When the Nigerian Super Eagles trade-tackle the Pharaohs of Egypt in their Group D opener game today at the Estadio Roumde Adjia in Garoua, Cameroon, they will begin their AFCON 2021 campaign with a true test of toughness. Nine times at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Super Eagles and the Pharaohs have played off, with Nigeria holding the advantage with three victories to Egypt's two, while the Pharaohs won their most recent matchup in 2010. (3-1 in the group phase). The Super Eagles of Nigeria have won the AFCON championship three times, while their Egyptian rivals have won the championship an amazing seven times. The North African squad has the best record in the history of the competition thanks to their excellent tally. The Egyptians are a formidable team and will enter the field with a lot of confidence and steam, but we will also be carrying steam. Victor Osimhen, Nigeria's top shooter, is missing due to injury, and 2019 AFCON leading scorer Odion Ighalo was restricted by his Saudi Arabia club. However, the absences give a few young males the chance to cash in at Africa's lavish house party. Players from the Pharaohs themselves could pose difficulties for the Super Eagles' defense. Mohammed Salah, a star player, is currently in phenomenal shape. Mohammed Elneny of Arsenal and Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet of Aston Villa will join Salah. They will all be expected to take the initiative as Egypt competes for a record-breaking eight African championships.

A seven-man delegation of the Confederation of African Football(CAF), on Tuesday, visited the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium to inspect facilities ahead of the 36th Africa Nations’ Cup, Nigeria is bidding to co-host with its neighbouring Benin Republic in 2027. 

The CAF inspection team was led on a facility tour of the 15,000-capacity stadium by Mrs. Sabina Chikere, the Permanent Secretary, Edo State Sports Commission.

Chikere, who is also the General Coordinator of Bendel Insurance FC presented a souvenir with the inscription: ‘Edo at a Glance’ to the visiting team.

The Edo Sports Commission Permanent Secretary who described the CAF inspection visit as a welcome development said she is happy to be a part of the progress made by Governor Godwin Obaseki in sports infrastructure development which has attracted international competition to Edo state.

“As we all know, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium is one of the best stadiums in Nigeria and we are working towards having the best in Africa. We always feel fulfilled and proud by the remarks and commendations made by our visitors and inspection teams each time they come here. 

When the Nigerian Super Eagles trade-tackle the Pharaohs of Egypt in their Group D opener game today at the Estadio Roumde Adjia in Garoua, Cameroon, they will begin their AFCON 2021 campaign with a true test of toughness. Nine times at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Super Eagles and the Pharaohs have played off, with Nigeria holding the advantage with three victories to Egypt's two, while the Pharaohs won their most recent matchup in 2010. (3-1 in the group phase). The Super Eagles of Nigeria have won the AFCON championship three times, while their Egyptian rivals have won the championship an amazing seven times. The North African squad has the best record in the history of the competition thanks to their excellent tally.

Super Falcons forward Rahseedat Ajibade is anticipating a tough clash against Australia, After missing the opening game against Canada due to suspension,appearing in her second world cup and tagged as one of the key players for Nigeria, the Atletico Madrid Feminine forward said she is looking forward to the encounter.“Personally, I’m fine. Really pumped up for the game. It’s going to be a difficult game because we’re playing the host team in front of their own fans and at their own stadium with so much crowd. A lot of factors.Barring any knock in the team, I think we’ve got this. I trust the team. We have the capacity; we have the talent and we have the energy.

Tobi Amusan, the world women's 100m hurdles champion and record holder, is missing from Team Nigeria's list of 26 athletes for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The list includes 11 male and 15 female athletes, with Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, Sade Olatoye, and Chioma Onyekwere among the prominent females. The list also includes national champion Usheoritshe Itshekiri, Favour Ashe, Seye Ogunlewe, Alaba Akintola, Fakorede Adekalu, and Anunagba Karlington. Amusan's participation at the championship has been uncertain due to her provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit for missing three drug tests this season. The Athletics Integrity Unit has stated that there will be a hearing on her case before the World Championships, but nothing has been heard about the proceedings. Amusan made history at the championships last year, racing to a new world record time of 12.12secs in the semi-finals and 12.06secs in the final to clinch the gold medal.

Watford list Emmanuel Dennis as their leading scorer against Tottenham, while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is isolated after testing positive for COVID. Ainsley Maitland-Niles may return to contention after recovering from COVID, while Manchester City could welcome back Kyle Walker and John Stones and Rodri. Tom Cleverley has recovered from a hamstring strain, but Kiko Femenia will miss out with a similar issue. Steven Bergwijn, Cristian Romero and Ryan Sessegnon remain sidelined.

The Benue State Football Association (BAFA) has said it is not ready to dabble into the leadership crisis that has engulfed the state owned NPFL club, Lobi Stars.

The association made it clear that its priority is to ensure the development of the game of football in the state at all times without interfering in the day-to-day activities of any club. 

The BAFA Chairman, Barrister Paul Edeh, in a statement, urged football stakeholders to exercise restraint, be patient and tolerant as he said the current administration led by Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia will at the right time take a decision on Lobi Stars.

Making reference to recent calls by some stakeholders for a new management to be constituted for Lobi Stars, the Chairman said “I have for the past few days, read with fascination arguments arising from the stakeholders’ meeting with His Excellency, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia regarding Lobi Stars. 

“I have also been inundated with calls and messages seeking to know the position of the Benue State Football Association (BSFA) on the issue.  

“The position of the BSFA is that the matter at hand is the internal affairs of Lobi Stars FC, which is an affiliate of the BSFA like every other club in the state. 

“BSFA under my watch will not interfere with the internal affairs of any of its affiliates, including Lobi Stars, especially when its opinion is not sought.

“However, we will offer guidance and advice when called upon to do so as a body responsible for administering football in the state,” he said.

Champions D’Tigress outclassed hosts Rwanda 79-48 in the semi-finals of the ongoing 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Kigali, Rwanda to book a place in the final, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The win on Thursday means D’Tigress have now extended their unbeaten run to 23 games and are on the verge of winning a fourth consecutive AfroBasket title.

The last time Nigeria lost a game in the Women’s Afrobasket was in 2015 against Cameroon in the semi-finals.

New head coach, Rena Wakama, maintained the starting five that managed to beat Mozambique 59-52 in the quarter-finals to set up a last-four showdown with the hosts — whom they had defeated in their previous two meetings 2009 and 2011 — on Thursday. 

Amy Okonkwo, Palla Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Elizabeth Balogun, Sarah Ogoke and Blessing Ejiofor were ruthless from the tip-off, but the hosts scored the first points, before Okonkwo put Nigeria in front.

D’Tigress blew through the Rwandans and established a 22-6 lead in the first quarter. 

It was a bright start for the Rwandans in the third quarter, as they outscored D’Tigress to get themselves back into the game, as the quarter ended 58-35.

In the final quarter, Nigeria restored control and secured an outstanding 31-point victory to progress to the competition’s final.

Okonkwo led the Nigerians with 23 points, followed by Oluwayemisi Taiwo, who netted 12 points.

Nigeria now await the winners of the other semi-final game between Mali and Senegal on Friday (today) as they hope to win the championship for the fourth time in a row on Saturday, a feat that only the Senegalese boast of in African basketball.

Nigeria’s D’Tigress are still the best rated African women’s team in the world and remain the team to beat as the 2023 FIBA Afrobasket Championship gets underway in Kigali, Rwanda. But with the several changes that have occurred in terms of personnel and coaching staff, can the once celebrated team hold its own against the rest of Africa as hostilities begin today through August 5. The D’Tigress’ last defeat in the Women’s AfroBasket dated back to October 2, 2015, in the semi-final of the Women’s AfroBasket against host Cameroon in Yaoundé. 

With the victory against Mali in the 2021 Final, Nigeria extended their Women’s AfroBasket winning streak to 19-0 after winning all their five games in the last edition of the tournament.

Though Senegal hold a record eleven titles in total against Nigeria’s five, D’Tigress will be attempting to equal the four straight wins of Senegal in Rwanda.

The board of the Lagos State Football Association on Tuesday suspended its chairman,  , for gross misconduct by a simple majority of five to four.

At the meeting held at the LSFA office on Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, Lagos, Oki was alleged to have “committed, among other things, offences which violates against the rules and regulations of the Nigeria Football Federation.”

The embattled FA boss was accused of “not attending the NFF Congress with no excuse and without the knowledge of the LSFA Board, changing of the association logo without approval of the board and the congress, denying the Nigerian Professional League A1 Camera delegates access to test-run the A1 camera prior to the commencement of the league, and total disregard to NFF instructions on NPFL rules and regulations regarding branding and streaming of matches by our affiliate (Sporting Lagos FC).”

Oki was also alleged to have “released the 2023/24 NNL SEASON – MATCH DAY LOGISTiCS to NNL clubs without the knowledge of the board, delayed and stopped several youth tournaments and recreational football, threatening teams to move out of Lagos and initiating independence of LSFA outside of the authority of the NFF.” 

The board also said he was at loggerheads with the Lagos State Sports Commission on the use of facilities and accused him of “spoiling a hitherto amiable relationship.”

After his suspension, Oki was also alleged to have slapped his vice chairman Olawale Gafar. A video, which went viral online on Tuesday, showed Gafaar lamenting, with Oki seated close to him

European champions England thrashed China 6-1 in their last group game on Tuesday in Adelaide to send a ruthless warning to Nigeria ahead of their round of 16 meeting slated for next Monday in Brisbane at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

England have quietly gone about their business in the group stage, winning their first two games against Denmark and Haiti 1-0, but showed absolute class to sweep aside the Chinese and finish their group campaign with a 100 per cent record.

The Lionesses have now set up a round of 16 clash against Nigeria, who finished second in Group B, no thanks to their goalless draw against Ireland on Monday. The Falcons drew 0-0 with Canada in their first game and stunned co-hosts Australia 3-2 in their second game but missed the chance to top the group and avoid the potentially difficult clash against England.

Super Falcons of Nigeria moved eight places to peak at 32nd in the latest FIFA rankings following an impressive outing at the just-concluded Women’s World Cup. Falcons were the least ranked in their group but shocked bookmakers after they finished second in a section that housed Olympics champions Canada and hosts Australia.

They also stretched European champions and eventual World Cup finalists England to a penalty shootout to determine who advanced to the quarterfinal. The Super Falcons have thus remained the leading team in Africa ahead of South Africa (45th), Cameroon (56th), Morocco (58th) and Ghana (59th). Randy Waldrum’s ladies were also rated the 10th best team of the tournament ahead of countries, including Germany and Italy.

The International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are in a dispute over the payment of outstanding bonuses and allowances for Nigeria women's national team players, dating back to 2021. FIFPro confirmed that it received complaints from players over their outstanding monies with the federation, and confirmed that it is assisting players in a disagreement with the Nigeria Football Federation concerning bonus payments, camp allowances, and expenses. The players expressed the desire to remain focused on their performance without making public statements or facing distractions during the tournament. The Super Falcons believe it is now time for the Nigeria Football Federation to honor their commitments and pay the outstanding amounts. The NFF described the global players union's action as "nothing more than a storm in a team cu." The NFF insisted that it would pay the players what they and FIFA promised them, including payment for friendly matches, qualifying matches, appearance fees, and bonuses once FIFA paid the World Cup money. Some players in the squad have been paid while others are yet to receive theirs. The NFF has a rich history of owing national team players and has been involved in 23 matches, including friendlies and the 2022 WAFCON.

Ibadan Recreation Club tops at the maiden edition of the Oyo Premier Club Games Festival held on Thursday at the Club premises in Oyo town, Oyo state.

While Oyo Premier Club 1960 won a game out of the four games played during the competition, Ibadan Recreation Club won three games played during the competition.

The games played include lawn tennis, table tennis, darts and ayo olopon, while the Oyo premier club won the ayo olopon game, the Ibadan Recreation club won the lawn tennis, table tennis, and dart games during the festival.

Participating clubs at the Games Festival include Oyo Premier Club, Ibadan Recreation Club, Abeokuta Sports Club, Ilesha Sports Club and Oyo Recreation Club.

Speaking shortly after the end of the competition, the President, Oyo Premier Club, Barrister Jide Olanipekun explained that the competition is mainly organised to stimulate the interest of its members in sporting activities.

Adding that the festival is in line with the objective of the founding fathers of the club which according to him is to always engage in Recreational activities to put the body and souls together.

He said “This is the maiden edition of the games Festival and it’s very significant in the way of interacting with other neighboring clubs in Ibadan, Ijesha, Abeokuta, Oyo and all over the World, although all the clubs are affiliated to us, while we put this together is to continue the interactions with other clubs outside Oyo, as well as stimulating the Interest of their members more in sporting activities, so that the objective of the founding fathers will be realized.

Super Eagles winger Alex Iwobi will not be part of Everton’s home game against Wolves tomorrow as well as their next three EPL  games, the Carling Cup and  the Nigeria’s dead-rubber 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe.

Everton host Gary O’Neil’s men with both sides looking to kick-start their respective 2023/24 Premier League campaigns with a first win. Everton manager Sean Dyche will be without Iwobi who picked up a hamstring injury during the game with Aston Villa which they lost 4-0 at the Villa Park, with the Nigeria international to be sidelined for “a few weeks”, according to Dyche. Iwobi is expected to miss the clash with Doncaster Rovers (away) on August 30 and also match with Sheffield United billed for September 2.

Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, has revealed that his half-time team talk with his players was all the inspiration they needed to beat co-hosts Australia in their second Group B game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup at Lang Park, Brisbane on Thursday, The PUNCH reports. The plucky nine-time African champions stunned Australia 3-2 in an explosive and tension-filled clash in Brisbane. Five-time CAF Women’s Player of The Year, Asisat Oshoala, slotted in the third for the Falcons in the 72nd minute, which proved to be the winner, despite Alanna Kennedy’s extra-time goal in the 100th minute. “I think two things happened, “Waldrum began. “One is, after giving up the first goal before halftime, we were able to respond and get it back. I think that was huge from a confidence standpoint. We tried to sort out a little bit of a problem that Van Egmont was causing for us in midfield, finding a lot of pockets of space. “I’m so proud of these players because so many people didn’t believe, so many didn’t believe in me, didn’t believe in the team. ” Waldrum added, top teams in the world says a lot, “I told them after the match, ‘keep believing, Keep believing in yourself. It’s not always the best talent that wins.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has invited three players to replace Napoli star Victor Osimhen, Cyprus-based Abdullahi Shehu and Watford attacker Emmanuel Dennis in the Super Eagles squad for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations, which begins in Cameroon next weekend. The goalkeeping department is untouched, but the forced exclusion of Cyprus-based Shehu has made way for hard-as-nails right back Tyrone Ebuehi and England-based Oluwasemilogo Ajayi. Henry Onyekuru, who was also at the last finals in Egypt, has been excused to provide room for Czech Republic-based forward Peter Olayinka. The tournament will end on 6th February.

Novak Djokovic, Serbia's global tennis talisman, tested positive for COVID-19 on December 16, 2021 and was unable to participate in the Australian Open. He appealed the decision, but three Federal Court of Australia judges unanimously dismissed his application. His iconoclasm had come back to bite him, and he has made an unforced error not on the tennis court but outside it. He has won the Australian Open nine times, French open twice, Wimbledon six times and US open three times, bringing his total grand slam haul to 20. Djokovic is a 6'2" tall, aggressive baseline player with a high court coverage span and high agility. He speaks five languages and eats a vegetarian, plant-based diet with a bit of fish. He is not a fan of surgeries or medications and believes that human bodies are self-healing mechanisms.

Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum insists Monday’s (today) final Group B clash against the already eliminated Republic of Ireland at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia will not be an easy affair, despite the Europeans having exited the tournament.

The game holds at the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Ireland crashed out after losing to co-hosts Australia 2-1 and Canada 1-0, while Nigeria are poised to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition for the third time, following their stunning 3-2 victory over Australia on Thursday after 102 minutes of electrifying football in Brisbane.

Waldrum’s side had earlier held Olympic champions Canada to a goalless stalemate in their opener. 

Waldrum wary of Irish as Falcons eye last 16 slot

President Bola Tinubu praised the Nigerian Super Falcons for their outstanding performance at the FIFA Women's World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The Nigerian female national football team lost their round of 16 match against England's Lionesses in Brisbane, but the Nigerian Super Falcons made Nigeria proud on a global stage. The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, hailed the Super Falcons for their performance, describing the match as a tension-soaked encounter. She expressed her pride in the Nigerian girls' performance and hoped to receive them as true heroes upon their return home.