Author: Nurudeen Obalola

By Korede James Katsina United edged out Heartland 1-0 in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matchday 23 fixture in Katsina on Friday. Muhammed Ibrahim scored the only goal of the encounter in the 73rd minute to earn his side the three points. The defeat put an end Heartland’s four-match unbeaten run (two wins, two draws). It is a return to winning ways for Katsina United who went into the match on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Bendel Insurance. The win means Katsina United are now in 13th in the NPFL table while Heartland are 11th, two points…

Discussions to scrap extra-time from UEFA Champions League knockout rounds are gathering speed within UEFA in what would be a new step to reduce the number of minutes played by top clubs. The Guardian understands the topic of taking ties in UEFA’s club competitions straight to penalties is being given serious consideration, although a change midway through this television rights cycle, which runs until 2027, is unlikely. Extra-time has long been a point of contention among European football’s stakeholders, with some players’ unions arguing strongly that its abolition would ease strains on a bulging calendar. The expanded group stage for…

By Korede James Zimbabwe head coach Michael Nees has warned their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C opponents that the Warriors are still in the race. After four matches, the Warriors are bottom of Group C on two points. Rwanda, South Africa and Benin Republic each have seven points and are first, second and third respectively. Lesotho are in thecfourth position with five points while Nigeria’s Super Eagles are fifth with three points. The Warriors will be back in action in the qualifiers on March 17 with a home game against Benin Republic and as guests of the Super…

LeBron James poured in 42 points to join Michael Jordan as the only 40-year-olds to score 40 points in an NBA game as the host Los Angeles Lakers notched a 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night/Friday morning. James also grabbed a season-best 17 rebounds to go with eight assists and six 3-pointers in an epic performance as the Lakers won their fourth straight game and 10th in their past 12. Austin Reaves added 23 points and Nigerian star Gabe Vincent scored 15 on five 3-pointers for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes had 11 points…

By Korede James Liverpool hammered Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Thursday night to advance into the final of the Carabao Cup for the second year running. The Reds are now the first side in League Cup history to reach the final 15 times. Arne Slot’s side went into the semi-final second leg needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg. Goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk secured the dominant win. Gakpo opened the scoring in the 34th minute while Salah doubled the lead on 51 minutes from the penalty spot. With 15 minutes…

By Korede James Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has said Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is fit to face Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday. Ndidi has been absent since December 8 due to a hamstring injury, missing several important matches. But the 28-year-old Nigeria international has trained with his teammates over the past fortnight and is close to making his return to the line-up. “Wilf is fine,” Van Nistelrooy told reporters during his pre-match press conference on Thursday. “He had a great week of training, last week and this week. He’ll be…

Manchester United on Thursday confirmed defender Lisandro Martinez had sustained cruciate ligament damage, which is likely to rule him out for the rest of the season. The Argentina centre-back, 27, was carried off on a stretcher after his left knee buckled late in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. “Manchester United can confirm that Lisandro Martinez suffered an injury to his cruciate ligament in Sunday’s game against Crystal Palace,” the club said in a statement. “Assessment of the injury is ongoing to determine the appropriate course of treatment and the timescale for his rehabilitation. “Everyone at…

By Korede James Super Falcons forward Folashade Ijamilusi has signed for Chinese Women’s Super League club Liaoning Baiye from Nigerian champions Edo Queens. Ijamilusi completed the move on Wednesday, signing a two-year contract. The 23-year-old Ijamilusi finished as the top scorer in the 2023/2024 Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) with eight goals as Edo Queens emerged champions. She played a key role as Edo Queens won the 2024 WAFU B Women’s Champions League qualifiers in Côte d’Ivoire. She also helped the club finish fourth on their debut at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco. She bagged a hat-trick…

Nigeria Football Federation President Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau conducted the Chairman of National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, round the proposed site for the NFF Hotel and new training pitch on Wednesday. The proposed facility is located adjacent the NFF Headquarters inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. “This ambitious project is designed to establish a state-of-the-art accommodation facility intended specifically for the national football teams,” the NFF said. “The vision behind the proposed hotel, which has been a project close to the heart of the Ibrahim Gusau administration since it took office 28 months ago, is to free the NFF of the humongous expenses incurred…

United States of America President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that prevents transgender women from competing in female categories of sports. The order provides guidance, regulations and legal interpretations, and it will enlist the Department of Education to investigate high schools thought to be non-compliant. Republicans say it restores fairness to sports but LGBT advocacy and human rights organisations have described the move as discriminatory. The order, which goes into effect immediately, largely covers high school, universities and grassroots sports. A number of sporting governing bodies, including swimming, athletics and golf, have banned transgender women from competing in…