Author: Nurudeen Obalola
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Sunday confirmed the dates, fixtures and match venues for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (U-20 AFCON) to be held in Egypt. The Flying Eagles of Nigeria are one of 13 teams vying for honours at the tournament, with the trophy and spots in the FIFA U-20 World Cup at stake. “The 17th edition of Africa’s flagship youth tournament will run from 27 April to 18 May 2025, featuring 13 nations competing across three venues in Cairo, Ismailia, and Suez,” CAF said in a statement on Sunday. “The opening matchday takes place on Sunday, 27…
The Los Angeles Lakers slumped to a 117-95 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening game of their NBA Western Conference first-round play-off on Saturday. Jaden McDaniels top scored with 25 points for the sixth-seeded Timberwolves, who were the only away team to win in the opening matches of the best-of-seven post-season series. Naz Reid scored 23 points off the bench while Anthony Edwards added 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists for Minnesota, who led by 27 points at one stage. Lakers star LeBron James, who is chasing a fifth title in his 22nd NBA…
Multiple reports on Saturday night suggested that Carlo Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season and he is leaning towards the Brazil job rather than Roma or Milan. According to The Athletic, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano and others, the Italian coach is aware that his time with the Merengues has come to an end. There had been suggestions Ancelotti could be fired after the Copa del Rey Final against Barcelona, but it now seems that they will do him the courtesy of waiting until the end of the season. His replacement is expected to be current…
The Flamingos of Nigeria inched closer to securing a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup with a 4-0 victory over Algeria in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Saturday. The encounter was the first leg of the final qualifying round of the global tournament, scheduled for Morocco later in the year. Queen Joseph scored two of the Flamingos’ goals, with Zainab Raji and Amina Animashaun netting the other goals at the home of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) leaders Remo Stars. Joseph got the Flamingos on their way as early as the first minute with the opening goal and…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a new partnership with Air Maroc for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and other tournaments on the continent. “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) and Royal Air Maroc have concluded a historic strategic partnership granting Morocco’s national airline the status of ‘Official Global Partner’ for Africa’s biggest upcoming football competitions, the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 and the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2024,” the continental ruling body stated on Saturday. “This partnership will also include the TotalEnergies…
Former Croatia international Nikola Pokrivac has died in a car accident in his home country, the Croatian Football Federation confirmed on Saturday. The 39-year-old midfielder played for Dinamo Zagreb, AS Monaco and RB Salzburg over his career and won 15 international caps from 2008 to 2010. Pokrivac was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2015 which forced him to retire from professional football. But he returned to amateur football in 2021 and joined lower league side NK Vojnic last summer. Local media said he was in a vehicle with three team-mates from NK Vojnic when they were involved in a four-vehicle…
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim will fast track his younger players by giving them more game time in the English Premier League as they focus on the UEFA Europa League — their last hope of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season. United are 14th in the Premier League, 17 points from the top five, but advanced to the semi-finals of the Europa League on Thursday with a sensational 7-6 aggregate victory over Olympique Lyonnais. Amorim has already used defenders Harry Amass and Ayden Heaven, both 18, in several games this season while 17-year-old Denmark youth international with Nigerian heritage Chido…
Flamingos of Nigeria head coach Bankole Olowookere has said that his side are targeting a big win in their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final qualifying round, first leg encounter against Algeria on Saturday. Olowookere is aiming to take a comfortable margin to next week’s return fixture in Algeria to reduce the pressure on his girls. “We have been working very hard to correct the lapses noticed in our last matches (against South Africa), and we believe we are in good form to achieve a handsome win here and then go all out in the second leg in Algeria,” Olowookere…
Former Rochdale midfielder Joe Thompson has died at the age of 36. He was diagnosed with cancer for a third time in April last year, five years after he retired from playing. Thompson was found to have stage four lymphona – a type of blood cancer – which had spread to his lungs after twice recovering from the disease during his playing career. The Bath-born player began and finished his career with Rochdale, and had three spells with the club. Rochdale said they were “devastated” and that he had passed away peacefully at home on Thursday with his family by…
Manchester United prevailed in a dramatic Thursday night of UEFA Europa League football to advance past Lyon into the semi-finals, while Super Eagles stars Cyriel Dessers and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru were eliminated with their clubs Rangers and Lazio respectively. Harry Maguire dragged Manchester United through in extraordinary fashion as they scored twice in the final minute of extra-time to complete a staggering comeback from 4-2 down against 10-man Lyon to win 5-4 at Old Trafford and 7-6 on aggregate. United appeared to be heading out of the competition in the worst possible manner as they tossed away a two-goal lead…