Sports

Osimhen Emerges Afcon Qualification’s Joint-Top Scorer

Published

5 years ago

April 2, 2021

Nigeria international and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, has become the joint-highest goalscorer in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nation qualification.
Profiting from an assist from Kelechi Iheanacho, the 22-year-old opened the scoring for Gernot Rohr’s men as the Super Eagles silenced Lesotho 3-0 in their last Group L fixture at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday.
It was the former Lille star’s fifth goal in the campaign in five matches and that places him top of the scoring charts alongside RB Salzburg and Zambia international Patson Daka.
Osimhen opened his account in the three-time African champions’ 2-1 defeat of Benin Republic inside Godswill Akpabio International Stadium via the penalty spot, while Samuel Kalu sealed the comeback win in the 62nd minute.
In the second game against Lesotho at the Setsoto Stadium in Maseru, he found the net on two occasions as Gernot Rohr’s men sealed a 4-2 away triumph over the Crocodiles in the six-goal thriller
His fourth goal came in Nigeria’s 4-4 draw with Sierra Leone at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City. Unfortunately, he was stretched off injured owing to a severe shoulder injury.
That knock side-lined him from featuring for his Italian Serie A outfit for several weeks and ultimately the reverse fixture against John Keister’s Leone Stars in the National Stadium Freetown an encounter which ended in a 0-0 draw.
He returned against the Squirrels, albeit, he could not find the net as super-sub Paul Onuachu’s last-gasp strike settling the low-scoring fixture at the Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto-Novo.
For Daka, his first goal came in the 2-1 home defeat to Zimbabwe, with Khama Billiat’s brace helping the Warriors to a remarkable win at the National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka.
The Austria based star got a double in his side’s penultimate encounter versus Algeria, scoring a goal in each half as Chipolopolo played a 3-3 home draw.
In Zambia’s last Group H encounter, he was on target twice again as his team secured a 2-0 away win against Milutin Sredojevic’s Zimbabwe. Even with that, the 2012 African champions failed to qualify for Cameroon 2022.
Osimhen and Daka have returned to their respective teams as European leagues resume over the weekend. Unbeaten in their last six games, Napoli welcome Crotone to Rome while Salzburg host Sturm Graz on Sunday, April 4.

Sports

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

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.