Sports
Jonathan Charges Eagles On World Cup Challenge
President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday in Abuja charged the Super Eagles to lead a successful African onslaught on the World Cup trophy at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.
Jonathan who gave the charge at a sendforth dinner tagged “Super Eagles Celebration Night’’, said African leaders were hopeful that one of their six teams in the competition would win the trophy which no African country has ever won.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup finals are scheduled for June 11 to July 11 in South Africa.
Hosts South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and Cameroon are participating in the 32-team event that is being hosted on the African continent for the first time.
“African leaders are hopeful that one of us will win the competition, and therefore I enjoin you to go there and do it because my government will reward you adequately and your names will be written in the annals of history,’’ Jonathan said.
He said the team should go on to give the country a surprise birthday gift as it clocks 50 years after independence.
This, he said, would motivate him to give the players a surprise package.
“There will be no promise for you of what I will do, but when you give the nation that surprise gift, nothing will be too much then for us to give you.
“You have every reason to do well at the World Cup in this year of our 50th Independence Anniversary. So, bring the golden trophy for us as a golden birthday gift,’’ he said.
President Jonathan promised to be in South Africa for the June 11 opening ceremony and the team’s opening Group B game against Argentina on June 12 as the team’s number one fan.
“I will be there and I am expecting you to make me and other Nigerians happy,’’ he said, while advising the team to display the highest sense of discipline and teamwork at the event.
He said he was counting on the team’s Technical Adviser Lars Lagerback to properly guide the team to victory at the competition.
“I and all Nigerians count on the experience of Lagerback and his team to guide the players to success, and I believe he will train the team adequately to bring success to Nigeria,’’ the President said.
Jonathan praised the late President Umaru Yar’Adua for his contributions in ensuring the team earned the ticket to be part of the historic competition which would be the first time six African countries would take part in its 80-year history.
“I say congratulations to all who contributed to the qualification of the team. But this history cannot be completely recorded without mentioning the contributions of our late President Yar’Adua.
“His foresight in setting up the Presidential Task Force (PTF) to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is what we are seeing today,’’ he said.
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
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.
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.