Sports Archives | Page 32 of 63

AFCONQ: Eguavoen names Boniface, Iheanacho, benches Osimhen for Rwanda clash

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago01 mins

Interim head coach Austin Eguavoen has named Victor Boniface and Kelechi Iheanacho to lead the Super Eagles attack against the Amavubis of Rwanda in today’s AFCON 2025 deadrubber qualifying clash. In the absence of Stanley Nwabali, Maduka Okoye will be in goal while Bright Osayi-Samuel, Gabriel Osho, William Troost Ekong are in the heart of defence. Bruno Onyemachi, Frank Onyedika, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and Moses Simon are saddled with midfield role. The substitutes are; Amas Obasogie, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey, Victor Osimhen, Sadiq Umar, Jamilu Collins and Samuel Chukwueze. The tie is slated to kick off at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium at 5pm Nigeria time.

Galatasaray coach calm amid Man Utd talk for Osimhen

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago01 mins

Galatasaray coach Buruk Okan expects Victor Osimhen to see out the season. Osimhen is on-loan at Gala from Napoli, which have been approached by Manchester United in recent days for the Nigeria striker. But Okan said: “Osimhen intends to stay here until the end of the season. “He also wants to stay and has been telling me the same thing since the beginning. There is a clause, but it doesn’t matter, he said he will stay. “The important thing is the player, it is the player who decides and Osimhen says he will stay here. He said the same thing when he came.”

Nottingham Forest gives updates on Ola Aina

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago03 mins

Nottingham Forest hope to have Ola Aina available for their trip Arsenal after returning from international duty with Nigeria ahead of schedule last week. Aina has been in superb form this season, almost ever-present in Nuno Espirito Santo’s starting XI with Forest riding high in fifth place. The right-back completed the full 90 minutes in the 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest prior to the international break and played 83 minutes for Nigeria in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin last Thursday. The former Chelsea youngster was replaced late on, subsequently receiving treatment for an issue suffered in the match. That 1-1 draw against Benin ensured Nigeria qualified for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations with a game to spare. With Forest in direct communication with the Nigerian FA, an agreement was met to allow Aina to miss Monday’s game against Rwanda, returning to the UK late last week for treatment back at Forest. ‘Before our match against Benin, I spoke with an official from Nottingham Forest, and subsequently received a message from Nuno, the manager, asking if we could release Ola Aina since they are facing Arsenal next weekend. ‘I agreed, stating that if we managed to get a positive result in Côte d’Ivoire, we’d maintain our good rapport. We have alternative players available, so in light of this, it was important to sustain the relationship,’ Nigeria’s interim coach Austin Eguavoen said in an interview. An official statement from the Nigeria Football Federation added: ‘English Premier League side Nottingham Forest fervently requested that wing-back Olaoluwa Aina be permitted to return to the UK for their pivotal match, having already secured qualification for AFCON.’ Aina will be assessed this week with reports in Nigeria claiming the reason for his substitution last week may have been fatigue. Forest head to north London to take on Arsenal at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.

Ugo Ugochukwu lifts FIA FR World Cup

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago02 mins

American driver Ugo Ugochukwu romped home as champion in the FIA FR World Cup on Sunday, despite four safety cars. The 17-year-old R-ace GP driver has dominated the 27-vehicle field from beginning to end. Early on the Guia Circuit that was no longer damp, Ugochukwu was challenged by Germany’s Oliver Goethe and Mexico’s Noel Leon. British Freddie Slater tried to overtake Leon, to no avail though. The race was later marked with a pile-up of vehicles near the notorious Lisboa corner, prompting a red flag. But the incident did not pose any distruction to the early momentum built by the front runners. After pit stop repairs, Ugochukwu sustained his dominance, leaving his rivals in the slipstream. With 11 laps remaining, China’s Liu Ruiqi suffered a glitch, bringing another safety car onto the circuit. Ugochukwu supercharged ahead to leave Goethe at least one second behind, with Leon closely trailing behind. The gap between the first two then widened to two seconds. In spite of so, Goethe succeeded in pulling off the fastest lap time of the race. Shortly afterwards, a third safety car emerged to respond to another vehicle malfunction. The outcome of the race was almost certain in the last two laps although Freddie Slater from the UK attempted to challenge Leon’s third spot. However, his bid was short-lived as the SJM Theodore PREMA Racing driver rammed into a barrier.

Rivers Hoopers through to 2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League Final

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago03 mins

Defending champions Rivers Hoopers have secured a spot in the Final of the Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Final Eight after edging Gboko City Chiefs 79-73 in a hard-fought semi final showdown on Sunday. Kelvin Amayo led the charge with 22 points, while Okiki Michael and Buchi Vincent Nwaiwu chipped in with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Nwaiwu made it a double-double with 12 rebounds while adding 2 assists and one three pointer midway through the third quarter. Rivers Hoopers continue to dominate the league, boasting the best offensive and defensive record. Their stifling defense was on full display, as they recorded an impressive 11 steals and 5 blocks. The game was marred by controversy as Gboko City Chiefs repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions, prompting a 30-minute delay. The contest eventually resumed 6 minutes into the third quarter. Timothy Kwaor who finished with a game high 24 points for City Chiefs shot 6/11 from deep. Kwaor made three straight threes at the start of the fourth quarter. He however ran into foul trouble and was made to leave the game with four minutes remaining to play. The KingsMen did more than enough to seal the victory over Gboko City Chiefs. This victory marks the KingsMen’s fourth victory in four meetings over Gboko City Chiefs, underscoring their dominance in the league. The first outing was at the Final Four in Port Harcourt last November and twice in the Chief of Defence Staff Basketball Championship in Abuja last month. Unbeaten this season (11-0), Rivers Hoopers aim to secure back-to-back Basketball Africa League (BAL) appearances when they face Hoops & Read in Monday’s final.

SWAN inaugurates Planning and Finance Committee for Diamond Jubilee Celebration

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago04 mins

As preparations intensify for the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Diamond Jubilee Celebration next year, the association has inaugurated its Planning and Finance Committee to spearhead financial planning and mobilisation efforts for the historic event. The committee, chaired by Ogun State SWAN chairman Mr. Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji and FCT SWAN scribe as the Secretary, comprises individuals of proven integrity and capacity who have been carefully selected to deliver on this significant assignment. The members are Mr. Leonard Oru (FCT), Mr. Eche Amos (Nasarawa), Princess Ekwi Ajide (FCT), Mr. Suleiman Adebayo – Pooja (Lagos), Mr. Tobi Adepoju (Lagos), Mr. Ndubueze Chidoka (FCT), Mr. Cyril Dum Wite (Rivers), Mr. Cosmos Chukwuemeka (Imo), Mr. Joel Duku, Alhaji Idris Malikawa (Kano), Mr. Sam Adesoji (Plateau), Mr. Kuti Dare (Kwara), Mr. Thomas Abirhire (Delta), and Mr. Femi Amusan (Oyo). Speaking during the inauguration held virtually on Saturday, November 16, 2024, SWAN President Isaiah Benjamin commended the members for their acceptable and readiness to serve the noble association. He said, “We have assembled people of trusted integrity and proven capacity to deliver. It took us time to carefully select the members of this committee because we recognize their abilities. Thank you for accepting to serve in this important role. “I wish you all successful deliberations and commendable execution of this task. This is the first of its kind, and we trust your commitments to make it a well-remembered milestone in SWAN’s history,” the added. SWAN Secretary General, Ambassador Ikenna Okonkwo, corroborated the president, added, “This committee represents the backbone of our Diamond Jubilee Celebration. We are confident they will exceed expectations and set a new benchmark for excellence in SWAN events.” The Chairman of the Planning and Finance Committee, Mr. Ogunsiji, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “This is a great responsibility, and I appreciate the trust placed in us. We are committed to delivering an event that will reflect the legacy and growth of SWAN.” The Planning and Fundraising Committee is expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, marking 60 years of SWAN’s impactful contributions to sports journalism in Nigeria.

Mike Tyson: I almost died

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago03 mins

Mike Tyson isn’t upset about losing to Jake Paul because just getting back in the ring after his health issues was an achievement. The 58-year-old former heavyweight champion lost in a controversial comeback fight against Jake Paul on Friday night but had “no regrets” and wasn’t feeling too disheartened because he viewed being fit enough to get back in the ring after an ulcer forced him to postpone the bout, which had originally been due to take place in July. He posted on X on Saturday: “This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time. “I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won. “To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you prayer emoji“ Jake, 27, was quick to offer support to his opponent. He replied: “Love you Mike. It was an honour. You’re an inspiration to us all.(sic)” After the fight, the social media star admitted he had gone easy on Mike because he “didn’t want to hurt” him and deliberately didn’t push for a knockout when he saw his opponent was struggling in the ring. Asked if he had eased off during the post-fight press conference, Jake said: “Yeah, definitely a bit. I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt. “I tried to give the best fight I possibly could but when someone’s just surviving in the ring basically, it’s hard to make it exciting. “I couldn’t really get him to engage me or slip shots and do something super cool or whatever.”

Morocco 2025: Despite ticket in pocket, Super Eagles go for victory against Amavubi

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago04 mins

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will go all out for victory against Rwanda on Monday, even with leadership of group D and a ticket to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco secured, says Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen. The three-time African champions are determined to sustain their recent form and spirit ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers that resume in four months, and Coach Augustine Eguavoen believes the absence of grieving goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defender Olaoluwa Aina and in-form forward Ademola Lookman will not stop their momentum. First-choice goalkeeper Nwabali has been excused from camp to visit family and relations following the demise of his father, and English Premier League side Nottingham Forest begged for wing-back Olaoluwa Aina to be allowed to fly back to the United Kingdom for a crucial tie, with Nigeria already qualified for the AFCON. Rapid-raider Ademola Lookman, with two goals in the qualifiers like team mate Victor Osimhen, suffered a knock in the front end of this window’s double-header, against Benin Republic’s Cheetahs in Abidjan on Thursday, and left camp on Saturday. The Super Eagles are not unaware of the fact that the Amavubi are in the same 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group with them, and that they (Rwanda) are the next opponents when the World Cup qualifying campaign resumes in March 2025. Monday’s encounter will see the return of former number one safe hands Maduka Okoye, and Bright Osayi-Samuel could start at right wing-back in the absence of Aina, with Bruno Onyemaechi at left wing-back, and Captain William Ekong and Calvin Bassey at centre-back. Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika are still the options in the middle. Victor Osimhen, whose goal earned the one point in Abidjan that took Nigeria to the top of the pool, will hope to score against the Amavubi, having come quite close a number of times when he joined the fray as a second-half substitute in Kigali in September. He also has the target of overtaking former captain Olusegun Odegbami on the goals’ tally for Nigeria. The absence of Lookman means so much will be expected from fit-fighting and usually-dependable Moses Simon, with Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Boniface all in the race for slots in the fore.