IN NIGERIA

Super Eagles has crashed out of this year’s Africa Nations Championship, CHAN, after suffering a humiliating four-nil defeat to Sudan in their second Group D match.

It is the team’s most heaviest defeat in the history of the tournament after they also lost four-nil to Morocco in the 2018 edition.

Eric Chelle’s side went into the encounter hoping to bounce back from their one-nil defeat to champions Senegal.

Omer Yagoub scored a brace, while an own goal from Leonard Ngenge and Walieldin Khidir for Sudan.

After the conclusion of matchday 2, Sudan top of the group on four points and Senegal, also on four points, while Congo are third on two points and the Super Eagles B are bottom with no point.

The Super Eagles B will face Congo in their final Group D game on 19th August while Senegal will battle Sudan also on the same day.

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Former Nigerian international, Dimeji Lawal says he is disappointed with the performance of the Home-Based Eagles after their elimination from the ongoing 2024 African Nations Championship.

Reacting after the team’s disappointing loss to Sudan, Lawal questioned the character of the players against Sudan.

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Congo and Senegal have played one-all draw in their second fixture at the Africa Nations Championship, CHAN.

Congo took the lead in the 19th minute through Moussavou.

But with eight minutes left Senegal equalised through Layousse Samb’s strike.

The draw means Senegal remains at the top of the group on four points while Congo are second on two points.

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The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has moved to address escalating security breaches witnessed during Harambee Stars’ African Nations Championship matches, following fresh violations of match-day protocols.

The continental governing body said it has limited entry to the forty-eight thousand-seat Moi International Sports Center, also known as Kasarani Stadium, to twenty-seven thousand fans for Sunday’s Group A match between Kenya and Zambia.

CAF said only electronic ticket holders would be allowed into the stadium, with thermal tickets prohibited.

The sanctions follow incidents on 10th August when Kenya defeated two-time winner Morocco one-nil despite playing the entire second half with ten men.

Kenya’s football federation was fined nearly twenty thousand dollars for security lapses during the team’s one-nil win over DR Congo in the tournament.

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Former Nigerian international, Dominic Iorfa has advised Super Eagles star Kelechi Iheanacho to join a club in the Turkish League.

Iorfa stated that Besikstas would be an ideal club for Iheanacho.

He also assured him that the Beşiktaş fans will love him.

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Super Eagles star, Semi Ajayi has lauded Hull City’s defensive performance in their season opener against Coventry City.

The Tigers held their hosts to a goalless draw at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Ajayi stated that getting a point and clean sheet from the game was a good way to start the new season.

Former Governor of Lagos State and immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has called for a shift in the remodelling of Nigerian stadiums to become a hub for sports and entertainment.

Fashola spoke as a guest speaker during the book presentation of veteran sports journalist Mumini Alao’s Autobiography at the Tayo Aderinokun Hall, University of Lagos.

In his address titled “Re-thinking the current football business model in Nigeria as a catalyst for sports development”, Fashola addressed the infrastructural challenge of Nigerian sports, noting that the remodelling can also attract people to the stadiums.

Currently, Nigeria has two CAF-accredited stadiums: the 60,000-capacity Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja and the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, among the many facilities scattered across the country.

Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, gifted 35 motorcycles and the sum of N17.5m to players of the newly promoted Nigeria Premier Football League side, Barau FC, in celebration of their promotion to the Nigerian topflight.

The senator representing Kano North, who founded the club, announced the donation during a reception in honour of the club’s players and management in Kano.

The ceremony also witnessed the unveiling of the club’s head coach, Ladan Bosso.

British heavyweight Dillian Whyte says Anthony Joshua should fight Jake Paul for a lucrative purse, but insists he still has unfinished business with Joshua himself.

Whyte, 37, will be a huge underdog against the highly rated Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Meanwhile, talks about an unlikely match-up between two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul have intensified in recent weeks.

Over 200 athletes from 20 countries are slated to compete for laurels in different categories in the First Abia Para Badminton and All African Para Badminton Championships.

The Deputy Governor of Abia and Chairman, Main Organising Committee of the competition, Ikechukwu Emetu, disclosed this at the launch of the championships in Umuahia.

Emetu said the First Abia Para Badminton International Championships would hold from 30th September to 5th October, while the All African Para Badminton Championships would take place from 6th to 12th October.

He said the two back-to-back prestigious events were sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation and Badminton Confederation of Africa.

IN ENGLAND

Tottenham midfielder, Yves Bissouma has been left out of the squad to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Uefa Super Cup because of persistent lateness.

The team’s manager Thomas Frank said Bissouma was not available because of disciplinary reasons.

Tottenham face Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup final on Wednesday, before hosting Burnley in Saturday’s opening Premier League fixture.

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Tottenham midfielder, James Maddison says the people who doubt, hate and mock him will only motivate him to come back stronger from a serious knee injury.

The 28-year-old suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the pre-season draw against Newcastle in South Korea earlier this month.

Maddison, who is expected to miss the majority of the new season, said his ACL reconstruction surgery was successful.

Maddison, who won the last of his seven England caps in 2024, injured the same knee that ruled him out of the Europa League final victory against Manchester United in May.

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Meanwhile, Tottenham is exploring a deal for Crystal Palace and England forward Eberechi Eze.

Thomas Frank is looking to bolster his options in the final third after attacking midfielder James Maddison was ruled out for the majority of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

South Korea forward Son Heung-min left the club after ten years, while midfielder Dejan Kulusevski is still out after knee surgery.

Tottenham is also in talks with Manchester City over a move for Savinho but multiple sources have indicated that Eze is now emerging as a player of serious interest for Spurs.

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England international, Jack Grealish says there is only one place he wanted to go after signing for Everton on a season-long loan from Manchester City.

The 29-year-old becomes Everton’s sixth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Charly Alcaraz, Thierno Barry, Mark Travers and Adam Aznou.

He said talks with Toffees manager David Moyes were decisive in him choosing to move to Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Grealish is in line to make his Everton debut in their Premier League opener at Leeds on Monday.

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Newcastle United has completed the signing of AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw.

The Germany international, joins Eddie Howe’s side for a reported thirty-four point six million pounds, including add-ons.

He is the Magpies’ third signing of a tricky summer of recruitment, after winger Anthony Elanga’s arrival from Nottingham Forest and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on loan from Southampton.

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Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is determined to leave the team and join Liverpool this summer.

The Sweden striker’s ambition to join the Premier League champions before the deadline closes on 1st September.

The Magpies rejected a one hundred and ten million pounds bid from Liverpool for Isak on 1st August, with the Reds subsequently claiming that they were prepared to walk away from a deal.

Isak is expected to miss Newcastle’s Premier League opener at Aston Villa on Saturday.

The former Dortmund forward missed Newcastle’s pre-season tour of the far-east with a minor thigh injury.

He then trained alone at former club Real Sociedad, before returning to the UK last week.

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Liverpool is stepping up their attempts to sign Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi.

Palace captain Guehi has a year left on his contract, but chairman Steve Parish said earlier this week he could be sold this summer to avoid him moving on a free transfer in twelve months’ time.

Liverpool have held initial talks with a view to signing the 25-year-old before the summer transfer window shuts.

Liverpool is also trying to sign 18-year-old Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni.

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Crystal Palace says sporting merit is rendered meaningless after losing their appeal against demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League.

After winning the FA Cup last season, Palace qualified for Europe’s secondary competition but were punished by Uefa for breaching multi-club ownership rules.

In a strongly worded statement, Palace said it was almost impossible to receive a fair hearing.

Palace added they would continue to take legal advice on the next steps as they prepare to compete in the Conference League.

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Former Premier League referee, David Coote has been given an eight-week suspension by the Football Association for comments made about ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp on social media.

Coote, who was sacked by the Premier League in December 2024, has been further sanctioned by the FA for an aggravated breach of rule E3.2, because of the reference he made to Klopp’s nationality in the video.

The FA’s written reasons for the verdict said Coote expressed deep remorse and acknowledged his comments were crass and inappropriate.

Coote was also banned in February by Uefa from officiating in European competition until 30th June 2026.

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A moment of silence in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva will be held at all Premier League matches this weekend.

Players will also wear black armbands, while messages and images will be shown on the big screens in stadiums.

Former Liverpool and Wolves forward Jota died at the age of twenty-eight in a car crash in northern Spain last month alongside his brother, who was twenty-five.

Liverpool and Wolves both have tributes planned for their Premier League openers against Bournemouth and Manchester City respectively this weekend.

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Bromley’s Goalkeeper Sam Long was the team’s hero as the League Two side won an EFL Cup tie for the first time, beating Championship Ipswich Town on penalties.

Long saved spot-kicks from George Hirst and Ali Al-Hamadi to knock Town, relegated from the Premier League last season, out at the first hurdle.

The hosts, in just their second season in the EFL, took the lead just before the break when Deji Elerewe nodded home after Omar Sowunmi headed a deep corner across goal.

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Doncaster Rovers has thrashed Championship Middlesbrough to send them out of the Carabao Cup and inflict a first defeat on Rob Edwards as head coach.

Two early first-half goals and a double late in the second half helped last season’s League Two champions easily book their place in round two.

Edwards had retained six players from the side that beat Swansea on the opening day of the season in an effort to keep some of that momentum but it was Doncaster who played with far more confidence despite changing their entire starting eleven.

Rovers, who have two wins from two in League One, needed just over ten minutes to break the deadlock as a fine lay-off from veteran forward Billy Sharp allowed Ben Close to score with the aid of a deflection.

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OTHER LEAGUES

Rangers has progressed to a Champions League play-off with Club Brugge, but only after riding their luck against a dominant Viktoria Plzen side in the Czech Republic.

Lyall Cameron’s second-half equaliser ultimately proved decisive for Russell Martin’s team, who went behind on the game and conceded again later on during a chastening in which Plzen spurned numerous chances.

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Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique says the club has backed his decision to drop goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for the Uefa Super Cup.

Enrique said his decision was down to looking for a different profile of goalkeeper.

The Italian was left out of the squad that travelled to Udine for Wednesday’s match against Tottenham, with Lucas Chevalier and Renato Marin selected instead.

Donnarumma said he was disappointed and disheartened at his omission.

Donnarumma said he was unsure he would play for the Ligue 1 club again.

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Real Madrid has strongly rejected plans to play Villarreal’s La Liga match with Barcelona in the United States, saying it sets an unacceptable precedent.

The fixture is scheduled for 21st December at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, but the Spanish football federation, RFEF, approved the proposal on Monday to host the game in America.

The RFEF will now seek permission from Fifa and Uefa to switch it to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which is set to host seven matches at the 2026 World Cup.

Real Madrid have expressed their strongest rejection of the proposal to play the match outside Spain.

The Spanish football supporters’ association has also joined Barcelona and Villarreal fan groups to make clear their firm opposition to the proposal, warning they would take appropriate legal action if it went ahead.

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Como star, Alvaro Morata says he had no choice but to give up part of his salary in order to leave Galatasaray, as the club failed to honour certain commitments.

The 32-year-old Spain captain joined the Turkish Super Lig side on loan from AC Milan in February, with an option to buy for eight point six million pounds, but his contract was mutually terminated earlier this week.

Morata has now joined Italian Serie A side Como, who are managed by his former Chelsea team-mate Cesc Fabregas, on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy.

Galatasaray said Milan will pay a termination fee of four point three million pounds, while Morata has waive receivables worth five hundred and sixty-two thousand, nine hundred and eighty-two pounds.

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Udinese say they have signed one of the brightest young talents in European football after securing a deal to sign Scotland midfielder Lennon Miller from Motherwell.

The 18-year-old has moved to the Italian top-flight club in a reported four point seven-five million pounds switch, having been given permission to travel to Udine on Monday.

Miller, who the Serie A side describe as a modern midfielder, capable of combining technique, vision, and character, has signed a five-year contract.

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Former AC Milan coach, Arrigo Sacchi has advised the club not to sign Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund.

Milan is keen to set up a loan-to-buy arrangement for the Dane, but Sacchi questioned how much Hojlund actually wants to make the move.

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OTHER SPORTS

In Boxing, British heavyweight Dillian Whyte says Anthony Joshua should fight Jake Paul for a lucrative purse, but insists he still has unfinished business with Joshua himself.

Whyte, will be a huge underdog against the highly rated Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Meanwhile, talks about an unlikely match-up between two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul have intensified in recent weeks

Whyte lost to Joshua in 2015 for the British title in a memorable grudge match, but a 2023 rematch was scrapped after Whyte failed a drug test.

He protested his innocence, claimed he was cleared of any wrongdoing and returned to action in March 2024.

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In Cricket, A fired-up Liam Livingstone brilliantly took down Rashid Khan to lead Birmingham Phoenix home in a thrilling and unlikely chase of 181 against defending champions Oval Invincibles in the men’s Hundred.

The Phoenix, beaten in both of their first two fixtures, needed 61 runs from 24 balls with six wickets left before captain Livingstone struck five balls from superstar Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid for 26 runs, with three sixes and two fours.

With 22 required from the last 10, he thrashed Tom Curran for another two sixes to put Phoenix on the brink.

Rashid’s final figures 0-59 from 20 balls – are the most expensive in the tournament as the Invincibles’ winning start to the tournament ended.

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In Athletics, Armand Duplantis broke the men’s pole vault world record for a 13th time and third this year with a clearance of six point twenty-nine metres at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old double Olympic and world champion cleared six point twenty-eight metres at the Stockholm Diamond League meeting in June.

He surpassed that figure with his second attempt in Budapest on Tuesday.

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Meanwhile, United States sprinter Fred Kerley has been provisionally suspended for an alleged anti-doping whereabouts violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Tuesday.

Kerley who won one hundred metres bronze at last summer’s Paris Games, could face a two-year ban if the charge is upheld.

The World Anti-Doping Code states an athlete cannot miss three anti-doping tests and/or filing failures within a 12-month period.

In a statement posted on X, lawyers for Kerley said he intends to contest the allegation.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

If you want to be the best, you have to do the things that other people are not willing to do….words from Michael Phelps