Upbeat Eagles plot Cameron's fall in Uyo

Table –toppers Nigeria are confident of overhauling Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions when both teams clash in perhaps the biggest match of Africa’s Group B of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying race on Friday.

Reigning African champions Cameroon come to town at a time the Eagles are fully committed to establishing an unassailable lead in the pool, and on the back of Nigeria having won the last three encounters between both nations at senior level.

Cameroon won the African title in Gabon early in the year – a championship for which Nigeria failed to qualify – and then tucked three big games under their belt at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia in the summer. Yet, they have a mountain to climb against a Nigerian side ready to rise to the occasion in front of a partisan home crowd at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

The Lions will derive little comfort from glancing at the Group B table, on which they lag behind Nigeria with as many as four points, and also realize they have never beaten Nigeria in a World Cup qualifying match played in Nigeria.

Team captain Mikel John Obi is at the head of 22 players who were as at Tuesday morning in the Akwa Ibom State capital for the big encounter, with only Cyprus –based Abdullahi Shehu and Russia –based Aaron Samuel still expected at the Ibom Meridien Hotel.

Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, told thenff.com on Tuesday that his wards are fully focused on what pundits have referred to as Nigeria’s biggest match of the year.

“It is a big match and we are fully focused and committed. The players know what it means; they need little or no reminding of how important this match is. I am happy we have almost the full house now and can concentrate on our tactics for the game.”

Tuesday’s arrivals were Moses Simon, Uche Agbo, Leon Balogun, John Ogu, Anthony Nwakaeme and Victor Moses, joining up with Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Kelechi Iheanacho, William Ekong, Ahmed Musa, Chidozie Awaziem, Ola Aina, Daniel Akpeyi, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Mikel Agu, Odion Ighalo, Wilfred Ndidi, Dele Alampasu, Elderson Echiejile and Tyronne Ebuehi who made it to Uyo on Monday.

Nigeria, on six maximum points from their first two matches, will all but seal a place in Russia if they snap up the three points on offer on Friday evening. Zambia and Algeria, the other two teams in the group, have one point each and clash at the Heroes National Stadium in Lusaka on Saturday.

It's Been a Wonderful, Crazy Season For us ....Amobi

"It's been a wonderful, crazy season for us.  This season we learn from each game and come back better " .

These are the choice words of Barrister Amobi Ezeaku ,the team manager of Rangers international football club used in describing Rangers' 2017 season.

 

The defending Champion defeated Remo stars by two goals to one in one of the March day 36 fixtures of the Nigeria Professional Football League , NPFL, at the Gateway international stadium Sagamu on Sunday courtesy of brace from the boots of Bobby Clement.

Each goal in each half gives Rangers international their first away victory of the campaign to take their point haul to 52 points ,which is enough to keep them in the NPFL for next season.

 

A lot of their fans expected a lot from the defending Champion this season but they couldn't just lived up to that high hopes of the fans.

The team started the season with a loss at home to Abia warriors and the Flying Antelopes failed to recover from that 1-2 loss all season,that moment marks the begining of a  rough and turbulent ride both in the domestic and Continental compaign.

 

Off the pitch pitch event wasnt helpful to the cause of the team on the pitch , from the rise and suspension of Christian Chukwu to the sacking and arrest of Imama Amakpakabo these are no doubt ugly Episodes in the Club's season that serve as a major distraction to the team's collective aspirations of giving their fans a good follow up season after a winning their first tile after 32 years in the previous season.

 

An elated Amobi  seems to have put the troubles' season behind and looks at the future after the soothing victory at Shagamu on Sunday

'Now we know we are safe and we will go back to Enugu to work hard and preserve our future in the league it's been a crazy season for us".

 

Rangers will host Enyimba of Aba at the cathedral ,in Enugu ,in their last home match of the season though nothing significant at stake,save pride and bragging rights, for the flying Antelope but they Will fancy a victory in front of their home fans and give them a parting moment to savour till league match returns to the venue next season .

The Mayweather vs McGregor bout: The official Purse

It's no longer News that Mayweather knocked out McGregor in the 10th round.

For all that cares,the bout lived up to the hype.

But the news is the Amount of take home for boxers that made last night event a great show that it was.

Here is the official breakdown of the purses:

Bout 1: Savannah Marshall ($5000) vs. Sydney LeBlanc ($3500)

Bout 2: Kevin Newman ($7500) vs. Antonio Hernandez ($7000)

Bout 3: Juan Heraldez ($12,500) vs. Jose Borrego ($5000)

Bout 4: Thomas Dulorme ($75,000) vs. Yordenis Ugas ($50,000)

Bout 5: Andrew Tabiti ($100,000) vs. Steve Cunningham ($100,000)*USBA/NABF Cruiserweight Title*

Bout 6: Nathan Cleverly ($100,000) vs. Badou Jack ($750,000)*WBA Light Heavyweight Title*

Bout 7: Gervonta Davis ($600,000) vs. Francisco Fonseca ($35,000)*IBF Junior Lightweight Title*

Bout 8: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. ($100,000,000) vs. Conor McGregor ($30,000,000)

Vitoria Futebol Clube completes the signing of Adebanjo jacob

Portuguese Side Vitoria Futebol Clube have completed the signing of  Adebanjo Jacob from AD Oliverense.

The Portuguese Premiere Liga Side announced the signing of the 23 year old defensive midfielder on their Facebook page as Adebanjo Jacob signed on a two year deal.

Jacob moved to Portuguese second division side AD Oliverense from Remo Stars in 2014 and after playing for the Sky Blue Stars in the 2013/14 Nigeria National League Season.

"Am very excited about my move to Vitoria Futebol. It's a big step for me in my career having played in the second division for quite a while, now I have the chance to play in the top division for the next two year.

"I want to make a huge impact for my new club just as my legend Rashidi Yekini did in the past, I also want to start winning major trophies and possible get a chance to play for my country but first I need to settle down and start playing games for now."

Ahead of 2017 ITTF World Cup: I need a coach Aruna Quadri pleads

Despite putting Nigeria on the world map at several occasions, Africa’s highest ranked table tennis player, Aruna Quadri is pleading for support for him to hire a coach prosecute the 2017 ITTF World Cup holding in Liege, Belgium later in the year.

Quadri who has consistently been inking his name in the annals of African table tennis history as the first African to make it to the quarterfinal of the Olympic Games as well as the first player from the continent to make it to the semifinal of the ITTF World Tour.

Being his second consecutive appearance at the ITTF World Cup, a pained Quadri said: “I am actually getting used to playing without a coach because I have no sponsor. Since I have no sponsor in order to have a coach, I just have to play alone. I can say that a coach is very, very important but since I have no support, I just have to keep on playing alone.”

“Actually, if I am not ready to play in the Bulgaria Open, I wouldn’t come along. But I am here because I am ready to play without a coach. If I had a coach, it would be even better of course,” he added.

Quadri attributed her victory against Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri in the round of 16 of Bulgaria Open as sheer luck.

“I think I have been really lucky in this tournament. It was my best match I was 6-3 down in the last set but luckily I won. I gained some confidence from the round of 16 match. I have something really important happening here and I am very happy,” he said.

He however, pleaded with his fans over the disappointment at Nigeria Open.

“I cannot actually say that Nigeria Open was a big disappointment for my fans but at the same time it is one of the things that normally happen in sports. For me it is meant to buckle me up. I thought it is possible to do so much better and anything can truly happen,” Quadri said.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung promised to support Aruna Quadri for the World Cup but the 2014 ITTF Star Player is still waiting on the minister to fulfill his promises.

Return our passports now! Journalists cry out to UK High Commission

Three Nigerian sports journalists who were denied the opportunity to cover the just ended 16th IAAF World Championships in London by the United Kingdom High Commission in Lagos want their international passport returned to them immediately.
The journalists Messrs Esan Oludare of Complete Sports, Tunde Eludini of Premium Times and Charles Ogundiya of New Telegraph also appeal to the international sporting community to strip Britain of any hosting rights granted it as well as stop future award of such rights.
“It is unbelievable that the United Kingdom High Commission could toy with the emotion and passion of Nigerians who have been denied adequate and proper coverage of the championships,” Esan who is the editor of Complete Sports and has covered eight editions of the championships said.
“Some of us applied as early as the first week of June while I applied on July 4, 2017.The Local Organising Committee for the championships advised us in an email that we should apply not later than July 7, 2017 so that we could get our visas issued before the 29th of July.
“The Championships held from August 4 to 13. As I am talking to you now, the message on my visa application as tracked on the UK Visa Application Centre in Nigeria (Lagos - Ikeja) website this (Wednesday August 16, 2017) morning is that my application is still waiting for a decision to be taken.
“It reads thus: Your application is now with UK Visas & Immigration for a decision. If this is not ridiculous, I wonder what that message connotes, coming a clear three days after the championships ended.
Ogundiya on his part want Britain to be stripped of all rights to host international championships and Games as he hinted that the journalists could consider legal options if the passports are either tampered with and/or are not returned on time to enable them use for other international competitions.
Ogundiya who writes for New Telegraph said: “It is obvious they are not ready to accommodate people who have gone through strict security checks before they were issued accreditation cards. And for crying out loud we are journalists who have legitimate rights to cover the championships in London.
“The United Kingdom agreed not to deny people who have been accredited for the championships the right to participate either as athletes, officials or journalists before they were granted the hosting right for event. It is crystal clear now that they fooled the IAAF.
“'The return leg of the Nigeria versus Cameroun 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier is in early September in Yaounde and now we cannot plan towards covering it because the UK High Commission is still waiting to take a decision on our application for visa for a championships that ended few days ago. We hope the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take up this matter as it is not only a slap on Nigeria but a total disregard for us as human beings.”

I’m indebted to Lagos fans – Omar Assar

For the support he has always enjoyed whenever he is playing in Lagos, Egypt’s Omar Assar believes the fans played a crucial role in his triumph at the ITTF Nigeria Open ‘Lagos 2017’.

The Egyptian who made history as the first player to win the men’s singles title thrice as well as unbeaten in all his participation in the tournament is willing to return to Lagos for the competition.

To claim the title in 2017, Assar beat India’s Sarthak Gandhi in the final 4-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-6, 11-8). With the win, Assar maintains his perfect record in Lagos, having now won the tournament on each occasion he has played.

“I feel very wonderful wining this competition again. This competition is very special for me because it being hosted in Lagos. The fans in Lagos have been very supportive in me claiming the title. So I need to ensure I play very well because many people are waiting to see me winning the title. From the start of the tournament, there have been a lot of improvements among the Nigerians and Egyptians, while I am particularly thrilled with the performance of the Indians,” said Omar Assar.

Assar, who is Aruna Quadri’s partner in men’s doubles, believes the Nigerian would return stronger following his round of 16 exit. “Aruna Quadri and others played really well. But I am always proud whenever I and Aruna Quadri play in the final of any major event because it helps to promote the sport in Africa. Aruna Quadri is a very good player and I am sure next he will make a comeback and have better competition next time,” he said.

Dina Meshref made sure Egypt doubled down on the titles, defeating Russia’s Olga Kulikova in the final of the Women’s Singles. It was a 4-0 (11-4, 16-14, 12-10, 11-6) victory for Meshref, who dropped only two games during the event. It was the Egyptian’s third attempt at the title, and it turned out to be third time’s lucky, having made the quarterfinal in 2014, and final in 2015.

As Africa’s number one player, she kept continental pride and made sure the title stayed on home soil for the first time in the event’s history.