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Osimhen Scores Hat-Trick, Becomes Napoli’s 13th All-Time Scorer

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Striker, Victor Osimhen, moved to 13th spot in Napoli’s all-time scorers chart after he bagged his first hat-trick of the season within 16 minutes as the Partenopei annihilated Sassuolo 6-1 away in a Serie A game on Wednesday, Tidesports source  reports.
It was his second hat-trick against Sassuolo since arriving in Italy in 2020. The former Lille striker scored his first against the Neroverdi on October 29, 2022.
The 25-year-old also had an assist for Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, who scored twice in the encounter as new management Francesco Calzona recorded his first win after three games.
The treble also took Osimhen’s tally to five in three games for Napoli since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and his 13th across all competitions this season.
Sassuolo had raced to an early lead in the 17th minute when Uros Racic curled in an inch-perfect low drive from the edge of the box but Amir Rrahmani drew Napoli level 12 minutes later after finishing off a well-worked team play involving Di Lorenzo and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa down the right flank.
Osimhen gave Napoli a deserved lead two minutes later when he made it 2-1 after firing in from seven yards off a pass from Matteo Politano.
The Nigerian scored his second goal of the game after he capitalised on an error from goalkeeper Andrea Consigli to tap in from close range.
He completed his hat-trick straight after the restart, thanks to some suicidal defending from Sassuolo.  Ruan Tressoldi tried to play it out from the back but passed it straight to Kvaratskhelia, who rolled across for the Nigerian to score.
With this treble, Osimhen becomes the third player in Napoli’s history to score at least 10 goals in four consecutive Serie A seasons after the late Diego Maradona (between 1984/85 and 1987/88) and Attila Sallustro (between 1929/30 and 1932/33), according to Opta.
Osimhen has now scored 72 goals in 122 games for Napoli and he is now joint fourth with Paulo Dybala in Serie A top scorers standings with 11 goals from 15 games.
The result keeps the champions in ninth place but they are now just eight points off the top four.

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European Giants Circle For Osimhen

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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

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Tennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push

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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.

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W/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener

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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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