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Almat Team Retains General Hassan Cup …2017 African Patrons Polo

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Maurice Ekpenyong made history at the just-concluded 2017 African Patrons Cup Polo Tournament as he powered his Abuja Almat team to successfully defend the General Hassan Cup title they won on first attempt last year.
Lagos-based Bowale Jolasho and his Leighton Kings also shared the limelight of the biggest continental polo championship after edging two ambitious opponents to clinch the Patrons Cup.
Almat Group polo lords ( Maurice Ekpenyong, Nura Suleiman, Idris Badamasi and Rabiu Mohammed) who are still smarting from their Dantata Cup victory in Kano last month, secured a nail-biting 5-4 victory over Sheyi Tinubu’s STL/Titan ( Sheyi Tinubu, Tata Ali, Khalifa Ibrahim and Ibrahim Dantala) in the explosive final.
Having previously seen off a crowded field of eight other teams, many of them featuring Argentine and South African professionals, Almat came from behind in dying minutes of the tense final, to win  with Rabiu Mohammed scoring the golden goal three seconds to the final bell.
“It was a fantastic campaign, but in the final game, STL/Titan wasn’t an easy one. They came out fighting and at a point, took over the lead. But we were too determined to just let it slip by and I want to thank my team- mates for their concentration and our numerous fans for their unflinching support,” declared Ekpenyong who captained Almat Group in the successful title defense.
His counterpart, Sheyi Tinubu who was playing his first Patrons’ Cup tournament congratulated the winners but hailed his team mates for putting up a good fight, though the result wasn’t exactly what they expected.
The Patrons Trophy final game that drew the curtain on the prestigious polo extravaganza pitched Leighton Kings against Honourable Aliyu Wadada’s Keffi Ponys in another drama filled finale that produced 14 high class goals.
Team Leighton (Bowale Jolasho, Babangida Hassan Katsina, Manuel Crespo and Martin Jauregi) started with a spark, with three quick goals in the opening chukka and remained in the lead throughout the fiercely fought final game.
Keffi Ponys, boasting Aliyu Wadada, Bello Buba, Leroux Hendrik and Tolito Ocampo fought back with two opening goals, but their late push did little to boost their campaign, as the Lagosians scored five more for an 8-6 final scores.
Many times patron of the year, Muhammad Babangida had earlier defeated Keffi Ponys in their opening game, to hand his  Kangimi team ( Yahaya Atta, Diego White and Tom Dubrium), a runners-up winners in the Patron Cup series.
Crespo who pivoted the campaign of Leighton Kings’victory and Keffi Ponys striker, Bello Buba were adjudged the Most Valuable Players (MVPs) of the tournament, while Honourable Aliyu Wadada received special accolades as the most consistent patron African polo extravaganza.
Frontline Politician, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Speaker Kogi State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Prince Mathew, who represented Governor Yahaya Bello and Sadaukin Zazzau, His Highness Yusuf Idris, presented the prizes to the winners and the runners-up in a colourful closing ceremony at the foremost Fifth Chukker Polo &Country Resort in Kaduna.
The prestigious polo tournament which remains the only pan African polo event in the continent has built an impressive resume in a short time to becoming the biggest sporting event to support effort at eradicating the Breast Cancer in Africa  would be contested for in the eight days polo grand slam staged at the legendary Murtala Mohammed Square in Kaduna.

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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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