Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Nigeria’s D’Tigress claimed a fourth consecutive Afro Women’s Basketball crown after defeating Senegal 84-74 in a pulsating final on Saturday. The D’Tigress made a good start in the keenly contested encounter and won the first quarter 19-10. Rena Wakama’s side led 12 points (43-31) going into the half time break. The Senegalese fought back in the third quarter out-shooting Nigeria 26-19. They cut down the lead to five points (62-57). The D’Tigress prevailed 84-74 at the end of a thrilling fourth quarter.

The Nigeria Super Eagles duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi are set to stay at Leicester City as the team begins their Championship campaign on Sunday. Leicester’s 2-1 win over West Ham in their final game of the 2022–23 EPL season could not save the Foxes from relegation. The new English Championship season kicked off on Friday after Southampton’s 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday. A check on the club’s website showed that both players are listed as part of the men’s team for the 23–24 season. Some Nigerian players have been on the move in the summer, with Samuel…

Super Eagles defender, Calvin Bassey, scored the winning goal as Fulham defeated German club, TSG Hoffenheim 2-1 in their last pre-season friendly at the Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon. Bassey was handed his first start since making the switch from Eredivisie outfit, Ajax last month and he delivered a Man of the Match performance. Another new recruit, Raul Jimenez, fired Fulham in front six minutes in the second half. The lead lasted five minutes before Grisha Promel equalised for Hoffenheim from a powerful header. Bassey then scored the winning goal 17 minutes from time. The powerful centre-back, who enjoyed an…

West Ham were thrashed 4-0 by Bayer Leverkusen in their final pre-season friendly, while new Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana was lobbed from the centre circle against RC Lens. Growing unease among fans about West Ham’s lack of signings will only have been heightened by their side’s defeat. There is understood to be a difference of opinion between manager David Moyes and technical director Tim Steidten. A total of 13 Premier League teams were in pre-season action on Saturday. The thrashing by German side Leverkusen – who were 3-0 up at half-time – will increase the scrutiny on Moyes’ side…

Chelsea have completed the £25m signing of Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from Brighton & Hove Albion. The 25-year-old moves to Stamford Bridge on a seven-year deal. Sanchez made 23 league appearances for Brighton last season before losing his starting place to Jason Steele. “Robert is a good guy and a really good player, but being a coach sometimes means making difficult and painful decisions for the team,” Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi said. “I wish him good luck for the future.” Sanchez joined Brighton as a 15-year-old in 2013 from La Liga side Levante and signed his first professional contract…

Nigeria forward, Gift Orban is a target for Premier League club, Tottenham Hotspur. According to transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, the Liilywhites have lined up Orban as replacement for Harry Kane who is keen to join Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich this summer. Kane has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Bavarians. Bayern Munich are however still locked in discussion with Tottenham over the transfer fee. The Germans tabled an €100m bid on Friday night but are yet to get a response for Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy. “Keep an eye on Gift Orban – the striker from Gent – because he’s really…

Manchester City have completed the signing of Croatia centre-back Josko Gvardiol on a five-year deal from RB Leipzig for 90m euros (£77m). He is the second most expensive defender of all time after Harry Maguire, who joined Manchester United for £80m from Leicester City in 2019. Gvardiol, 21, has impressed in his two seasons at Leipzig after joining from Dynamo Zagreb in July 2021. “I have always dreamed of one day playing in England,” he said. “To be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me.” Gvardiol,…

Japan took a step closer to a second Women’s World Cup title when they beat Norway to reach the quarter-finals. The 2011 champions made the ideal start when Norway defender Ingrid Engen turned Hinata Miyazawa’s cross into her own net. However, Norway equalised a few minutes later when Guro Reiten headed home. Risa Shimizu’s heavily defected strike restored Japan’s lead before Hinata Miyazawa raced through to score a third and seal her side’s progress. The goal cemented Japan’s place in the quarter-finals and kept Miyazawa on target for the Golden Boot – she leads the scoring charts in Australia and…

Spain reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time after producing an outstanding display of firepower in Auckland to send Switzerland out. La Roja were beaten 4-0 in their final group game by Japan five days earlier in Wellington but bounced back in style to score four times during a dominant first half showing in front of 43,217 – a record crowd for a football match in New Zealand. Aitana Bonmati swept the Spanish ahead before Switzerland equalised when Laia Codina, without looking up, hit a back pass past her own keeper and into the net…

Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has revealed Arsenal are better poised to win the Community Shield ahead of the crunch on Sunday. The treble-winnning coach said this at the pre-match press conference on Friday. Guardiola believed the Gunners, who finished second last season, started the pre-season earlier than City, thus are in a better shape. As a result of City’s constant winning of trophies, the former Barcelona manager asserted that the Cityzens always kicked off the season in a difficult way. “The situation that we are in, we finished (last season) two weeks later than Arsenal and we start (this…

Bayern Munich have set Tottenham Hotspur a deadline of midnight on Friday to accept a club-record offer totalling around €120m — €100m guaranteed with approximately €20m in add-ons — for Harry Kane. Kane is in the final 12 months of his contract but Bayern are prepared to shatter their previous highest transfer — the €80m paid to Atletico Madrid for Lucas Hernandez — to land the England captain. Bayern are now awaiting an answer from Spurs and have threatened to move onto other targets if the bid is not successful. Kane has no interest in signing a new deal with…

Barcelona have made Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva their top priority for after Ousmane Dembele’s move to Paris Saint-Germain is confirmed. That’s according to Mundo Deportivo, that believes Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez is desperate to land City’s 28-year-old midfielder, and wants the club to make him their top priority. Silva is also keen on moving to Barcelona, and he is hoping that City boss Pep Guardiola sticks to his promise to allow Silva to leave, should the club receive the right offer. It’s now up to the Catalan club to assemble a deal to persuade City to part with the Portuguese star. City have so far…