Sports

  Michelle Alozie, a player for the Super Falcons, has confirmed that she was doing well after Lauren James' reckless stamp on her, which led to the Lionesses star being sent off during the Round 16 match between Nigeria and England at the ongoing FIFA Women's World Cup on Monday. Lauren James was shown a red card in the 87th minute of the game for a reckless stamp on Nigeria's Michelle Alozie. Initially, James received a yellow card for a rough challenge, but after a VAR check, the referee changed the decision and sent her off. After the match, Alozie confirmed that she was completely fine after James' stamp and stated that she does not hold any grudges against the English star. Speaking to reporters, Alozie said, "It was advantageous for us. James is an exceptionally talented player....

  The manager of England, Sarina Wiegman, has claimed that Lauren James' reckless stomping on Nigeria's Michelle Alozie during the Round 16 match in the ongoing FIFA Women's World Cup on Monday, was due to fatigue rather than malicious intent. James was given a straight red card for aggressive behavior during the Lioness' narrow last-16 victory against Super Falcons. This resulted in Wiegman's team being reduced to 10 players for the entire duration of extra-time, before winning 4-2 on penalties. Wiegman defended the Chelsea forward and said it was a "very unfortunate" incident. "She's young and this is just a momentary lapse of judgment, she doesn't want to harm anyone. It's later on in the game, so you become a little bit fatigued too. "It's such an intense and emotional game that in...

  Sarina Wiegman, the head coach of England, has acknowledged that the Super Falcons of Nigeria presented challenges for her team but commended their enduring spirit in the match. The Lionesses were mostly on the defensive throughout the game. Their mission became more arduous after Lauren James was shown a red card in the 87th minute of the match. Wiegman's team rarely posed a threat to their opponents during extra time but displayed resilience in defense. In the end, the European champions prevailed with a 4-2 victory in a penalty shootout. The Dutch praised her players for their strong determination in the game. "Numerous thoughts are going through my mind, but the first thing is that we stayed together as a team. It was an incredibly tough game; then we received a red card and went ...

  The former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, expressed that he feels no remorse for skipping breakfast in order to watch the Super Falcons’ Round of 16 match in the ongoing 2023 Women’s World Cup tournament on Monday morning. Nevertheless, the Super Falcons were defeated by the Lionesses of England in a penalty shootout. The Round of 16 match ended in a goalless draw after regulation and extra time, offering Nigeria an opportunity to win a knockout match in the Women’s World Cup for the first time in nine appearances at the global tournament. However, the European champions, England, emerged victorious in the shootout, with substitute forward Chloe Kelly converting the final kick. In response to the game on his official Twitter handl...

  Australia has triumphed over Denmark in Sydney on Monday to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso scored in a 2-0 victory in front of 75,784 spectators at Stadium Australia. Australia, one of the host countries, has now progressed to the last-eight stage for the fourth time in the past five Women’s World Cups. The Matildas will be up against either France or Morocco in Brisbane on Saturday as they strive to make it to their inaugural semifinal. Australia had advanced from the group stage without the need to rely on Captain Sam Kerr. Kerr, who is the leading scorer in women’s international soccer for her country with 62 goals, suffered a calf injury shortly before the tournament. After observing Australia’s initial...

  England’s chances of reaching the quarter-finals suffered a major setback as Lauren James received a straight red card in the second half of the Lionesses' intense Round of 16 match against Nigeria on Monday morning. The Chelsea striker was initially given a caution after a confrontation with Nigeria's Super Falcons player Michelle Alozie in the closing minutes of the game. However, following a review by VAR, James was found guilty of digging her studs into Alozie's back as she stood up. The referee, Melissa Borjas, promptly showed James a red card, reducing England to 10 players and forcing her to leave the match. This dismissal is a devastating blow to one of the tournament's most thrilling players, whose World Cup journey now appears to be abruptly halted. The official rule of the...

  The Nigeria National League (NNL) relegation play-off, involving eight teams, kicks off. The first match of the play-off will witness Sokoto United competing against Family Worship (FWC Champions) at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kofar Mata, Kano on Monday. The play-off draw took place Sunday evening, with representatives from all the clubs in attendance. Meanwhile, Edel FC of Awka was the first team to arrive in Kano, followed by Henserd Football Club from Yenagoa and Smart City from Lagos. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) of Ilorin and Ikorodu City of Lagos arrived in Kano afterwards. Adamawa United and Sokoto United arrived on Saturday. Family Worship football team FWC-Champions, the last team to arrive, came from the nation’s capital Abuja on Sunday morning, completing the full list of ...

  President Bola Tinubu has conveyed his admiration for the Super Falcons’ display in the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament, acknowledging their hard-fought match against England, which concluded in a penalty shoot-out defeat during the Round of 16. Tinubu, who utilized his verified Twitter handle on Monday morning following the game, said regardless of the result of the match, the Super Falcons made Nigeria proud on the worldwide stage. The President tweeted: “I must commend the effort by our Super Falcons #NGSuper_Falcons at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. “Your outstanding performance did not go unnoticed despite the final result. You made Nigeria proud on the worldwide stage!”

  In a thrilling penalty shootout, England narrowly progressed to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Women’s World Cup by overcoming Nigeria's relentless attack with just 10 players on Monday morning. Despite Georgia Stanway, the first penalty-taker, missing the target, Nigeria failed to convert their next two penalties, allowing the European champions to secure their place in the last eight when Chloe Kelly emphatically scored the decisive kick. In a moment of frustration, Lauren James of Nigeria viciously stamped on Michelle Alozie's back in the 87th minute after losing possession. As a result, following a VAR review, James was rightfully sent off with a red card. England were given a major scare but will now face either Colombia or Jamaica in the upcoming stage of the ongoing tournament....

Rangers International have secured the services of ex-captain of Abia Warriors, Kalu Nweke, and former Rivers United striker, Malachi Ohawume, as the team continues to bolster their squad for the upcoming Nigeria Premier Football League season. Both players have inked a two-year contract that will run until the 2024/2025 season, with the possibility of extension. Barrister Ferdinand Ugwuarua, the club's administrative secretary, hailed the acquisition of the two players as a promising indication for the imminent NPFL season. He revealed that the coach had expressed the desire to have the duo in his squad for the new football season. "We have successfully secured the services of midfielder Kalu Nweke from Abia Warriors and center-forward Malachi Ohawume from Rivers United. Both play...