IN PARIS OLYMPICS

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, will hope to continue their fine form at the Paris 2024 Olympics when they take on hosts France in their second Group B game on Thursday.

The African champions, who are ranked 12th in the world, put on a great display at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium to beat the world’s third-best team Australia 75-62 in their opening game, ending their twenty years without a win at the Olympics.

Thursday’s game is expected to be fiercely contested, but the Nigerian team, buoyed by their opening victory, appear ready for the challenge.

The African champions, who are making their second consecutive appearance in Paris, having participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, will be looking to land another surprise blow and claim their first-ever successive win at the event.

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Super Falcons have crashed out of the Paris 2024 Olympics after losing three-one to Japan on Wednesday.

Japan raced to two goals up by Maika Hamano and Mina Tanaka in the opening minutes before wrapping up the victory with another goal by Hikaru Kitagawa after Jennifer Echegini thought she had given the Nigerians a lifeline.

Japan finished as Group B runner-up, two points behind World Champions Spain who beat Brazil two-nil.

Meanwhile, other results saw Germany beat Zambia four-one and United States defeated Australia two-one.

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Former Nigerian international, Friday Ekpo, has urged the Super Falcons to focus on the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after the team’s exit from the Paris Olympic women’s football event.

Ekpo stated that the Super Falcons should forget about the disappointment of the Paris Olympics and focus on the 2025 WAFCON.

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Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh has waded into the controversy surrounding the exclusion of Favour Ofili from the women’s one hundred metres at the Paris Olympic games.

Enoh on his X handle said there would be sanctions after the conclusion of a thorough investigation.

The Minister, who stated that all parties must take their duties very seriously, stressed that the current leadership at the Federal Ministry of Sports Development does not allow for incompetence at any level.

Enoh, who had addressed Team Nigeria athletes at the Games Village in Paris, encouraged the athletes to reach him directly on any concerns.

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The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, has denied omitting the name of sprinter Favour Ofili from the one hundred metres event of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Ofili expressed her outburst through her social media, blaming the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympics Committee for the oversight.

In his reaction, AFN Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, expressed shock at the omission of Ofili’s name, claiming she was registered for the one hundred metres, two hundred metres and the four by one hundred metres relay.

He added the federation submitted Ofili’s name for the three events on the final list it sent to the Nigeria Olympics Committee for the Paris Olympics.

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Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer Marta walked off the pitch in tears after being shown a straight red card during their two-nil defeat by Spain in the Olympic women’s football tournament.

Marta, who will retire from international football this year, was sent off for narrowly missing Olga Carmona’s head with a dangerous high-footed tackle during the group stage game in Bordeaux.

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Canada’s women’s team have lost their appeal against a six-point deduction at the Paris Olympics after a drone was used to spy on a rival team’s training session.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the appeal on Wednesday.

Canada Soccer said they were disappointed with the appeal’s dismissal.

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The duo of British professional divers, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson won Great Britain’s third diving medal at the Paris Olympics by snatching bronze at the last in the women’s synchronised ten metres platform.

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Great Britain’s rowers won a dramatic Olympic gold in the women’s quadruple sculls after a photo finish with the Netherlands.

The Dutch led from the front and were half a boat length clear with two hundred metres to go before an astonishing push from Great Britain pipped them at the line.

England’s Lauren Henry, Lola Anderson and Georgina Brayshaw and Northern Ireland’s Hannah Scott won in six minutes 16.31 seconds, with the Netherlands 0.15 seconds behind them.

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Novak Djokovic beat the punishing heat and Germany’s Dominik Koepfer on Wednesday to set up a mouthwatering Olympic quarter-final against Stefanos Tsitsipas as he hunts an elusive gold medal.

The Serbian top seed, who crushed Rafael Nadal in the previous round, came through 7-5, 6-3 in sweltering conditions in the first match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

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Great Britain’s Kieran Reilly secured BMX freestyle silver in a dramatic Olympic final in Paris.

Reilly scored 93.70 in his opening run to put him in second place at that point and was guaranteed a minimum of a bronze medal by the time he appeared for his second run.

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China’s Pan Zhanle smashed the world record as he stormed to victory in the men’s one hundred metres freestyle at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

Pan powered to the finish in 46.40sec, beating the world record time of 46.80 he had set in February in Doha.

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France’s Leon Marchand won his third Olympic gold medal and second of the night with a sensational victory in the men’s two hundred metres breaststroke on Wednesday.

Marchand had already won gold in the two hundred metres butterfly earlier in the evening and he became the first swimmer to win those two events in the same Olympic Games.

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In Basketball, The United States’ quest for a fifth straight Olympic gold medal remains on track after securing a place in the quarter-finals with a win over South Sudan.

South Sudan dominated as they closed the gap but trailed behind 63- 57 to end the third quarter while US gave no breathing space as they ended the game in 103-86.

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NIGERIA

Flying Eagles midfielder, Daniel Daga has joined Norwegian club Molde.

According to reports, Daga signed a pre-contract with Molde.

The talented youngster is expected to sign a professional contract with the club when he clocks eighteen in January, 2025.

The move to Molde puts an end to speculation surrounding his future.

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Former Nigerian international, Dimeji Lawal has weighed into Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen’s transfer situation at Napoli.

Osimhen’s future at Napoli remains in doubt, while Chelsea is said to be in talks over a deal to bring him to Stamford Bridge, however, his agent, Roberto Calenda, blasted the reports.

Reacting to the development, Lawal stated that his management team should know what is best for him.

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Super Eagles star, Kelechi Iheanacho has completed his move to Spanish club, Sevilla.

Sevilla confirmed Iheanacho’s arrival on their official website on Wednesday.

Iheanacho, according to the former UEFA Europa League champions, put pen to paper on a two-year contract with the option of another year.

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ENGLAND

Tottenham star, Son Heung-min scored twice as the team edged past a team of the best players from South Korea’s top flight to secure a four-three friendly win.

Dejan Kulusevski opened the scoring after twenty-nine minutes before South Korea and Spurs captain Son made his mark on his homecoming in Seoul.

Tottenham will face Bayern Munich in another pre-season action on Saturday.

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Arne Slot’s new-look Liverpool beat Premier League rivals Arsenal two-one with goals from Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho in Philadelphia.

Salah’s 13th-minute strike and Carvalho’s finish in the 34th minute capped excellent Liverpool moves, before Arsenal’s Kai Havertz swept in a close-range shot in the 40th minute of an exciting first half.

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Manchester City played two-all draw with Barcelona before losing a penalty shootout four-one in a friendly after a storm delayed the start in Orlando, USA, by eighty minutes.

Fans in the sell-out crowd of sixty-three thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven were forced to take shelter under the stands at the Camping World Stadium before the game eventually started.

Meanwhile, Manchester City have agreed a deal to sell Brazilian right-back Yan Couto to Borussia Dortmund.

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Manchester City have been fined more than two million pounds for delaying Premier League kick-offs and restarts twenty-two times over the past two seasons.

The club accepted they had breached Premier League rules when they delayed kick-off or delayed the restart after half-time, external on multiple occasions without good reason.

The Premier League champions delayed restarts eight times in the 2022-23 season and were fined three hundred and ninety thousand pounds.

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Chelsea goalkeeper, Filip Jorgensen has described his move to Stamford Bridge as a dream come true.

The young goalkeeper officially penned a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge and immediately joined up with the squad during the ongoing pre-season tour of the United States.

Jorgensen stated that he can not wait to begin training with his new teammate.

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Chelsea have accepted a bid from Atletico Madrid for midfielder Conor Gallagher after he rejected a new Blues contract in June.

The England international, is now able to negotiate personal terms after a bid of around thirty-three million pounds was accepted.

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Manchester United’s new fifty-two million pounds defender Leny Yoro has been ruled out for three months and striker Rasmus Hojlund will miss six weeks with injuries they suffered in Saturday’s pre-season game with Arsenal.

Sources confirmed the news just over an hour before United’s three-two victory over La Liga side Real Betis in San Diego.

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Former Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp says it will be the biggest loss of face in the history of football if he were to take the England job.

The German is among those to have been linked with the vacancy since Gareth Southgate stepped down after England’s defeat by Spain in the final of Euro 2024.

Klopp left Liverpool at the end of last season saying he was running out of energy after nine years with the Reds during which he delivered the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, Fifa Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup.

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Crystal Palace are set to sign winger Ismaila Sarr from Marseille for a fee in the region of twelve point five million pounds.

Sarr is expected to sign a five-year contract at Selhurst Park.

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West Ham are close to completing a deal for Leeds forward Crysencio Summerville.

The Premier League club has been linked with numerous players this summer as technical director Tim Steidten tries to strengthen Julen Lopetegui’s squad.

However, Summerville, last season’s Championship Player of the Year, emerged as the London club’s primary target.

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OTHER LEAGUE

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe has completed a takeover of Ligue 2 side Caen.

Interconnected Ventures, founded by Mbappe, bought a majority stake in the French club through its investment arm, Coalition Capital.

Mbappe reportedly invested about twelve point six million pounds of his own money through the investment fund.

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Former Argentina winger, Angel di Maria says death threats have forced him to backtrack on plans to return to boyhood club Rosario Central.

The player, a free agent after leaving Benfica at the end of last season, retired from international football earlier last month upon winning the Copa America with Argentina.

Di Maria, who spent two years at Rosario Central between 2005 and 2007, wanted to return to the Argentine club to see out his career.

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OTHER SPORTS

In Basketball, Guildford-based Surrey Scorchers have announced the long-time British Basketball League club has folded.

Scorchers say the decision to revoke the league’s licence in June created a significant amount of uncertainty for the club and required decisions about the future to be made rapidly.

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Briton Muhammad Mokaev says he is still hopeful he will be re-signed by the UFC after his contract expired following his win at UFC 304.

Mokaev beat Manel Kape on points in Manchester to extend his unbeaten record to thirteen wins.

The flyweight is considered one of the brightest prospects in mixed martial arts, but UFC president Dana White announced the organisation would not be giving Mokaev a new deal.

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In Formula one, Mercedes say George Russell was disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix because his car lost more weight than they expected in a number of areas.

Russell lost the win because his car was found to be one point five kilograms underweight after the race, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton elevated to first in his place.

Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said the car’s tyres, underfloor plank and Russell himself all affected the car’s final weight.

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In Rugby, Former St Helens forward Josh Jones says he is suffering from a serious brain condition.

The former Great Britain second rower retired in 2023 because of concussion-related issues following his release by Huddersfield Giants.

Jones posted on X that he has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Sports creates a bond between contemporaries that lasts a lifetime. It also gives your life structure, discipline and a genuine, sincere, pure fulfillment that few other areas of endeavor provide…words from Bob Cousy.