IN NIGERIA
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Former Nigeria Defender, Ben Iroha has urged the Super Eagles to focus fully on Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash against Guinea-Bissau in Bissau.
Iroha stated this after the Super Eagles opened their Group L campaign with a two-one victory over Madagascar in Uyo.
The 1994 AFCON winner warned the Super Eagles to be prepared for the physical approach of the Guinea-Bissau side, insisting that Tuesday’s encounter would be tougher than their opening fixture against Madagascar.
The former Golden Eaglets assistant coach, also identified what he believes could be a possible weakness in the Guinea-Bissau side for the Super Eagles to exploit.
After Tuesday’s encounter against Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria’s next 2027 AFCON qualifying game will be against Tanzania, one of the three countries that will jointly host the tournament.
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Nigeria’s Flamingos have emerged champions of the 2026 WAFU-B Under-seventeen Girls Cup after completing a perfect campaign with a commanding four-nil victory over Togo in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Flamingos finished the competition unbeaten, recording five wins from five matches to underline their dominance throughout the tournament.
Captain Harmony Chidi netted twice from the penalty spot in the first period, before Oluebube Umejiaku and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi scored a goal each for Flamingos.
The victory over Togo therefore completes a five-match winning streak for Nigeria.
With the WAFU B title secured, the Flamingos will now turn their attention to the 2026 FIFA Under-seventeen Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
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The Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, has praised the Flamingos for winning the WAFU-B Under-seventeen Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire.
The squad, led by Coach Akeem Busari, on Sunday defeated their Togolese counterparts four-nil to emerge champions of the tournament, in the process winning all their five matches, scoring a total of seventeen goals, and conceding only two.
Ikpeme said the Flamingos have performed exceptionally well and made the nation proud, adding the players still have more to offer.
He expressed confidence that the team can travel to Morocco and achieve great things at the FIFA Under-seventeen Women’s World Cup, which begins next month.
The Flamingos will return to Nigeria on Tuesday.
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Enyimba FC have ended their winless run in the Nigeria Premier Football League with a goalless draw against Kano Pillars in their Matchday Six fixture at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
The result earned the nine-time champions their first point of the season after suffering defeats in their previous four outings.
Defending champions Rangers suffered a two-nil defeat to Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, Lagos.
Plateau United climbed to second position on the table following a two-nil victory over Inter Lagos, while Kun Khalifat FC recorded their first victory of the season with a narrow one-nil win over Kwara United.
Warri Wolves also secured a one-nil victory over Shooting Stars, and Abia Warriors recorded the biggest win of the day, defeating Bendel Insurance three-nil.
Katsina United came from behind to defeat Doma United two-one, while Nasarawa United defeated Niger Tornadoes one-nil.
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Sporting Lagos head coach, Jeffrey Buter has expressed disappointment after his side were held to a one-all draw by Barau FC in their Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, Matchday 6 encounter.
Buter believes Sporting Lagos deserved more from the keenly contested encounter.
He also rued his team’s inability to make their chances count.
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Preparations for Nigeria’s Sand Eagles crucial CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie against Ghana have moved up a gear, with all twenty invited Sand Eagles players now in camp in Kaduna.
The team has been training for the past week at the Murtala Muhammed Square Sports Complex, where they have been undergoing intensive tactical and technical sessions under the supervision of Coach Christopher Kadiri.
The Sand Eagles are due to host Ghana’s Black Sharks in Kaduna on Saturday, 10th October, with the second leg to take place in Accra on Saturday, 17th October.
The winner between Nigeria and Ghana in next month’s fixture will earn a ticket to this year’s CAF Beach Soccer AFCON finals, scheduled for 7th to 15th October in Senegal.
Meanwhile, the Sand Eagles’ head Coach Abdullahi Isa, is currently with the Under-seventeen Boys National Team, the Golden Eaglets, as they prepare for the WAFU-B Under-seventeen Championship in Burkina Faso, next month.
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Nigeria’s Stallions finished sixth at the African Men’s Sevens Series in Kampala, Uganda, after a spirited campaign.
The Stallions missed out on fifth place after losing 19–7 to Tunisia in the fifth-place playoff.
The result left Nigeria in sixth place, one position better than its pre-tournament ranking.
Nigeria’s sixth-place finish came after a campaign that tested the team’s resilience, character and fighting spirit.
In the Cup Final, Zimbabwe defeated hosts Uganda 26–19 to emerge champions, while Uganda settled for silver and Morocco secured the bronze medal.
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The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State Council is set to hold its 2026 NUJ Media Games from 5th to 9th October 2026, at the Agege Stadium and the NUJ Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Chairman of the Sports Committee, Ayo Ojedokun, said the Games were designed to give journalists a way to ease off the stress of the newsroom, keep fit, healthy, and create time for recreation.
Ojedokun announced that the Games would feature 5-A-side football for men and women, the 100m race, and indoor events including Chess, Draught, Ayo, Scrabble and Table Tennis.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Lagos Council, Adeleye Ajayi, said the Games have come to stay and that the Council was excited to organise the game.
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IN ENGLAND
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The duo of Manchester United stars, Bruno Fernandes, Patrick Dorgu and Liverpool star Cody Gakpo have all joined the international break’s high-profile injury list after suffering issues that have curtailed their involvement in Nations League matches.
After playing in Portugal’s win over Wales, Manchester United captain Fernandes was not in the squad for Sunday’s fixture against Norway.
Meanwhile, both Fernandes’ United team-mate Dorgu and Liverpool striker Gakpo suffered injuries during games for their respective countries.
Gakpo had to go off just sixteen minutes into the Netherlands’ two-one win against Serbia, grimacing and holding the lower part of his right leg.
Dorgu, meanwhile, lasted thirty minutes before he limped off in Denmark’s two-nil win against Wales.
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Former England striker, Darren Bent has called for Manchester City to be relegated to League Two and handed a six-year transfer ban after City were found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.
The ex-Tottenham and Sunderland man did not hold back when asked what punishment City should face.
Bent, who is now a prominent pundit, insisted that only a punishment of that magnitude would act as a proper deterrent to other clubs.
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Former Arsenal and Manchester City star, Samir Nasri says France and England lack a clear playing identity, while hailing Spain as the model.
The ex-France international questioned the midfield balance in the current French generation and compared it to the Spanish system.
Nasri praised La Roja’s philosophy, saying their style remains consistent regardless of personnel.
The 37-year-old, also weighed in on Zinedine Zidane potentially taking over the French national team.
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Arsenal striker, Viktor Gyokeres has openly admitted that his lack of regular starting minutes under Mikel Arteta has been frustrating, while also addressing widespread speculation regarding his future.
Gyökeres, who recently scored in Sweden’s two-one UEFA Nations League victory over Romania, spoke openly about his current role in the squad.
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Arsenal have accelerated their checks on Ibrahim Maza, with the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder emerging as one of the more intriguing young names on the market ahead of a potential future move.
The report states that Arsenal and Tottenham have both watched Maza this season as they weigh up his development and consider whether a formal move could become viable.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa are also said to remain attentive, a sign of how quickly the player’s standing has risen.
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Manchester United legend, Roy Keane has launched a scathing critique of Chelsea star Cole Palmer, claiming the midfielder has far too many bad habits to truly elevate the England national team.
Keane pointed directly to Chelsea’s three-nil defeat against Brentford, expressing skepticism over whether Palmer can be the main catalyst to lead England to major tournament glory.
The backlash follows Palmer’s controversial withdrawal from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for their UEFA Nations League matches due to fitness and load management.
Palmer’s decision to pull out raised eyebrows given that he has featured heavily for Chelsea, starting six of their opening seven matches despite managing underlying physical discomfort.
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Chelsea beat Arsenal in a feisty encounter at Stamford Bridge to continue their steady start to the Women’s Super League season.
USA forward Alyssa Thompson scored the only goal as Arsenal were once again punished for an uninspired attacking performance.
The result leaves the Gunners trailing WSL leaders Manchester City by seven points just four weeks into the season and the two sides meet next Sunday.
Chelsea are third, two points behind City, and extended their unbeaten run in the WSL to twelve games.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Germany boss Jurgen Klopp’s wait for his first win as his side was upset one-nil at home by Greece in the Nations League.
The former Liverpool manager was taking charge of his second match as head coach after a one-all draw with the Netherlands.
Germany was beaten in Augsburg by Dimitrios Kourbelis’ 74th-minute goal after the midfielder’s shot from the edge of the box deflected in off Joshua Kimmich.
The result meant Greece returned to the top of Nations League Group 2, having beaten Serbia and well-positioned to reach the quarter-finals.
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Norway star, Erling Haaland has scored his 65th international goal for Norway, but it was not enough as Portugal made it two wins from two in this season’s Nations League.
After Joao Felix put the visitors ahead with his second goal in as many games, Haaland tapped in from close range early in the second half.
Portugal’s second goal was scored by Goncalo Ramos.
Cristiano Ronaldo will have to wait to continue his pursuit of one thousand career goals after he was left as an unused substitute on the bench.
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Wales remain at the bottom of their Nations League A group following a two-nil defeat by Denmark in Copenhagen that also leaves Craig Bellamy’s side without a victory in 2026.
Spurs defender Ben Davies was unfortunate to turn Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross into his own net early on in the second half at Parken Stadium.
Gustav Isaksen who had a goal disallowed in the first half added Denmark’s second thirteen minutes later as his side earned their first victory of the campaign.
Wales, winless in six games this year, sit fourth in the standings without a point from their opening two matches before a home double-header against Norway and the Danes next week.
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Three first-half goals saw the Republic of Ireland claim the first win of their Nations League Group B3 campaign against Israel in Hungary.
Three days on from a disappointing defeat in Kosovo, the Irish enjoyed a much better showing in Debrecen as first-half goals from Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan had them clear.
As expected, there were no handshakes prior to the game, with the Republic of Ireland players bowing their heads during the Israeli anthem.
The Republic of Ireland now turn their attention to Austria in Dublin on Thursday, with Israel back in Debrecen to face Kosovo.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Tennis, Alexander Zverev beat Learner Tien on the final day of the Laver Cup to lead Team Europe to their sixth title.
US Open champion Zverev recovered from a disappointing defeat by Team World’s Alex de Minaur on day two and eased to a 7-6, 6-3 win over Tien at London’s O2 Arena.
After Carlos Alcaraz’s heroics kept Europe in contention after that loss on day two, Flavio Cobolli and Jakub Mensik beat De Minaur and Taylor Fritz in the doubles to extend their lead before Zverev’s triumph.
Both wins took Europe’s tally to the required thirteen needed to win, which meant that Alcaraz was not required to play again.
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Also, Two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz narrowly avoided back-to-back singles defeats for the first time in 18 months as Team Europe took a 7-5 lead over Team World at the Laver Cup.
The world number three saved two match points before overcoming Taylor Fritz 6-3, 4-6, 13-11 in a dramatic deciding tie-break at London’s O2 Arena.
It was Alcaraz’s first singles outing since his late-night quarter-final exit to Ben Shelton at the US Open.
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Tennis legend Roger Federer has opened up about what he truly cherished most, emphasising that the joy of globe-trotting, building lifelong friendships, and connecting with fans meant just as much to him as lifting trophies.
Speaking on the experience of traveling the world, Federer admitted that competing across different continents and cities, from major Grand Slam hubs to exhibition stops, was an unforgettable journey.
While he amassed 103 ATP titles and 20 Grand Slams, Federer stressed that the human element, including bonds built with players, tournament organizers, and ball kids, defined his legacy.
Though retired from professional play, Federer remains connected to the sport through occasional appearances, charity work, and events like the Laver Cup, continuing to share his passion for the global tennis community.
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In Cricket, Tom Banton has delivered on all of his potential by crashing a brilliant first international century as England wrapped up their summer with an ODI series win over Sri Lanka.
The 27-year-old right-hander was once the rising star of English cricket when handed a debut in 2019 but afterwards fell out of love with the game after losing his way.
After reaching his hundred in 95 balls in the third one-day international at The Oval, he stood with arms wide and looked to the sky – all of that disappointment seemingly behind him.
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In Rugby, Australia were reduced to eleven men but dug in for an extraordinary win against a much-changed South Africa side as they beat the world champions 42-38 in Perth.
The Wallabies excelled with some vibrant attacking rugby, scoring five tries against the back-to-back World Cup winners to lead by 25 points with 16 minutes left.
But then a manic spell of four yellow cards in nine minutes left the hosts overrun, with South Africa mounting a comeback that ultimately fell just short.
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In Golf, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick has secured his fourth title of the season with a three-shot win at the French Open in Paris.
Fitzpatrick carded a one-under-par seventy to hold off the challenge of Spain’s Angel Hidalgo at Le Golf National.
The 32-year-old has already won the Valspar Championship and RBC Heritage titles on the PGA Tour this year, as well as the Zurich Classic team event in New Orleans alongside younger brother Alex.
However, crucial birdies on the 13th and 15th pushed Fitzpatrick further clear and even a bogey at the last could not deny him an 11th European Tour title.
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In Cycling, Brandon McNulty became the first American winner of the men’s road race world title in thirty-three years with a stunning victory in Montreal.
The 28-year-old put his hands on his head in disbelief as he crossed the line 13 seconds clear of the chasing pack, completing the gruelling 273.4km course in six hours and 17 minutes.
Australian Michael Matthews was second, with former winner Mathieu van der Poel, of the Netherlands, in third.
He launched an attack going into the final thirty kilometres and was fifty seconds clear going into the last lap.
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In Athletics, An injured Tigst Assefa hobbled over the line at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday after looking set to smash the women’s world record.
The Ethiopian still won with the third-fastest time in history in two hours eleven minutes four seconds.
The 29-year-old, a silver medallist at the Paris Olympics two years ago, had been cruising to a new record before fading in the final stages.
Kenyan athlete Ruth Chepngetich’s time of 2:09:56, set at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, remains the world record time, though that result is overshadowed by the three-year doping ban she received in 2025.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
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IN CAF AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS QUALIFIERS
Equatorial Guinea vs Sierra Leone
Zimbabwe vs Democratic Republic of Congo
Central African Republic vs Burkina Faso
Tunisia vs Botswana
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IN UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE
Belgium vs France
Turkey vs Italy
Georgia vs Ukraine
Latvia vs Cyprus
Sweden vs Poland
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
I am constantly being asked about individuals. The only way to win is as a team…words from Football Legend Pelé.
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