Sports

FIFA U-17: Asians Dominate Opponents In Azerbaijan

Published

14 years ago

September 24, 2012

Asian sides had a field day as Group C and D of the FIFA
U-17 Women’s World Cup Azerbaijan 2012 got underway yesterday with China PR
outclassing Uruguay to win 4-0 and Japan hitting five goals against Brazil
without reply.

Earlier in the day, Germany scraped past Ghana 2-1, while a
solitary Fernanda Perez header gave Mexico the narrowest of victories over New
Zealand.

The top scorer and Most Valuable Player at last year’s AFC
U-16 Women’s Championship, Yui Narumiya lived up to her star billing when she
stepped out at Azerbaijan 2012 on Sunday. The JFA Academy Fukushima player had
already opened her account for the tournament with her side’s third goal of the
day when she added a stunning second to complete the rout of the Brazilians.
After skipping round her marker with some dazzling footwork inside the box, she
smacked a rising drive against the bar and reacted quicker than anyone to lash
the rebound into the opposite corner with a thumping volley.

Uruguay goalkeeper Gabriela Gonzalez had a FIFA U-17 Women’s
World Cup debut to forget. At fault for two of China PR’s opening three goals,
the unfortunate custodian was then dismissed for handling the ball outside the
box – the first red card ever to be shown in the competition – and left the
field in tears.

After Ri Un-Sim and Ri Kyong-Hyang’s hat-tricks for Korea
DPR against Gambia on Saturday, and Ri Hyang-Sim’s brace in the same game, yet
more Asian strikers were in among the goals on Sunday. Rika Masuya and Yui
Narumiya both scored doubles in Japan’s emphatic defeat of Brazil, while China
PR’s Zhang Chen struck twice against Uruguay. Asia’s three sides have scored 20
goals and conceded none so far, with the aforementioned six players accounting
for all but six of them.

The Asian trio have made their intentions clear by sweeping
all before them on the opening weekend at Azerbaijan 2012. Coming hard on the
heels of Korea DPR’s 11-0 defeat of Gambia, Japan and China PR’s handsome
victories on Sunday ensured that the AFC is the only confederation with a 100
percent record in the tournament. What’s more, the Young Nadeshiko and the
Steel Roses have also maintained Asia’s dominance over South American sides in
the competition. Six times teams from the two regions have met in the FIFA U-17
Women’s World Cup and six times the Asian representatives have won.

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

5 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

5 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

5 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.