Sports
Monarch Commends Abolga Allstars Over Grassroots Football Dev
The Ada-Abuam, King Keleh
O.M. Obuge, of Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State has commended the Abua/Odual Allstars for their commitment to the development of grassroots football in the area.
King Obuge, who made the commendation during the final day of the 5th Edition of Abua/Odual Unity Cup at Central Abua last Saturday, noted that the tournament has united the communities and brought peace in the entire kingdom.
The Monarch commended the President of Abolga Allstars, Deacon Solomon Igbanibo for his focus and commitment in re-orienting and nurturing the youth for a better tomorrow.
According to him, “I commend the ABOLGA Allstars led by Deacon Solomon Igbanibo for ensuring that the competition continues inspite of the crisis in some parts of the kingdom.
He noted that the tournament has no doubt witnessed tremendous improvement in the last five years as most of the players who have participated had advanced to higher playing carrier.
“The gain of this competition has been enormous, but the most important and valuable to us are the peace and the unity it boosted among the communities and people”, he said.
He however encouraged the players to always keep faith, advising that this kind of tournament were where talents are spotted and developed.
According to him, Kanu Nwankwo, Stephen Keshi, Sampson Siasia and many other players that have made Nigeria proud were spotted from a competiton of this nature and worked themselves to where they are today.
He tasked the players to be committed to their profession, noting that commitment is one way that would help elevate them to a greater heights.
The highlight of the occasion was the presentation of awards to companies and persons who assisted the success of the competition.
Meanwhile, the final match between Netbombers Football Club and BrighStars FC ended in favour of BrightStars FC.
The match which entered into a penalty shoot out saw the goalkeeper of the BrightStars FC, Dida Emmanuel stopping all the kicks of the Netbombers FC. The United Brothers finished in third place.
Certificates of participation were given to teams while Cup and medals were also given to female team Champion and the male team Champion.
Speaking to newsmen, the President of Abua/Odual Allstars said he would step down as the president of the Association this year haven piloted the affairs of the Association for five years and hope that the new executive would carry on with the achievements of the association to a higher levels.
Sports
European Giants Circle For Osimhen
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
Sports
Tennis Event Boosts Grassroots Development Push
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.
Sports
W/Cup Qualifier: Flamingos In Impressive Opener
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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