Sports
AWC: Super Falcons Eye 8th Title
Still smarting from the gains of hosting a successful World Cup tournament this year, the attention of the continent would once again be shifted to South Africa as the 2010 African Women Champion get underway Sunday.
The tournament would hold between October 31 to November 14.
Eight teams in two groups of four would be slugging it out for the golden trophy.
The teams would be fighting hard with a place in 2010 FIFA Women World Cup in mind, the tournament serves as qualifying platform for the world stage.
Nigeria Super Falcons are strong contenders for the title as it had dominated the African football for so long.
The Super Falcons have won the title for a record seven times since it was inaugurated in 1991.
They won it in 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. The last championship was hosted and won by Equatorial Guinea in 2008.
With the Nigerian team dominated by experienced and young players from the Under-17 and U-20 sides that performed well at the FIFA youth tournaments. There is rising optimism that the cup would return to Nigeria.
Nigeria who are grouped alongside hosts South Africa in Group A would begin their campaign against Mali on November 1 at the the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton.
The South Africans who have been to the finals thrice would hope that mother luck smiles on them when they open the tournament against the less fancied Tanzanians on Sunday.
Nigeria and South African has been tipped to emerge from this group given their experience in the championship.
In Group B defending champions Equatorial Guinea confront Cameroon on November 2, while Algeria open their campaign against one of the contenders, Ghana.
The Guinea side would hope to re-enact their devastating form on home soil two years ago but Pundits believe that it would be harder for them to emerge from a group which includes Ghana and Cameroon.
Nigeria’s coach, Eucharia Uche has however, expressed confidence that her team would make Nigerians proud and bring the trophy home for the eight time.
She hinged her confidence on the caliber of players in her squad and the fact that most of the players chosen on current form.
Akonte Samuel
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.