Sports
Ghana, Nigeria Renew Rivalry For W/Cup Ticket
The fierce rivalry between West African heavyweights Ghana and Nigeria will be renewed this evening when they meet in Third Round CAF 2022 World Cup qualifying tie, set for the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. Kick-off is at 8.30pm.
The aggregate winner over two legs (the return game is set for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Tuesday 29 March) will earn one of five African tickets to the Qatar World Cup in November and December later this year.
Ghana only just squeezed through to this final phase of qualification: they topped Group G ahead of South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, but only edged Bafana Bafana on goals scored, as the teams finished level on points, head-to-head results and goal difference.
The Black Stars have since endured a torrid Africa Cup of Nations campaign, exiting the recent tournament in Cameroon after failing to win any of their group stage matches, including an embarrassing 2-3 reverse at the hands of Comoros.
This has seen the Ghana FA axe Milovan Rajevac and install Otto Addo as a caretaker, with the former Black Stars player looking to lead the national team back to the global showpiece, after missing out on qualification for the 2018 finals in Russia, for a fourth appearance (adding to 2006, 2010 and 2014).
“We really want to make ourselves and the nation proud by qualifying for this upcoming World Cup,” said Addo.
“Matches between Ghana and Nigeria are always difficult but we believe in our players, we believe in our strategies and we believe in the unflinching support of all Ghanaians as we go into these two matches.”
Nigeria, meanwhile, was emphatic winners of Group C earlier in the qualifiers, ending top of a pool which also included Cape Verde, Liberia and the Central African Republic. They had one major blip along the way, losing at home to the CAR in Lagos midway through the campaign, but quickly recovered to end two points clear at the head of the table.
The Super Eagles then put in a mixed showing at the AFCON in Cameroon, impressively topping a tough group with wins over Egypt, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau, but just as they were installed as one of the tournament favourites, they were beaten 1-0 by Tunisia to exit at the round of 16.
The Ardova Handball Premier League 2025, which began with the first phase in Benin City months ago, before the second phase in Lagos which ends with a finale that the Executive Chairman of Ardova PLC, Dr. Abdulwasiu Sowami, ably represented by the Deputy Managing Director, Ardova PLC, Mrs Abiola Babatunde-Ojo, described as delightful to watch in her speech.
For Safety Shooters, it was a historic moment as they clinched the men’s title for the first time since 2020, completing a dominant campaign that saw them finish top of the table with 57 points from 20 matches while Safety Babes also etched their name deeper into Nigerian handball history, winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive women’s championship, reaffirming their status as the league’s most dominant team, not just in the women’s category but in the history of handball premier league in Nigeria.
In the Men’s Safety Shooters finished the season in style, beating COAS Shooters 43–32 (20–10) to cap off a dominant outing in Phase 2.
Their final-day victory ensured they remained clear at the summit with an impressive 18 wins, one draw, and one loss, totaling a superb goal difference of +214 after scoring 638 goals and conceding 424.
The organisers of the Ikoyi Club Tennis Masters Tournament have earmarked N4 million as the prize money for this year’s edition.
?The Chairman of the tennis section of Ikoyi Club, Diran Famakinwa, stated this at a briefing, highlighting the activities for the second edition of the tournament.
?The tournament, which is in collaboration with MegaMound Investment Limited, is endorsed by the Nigerian Tennis Federation.
?According to Famakinwa, the male and female champions will receive N500,000 each, while the runners-up in both categories will go home with the sum of N350,000 each, with the remaining money to be shared among the semi-finalists and other participants.
?Sixteen players, which includes the eight top ?male and eight top female players, will feature in the one-week event, which started on December 5, and run till Saturday, December 13.
?The female final will be held on Friday, December 12, while the male final will take up on Saturday, December 13.
In a statement released on Saturday, the NSC described the defender as “Captain Fantastic” and praised his decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, highlighting a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty.
“After a decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, Troost-Ekong leaves behind a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty,” the NSC stated.
The commission noted that, as one of the most capped defenders in Super Eagles history with 83 international appearances since his debut in 2015, Troost-Ekong served as a pillar of leadership across multiple tournaments and qualification campaigns.
“His exceptional outing at the last Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored three goals and was named Player of the Tournament, remains one of the most remarkable achievements by a defender in AFCON history,” the NSC added.
The statement further emphasised that Troost-Ekong’s “Nigeria first” mindset, discipline and exemplary conduct set a standard for the next generation of athletes, with his influence within the national team extending beyond the pitch to inspire unity, resilience and professionalism among his teammates.
Meanwhile, Troost-Ekong has dismissed rumours that he was forced to retire by the country’s football administrators as punishment for leading a revolt against the NFF.
The 32-year-old’s announcement came less than a month before the AFCON, and he was named in the 54-man preliminary list. His decision sparked speculation, particularly as he had led a strike in protest against unpaid bonuses during the World Cup qualifying play-offs.
One fan speculated on social media, suggesting that Troost-Ekong was pressured to quit after exposing the NFF. The Al Khoolood defender offered a sharp retort, establishing that he unilaterally made the decision to retire.
“Not true! My own choice/decision and on my own terms. No one ever asked/tried to force me out. If anything, the opposite when I shared my decision. I wish the team all the best and support them together with all Nigerians for the upcoming AFCON to go all the way,” he wrote on X.
The NSC concluded by wishing Troost-Ekong the very best in the next chapter of his career and commending him for representing Nigeria with honour.
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