Sports
Ghana Will Be Champions – Coach Stevanovic
Nothing less than victory in the 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations final next month will do for hard-to-please Ghana coach, Goran Stevanovic.
The 45-year-old Serbian coach is in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea for the continental tournament with a squad considered joint favourites beside Côte d’Ivoire. Ghana launch a three-match Group D campaign on Monday against surprise qualifiers Botswana followed at four-day intervals by meetings with Mali and Guinea.
It is a group the Black Stars are favoured to win and move within three victories of a title they last held 30 years ago when pipping hosts Libya in a penalty shoot-out. “We were runners-up at the last Cup of Nations in Angola two years ago and a repeat of what has already been achieved is not good enough,” said Stefanovic.
“My players and I are motivated. All of us have spoken a lot about this African tournament and we agree Ghana are going to be champions. We are under pressure, but that is normal in football. The record of Ghana in the Cup of Nations means they will always be among the favourites and we accept that playing in the final is the least our supporters expect from us.”
Stevanovic played as a midfielder at home and in Spain, Portugal and Greece and coached leading Belgrade outfit Partizan before succeeding compatriot Milovan Rajevac after Ghana reached the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ quarter-finals in South Africa.
A few months prior to that, Rajevac had taken a team severely depleted by injuries to the Africa Cup of Nations final in Angola where they held defending champions Egypt for 85 minutes before conceding the only goal of the game.
Many of those Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup squad members have travelled to central Africa this week, including centre-back John Mensah, midfielders Andre Ayew and Sulley Muntari and fit-again striker Asamoah Gyan.
The sight of Gyan scoring in a warm-up win over South African Premiership club Platinum Stars will have cheered Stevanovic as the United Arab Emirates-based star had been doubtful for the tournament because of a hamstring injury.
“In my humble opinion, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal should reach the last four and one of them will probably play in the final. Mali are also a team to watch out for,” said the Ghana coach.
The four-time African champions have never played Botswana or Mali in the Cup of Nations, but boast an impressive record of three victories and a draw against the Guineans.
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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