Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, rallied the Super Eagles on Tuesday, urging them to clinch victory at the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF African Cup of Nations tournament. The governor believes a triumph would provide much-needed relief to Nigerians grappling with economic challenges, including the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.

Speaking at a special dinner for the team at Lagos House, Marina, before their departure to Cote d’Ivoire, Sanwo-Olu emphasized the team’s role as a unifying force for the nation. He expressed confidence in the players, urging them to believe in themselves and showcase the indomitable spirit of Nigerians.

Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the obstacles the country faces, such as economic crises and fuel price concerns, but emphasized the importance of the team’s commitment. He stressed that the Super Eagles have the support of over 220 million Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora.

The governor urged the players not to give up during matches, emphasizing the need for determination and teamwork. He highlighted the significance of sports, particularly football, as a healing tool for the nation, fostering unity and peace.

Sanwo-Olu concluded with a prayer for the team’s success, stating, “We need that cup to be a succour that would energize us and bring together all of the yearnings of this country. And I pray God gives you the strength to achieve this.”

In attendance at the event were the Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh, and Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, among others.

In preparation for the AFCON tournament, the Super Eagles encountered a setback with a 2-0 loss against Guinea in a friendly match. Despite this, the governor’s encouragement remains steadfast, echoing the belief that the team can overcome challenges and make the nation proud.

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Senegalese football sensation, Sadio Mane, renowned as a two-time African Footballer of the Year, sealed the deal with his longtime love, Aisha Tamba, in a dazzling ceremony held in Keur Massar on January 7, 2024, as reported by Newspremises.

This joyous celebration added a touch of magic to Keur Massar’s serene landscape, just a week before the kick-off of the highly anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mane, a global football icon and former Liverpool star, not only showcased his skills on the pitch but also revealed his personal side, marking the union of hearts amidst the buzz of the upcoming football tournament.

Today’s wedding is not just about Mane’s football prowess but signifies the harmony between sporting greatness and cherished personal moments. The event highlights the multifaceted nature of Mane’s life, showcasing not only his exceptional talent but also his meaningful connections.

As fans eagerly await the thrilling clashes in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Mane’s celebration of love and unity reminds us of the human side beyond the football field. It encapsulates the essence of success that goes beyond the boundaries of sports, reflecting the depth of personal connections and milestones in Mane’s extraordinary life.

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Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is set to extend his contract at Serie A champions Napoli by a further one year as his current deal will expire in June 2025.

According to Sky Sports Italia, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis met on Wednesday afternoon with Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, to talk about the renewal until 2026,

It is believed a significant salary increase and a release clause of between €130million and €140million will be in the new deal.

With the new contract, Osimhen would earn more than the € 4.5 million annual salary he currently receives.

Also, Napoli will have greater contractual strength next summer in the event of offers from top European clubs.

Osimhen marked his 2023 CAF Player of the Year award with a goal in Napoli’s 2-0 win against Braga in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The win was enough to send Napoli into the round of 16 after finishing second behind Real Madrid.

He has scored six goals in 11 league games for Napoli this season and seven goals in 15 games in all competitions.

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The Nigeria Cricket Federation has released the final roster for the senior women’s cricket team with 14 players as well as two others on standby for their 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Africa qualifier which will be played from December 7 to 17 in Uganda.

Head coach of the team, Leke Oyede, dropped the final squad after inviting 18 players to camp in one of the Nigeria Cricket Federation’s high-performance centres in Benin, Edo State.

Longest serving and most experienced player in the team Blessing Etim will lead the team as captain and she is joined by other familiar names including Sunday Salome, Esther Sandy, Lucky Piety, Victory Igbinedion, Favour Eseigbe and Christabel Chukwuonye.

Others include wicket keepers Sarah Etim and Abigail Igbobie, batting sensation Lilian Udeh, Rukayat Abdulrasaq, Peculiar Agboya, Adekunle Adeshola and Rachael Samson. The standby players are Esther Odunayo and Anointed Akhigbe.

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Four Nigerian football talents are in the running for prestigious awards at the upcoming Dubai Globe Soccer Awards. The nominations include:

– Victor Osimhen: Nominated for Men’s Player of the Year.
– Asisat Oshoala: A contender for Women’s Player of the Year.
– Victor Boniface: Recognized as an Emerging Player of the Year.
– Odion Ighalo: In the spotlight for Middle East Player of the Year.

Mark your calendars for January 19, when the winners will be revealed at the 14th edition of the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards. The glamorous event will unfold at the luxurious Atlantis, The Palm, in collaboration with the 18th Dubai International Sports Conference and the Dubai Sports Council. It’s a celebration of talent and achievement on the global football stage! #DubaiGlobeSoccer #FootballExcellence

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Nigeria internationals Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala have been nominated for the 2023 Globe Soccer Award.

Organisers of the award, which is the 14th edition this year, announced the nominees on their X on Tuesday.

Osimhen will battle 29 other players in the men’s category while Oshoala will slug it out with 19 other players in the women’s category.

Other nominated alongside Osimhen in the men’s category are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior, Kevin De Bruyne, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane.

Other categories in this year’s award include Fans’ Favourite Player, Maradona Award, Best Men’s Club, Best Coach, Best Midfielder, Best Goalkeeper and Power Horse Eme

Also Best President, Best Sporting Director, Best Agent, Best Middle East Player, Best Middle East Club are up for grabs.

Former Real Madrid and France striker Benzema won the 2022 award while Ronaldo has won the award more than any other player with his six titles.

The Globe Soccer Awards are organised by the European Club Association (ECA) in conjunction with the European Association of Player’s Agents (EFAA). The award ceremony is held in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The first meeting was held in 2009, but the first prizes were not awarded until 2010, with three being awarded.

In 2011 the number of awards and categories was increased, reaching up to six while the 2012 edition delivered a larger number, reaching ten football-related categories.

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Liverpool legend John Aldridge has emphatically asserted that neither Manchester City nor Chelsea will face the same fate of a points deduction as Everton did recently.

In a shocking turn of events last Friday, Everton found themselves slapped with an immediate 10-point deduction for breaching the financial regulations set by the Premier League. This penalty has plunged the Toffees into the relegation zone, adding a significant challenge to their already precarious season.

Among the top clubs, Manchester City is the sole entity to have received charges from the Premier League for violating financial rules. The allegations suggest that City breached over 100 rules spanning from 2009 to 2018. Meanwhile, Chelsea could potentially be under scrutiny due to reports linking payments to former owner Roman Abramovich, although as of now, the Premier League has not pressed charges against the Blues.

Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, John Aldridge expressed his perspective on Everton’s situation, stating, “Everton were a sitting duck. I don’t know how you gauge it, so I guess it all comes down to what happens in the future. We’ve all seen what’s gone on with Chelsea under Roman Abramovich or everything at Man City – 115 charges.”

Aldridge raised the question of whether the differing outcomes for Everton, City, and Chelsea were influenced by the subsequent success of the latter two in the top six. He pondered whether Everton’s inability to match the financial clout of City and Chelsea played a role in the severity of the punishment. Aldridge pointed out, “City have got unlimited amounts, Chelsea have got unlimited amounts, so they’ve scared off the people who are trying to do them for years, delaying and delaying… Everton physically could not do that – I’m sure they would have done too with the same resources.”

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South Korea travel to China on Tuesday for 2026 World Cup qualifying, with Son Heung-min warning his side they must keep their cool in front of a sell-out crowd.

The clash in Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong, is the pick of the second round of games in the second phase of qualifying for the World Cup in North America.

Among other notable matches, Australia face Palestine in Kuwait, Japan travel to Jeddah to play Syria, Iran are away at Uzbekistan and India host Qatar.

South Korea thrashed Singapore 5-0 on Thursday to begin their qualifying campaign, with skipper and Tottenham Hotspur forward Son scoring a screamer from outside the box.

The Koreans are top of Group C in the early standings with China, who scored 16 minutes from time for a 2-1 win in Thailand.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s South Korea are favourites in Shenzhen, but Son warned: “I think Asian teams will try to be physical against us, and getting under our skin will perhaps be a part of their strategy.

“We just have to make sure we don’t get dragged into that kind of thing and stick to our own game plan,” Yonhap quoted him as saying following the thumping of Singapore in Seoul.

More than 40,000 will pack out the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre stadium for the game.

President Xi Jinping has big ambitions for Chinese football, including hosting and even winning the World Cup one day, but they have only reached the tournament only once, back in 2002.

And following the victory over Thailand, Xi — in an unusually unguarded moment — was seen on video telling Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that China had been “lucky”.

No matter the result on Tuesday, South Korea and China will be expected to qualify out of Group C when the second round wraps up in June.

The top two from each of the nine groups go through to the final Asian qualifying round.

Australia and Japan, who like South Korea both reached the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, also made fast starts to their qualifying campaigns.

The Socceroos smashed Bangladesh 7-0 in Group I, with substitute Jamie Maclaren hitting a second-half hat-trick in Melbourne.

They will face a sterner test against Palestine in Kuwait City and coach Graham Arnold said that preparations were “quite stressful” given the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

But his message was clear — focus on the football — and Australia chartered a flight direct to Kuwait from Melbourne to give themselves as much time as possible to get ready.

Palestine began their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Lebanon.

In Group B, Ayase Ueda also scored a hat-trick as Japan got their bid to reach an eighth straight World Cup off to an emphatic start with a 5-0 win over Myanmar.

They too can expect a much stiffer challenge against Syria, who defeated North Korea 1-0.

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Arsenal’s midfield maestro, Jorginho, has unequivocally dismissed any notion of departing the club before his contract concludes in 2024.

Expressing his contentment with life at Arsenal, Jorginho praised manager Mikel Arteta, noting that the mentor imparts a wealth of knowledge to the team.

The Italian international revealed his aspirations to return to Serie A in the future, emphasizing, “I’m very much in doubt; I would like to return [to Italy], but I don’t know when the right time would be.” Speaking during his international duties in anticipation of the Azzurri’s European Championship qualifier against North Macedonia, he elaborated on his sentiments, saying, “I want to return, yes, but I don’t know when. I feel I still have things to do at Arsenal. It always takes time when you change teams, but the first six months at Arsenal were not negative, on the contrary.”

Highlighting the learning curve at his new club, Jorginho acknowledged the complexity of adapting to a different team and manager. However, he expressed satisfaction with his growth on the pitch and the valuable experiences gained. “Obviously, it takes time to understand the mechanisms better. Arteta gives you a billion pieces of information, but I am very happy there. I have grown a lot on the pitch, in experience. I changed teams, coaches, therefore more information. I understood the game even more and how to compete.”

Having made the switch from Chelsea to Arsenal in January of the current year, Jorginho’s commitment and enthusiasm for his current club remain unwavering.

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