Author: Nurudeen Obalola
The 2025 ECOWAS/Abuja International Marathon, will take place on Saturday March 1. The marathon, which will feature elite runners from ECOWAS countries, is part of the activities lined up to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the West African organisation. Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC), Francis Njoaguani, disclosed that participants in the people’s race will be the biggest beneficiary of the increase in prize money, which has been raised to $71,000. Njoaguani, who is also the director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, said they decided to increase the prize…
Pep Guardiola has put Manchester City’s disappointing 2-2 draw at Brentford down to wasteful finishing after his team surrendered a two-goal lead. Phil Foden scored twice in the second half to put the Enhlish Premier League champions on course for victory, only for late goals from Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard to deny them the three points. The draw leaves City in sixth place in the league table as their fight to try and remain in the title race continues. Reacting to the disappointing result, Guardiola felt the responsibility for the dropped points lay with his attackers. “We didn’t manage…
By Korede James Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has said the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in Tuesday’s English Premier League fixture was not a fair result for his side. A stoppage time free-kick from Reece James helped the Blues salvage a point against the Cherries. Cole Palmer opened the scoring for Chelsea before Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo scored to put Bournemouth 2-1 ahead. The result means Chelsea are winless in their last five league games. “There’s positives to take away from the game, going behind to come back and take a point but there’s negatives not taking…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled a new logo and trophy for the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024. CAF, in a statement on Wednesday, explained that the new look for the tournament brings a fresh identity and emphasises its deep-rooted connections to African football and culture. “It comes with a new TotalEnergies CHAN 2024 trophy that features a sleek, contemporary design, combining gold and silver elements, representing the prestige and growing stature of the tournament,” the continental governing body said. “A significant detail is the 54 distinct lines encircling the trophy, symbolizing the 54 African nations united with…
New Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle was in Ikenne-Remo in Ogun State to meet with players of the B team on Tuesday. The former Mali international and head coach was presented as the Super Eagles boss by the Nigeria Football Federation on Monday in Abuja following his surprise appointment last week. Chelle, along with the Technical Director of the NFF, Austin Eguavoen, the man he replaced, arrived at the Remo Stars Training Institute camp of the Super Eagles B after flying from Abuja on Tuesday morning. During Chelle’s presentation on Monday, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau had clarified that Chelle…
By Korede James Wilfred Ndidi has said he and his Super Eagles teammates are to blame for their poor 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. After four matches in qualifying Group C, the Super Eagles are fifth on three points, four points adrift of leaders Rwanda. The AFCON 2023 runners-up have failed to win any of their four fixtures so far, drawing three and losing one. “We want to win but I feel we put ourselves in this situation because we didn’t do well in the previous games,” Ndidi said on ‘Off The Pitch’, a forum hosted by Kenneth Omeruo…
Novak Djokovic, seeded seventh, beat Portugal’s Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 in his 430th Grand Slam singles match to reach the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday. The 37-year-old 24-time Grand Slam singles winner praised his young opponent after the tough victory. “In the wise words of Mr. Medvedev.. If the future generation plays this way.. they’re gonna have everything: money, girls, casino,” Djokovic said. “He was playing lights out tennis towards the end of the second, start of the third. He served two first serves all match. Big guy, very young. I told you at the…
By Korede James Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi scored two goals which but his side Fulham still lost 3-2 at West Ham United in the English Premier League on a busy Tuesday night. In other Premier League matches on Tuesday night, none of leaders Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City were able to secure victory. Iwobi also scored a brace the last time he was on target for Fulham on December 5 in a 3-1 home win against Brighton. The Nigeria international has taken his tally in the league this season to seven goals in 21 games. Also in action for…
By Korede James The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the postponement of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024 to August 2025. The tournament reserved for home-based players was initially scheduled for February 1 to February 28, with Nigeria’s Super Eagles B one of the participating teams. “Good progress has been made in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with the construction and upgrading of stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities for the hosting of a successful TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (“CHAN”) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024,” CAF stated on Tuesday. “However the CAF…
By Korede James Kenneth Omeruo has explained how he and his Super Eagles teammates can get their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign back on track. The Super Eagles are currently in fifth place on three points after four games in African qualifying Group C after failing to win any of their first four fixtures. The AFCON 2023 runners-up are four points behind Rwanda, South Africa and Benin, who are first, second and third respectively. For qualification to be achieved, the Eagles must win their remaining six games and hope results from other games favour them. Speaking on ‘Off The…