Author: The Nation

Legendary Mexican goalkeeper Antonio “Tota” Carbajal, the first footballer to play in five FIFA World Cups, died Tuesday at the age of 93.

 “He fell ill last week… he was in the hospital and spent the weekend at home” before passing away on Tuesday, Antonio Moreno, director of the International Soccer Hall of Fame in central Mexico, told AFP.

 “Antonio Carbajal is an icon of Mexican and world football because he was the first to appear at five World Cups and he was on the pitch in all of them,” added Moreno, who was in contact with the player and his family.

Carbajal played 47 games for the Mexican national team and appeared in World Cups in Brazil in 1950, Switzerland in 1954, Sweden in 1958, Chile in 1962 and England in 1966.

His record was later equalled by Germany’s Lothar Matthaus, Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and fellow Mexicans Rafael Marquez, Guillermo Ochoa and Andres Guardado.

British boxers Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are both in discussions over a bumper Middle Eastern payday and the lucrative prize pot has been revealed by Derek Chisora

The eye-watering purses of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s potential Saudi Arabian fight nights have been teased by Derek Chisora.

Two-time heavyweight champion AJ, 33, is in talks for a stunning return to the Middle East after failing to claim back his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles from Oleksandr Usyk last year. After suffering a split decision defeat in August, the Watford-born warrior responded by edging past American Jermaine Francis at the O2 Arena, extending his record to 25-3 via unanimous decision.

Steering clear of a calamitous third straight defeat, Matchroom Boxing owner Eddie Hearn is now preparing Joshua’s next bout with discussions taking place over a blockbuster clash against Deontay Wilder.

Read Also : Anthony Joshua ‘accepts Tyson Fury’s terms’ for December fight

WBC champion Tyson Fury is also in talks concerning a bumper payday in Saudi Arabia, with promoter Bob Arum supposedly lining up an eagerly-awaited unification fight with Usyk.

Now Derek Chisora, who has worked with the Saudis in further the grudge match between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury’s grudge clash, has revealed the staggering sums the British pair can expect for fighting in the Middle East. “I think each fighter will make about £150 (million),” he told iFL TV, whilst also endorsing Saudi-based promotion company Skills Challenge.

He added: “Skills Challenge, they don’t want to take over, they just want to put fights which people want to see, in a way where people have to see it. They don’t want to be talking to that promoter, nah, nah, nah.

“Skills Challenge will call the fighter, ‘This is how much we’ve got for you on the table. This is how much we’ve got for the other fighter on the table. This is the date to fight in Saudi, do you want it, yes or no?’ There’s no, ‘What TV will it go?’ So when we pay the fighters, we own the rights to everything.”

There are indications that Ademola Lookman may team up with Victor Osimhen at Napoli following feelers from the Serie A champions.

Lookman has been fine form since joining Atalanta from Leicester earlier this year but the Super Eagles’ striker progression in the Serie A has been hampered by injury which slowed him down in the last one month and is yet to fully back into the Atalanta side who are aiming to qualify for European competition next season.

According to Tutonapoli, the management of Napoli has turned their attention to Lookman following the possible exit of Mexican international Hirving Lozano.

Chairman of Napoli Aurelio De Laurentiis has shown interest in Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini while the club is also weighing up the option of joining Lookman to the list of their new signees.

Apart from Scalvini and Lookman, Napoli’s raid on Atalanta may include Danish striker Rasmus Højlund who has been a major target for the coach Luciano Spalletti side since this year.

Napoli are working to strengthen the team following the possibility of some top players in the team.

Action plan towards a successful organization of the ninth edition of the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race which holds on Saturday May 27, have  been unveiled by the organisers.

Dare Esan, the race’s Director of Media and Activation said the secretariat for the event will open on Monday May 22, 2023 to begin the final countdown to the first gold label 10km road race in Nigeria.

“The Secretariat will open in Auchi near Okpekpe five days before the event to prepare, among other things for the arrival of technical and medical equipment needed for the race as well as the arrival of the elite athletes,” Esan said.

He  also  informed that volunteers that will be used at the race will begin their training to ensure a hitch free race for the ninth straight edition.

“This time, we are going to engage more volunteers and we are partnering with the Edo State University in Uzauire near Auchi where about 200 students will work as volunteers for the race in the area of accommodation, medicals, media, transportation and technical.

“We are bringing in these students as volunteers as a way of imparting in them practical knowledge of management. Like the Edo state Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu said at the pre-race conference last week in Benin, sports sharpens our knowledge, physical ability and reduces social vices in the society.”

Esan also revealed that accreditation and medical tests will begin on Tuesday May 23 while foreign and Nigerian elite athletes will undertake a tour of the race course on Thursday, adding  security arrangements have been concluded for another trouble and crime-free event.

“We visited the Edo state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Dankwara last week in his office to conclude all arrangements while the DSS has also been contacted for a comprehensive security for the race.

“The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, have also been contacted to secure the road and ensure a hitch free movement of vehicles and they all sent representatives to the pre-race media conference last week.

“We have been assured they will secure the athletes, officials and spectators who will be in Okpekpe and its environ before, during and after race day.

“The Deputy Governor has also given us the assurance the race will be safe for the ninth straight edition. Comrade Shaibu said at the press conference that adequate security measures is in place to ensure that all residents and visitors including athletes coming into the state for the race are all safe and protected,” he said.

The Okpekpe international 10km road race is supported by Petralon Energy as its CSR partner, Development Bank as its official bank and Nigerian Breweries Plc as its official malt drink.

The race is the first in Nigerian to have its race course measured by a World Athletics/AIMS accredited course measurer as well as the first truly world class road race in Nigeria when it was granted a label status (bronze) in 2015.

Super Eagles winger, Alexander Iwobi would be setting an important milestone for himself if he is involved in Everton EPL clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

Iwobi equalled his record appearance in a league season, 35 games, when he featured and even created an assist in the Toffees’ 5-1 hammering of Brighton at the Amex on Monday.

The  Super Eagles striker will set a new appearance record of 36 matches in a season if he is included by Everton boss, Sean Dyche in their blockbuster fixture with league leaders, Manchester City at Goodison Park in Liverpool city.

Iwobi has played in all Everton’s 35 games of the season in the EPL alone with two goals. He last got similar number of games during the 2018-19 season while with Arsenal under Unai Emery but he only started 22 of the 35 games then.

The Nigerian who has become an important mainstay in Everton’s team-sheet regularly has helped the club to move out of the relegation spot to the 17th spot with 32 points from as many games.

Despite the club changing coaches at will in order to survive the relegation fight, Iwobi has continued to maintain his spot in the first eleven and he will be relied on again to help fire Everton to important points against Manchester City on Sunday.

The 2023 edition of the annual Zenith Bank Tennis Grand Slam starts today at the Ikoyi Club 1938 with winners of last edition warming up to keep their respective titles.

Julie Kpanor who defeated Chizoba Onuoha 7-5, 6-0 to win the ladies single will have her hands full against Onuoha, who is now the tennis section captain, as well as other opponents aiming to record upsets.

Destiny Da Silva who defeated Rume Dubre 6-2 in the Men Singles A final last year is also expected to be on the cards just as ace sports administrator, Godwin Kienka, who defeated Edet Akpaso 6-1, 6-1 to win the Veteran Singles for above 60s, has already registered for this edition.

Veteran football administrator and former Eagles Skipper, Segun Odegbami will however be challenging Kienka in this 2023 edition.

For Super Veterans cadre, Hector Etomi and Innocent Ihebuzor will file our for honours while Chiwete Njokanma and Emelie Okika will are top players registered for Men Singles A this year. Idris Bello-Osagie and Azukuike Okonkwo will compete in Men Singles B.

The Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, said the outfit was excited to be helping in fostering better bonding by club members with the annual Grand Slam event. “We are happy with this event, which put smiles on the faces of members every year. We wish all participants the best in this edition,” Onyeagwu said.

Club Tennis Captain, Onuoha, assured that all arrangements have been concluded to stage a more quality event this term.

Three top seed players were shown the exit in the second round of the men’s singles at the on-going 2023 Lagos Squash Classics yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Nigeria’s duo of Onaopemipo Adegoke and Temitope Samuel bundled out two top seeds in the round of 16 matches.

Adegoke, Nigeria’s national champion got a wildcard and he started his campaign by beating France’s Nicolas Brice 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-7) to qualify for the last 16 of the men’s singles.

And yesterday, he was set up against tournament’s number six seed Ibrahim Ziad of Egypt.

In the match played on court one inside the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Adegoke took a lead in the first match winning 16-14 but the Egyptian fought back with 11-5, 11-5 win to take a 2-1 lead. Coming back stronger in the fourth game, Adegoke stunned his opponent with 11- 7 win and claimed  the deciding match 11-8 win to complete a 3-2 win and a passage to the quarterfinal.

Similarly,  Samuel who  defeated compatriot  Femi Shedara 3-1 (13-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-2) in the first round,  trounced  tournament ‘s number seventh seed Godde Laszlo  as he dominated the match with an impressive 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 13-11) win  to advance to the quarterfinal.

Meanwhile,   number four seed Malik Perry of Egypt  was defeated 3-2 by unseeded Henrik Mustonen of Finland in the second round match; while number one seed England’s Malik Curtis had an easy passage to the quarterfinal after dismissing Egypt’s Elsherif Yusuf 3-0.

“I was too soft from the beginning and it put me in a difficult position so I had to increase my pace and go hard on him,” an elated Adegoke told NationSport , adding  he switched his tactics  to overcome the Egyptian. “It is a good feeling having people who cheer and believe you; I promised myself not to let them down,” he said.”

The next hurdle for Adegoke will be against number one seed Curtis in one of the quarterfinal matches, while Samuel will slug it out against the highly-rated Mustonen.

World Cup ticket ‘ll boost Eaglets, says Ugbade

Nigeria’s head coach Nduka Ugbade said the Golden Eaglets will be highly motivated for their TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter final tie against Burkina Faso in Algiers today , as victory earns them a ticket to the FIFA World Cup.

The Golden Eaglets have won the World Cup five times and qualified for 12, and are looking to go back to the global showpiece.

“This match will be important for us as it will qualify us for the World Cup. Burkina Faso has a really good team and we have played against them before and we experienced a very difficult match. We expect it to be the same in the quarter final,” Ugbade said.

The tactician added: “My message before the match to the players is that these competitions are usually intense, and I told them we must have the will and play the match as it should, and stressed that winning makes us qualify for the World Cup.”

Ugbade’s side finished second in Group B, with the matches played in Constantine, and have recently relocated to Algiers where the quarter final duel will be played.

He says the players know what is required of them and is pleased with their state of mind ahead of the duel.

Meanwhile, defender Emmanuel Michael says the players are charged up and ready for what will be a difficult West African derby.

“We have prepared well for this match and we are ready for the tie. We want to give our best as a good result will qualify us for the World Cup and this is our ambition,” noted Michael.

• Nigerian ace in Paris to confer with agent
• Bayern legend faults huge transfer to N80.8 Billion

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis (ADL) has reportedly decided upon a new set of conditions for the growing list of interested parties hopeful of landing star striker Victor Osimhen in the summer transfer window after the Nigerian spent Tuesday morning conducting meetings with his agent in Paris.

According to Il Mattino, Osimhen has spent the last few hours in the French capital with his agent Roberto Calenda amidst strong interest from Ligue 1 heavyweights PSG.

The Parisians are not the only ones eyeing a move for the recently crowned Serie A champion, however, as interest from Bayern Munich as well as links to the Premier League, namely to Manchester United and cash-rich Newcastle continue to make headlines.

In order to convince Napoli to part ways with one of their star assets, a potential Serie A record-breaking fee will likely be required.

The Italian tabloid claimed De Laurentiis has increased the asking price for Osimhen to €160m in anticipation of a “bidding war” for the 28-goal centre-forward.

The ideal scenario for Napoli would be if Osimhen were to stay on board, which is still a possibility given that he has a contract valid until 2025 and that the club would like to offer him a new one on improved terms.

But Bayern Munich legend Oliver Khan has queried the huge transfer fee being demanded  by Napoli.

Osimhen has been on the radar of the  Bundesliga champion but the Managing Director of Bayern Munich believed there is no guarantee the  Nigerian ace  would deliver if he joins the team.

“We are thinking about the question of a striker,” he was quoted in an interview with Bil“ But we must not forget that we have scored 83 goals in the Bundesliga, more than any other team.

“It shows that our current team can score a lot of goals.

“ 150 million for Osimhen? We need to ask ourselves questions. With these sums, FC Bayern has to ask itself: Does the player give you guarantees for this money? It would certainly be a big risk,” Khan added.