Sports

How Are the African Teams Faring in World Cup 2022?

Published

3 years ago

November 29, 2022

Now that the first round of group game matches at World Cup 2022 have all taken place, we’re starting to see which teams have come racing out the traps under the Qatari sun, and which are looking like they might wilt in the heat. Obviously we all know how sad us Nigerians are over the Super Eagles absence at this tournament, but there’s still plenty of exciting football for us to feast upon in the coming weeks.

So, let’s take a quick look at how the five African nations that did qualify this time round have done after the first round of matches and see if they’re doing the continent proud over in the Middle East.

Senegal

As they’re in Group A, the AFCON champions were up first, with a tough fixture against European powerhouses, the Netherlands. Unfortunately, Senegal lost their star-man, Sadio Mane, to injury in the lead-up to the tournament, and with him out of the side, pundits worried that they would struggle to fill the gap left from his momentous presence up-front.

That seemed to be the case in their 0-2 loss to the Dutch, where they battled valiantly for 84 minutes, but were just not able to finish any chances, and then were hit by two sucker-punch goals.

Tunisia

Next up, in Group D, were Tunisia, who had to face-off against many people’s ‘dark horse’ for this World Cup, Denmark. The Carthage Eagles clearly weren’t feeling overwhelmed though, as they took the fight to the Scandinavians, earning a 0-0 draw. They even forced a couple of great saves by the Danish keeper, Kasper Schmeichel, which could’ve tipped the tie in their favour.

They’ve even shown they have luck on their side, as they survived a late VAR scare, which saw the referee actually overturn a Danish penalty decision for handball.

Morocco

When it comes to disorderly build-ups to a World Cup, Morocco’s has to be right up there. They fired their previous coach just three months before the tournament kicked-off, but the replacement, Walid Regragui, seems to have installed some tactical nous in that short amount of time.

This is because they played the 2018’s World Cup finalists Croatia in their first match in Group F and impressively looked their equal, with the result ending all square in a 0-0 draw. This result will have many experts scratching their heads, as they expected the European side to blow away Morocco.

That’s the beauty of football, though, and why it’s such a popular sport for bettors in many countries, as there are always many upsets. This is true for India, where the best football betting sites in India are served up over on Asia Bet. These carefully selected online bookmakers allow you to bet on everything to do with the beautiful game, from local Indian leagues all the way to the biggest matches at this World Cup. Plus, there’s a clear rundown of Indian betting laws, so users can easily navigate gambling in the country.

Cameroon

The Indomitable Lions have a proud World Cup history, with this being their eighth appearance on the biggest stage in world football. Cameroon is in Group G this time round, and it looks like being a tricky task for them to make it out, as they lost their first game to Switzerland.

It was a narrow defeat, with them only losing by a single goal, and the player that got the winner was actually born in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde. The attacking-midfielder Breel Embolo, moved to Switzerland when he was young, though, and gained his Swiss citizenship eight years ago. You could tell it was an emotional moment, scoring against his birth nation, and he refused to celebrate.

Ghana

You might have noticed that no African side has managed to score yet in the first round of fixtures at World Cup 2022. It was up to the last to play, Ghana then, to make sure the continent didn’t go completely goalless, and the good news is that the Black Stars were up to the task. Captain Andre Ayew tapped home a lovely low cross, and then substitute Osman Bukari managed to power a brilliant header into the net.

The bad news is that they were up against a talented Portugal side in their opening Group H game, who managed to score three times and take the victory. Nevertheless, Ghana should be emboldened by their stirring performance going forward and look like the strongest African side so far.

Photo Credit- History Of Soccer

Sports

NDG: Rivers Coach Appeal To NDDC In Talent Discovery

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Chess coach Nnamso Umoren has appealed to relevant authorities, most especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to provide funds for scouting of hidden talents at the grassroots.

He stated that lack of funds is hindering most coaches from doing what they are expected to do; hence, they don’t have enough money to travel to rural areas to discover talents.

Umoren made the appeal in an exclusive interview with Tidesports yesterday, in Benin, Edo State, shortly after the second edition of the Niger Delta Games drew her curtains closed.

According to him, without coaches no athlete can perform better, as coaches are the ones that teach athletes the techniques and rudiments of every sport.

“I appeal to the commission to support the coaches with funds to enable them to go to the areas and discover talents. Lack of funds for coaches limits the extent to which they can move around within the state in search of talents.

“I am of the general opinion that without coaches, athletes cannot perform better; hence, the coaches teach them the rudiments of the sports,” Umoren said.

The Chess coach called on the Rivers State government to organise tournaments in the State to know the strength of athletes discovered, saying that will improve sporting activities in the State.

However, he commends NDDC, who are the major sponsors of NDG, and Dumamis Icon Limited for close to perfect organisation.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Rivers Sports Director Rates Niger Delta Games High

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Director of Sports, Obia Inyingikabo has that the just concluded second edition of the Niger Delta Games, held in Benin, Edo State, was very impressive and well organised.

She commended both the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Dumamis Icon Limited for the sponsorship and organisation respectively.

According to her, the problem of the team was the epileptic situation of shuttle buses, which was not under the direct control of the sports council.

Inyingikabo said this in a telephone interview with Tidesports yesterday; she confirmed that apart from the poor transport system for athletes, every arrangement went successfully as planned.

The director praised her athletes for making the State proud by winning gold, silver, and bronze medals during the games. She assured the people of Rivers State that in the next edition they will perform better and also used the opportunity to commend Rivers State promoting sports in the State.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Treat Bees, Silkworms As Valuable Resources – Don

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

A Professor of Applied Entomology and Pest Management, at the Federal University of Technology Akure,(FUTA), Olufunmilayo Oladipo, has said insects such as bees ,houseflies silkworms and similar species should be seen and treated as valuable resources whose careful management could enhance food security, generate income, support industrial applications, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

Prof. Oladipo made the remark while delivering the 193rd Inaugural Lecture of the institution on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Citing the honeybee as a prime example, Oladipo noted that beyond honey production, bees provide beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and venom used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, while their pollination services significantly increase crop yields and biodiversity.

She also referenced silkworms, whose silk supports textile industries and export earnings, as well as black soldier flies and houseflies, locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms and crickets which are increasingly used in the production of high-protein livestock and aquaculture feeds, thereby reducing dependence on expensive imported feed ingredients.

Speaking on the topic, “Six-Legged Arthropods: Food Security, Health and National Economic Development,” Professor Oladipo highlighted the multiple contributions of insects to national development in a monolithic economy like Nigeria, where over-dependence on crude oil has limited diversification.

She pointed out that insects serve as food for humans and feed for livestock, provide income for households through apiculture, sericulture, and insect-based enterprises, and supply raw materials for pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Beneficial insects also enhance food security through nutrient recycling, biological control of harmful species and weeds, and pollination of crops and horticultural plants, resulting in bumper harvests and increased biodiversity.

Professor Oladipo further mentioned termites and dung beetles for their role in nutrient recycling and soil aeration, improving soil fertility and agricultural productivity. Ladybird beetles and parasitic wasps, she explained, serve as natural biological control agents, reducing populations of destructive pests without harming the environment.

In the area of public health, Oladipo declared that though “the economic toll of insect vectors is staggering, stretching from the household to national economy, thereby undermining productivity, draining family resources, and constraining national growth, certain insects negatively affect agriculture, public health, and livelihoods”.

The professor pointed to the importance of understanding mosquitoes and other disease vectors such as tsetse flies, whose management is critical in combating malaria, yellow fever, dengue, sleeping sickness and other vector-borne diseases that weaken workforce productivity and strain national resources.

She cited data showing that malaria alone costs Africa over 12 billion dollars annually in healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, and reduced investment. Beyond mortality, she emphasized, insect-borne diseases also contribute to morbidity, chronic disability, and reduced workforce efficiency, imposing heavy burdens on families, health systems, and national economies.

She referenced maggot therapy, currently practiced in teaching hospitals in Kano, as a safe and effective treatment for chronic diabetic wounds adding that bioactive compounds from fungus-insect complexes such as Bombyx batryticatus and Beauveria bassiana, which have been developed into medicines with anticonvulsant, anticancer, antifungal, anticoagulant, and hypolipidemic properties.

Weaver ants, bee venom, and cantharidin from blister beetles, she stated, also possess therapeutic value, including immune-boosting, anti-diabetic, anti-arthritic, and antiviral applications. She maintained that strategic government investment in entomotherapy could strengthen healthcare delivery, reduce pharmaceutical import dependence, save lives, and support national economic diversification.

According to her, these examples demonstrate that insects are not merely pests to be eradicated but strategic biological assets that, if properly managed, can enhance food security, strengthen public health systems, generate employment, and support Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

The Agric expert noted however, that certain pest species continue to pose threats to agriculture and public health, thereby negatively affecting economic growth. She stressed that proper management, rather than indiscriminate eradication, is key to maximizing the benefits of these six-legged resources.

Professor Oladipo advocated integrated pest management strategies that prioritize environmentally friendly approaches, including botanicals, pheromones, biological control agents, growth regulators, and semiochemicals, while minimizing the use of broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides.

She warned that excessive reliance on chemicals has resulted in resistance, environmental pollution, and harm to non-target organisms. She also called for stricter regulation of pesticide importation and usage under professional supervision, and for stronger surveillance by regulatory authorities to prevent the introduction of exotic pest species.

To strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in entomology, she urged the government to support insect rearing and the conservation of beneficial species and to establish more Departments of Entomology in universities.

On the benefits of insects, she stressed the need for shifting societal perceptions and promoting sustainable practices, calling for stronger linkages between universities and industries to translate research findings into practical applications and commercial opportunities.

Professor Oladipo further appealed for increased funding for research and for targeted support for brilliant but indigent students in science-based disciplines, emphasizing that nurturing the next generation of entomologists and agricultural scientists is critical for national development.

Presenting the inaugural lecturer, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, FAS, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Professor Sunday Oluyamo, described Professor Oladipo as a distinguished scholar whose research has significantly advanced the field of entomology and strengthened FUTA’s academic and research profile.

The Vice Chancellor who described the lecture as ‘timely’, given Nigeria’s challenges in food security, public health, and economic diversification, commended the inaugural lecturer’s scholarly depth, resilience, and dedication to mentoring students, reaffirming FUTA’s commitment to research that addresses pressing national development priorities.