Events

NYG 2023: Team Delta Training Hard To Defend Title – Okowa

Published

3 weeks ago

September 14, 2023

SMI

The Executive Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Tonobok Okowa, is confident that the state will defend its title and surpass the medals won at the last games during the 2023 National Youth Games starting September 20 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

Okowa’s optimism stems from the ongoing intensive camp of 560 athletes at Stephen Ikesh Stadium, Asaba Stadium, Austin Okocha Stadium, Ogwashi Uku and Okpanam Town, located in the Oshimili Northern Council area of the state.

He said: “Just like our Team Delta slogan says: If it’s not right, force it, which literally means that our athletes are raised with the attitude and approach of never giving up.” In the sixth edition, the won Team Delta 60 gold medals. We wish they would do better this time. We must show others that Delta is and will remain the birthplace of sport in Nigeria. Thank God for our Governor, His Excellency the Hon. “Sheriff Oborevwori is so passionate about sports that he has given us all the support we need, and I am sure that Team Delta will not only retain the title but also our performance and dominance in some sports will improve that we have missed.”

Likewise, the Commission’s Director General, Chris Anaziah, believes that the athletes selected to represent the state after the closed camp will excel at the festival.

“We can get started. Our athletes are already close to camps in various locations across the state. “We have given them the preparation that will enable them to perform well in the games and we hope it will be a really good performance,” he said.

The closed camp training sessions are handled by experienced coaches and technical officials of the Delta State Sports Commission, authorized by Okowa to strictly adhere to the training programs to prepare the players for battle ahead of the games that the Delta team is expected to take part in as the host country will take part in all 34 sports activities.

As expected, with good results Under the leadership and intensive preparation under the support of the State Governor, Team Delta is on track to surpass the medals won in the last edition and become champions.

Sources from the Delta team camp say that all athletes are fit and well prepared for the action, that none of them have been injured and that Team Delta with the support of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori will be ready to take part in the seventh edition of the games in. Delta State Capital, Asaba, September 20 to 30, 2023

During the 6th edition organized at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, the Delta team emerged after winning 60 gold medals, 26 silver medals and 28 Bronze medals six victories in the six national youth competition games. from 2013 when Abuja hosted the first edition which Cross River State won.

Events

International Friendlies: Omeruo, Iwobi, Osayi-Samuel, Moffi back to Super Eagles

Published

13 hours ago

October 2, 2023

SMI

Head Coach Jose Santos Peseiro has recalled defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Bright Osayi-Samuel, as well as midfielder Alex Iwobi and forward Terem Moffi to the Super Eagles’ squad for this month’s international friendly matches against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique in Portugal. The quartet were absent from the team that demolished Sao Tome and Principe in last month’s 2023 AFCON qualifier in Uyo.

Midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, of Hatayaspor FC of Turkey gets his first-ever invitation, while Peseiro has decided to retain the trio of Francis Uzoho, Adebayo Adeleye and Olorunleke Ojo in goal. Yet-to-be-capped defender Jordan Torunnarigha is also called.

Wilfred Ndidi, who captained the team against Sao Tome and Principe, as well as Raphael Onyedika and forwards Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, Taiwo Awoniyi and Kelechi Iheanacho have also been invited.

The Super Eagles take on the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia in the city of Portimão, Portugal on Friday, 13th October 2023, starting at 5pm before a clash with the Mambas of Mozambique in the same city three days later.

The players are all expected to arrive in Faro, Portugal on Tuesday, 10th October.

Both encounters have been arranged as tune-up games for the Eagles ahead of the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, in which the three-time African champions host Lesotho’s Crocodiles in Uyo on 17th November before travelling away to play Zimbabwe four days later.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC); Adebayo Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem, Israel)

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Jordan Torunarigha (KAA Gent, Belgium); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff FC, Wales); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayaspor FC, Turkey)

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)

Events

D’Tigers Storm China On Playing Tour

Published

18 hours ago

October 2, 2023

SMI

Nigeria Senior Men Basketball team, D’Tigers this morning, left the country for China on a playing tour of games which began this weekend and will end on October 20th.

The team which failed in its quest to pick a slot for the 2024 Paris Pre-Olympic Qualifiers held in Lagos, will take part in games across different cities in China.

Led by Coaches Abdulrahman Mohammed, Baba Jubril and Usman Yakubu, the players on the roster include, Afuwape Michael Okiki, Victor Ezeh, Timothy Kwaor, Ibe Agu, Michael Daramola and Chinedu Chimbou.

Others are, Wisdom Anyaoha, Nnoruka Francis Junior, Chris Obekpa, Kingsley Onyekachi and Garba Chingka.

A source within the Nigeria Basketball Federation disclosed that the playing tour is one of the several developmental programmes of the NBBF board led by its President Engr. Musa Kida.

Adding that it is always a priority of the NBBF to continually develop the local game, while also increasing the pool of basketball talents in the country.

Events

Liverpool say VAR error ‘undermined sporting integrity’

Published

19 hours ago

October 2, 2023

SMI

Liverpool have said the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) error that resulted in a goal by Luis Diaz being incorrectly disallowed in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Tottenham “undermined sporting integrity.”

Nine-man Liverpool lost after Joel Matip scored an own goal in stoppage time but they should have taken the lead in the first half through Diaz whose goal was ruled out for offside.

VAR failed to overturn the incorrect decision to disallow the goal leading the English referees’ body PGMOL to issue a statement blaming “significant human error” in the Premier League game.

“It is clear that the rules of the game were not applied correctly, which undermined sporting integrity,” Liverpool said in a statement on Sunday.

“It is therefore unsatisfactory that sufficient time was not given to allow the correct decision to be made and that there was no subsequent intervention.”

The PGMOL said disallowing the Diaz goal was a “clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention.”

PGMOL added that it will conduct a full review into the circumstances which led to the error.