NIGERIA
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Super Falcons will return to training on Thursday as they look forward to the Round of sixteen encounter against England at the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Randy Waldrum’s side booked their spot in the knockout round after a goalless draw against Republic of Ireland on Monday.
The Falcons were granted a two-day rest by the technical crew after the encounter against the Girls in Green.
The players were out sightseeing in Brisbane on Wednesday as part of their recovery routine.
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Former Super Eagles defender, Sam Sodje, has expressed discontent over comment by Secretary-General of the Federation Internationale de Football Association, Fatma Samoura, disparaging the Nigerian Football Federation.
Sodje, who stated that the comment was uncalled for, said it was disrespectful for her to castigate and implicate Nigeria, a nation that has contributed so much to football, without investigating the genesis of this problem.
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The Nigeria Professional Football League champions, Enyimba, have confirmed the departure of eleven players.
Enyimba released the names of the affected players on their official website.
Super Eagles goalkeeper, John Noble left the Aba giants following the expiration of his contract.
Noble has linked up with Tanzanian club, Tabora United.
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The Nigeria National League NNL, has maintained its stand on staging the relegation playoffs in Kano despite complaints from participating teams.
The coalition of the eight participating teams had complained about the implications of the tournament.
The NNL has expressed its readiness to host the tournament.
The draw for the playoff is scheduled for Saturday, at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.
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Abdulraheem Shola has rejoined Kwara United for a second stint.
Shola played for the Harmony Boys during the 2019 Nigeria Premeir League NPL, season .
He is currently with the Kabiru Dogo’s side in Ikenne in preparation for the upcoming NPL season.
The midfielder featured regularly for Niger Tornadoes during his time at the Minna club.
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IN WOMEN’S WORLD
Jamaica manager Lorne Donaldson says his team had “never had this much fun” after reaching the Women’s World Cup last 16 for the first time, leaving Brazil devastated.
They battled out a cagey encounter in Melbourne and Jamaica put in a stubborn defensive display to ensure their impressive tournament still has another chapter.
The Reggae Girlz, ranked 43rd in the world, kept three clean sheets in the group stages of their second World Cup, having conceded twelve goals in three defeats in 2019’s competition.
Brazil, who recalled striker Marta to the starting XI, could not find the goal they needed and failed to progress for the first time in twenty-eight years.
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Marta’s sixth and final Women’s World Cup ended in despair beyond her “worst nightmares” as Brazil failed to reach the knockout stage in Australia and New Zealand.
A goalless draw against Jamaica saw Brazil eliminated as their Caribbean opponents reached the last 16 alongside France.
Marta’s legacy has long been cemented and she bows out as the greatest scorer in the tournament’s history with seventeen goals.
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South Africa are into the round of sixteen after claiming their first Women’s World Cup win with a thrilling three-two victory over Italy in Wellington.
Thembi Kgatlana’s stoppage-time winner came after Italy fought back to level with an Arianna Caruso header.
The late drama completed an emotional fortnight for the South African goalscorer.
South Africa will play Group E winners the Netherlands on Sunday.
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Sweden beat Argentina to make it three wins from three at the Women’s World Cup, clinching top spot in Group G and a mouth-watering last-16 meeting with the USA.
After a fiercely contested hour, Sweden’s extra quality shone through, with Rebecka Blomqvist finding space in the box to power home Sofia Jakobsson’s cross from close range.
Elin Rubensson put the result beyond doubt with a coolly taken late penalty after Blomqvist had been fouled in the box as Argentina sought to defend a free-kick.
Argentina depart the tournament having finished bottom of the group with one point.
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France manager, Herve Renard has warned his players “not to take anything for granted” as they survived a scare to beat Panama and finish top of Group F at the Women’s World Cup.
After Panama led through Marta Cox’s superb free-kick, France took control in Sydney with Kadi Diani scoring a hat-trick.
But Panama pulled two goals back, and Renard was unhappy his side eased off.
France will face the runners up in Group H – possibly Germany – in the last 16..
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ENGLAND
Arsenal have rounded off their pre-season campaign by beating Monaco five-four on penalties to claim the Emirates Cup.
In their final test ahead of their Community Shield showdown against Manchester City on Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side triumphed on a home debut for several summer signings.
The visitors proved stern opponents, however, and took the lead in the first half through Youssouf Fofana, before the Gunners’ captain, Eddie Nketiah, equalised.
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Arsenal striker, Gabriel Jesus has had minor knee surgery and will miss the start of the Premier League season.
Jesus did not play in Wednesday’s pre-season win over Monaco and manager Mikel Arteta confirmed afterwards that the Brazil forward would be out for a few weeks after a little procedure.
His injury is related to the knee problems he had last season, which also required surgery.
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Chelsea fought back to earn a draw in their final pre-season fixture against Borussia Dortmund.
At Soldier Field, Chicago, young striker Mason Burstow’s looping 90th minute header cancelled out Marius Wolf’s opener for Dortmund to ensure Chelsea ended unbeaten in the States at the end of their five-game tour.
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Meanwhile, Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino believes the Soldier Field pitch was not to blame for Christopher Nkunku’s knee injury which is being assessed by Chelsea’s doctors.
Nkunku was forced off midway through the first half and Pochettino said Chelsea would know more after they return to London on Thursday.
The injury came on a surface that looked patchy and uneven following an Ed Sheeran concert at the weekend which had part of the seventy-three thousand crowd standing area on the pitch.
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Defender Levi Colwill has signed a new six-year deal with Chelsea, with an option for a further year.
The England Under-twenty-one international helped Brighton qualify for the Europa League last season, making seventeen Premier League appearances while on loan at the club.
Colwill joined Chelsea at the age of eight, progressing through the Blues youth teams before being loaned to Huddersfield in 2021/22, where he made twenty-nine Championship appearances and helped the club reach the play-off final.
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Chelsea striker, Romelu Lukaku has agreed a three-year deal with Juventus ahead of a possible exit this summer.
The Serie A giants are keen to land Lukaku and are offering Dusan Vlahovic in a swap deal.
Juventus are also demanding a forty million euros fee as part of the transfer.
Chelsea are yet to make a final decision on the move and it is believed new manager Mauricio Pochettino would be “crucial” in making the call.
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Manchester City have agreed a fee of seventy-seven million pounds with RB Leipzig for Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol.
The deal for the player does not include add-ons, meaning the eighty million pounds Manchester United paid Leicester City for Harry Maguire in 2019 remains the British record for a defender.
He has been a key player for Leipzig in the eighty-seven games he played for them since signing from Dynamo Zagreb in 2021.
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Negotiations are currently taking place with ‘multiple parties’ as the Manchester United takeover saga rumbles on.
With the season rapidly approaching, concerns had been raised that a long-running process which started last November might be paused to allow the club’s owners, the Glazer family, to reassess their options.
The current situation is that discussions are continuing with a number of groups with a view to a full sale or partial investment.
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted there is still work to do before the season starts following the club’s four-three loss to Bayern Munich.
The Reds took a two-goal lead in the pre-season fixture in Singapore, with Cody Gakpo and Van Dijk on target.
Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane levelled matters for Bayern, only for Luis Diaz to restore the lead, as Josip Stanisic equalised and Frans Kratzig netted a dramatic 91st minute winner.
Liverpool scored fifteen goals in four pre-season games, but have conceded ten as they continue their search for a defensive midfielder.
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Former Premier League players Manuel Lanzini and Lucas Moura have agreed deals with their boyhood clubs in South America.
Argentina midfielder Lanzini and Brazil winger Moura were released by West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season.
Lanzini, signed for River Plate, who are based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on a one-year deal.
While Moura, also returned to his home country with Sao Paulo.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Tennis; Britain’s Emma Raducanu has returned to the practice court for the first time since undergoing wrist and ankle surgery in May.
The 20-year-old posted a video of herself hitting with compatriot Kyle Edmund at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton on Wednesday.
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In Boxing; Undisputed super-lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron will face Katie Taylor in a rematch at the 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday 25 November.
The English boxer, will put her four titles on the line again after beating previously undefeated Taylor on points in their first fight in May.
Cameron was awarded the verdict over the Irishwoman on a majority verdict.
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In Athletics; Hammer thrower Gwendolyn Berry has been banned for 16 months by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for a banned substance.
The suspension means the American will miss this month’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
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In Golf; Gemma Dryburgh has already ticked two career goals off her list in the past few days. Now she aims to shine on home soil at the Women’s Scottish Open and close in on her long-held Solheim Cup dream.
The Scot headed to Ayrshire with a spring in her step after her best finish in a major, eighth place at the Evian Championship in France on Sunday.
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In Cricket; Sunil Narine took a miserly 2-14 and then plundered 13 off five balls at the death to give Oval Invincibles a three-wicket victory over London Spirit in their opening match of The Hundred.
Adam Rossington and Matthew Wade helped Spirit post 131 at Lord’s as Nathan Sowter finished with 3-34.
The Invincibles slipped to 24-3 in response but Sam Curran and Sam Billings rebuilt the innings.
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OTHER LEAGUES.
Inter Miami superstar, Lionel Messi’s magical start to life at the team continued as he netted a brace to help his side beat Orlando City three-one in the Leagues Cup.
Messi did not wait long to give Miami the lead in the round of thirty-two matchup, as he volleyed in a Robert Taylor pass from close range in the seventh minute.
The hosts’ lead would be short-lived as Cesar Araujo pounced on a loose ball ten minutes later, quieting a South Florida crowd that once again packed DRV PNK Stadium to see its Argentine superstar.
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Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has slammed players who have decided to leave Europe for big-money deals in Saudi Arabia.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United for Al Nassr, a number of footballers have made the move to the Middle East.
Laporta believes they are not moving to the Saudi Pro League for the right reasons.
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Former Italy goalkeeper and World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football at the aged of forty-five.
Buffon brings an end to a twenty-eight year career that saw him lift the World Cup in 2006 along with ten Serie A titles with Juventus and Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain.
He ends his career where it began in 1995, at Parma, now a Serie B club.
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Meanwhile, FIFA has wished legendary Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon all the best in his future.
The world’s football governing body said this while congratulating Buffon after the Juventus legend announced his retirement from professional football.
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Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has been formally indicted by a Spanish judge after he was jailed for alleged sexual assault in January.
Alves was arrested over an allegation he assaulted a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December.
The judge said she had found evidence of wrongdoing by the 40-year-old.
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TODAY’S THOUGHT
Success is no accident, it comes from studying, hardwork, perseverance, and sacrifice, most all, it comes from a love of what you do….words from Pele.
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