Sports

FIRST 11: Musa Makes Eagles Comeback, Man United Struggles + More

Published

6 months ago

March 8, 2025

What a week it has been for sports fans! The UEFA Champions League was back on the screens. It was exciting watching all of Europe’s big teams battle it out on the pitch! From stunning setbacks to intriguing comebacks, there was no shortage of drama, upsets, and thrills across the sporting world this past seven days! In this week’s First 11 – a recap of the most talked about headlines in sports – we are breaking down all the biggest moments and storylines in the world of sports!

So, grab some popcorn, let’s get started!

Ahmed Musa Returns From Hiatus

Charity, they say, begins from home! So, First 11 kickstarts from Nigeria where in a surprising move, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle invited Ahmed Musa to Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later in the month. The Kano Pillars man was part of the team at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) but played no minute in the side’s silver-winning campaign.

Musa
Musa is Nigeria’s highest goalscorer at the World Cup.

Since then, Super Eagles managers have not invited the former Leicester City forward forward. But he has been included in the 39-man provisional list for the must-win games, sparking debates among football fans. Nigeria are fourth in the five-team lot having managed just a miserable three points from four games played in Group C of the African qualification series for the 2026 World Cup.

Super Falcons Still African Queens

Meanwhile, the Super Falcons have continued their dominance of women’s football in Africa, maintaining their top spot on the continent. In the latest FIFA rankings released Thursday, the Nigerian senior female national team was ranked 36th on the global scene.

South Africa, 18 places behind the Nigerian girls, are second in Africa, dropping four places from the last rankings. Morocco are third in the continent and 60th on the world stage.

Super Falcons

The rankings come months before Nigeria take to the stage in a bid to wrestle the Wpmen AFCON (WAFCON) crown from South Africa.

Switching gears to the Champions League now! Liverpool came up clutch on Wednesday seeing off Paris Saint-German (PSG) in a clash that headlined the first leg of the round of 16. In a match that saw PSG enjoy the lion’s share of possession but lacked ruthlessness, Liverpool were fortunate to win the tie thanks to Harvey Elliott’s strike – his first touch after his introduction late into the game. Arne Slot’s side will now hope to add to the lone goal win in the return leg next week.

Arsenal, in another game in the competition, demolished PSV 1-7 to have a leg in the quarter-final of the tournament. Real Madrid defeated rivals Atletico 2-1 while Benfica lost to Barcelona.

In the all-German tie, Bayern Munich beat Dortmund, Feyenoord lost to Inter Milan and Aston Villa bashed Club Brugge of Belgium.

Sociedad Frustrate Man United

But there were also actions in the Europa League on Thursday with Manchester United continuing their poor run of games. The English side were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Sociedad. What is behind Man United’s struggles? Can they turn their season around?

Chelsea saw off FC Copehangen in the UEFA Conference League to ease the pressure on Coach Enzo Maresca.

Joey Barton Stirrs AFCON Debate

In other football news that made headlines in the week, it appears the last has not been heard about the AFCON pedigree. This time, former Manchester City player Joey Barton doubled down on English ex-international Jamie Carragher’s claim that the tournament is not a major competition while discussing Liverpool star Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.

Carragher came under fire over the comment but in defence of the Englishman, Barton claimed no African defender can lace the former Liverpool star’s shoes.
Infantino on World Cup

Moving on to some cheering news! The World Cup now comes in a new style! That is because starting from the 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, they will be a Super Bowl-style half-time show.

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said the Coldplay band members Chris Martin and Phil Harvey will determine the artists who will perform.

The decision followed a meeting of FIFA’s commercial and media partners in Dallas ahead of the 2026 tournament which will be co-hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The World Cup promises to be an exciting time!

In a related event, FIFA will pay a total prize money of one billion dollars to participants in the Club World Cup in the United States later this year.
The figure is significantly higher than the prize money offered for either the last men’s or women’s World Cups.

Isak Burgled

On a sad note, Newcastle striker Alexander Isak’s home was raided by a “professional group of travelling burglars” who stole his car and jewellery worth £68,000 ($87,000), a court heard on Wednesday.

The Sweden international was not in his house in Northumberland, in northeast England, when the gang broke in through a glass door last April, Newcastle Crown Court was told. The thieves had already stolen jewellery and clothes worth more than £1 million from a businesswoman and designer goods worth £100,000 from another woman in the previous days.

Osaka Crashes Out

Heading to the courts, Naomi Osaka was shattered after a heartbreaking defeat in the Indian Wells on Wednesday. She fell 6-4, 6-4 to Camila Osorio in the Japanese star’s first tournament since injury forced her out of the Australian Open.

Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 56th in the world, looked rusty against the 52nd-ranked Colombian, struggling to find the range on her powerful groundstrokes on a chilly night in the California desert.

Historic James

Still in the courts but this time in basketball, LeBron James became the first player in the NBA to score 50,000 career points, extending his lead as the league’s record scorer by reaching a milestone tally that may never be surpassed. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar went into the game against the New Orleans Pelicans with 49,999 regular and postseason points after a 17-point performance in Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers. But it did not take long for the 40-year-old NBA icon to get the solitary point needed to reach the 50,000-point mark. This feat cements James’ status as one of the greatest to have played the game!

Back to football! Four years after the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, seven healthcare professionals will go on trial next week accused of negligence during his final days.

More than 100 witnesses, including members of Maradona’s family and doctors who tended to him down the years, will take the stand throughout the four-month trial, which starts Tuesday in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro.
The seven defendants risk between eight and 25 years in jail if convicted.

Lastly, the French League’s disciplinary commission banned new Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca until November after an altercation with a referee.
To compound his plight he has also been banned from entering his own team’s changing rooms until mid-September, the commission’s president Sebastien Deneux announced.

Well, fans await to see how well Fonseca will fare! First 11 is your recap of the most important happenings in sports for the week! It returns next week!

Source: Channels TV

Related Topics:#Super Eagles Ahmed Musa Super Eagles Coach

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Sports

[FULL LIST] World Cup: Nigeria, Others Face Elimination

Published

1 day ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

As African qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup heats up, Egypt and Morocco are edging closer to sealing their tickets to the global showpiece in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, while Nigeria’s hopes hang by a thread.

With four rounds of matches left, the race across the nine African groups is intensifying, leaving several giants at risk of missing out.

Below is the state of play across all groups:

Group A – Egypt in Command

Standings: Egypt lead Burkina Faso by five points.

Key Matches: Egypt vs Ethiopia; Burkina Faso vs Djibouti.

Outlook: Two wins could seal Egypt’s qualification.

Group B – Three-Way Battle

Standings: DR Congo, Senegal, and Sudan are split by one point.

Key Matches: Senegal host Sudan and face DR Congo; Sudan visit Togo.

Outlook: Sudan chase a maiden World Cup amid conflict at home.

Group C – Nigeria in Trouble

Standings: South Africa top with 13 points; Nigeria sit fourth with seven.

Key Matches: Nigeria host Rwanda, then face South Africa away.

Outlook: Nigeria must win both to stay alive. A ruling on South Africa’s alleged ineligible player could impact standings.

Group D – Cape Verde vs Cameroon

Standings: Cape Verde lead Cameroon by one point.

Key Matches: Cape Verde host Cameroon, then travel to Mauritius; Cameroon face Eswatini.

Outlook: Cape Verde eye historic qualification; Libya and Angola still lurking.

Group E – Morocco Poised for History

Standings: Morocco boast a perfect record (5 wins in 5).

Key Matches: Morocco play Niger and Zambia; Tanzania face Congo-Brazzaville.

Outlook: Atlas Lions could become Africa’s first confirmed qualifiers.

Group F – Ivory Coast vs Gabon

Standings: Ivory Coast one point ahead of Gabon.

Key Matches: Gabon host Ivory Coast; Ivory Coast face Burundi and Seychelles.

Outlook: A tight race between two resurgent sides.

Group G – Algeria Closing In

Standings: Algeria three points clear of Mozambique.

Key Matches: Algeria host Botswana, travel to Guinea; Mozambique meet Uganda and Botswana.

Outlook: Algeria well-placed but can’t slip up.

Group H – Tunisia in Control

Standings: Tunisia four points ahead of Namibia.

Key Matches: Tunisia vs Liberia; Tunisia vs Equatorial Guinea; Namibia face Malawi and Sao Tome.

Outlook: Tunisia could qualify early, but an Equatorial Guinea appeal looms.

Group I – Ghana Push for Redemption

Standings: Ghana lead by three points over Comoros; Mali trailing.

Key Matches: Ghana face Chad and Comoros; Comoros travel to Mali.

Outlook: Ghana could book qualification at home, making up for their AFCON 2025 failure.

Sports

13 Super Eagles Players Arrive Camp For World Cup Qualifiers

Published

2 days ago

September 2, 2025

Editor

The number of players in the Super Eagles’ camp has increased to 13, as Nigeria intensifies preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.

This follows the arrival of nine more players at the team’s camp in Ikot Ikpene on Tuesday, according to Promise Efoghe, the team’s media officer.

The new arrivals include Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Ola Aina, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Moses Simon, Chidozie Awaziem, Adebayo Adeleye, and Benjamin Fredericks.

They joined the quartet of William Troost-Ekong, Amas Obasogie, Felix Agu, and Raphael Onyedika, who checked into camp on Monday.

Efoghe confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria that out of the 23 players who were invited for the double-header fixtures, only 13 had arrived, with 10 more players still being expected.

“A total of 13 players are currently in camp, and we are expecting the rest of the squad to arrive later today and early tomorrow,” Efoghe said.

He also shared details of the team’s upcoming media engagements.

“There will be a press conference with the coaching staff and selected players on Wednesday at the training pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium,” Efoghe stated.

“For Friday, the pre-match press conference will holbe held the same venue, and the first 15 minutes of the team’s training session will be open to media coverage.”

Players still beiexpected to be included arealkeeper Stanley Nwabali; defender Bruno Onyemaechi; midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka; and forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Cyriel Dessers, Christantus Uche, and Tolu Arokodare.

Nigeria will host Rwanda on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, in a Matchday 7 fixture. They will then travel to Bloemfontein to face South Africa on Monday, in a Matchday 8 encounter.

The Super Eagles currently sit third in Group C of the African qualifiers with two points from two matches, behind leaders South Africa (four points) and Rwanda (also four points but with an inferior goal difference).

Only the top team in the group will qualify automatically for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Full 23-Man Squad:

Goalkeepers:

Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa);

Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars, Tanzania);

Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece).

Defenders:

William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia);

Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England);

Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, England);

Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England);

Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece);

Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes, France);

Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany);

Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC, Belgium).

Midfielders:

Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England);

Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England);

Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, Turkey);

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio, Italy);

Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium);

Christantus Uche (Getafe, Spain).

Forwards:

Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Italy);

Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy);

Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Turkey);

Moses Simon (Paris FC, France);

Cyriel Dessers (Rangers, Scotland);

Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium).

(NAN)

Sports

JUST IN: Ofili Confirms Turkey Switch

Published

3 days ago

September 1, 2025

Editor

Nigeria sprinter, Favour Ofili, has confirmed she is switching allegiance to Turkey, bringing an end to her long-running fued with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, according to The PUNCH.

Reflecting on the move in a post via her Instagram page on Monday, Ofili said her decision followed months of reflection after a turbulent cycle in which she felt let down by the Nigerian federation.

She explained that while she was proud of her career in Nigerian colours, repeated disappointments had left her with little choice.

“Wrapping up my 2025 season has been a whirlwind of new experiences and big decisions.

“As some of you have heard, I’m also starting a new chapter representing Turkey.

“I am proud to have represented Nigeria for many years in a highly successful way, having won six gold medals, two silver medals and two bronze medals in championship meets and reaching the Olympic 200 metres final,” she said.

Ofili added that neglect from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Olympic Committee, particularly during the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games, had contributed to her decision.

She stressed, however, that her switch was not financially motivated.

“While that means sitting out this year’s championships in Tokyo, this change comes from the heart, not from financial motives.

“I’m truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.

“I also appreciate the support I got from my coach, agent, sponsor and loved ones during this difficult time,” she said.

Her announcement comes after the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Tonobok Okowa, admitted the federation was struggling to prevent the exodus of elite athletes due to poor funding.

He confirmed Ofili’s switch during the National Athletics Championships in Lagos, warning that more athletes could follow suit unless urgent financial support arrived.

Okowa said countries like Turkey had stepped up efforts to recruit foreign talent, offering substantial incentives.

“The kind of money they put on the table to get her is not something many athletes would refuse.

“That is why we are pleading with Nigeria as a nation and our government to come out and support us, so we don’t keep losing our athletes,” he said.

Ofili’s decision mirrors previous high-profile departures, including Francis Obikwelu, Gloria Alozie and Femi Ogunode, who also left Nigeria to represent other nations.

Ofili will sit out the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as she completes the switch, before beginning the next phase of her career in Turkish colours.