IN NIGERIA

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Nigeria’s Super Eagles has strengthened its bid for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as striker Victor Osimhen scored twice to inspire the team to a four-one victory over Gabon.

Akor Adams and Childera Ejuke also scored a goal each for Super Eagles to secure the team’s place in the play-off final.

The Super Eagles will now face Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday 16th November.
, after Congo defeating Cameroon one-nil.

The winners of that match will then progress to a six-team intercontinental qualifier, which will be held in March and will determine the final two qualifiers for next year’s World Cup.

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Super Eagles will be without Wilfred Ndidi in Sunday’s clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ndidi was cautioned in the sixth minute of the thrilling encounter for a rash challenge on Dennis Bounaga.

It was the midfielder’s second booking in the qualifying series.

The 29-year-old was booked for the first time in the qualifiers against the Amavubi of Rwanda in Kigali on matchday five.

Ndidi put up an impressive display against Gabon, providing the assist for the second goal scored by Chidera Ejuke.

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Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle says it was passion that drove his players in their dominant 4-1 win against Gabon

Chelle said he was very proud of the players because every time they are focused on what I asked, what I want and it show what I want.

Chelle said it is not over yet as they still have one more game in the African qualifying playoffs and hopefully they can secure the win before they can smile.

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President Bola Tinubu has urged the Super Eagles to maintain the momentum from their decisive win over Gabon and stay focused as they continue their campaign in the remaining World Cup qualifiers.

Congratulating the Super Eagles on their four-one victory over Gabon, President Tinubu described their performance as a clear expression of the Nigerian character that rises, adapts, and prevails.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that every match presents an opportunity to show discipline and character, and to prove again that Nigeria’s ambition is firmly within reach.

He noted that the team played with courage, balance, and precision, and reminded the country that football has always been one of Nigeria’s most potent symbols of unity and shared pride.

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Former Nigerian international Mutiu Adepoju has praised the performance of the Super Eagles.

Adepoju stated he was impressed with the reactions of the players in the extra time.

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Number one seed, Ganiu Mubarak, continued to impress as he defeated Olawale Gbolahan 7-5, 6-4 in the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior J30 Tournament round of 16 clash in at the Lagos Country Club in Ikeja, Lagos State.

Fourth seed, James Benjamin, triumphed over Italy’s Gabriele Mannelli 6-4, 7-6, while seventh seed, David Omozokpia, beat Australia’s Abhik Khatry 6-4, 6-2.

Spain’s Javier Montes overpowered Nigeria’s Gabriel Igbinovia 6-0, 6-2, while Britain’s Oluwajomiloju Aminu edged Segun Monday 6-4, 6-4.

Goodnews Aina defeated Success Godwin 6-2, 6-1, while Khadijat Mohammad claimed a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Omoyinka Ayinla.

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Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is reportedly preparing for a sensational return to the ring as he gets ready to face social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a high-profile heavyweight clash expected to take place in Miami in December.

Negotiations between Joshua’s team and Paul’s camp are nearing completion, with either 9th or 12th December being targeted for the much-anticipated showdown.

Joshua has been out of action since his defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

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British-Nigerian heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma has been granted a world title shot in 2026 after the World Boxing Association officially sanctioned his mandatory challenge against the winner of the 12th December clash between WBA Regular Champion Kubrat Pulev and Murat Gassiev.

The WBA ruling confirms that Itauma retains his mandatory status as the No.1 contender and will face the winner of Pulev–Gassiev, or Pulev in case of a draw or no-decision.

According to the WBA ruling, the 20-year-old has also been cleared to take an optional bout against Jermaine Franklin on 24th January, 2026, at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.

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Team Nigeria has made a significant impact at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, standing within the top six on the overall medal table, primarily due to an exceptional performance by their weightlifting team.

As the weightlifting events concluded on Day 9 on Thursday, Nigerian athletes had amassed a remarkable 14 medals, firmly establishing weightlifting as the nation’s “Golden Stronghold” at the Games.

This impressive tally includes six gold, five silver and three bronze medals.

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IN ENGLAND

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England has extended their flawless record in World Cup qualifying with a seventh successive victory as Serbia were beaten two-nil at Wembley.

Head coach Thomas Tuchel is now able to fine-tune his plans after the Three Lions confirmed their place last month in next summer’s showpiece with two games to spare, and this was a low-key affair on a rain-soaked evening.

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Manchester United star Bryan Mbeumo has won the Professional Football Association, PFA Fans’ Player of the Month award for October.

United stated this in a statement on their website on Thursday.

The Reds forward has added the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month trophy to the two he has already won for his exploits in October.

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Manchester United is facing legal action after a man who worked as a former kitman, groundsman and caretaker was accused of historical sexual abuse.

The claims have been made against Billy Watts, who worked at the club’s Cliff training ground in the 1980s.

He died in 2009.

A civil case has been brought by a man who alleges he was abused when he was a child and he accuses the club of failing to protect him from the abuse while he was under their care and supervision.

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OTHER LEAGUES

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France star Kylian Mbappe scored twice including a Panenka penalty while Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike got his first goal for France as the team secured a place at the 2026 World Cup with a dominant victory against Ukraine.

France’s fourth goal was score by Michael Olise to make it four-nil.

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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo is sent off for the first time in international football as Portugal missed the chance to secure World Cup qualification with a surprise two-nil defeat by the Republic of Ireland at Aviva Stadium.

After Troy Parrott’s first-half double for the home side, Ronaldo was initially shown a yellow card for swinging his elbow into Irish defender Dara O’Shea’s back on the hour mark.

The Portugal captain’s card was upgraded after the video assistant referee (VAR) advised referee Glenn Nyberg to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.

While Portugal are still in pole position to top the group, they will be without Ronaldo for Sunday’s home match against Armenia , with the length of his suspension to be decided by a disciplinary committee.

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Norway has all but qualified for a first World Cup in twenty-eight years as doubles from Erling Haaland and Alexander Sorloth sealed a comfortable win against Estonia.

A seventh win out of seven in qualifying has them sat top of Group I, six points ahead of Italy in second place and nineteen goals better off.

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Northern Ireland goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell feels Michael O’Neill’s squad is the strongest we’ve been as they prepare for Friday’s crunch World Cup qualifier away to Slovakia.

With all to play for still in Group A, Northern Ireland sit in third place, three points behind both Germany and Slovakia with their final game to come at home to Luxembourg on Monday at Windsor Park.

A repeat of October’s home win over Slovakia would put them in a healthy position to secure at least second place in the group and a play-off spot.

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Real Madrid is in advanced talks with Lyon over sending forward Endrick on loan to the Ligue 1 side in January.

The 19-year-old has played only fourteen minutes under manager Xabi Alonso this season and is being courted by a number of European clubs before the January transfer window.

Sources have indicated that a loan deal with Lyon until the end of the season is close to being finalised.

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Turkey’s Football Federation has given bans to one hundred and two players from its top two divisions for betting-related activities.

The punishments were of varying lengths, ranging from three to twelve months, and involve twenty-five players from the top-tier Super Lig.

They include two players from champions Galatasaray, Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci who were handed bans of forty-five days and nine months.

The rulings by the Professional Football Disciplinary Board in Turkey become final after the seven-day appeal period expires.

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OTHER SPORTS

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In Tennis, Alex de Minaur recovered from a dark place to keep alive his hopes of progressing at the ATP Finals, while confirming Carlos Alcaraz’s place in the knockout stages in Turin.

Requiring a straight-set victory to remain in contention, Australia’s De Minaur ended American sixth seed Taylor Fritz’s tournament with an impressive 7-6, 6-3 win.

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The Formula 1 teams have agreed to extend their commitment to back the all-female F1 Academy series beyond this season.

The current contracts, which started in 2024, were due to come to an end this year, but the F1 Academy has announced a new multi-year partnership that will see all F1 teams back drivers in the championship.

The new Cadillac team, who are entering F1 next season, have also joined the existing 10 teams in backing the Academy.

In addition, the F1 Academy is relaxing in its rule that prevents drivers staying in the series for more than two years.

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In Cricket, Ben Stokes took six wickets in his first action since July but England suffered an injury concern over Mark Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

Stokes, returning after almost four months out with a shoulder injury, bowled sixteen overs across three spells for his 6-52 against England Lions all to catches on the leg side.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee injury, bowled a pre-planned number of eight overs before leaving the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem.

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In Rugby, Wales will adopt a different approach in their second autumn Test against Japan after the loss of ‘irreplaceable’ Jac Morgan.

When Steve Tandy named his first squad last month it looked like he would start with a back-row trio of Aaron Wainwright, Morgan and Taulupe Faletau.

Plans have been ripped up and the head coach has named a rejigged back row of Wainwright, Alex Mann and Olly Cracknell to face the Brave Blossoms on Saturday.

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In Golf, Rory McIlroy made a confident start to his bid for a fourth consecutive Race to Dubai title with an accomplished opening round at the DP World Tour Championship.

The Northern Irishman hit a six-under 66, leaving him joint-third and two strokes behind leader Michael Kim in the United Arab Emirates.

McIlroy, who has a 767-point lead at the top of the season-long rankings, opened his round with three consecutive birdies as he aims for a seventh Race to Dubai title.

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