Sports Archives | Page 46 of 62

Morocco 2025: Osimhen, Ekong, Ndidi, others to battle Benin Republic, Rwanda

AFCON 2025: Super Eagles feast on Libya

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago04 mins

Nigeria will host Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo this evening. The Super Eagles will be aiming to extend their unbeaten start to the AFCON qualifiers, while the visitors are still seeking their first win of the qualifying campaign. Nigeria followed up a 3-0 victory over Benin Republic in their opening match of the AFCON qualifiers with a goalless draw away at Rwanda a couple of days later. The Super Eagles top Group D with four points and are the only team yet to concede a goal in the group, and a double header victory over Libya will see them move clear and edge closer to securing qualification. This will be the fifth meeting between Nigeria and Libya, with the Super Eagles winning all four previous encounters, including two games in the AFCON qualifiers back in 2018. Augustine Eguavoen, who was appointed on an interim basis to lead the team, has retained his position and has been tasked with guiding Nigeria to the 2025 AFCON in Morocco. Nigeria finished as runners-up at the last AFCON edition and have lost just one of their last 14 AFCON qualifying matches – a run they will hope to extend on Saturday. Libya were held to a 1-1 draw by Rwanda in their opening match of the AFCON qualifiers before losing 2-1 to Benin in their second match. The Mediterranean Knights took the lead in the ninth minute from the spot via Faisal Al Badri, but a 12-minute spell in the second half saw them concede two goals that cost them the game. Head coach Milutin Sredojevic will hope his side picks up valuable points against Nigeria as they look to end their 12-year AFCON absence. Libya’s last appearance in the continental showpiece came back in 2012, but they are currently bottom of Group D with one point and will have to quickly turn things around if they are to end this run. Nigeria possible XI: Nwabali; Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey; Aina, Ndidi, Onyedika, Onyemaechi; Lookman, Boniface, Chukwueze Libya possible XI: Al Wuhayshi; Elkouri, Yusuf, Erteiba, Al Mabrouk; Al Badri, Al Shreimy; Salama, Al Khoja, Al Gleib; Krawaa

Kidnapped journalists regain freedom

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago03 mins

Kidnapped Sport journalists have regained freedom, Trendbrio.com have reliably gathered. The media men, according to a statement issued by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), were kidnapped on their way to cover the AFCON 2025 qualifier in Uyo. The SWAN statement reads; “We want to inform our Teeming Members across Nigeria and beyond that some of the Sports Journalists who were earlier kidnapped on their way to cover the first leg of 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Super Eagles and Mediterranean Knights of Libya in Uyo, have been released. “The President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, and indeed SWAN National Secretariat after making necessary contacts immediately our colleagues were abducted around Anambra/Imo axis, have been reliably informed of their release following pressure by the proactive Nigerian Security Operatives on the Kidnappers. “SWAN therefore commends the Security Operatives, particularly the Nigerian Army and Police for their prompt action which ensured that up to six of the held Sports Journalists regained their freedom with efforts to get the remaining person freed. “The rescued Media Practitioners, mostly Camera/Photojournalists are now on their way to either reunite with families or move on with other official duties. “We urge our members to remain calm and without fear in the discharge of their professional duties while maintaining regular communication with the various SWAN State Chapters’ Leadership for any formal purposes. @Also, be assured that the National Leadership of SWAN is committed to your welfare and overall well-being with uttermost regards as always.”

Anthony Joshua desperately want Dubois rematch

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago04 mins

Anthony Joshua still wants an immediate rematch with Daniel Dubois. Dubois smashed Joshua into defeat with a stunning fifth-round knockout in their IBF world heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium last month. It was an astonishing upset that demolished the hopes of Joshua fighting the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch for the undisputed heavyweight world championship in 2025. But rather than wait to finally take on his great rival Fury, former champion Joshua could choose to face Dubois once again in his next fight, as soon as February. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports: “My initial thought after the fight was let’s just chill out, maybe wait for Fury-Usyk. “AJ’s reaction was quite a bit different. Obviously out of pride you always want to take the rematch. But it’s a little bit more calculated than that. “It’s more like, well, what happens if Usyk-Fury doesn’t happen? What if someone gets injured, and even if it does happen they’re not going to fight again until July, August? Then I’m out the ring for nearly a year and I want to be active.” Joshua could always fight someone outside of that top three of Usyk, Fury and Dubois, with heavyweights like Deontay Wilder or Dillian Whyte under consideration. But Hearn explained Joshua’s current thinking, saying: “I want to win the world heavyweight title, and I’ve got a shot there to win the world heavyweight title in my hand. “Obviously it’s a dangerous fight but I can’t box any worse than I did.” The promoter added that he “would expect the fighter to say I want the instant rematch” but Hearn insisted: “When you start actually thinking about it, I don’t think there’s a bad decision to make. “I know that he is leaning towards the rematch because he wants to win the world heavyweight title. Versus fighting Wilder, waiting for Fury and then you’ve got all next year bubbling around not really fighting for the world heavyweight title.” Joshua isn’t expected to have many more fights in his whole career. “It could be one, it could be five. If he beats Dubois, probably another two or three. If he loses to Dubois, he’s in a real tough position,” Hearn said. “People keep saying the Fury fight’s still there. But if they both keep losing? It will always be there but at the same time, at what value? That depends on how they do.” But Joshua is still likely to take that gamble. “If it’s solely down to AJ, which it will be at the end of the day,” Hearn said, “I think it’s going to be very hard to talk him out of taking the rematch.”

Roma considers January bid for Ola Aina

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago02 mins

Roma are considering a January bid for Nottingham Forest full-back Ola Aina, a former Torino defender. The Giallorossi need reinforcements on the right flank, as Saud Abdulhamid still needs time to settle in and challenge Zeki Celik for a starting spot. For this reason, the Serie A side have reportedly set their sights on ex-Torino defender Ola Aina, currently under contract with Premier League side Nottingham Forest. The 28-year-old’s deal runs out in June 2025, so the Giallorossi hope he’ll be available for a reduced transfer fee during the winter transfer window. Ola Aina is a versatile full-back who can also play on the left flank, which is one more reason the Giallorossi are monitoring him. According to the report, Roma will need from €12m to €15m to secure the defender’s signature in two months, but the Giallorossi will likely negotiate a lower fee and may try to include Nicola Zalewski in a player-plus-cash swap deal. Zalewski was recently reintroduced to the Roma squad after snubbing a summer move to Galatasaray. He’s currently in talks to extend with the Giallorossi as his deal runs out at the end of the season. Ola Aina scored two goals and provided seven assists in 113 appearances with Torino.

NFF dismisses Libya’s poor treatment claims, insists Libya caused own problems

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago03 mins

The Nigeria Football Federation has rejected claims of poor treatment on arrival in Nigeria by the captain of the Libya senior men national team, Faisal Al-Badri. NFF insists the Libyan Football Federation created chaos for its own team, the Mediterranean Knights. NFF’s Assistant Director (Protocol), Mr. Emmanuel Ayanbunmi said the Libya Federation only informed the NFF that its team was landing in Port Harcourt, and not Uyo, only three hours to the team’s arrival on Tuesday. “I spoke to the General Secretary of LFF, at length, on Monday, 7th October and he never hinted that his team would be arriving on Tuesday (the following day). He only said he would get back to me but he never did. On Monday evening, someone sent as an advance party by the LFF called me and said his team would be arriving on Tuesday by noon. We made all arrangements to receive the team in Uyo on arrival. “It was only an hour after the team was airborne that he told me the delegation would be landing in Port Harcourt. That disrupted so many things, but we still raced on hurdles to get approval from federal authorities to allow their plane to fly them to Uyo once they concluded immigration formalities in Port Harcourt. Apparently, that would have meant additional cost to the LFF from the charter company, and they didn’t want that, so they preferred to travel from Port Harcourt to Uyo by road.” Ayanbunmi added that the Libyan delegation jettisoned road transportation arrangements made for them by the NFF and instead hired buses on their own. “If they travelled on buses that were not air-conditioned, that had nothing to do with the NFF as they hired their own buses. We provided security for them, with men and vehicles in front and behind their buses, so we are unmoved about their complaints and threats.”

NSF: Ogun begins reconstruction works on MKO Abiola Stadium

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago04 mins

The Ogun State Government has commenced reconstruction and renovation works on the MKO Abiola International Stadium and the Alake Sports Centre, Ijeja, Abeokuta, ahead of the National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged “2024 Gateway Games.” Speaking after inspecting the two facilities, the Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, assured that the renovation works would be completed within the stipulated time and would be tested before the games. The scraping of the pitch at the main bowl of the stadium, the removal of the tartan tracks, as well as the roofs at the indoor hall of the Alake Sports Centre, Ijeja, are ongoing simultaneously as the commissioner led journalists to the sites. He revealed that the VIP section of the stadium would be expanded, while an Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts, and handball courts would also be constructed within the stadium. The commissioner noted that the current administration is intensifying its efforts to develop sports and youth development programs in the state, as well as to discover and nurture young athletes. He highlighted the importance of harnessing the potential of the youth and channeling their energy into productive ventures for their personal success and the socio-economic gains of the state, reiterating the government’s commitment to organizing a world-class National Sports Festival. Hon. Isiaka submitted that the festival will bring together the best athletes from the state, inspiring the next generation of athletes, promoting the rich cultural heritage, and promising to reward outstanding performances. He stated that the massive renovation will not only help develop the skills and dedication of local athletes before, during, and after the games but will also underscore the commitment and readiness of the state government to host the National Sports Festival, calling on corporate organizations and other well-meaning individuals to join hands with the government to make the NSF a huge success. The Commissioner added that the Sports Festival is a moment for the state to shine and show the world the abundance of talents, potentials and inherent hospitality in the state. He, therefore, reaffirmed the readiness of the state government to host a befitting festival, adding that the facilities would be top-notch and would attract national and international events. The National Sports Festival has been slated to hold between January 12 and January 26, 2025.

Sports

AFCON 2025: Cape Verdean referee to officiate Libya, Nigeria battle in Benina

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago01 mins

The Confederation of African Football has appointed Delgado Santos Rocha Lenine, from Cape Verde, as referee for Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between the Super Eagles and the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, close to Benghazi. He will be assisted by compatriots Djêry Gomes Lopes (assistant referee 1) and Jorge Santos Fonseca Aritson (assistant referee 2), with Hamidou Diero from Burkina Faso as fourth official. Amir Abdi Hassan from Somalia will be in the role of commissioner, with Malian Dramane Dante as referee assessor and Rachid Medjiba from Algeria as security officer. Tuesday’s encounter, which is at the back-end of a double header between both nations, will kick off at 9pm Libya time (8pm Nigeria time).

Morocco 2025: Eguavoen targets double over Libya that will send Eagles to final tourney

Our Reporters6 months ago6 months ago04 mins

Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has set as objective, the maximum six points from this month’s double header between the Super Eagles and Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in the teams’ group D attrition as the race to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals hots up. Nigeria host the first game at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday evening, with the return at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, 19 kilometres from Libya’s second city Benghazi, on Tuesday night. “We have to be practical about it: our best and surest route to the finals will be to pick up the six points in the matches with Libya, and be somewhat guaranteed of a place in Morocco even before Matchday 5. We don’t want to be in any anxiety in the run-in in this qualifying campaign. “I admit we will miss Victor (Osimhen), but I believe in the other strikers available to get us the goals that will give us the three points in Uyo, and the three points in Libya.” Twenty of the 23 invited players trained in Uyo on Tuesday evening, with defender Bright Osayi-Samuel and forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Ejuke arriving on Wednesday morning. Leaders Nigeria have four points from their two matches so far, one point ahead of Benin Republic and two ahead of Rwanda. The Eagles will go to 10 points with a double win over Libya, while both teams on Nigeria’s heels are in attrition and are bound to chop at each other’s advantage one way or the other. Wins for Benin Republic in both matches will take them to nine points, still short of Nigeria’s probable tally of 10, but Rwanda will remain stuck at two and Libya one, with only two matches left in the campaign. Wins for Rwanda will leave Benin Republic stuck at three points and Rwanda at eight. “There are possibilities and opportunities for us to sail home at the end of these two matches, and we will do our best to take our chances and have the ticket in hand before the final round of games,” Eguavoen reiterated. The delegation of Libya’s Mediterranean Knights landed at the Port Harcourt International Airport around noon on Tuesday, before moving to Uyo by road. Malawian referee Godfrey Philip Nkhakananga, who will be at the centre during Friday’s encounter, alongside the other match officials, are already in the Akwa Ibom State capital. The Confederation of African Football has also appointed Nkhakananga’s compatriots, Clemence Kanduku and Joseph Nyauti as assistant referees 1 ad 2 respectively, while Botswanan Keabetswe Dintwa will serve as fourth official.