NIGERIA
The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has commended the Super Falcons for displaying thorough sportsmanship at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand.
Tinubu stated this while welcoming the members of the Super Falcons team and their officials in Abuja.
The Super Falcons crashed out of the Women’s World Cup in the round of 16 after losing 4-2 via penalty shootout.
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The Nigerian Football Federation President, Ibrahim Gusau, has insisted that the Super Falcons players will earn 60,000 dollars each following their elimination from the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Gusau spoke in Abuja, thanking the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, for her support to the Super Falcons team before, during and after their performance at the Women’s World Cup.
He promised that all the entitlements of the Super Falcons team and their officials would be paid accordingly.
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FIFA, CAF and Paris Saint-Germain, have sent birthday greetings to legendary Nigerian captain, the midfield impresario and one of the country’s most gifted players in history, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, who turned 50.
Also, the Nigeria Football Federation and Bolton Wanderers sent birthday wishes to the iconic midfielder.
Jay-Jay Okocha turned fifty on Monday.
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Former Super Eagles forward, Daniel Amokachi, has been appointed head, technical committee of the Nigeria Professional Football League.
The committee, which is made up of nine members, also include veteran journalists, Mitchell Obi, Deji Omotoyinbo and Segun Agbede.
Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Austine Eguavoen, former Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba, veteran tactician, Godwin Uwa, Harrison Jallah and Davidson Adejuwon, are the other members of the committee.
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Rangers head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu is optimistic his team will have a good outing in the Nigeria Professional Football League next season.
Ilechukwu said the Flying Antelopes have all it takes to challenge for the title.
He admitted that the team needs some improvement but assured that the players are ready for the new season.
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Sunshine Stars head coach, Edith Agoye, has assured that his team will be ready for the new season.
The Owena Waves suffered a setback in their preparation for the new season with back-to-back defeats at the ongoing Optimal Energy pre-season tournament.
The former Shooting Stars coach called for calm from the club’s supporters ahead of the upcoming season.
The 2023/24 Nigeria Professional Football League season will commence on September 8.
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Nigerian striker Akor Adams made history in his debut game for French Ligue 1 club Montpellier against Le Havre.
Adams scored Montpellier’s two goals in their 2-2 draw against Le Havre in their first league game of the season.
The 23-year-old equalized for his side in the 58th minute before putting them 2-1 ahead in the 60th minute.
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D’Tigers, began their journey to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on the wrong foot after a 93-87 loss to fierce rivals Senegal in their first game of the pre-Olympic qualifiers at the Eko Hotels Convention Centre on Monday.
Nigeria raced to an early lead in the first quarter but the Senegalese fought back to reduce the deficit to just a point as the D’Tigers held a 26-25 lead.
The second and third quaters were keenly contested but Senegal took a 10-point lead midway through the last quarter with 80-7- points.
Nigeria’s late rally was too little too late as Senegal ran out with the 93-87 points win.
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IN WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
A new name will be etched on the Women’s World Cup trophy, with semi-finalists Sweden, Spain, Australia and England all hoping to win the competition for the first time.
On Tuesday, Sweden, ranked third in the world the highest of the four teams left in the competition take on Spain who are playing in just their third World Cup.
And on Wednesday, co-hosts Australia will face European champions England in Sydney.
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Sweden boss, Jonas Eidevall, says the team will not be haunted by past semi-final heartbreaks when they face Spain for a place in the Women’s World Cup final.
The Swedes lost 1-0 to the Netherlands in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup, before suffering a 4-0 defeat by England in the last four at Euro 2022.
They face Spain in Auckland on Tuesday looking to reach the World Cup final for the first time since 2003.
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England midfielder Keira Walsh says the “pressure is on Australia” in front of a home crowd in their Women’s World Cup semi-final.
The Lionesses, who won Euro 2022 on home soil last summer, are playing in their third successive World Cup semi.
Co-hosts Australia are in the last four for the first time but will have strong backing in Sydney’s 81,500-capacity Stadium Australia on Wednesday.
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ENGLAND
Manchester United rode their luck to start the Premier League season with victory as Raphael Varane’s header earned a 1-0 win over Wolves on Monday.
Wolves had seen manager Julen Lopetegui walk out less than a week before the new campaign, but dominated for long spells at Old Trafford.
A combination of wasteful finishing and new United goalkeeper Andre Onana kept the visitors at bay until Varane headed in 14 minutes from time.
The Red Devils then clung on to get off to a winning start, in stark contrast to the two defeats that began Erik ten Hag’s reign 12 months ago.
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Bournemouth are looking to sign midfielder Tyler Adams from Championship side Leeds United by activating his release clause, which is understood to be £20m.
The United States player, 24, joined Leeds last summer from German side RB Leipzig for about the same price.
Adams looked set to move to Chelsea but that fell through earlier this week.
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Chelsea have completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo for a £100m fee that could rise to a British club record of £115m.
Caicedo’s preference was Chelsea and they finally succeeded with a bid on Sunday after having a succession of offers rejected.
Caicedo, who joined Brighton for £4m in February 2021, has agreed an eight-year contract at Stamford Bridge and the Blues have an option of a further year.
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West Ham United have signed midfielder James Ward-Prowse from Southampton for a fee thought to be in the region of £30m.
The England international, has joined the Hammers on a four-year deal.
Ward-Prowse joined Southampton at the age of eight and made 410 senior appearances as well as captaining the club, who were relegated to the Championship last season.
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Everton have completed the signing of English winger Jack Harrison on a season-long loan from Leeds United.
Everton said he will continue his rehabilitation from a minor hip injury before being available for selection.
Harrison is Everton’s fourth summer signing following the arrivals of full-back Ashley Young, winger Arnaut Danjuma and striker Youssef Chermiti.
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Aston Villa says the team’s defender Tyrone Mings has sustained a “significant” knee injury that requires surgery and a “lengthy rehabilitation process”.
The England international was carried off on a stretcher during Villa’s 5-1 defeat at Newcastle.
Mings missed just 12 Premier League games since Villa were promoted back to the top flight in 2019.
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Former England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has joined Turkish side Besiktas following his release by Liverpool at the end of last season.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has 35 England caps but last played for his country in 2019, has signed a three-year deal with the Istanbul club.
He helped Liverpool win the Premier League title in 2020 but was hampered by injuries at Anfield.
The former Southampton and Arsenal player made 13 appearances last season.
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Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, defender Eric Dier remains “part of this team” despite missing their 2-2 draw at Brentford,
The new Spurs boss left the England international out of his squad for Sunday’s season opener.
Dier, who joined Spurs in 2014, was overlooked for the captaincy following Harry Kane’s departure and has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.
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Police are investigating two reports of homophobic abuse which allegedly occurred during Brighton’s Premier League match against Luton.
The Seagulls claimed a 4-1 win over the newly promoted visitors at Amex Stadium on Saturday.
Sussex Police football officer Darren Balkham said the force will “seek prosecutions” where appropriate.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Tennis; American veteran Venus Williams beat a top-20 player for the first time in four years with victory over Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati.
Williams fought back from a double break down in each set to win 6-4 7-5 against 16th-ranked Kudermetova.
The seven-time major singles champion smiled broadly as she celebrated winning at a US tournament for the first time in more than three years.
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Jannik Sinner and Jessica Pegula both cruised to straight-set wins in the finals of the Canadian Open.
Italian Sinner, 21, saw off Alex de Minaur 6-4 6-1 in 90 minutes in Toronto, breaking the 24-year-old Australian’s serve on five occasions.
American Pegula won her final in Montreal, dominating Russian Liudmila Samsonova to win 6-0 6-1 in just 49 minutes.
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In Cricket; Ireland earned a thumping 10-wicket win over the Netherlands in the T20 series opener in Amstelveen as Arlene Kelly produced bowling figures of 5-12.
Kelly dismissed Dutch top-scorer Robine Rijke for 38 with Phebe Molkenboer and Caroline de Lange the other home batters to reach double figures.
Ireland reached their target in only 13.1 overs, with openers Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis unbeaten.
The sides will meet again at the same venue on Wednesday and Thursday.
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In Rugby; France fly-half Romain Ntamack has been ruled out of a home Rugby World Cup because of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Ntamack, 24, injured his left knee in Les Bleus’ 30-27 World Cup warm-up win over Scotland.
France, who are hosting the World Cup, play New Zealand in the opening game on 8 September at Stade de France.
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OTHER LEAGUES
Paris Saint-Germain have agreed a deal to sell Brazil forward Neymar to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for about £77.6m plus add-ons.
The transfer is subject to the 31-year-old completing a medical and all necessary paperwork.
Neymar, who joined PSG for a world-record fee of £200m in 2017, was left out of their squad for the Ligue 1 draw against Lorient on Saturday.
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Real Madrid have signed Spain goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea on a season-long loan.
He will cover for Madrid’s regular number one Thibaut Courtois, who will miss most of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Kepa made 163 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Athletic Bilbao for £71m in August 2018 – the highest fee ever paid for a goalkeeper.
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TODAY’S THOUGHT
“Character is like a tree and reputation is like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing,” – Abraham Lincoln.
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