IN NIGERIA
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The Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has charged Nigeria’s Paralympic athletes to redeem the nation’s pride at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Enoh stated that the Games presented a unique platform for Nigeria to demonstrate excellence and determination on the global stage.
Meanwhile, the athletes have pledged to build on Nigeria’s proud history at the Games, where the country first made its debut in 1992 and has since achieved remarkable success, amassing eighty medals.
Team Nigeria will compete in four sports: athletics, badminton, powerlifting, and table tennis, with a total of twenty-four athletes participating.
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Super Eagles head coach, Bruno Labbadia is expected to stick with his trusted German assistants as he put together his backroom staff.
Labbadia, who was appointed Super Eagles head coach on Tuesday is expected to bring in at least two foreign assistants.
He will also work with a number of local assistants.
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Former Nigerian international, Johnathan Akpoborie has lauded the appointment of Bruno Labbadia as new head coach of the Super Eagles.
Akpoborie insisted that the NFF made the right choice.
He also said Labbadia was capable of bringing out the best in the players.
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Several Nigerian football enthusiasts have besieged the social handles of new Super Eagles head coach Bruno Labbadia, tasking him with World Cup qualification.
The German being chosen among some notable tacticians has been the talking point in Nigerian football since Monday, when the Nigeria Football Federation announced him as the much-awaited successor to Finidi George, who quit the saddle in June after the NFF revealed plans to hire a foreign coach.
The Super Eagles are in their most vulnerable state in the last two decades, having recently capitulated against Benin Republic in Ivory Coast.
This leaves Labbadia with onerous tasks, which include qualifying for the next World Cup.
Already angered by the NFF’s lackadaisical approach to hiring a coach for the team with 2025 AFCON qualifiers at the corner, Nigerians warn no excuse will be tenable if the country fails to secure a ticket to the Mundial.
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Nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League champions, Enyimba have announced thirteen players have left the club.
The People’s Elephant made the announcement on their official website.
Nigeria international, Ojo Olorunleke, last season’s top scorer Chijioke Mbaoma, Desmond Ojietefan, Ikenna Cooper and Chibuike Nwaiwu are among the players who have left the club.
Enyimba, who have signed a number of new players to replace the departed stars, expressed gratitude to the players for their dedication and contribution to the club.
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Former Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye has advised Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen to accept a move to Chelsea.
Ideye blasted Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda for his role in the transfer saga.
Chelsea expressed interest in signing Osimhen on loan with no obligation to buy, also want to sign the former Lille striker on a reduced salary.
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No fewer than 200 athletes from Oyo State will participate in the South-West zonal elimination competition for the eighth National Youth Games (NYG).
The state’s Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, in a statement said the Federal Ministry of Sports Development has scheduled the competition for Thursday and Friday at Osogbo.
According to her, a total of 890 athletes across the south-western Nigerian states would converge in Osogbo for the zonal elimination competition.
She said the team sports which are open for competition at the zonal elimination event are volleyball, basketball, handball, football, beach volleyball, hockey, cricket and rugby.
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Chief of Naval Staff Spikers, CNS, on Wednesday defeated the Nigeria Police Force 3-2 to record its third win at the ongoing 2024 Comptroller General of Customs Volleyball Premier League.
The match played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, saw the CNS Spikers fought hard to beat the Nigeria Police in a five set thriller 3-2.
The team lost the first set by 22-25, they fought back to win the second set 25-19; they also lost the third set by 22-25.
The Spikers however, fought hard to win the fourth and the fifth set 25-19 and 28-26.
The first phase of the League which started on Aug. 26 is expected to end on Sept. 10 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
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Former Commonwealth and African champion, Atanda Musa, has reaffirmed his commitment to revitalising table tennis in Nigeria, following the success of the inaugural National Cadet Invitational Championships in Lagos.
Musa, who sponsored the two-day National cadet tournament, expressed satisfaction with the quality of play by the participants.
He pledged to make the tournament an annual event on the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, calendar.
Also, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, praised Musa for the initiative, expressing optimism that such efforts would help find immediate replacements for the aging players in the National teams.
Meanwhile, Faruq Hussein of Kwara State, claimed the Atanda Musa Cadet title after defeating Abdulahamid Adebayo of Lagos, 4-11, 13-11, 11-3, 12-10.
In the girls’ category, Khadijat Musa of Osun, worked hard to beat Funmilayo Ojo of Ondo, 3-1, emerging as the champion.
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Lagos State Government has kicked-off the 2024 Edition of the Head of Service, HOS, Games.
The event was kicked-off by the Head of Service, Bode Agoro, at the Lagos State University College of Medicine, Sport Area.
Agoro said the primary objectives of the games was to foster the spirit of sportsmanship, comradeship, and promoting the culture of physical fitness and mental wellness amongst Public Servants in the State.
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The Vice Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Richard Ogbe, said measures had been put in place to ensure only qualified staff take part in the Games, stressing that medical teams and security officers are available to ensure safety of the players.
On his part, The head of Competition’s technical committee, Ola Okunnu, urged the players to play according to the rules of the game and avoid any act of indiscipline.
The first football match of the day saw Lagos State Sport Commission beat the Office of Civic Engagement three-nil.
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Nigeria’s basketball team will jet out to South Africa on Friday for the FIBA Under-eighteen African Championship.
A total of twenty-four players, twelve per team will represent the country at the championship.
The players on the men’s list are Bassey Effiong, Ezekiel Oluwatemitope, Sani Samuel, Azeez Sulaimon Olaitan, Daubuna Mutum, John Wilberforce, Precious Jonha and others.
The women’s team include; Pius Beggi, Shehu Khadijat, John Patience, Hembam Wandoo, Idris Maryam, Tewogbade Mololuwa and others.
The winners and runners-up at the tournament will represent Africa at the 2025 FIBA Under-nineteen World Cup in Switzerland.
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Team Nigeria’s pair of Kudoro and Salami have failed to advance beyond the opening round in their respective events in Lima, Peru.
Taiwo Kudoro finished seventh in heat six of the opening round in the women’s four hundred metres hurdles event, after recording a time of one minute- fifty-one seconds.
In the men’s version of the event, Oseiwe Salami was also a poor finisher in seventh place in heat five after a time of 54.06 seconds.
The championships, which began on Tuesday in the Peruvian capital city, is billed to end on Saturday.
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Bay FC striker, Asisat Oshoala was on target for Bay FC as the National Women’s Soccer League lost 5-2 to Barcelona in the highly anticipated international friendly at PayPal Park.
Facing the Catalans for the first time since parting ways with them in February, the 29-year-old Super Falcons striker opened the floodgate of goals by putting the home team ahead on 17 minutes in front of 14,187 fans.
Bay FC celebrated her goal on their Instagram page shortly after, stating, “It had to be Oshoala to score first against her former team.”
She intercepted a pass from the Barcelona goalkeeper near the edge of the box and fired a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal, while Barcelona levelled the match at 1-1 in the 21st minute after Ewa Pajor dribbled down the right side of the field and slotted a pass to Kika Nazareth, who delivered a strike from the edge of the box that snuck inside the left post.
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ENGLAND
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Newcastle star Sandro Tonali made his comeback after a 10-month suspension as the team beat Nottingham Forest on penalties in the Carabao Cup.
Sean Longstaff scored the winning spot-kick after Ibrahim Sangare and Taiwo Awoniyi missed efforts for Forest.
Joelinton saw his spot-kick saved by Miguel, but all his team-mates netted theirs to send the Magpies into round three, where they are away to League Two AFC Wimbledon.
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Carabao Cup holders Liverpool will begin the defence of their crown at home to West Ham in the third round of the competition.
Everton facing Southampton at Goodison Park and Brighton hosting Wolves at Amex Stadium.
League Two side Barrow’s reward for reaching the third round for the first time since 1967-68 is a trip to Chelsea, while AFC Wimbledon will host Newcastle.
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Arsenal face Bolton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium, with Manchester United welcoming Barnsley to Old Trafford.
Manchester City will take on Championship Watford at Etihad Stadium, while Aston Villa and Tottenham have been handed trips to Wycombe and Coventry.
Ties will take place in the weeks commencing 16th and 23rd September.
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Southampton have agreed a fee with Arsenal to sign England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in a deal worth up to twenty-five million pounds.
Ramsdale is expected to make the move before Friday’s transfer deadline, with Saints paying eighteen million pounds upfront with the potential of seven million pounds in add-ons.
Liverpool forward, Darwin Nunez has been banned for five international games for an altercation with spectators after his national team Uruguay were beaten by Colombia.
Also, Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, has received a four-game ban.
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Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Juventus winger Federico Chiesa.
The Reds agreed a fee of ten million pounds for the Italy international, with a further two point five million pounds in add-ons based primarily on team performance.
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Brentford have signed Brazilian winger Gustavo Nunes from Gremio for a fee in excess of ten million pounds.
The teenager signed a six-year contract and the club has an option to extend the deal by two years.
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Ipswich have sealed the eight million pounds signing of Luton winger Chiedozie Ogbene.
The Ireland international, signed a four-year deal at Portman Road and becomes their 10th signing since they returned to the Premier League.
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England’s interim manager, Lee Carsley will announce his first England squad on Thursday after being named England interim head coach earlier this month.
It will be the first time the Three Lions squad got together since the loss in the final of Euro 2024 to Spain and the first time in eight years that a manager other than Gareth Southgate has named a squad.
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Chelsea have finally submitted a formal offer for Victor Osimhen after several months of the Napoli striker being linked with the Premier League.
According to transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, the Blues have presented an official bid to the player’s agent, Roberto Calenda, while formal talks with Napoli are expected to begin on Wednesday.
Osimhen has already informed Napoli of his desire to leave, and it remains to be seen if all parties can reach an agreement before the 31st August transfer deadline.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior says he and his team-mates will leave the pitch if they face any more racism this season.
The Brazil forward broke down in a press conference earlier this year when talking about the abuse he has encountered, saying he felt “less and less” like playing football.
Vinicius said the only way to drive racism out of football altogether may be by stopping matches.
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Sunday’s Dutch top-flight match between Feyenoord and Ajax has been postponed because of a police strike in the Netherlands.
Police officers were injured during crowd disorder at a match between the sides last September.
Police said they would not work at Sunday’s game as part of an ongoing campaign related to early retirement regulations.
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Wales manager, Craig Bellamy has named Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow in his first Wales squad, while there are recalls for Ollie Cooper, Sorba Thomas and Mark Harris.
England-born former Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United player Darlow, is included as injured veteran stopper Wayne Hennessey who is without a club and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Tom King miss out.
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Meanwhile, Wales head coach Craig Bellamy believes there is still a lot to come from captain Aaron Ramsey.
Ramsey has had to overcome numerous setbacks over the course of his illustrious career, with injuries limiting him to only fifteen appearances for Wales and Cardiff City last season.
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Nacional defender, Juan Izquierdo has died after collapsing on the pitch during a Copa Libertadores match earlier this month with an irregular heartbeat.
The Uruguayan suffered a cardiac arrest after collapsing during Nacional’s game against Sao Paulo on 22nd August.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Tennis, Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova has suffered another early exit from the US Open, losing her second-round match in straight sets to Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
Eighth seed Krejcikova saved a set point on her own serve at 5-2 down and broke world number 122 Ruse at the next opportunity, only to tamely drop her next service game to lose the first set 6-4.
Krejcikova served for the second set at 5-4 but Ruse, who struck the ball confidently throughout, broke the Czech twice in quick succession to complete a 6-4, 7-5 win in one hours and 45 minutes.
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In Cricket, Stand-in captain Ollie Pope wants to reward his England side by scoring runs in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.
Leading England in place of the injured Ben Stokes, Pope won his first match in charge, the series opener at Old Trafford last week.
The 26-year-old, batting at number three, managed scores of only six in both innings in Manchester.
Meanwhile, England batter Dawid Malan has retired from international cricket at the age of thirty-six.
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In Rugby, Louis Rees-Zammit may not have earned a spot on the Kansas City Chiefs’ regular-season roster, but his NFL dream is far from over.
Rees-Zammit was waived by the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, as they cut their season roster down to fifty-three players.
Andy Reid’s side begin the new season with week one’s opening game at home to the Baltimore Ravens on 6th September, with their sights set firmly on Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 9th February 2025.
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In Cycling, Eddie Dunbar timed his break to perfection in the last kilometre to win stage eleven of the Vuelta a Espana in Padron.
The Irish rider, who finished seventh in last year’s Giro d’Italia, held off the field to win comfortably and take his first Grand Tour stage victory.
Quinten Hermans was second with British rider Max Poole taking third at the end of the one hundred and sixty-six point five kilometres stage.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
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IN SPANISH LA LIGA
Girona vs Osasuna
Las Palmas vs Real Madrid
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will…words from Mahatma Gandhi.
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