Tag: Champions League

What a Weekend!

I just had the most amazing couple of days; what a weekend! Wow! I didn’t see that coming. But I really should have. It was fully loaded, packed. Here’s how it all started.

I mean, how can you not just love weekends? Firstly, you do not get to wake up early. Saturday mornings are rare, they should be cherished. You have the ability to turn off the alarm clock. And just sleep. We have the luxury of sleeping a little longer on weekends, and it’s great.

What about TV time? Saturdays are great because you can catch up on your favourite shows, see movies. Basically, you get to unwind and chill. If hanging out is your thing, fine. If not, you can rest easy. I did and I loved it. But that was not all.

Sunday came and, drum roll…it was the final day of the English Premier League season. So many potential plot twists. Would Arsenal qualify for the Champions League? Would Liverpool pip City to the Premiership? Soon enough, it was match time, and the premiership didn’t disappoint.

From City going 2 goals down, to Liverpool being held, I had my fill of drama. Well, eventually, City won the League and Tottenham took the final Champions League spot, much to my joy. As a United fan, I couldn’t wait for the season to end any sooner, but I was glad that Arsenal, with all their noise, were also not going to make the Champions League next season. It was a great night.

That’s Not All

Subsequently, the final of season 7 of the Nigerian Idols also held on Sunday Night. I love the show. Well, I love music so, yes. I had followed this season from the beginning and I surely wasn’t going to miss the finals. The show was just about to start when I ran out of electricity units. Whattttttt! Not today! Thank God I knew VTpass would plug me in speedily, and they came through. I got my token instantly and was able to watch my favourite contestant Progress win the show!

It was a great weekend and I already can’t wait for the next, as it is the Champions League final battle between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Trust me to pay my tv subscription before then to avoid stories that touch. In all, I can say, what a weekend!

Whatever your bill payment needs are, VTpass has you covered.

Champions League: Liverpool, Bayern Through

On Tuesday night, while the world celebrated the International Women’s Day 2022, in the Champions League, Liverpool and Bayern went through to the quarter final of the competition. Yes. The part we love is here. Things only get good from here on. More heavyweight clashes. And more heartbreak for the team on the losing end. The draw for the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals will be streamed live on UEFA.com from midday CET on Friday 18 March. But before that, here are our match reviews.

Liverpool vs Inter:

Liverpool came into this game bringing a two goal advantage from the first leg played in Italy. Inter, however, were not down and out. And even playing in front of the Kop at Anfield was not enough to ruffle them, as they brought the fight to Liverpool. An outstanding finish by Lautaro Martinez was not enough for the Italian champions as the late goals by Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the first leg in Milan three weeks ago proved decisive.

The first half was anybody’s game. Although no one could guide the ball into the net. Subsequently, Inter took the lead in the second half however. Martinez gave Alisson no chance with an arrowed finish from 20 yards in the 61st minute. And the comeback dream was alive. At least for the whole of two minutes.

But Inter’s hopes of forcing extra time with a second goal faded when former Arsenal and Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez lunged into a tackle. Consequently, he earned his second yellow and was sent off. Joel Matip and Salah struck the bar a total of three times as Liverpool slumped to their first defeat at Anfield in a year. However, they were victors on the night. The victory in Italy was enough. 2:1 to Liverpool on aggregate. Game on in the Champions League.

Bayern vs Salzburg

Bayern, surprisingly outclassed in the first leg, showed no mercy in the second. Having a 1:1 draw courtesy Kingsley Coman’s last minute equaliser in Austria, they asserted their dominance here. This is the Bayern we know. Robert Lewandowski scored the earliest hat-trick in Champions League history as Bayern Munich destroyed Red Bull Salzburg 7-1 to reach the last eight of the competition. 8:2 on aggregate. Demolition!

 Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller (2) netting his 52nd Champions League goal, and Leroy Sane completed the rout. With this performance, Bayern have sent yet another warning at all the other teams who will be joining them in the quarter final draw. Get paired with us at your own peril. So as it stands now in the Champions League: Liverpool, Bayern through to the quarter finals, other results to come.

With Manchester City, Sporting Lisbon, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain set to play today, we can help you make your Cable TV payments, pay electricity bills, buy airtime and data easily with VTpass now so you don’t miss out on any of the action.

Atletico, United, Benfica and Ajax Held

It was a pulsating night of Champion’s League football as Atletico, United, Benfica and Ajax were held in the first leg of their last 16 match. What a night! What a game! Amazing couple of games they were. Evenly matched were the teams. It served for a thrilling couple of games. And it’s anyone’s guess as to who is making it to the quarter final as Atletico, United, Benfica and Ajax were all held to draws. All level!

Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United

Like we anticipated, United were seeking to emulate the three other English sides left in the Champions League by securing a first-leg lead in the first knockout round. And interim coach Ralf Rangnick said on the eve of the trip to Madrid that he was prioritising this competition. Strong words. However, his side fell behind to a beautiful goal by Joao Felix within seven minutes of kick-off in Spain.

Having cleared the initial corner, Atleti left-back Renan Lodi swung in a cross from the left that Joao Felix raced past Harry Maguire to greet with a stunning header that went in off the near post. Indeed, it was stunning. United’s goalie was rooted to a spot. Subsequently, teenage sensation Anthony Elanga came to Manchester United’s rescue. Firstly, he latched onto Bruno Fernandes’ pass. Secondly, he reversed his shot across Jan Oblak into the bottom corner. Wheeling away, jubilant scenes followed.

That goal claimed an unlikely 1-1 draw for Manchester United at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in the Spanish capital. All square. Half time. Game on!

Benfica vs Ajax

Meanwhile, in the midst of the Ukraine-Russia saga, Ukraine international Roman Yaremchuk saved Benfica after Ajax’s Sebastien Haller scores at both ends. As a result, it’s still all to play for. Not only did the free scoring Haller take his tally in this season’s competition to 11 goals in seven games, he also contributed an own goal in a pulsating clash at the Estádio da Luz. Born goal scorer!

Ajax were ahead after 18 minutes through their captain, Dusan Tadic, but an unfortunate own goal from Haller levelled matters seven minutes later. Not for long though. Haller made amends in the 29th minute. Benfica would level matters again though. A second-half header from substitute Roman Yaremchuk ensured a draw for the hosts and a boost to their hopes in the second leg next month. It’s still all to play for at the Amsterdam Arena on 15 March.

The last 16 first leg of matches are complete. Some teams have one foot in the Quarter final already, others still have it all to play for. You won’t have to wait too long however. Just make your Cable TV payments, pay electricity bills, buy airtime and data easily with VTpass now so you don’t miss out on any of the beautiful action when it resumes on Tuesday, March 8.

Chelsea Win, Juventus Held

It was matchday 3 in the Champion’s League round of 16 and we saw Chelsea win as Juventus were held. The Champion’s League has been kind to English clubs this season as all 3 who have played have recorded wins. And if Manchester United win on Wednesday, all 4 would have recorded wins. Incredible! English clubs seem to be coming into their own in this competition.

You would recall we had an all-English final last season. Could we be looking at another? Too early to call I presume. Well, this season’s Champion’s League has not failed us yet. And on matchday 3, we saw Chelsea win and Juventus held as they both played their first leg matches.

Chelsea vs Lille

Chelsea seized control of their Champions League last-16 tie with Lille, putting in a no-nonsense display as goals from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic secured a 2-0 win in the first leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. Havertz had already missed two good chances by the time he rose to meet Hakim Ziyech’s corner unmarked to put the newly crowned World Champions in front after eight minutes. And although Lille, who were making it to the last 16 for the first time in 15 years, were impressive, Chelsea extended their advantage when Pulisic ran onto N’Golo Kante’s pass to beat Leo Jardim in the 63rd minute. Consequently, Chelsea can now head to France in 3 weeks feeling like they have one foot in the Quarter Final already.

Villareal vs Juventus

Free-scoring Dusan Vlahovic scored inside the first minute of his Champions League debut for Juventus. Insane, right? Vlahovic made his European bow for Juve after his £66.6 million January move from Fiorentina and needed just 33 seconds to put the visitors ahead in Spain. It’s the second-fastest goal ever for a Champions League debutant.

With clear cut chances few and far between, Dani Parejo earned a 1-1 draw for Villarreal in the first leg of their last-16 clash. Subsequently, Villareal looked more likely to score. They grew in confidence. Probed and probed the Juve defence. But there was to be no other breakthrough. The tie ended 1-1, leaving things finely poised for the second leg in Turin in three weeks time.

So, on matchday 3, Chelsea win and Juventus are held. The Champions League continues today, with Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, Benfica and Ajax all in action. That’s where we come in. Make your Cable TV payments, pay electricity bills, buy airtime and data easily with VTpass so you don’t miss out on any of the beautiful action.

Liverpool Shine, Bayern Held

Matchday 2 of the Champions League round of 16 matches saw Liverpool, Inter, Bayern and Salzburg lock horns. Champions League nights are the best. Tuesday night had seen PSG, Real Madrid, Man City and Sporting battle. Or at least try, as Sporting were swept away. Matchday 2 brought more excitement. Liverpool shine, Bayern held. And we loved it.

Salzburg vs Bayern

We didn’t expect this result. Bayern, six time winners were held to a 1-1 draw with Salzburg on the night. We are used to seeing Bayern run roughshod over lesser teams in the competition. Even elite teams are usually not spared. Such is their efficiency. That deserted them on the night however.

Substitute Chukwubuike Adamu put the Austrian underdogs ahead after 21 minutes and it looked for a while like Bayern would see their record unbeaten away run in the competition end at 21 games. Bayern were shocked. They tried to restore parity but, in all honesty, Salzburg looked like the more dangerous side, coming close to adding another. Subsequently, Bayern got their equaliser. Kingsley Coman, their brightest player on the night, latched onto Thomas Muller’s flick on to drill home at the far post and score a last minute equaliser. This sets the tone for the second leg nicely now. Subsequently, will we see an upset, or will Bayern come back strongly? Tuesday March 8 is the date.

Inter vs Liverpool

Liverpool defeated Inter Milan at the San Siro to go one step closer to progressing to the quarter final. Firstly, we all expected it to be honest. Consequently, Inter’s display was noteworthy however. Initially, the game started evenly, with both sides applying pressure high up the pitch. Inter almost took the lead through Hakan Calhanoglu, but his thumping strike from close-range struck the bar after 16 minutes. Inter looked dangerous.

Subsequently, the home side began the second half on the front foot but couldn’t take advantage of their dominance. Eventually, they were made to rue this. Liverpool took the lead against the run of play 15 minutes from time. Andy Robertson’s corner was met by the head of substitute Roberto Firmino, who glanced the ball in with a well-timed header. That goal proved to be the turning point, as Liverpool doubled their lead eight minutes later, Mohamed Salah’s deflected shot found the back of the net. Jurgen Klopp’s side will now go into the second leg at Anfield in a fortnight confident of progressing.

So Liverpool shine and Bayern are held. The Champions League continues next week, with Chelsea, Juventus, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid yet to play.. This is where we come in. Make your Cable TV payments, pay electricity bills, buy airtime and data easily with VTpass so you don’t miss out on any of the beautiful action.

Champions League: Man City, Sporting, PSG and Madrid In Action

The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 ties went underway yesterday as Man City went head to head with Sporting, and PSG welcomed Real Madrid to Paris. What a night! The Champions League is back after a 3-month break. And it was like it never left.

Man City vs Sporting

When the round of 16 draws were made, I said City couldn’t have asked for an easier tie. I was proven right yesterday. City, in blistering form right now, went 4-0 up in the first half. Sporting, the home side, were outmatched and outclassed in every department. Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring in the 7th minute. VAR awarding the goal after a review. Bernardo Silva scored either side of a Phil Foden strike. By the time Raheem Sterling scored in the 58th minute, the entire tie was done and dusted. City sent a message to the rest of Europe. This was no beating, it was a destruction. It was clear. It was loud. They are coming. And they are taking no prisoners.

PSG vs Real Madrid

It was the Mbappe show. Paired against Real Madrid, after being initially paired against United, this tie was written in the stars. So many sub texts. Firstly, Angel Di Maria was facing Madrid again. Secondly, Real’s former captain, Sergio Ramos was coming home. Though sadly, he missed out to injury. Thirdly, Messi was facing Madrid. And though it was the first he wasn’t in Barcelona colours against them, the plot was written for him to be their nemesis once again. Lastly, Mbappe, possibly transferring to Madrid, had an opportunity to give them a first-hand experience of what he brought to the table. While all the other subtexts underwhelmed, with Messi even missing a second half penalty won by Mbappe, it was the young star who shone the brightest. And so it was that his brilliant, solo 94th minute goal finally settled the first leg tie. PSG 1, Madrid 0.

Ronaldo Ends Goal Drought

United took on Brighton on Tuesday night. No, it wasn’t a Champion’s League match. The match had been rescheduled from December following a Covid19 outbreak in the United camp. United are a side in distress, even with Ralf Rangnick covering till end of season. By the end of the first half, they didn’t seem like doing better than the draws they had gotten from their last 3 games. Until Ronaldo did his thing in the second half. Skipping past 3 Brighton players, he pummelled home from the edge of the area to score his first goal of 2022. His compatriot, Bruno Fernandes made it 2 seconds to the end of the match. And with that, United go into the Top four again, although they will face stiff opposition from clubs like Arsenal who have 3 games in hand.

The Champions League continues. and to get in on all the action, just make your Cable TV payments, pay electricity bills, buy airtime and data easily with VTpass. It’s as easy as click, pay and go to experience a world of endless entertainment.

How To Enjoy This September

The firstborn of the “ember” months is here. Very soon, we’ll begin to spot harmattan and jingle the bells that herald Christmas but just before then, here’s what you can expect to enjoy this September…

1. BBNaija Season 6

Big Brother Naija is that show that some of us love to watch, some hate it but watch it, and, in the end, almost everyone keeps up with. The fact is this, Nigerians love drama, and the show has it in loads. Season 6 continues to unravel shocks and drama, and we’re here for it this September. More please!

2. Champions League Football Is Back!

Arguably the biggest tournament in club football, the UEFA Champions League is back this month! The fight to make it to the last 16 begins. And there’s quite a number of mouth watering clashes to look forward to, with Group A pitting Lionel Messi-led PSG against Man City in the battle for superiority. Atletico, Liverpool, Porto and Ac Milan will fight to the death in Group B. Similarly, Barca will discover what it means to play without Messi when they face Bayern, Benfica and Kiev. In conclusion, let the games begin!

3. Football Leagues Are Back!

Firstly, the fans are back! When Covid19 struck, football returned after a while but the fans were banned from the stadiums. Although it was better than watching nothing, nothing compares to watching a stadium alive, the screams, the moments we catch in the rafts, etc. Secondly, we get to watch players who have just completed transferred to new clubs begin to find their feet. The prospect of having Cristiano back in the English Premier League for one, or Messi in a terrifying PSG team. How will the LaLiga be without Messi and Ronaldo? Who will be winners across respective leagues? The race starts now!

4. Movies, Movies and more Movies!

Need we say more? Cable TV brings more movies than you can watch, allowing you binge watch old classics or catch new sitcoms and series across your screen. If you’re a movie lover, then DStv, GOtv and Startimes have you well covered to enjoy this September.

So you know it’s time to pay your DStv, GOtv and Startimes subscription, get your electricity bills out of the way so you can have uninterrupted fun and of course, top up airtime and data so you can share your experience with family and friends.

The good thing is that with VTpass, it’s super easy to take care of these bills so that you can focus on all the fun. Simply pay bills conveniently and seamlessly on VTpass now.

When Messi Will Play For PSG?

If you’re a football enthusiast, then you will have no doubt been caught up in what is definitely the biggest move of the season as Messi transfers to PSG. Arguably, it is even the biggest move of this generation. Every club secretly wishes they were PSG right now. Imagine it. Having Lionel Messi play for your club, run at defences, play defence-splitting passes, ETC.

The news of Messi’s move is one that has rippled across the footballing world. Certainly, PSG this season will be a force no team will want to go up against, considering the fact that they were already a fearsome team before the 6-time Ballon d’or winner joined them.

There are those who believe that he would flop at PSG. In the same vein, others think that the PSG team would lose balance because they have too many attack-minded players. On the other hand, others say nothing can stand in the way of a football god.

Whichever side you stand on, one thing is for certain. We all cannot wait to see Messi hit the field in PSG strips as the jury is out, and this is where VTpass comes in. To stream football matches online, you definitely need data. To watch via DSTV, GOTV or Startimes, you need an active tv subscription. In addition, you need to pay your electricity bills.

VTpass is an online bills payment platform where you can easily make payment for services like Phone Airtime Recharge, Data bundles, Cable TV subscriptions, Electricity bills, Insurance, Education and many more.

As at now, Messi is officially a PSG player. However, due to the fact that he has not had a preseason, he will likely be needing 2-3 weeks to get back into shape. We most probably will see him in September.

In conclusion, one thing is for sure. All eyes will be on PSG this season.

Champions League Resumes 7th August, Finally

When major football leagues (EPL, La Liga, Seria A, and Bundesliga) resumed; fans got their tint of hope of possible Champions league resumption. Although the date of resumption was announced by UEFA 3 months ago, the feeling of ‘it’s finally here!’ can’t be really shaken off.

After a five-months hiatus due to the global pandemic, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League resume August 7th, 2020 in order to play out the pending matches of this troubled season. 

champions league

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However, things would take a different shape. UEFA set out two mini competitions to solved the puzzle of travelling amidst the pandemic. Uncompleted round of 16 matches would be played out in host stadiums on 7th and 8th of August. Then from 12th August, all roads lead to Lisbon, Portugal where quarter-final matches would be played in knockout form. Oops, no home and away.

Here’s a timeline of UEFA Champions League activities:

  • 7-8 August: Round of 16-second legs (host home stadiums)
  • 12-15 August: Quarter-finals (Lisbon)
  • 18-19 August: Semi-finals (Lisbon)
  • 23 August: Final (Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Lisbon)

So put on your soccer shoes, yank out the popcorn and enjoy. Major round of 16 ties includes:

  • Barcelona vs Napoli: It was honors when this two first met in a 1-1 draw at Naples. The Spanish giants would be at home advantage when they host Napoli at the Camp Nau
  • Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Current Spanish champions fell at home to City in the firs encounter. They face an uphill task coming back against Gurdiola’s men at the Etihad.
  • Juventus vs Lyon: Lyon leads 1-0 in this encounter. The men from Turin would be better prepared to host their opponent who play away this time around.
  • Bayern vs Chelsea: This is perhaps the center of attention. With Chelsea trailing 3-0 from the first leg; it’s looking bleak for the Blues when they finally face Bayern in Germany.

It’s really juicy as it sounds, we can’t wait! You can latch unto the action by subscribing your GOtv, DStv, or Startimes now. Don’t be told of what’s going down. And when you’re not watching football, relax into the drama of the on-going Big Brother Naija Season 5!

VTpass always got you covered.

REAL MADRID VS. PSG: KEY PLAYERS AND EVENTS WITH VTPASS

The UEFA Champions League is well underway. In fact, so far, many thrills, twists and turns have gone on to characterise the season. Several favourite clubs usually grant football fans all over the world a thorough show in several facedown. One of these thrilling showdowns was the match between Real Madrid and PSG. This match, which took place on the 14th of February, was indeed a thriller. In this match, several game changers and key players came head-on with one another. This is just as the match attracted a lot of wagers. The Real Madrid and PSG faceoff called in a lot of attention. So, you sort of missed the match because you were not able to make payment for your subscription accordingly and at the right time.

Paying your cable TV subscription just in time to catch an interesting match shouldn’t be a problem. At least, not with VTpass on your hands. VTpass is the one-stop online platform that helps you make payment for bills and services in the most convenient, fastest way possible. So, by logging on to vtpass.com, you can pay for your airtime, data, electricity bills, cable tv subscriptions in the quickest way possible. Even more, you get to make payments even faster when you download the VTpass mobile app for Android on Google Play Store.

So, rather than take the time out to go pay your TV subscriptions at the risk of missing one of those awesome matches in the UEFA Champions League games. Why not go on to vtpass.com or open your VTpass to make your payment by logging on, selecting your payment and paying. In the meantime, here are the key players and events in the Real Madrid versus PSG match.

KEY PLAYERS AND EVENTS

The Real Madrid vs. PSG wasn’t really disappointing as most of the players delivered as they should. But the match featured some outstanding players whose take-on skills and goal scoring were top-notch. One of these PSG players, Neymar, put off a great skill dribbling and taking on the opponent with great gusto. However, he didn’t manage to bank a goal. Marcelo Vierra, on the other hand, didn’t just play the field in and out. He also banked a winning goal for Real Madrid.

The star of the match, however, was Christiano Ronaldo. On the field, Ronaldo made history yet again, scoring his 100th and 101st in his Champion League’s history. All in all, Real Madrid beat PSG with three goals against one in a match that should be called a clash of the Titans.

Don’t miss out on all the excitements this season. Log on to vtpass.com or download the VTpass app to make quick, easy payments for your cable TV subscriptions today.