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Waldrum Lists Oparanozie, Ajibade, Payne, 27 Others

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Super Falcons’ coach, Randy Waldrum, has called up 30 players for a nine-day training camp in Abuja in preparation for the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations qualification series in Morocco next year.
Waldrum selected an equal blend of 15 home-based and 15 overseas-based professional stars for the camping which takes place between today, 22 to 30 November
Tidesports source reports that the camping is aimed at improving the bond among the group as well as the curation of tactical and technical methods that would work best for the squad in match situations.
Leading the home-based are forwards, Gift Monday and Vivian Ikechukwu, who scored two goals each during the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament in Lagos in September, and there are also goalkeeper Onyinyechukwu Okeke, defender Akudo Ogbonna, midfielder Goodness Onyebuchi and forward Mary-Ann Ezenagu.
The Falcons have qualified for the final round of the AWCON qualifiers after a 2-1 aggregate defeat of arch-rivals Ghana and will face Ivory Coast for a place in Morocco. The final round of qualifiers will hold in February next year, with the first leg taking place in Lagos.
The invited players are Goalkeepers: Onyinyechukwu Okeke (Bayelsa Queens); Ibubeleye Whyte (Rivers Angels); Uchenna Chukwu (Nasarawa Amazons)
Defenders: Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Maureen Okpala (Nasarawa Amazons), Patricia George (SC Sand), Ashley Plumptre (Leicester City), Miracle Joseph (Bayelsa Queens), Joy Duru (Nasarawa Amazons), Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA), Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash), Glory Edet (Bayelsa Queens), Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens)
Midfielders: Adekite Dada (Watford), Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat), Yetunde Aluko (Ramat Hasharon), Amanda Mbadinuju (Bayelsa Queens), Goodness Onyebuchi (Edo Queens), Grace Igboamalu (Bayelsa Queens), Toni Payne (Sevilla), Regina Otu (Minsk) Christy Ucheibe (Minsk FC)
Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid), Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint Etienne) Mary-Ann Ezenagu (Rivers Angels), Desire Oparanozie (Dijon FC), Vivian Ikechukwu (Rivers Angels), Gift Monday (FC Robo), Juliet Bassey (Bayelsa Queens), Chinonyerem Macleans (Gonirk Leczna)

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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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