Sports
NWFL Premiership League Resumes, Feb 10
The Nigeria Women Football League Board, NWFL, has announced February 10, 2021 as the resumption date for league matches in all designated venues across the country.
This was carried in a statement by the Chairperson of the NWFL, Aisha Falode and made available to Tidesports yesterday by the NWFL Media.
According to Falode, the NWFL season will now resume after all the 14 clubs had complied with the Covid-19 preventive protocols that were established before the commencement of the league on December 9, 2020.
She confirmed that, all the clubs’ players and officials have been tested and results have been submitted to the NWFL Secretariat after thorough verification.
Falode disclosed that; “Though there are a number of positive tests from the results, the affected clubs have been instructed to keep these players out of the team’s camp and replace them with other players who tested negative.
“The clubs are supposed to monitor these positive cases and ensure proper treatment and isolation until they come out with a clean bill of health.
“After the treatment regime, a fresh test must be conducted and results submitted showing the negative status of the affected players before they can return to the league.”
The NWFL chairperson, who is also a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, noted that, the dates on the match fixtures have been adjusted and copies sent to all the clubs for their matches.
“We are not going to wait for anyone again, we have lost five weeks working to ensure we prevent the spread of Covid-19 in our elite league and also save the lives of our players and officials. We cannot afford to wait any longer. The league will resume on Wednesday February 10, 2021 going into Week 5 out of 26 weeks to be played with a total of 182 matches.”
The Week 5 fixtures have Confluence Queens against FC Robo at the Lokoja Stadium, Delta Queens battle Bayelsa Queens at the Agbor Stadium, while Edo Queens host Nasarawa Amazons at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
In other matches, Abia Angels battle Sunshine Queens, in Umuahia, Ibom Angels tango Rivers Angels in Uyo, Osun Babes take on Dream Stars of Lagos at the Osogbo Township Stadium, while Pelican Stars slug it out with Royal Queens at the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar.
It would be recalled that a compulsory postponement of the 2020/2021 Nigeria Women League NWFL premier league matches by one month was announced, due to the increased wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to enable the various clubs in the league carry out their test properly.
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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