Enyimba Plots Rangers Fall In Aba

Published

14 years ago

May 24, 2012

The Chairman of Enyimba FC of Aba, Felix Anyasi-Agwu, has affirmed the team’s resolve to defeat rivals, Rangers International FC of Enugu on May 27 in Aba.

Anyasi-Agwu told newsmen in Aba after the team defeated Kaduna United 2-0 in a league match that the encounter was a dress rehearsal for their showdown with Rangers.

He said that a victory over the Enugu outfit would narrow the gap between them on the league table.

The chairman said that Enyimba would avenge the 1-0 defeat handed them by Rangers in the first stanza of the season in Enugu.

“Our aim is to defeat Rangers come May 27 and to also narrow the points difference between the two teams. Our victory against Kaduna United has put us in a vantage position,’’ he said.

While commending the coaching crew for the painstaking job they had done on the team, Anyasi-Agwi urged the players to step up their performance and guard against complacency.

“The players have been squandering many scoring chances, particularly at home, and this is affecting our title chase seriously, but hope is not lost yet,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Enyimba’s Technical Adviser, Austin Eguavoen, said that he was satisfied with the three points the team secured against Kaduna United in spite of the profligacy of his players.

“We have to ensure that we win all our home matches and guard against dropping points at home,’’ he said.

Kaduna United handler, Saleh Tanko Lato, on his part, complained that the officiating was slanted to favour the home side.

He said that his game plan was to defend deep and then catch Enyimba on the break with a counter attack which he said was disrupted by poor officiating.

He added that the ouster of central defender Peter Ambrose compounded their woes as the team had to contend with the ceaseless attacks from Enyimba which resulted to the goals.

“I am not used to castigating referees, but I was not happy with what he did to us and I just have to speak out,’’ he said.

Rangers currently sit atop the NPL table with 46 points from 26 matches, closely followed by Enyimba who have 43 points from the same number of matches.

Fury, Joshua Fight Sealed

Published

4 hours ago

August 24, 2026

The Tide

Fury, (left) and Joshua

The proposed blockbuster fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has been signed and will go ahead, according to Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.

Fury had suggested on Friday that the long-awaited all-British showdown was unlikely to happen, but Hearn insisted the fight is contractually agreed.

“We’ve signed the contract, we’re waiting for a date,” Hearn told Tidesports source yesterday.

Hearn said neither fighter could simply withdraw from the agreement.

“The fight’s signed. No-one can pull out of the fight. You can’t just pull out of a contract,” he said.

The main issue still to be resolved is where the fight will take place.

The bout had been expected to happen in the United Kingdom in November, but Saudi organisers Sela are pushing for it to be staged in the United States.

Joshua and Fury have separate contracts with Sela, with New York’s Madison Square Garden reportedly among the preferred venues.

The fight is also expected to be broadcast on Netflix.

Hearn said the Joshua camp would prefer the fight to remain in Britain but could consider a move to the United States under the right terms.

“We know everybody and his dog involved in the fight wants to do the fight in America. We don’t,” Hearn said.

The promoter added that discussions with Sela were continuing, but stressed that there was no indication the fight itself was in danger of falling apart.

“We’ve told Sela and the team, ‘If you want to do it in America, these are the terms that we can move forward with. But we’d rather not please,’” he said.

Fury and Joshua have been expected to meet in one of the biggest fights in British boxing history, with the venue and date now the major outstanding details.

Arsenal Want Osimhen To Take Pay Cut

Published

22 hours ago

August 24, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal want Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen, to accept a reduction in his wage demands as a condition for completing a move to the Emirates before the summer transfer window closes.

The Gunners remain hopeful of landing the Nigeria international, with manager Mikel Arteta keen to strengthen his attacking options after failing to convince Atletico Madrid to sell Julian Alvarez, who is said to prefer a move to Barcelona over a return to the Premier League.

According to sources, Arsenal have held direct talks over a deal for Osimhen but are unwilling to make an excessive contract offer, leaving any potential agreement dependent on the striker’s willingness to compromise on his salary.

The 27-year-old currently earns in excess of €20 million (£17.1m) annually at Galatasaray, a figure Arsenal are said to be unwilling to match. Negotiating a fee could prove another obstacle, with Galatasaray president, Dursun Ozbek, insisting the striker is not for sale, a stance underlined by the club’s rejection of a €130 million (£111m) offer from Saudi Pro League side, Al-Hilal, earlier this month.

Having missed out on Osimhen, Al-Hilal reportedly turned their attention to Aston Villa striker, Ollie Watkins, only for their latest £45 million approach to also be rejected, further highlighting the difficulty clubs are facing in prising top forwards away from their current sides this summer.

Despite the ongoing speculation over his future, Osimhen has enjoyed a strong start to the season in Turkey.

He scored twice and provided an assist in Galatasaray’s 4-0 away win over Erzurumspor on Friday, having also netted twice in a 2-2 draw with Corum FK. The forward is expected to continue leading the line for the Turkish champions as Arsenal await his decision on a possible switch to the Premier League.

Arsenal began their Premier League title defence with a convincing victory against newly promoted Coventry City at Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta ended the club’s 22-year wait for a league title last season – and with a faultless display against Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues in their opener, his team reminded the rest of the league why they are favourites to retain the crown.

First-half goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka put the reigning champions firmly in control, and captain Martin Odegaard added a third soon after the restart to seal a comfortable win on the opening day of the campaign.

Arsenal began their Premier League title defence with a convincing victory against newly promoted Coventry City at Emirates Stadium.

Sports

PH TO HOST NPBL PLAYOFFS

Published

23 hours ago

August 24, 2026

The Tide

Port Harcourt has been confirmed as the host city for the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Playoffs for a fourth straight year, following a slight schedule adjustment by the League Management Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).

Originally slated for Aug. 22–29, the Playoffs (Phase 3) will now run from 29 August to 6 September at the Basketball Stadium, 59 Niger Street, Port Harcourt Township, Rivers State.

In a communiqué issued on 21 August 2026 by NBBF Vice-President and League Chairman Babatunde Ogunade alongside Secretary-General Amina Amanchi, the federation commended the qualifying teams for their professionalism and performance thus far.

Per the updated schedule, participating teams are expected to arrive on 29 August for pre-tournament technical meetings, with competitive action running from 30 August through 5 September, while team departures take place a day later.

The eight-team, round-robin tournament features four qualifiers from the Atlantic Conference—Rivers Hoopers, Maktown Flyers, Hoops & Read, and Lagos Raptors—alongside Savannah Conference representatives Aso Sky Hawks, 313 Warriors, Gboko City Chiefs, and Kano Pillars.

The selection of Port Harcourt re-establishes Rivers State as a central venue for elite domestic basketball in Nigeria and once again brings the action closer to the teeming fans, following a successful staging of the playoffs and Final Four at the same venue last year.