IN NIGERIA
Super Falcons star Chiwendu Ihezuo’s late goal earned the team a hard-fought one-nil win against Botswana in their second Group B game.
The win means the Super Falcons are through to the quarter-finals.
It is now back-to-back wins for the Super Falcons against Botswana at the WAFCON, after also recording a two-nil win at the 2022 edition.
Ihezuo has now scored in consecutive games at the tournament after getting on the score sheet in the three-nil victory against Tunisia.
The nine-time champions top Group B with six points from two games, and are yet to concede in the competition.
Their next opponent Algeria occupy second position with four points from same number of matches.
The game against Algerians will hold at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca on Sunday.
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Super Falcons star Rasheedat Ajibade has been named Woman of the Match following the team’s hard-earned victory over Botswana.
Ajibade put up a strong display against Botswana, and was rewarded for her effort after the game.
The 25-year-old was on the pitch for the entire duration of the game.
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Former Nigerian international Alloy Agu believes the Super Falcons’ doggedness gave the team the vital win against Botswana in the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Agu who criticized the Super Falcons’ profligacy in front of the goal, advised the team to be clinical with every goal-scoring opportunity that comes their way.
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Flying Eagles has kicked off their campaign in Group A at the 2025 WAFU B Under-twenty Boy’s Cup with a one-all draw with hosts Ghana in the opening match.
Abdulahi Abiodun drew the Flying Eagles level with less than ten minutes left in the game, cancelling out Musibau Aziz’s opener for Ghana.
The invitation tournament is part of the Flying Eagles preparation for this year’s FIFA Under-twenty World Cup in Chile.
The Under-twenty World Cup will hold from 27th September to 19th October.
The Flying Eagles next Group A match is against Benin Republic which will be played on Sunday, 13th July, 2025.
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In his post-match reaction, Flying Eagles coach Aliyu Zubairu has described the game as a tough contest, noting that the Ghanaians were determined and aggressive from the onset.
Despite the pressure, Zubairu praised his team’s resilience and ability to improve in the second half. He noted that the equaliser was a result of better coordination and composure after the break.
He said the boys rose to the occasion and performed better in the second half to get the equalizer, considering it was the first match, they gave a good account of themselves.
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Super Eagles has dropped one spot in the latest men’s ranking released by the Federation of International Football Association.
The three-time African champions are now ranked 44th in the world and fifth in Africa.
Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria occupy the top four positions on the continent.
World champions Argentina maintains first position in the ranking.
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Former Nigerian international Finidi George has expressed disappointment with Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel’s decision to join Birmingham City.
Recall that Osayi-Samuel signed a three-year deal with Birmingham following the conclusion of his contract at Fenerbahce.
Finidi stated that he expected Osayi-Samuel to join a bigger club than the English Championship side.
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Warri Wolves, Wikki Tourists, Kun Khalifat and Barau FC have earned promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League following the conclusion of the group phase of the 2025 Nigeria National League Super 8 playoffs in Asaba.
The four teams finished as the top two sides in Groups A and B, after three rounds of matches held in Delta State.
Wikki Tourists will now meet Warri Wolves in the NNL Super 8 final on Saturday, 12th July, to determine the overall champions of the second-tier league.
The four promoted clubs will replace Heartland, Akwa United, Sunshine Stars and Lobi Stars, who dropped to the NNL following the end of the 2024/25 NPFL campaign.
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Napoli has rejected a fresh seventy-five million euros bid from Galatasaray for Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen, despite the Turkish giants meeting the official release clause in the striker’s contract.
This development was disclosed by Nigerian sports journalist and transfer insider Onyebuchi Onokala, also known as Buchi Laba, who said Napoli are actively working to push the Super Eagles striker towards a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia instead.
The 26-year-old Nigerian had earlier given his approval to a permanent transfer to Galatasaray, following a successful loan spell.
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IN ENGLAND
Chelsea defender Malo Gusto has disclosed that winning the Club World Cup on Sunday remains his major priority.
Gusto stated that Chelsea would stick to their game plan and give everything to win the final.
The Blues will battle with Paris Saint-Germain in the final after overcoming Fluminense two-nil in the semi-final while PSG thrashed Real Madrid four-nil.
The final will take place on Sunday at the MetLife Stadium.
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FIFA’s chief of global football development, Arsene Wenger has responded to Jurgen Klopp’s claims that the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever invented, saying teams are in favour of the fantastic competition.
Former Liverpool manager Klopp criticised the tournament in June, which has been moved to the summer and expanded to thirty-two teams.
Wenger said the Club World Cup has the full support of the teams, players and managers involved.
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Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor says he feared the club’s participation in Europe would be in doubt moments after they won the FA Cup in May.
Textor’s involvement with both Palace and French club Lyon looks set to cost the Eagles a spot in the Europa League under Uefa’s rules governing multi-club ownership.
Textor has agreed to sell his forty-three percent stake in Palace to fellow American Woody Johnson, who owns NFL team the New York Jets.
He stressed that while he has helped the club, his role at Selhurst Park has not been a majorly active one.
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Arsenal has signed Denmark midfielder Christian Norgaard from Brentford in a fifteen million pounds deal.
The 31-year-old joined for an initial ten million pounds with a possible five million pounds in performance-related add-ons, on a two-year contract with the option of a third year.
He is Arsenal’s third signing of the summer after deals for Spaniards Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal is also in talks to sign Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres for seventy million pounds.
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Arsenal is close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea to sign winger Noni Madueke for just over fifty millon pounds.
The England international had agreed personal terms with Madueke before a potential move across London.
Both clubs have now reached an agreement in principle over a fee, with the finer details needing to be finalised.
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Tottenham has completed the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham for fifty-five million pounds, subject to a work permit.
The Ghana midfielder, who had an eighty-five million pounds release clause, has joined Spurs on a six-year contract until 2031.
Kudus made sixty-five Premier League appearances for the Hammers, scoring thirteen goals and providing nine assists.
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Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White is set to undergo a medical at Tottenham on Friday before completing a sixty million pounds move.
Gibbs-White, who has four England caps, was on Manchester City’s radar this summer but Pep Guardiola’s side have cooled their interest.
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Sunderland has confirmed the permanent signing of winger Simon Adingra from Brighton.
The 23-year-old Ivory Coast international has moved for a fee of twenty-one million pounds plus add-ons and has signed a five-year deal at the Stadium of Light.
Adingra joined Brighton from FC Nordsjaelland in 2022, before heading to Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on loan for the 2022-23 season.
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Leicester City is edging closer to appointing former QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes as their new manager.
Gary O’Neil and Chris Wilder were interviewed by the Foxes last week while there was also interest in Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl and ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick.
Cifuentes, who officially left QPR last month after being placed on gardening leave in April, is expected to be named as Ruud van Nistelrooy’s replacement with Leicester likely to have to pay compensation for the Spaniard.
Current QPR assistant Xavi Calm, who worked with Cifuentes at Loftus Road, could also join him at the King Power Stadium.
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England star Jordan Henderson has left Ajax after the Dutch club agreed to end his contract a year early.
Henderson who joined the Dutch giants in January 2024, was under contract until June 2026 but is now free to join another club.
The 35-year-old captained and made more than fifty appearances for Ajax and is understood to have interest from clubs in England and across Europe.
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OTHER LEAGUES
AC Milan’s Serie A match against Como in February could become the first European league fixture to be played abroad after plans to host the fixture in Australia were announced.
Italy’s football federation revealed plans on Thursday to play the match in Perth.
The fixture would need the approval from Fifa, Uefa, Football Australia and the Asian Football Confederation.
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Argentina forward Lionel Messi has become the first player to score multiple goals in four straight MLS games as he helped Inter Miami beat New England Revolution two-one.
Messi scored twice in the first half his fourth consecutive double to take his tally to fourteen in fifteen MLS games this season.
He holds the league record for most assists in a single game and most goal contributions in a single game, which were both recorded during a six-two win against New York Red Bulls last May.
His fifty-eight goal contributions is also a record for Miami.
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Real Madrid hero Guti has appealed to fans not to use the results of the 2025 Club World Cup to judge new manager Xabi Alonso.
Recall that Los Blancos were bounced out of the Club World Cup at the semi-final stage by PSG, losing four-nil.
Despite the heavy defeat, Guti stated that he’s convinced Alonso will make Real Madrid stronger before the start of the season.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Tennis, Amanda Anisimova dealt out more Grand Slam heartbreak to world number one Aryna Sabalenka as she set up a Wimbledon final meeting against Iga Swiatek with victory in a thrilling contest.
American Anisimova, the 13th seed, waved and blew kisses to the crowd after securing a remarkable 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory on a blazing hot day on Centre Court.
The 23-year-old saved eleven of the fourteen break points she faced to seal her place in a maiden Grand Slam final, converting her fourth match point of a gruelling contest lasting two hours and 35 minutes.
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In Cricket, Ollie Pope said England will keep their fingers crossed Ben Stokes has not suffered a serious injury after the captain struggled on the first day of the third Test against India at Lord’s.
Stokes appeared to experience a problem with his groin on his right side while making thirty-nine not out, as England closed on 251-4.
The all-rounder had treatment on the field and hobbled between the wickets, turning down a second run in the final over that would have taken Joe Root to a century. Root ended unbeaten on 99.
England indicated there are no plans for Stokes to have a scan overnight and the skipper will instead be assessed on Friday morning.
In Cycling, Ireland’s Ben Healy produced a stunning solo break to win stage six of the Tour de France while Mathieu van der Poel regained the race leader’s yellow jersey.
Healy and Van der Poel spent most of the two hundred and one point five kilometres hilly stage in an eight-man breakaway before the former attacked with forty-two kilometres remaining.
The EF Education-EasyPost rider then pulled away to claim his first stage win on the Tour, crossing the line in Vire Normandie almost three minutes before Quinn Simmons and Michael Storer.
Dutchman Van der Poel came in about four minutes after Healy, followed by Tadej Pogacar at the front of the peloton, and the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider had done enough to take the yellow jersey back from reigning champion Pogacar by one second.
In Golf, England’s Charley Hull withdrew from the Evian Championship after collapsing during the first round.
The 29-year-old had completed twelve holes of the year’s fourth major and was one under par when she was taken from the course at Evian-les-Bains in France on a medical cart.
Hull, who started on the 10th hole, sat in a fairway bunker on the third hole before collapsing on the fourth tee.
SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND
IN FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP – FINAL
ON SUNDAY
Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
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