Sports
Ex-Footballers Seek Peace, Progress Among Stakeholders
The Concerned Football
Stakeholders of Nigeria led by Clement Temile has hosted former and present footballers in Lagos to re-unite warring factions in the football family.
The Concerned Football Stakeholders, who include Peter Rufai, Segun Oguns, Sam Otis and Mattias Enebili among others, are soliciting for “one family’’ for former and present footballers in the country.
The forum was tagged ‘’Roadmap on the Unification of Nigerian Players Union’’.
The group claimed it needed to unify and harmonise the body of Nigerian Footballers toward the pursuit and achievement of a common interest.
The President General of the Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporters Club, Rafiu Ladipo, who was a guest at the forum, urged the football stakeholders to unite for a common goal.
He said that the reason why football in the country was not recording huge successes was as a result of in-fighting within caucuses.
According to him, this is caused by the tussle for leadership roles.
“There cannot be progress where there is infighting and factions try to prove each other’s standpoint or try to be leaders by all means.
“We have to come together to see that we all pursue the same common objective which is meant to be the good of all and not personal gratifications.
“Indeed, the process provided by the Concerned Football Stakeholders should be embraced and accepted as they present a clear picture for all factions to embrace peace and togetherness,” Ladipo said.
President Nigerian Olympians Association, Henry Amike said that, “it is such a great thing to see footballers come together and remain united.
“You must try to bury the hatchet and forge ahead, for a union under one body will track players and see the challenges facing them,” Amike said.
The patron of the occasion, Joe Erico applauded the development and urged the Harrison Jala, Austin Popo and Clement Temile led groups to come together as one body.
In the same vein, the leader of the National Association of Nigeria Footballers (NANF), Harrison Jata said that he was in support of the idea for all factions to come together.
“I am in support of what we are trying to achieve today; I will not be a stumbling block to a vision I have fought and stood for all my life,” he said.
Sports
European Giants Circle For Osimhen
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
Sports
Tennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push
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.
Sports
W/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener
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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