Sports
Former Champion Decries Decline In Squash
A former National Squash Champion, Friday Omeben, has decried the lack of competitions currently bedeviling the sport in the country.
Omeben spoke with newsmen last week, in Lagos.
He said that the situation had made it impossible for squash players to participate in competitions that would sharpen their skills and improve their competitive edge.
Omeben, champion in1980, implored the Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF) to find ways to make the federation more active.
The former champion, who noted that the federation could only attract sponsors by having visible programmes, urged it to revamp its marketing department.
“Our players are not getting the type of exposure they need; normally in a season they should have regular competitions, now we can’t even boast of two tournaments in a year,’’ he said.
Omeben regretted that squash was not the only sport battling with inactivity as other sports faced a similar challenge, noting that coaches and players were worried by the development.
“The economic situation of the country is not helping matters; the economic crunch is biting harder.
“No sponsor wants to partner if there are no benefits; and there must be an incentive of sorts; there must be derivable benefits in place to entice them,’’ he said.
On refresher courses, Omeben said that the NSF had not been able to organise any for its coaches.
“Well, since we can’t travel out for refresher courses, we regularly acquaint ourselves with the current trends in the sport through the internet, which has being helpful,’’ he said.
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CAFCL : Rivers United Arrives DR Congo
Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt contingent, comprising players, technical crew, backroom staff, and officials, depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State on Wednesday, bound for Kinshasa, DR Congo.
The team is set to face FC Les Aigles du Congo in the first-round first-leg match of the CAF Champions League.
This was contained in a press release signed by the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku and made available to Tidesports on Wednesday.
He said that the highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at the 80,000-capacity Kinshasa-Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs on morrow with kickoff slated for 3:30pm.
According to the statement the encounter marks the first-ever meeting between both sides in any competition, adding that an air of excitement and unpredictability to the fixture.
“As the Pride of Nigeria embarks on this crucial journey, the team is determined to return with a decent result that will set them up favorably for the second leg on Sunday, 28th September” the statement said.
Sports
FIFA rankings: S’Eagles drop Position, remain sixth in Africa
The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.
Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.
Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.
Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.
The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.
Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.
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