Sports
BREAKING: 1985 U-17 Word Cup winning coach, Sebastian Broderick is dead
Sebastine Brodericks-Imasuen, who led the Golden Eaglets to win the inaugural U-17 World Cup in 1985 is dead.
The late Nigerian coach was on life support at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital for over a year.
Brodericks-Imasuen, 85, had been diagnosed with Ischemic stroke in December 2022 and had been receiving treatment before he took his last breath, our correspondent gathered.
Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks or narrows an artery leading to the brain.
The blood clot often forms in arteries damaged by the buildup of plaques (atherosclerosis).
One of the players Brodericks-Imasuen trained at the 1989 U17 World Cup in Scotland, Bamidele Oguntuashe, first broke the news before another confirmation came from Harrison Jalla, the Chairman, of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria Task Force through a WhatsApp post.
Jalla quoted family sources for the death of the iconic coach who had been bed-ridden for some months now.
He reportedly suffered from a stroke and diabetes.
The late coach was one of the football players who represented Nigeria at the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968 and famously scored from a free kick to win the then Challenge Cup for Bendel Insurance in 1972.
As a coach, he was the head of a three-man crew that included Bala Shamaki and Christian Chukwu when the Nigerian team shocked the world in China in 1985.
He led the team again in 1987 to Canada and got to the final before losing through a penalty shoot-out to the then-Soviet Union.
At the third attempt in the competition, his team lost to Saudi Arabia by a penalty kick in the quarter-finals.
At another time, he was the assistant to Clemens Westerhof in the Super Eagles.
He began his football career in 1956 when as a student, he featured for the Onitsha team in the Challenge Cup.
In 1962, he joined the then ECN and was part of the Challenge Cup winning side of 1965.
He was invited to the national team in 1962 but only became a regular in the build-up to the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.
He was noted for his curving shots, especially from free-kick situations.
Popularly called ‘Sabara’, his biggest moment as a club player was when he scored the winning goal in the 3-2 victory for Bendel Insurance in the replay of the 1972 Challenge Cup with Mighty Jets of Jos at the Liberty Stadium – the first time the national cup final was held outside Lagos.
He later became a coach and handled the Midwest junior side to win a gold medal at the inaugural National Sports Festival in 1973.
Sports
Olympic qualifier: Comoros to face Super Falcons following 30-0 victory over Sudan
They progressed 30–0 on aggregate and will now face a significantly tougher challenge against Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, in the next round.
Comoros have booked a date with African champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria, after a 30–0 aggregate victory over Sudan in the first round of the qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games.
The Coelacanths won the first leg 17–0 on June 3 before following it up with a 13–0 triumph five days later to complete a dominant aggregate win.
In the first leg, Comoros opened the scoring after eight minutes before producing a relentless attacking display that overwhelmed Sudan throughout the encounter.
Nine different players got on the scoresheet in a performance that highlighted the depth and attacking quality of the Comorian side.
In the second leg on Monday, Comoros scored three goals in the first half and added 10 more after the break to seal a 13–0 victory.
They progressed 30–0 on aggregate and will now face a significantly tougher challenge against Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, in the next round.
The Super Falcons are expected to go into the tie as strong favourites.
Credit: PUNCH
Sports
Rivers United escape tragedy after team bus crash
In a statement, Rivers United confirmed that although some players and officials sustained minor injuries, there were no fatalities or life-threatening cases.
Photo: Rivers United bus crash, 4 June 2026
Players and officials of Rivers United escaped serious injury on Thursday after the club’s team bus was involved in a road accident while travelling to Anambra State for a President Federation Cup fixture.
The Nigeria Premier Football League side was on its way to Awka for a Round of 16 clash against Nasarawa United when the incident occurred along the Obiri-Ikwerre Airport Road on the outskirts of Port Harcourt.
The Vanguard reported that the accident happened shortly after the team departed from its camp, raising concerns among supporters and members of the football community.
In a statement, Rivers United confirmed that although some players and officials sustained minor injuries, there were no fatalities or life-threatening cases.
The club said those affected were receiving medical attention and remained in stable condition.
Sports
Nigeria Volleyball Federation Unveils New National Coaching Structure
The appointments, which followed a rigorous selection process, see Taiwo Oladipupo taking the helm as Head Coach for the Senior Men’s team, supported by Twevini Yohanna and Jonah Adamu. Elam Elishama will lead the Senior Women’s squad, with Segun Abinde as Assistant Coach and Sunday Yunana Akapson as Setters Trainer.
The Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) has announced a comprehensive overhaul of its national coaching setup, appointing new technical staff across its Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s, age-grade, and Beach Volleyball teams.
This strategic move aims to bolster the technical development of the sport and ensure robust preparation for upcoming regional, continental, and international competitions.
The appointments, which followed a rigorous selection process, see Taiwo Oladipupo taking the helm as Head Coach for the Senior Men’s team, supported by Twevini Yohanna and Jonah Adamu. Elam Elishama will lead the Senior Women’s squad, with Segun Abinde as Assistant Coach and Sunday Yunana Akapson as Setters Trainer.
New coaching teams have also been named for the Under-19 Boys and Girls, Under-17 Boys and Girls, and both Men’s and Women’s Beach Volleyball teams. Notable appointments include Adamu Nite for the U19 Boys, Vincent Unogwu for the U19 Girls, Sunday Yunana Akapson for the U17 Girls, and Suleiman Ajeigbe for the U17 Boys. John Iwerima and Jonathan Thaj will guide the Men’s Beach Volleyball team, while Kayode and Felicia Amos will oversee the Women’s Beach Volleyball squad.
Godspower A. Odedede, Chairman of the NVBF Media and Publicity Committee, stated that the Federation expects the coaches to leverage their extensive experience and professionalism to drive the national teams towards excellence.
The NVBF reiterated its commitment to cultivating a strong talent pipeline and a culture of achievement to enhance Nigeria’s standing in both indoor and beach volleyball.
Source: LEADERSHIP
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