Super Eagles Captain, William Troost-Ekong says securing the three points in Friday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Rwanda is non-negotiable.
Troost-Ekong stated that the players remain focused and unaffected by discussions about Nigeria’s lack of victories against Rwanda on their home soil.
He said the team’s goal was to secure the three points and revitalise their campaign.
Meanwhile, World Football-Governing Body, FIFA has appointed Moroccan referee, Jalal Jayed, to officiate the match at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, on Friday at five in the evening.
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Super Eagles Star, Ademola Lookman says the team is battle ready for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture against the Amavubi of Rwanda.
Lookman declared that the three-time African champions are not under pressure to beat their hosts.
He also reflected on the team’s preparation for the game.
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Remo Stars shot stopper Kayode Bankole is full of excitement following his maiden invitation to the Super Eagles.
Bankole stated that he has enjoyed training with the Super Eagles top stars.
He said he was confident he would get a chance with the Super Eagles.
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Former Nigeria striker, Benedict Akwuegbu, has expressed absolute confidence that the Super Eagles will secure all three points against Rwanda in Kigali
Akwuegbu stated that Nigeria has everything needed to demolish Rwanda and strengthen their qualification bid for the 2026 Mundial, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, the USA, and Canada.
The 50-year-old former Assistant General Manager of Heartland FC, Owerri, stressed that missing out on the 2026 World Cup was not an option for Nigeria.
He also praised the collaboration between the Nigeria Football Federation and the National Sports Commission.
Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has expressed his satisfaction with the Super Eagles’ preparation ahead of their 2026 World Cup qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali.
The team, now under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Eric Chelle, held its first training session on Tuesday afternoon.
Reacting to the new squad, Wizkid took to his X handle on Wednesday, writing, “New Super Eagles team! (I) love the energy.
The crucial qualifier is set to take place at the Amahoro Stadium in Rwanda on Friday, 21st March, with kickoff scheduled for 5 pm Nigerian time.
Nigeria’s attacking duo, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze, have been ranked among the top 50 dribblers in the Italian Serie A for the ongoing 2024/25 season.
According to statistics published by Euro Football Rumours, Lookman and Chukwueze are the only Nigeria internationals featured in the list, which ranks players based on the number of successful dribbles completed in Italy’s top flight.
Top financial and energy institutions, have thrown their weights behind the South West Games 2025, solidifying the tournament’s status ahead of its opening ceremony coming up later this month.
The maiden South West Games which will be hosted in Lagos is a game-changing initiative poised to unearth exceptional talent and drive sustainable socio-economic transformation in the region.
The South West Games 2025 is set to host 1,200 athletes and 120 officials in a grand display of talent and skill across multiple sporting disciplines.
One of its key highlights is the Bola Tinubu Southwest Alliance Games, a dedicated sub-tournament aimed at nurturing young athletes under the age of 18.
Zimbabwe forward Knowledge Musona is confident the Warriors can secure a famous victory over Nigeria.
The team will host the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban on Thursday.
Zimbabwe will be away to the Super Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Tuesday.
The Warriors occupy bottom spot in Group C with two points from four matches.
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Cameroon is held to a shock draw away to unfancied Eswatini as African qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
Bryan Mbeumo came closest to breaking the deadlock for the Indomitable Lions when the Brentford forward hit the woodwork with a curling effort from distance in the first half.
Eswatini are ranked 159th in the world, one hundred and ten places below the central Africans but was able to hold on in the second half, with Mlamuli Makhanya tipping a header from Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar over the crossbar.
Cameroon remain unbeaten after five games but could be replaced as Group D leaders before they host Libya on Tuesday.
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Tunisia has continued its unbeaten start with a hard-fought one-nil win away against Liberia to move five points clear at the top of Group H.
Madagascar moved to the summit of Group I after coming from behind to win four-one away against Central African Republic in Corentin Martins’ first match in charge.
The islanders lead Comoros and Ghana by a point.
Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua could be in line for a shot at the WBO title, as Oleksandr Usyk is expected to relinquish the belt to pursue a unification bout with IBF champion Daniel Dubois.
The WBO has ordered Usyk to defend his title against mandatory challenger Joseph Parker, but the Ukrainian heavyweight champion is reportedly prioritising a fight with Dubois instead.
boxing expert Spencer Oliver said the WBO is planning to hold a fight between Usyk and Parker, but it will not happen. The Ukrainian is aiming for a fight with Dubois, they will play for three titles.
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IN ENGLAND
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford says Jordan Henderson’s England recall is a great move and the 34-year-old brings a winning mentality to the squad.
Ajax midfielder Henderson was called up for the first time since November 2023 when new manager Thomas Tuchel named him in his first England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
Henderson won the first of his eighty-one caps in 2010 under Fabio Capello, and Tuchel said the former Liverpool skipper embodies everything they try to build.
Pickford thinks the call-up of Henderson and Newcastle defender Dan Burn will help the squad as they prepare to try to win the World Cup in 2026.
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The Professional Footballers’ Association says the safety of female footballers is being put at risk by substandard playing conditions in major matches.
Arsenal women were beaten two-nil by Real Madrid in their Women’s Champions League quarter-final first leg, in a match played in dreadful conditions at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano.
It followed complaints from players and pundits after Saturday’s women’s League Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City at Pride Park, home of Championship side Derby County.
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OTHER LEAGUES
Rangers has described the display by supporters of an anti-woke banner at their Europa League game against Fenerbahce, which has led to a disciplinary charge from Uefa, as shameful and embarrassing.
The Scottish Premiership club also hit out at the throwing of objects on to the pitch, and the continued use of pyrotechnics, saying fans who carry out such acts are not welcome at their matches.
While thanking most supporters for their recent backing during games against the Turkish side and Celtic, Rangers state it is deeply saddening and frankly embarrassing that the club is now set to face significant sanctions for the actions of a very small minority.
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Wales and Manchester United legend Mark Hughes says Craig Bellamy’s time as an outspoken player showed he had what was needed to become a managerial hit.
Bellamy is preparing to lead Wales into 2026 World Cup qualifying having enjoyed an unbeaten start to his time in charge of the national side.
Having replaced Rob Page last summer, the 78-cap former striker has impressed in the Wales head coach role.
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Scottish football manager, Steve Clarke says it is wrong to criticise Lennon Miller after the 18-year-old Motherwell midfielder stated he wants to become the best player in the Scotland squad.
Miller said he could achieve that goal in a couple of months despite taking part in his first senior camp as Scotland prepare to face Greece in Thursday’s first leg of their Nations League play-off.
The teenager’s comments have sparked discussion, with Scotland assistant John Carver suggesting Miller might benefit from a little bit of guidance.
Fellow midfielder John McGinn empathised with Miller’s youthful confidence but suggested he might come to regret such a bold statement.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Basketball; Tamin Lipsey vowed to do everything in his power to recover from a groin injury and play in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
And by all accounts, Iowa State’s star junior point guard is poised to return to the floor in his third-seeded team’s first round game at 12:30 p.m. Friday against 14-seed Lipscomb at the Fiserv Forum.
In Tennis, Emma Raducanu breezed into the second round of the Miami Open with a commanding straight-set win against Japanese teenager Sayaka Ishii.
The British number two took just over an hour to progress 6-2, 6-1 and will next face American eighth seed Emma Navarro.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, lost in the first round of Indian Wells earlier this month in what was her first match since the traumatic experience of dealing with a stalker at a tournament in Dubai.
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Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali met with the prime minister of Thailand to discuss plans for a street-circuit grand prix in Bangkok.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the government would commission a feasibility study into the possibility of a race in the capital from 2028.
There is an existing track in Buriram, in north-east Thailand, which is accredited by the FIA, the governing body for world motorsport.
Domenicali described the plans as “impressive”.
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In Golf, World number one Scottie Scheffler is confident he is getting back to his best after a relatively slow start to the season as he prepares to defend his Masters title next month.
Scheffler has not won a tournament so far in 2025 having won two at this stage last year, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship.
His defence of the latter this year did not go to plan as he finished tied for 20th, although his return to action this year was delayed by the injury he suffered while preparing Christmas dinner.
Scheffler will look to claim back-to-back Masters titles when the major gets under way on 10th April, and he is happy with the improvements he is making as the tournament approaches.
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Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney says it would be very difficult to remain at Twickenham and justify significant investment for improvement unless it can increase the number of non-sporting events at Allianz Stadium.
He pointed out other venues such as Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are able to bring in extra revenue by hosting many more non-sporting events such as concerts.
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In Cycling, the men’s and women’s Tour de France will both begin in Britain in 2027, with Edinburgh to stage the men’s Grand Depart.
Three stages in each of the events will take place in Britain with Scotland, Wales and England all hosting. Route details and the Grand Depart for the Tour de France Femmes to be announced in the autumn.
The men’s version of the world’s most famous cycling race has been partly staged in Britain four times before, in 1974, 1994, 2007 and 2014.
This will be the first time both men’s and women’s events have come to the same nation outside France in the same year.
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In Athletics, Georgia Hunter Bell, Molly Caudery and Jeremiah Azu will be among Great Britain’s gold medal hopes at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.
The trio are part of an 11-strong British team, captained by one thousand, five hundred meters runner Neil Gourley, competing at the three-day championships, which start on Friday.
Armand Duplantis, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yaroslava Mahuchikh are among the global stars competing for honours.
It means athletes have two opportunities to win global titles this year, with the outdoor championships taking place in Tokyo, Japan in September.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
IN CAF WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Sierra Leone vs Guinea-Bissau
Zimbabwe vs Benin
Cape Verde vs Mauritius
Libya vs Angola
Gabon vs Seychelles
Gambia vs Kenya
Mozambique vs Uganda
Malawi vs Namibia
Comoros vs Mali
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Obstacles do not have to stop you. If you run into a wall, do not turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it…..words from Michael Jordan.
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