NIGERIA

Team Nigeria will hope to continue its dominance in track and field at the African Games as athletes begin to burn the tracks at the ongoing 2023 edition in Ghana.

Since the first edition of the African Games at Congo Brazzaville in 1965, Team Nigeria has dominated the athletics event, winning a total of 309 medals comprising 141 gold, 104 silver and 64 bronze.

While other events continue at different venues, attention will shift to the University of Ghana Sports Complex, where eight events will commence and enter the semi-finals.

Former Super Eagles coach, Adeboye Onigbinde has expressed confidence in the ability of the indigenous coaches in the country to deliver for the senior national team if given the free hands to operate.

Onigbinde said there are better indigenous coaches who could make positive impact with the Super Eagles if given the opportunity.

Several top coaches have applied for the vacant post of the Super Eagles head coach since the position was advertised by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, following the expiration of the contract of Jose Peseiro.

Meanwhile, indigenous coaches such as Emmanuel Amuneke, Sylvanus Okpala, Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi, Salisu Yusuf and others have indicated interest for the job.

Nigerian international Tyrone Ebuehi who plays for Empoli will miss Super Eagles’ upcoming friendlies against Ghana and Mali due to injury.

Ebuehi sustained the injury during Empoli’s one-nil defeat to Bologna.

Empoli confirmed the injury through a statement on their official website on Monday.

Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala scored an historic for her new club Bay FC in their one-nil win away to Angel City in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

Oshoala scored in the 17th minute in Game Week One of the new season.

She wrote her name in the history books, as she scored the very first NWSL goal for Bay FC.

The win took Bay FC to fourth place in the 14-team league table.

The Falconets are on course to defend their gold medal at the African Games.

They took a step closer to that dream and defeated Uganda to reach the final of the football event of the competition.

Nigeria won the game 2-0 thanks to strikes in the 74th and 89th minutes by Okah Adaobi and Chiamaka Okwuchukwu.

Coach Christopher Danjuma’s side endured a feisty first half in the Monday semi-final encounter.

They controlled possession but breaching the Ugandan defence was a herculean task.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has warned the thirty-six Football Associations and FCT to play their Federation Cup final matches on either 30th or 31st March or risk a penalty of one million naira.

NFF’s director of competitions, Ruth David stated that the football house would no longer condone the disruptive attitude of some FA’s who set their own timetables outside that of the NFF.

The 2024 Federation Cup competition started across the states, 1st March.

The Confederation of African Football has confirmed official dates and kick-off times for the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final fixtures.

The quarter-finals will be played over a two-leg format with the first leg fixtures confirmed for 31st March, and the return leg set for 7th April.

Nigeria’s representative, Rivers United will host holders USMA of Algeria in the first quarter-final tie at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on 31st March.

Former champions Stade Malien will welcome Ghana’s Dreams FC to Bamako, while Abu Salim welcomes RS Berkane, and Future FC takes on Zamalek SC.

The anticipation is palpable as three African nations Egypt, Mali, and Morocco gear up for the highly awaited draw of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, set to hold in Saint-Denis, Paris on Wednesday.

Following their stellar performances in last year’s U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, these nations have emerged as formidable contenders.

CAF Online reveals on its website on Monday.

Shooting Stars technical adviser, Gbenga Ogunbote has set his sights on securing a continental ticket at the end of the season.

The Oluyole Warriors extended their unbeaten run to six games following a two-nil win over Remo Stars in Ibadan.

Shooting Stars climbed up to sixth position on the table with forty points following the win

Akwa United caretaker coach, Umar Abdullahi has commended his players for their positive approach in the one-all draw against Gombe United

Abdullahi believed his team were unfortunate not to get victory in the game.

He said the team’s target was to approach every match with a winning mentality and make the most of it chances in every match.

Doma United chairman, Suleiman Umar, has delivered a three-match ultimatum to the club’s technical crew and players following their poor run in the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL.

Umar threatened decisive action if performance does not improve.

The football administrator expressed his concern in a meeting with the players and officials after Sunday’s four-nil drubbing at the hands of Bendel Insurance.

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Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh has emphasised the urgent need for an African country to host the Commonwealth Games, highlighting the continent’s absence as hosts since the inception of the event.

Enoh made the remarks during a consultative meeting convened by the President of the Commonwealth Federation, Chris Jenkins, which brought together ministers of sports and key stakeholders from across Africa, with focus on formulating a robust hosting strategy for Africa.

Expressing concern over Africa’s underrepresentation as a host, Enoh emphasised the crucial role of deliberate will in bringing the Games to the continent.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria on Monday released a strong 50-athlete contingent for the event including world 100m hurdles record holder Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume and Ruth Usoro.

Others include reigning national champions in the 100m and 200m for men Okon Israel and Consider Ekanem, as well as Tokyo 2020 Olympics 100m finalist Enoch Adegoke.

Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, charged the athletes to make it count for Nigeria on the track.

Anthony Joshua has climbed up Ring Magazine’s rankings after his devastating victory over Francis Ngannou.

AJ wasted no time in the ring against the MMA superstar as he secured a brutal second-round knockout earlier this month.

The former heavyweight champion sent his rival to the canvas in the opening round and then hit the deck again before his lights were put out with a powerful right hand.

Joshua has now won four bouts in a row against Ngannou, Otto Wallin, Robert Helenius and Jermaine Franklin after his back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.

ENGLAND

Nottingham Forest have been docked four points for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules.

An independent commission found Forest’s losses to 2022-23 breached the threshold of sixty-one million pounds by thirty-four points five million pounds.

The immediate loss of points means they drop below Luton Town into the Premier League’s relegation zone.

Forest are the second top-flight team to be penalised for PSR breaches after Everton lost ten points in November, which was reduced to six on appeal.

Danish reporter Niels Christian Frederiksen has insisted he has absolutely no problem after facing an outburst from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp following the team’s FA Cup loss at Manchester United.

A clip of the Liverpool manager angrily ending a post-match interview with Frederiksen for Viaplay went viral on social media on Sunday evening.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins says drawing his old club Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final is special.

Robins added that the achievement of getting there was special in itself.

Coventry have not made the last four since lifting the FA Cup in 1987, three years before Robins’ late replay winner took Alex Ferguson’s United to Wembley.

Former England goalkeeper David James came out of retirement at the age of fifty-three to score the winning goal for a title-chasing Sunday League side.

James, who made five hundred and seventy -two Premier League appearances, played a one-off game for AFC Hutwood and scored a 25-yard free-kick to give them a two -one victory.

He pulled on his shorts as a gesture of goodwill after the Sunday league side filled a donation box with boots.

The former Liverpool, Manchester City and Portsmouth stopper played the first half in goal and then in the outfield after the break in the City of Southampton Sunday FL Division One game against Madeinheath United.

England will be hoping to make the most of their purple patch at this year’s Euros, with new kits released on Monday.

The home shirt is a re-interpretation of the classic white strip, with purple trims on cuffs and collar.

The away top is a bit bolder – a purple shirt with colourful side panels that are designed to give a nod to English fashion.

Fans will get to see the men’s team debut the new home kit at Wembley this month when the Three Lions host Brazil and Belgium.

The Women’s Champions League returns this week with four fascinating quarter-final ties.

Chelsea women are the last English team standing as they attempt to win the last remaining trophy missing from their cabinet during Emma Hayes’ decorated time in charge.

They travel to Amsterdam to face Ajax on Tuesday in the first leg of their last eight contest, while serial winners Lyon and holders Barcelona are both still in the mix for silverware.

Chelsea women midfielder Erin Cuthbert says its hard not to dream a little bit” as the team bid to win the Champions League for the first time.

The team face Ajax on Tuesday in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

Chelsea women are aiming to win the European title for the first time in Hayes’ final season with the club.

OTHER LEAGUES

Former Real Madrid striker Pedja Mijatovic has warned Manchester City not to underestimate the Los Blancos in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Mijatovic stated that Real Madrid was the only team every club does not want to confront in the competition.

Trabzonspor fans ran on to the field and attacked Fenerbahce players after Sunday’s Super Lig match.

Fenerbahce players were met with violence as they celebrated their three-two victory at Papara Park in Trabzon.

Fenerbahce’s Bright Osayi-Samuel and Michy Batshuayi both tried to intervene as security services entered the field.

Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said it was never acceptable for violence to take place on football pitches – above all, sport was gentlemanship.

Circumstances that led to Sunday’s Scottish Premiership game between Dundee and Rangers being postponed is to be the subject of an investigation by the league’s governing body.

Rangers were left extremely disappointed and angered by the call-off after a second pitch inspection.

Referee Don Robertson deemed a number of areas on the pitch to be unsafe.

Now the Scottish Professional Football League said it would be investigating the circumstances.

OTHER SPORTS

In Boxing, Dillian Whyte says he has been through a lot of hell after making a winning return to the ring in Ireland.

The former WBC interim heavyweight champion secured his 30th career win when his opponent Christian Hammer failed to get up from his stool for the fourth round.

It was Whyte’s first bout since since clearing his name of doping offences.

In Cricket, India left-arm pace bowler Jaydev Unadkat has agreed a deal to play for Sussex in the final five games of this summer’s County Championship season.

Unadkat will return to Hove having played in three of their final four red-ball games in 2023, taking eleven wickets at an average of 24.18.

He took 6-94 on his home debut in a win over Leicestershire in September.

In Cycling, Britain’s most successful female Olympian, Dame Laura Kenny has announced her retirement from cycling.

Kenny won five Olympic golds and seven World Championship titles in a distinguished career on the track.

She gave birth to her second child in July and had previously been targeting a fourth Olympics in Paris this year.

TODAY’S THOUGHT

The key is not the will to win, everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.