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Morocco 2025: Ekong, Lookman, Osimhen, Simon, 19 others gear up for Benin, Rwanda 

Prince Odutola04 mins

Captain William Ekong, Atalanta of Italy’s Ademola Lookman, effervescent winger Moses Simon, reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen and 19 other players will seek for six points against Benin Republic and Rwanda in the closing rounds of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign this month.  Coach Augustine Eguavoen has also called goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye, defenders Calvin Bassey and Bright Osayi-Samuel, as well as midfielders Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and forwards Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Boniface and Samuel Chukwueze.  Home-based defender Victor Collins will join up with the group for the first time, and there is a return for gangling forward Sadiq Umar, who plays for Real Sociedad in Spain.   Defenders Olaoluwa Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi are also listed, while France-based defender Gabriel Osho will hope to play his first competitive game for fatherland, after his inability to honour a first call-up in the summer due to injury. The Super Eagles will fly directly to Abidjan on 11 November, for the confrontation with the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at the Stade Felix-Houphouet-Boigny on Thursday, 14th November, before traveling down to Uyo for the final qualifying game against the Amavubi of Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Monday, 18thNovember.  Currently top of their Group D, the Super Eagles will be certain of a place in the final tournament if they get a point against the Cheetahs, which will take then to 11 points, and with only final-day opponents Rwanda capable of catching up with them on points. However, with a current tally of seven goals for and none against (following the CAF Disciplinary Board’s award of three points and three goals for the botched Matchday 4 encounter against Libya), the Super Eagles stand head and shoulders above the Amavubi, who have one-goal deficit and five points in their favour going into the final two matchdays.  Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Fasil Kenema SC, Ethiopia) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Gabriel Osho (AJ Auxerre, France); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United) Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England) Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain)  

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Super Falcons to take on France’s Les Bleues in friendly

Prince Odutola02 mins

Fresh from a two-match friendly duel with the Green Ladies of Algeria in Nigeria, nine-time African champions Super Falcons are billed to play the Senior Women National Team of France, Les Bleues a high-profile friendly in France on Saturday, 30th November 2024. The Super Falcons lashed the Green Ladies 2-0 and 4-1 in games played in Ikenne-Remo and Lagos respectively, with a good number of home-based professionals showing great promise in the squad coached by Justine Madugu.  This month’s encounter with the Les Bleues will take place at the Stade Raymond Kopa in the city of Angers, with kick-off set for 9.30pm France time. While the Bleues are happy to take the game as part of their preparations for the League of Nations in the spring and the 2025 UEFA Euro Women Championship in Switzerland in the summer, the Falcons will welcome the encounter as part of the process for blooding a new squad, as well as another test ahead of the 2025 Women Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next summer. It is only the seventh time in their history that the Les Bleues will play in the city of Angers.

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SWAN celebrates Nimrod’s emergence as CAVB Beach Volleyball Commission President

Prince Odutola02 mins

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has congratulated Engr. Musa Nimrod on his appointment as the President of the CAVB Beach Volleyball Commission. In a letter dated November 2 by the Secretary-General of the Association, Amb. Ikenna Okonkwo, SWAN President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, described Engr. Nimrod’s emergence as deserving following his years of dedication and drive in ensuring the development of Beach Volleyball in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. Mr. Benjamin said the newly appointed Beach Volleyball Commission President in Africa has over the years remained consistent in using Volleyball and sports in general to touch lives, especially that of the young people. Part of the letter reads, “Your dedication in developing Volleyball right from grassroots is gradually paying off as stakeholders beyond Nigeria are eager to tap from your wealth of experience. “Indeed, you are one top Sports Administrator who has remained passionate and consistent to the extent of using your personal resources in driving Volleyball development everywhere and at all times. “We are hopeful that this new elevation will propel you to continue to make impact in all frontiers. And beyond Volleyball, you will rise to the pinnacle of your career and other life endeavours.” The number one sports writer in Nigeria also prayed God to grant Engr. Nimrod who is also the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, steady wisdom and strength in his new assignment.

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Serie A: Ademola Lookman brace fires  Atalanta pasts Napoli 

Prince Odutola03 mins

Atalanta stunned Serie A leader Napoli by winning 3-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday. Mateo Retegui was surprisingly benched but Ademola Lookman netted twice in the first half to inflict what was only Napoli´s second defeat of the season, and the first since the opening day. Retegui was brought on with 14 minutes remaining and scored in stoppage time for his 11th goal in as many matches. Atalanta soared into second spot although it could be leapfrogged by Inter Milan if the defending champion beats Venezia later to cut the gap to Napoli to one point. Napoli visits Inter next weekend. Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini surprisingly opted to drop Retegui. That was reportedly because he wanted a more unpredictable attack against a Napoli defence that had kept clean sheets in six of its past seven matches and only conceded five goals all season. Gasperini instead picked Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere in attack with Mario Pasalic behind them and that paid off almost immediately as Atalanta took the lead in the 10th minute. A cross was cleared by Napoli but only as far as the edge of the area where it was put back in and De Ketelaere nodded it back for Lookman to slot into the near bottom corner. Napoli almost levelled immediately but Scott McTominay´s powerful effort crashed off the right post. The Atalanta forwards combined again in the 31st as De Ketelaere raced down the right and squirmed between two players before passing across to Lookman, who slotted a hard shot into the far bottom corner. Sead Kolasinac thought he had extended Atalanta´s lead early in the second half but the defender was offside. Retegui was brought on for De Ketelaere late on and he volleyed a cross into the bottom right corner. Fiorentina can move into third spot with a win at Torino later. Roma was playing at Hellas Verona.

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