NIGERIA
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Minister of Sports Development, John Owan- Enoh has called on public servants to imbibe the culture of physical fitness so as to ensure a more productive and healthy nation.

The minister gave the charge at the October edition of the monthly keep-fit aerobics exercise ahead of the 2023 Federal Public Service Games.

He said the ministry was ready to partner with any organisation to develop programmes that will encourage sports development in the country.

The 2024 Olympic Games second round second leg qualifier between the Super Falcons and Crux of Ethiopia will be open to fans free of charge.

The Nigeria Football Federation made the announcement on Sunday.

It adopted the measure to encourage fans to come out in large numbers and support the team.

The encounter is slated for the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja thirty-first October.

Super Falcons will now hope to get their World Cup bonus after the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) announced they have paid the prize monies to all the Football Federations.

Each Super Falcons player will receive sixty thousand dollars after they were eliminated at the Round of sixteen stage.

There were fears the players will not be paid their bonus by the Nigeria Football Federation, but FIFA has assured they will get their pay.

The Lucy of Ethiopia have arrived Abuja ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics second round, second leg qualifying match against the Super Falcons of Nigeria.

The 35-person delegation arrived the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport on Sunday aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight.

The Ethiopians were held to a one-all draw by the Super Falcons in the first leg in midweek.

The reverse fixture is billed for the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday.

Rivers United have halted Lobi Stars unbeaten run in the Nigeria Premier League this season, edging out the visitors one-nill at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.

Alex Oyowah scored the decisive goal three minutes before the break.

Also, Shooting Stars continued their impressive form, handing Doma United a three-one defeat.

Nelson Abiam silenced the home fans when he gave Doma United the lead in the ninth minute.

Rangers captain, Chukwudi Nwaodu says the youngsters in the team made victory possible against Kano Pillars.

Rangers defeated the Sai Masu Gida four-one at the Awka City Stadium.

Nwaodu who got a brace in the encounter said it was difficult for their visitors to contain the firepower of the Flying Antelopes led by the young players.

Rangers currently occupy the top spot on the table following the win.

Six-time Korea Cup Champion, Nzelu Chukwudi, is upbeat ahead of the 2023 African Taekwondo Championship billed to be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in November.

The 2023 African Taekwondo Championship a G4 level event is scheduled for 11th to 12th November.

Chukwudi won the men’s -87kg final at the 11th Korea Ambassador Cup in Abuja.

ENGLAND

Manchester City have cruised past Manchester United with embarrassing ease in the derby at Old Trafford to emphasise the vast gulf between the two sides.

Erling Haaland was the main tormentor with goals in each half before setting up a third for Phil Foden as Pep Guardiola’s side established superiority from the kick-off and rarely looked like relinquishing control.

There were poignant scenes before the start as supporters from both sides of Manchester’s footballing divide joined to pay tribute to the late Sir Bobby Charlton.

Liverpool’s players have showed their support to absent team-mate Luis Diaz during a comfortable three-nil win over Nottingham Forest at Anfield.

Diaz missed the match following reports his parents had been kidnapped in Colombia, with officials still searching for the winger’s missing father after his mother was rescued.

Diogo Jota, surrounded by his team-mates, held up the Colombia winger’s shirt after firing the Reds into a 31st-minute lead when Matt Turner turned Darwin Nunez’s attempt into the Portuguese forward’s path.

Liverpool say they are “aware of an ongoing situation” involving the family of Luis Diaz after reports his parents had been kidnapped in Colombia.

Colombian president Gustavo Petro said on social media that the 26-year-old’s mother had been found in Barrancas but his father was still missing.

Liverpool said Diaz’s welfare “will continue to be the team’s immediate priority”.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said it was a “worrying situation for the team.

Aston Villa have claimed their fifth win in six Premier League games with a comfortable victory over Luton Town at Villa Park.

John McGinn opened the scoring in the first half with his fourth goal of the season, while Moussa Diaby netted the second goal after the break.

He used his pace to chase a ball over the top before his cross was turned in by Luton captain Tom Lockyer scored an own goal for Aston Villa’s while Luton’s only goal was scored by goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

Joao Palhinha netted the equaliser as Fulham fought back from a goal down to draw at Brighton and leave the hosts without a win in four Premier League games.

Evan Ferguson gave Brighton a deserved lead as the home side put in a commanding display in the opening 45 minutes at the Amex Stadium.

The Seagulls are now seventh in the table, while Fulham remain 14th.

Everton’s stat, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s piece of brilliance ensured the team secured a vital Premier League victory in their first game since the death of chairman Bill Kenwright.

On a poignant day for the Merseyside club, striker Calvert-Lewin turned his marker with a clever flick before firing low into the bottom corner.

Everton move five points clear of the relegation zone, climbing above Nottingham Forest who lost three-nil at Liverpool on goal difference to sixth from bottom in the table.

Sir Alex Ferguson has described Sir Bobby Charlton as a “tower of strength” in a tribute to the England and Manchester United legend.

Charlton, a key figure in England’s 1966 World Cup victory, died at the age of 86 earlier this month.

Former United manager Ferguson said Charlton was “the greatest English player of all time”.

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OTHER LEAGUES

Paris Saint-Germain froward, Kylian Mbappe scored twice as the team fended off a Brest fightback to win and move up to second in Ligue 1.

Warren Zaire-Emery put the visitors ahead with a shot from distance early on before Mbappe’s deflected finish appeared to have them in control.

Steve Mounie and Jeremy le Douaron scored a goal each for Brest.

Rangers’ determination to “never give up” drew praise from manager Philippe Clement after his side overturned a deficit in the dying minutes to defeat Hearts.

James Tavernier atoned for an earlier penalty miss by converting a VAR-awarded spot-kick in the 90th minute then crossed for Danilo to head a dramatic winner, reducing Celtic’s Scottish Premiership lead to five points.

Lawrence Shankland’s header had silenced the Ibrox crowd early on but Steven Naismith’s side ultimately sustained successive defeats.

Marseille’s Ligue 1 home match with Lyon has postponed after Lyon boss Fabio Grosso was injured when the team coach was attacked on the way to the ground.

Images on social media showed a bloodied Grosso laid on a stretcher.

The Lyon coach was hit by rocks on its way to Stade Velodrome.

Barcelona will “investigate any racist insult” following reports Real Madrid’s Brazil forward Vinicius Junoir was abused by fans during Saturday’s El Clasico.

Two goals from Jude Bellingham, including a last-minute winner, saw Madrid beat their fierce rivals 2-1 at Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.

The alleged racist abuse occurred when the 23-year-old, who has been targeted several times during his time in Spain, was substituted in added time.

OTHER SPORTS

Boxing promoter, Frank Warren, says the undisputed heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is unlikely to happen until next year.

Fury beat Francis Ngannou via a controversial split decision in a non-title fight in Saudi Arabia.

Briton Fury is the WBC champion and has agreed to fight Ukraine’s Usyk, who holds the three other world titles.

In Cricket, England’s miserable World Cup campaign has slumped further as they collapsed to a 100-run defeat by hosts India in Lucknow.

Chasing 230 on a tricky pitch, the defending champions were bowled out for 129 amid raucous home support in their latest batting capitulation.

It is their fourth defeat in succession in India and their fifth overall – the first time they have lost five times at a World Cup.

The results sends the unbeaten hosts back to the top of the table.

In Rugby, New Zealand captain Sam Cane says his red card in the Rugby World Cup final defeat by South Africa is something he will have to “live with forever”.

Cane’s high tackle on Jesse Kriel in the 27th minute was upgraded to a red card following a TMO ‘bunker’ review.

The 31-year-old became the first male player to be sent off in a World Cup final as his side narrowly lost 12-11.

Still in Rugby, Ulster made it two wins from two in the United Rugby Championship with a 26-19 victory over Bulls on their new artificial 3G pitch at Kingspan Stadium.

Tom Stewart and Jacob Stockdale scored early tries but Gerhard Steenkamp and Sebastian de Klerk responded for the Bulls, who trailed 14-12 at half-time.

Nathan Doak kicked Ulster further clear but Elrigh Louw crossed for the Bulls.

In Cricket, England coach Matthew Mott and all-rounder Chris Woakes have denied suggestions by former captain Eoin Morgan that dressing room issues are behind their poor World Cup results.

Morgan, who led the team to 2019 World Cup success, said his former side were “definitely unsettled”.

In Tennis, Dan Evans has withdrawn from Great Britain’s team for the Davis Cup Finals with a calf injury.

Evans had been named alongside Cameron Norrie, Andy Murray, Jack Draper and Neal Skupski to face Serbia in Malaga in November.

The British number two limped off court at the Erste Bank Open on Tuesday after sustaining the injury.

In Golf, Alison Lee has completed a record-breaking weekend at the Aramco Team Series in Saudi Arabia by shooting a seven-under-par final-round 65 to secure an eight-shot victory.

American Lee, broke the 54-shot scoring record on the Ladies European Tour with a 29-under 187.

She finished above Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, who was three shots ahead of England’s Charley Hull in Riyadh.

In Athletics, Belfast man Stephen Scullion has finished third in the men’s race at the Dublin Marathon as Ethiopian winner Kemal Husen set a new course record of two hours six minutes and 52 seconds.

Husen went to halfway in 1:02.56 and eventually bettered Othmane El Goumri’s 2019 mark by one minute and 14 seconds.

Uganda’s Geofrey Kusuro was second in 2:10.45 with Scullion clocking 2:11.51.

Other Results of the Matches Played Over Weekend

In Nigeria Premier Football League.
Bendel Insurance 0 – 0 Akwa United

Rangers 4 – 1 Kano Pillars

Gombe United 1 – 0 Plateau United

Katsina United 3 – 2 Sunshine Stars

Bayelsa United 2 – 1 Kwara United

Abia Warriors 1 – 0 Heartland FC

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