amdouni to give Switzerland the advantage.

Johan Campaz converted for Colombia, but Manuel Akanji failed to extend Switzerland’s lead after missing his penalty.

Carlos Hernández then missed for Colombia before Cedric Itten calmly converted Switzerland’s fourth penalty.

Luis Díaz kept Colombia’s hopes alive by scoring, but Ruben Vargas converted the decisive penalty to seal Switzerland’s 4-3 shootout victory.

Switzerland’s patience, defensive discipline and composure under pressure earned a deserved place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Colombia impressed with their pressing and counter-attacking play but paid the price for failing to convert promising opportunities.

The match was played at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada.

Source: NAN

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Switzerland made an impressive start and went ahead in the 10th minute through Breel Embolo.

Embolo finished off a pass from Johan Manzambi to give his side an early advantage.

Switzerland controlled much of the first half with organised defending and effective ball possession, while Algeria struggled to create clear scoring opportunities.

Algeria’s Farid Chaibi was shown a yellow card in the 36th minute as the North Africans searched for a way back into the contest.

The Swiss doubled their lead immediately after the restart when Dan Ndoye found the back of the net in the 46th minute, putting Switzerland firmly in command of the match.

Algeria responded by making substitutions in the 58th minute, bringing on Jaouen Hadjam for Houssem Aouar and Amine Gouiri for Ramiz Zerrouki in an effort to strengthen their attack.

Switzerland also refreshed their squad in the 71st minute, introducing Fabian Rieder for Ruben Vargas and Noah Okafor for Johan Manzambi.

At the same time, Algeria made further changes, with Anis Hadj Moussa replacing Riyad Mahrez and Hicham Boudaoui coming on for Nabil Bentaleb.

Boudaoui was later shown a yellow card in the 72nd minute as Algeria continued to push forward in search of a breakthrough.

Algeria introduced Adil Boulbina for Rayan Belghali in the 82nd minute, while Switzerland brought on Zeki Amdouni for Embolo in the 83rd minute.

The Swiss side made two more substitutions in the 87th minute, with Silvan Widmer replacing Denis Zakaria and Michel Aebischer coming on for Ndoye to help preserve the lead.

Switzerland’s disciplined defending, tactical organisation and clinical finishing proved decisive as they secured a deserved 2-0 victory.

Algeria showed determination throughout the contest but were unable to overcome the Swiss defence, ending their World Cup campaign at the Round of 32 stage.

Source: NAN

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Joseph Eze’s latest exhibition, Stories from a barn 2, journeys through the artist’s imaginary and conjures up stories of women who are regal and worthy of adulation. Spanning three main series, this solo show invites the viewer to appreciate Eze’s broad vocabulary on representation and the role cultural identity plays in defining beauty.

Hosted by Filafriques, his gallerist in Geneva, the exhibition showcases more than 10 large works by Eze in which his artist evolution can be admired. This collection of works is a subtle but powerful departure from his prior style where much attention was given to painting women on very dark backgrounds with foliage often used as the backdrop. More attention is given to collage application in these works. The women’s heads are wrapped in wide cords of thread and they are posed almost as majestically as would a commissioned painting of the lady of the manor by a famous 18th century painter like Gainsborough.

These threaded structures hearken back to the days when women sat on small plastic stools and had their hair threaded with cotton or rubber, until they formed long branches that could be twisted and wound into undulating sculptures to flatter the woman’s features. These wove around the head until they were constructed into styles which had names and the more stylized they were made, the more revered they became. In truth, they are a master class in headdress artistry than mere hairdressing.

Eze has taken it a step further with his artwork. He shifts from the Nigerian viewpoint and expands outwards by questioning the placement of this traditional representation within the European or pre-colonial discourse.

One good example of this is “I was born in the time of colors”. Here the butterflies in the European-styled gown are repeated in the snapshot photo of the same dressed model who delicately holds up the image on her gloved hand. On her head perches rather nonchalantly, a vintage camera while her face bears the striations that remind one of the Ife terracotta heads.

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It is symbolic that Eze uses mixed media of acrylic paint, collage prints and historical referencing to style the women and the dresses they wear. In this collection, the high-necked ruff and wide shoulders of the dress present a woman who even from their side glance is assertive and confident. They have their place in history and they cannot be denied their right to tell their own story within this narrative.

Traces of Eze’s Nigerian heritage happily delineate his canvases. From the green kerosene stove in “We are not from her, we come from the sun” to the “African comb” and his ubiquitous use of owu, the traditional black threads used in West African hairstyling in the Figure in the arch series.

Eze may not be new to making art and showing his works internationally, however, this is his first show in Switzerland. The exhibition garnered a lot of attention and although the artist could not attend the opening in person, he was able to chat and answer questions via teleconference during the vernissage.

Here is an artist who also weaves the nostalgic with the contemporary. Most women in West African countries continue to navigate between the modern appliances and their reliance on traditional tools and Eze reflects this from their clothing choices to the use of the threads to wind those thick curly strands of hair into submission. Hair is a common theme in all of his works and he uses the dramatic hairstyles to create a bold assertion of identity.

His women take up space on the canvas and cannot be ignored. The gaze of the sitter in this new series is more direct. Notable in this regard is Lady B hair salon where the women are either being styled or are self-styling their hair, with hot presses, scissors, threads and combs at the ready. This piece carries complex messages but the references to Nigerian icons such as Herbert Macaulay and Onyeka Onwenu make it easier to trace out some of the subliminal messages that are being offered. There is also the leg extended across a stool as it stretches out a length of thread which must match the hairdresser’s specifications before it is used on the sitter’s head. Reference is also made to the hair grease which everyone who grew up in Nigeria would have seen or used at one time or the other.

In the Totem series, we see his focus is on gold, dots and a more stylized representation of the woman creating her own beauty standard.  In Totem no. 5, she gazes almost adoringly at the owu, while in Totem no. 7, she holds it up in her gloved hand as though it is a rare object which must be venerated. Gold paint accentuates these figures, like Eze’s modern take on African iconography which is in the style of the old Flemish masters.

Some of his works in the show are tactile, offering not only a visual stimulus but an opportunity chance for the viewer to touch the threads that dangle from the base of his work to experience what the threading is like.

Eze may not be new to making art and showing his works internationally, however, this is his first show in Switzerland. The exhibition garnered a lot of attention and although the artist could not attend the opening in person, he was able to chat and answer questions via teleconference during the vernissage.

Geneva is a central hub for the arts, as the city has a thriving cultural heartbeat. Its annual social agenda is often packed with international film festivals and art shows, major theatre events, and music festivals. It even has Art Geneva which is the city’s answer to the infamous Art Basel. It is however undeniable that Geneva does not host many exhibitions by African artists. The city is perhaps conservative in this regard but this has been changing in recent years, thanks in part of the efforts of galleries such as Filafriques and Galerie Brülhart. There is no denying that there is still a long way to go for African artists to gain the visibility and acceptance they deserve in the contemporary art market.

The exhibition, which is a tour de force, closes on 2 February 2025.

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The vice president will join other political and business leaders across the world at the annual forum to discuss global socio-economic and development issues.

Top on Vice President Shettima’s agenda, apart from the plenary session, is the launch of the Private Sector Action Plan for African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCTA, at a special session to be co-chaired by him.

He is also billed to hold high-level discussions with the Managing Director of IFC, Makhtar Diop and the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Pham Minh Chinh, among others.

Also on the sidelines of the annual meeting, Sen. Shettima will chair a roundtable dialogue on Nigeria’s economic path.

He will also attend a special session dedicated to building trust in the global energy transition programme.

The vice president is expected to return to Nigeria after participating in the week-long event.

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The team seeks to qualify  for the 2020 Paralympics  taking place in  Tokyo later in the year.

The minister gave the charge when he bade farewell to  the team for the qualifiers on Sunday through  the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

“Nigeria is solidly behind your bid for qualification for the Para- Atheletics  event in Notwil,  Switzerland. There is no doubt about your abilities which you have always  proved over the years. You must be worthy  ambassadors  of our dear country by conducting yourselves  very well to  attain the best standards for qualifiers.

“Don’t be distracted, Nigerians  are solidly  behind you. You have always made us proud and we are confident  that you will not disappoint this time by reaching the qualification threshold. We have done our bit, now the ball is in your court to ensure that Nigeria’s flag flies high.”

10 athletes will be seeking to qualify in the Para-Athletics  event taking place from 11th  to 17th May 2021 at Notwil Switzerland.

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