Category: Sports

The Super Eagles of Nigeria remain under pressure in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, as South Africa extended their lead in the group standings with a commanding performance against Rwanda on Tuesday.

Playing concurrently with Nigeria’s clash against Benin Republic, South Africa struck early at the Mbombela Stadium through goals from Mbatha in the 5th minute and Appollis in the 26th, tightening their grip on the top spot.

Meanwhile, in Uyo, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen scored twice — in the 3rd and 37th minutes — to give the Super Eagles a comfortable lead against Benin. His brace lifted Nigeria to 17 points, just one point behind group leaders South Africa.

Both teams are in a fierce race for qualification to the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria delivered a dominant performance on Tuesday, defeating the Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4–0 in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Victor Osimhen stole the spotlight with a brilliant hat-trick, while substitute Frank Onyeka sealed the victory with a late strike, securing three points for Nigeria in their push for World Cup qualification.

Despite the emphatic win, Nigeria missed out on an automatic qualification ticket as group leaders South Africa booked their spot at the 2026 tournament with a 3–0 victory over Rwanda earlier in Mbombela.

Head coach Finidi George made four changes from the previous win against Lesotho, with Wilfred Ndidi captaining the side and Moses Simon earning his 85th cap. Osimhen started upfront alongside Akor Adams, supported by Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi in attack.

Nigeria’s line-up: Stanley Nwabali (GK), Benjamin Fredrick, Zaidu Sanusi, Wilfred Ndidi (C), Semi Ajayi, Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, Akor Adams, and Calvin Bassey.

Osimhen opened the scoring in the third minute after connecting with a precise cross from Chukwueze. He doubled the lead in the 38th minute, once again finishing off a Chukwueze assist. The Napoli striker completed his hat-trick six minutes after the restart, firing past the Beninoise goalkeeper in the 51st minute.

Nigeria continued to press, with Ndidi missing a close-range effort in the 68th minute. However, substitute Frank Onyeka capped off the performance with a well-taken goal in stoppage time to seal a 4–0 victory.

The result keeps Nigeria’s qualification hopes alive as they look ahead to the next phase of the 2026 World Cup campaign in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

African nations continued their push for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, with several teams recording decisive victories in matchday 10 fixtures across the continent.

In **Group C**, Nigeria cruised to a 4–0 victory over Benin Republic in Uyo. Victor Osimhen was the standout performer, netting a hat-trick in the 3rd, 37th, and 51st minutes, while Onyeka sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal. The result strengthened Nigeria’s position in the qualification race.

South Africa also secured their World Cup ticket with an emphatic 3–0 win over Rwanda in Mbombela. Mbatha opened the scoring in the 5th minute, followed by Appollis in the 26th and Makgopa in the 72nd minute to seal the victory.

Elsewhere in **Group F**, Gambia delivered one of the day’s biggest results, thrashing Seychelles 7–0 in Saint-Pierre. Sidibeh scored twice (2nd, 46th minutes), Manneh bagged a hat-trick (24th, 67th, 75th), while Barrow added a brace (47th, 52nd).

In **Group G**, Guinea were held to a 2–2 draw by Botswana in Casablanca. Boy and Mohutsiwa found the net for Botswana, while Traore and Balde equalised for Guinea. Mozambique earned a narrow 1–0 win over Somalia in Oran, thanks to Catamo’s early strike.

In another Group G fixture, Algeria left it late to edge Uganda 2–1 in Tizi Ouzou. Mukwala gave Uganda the lead in the 6th minute, but Amoura converted two penalties in the 81st and 90+9th minutes to seal the comeback.

Other matches, including **Senegal vs. Mauritania**, **DR Congo vs. Sudan**, **Morocco vs. Congo Brazzaville**, **Gabon vs. Burundi**, and **Ivory Coast vs. Kenya**, were scheduled to take place later on Tuesday.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has suggested that England forward Cole Palmer may not require groin surgery after being forced off during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.

Palmer, 23, made only two Premier League starts this season and lasted just 21 minutes at Old Trafford before limping off. Speaking to reporters, Maresca said:

“The medical staff didn’t mention to me about surgery. I don’t know if in the next days or the next weeks, but I don’t think so, to be honest. He made a huge effort on Saturday to try to play the game. He did the test and he was OK, but not 100 percent. But he wanted to be there to help his teammates.”

The manager added that Palmer’s recovery will be assessed on a “day-by-day, week-by-week, game-by-game” basis.

Chelsea are expected to be without Palmer for their League Cup third-round tie against third-tier Lincoln on Tuesday, with Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile also ruled out.

Maresca indicated he may field several youth academy players for the cup fixture but acknowledged the risk of an upset. “These are the games that worry me most, because you can slip up very easily,” he said. “Football is full of these kinds of games, and I am very worried about that.”

The Ikoyi Club Ladies’ Golf Section, over the weekend, unveiled the official logo for its 50th anniversary tournament, scheduled to take place from November 12 to 15, 2025.

Themed “Go Beyond – Golf and Golfing,” the landmark event seeks to highlight golf’s influence beyond the fairways by promoting environmental preservation, biodiversity, and positive, disciplined lifestyles.

Pioneer member and past ladies’ captain, Mrs. Iyabo Attah, reflected on her golfing journey and the transformation of the club over the past five decades. “It is my desire to see more women embrace the game and encourage their children and wards to also learn the sport,” she said.

The 2025 ladies’ captain, Mrs. Peggy Onwu, described the logo unveiling as a milestone. “It represents 50 years of commitment, skill development, and building connections with women across Africa and beyond,” she noted.

Publisher of BusinessDay Newspapers, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, who chaired the logo design review, praised the resilience of the club’s early female golfers. “The ladies who took part 50 years ago weren’t just playing golf. They were making a statement. They were building something that would outlast them. And today, their vision has become reality,” he said.

Price Waterhouse Consulting and Risk Services Leader, Mr. Femi Osinubi, reaffirmed the firm’s partnership with the tournament, stressing its alignment with corporate social responsibility goals to promote gender equality and environmental initiatives.

A highlight of the ceremony was the logo design competition involving more than 18 Lagos secondary schools. Wahab Folawiyo Senior High School won first place, earning ₦100,000 and a new computer. GreenSpring Secondary School and Command Secondary School, Bonny Camp, came second and third, receiving ₦70,000 and ₦50,000 respectively, along with brand-new computers.

Fraser-Pryce Ends World Championships Career With Relay Silver

Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce capped her World Athletics Championships career with a silver medal in Tokyo on Sunday, anchoring a remarkable run that began 18 years ago.

The 38-year-old, nicknamed the Mommy Rocket, ran the opening leg of Jamaica’s women’s 4x100m relay in a head-to-head against USA’s sprint double champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. Fraser-Pryce held her own, handing over to Tia Clayton level with the Americans.

However, a sluggish exchange between the Clayton twins cost Jamaica crucial ground. Jonielle Smith fought hard on the anchor leg but could not reel in Sha’Carri Richardson, who powered USA to gold in 41.75 seconds. Jamaica finished just 0.04 seconds behind, while Germany claimed bronze.

The medal brought Fraser-Pryce’s World Championships tally to 17 — 10 golds, six silvers, and one bronze — second only to Allyson Felix (20). Notably, she holds the record for most individual sprint golds with six.

It was a fitting conclusion for Fraser-Pryce, who made her Worlds debut in 2007 in Osaka, winning silver as a reserve in the 4x100m relay.

“I really wanted to make sure I gave them a great start because I knew we had a good team and we were contenders,” Fraser-Pryce said afterwards. “We didn’t get the gold but we got our silver medal. We have to be grateful for what we’ve accomplished and we’re walking away with a medal.”

Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce capped her World Athletics Championships career with a silver medal in Tokyo on Sunday, anchoring a remarkable run that began 18 years ago.

The 38-year-old, nicknamed the Mommy Rocket, ran the opening leg of Jamaica’s women’s 4x100m relay in a head-to-head against USA’s sprint double champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. Fraser-Pryce held her own, handing over to Tia Clayton level with the Americans.

However, a sluggish exchange between the Clayton twins cost Jamaica crucial ground. Jonielle Smith fought hard on the anchor leg but could not reel in Sha’Carri Richardson, who powered USA to gold in 41.75 seconds. Jamaica finished just 0.04 seconds behind, while Germany claimed bronze.

The medal brought Fraser-Pryce’s World Championships tally to 17 — 10 golds, six silvers, and one bronze — second only to Allyson Felix (20). Notably, she holds the record for most individual sprint golds with six.

It was a fitting conclusion for Fraser-Pryce, who made her Worlds debut in 2007 in Osaka, winning silver as a reserve in the 4x100m relay.

“I really wanted to make sure I gave them a great start because I knew we had a good team and we were contenders,” Fraser-Pryce said afterwards. “We didn’t get the gold but we got our silver medal. We have to be grateful for what we’ve accomplished and we’re walking away with a medal.”

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has criticised goalkeeper Robert Sánchez for the early foul that saw him sent off in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard was dismissed inside the opening minutes after rushing out of his penalty area and bringing down Bryan Mbeumo, who was through on goal. Referee Peter Bankes showed a straight red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, leaving Chelsea to play nearly the entire match with 10 men.

“It was better to let Mbeumo score than get a red card,” Maresca said afterwards. “We still had 95 minutes to play. Robert is aware of that. If you ask me, I prefer to be one goal down after five minutes than one player down.”

The dismissal — Chelsea’s quickest ever in the Premier League — forced Maresca into early changes, with goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen replacing Sánchez and wingers Estevao Willian and Pedro Neto sacrificed in a defensive reshuffle.

Manchester United capitalised, taking the lead in the 14th minute when Bruno Fernandes latched onto Patrick Dorgu’s header and finished clinically from close range. Casemiro doubled the advantage before later being sent off for a second yellow card.

Chelsea, who had drawn 2-2 with Brentford in their previous league match and lost 3-1 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, slipped to another defeat despite a late fightback.

Maresca’s persistence with his 3-4-3 formation, which has faced criticism in recent weeks, came under further scrutiny after the setback.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony may take place without several Paris Saint-Germain stars after organisers confirmed that Le Classique against Marseille has been rescheduled to Monday night due to severe weather forecasts in southern France.

The switch means PSG’s derby at the Vélodrome will now kick off at the same time as football’s most prestigious awards night at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet, creating a major scheduling headache for the French champions.

Among the players affected is Ousmane Dembélé, who is considered one of the leading contenders for the men’s Ballon d’Or after inspiring PSG to their Champions League triumph in May and European Super Cup victory in August.

PSG have a record 10 players nominated across different categories, making them the most represented club on this year’s shortlist. However, with the Marseille clash now coinciding with the ceremony, many of them may have to choose club duty over personal glory.

Head coach Luis Enrique is already without Dembélé and teenager Désiré Doué for the match through injury, leaving both with the option of attending the ceremony.

Local authorities placed the Bouches-du-Rhône region under an orange alert for heavy rain, flooding, and thunderstorms, prompting the decision to delay the fixture from Sunday to Monday.

The timing sets up another awkward storyline for the Ballon d’Or, just a year after Real Madrid overshadowed the 2024 edition by boycotting it in protest over Vinícius Júnior missing out on the top prize to Manchester City’s Rodri. PSG’s potential absence, however, stems from a fixture reshuffle rather than controversy.

Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has expressed openness to the possibility of being replaced by the club. After the team’s quarter-final exit from the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal, Ancelotti acknowledged that Real Madrid might decide to part ways with him.

Ancelotti attributed the defeat to Arsenal’s strong defensive performance, stating that his team struggled to find space and wasn’t enough to overcome the Gunners. Despite the Champions League exit, Ancelotti remains optimistic about the team’s chances in other competitions, including La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Club World Cup.

Potential replacements for Ancelotti include Xabi Alonso and Jurgen Klopp. Ancelotti expressed gratitude to the club, stating that he would thank them whenever he leaves, regardless of whether his contract is up or not.