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Afcon qualifier: Nigeria came from behind to best Sierra Leone 2-1

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Nigeria came from a goal down to defeat Sierra Leone 2-1 in their opening 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, on Thursday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen struck in the wake of Jonathan Morsay’s early opener for the Leone Stars, sending the hosts level at the top of Group A with Guinea-Bissau who won their match against Sao Tome & Principe.

A choppy playing surface offered challenges for both teams, though Sierra Leone seemed to adapt more quickly, as attacker Mohamed Buya Turay fired a first shot in the third minute, but was tipped over the crossbar by Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.

The Super Eagles then had a couple of chances through Victor Osimhen, and it seemed they would soon seize control of the match, but they were stunned when the Leone Stars claimed the lead in the 11th minute.

Musa Kamara sent in a cross from the left flank to pick out the run of Jonathan Morsay, who threw himself at the ball and scored with a diving header to put the visitors 1-0 up.

It was almost 2-0 just a few minutes later, as Sierra Leone cut through Nigeria’s defence on a counter attack and Musa Kamara struck a low shot which was tipped onto the post by Uzoho.

Nigeria then went straight up the other end and equalised to make it 1-1 on 16 minutes: Moses Simon played a well-weighted pass to put Alex Iwobi into space on the edge of the box and the Everton man opened up his body and whipped a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

The teams went on to trade half-chances before Nigeria claimed the lead for the first time in the 41st minute: Ola Aina’s cross from the right picked out Simon, who registered a second assist with a downward header across the six-yard box which was buried by Osimhen to make it 2-1.

The Super Eagles may have enjoyed the lead at half time, but the start of the second stanza saw them opt for a tactical change, as forward Sadiq Umar made way for central midfielder Peter Etebo.

The home side blew a great chance to add to their advantage when Samuel Chukwueze shot wide from a glaring opportunity in the 54th minute, and shortly thereafter Sierra Leone almost levelled the game when substitute Amadou Bakayoko beat Uzoho to a ball into the box, but sent the ball wide of the target.

Nigeria had half chances to kill off the game in the final quarter, but of more note were injuries suffered by captain William Troost-Ekong (groin) and striker Osimhen (hamstring), who were replaced by Kenneth Omeruo and Terem Moffi in the dying minutes.

The teams will return to Group A action on Monday 13 June, with Nigeria away to Sao Tome & Principe, while Sierra Leone will host Guinea-Bissau.

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MOB UNITY CUP FINAL SET FOR JUNE 8 AT OLUYEMI KAYODE STADIUM

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The grand finale of the highly celebrated MOB Unity Cup has been scheduled to take place on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the newly renovated Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti.

The decision was reached during a meeting of the tournament’s Organising Committee held in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to a press statement issued by the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Mr. Toyin Ayoola, football fans are in for an exciting double-header as the competition reaches its climax in both the male and female categories.

In the women’s final, Golden Queens of Ado-Ekiti will battle Oba Ademola Ajakaye Memorial Queens of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government for the coveted title. The match is scheduled to kick off at 2:00 p.m.

The men’s final will see NYSC Football Team of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, popularly known as the Samba Boys, face Delight Football Club of Ado-Ekiti in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. The match, alongside other closing ceremonies, will commence at 4:00 p.m.

Speaking during the committee meeting, the Acting Chairman of the Organising Committee, Hon. Gbenga Banji, explained that the adjustment in the original date and venue arrangements was necessitated by the extensive renovation and upgrading works currently being carried out at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium.

It will be recalled that Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji initiated the comprehensive renovation of the stadium over a year ago with the aim of transforming the facility into one of the finest sporting arenas in Nigeria.

The MOB Unity Cup final will be among the first major sporting events to be staged at the stadium since the commencement of the renovation project.

Sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the championship was established to promote grassroots sports development across Ekiti State while complementing the efforts of the state government in youth empowerment and talent discovery.

Over the years, the competition has produced several promising football talents who have gone on to feature prominently in domestic leagues and international football competitions.

The stakes are high for this year’s finalists, with the champions in both categories set to receive a cash prize of ₦1 million and the tournament trophy. The runners-up will take home ₦750,000, while the third-place teams will be rewarded with ₦500,000 each.

As anticipation builds ahead of the final, football enthusiasts across Ekiti State are expected to troop to the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium to witness the crowning of new champions in one of the state’s most prestigious grassroots football competitions.

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Team Nigeria Shines With 9 Gold Medals at African Cycling Championship

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Team Nigeria delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Confederation of African Cycling Para-Track and Track African Championships, winning a total of 16 medals in Abuja.

The championship, held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Velodrome, featured cyclists from across Africa, including Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria and host nation Nigeria.

Nigeria finished top of the medals table with nine gold, five silver and two bronze medals after two days of competition.

Egypt came second with 14 medals, while Kenya finished third with nine medals. South Africa and Algeria completed the top five standings.

The Nigerian cyclists impressed home fans with strong performances in speed, endurance and technical events throughout the championship.

Organisers also received praise for the quality of facilities at the Abuja velodrome, which successfully hosted the continental competition.

More than 100 cyclists from eight African countries participated in the championship, competing for medals and continental ranking points.

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Tinubu Approves Nigeria’s Bid to Host 2026 CAF Awards

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s bid to host the 2026 edition of the prestigious CAF Awards ceremony, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s position in African football administration and international sporting events.

The approval was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which also disclosed that the President endorsed Nigeria’s proposal to host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly scheduled to hold later this year.

President Tinubu announced the approvals during the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, after a high-level meeting with Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Other prominent personalities present at the meeting included Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, acting CAF General Secretary Samson Adamu, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, and former NFF President Amaju Pinnick.

The CAF Ordinary General Assembly, expected to hold in October, is one of the continent’s most important football gatherings. The event traditionally brings together presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, officials from the six zonal unions, and top football administrators from across Africa to deliberate on key issues affecting the game on the continent.

Similarly, the CAF Awards remains one of Africa’s biggest football events, celebrating outstanding footballers, coaches, clubs, officials, and other stakeholders who have distinguished themselves during the year.

Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Awards ceremony on January 6, 2017, when Algerian star Riyad Mahrez won the Men’s African Player of the Year award, while Nigerian forward Asisat Oshoala clinched the Women’s Player of the Year prize.

CAF is expected to announce the final host city for both the General Assembly and the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony in the coming months.

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