Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Nurudeen Obalola Several Nigerian players and teams, including Chiamaka Nnadozie, the Super Falcons and Edo Queens, have been included in the top five shortlists of different categories of the 2024 CAF Awards. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the top five nominees in each of the women’s categories on Wednesday, with the awards ceremony set for December 16 in Marrakech, Morocco. The 2024 CAF Awards cover the period from January to October this year. Nnadozie is shortlisted in two categories: the Women’s Player of the Year and the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, which she won last year.…
Arsenal scored twice from corner kicks to hand Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim his first defeat in English football on a busy Wednesday night of Premier League football. In other fixtures, Manchester City ended their miserable run of seven matches without victory by beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium, while Newcastle snatched a last-gasp 3-3 draw with Liverpool and Joe Aribo scored for 10-man Southampton as they slumped 5-1 at home to Chelsea. Defenders Jurrien Timber and William Saliba did the damage at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal cut Liverpool’s lead to seven points. The Gunners are…
Manchester United abandoned plans to wear a jacket supporting the LGBTQ+ community before Sunday’s win over Everton because a player refused to wear it. The Athletic said defender Noussair Mazraoui declined to take part in the initiative, citing his Muslim faith. United declined to confirm the identity of the player when approached by BBC Sport. Mazraoui’s agent also declined to comment. LGBTQ+ supporters’ club Rainbow Devils said it was a “great disappointment” but United said players are “entitled to hold their own individual opinions”. Rainbow armbands are being worn as Premier League clubs show support for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport…
Tiger Woods still has the passion to compete and is working to get his body back in shape for next year, he said on Tuesday at the Hero World Challenge in Albany, Bahamas, after another injury curtailed his 2024 season. Woods has not played since July and he underwent surgery for nerve impingement on his lower back in September, an injury that he said took him by surprise and caused him tremendous pain. He was widely expected to take one of three exemption spots for the tournament he has hosted since 2000, an unofficial event that features 20 of…
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen will not leave Galatasaray until the end of the season despite speculation that he could take advantage of the break clause in his contract to join another club in January. The Nigeria international is on a season-long loan from Napoli to the Turkish giants after summer bids from Chelsea and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli fell through. The 25-year-old has been in good form in Turkey, scoring nine goals in his opening 11 games in all competitions. According to Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Osimhen has no interest in leaving Galatasaray midway through the season.…
By Nurudeen Obalola There were victories for three Super Eagles stars across Europe on Tuesday night, with Samuel Chukwueze and Nathan Tella scoring for AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, while Wilfred Ndidi played a pivotal role for Leicester City. Chukwueze struck twice at San Siro as Milan decimated second-tier Sassuolo 6-1 in their third-round Coppa Italia clash. The Super Eagles winger opened the scoring in the 12th minute off Tijjani Reijnders’ assist, needing two attempts to get the ball in the net. Making his eighth start in all competitions this season, Chukwueze netted again nine minutes later to make…
Trials of a low-cost alternative to football’s video assistant referee are to be extended, with the pilot system allowing managers two challenges per game. Rule maker International Football Association Board (IFAB) has been encouraged by results of early tests of the ‘football video support’ set-up at the Women’s Under-17 World Cup in October. It is designed for use in competitions where matches are covered by up to four cameras, rather than the huge multi-camera systems used in the major leagues. That would include matches in the English Football League and National League. IFAB has yet to decide where the trials,…
Flamingos head coach Bankole Olowookere has invited 25 players to camp ahead of the WAFU B U-17 Girls’ Cup scheduled for Ghana from December 12 to December 26. The squad is mainly made up players that not only reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic few weeks ago, but also won the FIFA Fair Play Trophy of the competition. The Flamingos lost 2-0 to eventual bronze medallists USA in the quarter-finals. Top of the list is midfielder Shakirat Moshood, who scored four goals at the tournament. First-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, defenders Taiwo Adegoke,…
A competitor has died after being pulled from choppy waters during a world famous Ironman triathlon event. The athlete was competing in the Busseltown Ironman endurance race in Western Australia’s south-west on Sunday when they required medical attention during the first swimming leg of the gruelling event. Event organisers confirmed the entrant was rushed to hospital but has “since passed away”. “We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of a race participant from Sunday’s triathlon,” an Ironman in WA statement read. “The athlete required medical attention during the swim portion of the race, with event medical personnel providing support onsite before…
Holders Manchester United have been drawn away to record 14-time winners Arsenal in the FA Cup third round, according to Monday night’s draw. English Premier League leaders Liverpool will host League Two Accrington Stanley, while Manchester City welcome ‘Class of 92’-owned Salford City. Tamworth, one of only two non-league clubs remaining in the competition, are at home to Tottenham. The third-round ties will be played over the weekend of Saturday, 11 January. The third round is when the 44 Premier League and Championship clubs enter the competition, joining the 20 lower-league and non-league clubs who made it through last weekend’s…