Sports Archives | Page 20 of 63

Ilorin Stadium renamed Rashidi Yekini Stadium

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

The Kwara State Government has renamed the Ilorin Township Stadium in honour of former Super Eagles striker, Late Rashidi Yekini. This is contained in a statement signed the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye on Monday. The statement reads in part; “The main bowl of the stadium is named after the late Rashidi Yekini, a football legend renowned for scoring Nigeria’s first World Cup goal and the country’s highest goal scorer till date. “Governor Abdulrazaq, similarly, approved for some other important state facilities to be named as follows: Table Tennis Arena is named after Atanda Musa (Manza Musa), who was a national champion in the games in 1979. “Indoor Sports Hall is named after Gabriel Babatunde Ladipo, the first black principal of the Government Technical Training School Ilorin (GTTS) who was regarded as the father of sports in the state. “Squash Court is named after Coach Bolakale Mogaji, executive chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission who was the pioneer coach, player, and national champion in the squash game. “KFA Academy is named after Coach Usuman Adenuja, the first football coach who took the Kwara Academicals to the final of Academical football competition. The Governor was among his products. “Hostel A of the stadium is named after Salihu Ishola, the first Kwaran commonwealth games’ medalist; Hostel B is named after Paralympic badminton bronze medalist Bolaji Eniola; and Hostel C is named after Bola Esan, the first female director of sports.” Late Yekini scored 37 goals in international matches and represented Nigeria in seven football tournaments including two World Cups where he scored the country’s first-ever goal in the competition. He was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993.

Super Eagles’ star, Onyemaechi joins Olympiakos

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Super Eagles’ left back Bruno Onyemaechi has joined Greek side Olympiakos. Trendbrio.com can report. Though, the details of the transfer deal with the Greek side is undisclosed, but the Nigerian international took to his X handle formerly Twitter to disclose the move. “New home. “God is the greatest, the defender wrote after sealing the deal,” the elated defender wrote. In August 2022, Onyemaechi joined Boavista on a season-long loan with an option to buy, Boavista however triggered the option and signed him on a permanent deal in June 2023. Onyemaechi made his international debut for Nigeria, playing as a left-back for the full 90 minutes of a 6–0 victory over São Tomé and Príncipe, in the final group match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Nigeria qualified and went all the way to the finals where they lost 1–2 to Ivory Coast.

Moses Simon welcomes baby number three

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Super Eagles and Nante of France winger Moses Simon has announced the delivery of his third child. The pacy player took to his X handle former Twitter to revealed the new addition to the family. The player wrote; “I find no words strong enough to express my exact feelings, I’m sincerely grateful to God. “God has blessed my home with a baby boy. “Thanks my Queen for this marvelous gift to our family, you are indeed a strong woman and I am always proud of you.”

Morocco 2025: Nigeria to battle Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania in Group C

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Three-time African Champions, Super Eagles will battle Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania in Group C of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025. Their opening match will be against Tanzania. Tunisia, champions on home soil in 2004, eliminated Nigeria in the Round of 16 of the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. The opening match of the 2025 AFCON will be hosts Morocco against Comoros on December 21 in Rabat. Group AMoroccoMaliZambiaComoros Group BEgyptSouth AfricaAngolaZimbabwe Group CNigeriaTunisiaUgandaTanzania Group DSenegalDR CongoBeninBotswana Group EAlgeriaBurkina FasoEquatorial GuineaSudan Group FCote d’IvoireCameroonGabonMozambique

Rivers Hoopers defeat Hoops and Read

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Nigeria Premier Basketball League champions Rivers Hoopers started their campaign at the 2025 Louis Edem Invitational Basketball Championship with a 72-54 win over Hoops and Read on Sunday. It was the third win for Hoopers over the Olumide Oyedeji-led team within the last three months. The KingsMen won the NPBL Atlantic Conference fixture on November 2 and followed it up with a commanding victory in the Final of the Final 8 tournament two weeks later. Hoopers who were without their head coach, Ogoh Odaudu, shook off a slow start in the first quarter to lead by 10 points (31-21) midway through the second quarter. Hoops and Read crawled their way back into the game with successive dunks, which took the game to a tie at 44-44 in the third quarter. They, however, struggled at both ends in the fourth, handing over the victory to a resilient Hoopers. The KingsMen will next play Comets on Tuesday.

CAF, Morocco LOC announce host cities, venues for AFCON 2025

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) together with Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football and the Local Organizing Committee of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 have announced the cities that will host matches in the competition. Six cities and nine stadiums have been selected for Africa’s flagship football tournament, which will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. They are Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier.

Yobo, other African legends for Morocco AFCON 2025 Final Draw

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago06 mins

Former Super Eagles captain and assistant coach Joseph Yobo, Mustapha Hadji, Serge Aurier and Aliou Cisse will be assistants at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 Final Draw that will take place at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat tonight. The 24 qualified CAF AFCON 2025 teams will learn their path to the trophy at Final Draw, which starts at 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT | 20h00 Cairo). Yobo, Hadji, Cisse and Aurier will not only pull the balls from the pots, but also be on hand to offer their insights into the groups for the tournament that will be played in Morocco from 21 December, 2025 to 18 January, 2026. They are some of the biggest names in the African game and all have a rich history with the CAF AFCON themselves. JOSEPH YOBO (NIGERIA)Yobo was a commanding centre-back who made 101 appearances for Nigeria’s Super Eagles over a distinguished 13-year career. He was squad captain as the side claimed the CAF AFCON title in 2013 and was a veteran of six continental finals tournaments to go with three FIFA World Cups. He spent the majority of his club career at Everton in England, where he became a fan favourite, but also played in Belgium, France, Spain and Turkey.He played 10 FIFA World Cup matches in 2002, 2010 and 2014. MUSTAPHA HADJI (MOROCCO) Hadji is renowned as one of Morocco’s greatest ever players and was named African Footballer of the Year in 1998. He won 63 caps for his country and scored 12 goals, playing at two FIFA World Cup tournaments.He netted the winner for Morocco against Egypt at the 1998 CAF AFCON, the only team to inflict a defeat on the eventual champions. He also played at the 2000 finals. He had a successful club career in France, Portugal, Spain and England, and in 2011 received the CAF Legends award for his services to the game. SERGE AURIER (COTE D’IVOIRE)Aurier is a two-time winner of the CAF AFCON having lifted the trophy in the 2015 and 2023 editions. The right-back has been a stalwart of the national team since his debut in 2013 and has 93 caps, scoring four goals. His club career has taken him to the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur, and he is a two-time winner of the French Ligue 1.He had the honour of being named in the CAF Team of the Year on four occasions between 2015 and 2019, showing his incredible consistency for club and country in that period. ALIOU CISSE (SENEGAL)Cisse was captain of Senegal when they excelled at the 2002 FIFA World Cup by reaching the quarter-finals against the odds, and while he failed to lift the CAF AFCON as a player, he later did so as coach of the national team. He won 35 caps as an industrious midfielder during a period when he played for Paris Saint-Germain in France, leading Senegal to the 2002 CAF AFCON final where they lost out to Cameroon. He became head coach of the national team in 2015 and would lead them through a golden period that included lifting the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON in 2021, and to FIFA World Cup qualifications in 2018 and 2022. He was named CAF Coach of the Year at the CAF Awards in 2022. CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 qualified teams: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Osimhen accused of punching journalist outside nightclub

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen finds himself at the center of a controversy that has nothing to do with his goal-scoring prowess. Turkish media, particularly Posta, reported that the forward allegedly assaulted a journalist outside an Istanbul nightclub on Friday night. The incident reportedly occurred as Osimhen was leaving the venue with friends. Apparently irritated by the reporter’s presence, the striker’s reaction may have put him in a precarious situation. Tolga Bozduman, the journalist in question, described the scene: “I was filming Osimhen as he exited, accompanied by three colleagues. When the camera flashes stopped, he became furious. He rushed towards me, shouting, and attempted to grab my camera. When I refused to let go, he punched me. It still hurts. Then he started swearing and said, ‘Destroy the photos, I’ll give you money.’ I refused, and he threatened me, saying, ‘I’ll destroy you.’” As of now, there have been no official statements regarding the incident, neither from Galatasaray nor from the player himself. This isn’t the first time Osimhen has been involved in such a situation. Last August, when he was still with Napoli under Antonio Conte’s management, a similar episode occurred involving a fan filming him outside a venue. This alleged altercation comes at a time when Osimhen has been making headlines for his performances on the pitch. The striker has been a key figure in Galatasaray’s attacking lineup this season, contributing over 20 goals across all competitions. However, this off-field incident could potentially overshadow his sporting achievements and raise questions about his behavior and professionalism.