Sports

9Oct By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

News, Sports

Morocco 2025: Eguavoen Targets Double Win Over Libya In Group D Match

The Super Eagles Head Coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has set a target of maximum six points from this month’s double header against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in a group D match of the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation, Ademola Olajire, stated this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Nigeria hosts the first game at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, on Friday with the return at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, Libya’s second city Benghazi, on Wednesday night. He said, “We have to be practical about it: our best and surest route to the finals will be to pick up the six points in the matches with Libya. We will be somewhat guaranteed a place in Morocco even before Matchday 5. We don’t want t...

Read More

14Aug By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Poor Training, Obsolete Sporting Facilities Responsible For Nigeria’s Failure At Paris Olympics, Says Owolabi

Former Green Eagles player and 1980 AFCON winner, Felix Owolabi, has attributed the poor performance of Nigerian athletes at the just-concluded Paris Olympics to the fire brigade approach by officials and athletes. The country got invited for trials. Today, these facilities are lacking. We’ll harness the potential of our athletes with good trainers and coaches when we have good sports facilities,” he said. Mr Owolabi also noted that many nations of the world were using sports to drive their economies. “As a nation, we need to ask ourselves what exactly we want from sports,” he said.

Read More

12Aug By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Team Nigeria Ends Paris 2024 Outing With Another Loss

Team Nigeria ended its campaign at the XXXIII Olympic Games on Saturday with no medal for its efforts, which began in Bordeaux a day before the event’s opening ceremony. Before ending its participation a day before the closing ceremony, its athletes had participated in 12 sports. These were in athletics (35), badminton (1), basketball (13), boxing (2), canoeing (2), cycling (1), football (22), swimming (2), table tennis (4), taekwondo (1), weightlifting (2) and wrestling (6). Following its first outing through the Super Falcons in Bordeaux in women’s football on July 25, Team Nigeria has, however, gone from one misadventure or another in virtually all the events. Except in women’s basketball, where it participated through D’Tigress and reached the quarter-finals, a feat no Afr...

Read More

10Aug By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Amusan, Nigeria’s Athletics Medal Hope, Finishes Below Qualification Range At Olympics

World record-holder Oluwatobiloba Amusan on Friday failed to fulfill her promise of a medal as she finished below the qualification range at the Paris Olympic Games. Amusan who has been Team Nigeria’s brightest hope for a medal, especially in the face of several losses in the contigent’s Paris 2024 adventure, finished third in her race. She ran a time of 12.55 seconds from lane 6 of semi-final 1, out of contention for qualification from the heat. Stark Grace of the U.S won their heat with a time of 12.39 seconds, while Devynne Charlton of Bahamas finished second with 12.50, thus leaving Amusan in need of divine grace. The Nigerian who holds the world record of 12.12 seconds, set in Eugene in the U.S in July of 2022, then failed to qualify as one of the next fastest. She pla...

Read More

5Aug By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Paris 2024: Ajayi, Ashe Fail To Reach Men’s 100m Final

The duo of Kanyinsola Ajayi and Tejiri Ashe on Sunday evening failed to make it to the final race of the men’s 100 metres at the ongoing Paris Olympic Games. Both sprinters failed to advance from their respective semi-finals at the Stade de France. They failed to emerge among the top two in each race and also did not make it among the next two fastest runners to qualify for the final. Ashe ran in semi-final 1’s lane 1 to finish sixth in a time of 10.08 seconds and ended up overall 19th. Ajayi, on his part from lane 6 of the second semi-final, was also sixth with a time of 10.13 secs to finish overall 20th. The race’s final took place later on Sunday

Read More

29Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Paris Olympics: Edem Crashes Out As Team Nigeria Suffers Another Loss

Offiong Edem lost to Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi 4-0 on Sunday to add to Team Nigeria’s losing run at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris. Edem lost 8-11, 4-11, 11-13, 10-12 in her round of 64 match in the women’s singles event of the table tennis competition. Her loss made it the third loss of the day for Team Nigeria, which had earlier lost in boxing and football. It was cumulatively Team Nigeria’s sixth loss competitively. This was after seeing the Super Falcons lose their opening game 0-1 against Brazil on Thursday in women’s football. The duo of Quadri Aruna and Olajide Omotayo also lost in the men’s singles table tennis on Saturday. Fatimo Bello, who plays her first game of the women’s singles on Monday, is Nigeria’s remaining hope in the singles events of the table tenni...

Read More

29Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Paris Olympics : Falcons Lose Second Game To Spain

Nigeria’s Super Falcons, on Sunday, lost their second Group C game at the Paris 2024 Olympics to World champions Spain, by a lone goal. The defeat means Nigeria will continue the search for their first points of the tournament as they regroup to face Japan on Wednesday, The nine-time African champions, however deserve credit for holding out for 85 minutes against the world champions before conceding a lone goal that handed the Europeans all the three points in Nantes. Spain dominated possession, expectedly, and only a masterclass defensive performance by the Falcons restricted them to the 1-0 win. For some parts of the game, the Falcons looked dangerous and made efforts in front of goal when Esther Okoronkwo’s shot in the 23rd minute was pushed away by the goalkeeper when she ...

Read More

15Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Spain Wins Euro 2024, Defeating England 2-1

Spain won a record-breaking fourth European Championship, defeating England 2-1 following a drama-filled second half in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday in Berlin. Nico Williams – one of Spain’s breakout performers at the tournament – gave La Roja the lead minutes into the second half when he smartly finished in the bottom corner from a perfectly-weighted pass from the team’s other emerging star, freshly turned 17-year-old Lamine Yamal. England equalized midway through the second half through a brilliantly placed left-footed effort from Cole Palmer from outside the box to restore parity at the Olympiastadion in the German capital. But with just under five minutes remaining in regulation time, Spain took a late lead when Mikel Oyarzabal tapped home an inch-perfect pass from Marc Cucu...

Read More

14Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Davis Cup: Tennis Federation President Expresses Confident In Team Nigeria’s Winning Capacity

President of Nigeria Tennis Federation, Ifedayo Akindoju, said team Nigeria tennis players have potential to excel in the 2024 Davis Cup Africa Group III qualifying rounds scheduled for Abuja. Mr Akindoju stated this while addressing journalists on Saturday in Abuja. The competition will commence from July 15 to 20 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. According to him, Nigeria has a growing tennis talent pool and with dedication and hard work, they can compete effectively against other teams. He said, “It’s essential to believe in their abilities and encourage them to reach their full potential.’’ He said that Team Nigeria has five experienced players such as Christopher Bulus, Wilson Igbinovia, Uche Oparaojie, and newly invited players Michael Emmanuel, and Danie...

Read More

8Jul By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

2024 Paris Olympics: Super Falcons’ Camp Bubbles With 12 Players

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have commenced preparations for their first appearance at the Women’s Olympics after 16 years of non-participation.NFF’s spokesman Ademola Olajire, in a statement, said the team resumed camping in Spain on Friday, with 18 players expected, but only 12 have arrived as of Monday morning. He said their camp in the city of Jerez de la Frontera outside Sevilla has come alive with most of the invited players in camp. Olajire quoted the team’s administrator, Mary Oboduku, as saying that two or more players are expected in the afternoon. “We started training on Sunday, and the team’s camp at Hotel Barceló Montecastillo Golf and Resort is calm. “The players are in very high spirits as they look forward to the tournament in France,” Oboduku said. Team captain ...

Read More

30Jun By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Aiyedatiwa: Ondo To Get New Stadium Soon

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo said on Saturday that plans were on to construct a brand new stadium in the state to help nurture talents who would represent the state and the country at international competitions. Mr Aiyedatiwa made this known in his speech at an event to commemorate the 2024 Olympic Day Run held at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure. The event, featuring Olympians, sportsmen, and women, started at the Government House and terminated at the state sports complex. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelam, said efforts were in top gear to ensure that work commenced at the site of the new stadium to ease the pressure placed on the old stadium. He promised that the state would continue to support the objectives of the Olympic celebration...

Read More

15Jun By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Finidi George Resigns As Nigeria’s Super Eagles Coach

The Nigerian men football team, Super Eagles' coach, Finidi George, has stepped down. This was made known by former Super Eagles media officer, Toyin Ibitoye, in a post on X.com on Saturday. He wrote, “News just in. Finidi George #FinidiGeorge_FG has resigned from his #NGSuperEagles manager position.” This follows the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) decision to appoint a foreign coach to oversee the team's affairs. He took the reins after Jose Peseiro’s contract ended in February, after serving as his assistant for 20 months. However, the team’s disappointing performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin led to his demotion. George had stated that he did not receive much support from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). He had said...

Read More

7Feb By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

AFCON: Nigeria Beat South Africa To Reach Final

The Super Eagles of Nigeria beat Bafana Bafana of South Africa 4-2 in penalties to reach the African Cup of Nations finals. The Super Eagles secured a penalty after African Player of the Year Victor Osimhen was brought down in the box by Mothobi Mvala (South Africa) at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake, Ivory Coast. Nigeria led 1-0 in the 67th minute when Captain William Troost-Ekong converted a low-driven penalty into the middle of the net fooling Ronwen Williams in goal. Nigeria thought they had sealed the game with a 2-0 lead when Osimhen scored as he latched on to a pass inside the penalty box and fired a perfect low strike, which went inside the left post. However, a VAR review verdict said that there was no goal for Nigeria due to a foul in the build-up play. The decision was ...

Read More

29Jan By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Akpabio Hails Super Eagles For Defeating Cameroon, Urges Victory Over Angola

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has commended the Super Eagles for defeating the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to qualify for the quarter-finals at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. Mr Akpabio gave the commendation in a congratulatory message to the Nigerian team signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, in Abuja on Sunday. Mr Akpabio said the Eagles’ triumph over Cameroon had shown that they had the capacity to beat any team in Africa. He said the resourcefulness of the Super Eagles was never in doubt. “I felt proud watching the Super Eagles demobilise the Lions; apart from dominating the Indomitable Lions, the Eagles tamed the Lions and made them look ordinary. That is the Nigerian spirit and I congratulate you for making millions of Nigerians pr...

Read More

28Jan By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

AFCON 2023: Peseiro Shifts Focus To Angola Following Victory Over Cameroon

Super Eagles chief coach, Jose Peseiro, says his team will immediately put Saturday’s victory over Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions behind them and look ahead. Peseiro said they would be keeping their focus on Angola, their next opponents at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. Nigeria beat Cameroon 2-0 on Saturday in the competition’s round of 16 to earn the quarter-finals ticket against Angola. We will now focus on our next match against Angola, who are having an excellent tournament,” he said. Peseiro, however, cautioned that they must take their opponents seriously. “For now, we will continue to sleep early and eat pasta,” he said with a laugh. “Jokes aside, all the teams at this stage are capable of winning the tournament,” the coach added. ...

Read More

23Jan By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

News, Sports

Super Eagles Ease Through To AFCON Last-16 After Routine Win Over Guinea-Bissau 

Nigeria booked their place in the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations as they picked up a 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau. The Super Eagles went into their final group-stage match knowing a point would secure their progression through to the last-16, though even defeat might still have left them qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams. It was a relatively sluggish start from Nigeria, but they took a narrow lead into the break. Moses Simon played the ball across the face of goal and, with Victor Osimhen lurking at the back post waiting for a tap-in, Opa Sangante smashed it into his own net. In an open second-half, Osimhen went close on a number of occasions to getting himself on the scoresheet, having one goal ruled out for handball after he scored from a yard out, and...

Read More

28Oct By -No Comments

Sports

FCT FA boss Mohammed bags excellence award in Paris

By Victor Okoye Mouktar Mohammed, the Chairman, FCT Football Association has been honoured with an award in Paris, France for excellence in football development. This is according to a statement by the FCT FA and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja. The statement said Mohammed bagged the award for his immense contribution to growth and development of football in the FCT. NAN reports that Mohammed, who was re-elected FCT FA boss for a second four-year term recently, has been widely hailed for the remarkable giants strides football in the FCT has achieved under his able leadership. The statement said the award tagged Nigeria-France Sports Award and Gala was organised by OJB Media. It added that the ceremony was graced by some ex-interna...

Read More

26Sep By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Sports Minister: Nigeria Will Bid To Host 2027 AFCON

Sports minister John Owan-Enoh says Nigeria will present a bid to host the 2027 AFCON at the CAF executive committee meeting in Cairo on Wednesday. The minister and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership will attend the meeting. Nigeria and the Republic of Benin presented a joint bid to host AFCON 2027. All countries who submitted bids to host the AFCON 2025 and 2027rnament, respectively, are expected to attend the meeting. Nigeria will make a 10-minute presentation to the CAF. The delegation includes NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and bid coordinator Mainasara Ilo. The Independent Assessment Committee of CAF will submit their reports for assessment and discussion by the CAF executive committee. CAF’s team had previously visit...

Read More

30Aug By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

Nigeria Wins Seven Medals At World Para Powerlifting Championships

Team Nigeria has won seven medals, comprising two golds, two silvers, and three bronzes, at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The championship will enable Nigeria to participate in the 2024 Paralympics in France. Charles Ezenwanne, president of Para Power Lifting, commended the athletes’ impressive display. He noted that the athletes must keep improving and never stop developing new strategies to keep Nigeria at this level of dominance. He added that as the sport evolved, the athletes must also develop new rules and techniques. “The performance of our contingent underlines the country’s status as a leading force in para-powerlifting and our strong winning culture and competitive mentality. “We must not take things for granted...

Read More

26Aug By Sharpedge NewsNo Comments

Sports

NFF Confirms Payment Of Super Falcons’ Match Allowances, Bonuses

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed payments of match bonuses and allowances for the Super Falcons. The federation’s president, Ibrahim Gusau, made this known in Abuja while appearing before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on the dispute between Super Falcons and NFF. Gusau said no funding was released for participation but revealed that in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand, $960,000 was given to all 32 qualified countries. According to him, this preparation money provided by FIFA is to be used by these countries to prepare the teams for the World Cup. “We can’t use this money to pay outstanding allowances for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup,” he said. Rep Blessing Onu, the committee chairperson, questioned how...

Read More