Sports
Black Queens Crash Out Of AWC
Ghana’s Black Queens lost on penalties to Cameroon in the final round of qualifying for the African Women’s Championship.
It means that Cameroon will have two major tournaments this year after they reached the London Olympics that kick off next month.
South Africa, who are also Olympic-bound, also advanced to the AWC finals with a win over Zambia.
Holders Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Senegal and DR Congo will join hosts Equatorial Guinea in November’s finals.
Cameroon and Ghana drew 1-1 on Sunday to make it 2-2 on aggregate to force a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
The Indomitable Lionesses eventually won 9-8 on penalties to knock out Ghana, who for the first ever time have failed to reach the AWC finals.
South Africa scored a thrilling 2-1 victory over Zambia in the second leg of their qualifier to complete a convincing 6-2 aggregate victory.
Portia Modise continued her prolific goal-scoring form by netting her 70th goal in her 91st appearance for the national team in the 18th minute.
The Zambians struck back almost immediately with a goal from Mwila Bowa in the 20th minute after the South African defence failed to clear their lines.
Modise restored South Africa’s lead with a powerfully-struck left-footed effort two minutes into the second half.
“I am happy with the effort of the team and the different combinations we tried,” said Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza.
“It’s also good to see that all the players we fielded put up a good fight.
“As I’ve always said, it’s not always good to rely on certain players but to also give others an equal opportunity to play.
“Now we need to focus on building certain areas like goal scoring.”
The most convincing qualifiers though were Ivory Coast who thrashed hosts Mozambique 5-0 to make it a massive 12-0 overall.
Ethiopia also managed to win 1-0 away from home to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory over Tanzania.
Reigning champions Nigeria will be in Equatorial Guinea to defend their title after 4-0 win over visiting Zimbabwe, that made it 6-0 in total.
Senegal made it to their first ever AWC finals but needed penalties at home to beat Morocco after both legs ended goalless.
DR Congo were given a bye in the third round after their opponents Equatorial Guinea were chosen hosts of the finals.
The Ardova Handball Premier League 2025, which began with the first phase in Benin City months ago, before the second phase in Lagos which ends with a finale that the Executive Chairman of Ardova PLC, Dr. Abdulwasiu Sowami, ably represented by the Deputy Managing Director, Ardova PLC, Mrs Abiola Babatunde-Ojo, described as delightful to watch in her speech.
For Safety Shooters, it was a historic moment as they clinched the men’s title for the first time since 2020, completing a dominant campaign that saw them finish top of the table with 57 points from 20 matches while Safety Babes also etched their name deeper into Nigerian handball history, winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive women’s championship, reaffirming their status as the league’s most dominant team, not just in the women’s category but in the history of handball premier league in Nigeria.
In the Men’s Safety Shooters finished the season in style, beating COAS Shooters 43–32 (20–10) to cap off a dominant outing in Phase 2.
Their final-day victory ensured they remained clear at the summit with an impressive 18 wins, one draw, and one loss, totaling a superb goal difference of +214 after scoring 638 goals and conceding 424.
The organisers of the Ikoyi Club Tennis Masters Tournament have earmarked N4 million as the prize money for this year’s edition.
?The Chairman of the tennis section of Ikoyi Club, Diran Famakinwa, stated this at a briefing, highlighting the activities for the second edition of the tournament.
?The tournament, which is in collaboration with MegaMound Investment Limited, is endorsed by the Nigerian Tennis Federation.
?According to Famakinwa, the male and female champions will receive N500,000 each, while the runners-up in both categories will go home with the sum of N350,000 each, with the remaining money to be shared among the semi-finalists and other participants.
?Sixteen players, which includes the eight top ?male and eight top female players, will feature in the one-week event, which started on December 5, and run till Saturday, December 13.
?The female final will be held on Friday, December 12, while the male final will take up on Saturday, December 13.
In a statement released on Saturday, the NSC described the defender as “Captain Fantastic” and praised his decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, highlighting a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty.
“After a decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, Troost-Ekong leaves behind a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty,” the NSC stated.
The commission noted that, as one of the most capped defenders in Super Eagles history with 83 international appearances since his debut in 2015, Troost-Ekong served as a pillar of leadership across multiple tournaments and qualification campaigns.
“His exceptional outing at the last Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored three goals and was named Player of the Tournament, remains one of the most remarkable achievements by a defender in AFCON history,” the NSC added.
The statement further emphasised that Troost-Ekong’s “Nigeria first” mindset, discipline and exemplary conduct set a standard for the next generation of athletes, with his influence within the national team extending beyond the pitch to inspire unity, resilience and professionalism among his teammates.
Meanwhile, Troost-Ekong has dismissed rumours that he was forced to retire by the country’s football administrators as punishment for leading a revolt against the NFF.
The 32-year-old’s announcement came less than a month before the AFCON, and he was named in the 54-man preliminary list. His decision sparked speculation, particularly as he had led a strike in protest against unpaid bonuses during the World Cup qualifying play-offs.
One fan speculated on social media, suggesting that Troost-Ekong was pressured to quit after exposing the NFF. The Al Khoolood defender offered a sharp retort, establishing that he unilaterally made the decision to retire.
“Not true! My own choice/decision and on my own terms. No one ever asked/tried to force me out. If anything, the opposite when I shared my decision. I wish the team all the best and support them together with all Nigerians for the upcoming AFCON to go all the way,” he wrote on X.
The NSC concluded by wishing Troost-Ekong the very best in the next chapter of his career and commending him for representing Nigeria with honour.
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