Sports
Tough Times Ahead For Black Leopards
Black Leopards will again be faced with a truncated off-season break for the second year running due to continental commitments with a CAF Confederations Cup last 16 at the end of June away in Sudan.
Leopards will face off with Sudanese club Al Merreikh five weeks from now over the last weekend of June before playing the return leg at home in Limpopo on July 13-15, and by then the domestic league will still be a month away from re-opening.
After having just stopped training after the last League match on Saturday, Lidoda Duvha players will report back for pre-season on June 18 and then put up with the long flight to Sudan a week later as they seek to continue with their miraculous run in Africa.
Though Leopards players have been allowed to go on a deserved break after securing their PSL status for another season, they will have a tight training programme to follow.
Sunday Chidzambwa, who was the architect of the team’s return to the PSL, will oversee the team’s pre-season training after being given a vote of confidence to continue as head coach in the new season.
Last season Leopards also had a short off-season break after having to play in the Nedbank Cup Final and having to cope with an extended season in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs that dragged until June 18, forcing to have just a two-week break.
The shortened preparation time then threw Leopards in a situation where they were merely battling to stay up all season after winning just twice in their opening 15 games of the season.
Leopards will this year be faced with a twisted situation of where after playing against the Sudanese, they will have to wait almost a month before the local season starts.
However, if they succeed in overcoming El Merreikh they will then have two Group A games to play in the group matches every two months from August to October.
Chidzambwa has conceded that such a short break for the second year running presents challenges for them, but that they have to keep on pushing.
“We have given all players a programme to follow while they are away,” says the Zimbabwean coach.
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
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.
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.