Sports
Black Queens Crash Out Of AWC
Ghana’s Black Queens lost on penalties to Cameroon in the final round of qualifying for the African Women’s Championship.
It means that Cameroon will have two major tournaments this year after they reached the London Olympics that kick off next month.
South Africa, who are also Olympic-bound, also advanced to the AWC finals with a win over Zambia.
Holders Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Senegal and DR Congo will join hosts Equatorial Guinea in November’s finals.
Cameroon and Ghana drew 1-1 on Sunday to make it 2-2 on aggregate to force a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
The Indomitable Lionesses eventually won 9-8 on penalties to knock out Ghana, who for the first ever time have failed to reach the AWC finals.
South Africa scored a thrilling 2-1 victory over Zambia in the second leg of their qualifier to complete a convincing 6-2 aggregate victory.
Portia Modise continued her prolific goal-scoring form by netting her 70th goal in her 91st appearance for the national team in the 18th minute.
The Zambians struck back almost immediately with a goal from Mwila Bowa in the 20th minute after the South African defence failed to clear their lines.
Modise restored South Africa’s lead with a powerfully-struck left-footed effort two minutes into the second half.
“I am happy with the effort of the team and the different combinations we tried,” said Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza.
“It’s also good to see that all the players we fielded put up a good fight.
“As I’ve always said, it’s not always good to rely on certain players but to also give others an equal opportunity to play.
“Now we need to focus on building certain areas like goal scoring.”
The most convincing qualifiers though were Ivory Coast who thrashed hosts Mozambique 5-0 to make it a massive 12-0 overall.
Ethiopia also managed to win 1-0 away from home to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory over Tanzania.
Reigning champions Nigeria will be in Equatorial Guinea to defend their title after 4-0 win over visiting Zimbabwe, that made it 6-0 in total.
Senegal made it to their first ever AWC finals but needed penalties at home to beat Morocco after both legs ended goalless.
DR Congo were given a bye in the third round after their opponents Equatorial Guinea were chosen hosts of the finals.
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
Financial Issues Stall Chelle’s Eagles Contract Talks
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has confirmed that financial discussions are ongoing over his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation, but insisted his attention remains on coaching duties and upcoming assignments.
Chelle, whose current deal runs until January 2027, said negotiations over his future are being handled by his representative, while he focuses on team preparation and player assessment following Nigeria’s strong showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where the team finished third.
Speaking to Nigerian journalists, he acknowledged that financial matters remain part of the ongoing talks but stressed that he is prioritising his responsibilities with the national team.
“Yes, there are financial issues to be discussed and resolved. But I leave them to my agent to handle with the federation,” Obayiuwana quoted Chelle as saying on X.
“I want to concentrate on the job and the task at hand.”
Chelle’s comments come amid increased attention on his future following Nigeria’s recent success, which has reportedly attracted interest from other teams, although he remains committed to ongoing preparation.
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