The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Gara-Gombe ‘wine & dine’ with  table tennis contingent  in Tunis

    Gara-Gombe ‘wine & dine’ with  table tennis contingent  in Tunis

    Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, Chief Executive Officer of Green White Green Sports Centre Limited, has extended a heartfelt gesture of support to Team Nigeria at the ongoing ITTF-Africa Championships in Tunis, Tunisia.

    Gara-Gombe, who visited the Rades Multi-Sports Complex, treated the Nigerian contingent to a sumptuous meal as part of his effort to motivate the squad to give their best at the prestigious continental event.

     “As a proud Nigerian, I’m deeply invested in the success of our teams across all sports. This table tennis team holds a special place in my heart. Seeing these young men and women represent our country inspires me to support and encourage them,” Gara-Gombe said.

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     “I’ve visited the venue twice to cheer them on, and I felt they needed an extra boost of motivation. That’s why I decided to host them for a meal—to lift their spirits and help them give their best for Nigeria. I’m truly impressed by their discipline and the way they’ve conducted themselves under the guidance of our legend, Segun Toriola. This is my humble token of support, and I wish them success in all their matches,” he added.

    President of ITTF Africa, Wahid Enitan Oshodi, expressed gratitude for Gara-Gombe’s thoughtful gesture, describing it as a morale booster for the team.

     “We sincerely thank Mr. Gara-Gombe for taking the time to visit the team over the past two days, cheering them on and encouraging them. His generous act of hosting the team to a delightful meal in Tunis is both inspiring and uplifting. He has proven himself to be a true friend of table tennis and a passionate supporter of sports in general,” Oshodi said.

  • Okara, Finidi reflect on fierce South South derby

    Okara, Finidi reflect on fierce South South derby

    The South South derby between Bayelsa United and Rivers United lived up to its billing, producing intensity, passion and drama as Bayelsa United edged their more illustrious neighbours to claim a crucial 2-1 victory in Port Harcourt.

    The Prosperity Boys have now won in their last two visits to Port Harcourt after the 1-0 victory of last season.

    Bayelsa United Assistant Coach, Meremu Okara, attributed the hard-fought win to determination and tactical discipline, emphasizing how much the victory meant for his side.

     “We needed the three points at all costs and we made every effort to ensure that we won,” Okara said. “We fought very hard and we are certain this positive result will rekindle our confidence back knowing that Rivers United are not a small team.

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     “We have just stopped their unbeaten streak and it is a big booster for us. It is always like that and even when we are playing at home we must always be very prepared. It is a local derby.”

    On the other hand, Rivers United head coach, Finidi George, admitted that his side’s anxious approach and tactical lapses cost them the game.

     “We were too much in a hurry and at a point we lost control after we strove to get the opener that didn’t come,” Finidi explained. “They got the first goal and after then we knew they would sit on it.

     “In the second half we could have used more of our wingers just like we did towards the dying moments of the game which fetched us our only goal, but the urge to get the equalising goal exposed us. They hit us on the counter after we had strayed to get the equaliser and got their second goal.”

  • Nwokorie relishes  Kun Khalifat ‘s match-winner against Enyimba

    Nwokorie relishes  Kun Khalifat ‘s match-winner against Enyimba

    Kun Khalifat FC striker, Ebuka Nwokorie, has described his stunning free-kick winner against Enyimba as one of the proudest moments of his career as he continues to lead the NPFL goal scorers’ chart with five goals this season.

    Nwokorie’s exquisite set-piece sealed a 1-0 victory for the newcomers over the record NPFL champions in Owerri, ending Enyimba’s unbeaten run.

     “I feel excited to score the only goal of the game. I am a free-kick specialist and I believe in myself that I could do it,” Nwokorie said.

     “During training, I always strive to perfect the art of free kicks. We were told to be more active in the 18-yard box and ensure we get a win.”

    The young forward, who has now scored two goals from direct free kicks this term, also credited his football inspiration to Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne.

     “Kevin De Bruyne is my role model. I feel very excited to be the current highest scorer. It’s a dream I’m living presently. To score against Enyimba is a special privilege,” he added.

    Nwokorie’s form has been pivotal to Kun Khalifat’s resurgence in the NPFL, as they continue to climb away from the relegation zone.

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    In a related development Head coach of Kun Khalifat FC, Obinna Uzoho,hailed the fighting spirit of his players and the massive home support that spurred his side to a famous 1-0 win over Enyimba in Owerri.

    Uzoho, whose team had played most of their early fixtures away from home, said returning to familiar ground played a key role in their performance.

     “I told them they must play the game with pride and ensure we pick the maximum points. We are happy to win,” Uzoho said. “It all happened because we are back at home. There is no place like home. The fans really contributed and my boys were in high spirits because of the support. The players gave their all. I want to thank the fans for their support.”

    The coach reserved special praise for his in-form striker Ebuka Nwokorie, describing him as a player destined for greatness.

     “Ebuka Nwokorie is a complete footballer and I know with time he will truly unbundle his potential,” he noted.

  • Nduka targets Enyimba bounce against Warri Wolves

    Nduka targets Enyimba bounce against Warri Wolves

    Enyimba FC assistant coach, Ndubuisi Nduka, has expressed disappointment over his team’s first defeat of the season to Kun Khalifat FC in Owerri but remains confident the People’s Elephant will return to winning ways when they host Warri Wolves this weekend in Aba.

    Speaking after the 1-0 loss, Nduka admitted that the result was not what the team anticipated, attributing the defeat to a red card and a costly free kick.

     “It was our intention to continue with the unbeaten run but our opponents came all out, especially with their precarious position on the table. It wasn’t what we expected, but in football there are three eventualities,” he said. “We lost due to the free kick we conceded and the fact that we got a player red-carded too. That decided the game because if we were complete, they wouldn’t have beaten us.”

    Looking ahead to their home fixture against Warri Wolves, Nduka maintained that Enyimba are focused on reclaiming the points they dropped.

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     “Definitely we are going to come all out to take our three points. We are up there and we must recover the lost points against Warri Wolves,” he declared.

    He also revealed that forward Joseph Atule, who recently returned from injury, will be available for selection.

    “We are glad with the return of Joseph Atule whom we resisted the urge to include in this game because he just recovered. His return is a very good addition to the team and he will be a handful for any opponent we face next.”

    Enyimba currently sit third on the log with 13 points from eight games and will be eager to prove their resilience in front of their home supporters this weekend

  • Kudus goal sparks celebrations as Ghana secure World Cup spot

    Kudus goal sparks celebrations as Ghana secure World Cup spot

    Ghana qualified for next year’s World Cup as Mohammed Kudus tucked away a close-range effort early in the second half on Sunday to earn a 1-0 win over Comoros and send an overflowing Accra stadium into rapturous celebration.

    Kudus tapped in a square pass from Thomas Partey in the 47th  minute to secure victory in front of an expectant crowd, although Ghana would have qualified even in defeat as closest rivals Madagascar were beaten 4-1 in Mali at the same time.

    The Black Stars are the fifth African nation to confirm their participation at the finals in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. They have been to four previous tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals in 2010.

    Ghana had a three-point lead going into the final round of Group I fixtures, with Madagascar’s slim hopes resting on beating Mali away and Ghana losing at home, but that unlikely permutation was never on the cards after Mali scored in the 10th  minute.

    It was the first of two goals for Lassine Sinayoko, with the others coming from Dorgeles Nene and Gaoussou Diarra.

    Ghana finished with 25 points, with Madagascar second on 19 and Mali third on 18.

    In the group’s other game on Sunday, the Central African Republic won 3-2 away to condemn Chad to a winless campaign with a single point from their 10 qualifiers.

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    Substitute Karl Namnganda scored a stoppage-time winner in Ndjamena as the Central African Republic ended their campaign with eight points.

    Already-qualified Egypt, who had booked their berth on Wednesday, rested captain Mohamed Salah but still finished their Group A campaign unbeaten as they overcame Guinea Bissau 1-0 in Cairo. Mohamed Hamdi headed home the winner in the 10th  minute.

    Egypt won eight of their 10 group games to finish with 26 points with Burkina Faso finishing second in the standings, after concluding their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Ethiopia in Ouagadougou with a hat-trick from Scotland-based attacker Pierre Kabore.

    Burkina Faso will be hoping to finish as one of the four best runners-up, who advance to a playoff competition next month.

    Also in Group A, the small Red Sea state Djibouti threatened to record their first win of the qualifying campaign when they took the lead against Sierra Leone but ended up losing 2-1.

    Earlier on Sunday, surprise package Niger secured second place in Group E by beating Zambia 1-0 away and look set for next month’s playoffs. Daniel Sosah, scoring for a third successive qualifier, bagged the second-half winner.

  • Ancelotti gives condition for Neymar’s Brazil recall

    Ancelotti gives condition for Neymar’s Brazil recall

    Neymar remains in Brazil’s plans but the forward needs to be fully fit to earn a recall to the squad as he looks to reignite his international career ahead of next year’s World Cup, coach Carlo Ancelotti  has said.

    Neymar, 33, has not featured for Brazil in two years, with injuries hampering his ability to perform consistently since returning to Santos last year after a stint in Saudi Arabia.

    Ancelotti, speaking ahead of Brazil’s friendly against Japan in Tokyo on Tuesday, praised Neymar’s talent but stressed the importance of his physical condition.

    “Neymar can play at his highest level in this team without any problems,” the Italian told reporters. “When he is in good physical condition, he has the quality to play not only in Brazil but in any team in the world because of his talent.”

    The former Barcelona and Paris St Germain forward last wore the famous yellow jersey in October 2023, when he suffered serious knee ligament damage that has plagued comeback attempts.

    Brazil head into Tuesday’s match buoyed by an emphatic 5-0 victory over South Korea last Friday, a performance that showcased their ability to entertain with the “beautiful game.”

    However, Ancelotti emphasised that balance and teamwork remain paramount.

    “The Brazilian national team wants to play beautiful football and can play it, yes, but it depends on what you mean by beautiful game,” he said.

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    “Of course, the players have individual quality and commitment. You have to play beautifully with the ball and also without the ball, which is an important aspect.”

    The Italian, who took over in May after a tricky World Cup qualifying campaign, has prioritised attitude and adaptability in the limited time before the tournament in North America.

    Since taking charge, Ancelotti has overseen three wins, a draw and one defeat. Under him Brazil have become more defensively solid, conceding only one goal — a penalty against Bolivia in the high altitude of El Alto — while scoring nine.

    On Friday in Seoul, the coach included four forwards in his starting eleven — Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Matheus Cunha and teenager Estevao — and Brazil overwhelmed the home side.

    Tuesday’s clash with Japan provides another opportunity for Ancelotti to refine his tactical approach.

    Reflecting on the team’s progress, he added: “Commitment and teamwork are essential. Playing beautifully is important, but the most important thing is to win.”

  • Saudi coach Renard labels Iraq game most important of his career

    Saudi coach Renard labels Iraq game most important of his career

    Herve Renard has called Saudi Arabia’s World Cup qualifying clash with Iraq in Jeddah   today the most important game of his coaching career as they stand on the cusp of a place at next year’s finals.

    The Frenchman, twice a winner of the African Cup of Nations and whose Saudi side beat Argentina at the last World Cup, will lead his team into the clash needing only a draw to secure a berth at a seventh World Cup for the Gulf state.

    “What we did before, it’s nothing up to now because if we don’t achieve our goal tomorrow you won’t remember the game against Indonesia, the game we played in Bahrain so the most important is tomorrow,” said Renard.

    “This game, for me, it’s the most important game in my career. I will explain to you after the game.”

    Renard is in his second spell as Saudi coach having returned to replace Roberto Mancini during the previous round of preliminaries to resurrect the team’s World Cup hopes after a series of disappointing performances under the Italian.

    Saudi Arabia lead Group B of the fourth round of Asia’s preliminaries on goals scored after the Saudis and Iraq secured wins over Indonesia.

    The Saudis hold a slim advantage in the standings due to their 3-2 victory over Patrick Kluivert’s side, who the Iraqis beat 1-0.

    The group winners qualify directly for the finals, where they will join Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia, Uzbekistan and Jordan as Asia’s representatives.

    The United Arab Emirates and Qatar meet in Doha in Group A, also on Tuesday, to determine the other Asian qualifier with the runners-up in the two groups due to meet in November for a spot in an intercontinental playoff.

    “I’m lucky because I have some players with experience like Saleh Al-Shehri, Salem Al-Dawsari our captain, now Hassan Al-Tambakthi is getting more experience,” said Renard.

    “I always tell them to stay focused. It’s not always easy with the Saudi players, but the most important is when they are listening, so we prepare for this game very quietly.

    “We are concentrated on our goal and we don’t have to do something else, just focus on us.”

    Iraq coach Graham Arnold confirmed talismanic striker Aymen Hussein would be fit after missing the win over Indonesia on Saturday.

    “They have in their brain two ways to qualify, that is draw or win,” Arnold said of the Saudis. “We have one way and that’s win. So our full focus is going out and go for it.”

  • Edo appoints Boboye as Bendel Insurance technical manager

    Edo appoints Boboye as Bendel Insurance technical manager

    The management of Bendel Insurance Football Club has announced the appointment of Kennedy Boboye as the new Technical Manager of the team.

    This comes a week after the suspension of the team’s Head Coach, Greg Ikhenoba, over poor performance.

    In a statement issued by the club’s Director of Media and Communications, Kehinde Osagiede, Boboye is to assume full responsibility for the club’s technical department with immediate effect.

    “After a thorough evaluation, the management found Coach Boboye suitable for the role and has offered him a substantive two-year contract. The decision is based on his proven track record, impressive credentials, and extensive experience in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL),” the statement read.

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    The club added that arrangements have been concluded for the official unveiling of the Delta-born tactician in Benin City on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

    The management expressed optimism that Boboye’s appointment would usher in a new era of improved performance and renewed confidence in the ongoing season.

    Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, commended Coach Baldwin Bazuaye for stepping in as Interim Technical Manager following Ikhenoba’s suspension.

  • FIFA World Cup: Super Eagles, Cheetahs in final  training today

    FIFA World Cup: Super Eagles, Cheetahs in final  training today

    Ahead of tomorrow’s big battle for Group C’s lone automatic ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in North America, the Super Eagles  and visiting  The Cheetahs of Benin, will have their official training at the main pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo today.

    The Cheetahs will train first from 5pm while the Super Eagles take their turn at 6.15pm.

    Tuesday’s big battle, between two of the three teams still in contention for Group C’s lone automatic ticket will kick off at 5pm. Simultaneously, the clash between South Africa and Rwanda, which is also of importance to the final outcome of Group C, will commence in Nelspruit.

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    Nigeria’s delegation to Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Lesotho in the South African city of Polokwane safely returned to the country yesterday , landing at the Obong Victor Attah International Airport at 8.05am.

    A cracked pilot windscreen forced the chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft conveying the team from Polokwane to return to the Luanda airport, 25 minutes after take-off following a refuelling stop in the Angolan capital on Saturday afternoon.

    However, swift action by ValueJet Airline and Federal Government authorities enabled another ValueJet Airline aircraft to take off from Lagos and pick the team in Luanda. The airplane flew for two hours and 20 minutes from Luanda before landing in Uyo.

    Players and officials have settled into the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot-Ekpene, and had  a training session at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium yesterday.

    Group C leaders Cheetahs of Benin Republic, who are Nigeria’s opponents in Tuesday’s showdown, arrived in Uyo on Saturday afternoon and are lodged at the Ibom Icon and Golf Resort. The team trained at the practice pitch of Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Sunday morning.

  • 2026 World Cup decider: Rohr optimistic as the Beninese crave ‘Goliath vs. David’ battle in Uyo

    2026 World Cup decider: Rohr optimistic as the Beninese crave ‘Goliath vs. David’ battle in Uyo

    Tomorrow’s  FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Nigeria and Benin promises to be an exciting encounter, especially with the sole Group C automatic ticket at stake.

    Gernot Rohr, the German coach of the Beninese national team, has  expressed  optimism about his team’s chances despite the challenges of playing away in Uyo. The Cheetahs currently lead their qualification group with 17 points, positioned ahead of Nigeria, who has 14 points, and South Africa with 15 points.

    Rohr acknowledged the importance of the match, highlighting that any result other than a defeat could significantly boost Benin’s chances of securing a World Cup spot.

    “My opinion about the matches on Tuesday is that  everybody (the top three teams)can still qualify but I think South Africa has a big chance  if they win the home game against Rwanda,” the former Bordeaux player  trainer told NationSports, adding the Amavubi Warriors must play fairly despite  being out of the race following Friday’s loss to The Cheetahs in Kigali. “Rwanda must play  the game seriously  even if they are eliminated.”

    Rohr  remains confident  that his side can even grind a good result in Uyo, adding any result other than a  defeat to Nigeria, can push  them towards  a historic qualification for the FIFA World Cup.

    “ Of course, the game between us (Benin) and Nigeria  can be decisive,” Rohr, who incidentally qualified the  Super Eagles  for their last World Cup appearance  at Russia 2018, explained.
    “If we win, we qualify automatically  and we are  going to Uyo  with little optimism  but we have it in our hands .”

    The Cheetahs  will be without key players Sessi d’Almedia and Yohan Roche due to suspensions, but the former Bundesliga  defender said  Benin will put up a good fight. 

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    “ Though I don’t have players like Nigeria where   when one is out , the other that comes in can be at the same level,” noted Rohr. “But we would try.

    “I have fond memories in Uyo with Nigeria when we beat  Zambia in 2017 to qualify for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup and I will like to do it again with a smaller country, Benin , which is going to be a football miracle , and miracle do happens,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Elvis Dedjinou Zanclan, a journalist from Cotonou, said the “David vs. Goliath” narrative surrounding the match,  add to the excitement.

    He admitted  that while Nigeria is the stronger team, there is a growing sentiment in Benin that an upset could occur.

    “ It’s David versus Goliath,” Zanclan told NationSports.“ The general public here knows Nigeria is above our team  but there is a growing belief  that a miracle is possible.

    “ Never in the past years Benin  have reached this point, so let’s wait and see,” he added.