Category: Sports

He described the situation as a national embarrassment and an unnecessary distraction for the team.

Obi, on his verified ‘X’ handle Wednesday night, expressed concern that at a time when Nigerians are in dire need of hope, unity and positive global representation, the national football team, one of the country’s few sources of collective pride, was being subjected to avoidable hardship.

He noted that the Eagles, through their recent victories, have lifted the nation’s spirits and projected Nigeria positively on the global stage, yet were reportedly being denied their basic entitlements.

He questioned the priorities of the country, saying while trillions of naira are written off as debts for government agencies and political allies, and vast sums are expended on what he described as grandiose and self-serving projects, the nation appeared unable to meet its obligations to its footballers.

“A country that writes off trillions in debts and squanders resources on non-essential projects should not struggle to pay agreed match bonuses to its national team,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor warned that such failures damage Nigeria’s international image and undermine the morale of players ahead of critical matches, including an important quarter-final fixture.

To him, the Super Eagles do not deserve the embarrassment or the distractions arising from issues that could easily be resolved through responsible governance and timely fulfilment of commitments.

Obi called on the relevant authorities to urgently address the situation and ensure that all outstanding allowances are paid without delay, stressing that Nigeria must learn to honour its obligations.

The Super Eagles arrived in Fès in confident mood after a perfect group-stage campaign, and they wasted little time asserting their authority against a Mozambique side making their first appearance in the knockout rounds of the competition.

Nigeria dominated possession from the start, pressing high and forcing mistakes from the Mambas’ back line.

Their early intent was rewarded in the 20th minute when Ademola Lookman opened the scoring.

The winger timed his run perfectly to meet a flowing attacking move and calmly placed the ball beyond goalkeeper Siluane.

Mozambique struggled to contain Nigeria’s pace and movement, particularly down the flanks.

Just five minutes later, Victor Osimhen doubled the lead. The Galatasaray forward reacted quickest inside the penalty area, tapping home from close range after Lookman delivered a teasing cross.

Osimhen thought he had scored earlier in the half, but his effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.

The setback did little to slow Nigeria’s momentum as they continued to dictate the rhythm of the game.

Mozambique offered brief resistance through Geny and Faizal, but their attacks were comfortably dealt with by the Super Eagles defence.

Nigeria resumed the second half with the same intensity and quickly extended their lead. Two minutes after the restart, Osimhen struck again, pouncing on a loose ball in the box to make it 3–0 and effectively end the contest.

With the match under control, head coach Eric Chelle introduced fresh legs to maintain energy levels. The changes allowed Nigeria to keep possession, limit Mozambique’s chances, and continue to threaten on the break.

The fourth goal arrived in the 75th minute when Akor Adams registered his name on the scoresheet after putting in a good shift all through.

Mozambique, to their credit, continued to push forward in search of a consolation goal, but Nigeria’s defensive structure remained solid.

Nwabali commanded his area confidently, while Wilfred Ndidi anchored the midfield with authority.

As the final whistle sounded, Nigeria celebrated a comfortable victory that underlined their growing status as one of the tournament favourites.

The Super Eagles are the first team to score four goals in a match at the AFCON 2025.

The clean sheet was another positive sign for Chelle’s side, who have now won all their matches at the competition.

The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to the quarter-finals, where they would face either Algeria or Congo DR.

Members of the Coach Rena Makama-led technical team also got $50,000 each.

This was announced when President Bola Tinubu hosted the team on Monday evening following the team’s unprecedented fifth consecutive #AfroBasketWomen victory. At the reception in Abuja, the president was represented by his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Last week, the President conferred similar national honours and gifts on the Super Falcons for winning Nigeria’s 10th title of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco.

In the final on Sunday, Nigeria edged out Mali 78-64 in a tense showdown, displaying resilience and composure to claim their seventh AfroBasket title.

They have dominated African women’s basketball, winning their 29th consecutive game without a single loss since 2015.

As with most of their early games in the tournament, Nigeria got off to a slow start.

However, spurred by Mali’s intensity, Rena Wakama’s side regrouped in the second quarter and headed into halftime with the scores level at 41–41.To qualify for the final against Mali, Nigeria had to dig deep to defeat Senegal 75-68 in a hotly-contested game, rightly dubbed “final before the final”.

A standout performance by Amy Okonkwo and Ezinne Kalu on Sunday night was critical to ensuring that the D’Tigress retain the title for a historic fifth consecutive time.

While Okonkwo contribute 19 points on the night, Kalu delivered 20 points, including several crucial baskets in the second and third quarters.

Promise Amukamara and Victoria Macaulay also made key contributions, while Musa added nine crucial points and four rebounds in a game that once again showcased Nigeria’s depth.

The Third quarter of the game proved to be very decisive, with the Nigerian ladies tightening their defence to outscore the Malians 20-15.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, he Nigerians led 61–56 and went on from there to win the game.

The victory has cemented the D’Tigress’ place as the most feared women basketball team in Africa.

In a heartfelt message released by the State House on Saturday, President Tinubu praised the team’s “awe-inspiring” performance throughout the tournament and expressed the nation’s collective pride in their achievements.

“Your performance at this tournament over the past three weeks has been awe-inspiring. You have represented our country with pride, honour, and strength,” Tinubu said.

The President lauded the Falcons, not only for their success on the field, remaining unbeaten through the group stages, winning every knockout match, and conceding only one goal in the semi-finals, but also for their sportsmanship.

He highlighted their visit to injured South African player Gabriela Salgado after the semi-final clash as “a simple act of compassion that reflects our shared humanity, empathy, and sisterly affection, which we Africans hold in high regard.”

Tinubu reminded the team of their winning pedigree, noting that Nigeria has triumphed in all nine previous WAFCON finals, urging them to write history once again by lifting a record 10th title.

“On behalf of a grateful nation, we are rooting for you and praying for your resounding success tonight, as you strive to achieve the crowning accomplishment of lifting a record tenth continental title,” he stated.

In order to underscore the country’s support, Tinubu dispatched a presidential delegation to Rabat for the match, comprising the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim; and the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko.

Tinubu also extended gratitude to the families of the players, the coaching crew, the Nigerian community in Morocco, and the Nigeria Football Supporters Club for standing firmly behind the team.

“You will finish strong by the Grace of God. Go for the tenth! Bring the trophy home,” Tinubu urged. “Your fellow countrymen and women, young and old, are rooting for you.”

The Super Falcons, Africa’s most successful women’s football team, will look to add another chapter to their illustrious history Saturday night as they face the host nation in front of a packed Olympic Stadium in Rabat.

In a heartfelt congratulatory message, the First Lady commended the team for their strength, unity, and determination, describing their success as a powerful symbol of what Nigerian women can achieve.

“I commend you, our incredible Super Falcons for your victory over South Africa in the semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Championship,” she said. “You have once again shown the world the strength, courage, and brilliance of Nigerian women.”

Mrs Tinubu lauded the Falcons’ discipline and teamwork, calling their achievement a shining example to young girls across the country.

“This win is more than just a ticket to the finals of the Championship, but a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we believe in ourselves and stand together,” she added.

The First Lady expressed hope that the team will go on to lift the trophy, concluding, “May you finish strong. Congratulations, SUPER FALCONS!”

How it happened

The match itself lived up to its billing in Casablanca, as Nigeria booked a place in the WAFCON final for the 10th time in history — and will now look to clinch a 10th continental title.

After a tense first half marked by tactical duels, Nigeria took the lead in the 45th minute when a handball in the South African box gave Rasheedat Ajibade the chance to convert from the penalty spot.

The Super Falcons captain made no mistake, firing past Andile Dlamini, just as she did in last year’s Olympic qualifier.

South Africa responded after the break. A foul by Osinachi Ohale inside the box gifted Banyana Banyana a penalty, which Linda Motlhalo calmly slotted past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie in the 56th minute.

The game grew tense and physical, with both teams probing for a winner.

Just as the match seemed destined for extra time, Nigeria struck in dramatic fashion. Deep into stoppage time, Michelle Alozie’s hopeful free kick from distance evaded everyone, bounced awkwardly, and sailed into the net — catching Dlamini flat-footed and sending the Nigerian bench into wild celebrations.

The dramatic win marked Nigeria’s first WAFCON victory over South Africa in their last three meetings, having lost to the Banyana Banyana in the group stage in both 2018 and 2022.

The Super Falcons will now face hosts Morocco in what promises to be a thrilling final.

The Copper Queens were tipped to challenge the nine-time champions, but it was one-way traffic as the Super Falcons put on a ruthless display of power and precision.

Nigeria made an instant impact when centre-back Osinachi Ohale rose unmarked to head home a free-kick just two minutes into the match, leaving Zambia goalkeeper Petronella Musole helpless.

Zambia had a golden opportunity to pull level on the half-hour mark, but Grace Chanda squandered her chance. Just minutes later, Esther Okoronkwo punished them with a well-taken strike to double Nigeria’s lead.

On the brink of half-time, Chinwendu Ihezuo seized on defensive confusion to calmly slot home Nigeria’s third, all but sealing the contest before the break.

Oluwatosin Demehin added a fourth with a header from yet another expertly delivered free-kick midway through the second half, and substitute Folashade Ijamilusi completed the rout in added time with a clinical finish.

Zambia had previously edged Nigeria for third place at the 2022 WAFCON, but their star strikers Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji — each with three goals in the group stage — were kept completely quiet, failing to register a single shot on target.

With this commanding win, Nigeria remain the only team yet to concede a goal at the tournament. They will now face either defending champions South Africa or Senegal in Tuesday’s semi-final at 16:00 GMT.