Author: Nurudeen Obalola

By Korede James Nigeria senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, have opened camp ahead of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers third window billed for Tripoli, Libya, from February 17 to February 24. According to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), the preparation will be conducted in two phases, with the 11 invited home-based players reporting to camp at Bentley Hotel, Abuja, on Monday for the first phase, which will run until Sunday. The 13 overseas-based players will then join their home-based counterparts in Tripoli, Libya, on February 17 for the final phase of camping and the competition. D’Tigers will begin the third…

The Philadelphia Eagles obliterated the Kansas City Chiefs’ bid to become the first United States of America National Football League (NFL) team to win three consecutive Super Bowls with a blowout 40-22 win in New Orleans on Sunday night/Monday morning. The Eagles defence was simply immense, smothering the Chief’s creative maestro Patrick Mahomes, and on offence their own quarterback Jalen Hurts led the way, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another as Philadelphia brutally avenged their 2023 loss to the Chiefs at Super Bowl 57. Eagles dazzling running back Saquon Barkley grabbed 31 first-half rushing yards to break the…

By Korede James Rivers United ended their winless run by beating Lobi Stars 1-0 in their matchday 23 clash in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) in Port Harcourt on Sunday. Finidi George’s side had to fight hard to secure the win after losing two and drawing two of their last four matches heading into Sunday’s encounter. For Lobi, their poor run continues as they have now failed to win any of their last six games, recording four defeats and two draws. Timothy Zechariah netted the winner in the 88th minute to give the Port Harcourt side the three points.…

Turkish side Adana Demirspor decided to walk off the pitch in their Super Lig fixture against Galatasaray on Sunday, 30 minutes into the match. Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen was in Galatasaray’s starting line-up for the game, and he was as stunned as his teammates as their opponents left the pitch in protest. The reason for the withdrawal was not immediately confirmed, but local media reported the players discussed the issue with the coach and decided to stop playing. Adana Demirspor, bottom of the standings, were losing 1-0 after Spanish striker Alvaro Morata scored for Galatasaray from the penalty spot…

By Korede James Former Flying Eagles of Nigeria striker Muhamed Tijani featured for struggling Plymouth Argyle on Sunday as they produced the biggest shock of the English FA Cup fourth round by beating Liverpool 1-0 at Home Park. Tijani, who was a member of the Flying Eagles squad that competed in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, was brought on in the 72nd minute. The 24-year-old joined Plymouth on loan from  Czech Republic side Slavia Prague last July. Ryan Hardie was the hero for the English second-tier’s bottom team as he converted a 53rd minute penalty after Liverpool’s Harvey Elliot…

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone said his team paid the price for missed opportunities in a heated LaLiga derby at Real Madrid on Saturday after Kylian Mbappe cancelled out Julian Alvarez’s opener for the visiting side. Atletico were unable to make the most of the chances they created during a dominant start to the game. “We played a very good first half but we didn’t have the clarity to take advantage of the chances we created,” Simeone told a press conference. “We could have managed those opportunities better. That led to a draw despite the feeling that in many parts…

By Korede James Former Fenerbahce assistant coach Onder Ozen has backed Galatasaray new signing Alvaro Morata to thrive along with Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen. Morata joined Galatasaray on loan in the January transfer window from AC Milan. The 32-year-old former Real Madrid and Chelsea opened his goals account for the Turkish in the 4-1 win against Boluspor in the Turkish Cup on Thursday. Prior to joining Galatasaray, Morata had scored five goals in 16 Serie A matches this season. “If you ask me to name 10 real centre forwards in the world, three of them are currently under contract…

Flamingos head coach Bankole Olowookere, who led the Nigerian team to a third-place finish at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India in 2022 and to the quarter-finals last year, has invited 30 players to begin camping on Sunday. They will be in camp at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, to prepare for their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying tie against South Africa’s Bantwana. The list of invitees includes goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, defenders Hannah Ibrahim and Jumai Adebayo, midfielders Shakirat Moshood (four-goal heroine at last year’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic) and Muinat Rotimi, and forwards…

Real Madrid came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against city rivals Atletico Madrid in a LaLiga clash of title hopefuls on Saturday night. Kylian Mbappe scored a second-half goal to cancel out Julian Alvarez’s first-half opener for the visiting Atletico, with the result keeping Real top of LaLiga, one point ahead of their city rivals in second who missed a chance to leapfrog them. In a tale of two halves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Atletico dominated the first 45 minutes and took the lead when Alvarez struck a 35th minute penalty after Aurelien Tchouameni had fouled Samuel…

By Korede James Brighton and Hove Albion defeated Chelsea 2-1 at the Amex Stadium to progress into the fifth round of the English FA on Saturday nighy. Chelsea took the lead just five minutes into the match after Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen parried Cole Palmer’s cross into his own net. Georginio Rutter pulled the hosts level seven minutes later with a header from a cross by Joel Veltman. Kaoru Mitoma then bagged the winning goal in the 57th minute. In the other FA Cup fixtures played on Saturday, Super Eagles stars Paul Onuachu and Joe Aribo featured as Southampton lost…