IN NIGERIA
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The Falconets, are preparing to face their Australian counterparts in the first of two friendly matches organised by the Nigeria Football Federation to ensure the team is ready for the FIFA Under-twenty Women’s World Cup in Colombia.
The team’s coach, Chris Danjuma and his team, now including fitness trainer Chima Michael, have been leading the Falconets through drills since Monday, as their preparations are focused on the upcoming match against the Australians on Friday, and the World Cup finals overall.
NFF’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon has assured that all arrangements have been concluded for the encounter.
The Falconets will tackle Mexico in another friendly match at the same venue on Monday.
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Secretary General of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Suleiman Isah, has assured the nation of a strong performance at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France.
Isah, who made this known, said the thirty-five members of Team Nigeria, who had been in camp in Germany, would arrive in Paris on Thursday.
The Secretary General noted that the Minister of Sports, John Enoh, had promised to reward the athletes with cash incentives.
Isah, who urged Nigerians to support the team, announced that Nigeria will compete in four sports, badminton, powerlifting, athletics and table tennis.
The game is scheduled to hold between 28th August and 8th September.
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An athlete, Michael Godwin has called for early preparation for Nigerian athletes ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, U.S.
Godwin said early preparations would enhance the athletes` performances and place them in a better position for podium finishing at the Olympics.
He said the country`s athletes did not perform well at the Olympics because they did not have adequate training ahead of the Olympics.
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The Super Eagles are expected to resume camping in Uyo on 1st September ahead of their 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda.
The three-time African champions will welcome the Cheetahs of Benin Republic on 7th September starting at 5 pm at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo and fly out to another 2026 World Cup qualifying rivals Rwanda, three days later for a second AFCON qualifier.
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Super Eagles star, Victor Boniface will serve a one match ban in Germany for anti-sporting conduct.
Boniface showed Stuttgart players his middle finger after Bayer Leverkusen beat them on penalties in the German Super Cup.
The Nigeria international who was charged after the game by the German Football Federation, will also pay a fine of twenty-five thousand euros for the offence.
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Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman is now set to stay at Atalanta this season despite reports linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG have reportedly agreed personal terms with the Nigeria international.
Luis Enrique’s side are however yet to approach Atalanta for the player.
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Edo Queens will on Friday stake their unbeaten run against Aïnonvi FC of Benin Republic in the final of the CAF Women’s Champions League Qualifiers (WAFU B) in Ivory Coast.
Aside from brushing all oppositions aside en route to the stage, the Nigerian champions conceded just one goal in five matches in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over home team FC Inter of Abidjan in the semifinal.
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The United States has pledged to increase her investment in developing basketball in Nigeria, aiming to open more opportunities for Nigerians to play in the NBA.
U.S. Consul General, Will Stevens, announced this during the opening ceremony of the “What If Youth and Women Empowerment Initiative” Basketball Camp in Lagos.
Stevens noted that Nigeria boasts boundless talent across various sectors in the US, and his country, through the U.S. African Development Foundation, leverages this talent to give back to their respective communities.
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Despite losing to Dricus du Plessis in a thrilling UFC 305 main event, Israel Adesanya reportedly earned more than the reigning champion.
The bout, which took place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, saw Du Plessis successfully defend his UFC Middleweight Championship for the first time, forcing Adesanya to tap out in the fourth round.
Adesanya, a former two-time middleweight champion, was guaranteed $750,000 for the fight, while Du Plessis got $500,000.
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Congolese heavyweight contender Martin Bakole has called out former unified world champion Anthony Joshua for a historic showdown in Africa, reminiscent of the iconic ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974.
Bakole, who recently boosted his profile with a stunning fifth-round stoppage of American prospect Jared Anderson, expressed his desire to bring the fight to the continent, involving key figures like his country’s president and leveraging support from Riyadh Season’s chairman, Turki Al Sheikh.
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ENGLAND
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Chelsea have signed Portugal forward Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid for a fee in the region of forty-five million pounds, with England midfielder Conor Gallagher going the other way for about thirty-three million pounds.
Felix, who signed a seven-year deal to begin a second spell at Stamford Bridge, scored four goals in twenty appearances during a loan spell in west London in 2023.
Gallagher meanwhile signed a five-year contract with the Spanish top-flight club.
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Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca says he has been honest rather than brutal with Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell as both continue to train away from Chelsea’s first-team squad.
Maresca believes he has been clear with the more than fifteen players – including forward Sterling and left-back Chilwell – who are being asked to train apart from his main group.
Maresca said Chelsea look like a mess from outside as they attempt to trim a bloated squad, but he insisted that was far from being the reality.
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Manchester City are working on a deal that could bring midfielder Ilkay Gundogan back to the club.
Gundogan left City for Barcelona in 2023 on a free transfer when his contract expired after captaining Pep Guardiola’s side to their historic Treble.
However, the Catalan giants’ well publicised financial issues have prevented them from registering new signing Dani Olmo and releasing one of their higher earners would smooth that process.
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Aston Villa goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez has signed a new long-term contract with the club.
The Argentina international extended his stay until 2029.
Martinez joined Villa from Arsenal for seventeen million pounds in 2020 and has made over one hundred and fifty appearances for the club.
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Nottingham Forest have signed Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno on loan for the rest of the season, with an option for a permanent deal.
The Spaniard, had fallen behind behind new signing Ian Maatsen and Lucas Digne in the pecking order at Villa Park.
Moreno joined Villa from La Liga side Real Betis in January 2023 in a £13.2m deal and was Unai Emery’s first signing, having previously been linked with Forest.
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Nottingham Forest remain in talks with Arsenal over a thirty million pounds deal for striker Eddie Nketiah.
A deal has not been agreed but the player was getting closer to ending his time at Emirates Stadium.
Forest have several striker targets, including Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez, but have progressed with a move for Nketiah.
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OTHER LEAGUE
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Germany goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer has announced his retirement from international football.
The 2014 World Cup winner was capped one hundred and twenty-four times, with his final game for Germany coming last month in their Euro 2024 quarter-final defeat by Spain.
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper made his international debut in 2009 and featured in eight major tournaments.
Neuer will continue his club career after signing a new deal last year to stay with Bayern until 2025.
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The Scottish Football Association says clubs in Scotland are failing to bring through enough young players.
The governing body said Scottish football was significantly underachieving its potential in youth development compared to countries of a similar size.
It also stresses clubs are missing an opportunity to reduce wage costs and increase transfer revenue by developing their own players.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Basketball; Hall of Fame member Al Attles, a physical point guard known as “The Destroyer” who later became an NBA champion coach and general manager of the Golden State Warriors, died at the age 87.
The team announced Wednesday that Attles passed away at his home in East Bay, Calif., surrounded by family.
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Boxing promoter, Frank Warren says Nick Ball can be the most exciting fighter on the planet as he prepares to defend his WBC featherweight title against Ronny Rios in Liverpool.
Ball fights in his hometown for the first time as world champion and is a big favourite against the USA’s Rios.
Warren said Rios will have to be at his very best to have a chance against Ball.
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UFC president, Dana White says he believes Tom Aspinall will fight Jon Jones if the American is successful in his comeback bout against Stipe Miocic.
England’s Aspinall has repeatedly called for a fight with heavyweight champion Jones since capturing the interim belt last November.
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In Tennis, an Australian tennis coach, Darren Cahill, says Jannik Sinner has been worn down physically and mentally by the investigation into his positive tests for a banned substance.
The Italian twice tested positive in March for clostebol – a steroid that can be used to build muscle mass – but was cleared of fault or negligence by an independent tribunal.
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In Athletics; Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith will be seeking revenge against Quincy Hall as they renew their rivalry in the Diamond League in Lausanne on Thursday.
In the men’s two hundred metres, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo will be looking to take his sensational Paris form with him to Switzerland as he takes on American pair Erriyon Knighton and Fred Kerley again.
British duo Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith will compete in the women’s one hundred metres, while Georgia Bell takes part in the eight hundred metres after winning bronze in the one hundred and five hundred in Paris.
Neita and Asher-Smith will also compete in the one hundred metres in the Silesia Diamond League on Sunday.
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In Cricket, England made a strong start to life under Ollie Pope’s temporary captaincy, bowling out Sri Lanka for 236 on the first day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.
Pope’s first act standing in for the injured Ben Stokes was to lose the toss.
Pope indicated he wanted to field first anyway and his instincts were proved correct as Sri Lanka immediately slumped to 6-3.
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In Golf, Former champion Catriona Matthew has announced this year’s Women’s Open will be her last.
The Scot, won the title in 2009 and this year’s championship over the Old Course at St Andrews will be her 30th consecutive appearance in the major.
Matthew has claimed eleven professional wins, including four on the US-based LPGA Tour and six on the Ladies European Tour, in a stellar playing career.
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In Cycling, Australia’s cycling governing body expects Matt Richardson to be ineligible to take part in competitive events for two years after switching nationality to Great Britain.
The track cyclist, who won three medals for Australia at the Paris Olympics, announced his change of allegiance last week on Instagram.
Under Union Cycliste Internationale rules, cyclists who change nationality are not eligible to compete at the next edition of the World and continental Championships which follow the date of their switch.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning….words from Chuck Noll.
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