Sport

Lookman Seals Super Eagles Win Over Tanzania

By Web News 266

By Oluwakayode Banjo

The Super Eagles of Nigeria launched their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, campaign in style with a hard-fought victory over the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in Morocco.

Defender Semi Ajayi broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, rising confidently to power home a precise cross delivered by Alex Iwobi.

Nigeria pushed for more after the break, and Victor Osimhen appeared to double the lead, only for VAR to rule the effort offside.

Tanzania struck back through Charles M’Mombwa in the 50th minute, briefly silencing the Nigerian supporters.

The Super Eagles responded almost immediately, as Ademola Lookman unleashed a stunning strike two minutes later to restore Nigeria’s advantage and secure the win.

Elsewhere in Tuesday’s AFCON fixtures, the Democratic Republic of Congo edged Benin Republic 1–0, Senegal overwhelmed Botswana 3–0, while Tunisia recorded a convincing 3–1 victory over Uganda.

Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle

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Sport

Super Eagles See Off Cameroon 2-0

By Web News 582

Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman was on the score sheet twice as Nigeria saw off perennial rivals Cameroon to book a quarter finals spot at the ongoing AFCON 2023.

Goals in either half of the tie ensured that Nigeria will continue in the competition as they seek a fourth AFCON title.

Nigeria had an early Semi Ajayi goal disallowed following a VAR review in this last-16 clash before the constant pressing and bullying of the Cameroon defence by Victor Osimhen led to Lookman finding the net in the 36th minute.

The hardworking defence kept the Indomitable Lions at bay before Lookman in a man-of-the-match display made sure of the victory in the 90th minute in front of 22,085 fans at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

They will now return to the same venue for a last-eight meeting next Friday with Angola, who earlier defeated Namibia 3-0.

With the fearsome Osimhen leading from the front, the Super Eagles are clearly a serious threat to reigning champions Senegal as they chase a fourth continental crown.

This fixture is a Cup of Nations classic, with the first three of Cameroon’s five titles coming after wins over Nigeria in the final.

The very first, when a side led by Roger Milla came from behind to win 3-1 in 1984, was achieved in this same stadium in Ivory Coast’s economic capital.

Nigeria won the most recent encounter with their neighbours, in the last 16 in Egypt five years ago, and their current side came into this match as favourites against Rigobert Song’s Cameroon.

The Super Eagles eased through their group unbeaten, while Cameroon needed a stoppage-time goal against Gambia to progress.

Vanguard/Maxwell Oyekunle

Sport

FULL LIST: Osimhen, Salah, others Get 2023 African Player of the Year Nomination

By Web News 744

The Confederation of African Football on Wednesday listed Nigeria’s forward, Victor Osimhen; Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, and 27 others as contenders for the 2023 men’s African Player of the Year awards.

CAF announced the Gala awards billed to be held on December 11, 2023, in Marrakech, Morocco, on their official website.

According to the statement, “A panel of CAF Technical Experts, African Football Legends, and selected media representatives from a number of countries put together the preliminary list for the various categories with the performance of the nominees between November 2022 and September 2023 serving as the period under consideration.

“Thirty (30) players made the cut for the top prize; CAF African Player of the Year, whilst 20 players have been nominated for the CAF Interclub Player of the Year. Coach of the Year, CAF National Team of the Year and Club of the Year have ten (10) nominees each just as CAF Young Player of the Year – for players under the age of 21.

“For the first time, CAF has introduced the CAF African Goalkeeper of the Year Category (Men and Women) in the prestigious event that seeks to reward and celebrate exceptional Players, Officials and Administrators during the period under review.

“It will be the first time that shot stoppers will be acknowledged for their performances, further expanding the network of winners for the annual event. 10 players have been nominated for the novel award.

CAF maintained that the ultimate winner of each category will be decided after votes from a voting panel consisting of the CAF Technical Committee, media professionals, Head Coaches and captains of Member Associations and clubs involved in the group stages of the Interclub competitions.

It further added that the nominees for the Women’s categories will be announced in due course.

Recall that Senegal forward Sadio Mane was crowned CAF African Player of the Year whilst Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala was coronated CAF African Women’s Player of the Year for a record fifth time during the last Awards Gala in July 2022 in Rabat, Morocco.

Full List of Nominees (in alphabetic order by Member Association):

Player of the Year (Men)

1.     Ramy Bensebaini (Algeria and Borussia Dortmund)

2.     Riyad Mahrez (Algeria and Al Ahli)

3.     Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso and Bayer Leverkusen)

4.     Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon and SSC Napoli)

5.     Vincent Aboubacar (Cameroon and Besiktas)

6.     Ibrahima Sangare (Cote d’Ivoire and Nottingham Forest)

7.     Seko Fofana (Cote d’Ivoire and Al Nassr)

8.     Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo and Olympique Marseille)

9.     Fiston Mayele (DR Congo and Pyramids)

10.  Mahmoud Abdel Moneim “Kahraba” (Egypt and Ahly)

11.  Mohamed Abdelmonem (Egypt and Al Ahly)

12.  Mohamed ElShenawy (Egypt and Al Ahly)

13.  Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)

14.  Mohammed Kudus (Ghana and West Ham United)

15.  Thomas Partey (Ghana and Arsenal)

16.  Serhou Guirassy (Guinea and VfB Stuttgart)

17.  Yves Bissouma (Mali and Tottenham Hotspur)

18.  Achraf Hakimi (Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain)

19.  Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco and Olympique Marseille)

20.  Hakim Ziyech (Morocco and Galatasaray)

21.  Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco and Manchester United)

22.  Yahya Jabrane (Morocco and Wydad Athletic Club)

23.  Yassine Bounou (Morocco and Al Hilal)

24.  Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco and Sevilla)

25.  Peter Shalulile (Namibia and Mamelodi Sundowns)

26.  Victor Osimhen (Nigeria and SSC Napoli)

27.  Sadio Mane (Senegal and Al Nassr)

28.  Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur)

29.  Percy Tau (South Africa and Al Ahly)

30.  Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Tunisia and Ferencvaros).

Punch/Olaolu Fawole

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Sport

Victor Oshimen Scores as Napoli Wins 1st Scudetto in 33 Years

By Web News 1039


Napoli have claimed their first league title in 33 years after drawing 1-1 away at Udinese following a Victor Oshimen equaliser.

The title was an inevitability for months with Luciano Spalletti’s side completely dominating Serie A, but they’ve now finally clinched their third domestic crown with five games to spare.

In the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium the were epic scenes of celebration.

Fans lit off flares in the streets of Naples as they celebrated their title win.

Indeed, it sparked chaotic scenes in Naples.
The streets were filled with people sporting Maradona wigs.

Traffic came to a standstill.

People danced with joy on roofs of blocked buses, while fake funerals were held for hated rivals Juventus.

Napoli had their first match point at home to Salernitana last time out, but drew 1-1, meaning they needed just a point from Udinese.

Thanks to star striker Victor Osimhen, they managed just that, with the Nigerian equalising in the second period by smashing the ball home for his league-best 22nd goal of the season.

Victor Osimhen showing his love for his club by kissing the club’s badge

The ever-expanding away end at the Dacia Arena instantly erupted, with smoke bombs filling the stadium as Osimhen ripped off his trademark mask in iconic scenes.

And back in Naples, the 52nd minute strike was greeted with fireworks on the streets with fans realising the dream of a generation.

Napoli haven’t won a league title since 1990, when Diego Maradona captured his and the club’s second of a legendary career.

Genny Di Virgilio says the Maradona figurines his company makes are serious bestsellers © Giuliana Ricozzi/FT

And in their stadium that now bears his name, fans had packed out the 54,726-seater to see the trophy come back down south for only the third time.

The city had long been gearing up for glory of hosting the league trophy after several decades.

Napoli now have 80 points, and while they are unable to reach the incredible record for points in a season set by Juventus with 102 back in 2014, they can still eclipse their own club high-water mark of 91 from back in 2018.

Their first scudetto saw Maradona shine bright as they beat Juventus to the league title by three points.

Three years later, and after consecutive second-place finishes, Napoli lifted the scudetto for a second time with five straight wins to end their 1989/90 campaign.

Napoli have one of the largest and most passionate fan bases in Italy, but trophies have been hard to come by since the club was formed in 1926.

The club’s most successful spell was authored by Argentine legend Diego Maradona in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but the club subsequently fell on hard financial times.

It’s on sound footing today, and has successfully recruited top coaches and players.

The 2022/23 team is led by manager Luciano Spalletti and Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen, who is one of the most coveted forwards in the sport.

Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during a match

Recent signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has also taken Serie A by storm with the 22-year-old Georgian already earning the nickname ‘Kvara-dona’’ from the Napoli faithful.

Goal/The Sporting News/Maxwell Oyekunle

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Osimhen Likely to Miss Napoli-Milan Champions League Clash

By Web News 788

Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen is a major doubt for Napoli ahead of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash with AC Milan on Wednesday.

The Napoli striker picked up a knee injury while on international duty in March and has missed Napoli’s last two Serie A clashes against AC Milan and Lecce as a result.

The club were hoping that the player would recover before their Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Milan on Wednesday but he is yet to fully recover from the knock.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the 24-year-old trained alone and later headed off to the gym.

While Napoli would want their star forward back for the Champions League clash, they are not likely to rush the player back to the squad considering they still have nine matches to go in Serie A and are in line to win their first Scudetto since 1990.

Osimhen has been on fire this season for Napoli, scoring 25 goals in 29 matches in all competitions.

He is currently leading the Serie A top scorers list with 21 goals and four assists.

Vanguard/Maxwell Oyekunle

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Musa, Ndidi, Osimhen, 25 others make 28-man final list for AFCON 2022

By Web News 881

Head Coach, Augustine Eguavoen has named his 28-final list of the Super Eagles of Nigeria for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Cameroon from 9th of next month to 6th February 2022, with Captain Ahmed Musa, midfield enforcer Wilfred Ndidi and effervescent forward Victor Osimhen all making the cut for the big house party.

The three-time winners will confront seven-time and record winners Egypt, Sudan and debutants Guinea Bissau with venue in the northern town of Garoua.

A mouth-watering clash with the Pharaohs in the group opener on Tuesday, 11th January means the Eagles must hit the ground at a blistering pace.

Former Nigeria captain Eguavoen, who coached the Super Eagles to third-place finish at the finals in Egypt 15 years ago, has selected four goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders and 10 forwards to aim for Nigeria’s fourth diadem in Cameroon.

Goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho, defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Olaoluwa Aina and Abdullahi Shehu, midfielders Joseph Ayodele-Aribo and Chidera Ejuke and forwards Moses Simon, Odion Ighalo and Samuel Chukwueze are also on the roster.

There is a return to the group for former U17 World Cup winning captain Kelechi Nwakali, forward Emmanuel Dennis and 2016 Olympics star Sadiq Umar.

All invited players are expected to arrive in camp in the Nigeria’s federal capital, Abuja on 29th December, with the UK-based players expected to start arriving on Monday, 3rd January.

SUPER EAGLES’ SQUAD FOR 33RD AFCON CAMEROON 2021

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands).

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa).

Olaolu Fawole