The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has urged FCT athletes and coaches preparing for the 2025 National Sports Festival to strive for victory.
Wike made the call while receiving the Torch of Unity for the 22nd edition of the festival, scheduled for 16th to 30th May, 2025, in Ogun .
The minister, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chidi Amadi, advised the athletes and coaches to train hard to achieve excellence and win many medals for the FCT.
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Former Nigeria international Ifeanyi Udeze has suggested that the Super Eagles’ home matches be relocated from the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
He expressed agreement with those advocating for a change of stadium, noting that the number of draws at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium had been too high.
The Godswill Akpabio Stadium is the sole designated home venue for all of the Super Eagles’ international matches.
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Plateau United has stunned Rangers one-nil at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
Suleiman Mojereola scored the winning goal seventeen minutes from time.
The result put a dent on Rangers’ chances of securing a continental ticket.
Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side currently occupy fifth position on the table with forty-five points from thirty-one matches.
Also, Remo Stars has boosted its title chances with a two-nil home win against Enyimba, while Akwa United defeated Niger Tornadoes two-nil.
Shooting Stars played a two-all draw with El-kanemi Warriors.
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The Technical Manager of Heartland, Emmanuel Amuneke, says the Naze Millionaires’ goalless draw against Sunshine Stars away from home was a fair result.
Amuneke admitted the result was fair but would have preferred all three points.
He mentioned that the match was challenging for both teams, given their standings on the table.
Heartland will face Kano Pillars in Owerri in this weekend’s matchday 32 fixture at the Dan Anyiam Stadium.
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Abia Warriors Head Coach, Imama Amapakabo, is confident that securing a CAF Champions League spot at the conclusion of the 2024/2025 NPFL season is within reach.
The Umuahia-based side currently sits third in the NPFL table after 31 games, just two points behind the Champions League spots.
Amapakabo emphasised that nothing was impossible in football and has instilled the mindset in his players.
With seven matches left to play, Abia Warriors are firmly in the race for a CAF Champions League spot, and Amapakabo is confident his team can go all the way.
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The former Super Eagles forward-turned-defender Sylvanus Okpala, has been appointed the new Technical Adviser of Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Edel FC of Awka.
Okpala replaces Abdulazeez Hamza Abara, who was hired less than two months ago to guide the club’s survival in the NNL.
Okpala holds the rare distinction of winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) both as a player and as a coach.
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South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has broken silence on the possible points deduction of his team after fielding Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.
The 28-year-old was serving a one-match suspension following his second yellow card against Zimbabwe last year but featured in South Africa’s two-nil victory over Lesotho.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers rulebook subsection nine states that a player who receives two yellow cards in separate matches must serve a one-match suspension.
If the standard six-game suspension rule applies to the ten game qualification format, South Africa could face a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.
South Africa currently tops Group C with thirteen points, followed by Benin with eight, Rwanda with eight, and Nigeria in fourth place with seven points.
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The Kenya Football Federation has launched an investigation into allegations that goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has been involved in match manipulation.
The 37-year-old, who plays for Kenyan Premier League club Kakamega Homeboyz, has won over thirty international caps.
His most recent appearance for the Harambee Stars came in October last year, in a qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The federation said it would work with world governing body Fifa, the Confederation of African Football and other relevant authorities during its investigation.
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Super Eagles striker Cyril Dessers who plays for Rangers, believes teammate Nicolas Raskin still has plenty to offer Rangers this ongoing season.
Raskin was heavily linked with a move to clubs in Europe during the January transfer window.
The Nigerian international stated that Raskin has the potential to succeed at any club.
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Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi is set for a starting role against Brighton in Saturday’s FA Cup after Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed that striker Chris Wood is undergoing scans after picking up an injury in the international break.
The striker, who has scored eighteen goals in twenty-nine Premier League games, will be a huge loss for Forest as their FA Cup dreams continue.
Speaking in a pre-match news briefing, Santos expressed frustration at the constant injuries his squad suffers during the international breaks and revealed one other player is being monitored.
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Super Eagles star Ola Aina is willing to renew his contract with Nottingham Forest amid interest from Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.
The Nigeria international is into the final months of his contract with Forest.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are reportedly circling around the defender ahead of the summer transfer window.
Forest has been in advanced talks with Aina’s representatives to extend his contract.
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Nigeria table tennis star Quadri Aruna will face Chinese youngster and world No. 58 Feng Yi-Hsin in round 32 of the maiden WTT Contender Chennai in India.
Yi-Hsin emerged as Aruna’s opponent on Thursday after beating Belgium’s Adrien Rassenfosse 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-9) in just 20 minutes during their round of 64 clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.
Aruna is among the top men’s singles players in the event and was drawn by into the round of 32 and will now brace for a tricky test against the 22-year-old.
The Nigerian entered the competition as a replacement for German star Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
Nigeria’s male U-19 cricket team, the Junior Yellow Greens, will face Namibia in their first match of the 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup qualifiers on Friday, as they hope to clinch the country’s second ticket in the event on home soil.
Nigeria is hosting the final phase of the ICC Africa qualifiers with five other teams jostling for the sole ticket through the tournament.
Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, and Uganda all arrived in the country before the tournament.
No fewer than 350 golfers are set to slug it out for honours in the IBB International Golf and Country Club Lady Captain’s Cup 2025, scheduled to hold from 2nd to 6th April in Abuja.
The Lady Captain’s Cup is a prestigious tournament that brings together high-net-worth individuals, business leaders, golf enthusiasts, and community supporters.
The participants are expected to come together for a week of friendly competition, networking and an extraordinary celebration of the achievements of the Ladies Golf Section under the leadership of the Lady Captain, Dame Julie Donli
IN ENGLAND
The Premier League has announced it will have two transfer windows this summer to allow Manchester City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.
The window will open between Sunday, 1st and Tuesday, 10th June, then close for five days before running again from Monday, 16th June until Monday, 1st September.
This summer features the first expanded Fifa Club World Cup, which involves thirty-two teams and adopts the format of the regular World Cup of the past few years.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the Premier League teams in the tournament which takes place in the United States from Sunday, 15th June.
Fifa has allowed new players to be registered for the Club World Cup from 1st to 10th June, and again from 27th June to 3rd July for the knockout stage.
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Arsenal star Bukayo Saka will be named in the squad to face Fulham in the Premier League next week.
The 23-year-old has been out since December after sustaining a hamstring tear in the win at Crystal Palace which needed surgery.
Saka’s recovery schedule has gone according to plan and he is now back in full training.
The Gunners are continuing to be cautious with his return and will make a final decision closer to Tuesday’s match.
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Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has heaped praise on manager Andoni Iraola for helping him to rediscover his best form at the club.
Kepa, who is on loan from Chelsea, said he was gradually enjoying football again.
He also wanted to highlight how the Spanish influence has shaped the Premier League.
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Former Chelsea midfielder Adrian Mutu has acknowledged making mistakes throughout his football career, including using cocaine while at the Blues, a decision that ultimately derailed his career.
Mutu spent just one season in West London before falling out with José Mourinho and receiving an eight-month ban after testing positive for cocaine.
The former Romania star, who faced difficulties living up to expectations after his high-profile move from Italian club Parma, asserts that he could have won the Ballon d’Or easily if he had not used drugs.
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OTHER LEAGUES
Uefa has opened an investigation into allegations of indecent conduct by four Real Madrid players during their Champions League last-16 win against Atletico Madrid.
Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Dani Ceballos allegedly made gestures towards the home fans after Real Madrid beat their city rivals on penalties to book their place in the quarter-finals.
TV pictures showed German defender Rudiger appearing to make a throat-slitting motion, apparently towards the crowd after the shootout victory, while Mbappe was shown seemingly making a crotch-grabbing gesture.
The players could be at risk of suspension but there is no guarantee the case will be heard before their quarter-final with Arsenal.
The first leg for that tie is at Emirates Stadium on 8th April and the return leg a week later.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Basketball, LeBron James scored the match winner with time almost up as the Los Angeles Lakers ended their losing streak with victory against the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers held a one-point lead with 42 seconds remaining, but James was on hand to tip in a Luka Doncic miss a split-second before the buzzer to secure a 120-119 victory in Indianapolis.
James did not make a field goal until the fourth quarter but finished the night with 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
The Lakers, fourth in the western conference, improved their record to 44-28 after ending three-game losing run.
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In Tennis, Emma Raducanu’s encouraging Miami Open run came to an end in a narrow quarter-final defeat by world number four Jessica Pegula.
Despite needing medical treatment, the 22-year-old Briton levelled the match before American Pegula clinically regained control to win 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.
In the second set Raducanu played some of her best tennis since becoming a teenage Grand Slam champion at the 2021 US Open.
The 31-year-old will play 19-year-old Alexandra Eala from the Philippines in the semi-finals on Friday.
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Also, the International Tennis Federation has settled its dispute with Gerard Pique’s investment company after their multi-billion dollar deal to organise the Davis Cup ended abruptly in 2023.
Kosmos, founded by the former Barcelona defender, and the ITF announced a 25-year, two point two-five billion pounds partnership in 2018 in a bid to revamp the men’s national team tournament.
The ITF said at the time of the deal that it would safeguard the historic Davis Cup and provide an extra twenty-five million dollars a year for the global development of the sport.
Novak Djokovic turned on the style to take his place in the last four of the Miami Open with an impressive 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) win over American Sebastian Korda, becoming the oldest man to reach a Masters 1000 semi-final.
The 37-year-old Serb made a strong start against Korda, breaking early to get a first set advantage that he never let slip but Korda showed great resilience in the second set, taking the contest to a tie-break.
But the fourth seed, looking for his seventh Miami Open title but first since 2016, again came up strong, sealing the win with a powerful ace.
Djokovic, who will face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Friday, had no doubt what had been the key to his success after winning 84% of his first-serve points.
In Formula one, Red Bull have confirmed that they will demote Liam Lawson and replace him with Yuki Tsunoda with immediate effect.
The decision comes after Lawson had completed just two grands prix for Red Bull, and three months after Tsunoda was passed over for the New Zealander as a replacement for Sergio Perez.
Tsunoda, will partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull from the next race in Japan on 4th to 6th April, while Lawson will return to second team Racing Bulls as team-mate to French rookie Isack Hadjar.
Red Bull are third in the constructors’ championship after two races, behind McLaren and Mercedes, and Verstappen has expressed his belief that their car may be only the fourth fastest in the field.
His finishing position in the grand prix in Shanghai was boosted by the disqualifications of both Ferraris and Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, without which he would have been 15th.
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In Cricket, Warwickshire have been hit by a pre-season injury issue that will delay main overseas signing Tom Latham’s arrival at Edgbaston.
Wicketkeeper Latham, has suffered a broken finger while practising in the nets with his domestic club side Canterbury before this week’s Plunket Shield game in Wellington.
The New Zealand Test captain was, in any case, already scheduled to miss the Bears’ opening game against Sussex, starting at Edgbaston next Friday 5th April.
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Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney has survived a vote of no confidence at a special general meeting.
Sixty-five percent voted against the motion, which had called for the RFU board to terminate Sweeney’s appointment.
A second motion, to expedite governance reform in the Engli, was overwhelmingly supported.
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In Golf, Officials lobbying for golf to include a mixed competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are optimistic the proposal will be accepted by the International Olympic Committee.
A meeting on Monday will hear golf’s submission to include a two-day mixed event, which would be staged between the men’s and women’s individual tournaments.
Golf’s return to the Games has been judged an overwhelming success.
The International Golf Federation has signalled its desire to add an event where one pair from each competing nation would compete in a two-day tournament to be held in the gap between the 60-player individual tournaments.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
IN NIGERIA PREMIER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
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IN FA CUP – QUARTER-FINALS.
ON SATURDAY
Fulham vs Crystal Palace
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest
ON SUNDAY
Preston North End vs Aston Villa
Bournemouth vs Manchester City
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IN SPANISH LA LIGA
ON SATURDAY
Real Sociedad vs Real Valladolid
Espanyol vs Atlético Madrid
Deportivo Alavés vs Rayo Vallecano
Real Madrid vs Leganés
ON SUNDAY
Getafe vs Villarreal
Barcelona vs Girona
Athletic Club vs Osasuna
Valencia vs Mallorca
Real Betis vs Sevilla
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IN ITALIAN SERIE A
ON SATURDAY
Como vs Empoli
Venezia vs Bologna
Juventus vs Genoa
Lecce vs Roma
ON SUNDAY
Cagliari vs Monza
Fiorentina vs Atalanta
Inter Milan vs Udinese
Napoli vs AC Milan
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than fifty preaching it….words from Knute Rockne
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