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DR Congo Secures Quarter-Final Ticket

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Title holders Democratic Republic of Congo left it late to secure an African Nations Championship quarter-finals place in Sudan on Monday.

Striker Mulota Kabangu, one of 11 stars from FIFA Club World Cup runners-up TP Mazembe in the Congolese squad, equalised eight minutes before full-time against lowly Mali and a 1-1 draw proved just enough.

But the 2009 champions and competition favourites owe a debt of gratitude to Cameroon, whose 2-0 victory over the Ivorians condemned the losers to an early exit from Group C in a biennial tournament for home-based footballers. Had the Ivorians won they would have reached the knockout phase this weekend while DR Congo licked their wounds and headed home from a tournament that has already seen fancied Ghana depart without securing a single point.

Cameroon became the second team after shock Group B winners South Africa to finish the three-match mini-league schedule boasting a  one 100 per cent record and a maximum nine points. DR Congo collected four, the Ivorians three and Mali one. Hosts Sudan dropped two points when winning Group A from Algeria while none of the candidates to top Group D — Angola, Senegal, Tunisia — have perfect records going into their final fixtures Tuesday.

Cameroon will face the Group D runners-up in Omdurman Saturday and DR Congo confront the Group D winners three hours later in Khartoum, across the river Nile from the other match venue.

The Congolese were rocked with 10 minutes left in cooler-than-usual Omdurman as striker Alou Bagayoko from the Djoliba club in Bamako scored the first Mali goal of the tournament and broke the deadlock. Falling behind stung the Congolese and they levelled just 120 seconds later through Kabangu and Mali had to settle for a point following solitary-goal defeats by the Ivorians and Cameroonians last week.

Midfielder Arnaud Monkam from perennial Cameroon club champions Cotonsport Garoua put his team ahead on 58 minutes, but they did not clinch victory until one minute into stoppage time when defender Jean-Paul Ngah added a second goal. While neutral football followers enjoyed the thrilling group climax, DR Congo coach Muntubile Santos must be concerned at the failure of his Mazembe-bolstered squad to get going in Sudan.

Outplayed by Cameroon in their first outing, the Central Africans needed to come from behind to edge Ivory Coast and hopes that the corner had been turned were dashed as they struggled against Mali. Officials close to the defending champions blame fatigue with continuous national team and club commitments taking their toll on Mazembe stars like goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba and frequent-scoring midfielder Dioko Kaluyituka.

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European Giants Circle For Osimhen

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Victor Osimhen will be the centre of attention as several of Europe’s biggest clubs send scouts to yesrerday’s Intercontinental Derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, with the Nigerian forward set to play a decisive role in the Super Lig title race

Representatives from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Juventus were expected to be present at Rams Park, underlining the scale of interest in both the fixture and its standout performers.

Reports in Turkish media indicate that the derby will serve not only as a key moment in the domestic title race but also as a platform for transfer discussions and strategic collaborations between clubs.

According to those reports, top European sides have secured places at the stadium with a dual purpose.

“Europe’s leading representatives will be present at the stadium within the framework of both player transfer and cooperation,” ,” Milliyet reported.

“Real Madrid, Barcelona, among many clubs, including Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Napoli and Juventus, have made reservations for today’s match.”

Osimhen was expected to be among the primary players under observation, alongside teammates Baris Yilmaz and Gabriel Sara, with scouts closely monitoring their performances in one of the most high-profile fixtures in Turkish football.

The report further noted, “Victor Osimhen, Yilmaz and Sara were at the top of the watch list and that the interest would mainly be in these players.”

It also highlighted broader discussions beyond player recruitment, stating, “Apart from this, ideas will be exchanged for strengthening relations between the clubs and new joint agreements.”

The Nigerian striker’s presence came at a crucial point in the season, with Galatasaray holding a four-point lead over second-placed Fenerbahce and knowing that victory would all but secure the league title with three matches remaining.

Osimhen recently returned from injury, making a brief appearance in the cup defeat to Genclerbirligi after missing four games, a period during which Galatasaray’s form showed signs of inconsistency.

His absence coincided with a mixed run of results in April, where the league leaders recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat, including a loss to Trabzonspor and a draw at home to Kocaelispor.

Defensively, Galatasaray have also shown vulnerability, conceding in each of their last six matches across all competitions, a concern ahead of a fixture that could define their campaign.

The derby follows disappointment in the Turkish Cup, where Galatasaray suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Genclerbirligi, while Fenerbahce were also knocked out after a 1-0 loss to Konyaspor

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Tennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push

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A tennis tournament held in honour of Olusola Odumosu, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps FCT Command, has been described as a major step towards grassroots sports development and youth engagement.

The three-day competition, staged at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, began midweek , last week and ended on Friday, attracting young players across different categories.

On the court, top-ranked player Canice Abua won the men’s singles title after a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 victory over Lucky Danjuma, who is ranked fourth nationally.

In the boys’ category, Unity Alex defeated Khaleed Dalha in straight sets to win the title, while Salvation Alex triumphed over Opeyemi Olademeji to win the girls’ singles event.

Odumosu, who marked his birthday with the event, said the initiative was designed to uncover young talent and strengthen the foundation of tennis development in Nigeria.

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W/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener

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Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, opened their preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers with a dominant 6-0 victory over Generation Next in Abuja as head coach Akeem Ishola Busari continues to shape his squad.

The emphatic win came during a 60-minute friendly at the Goal Project at the weekend, where the Flamingos took control early and led 4-0 at half-time before the match was halted in the 54th minute due to heavy rain.

Goals were spread across the squad, with Shavih Istifanus opening the scoring inside the first minute, followed by a brace from Tobiloba Sarafa in the 10th and 23rd minutes.

Harmony Chidi added the fourth in the 28th minute, while Aminat Adebisi struck just before half-time and Precious Paul completed the scoring early in the second half.

The match forms part of a busy training camp in Abuja, where Busari has invited 36 players as Nigeria step up preparations for their second-round qualifier against Guinea.

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