Sports

Paris 2024: Falcons’ camp open for Operation Bang Banyana in Abuja

Published

2 years ago

April 2, 2024

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Nigeria’s Super Falcons opened yesterday for the African final qualifying fixture for this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa.

The two teams, arguably the best women football squads on the African continent, are at each other’s jugular for one of the two tickets from Africa for Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football, with the first leg taking place at the MKO Abiola National Stadium Abuja on Friday. The return is scheduled for the Loftus Versfeld Arena in Pretoria five days later.

Captain and chief motivator Rasheedat Ajibade, whose savvy, skill and sapience helped the Falcons to the Round of 16 at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Down Under, will be joined in the roost by home-based goalkeeper Linda Jiwuaku and defender Jumoke Alani (drafted in following injury to Saudi Arabia-based Ashleigh Plumptre) as early birds.

Young defender Shukurat Oladipo, veteran goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, Japan-based Chidinma Okeke and Spain-based forward Gift Monday are expected in camp early today. The rest of the squad will be in tomorrow though USA-based African queen Asisat Oshoala is not expected until Thursday.

South Africa’s delegation, including 24 players, will land in Abuja this evening.

The Super Falcons are extra-motivated for this fixture, having not beaten the Banyana in regulation time for many years now, and having watched as the South Africans carted away the Women Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Morocco last year after the Banyana edged them 2-1 in a group phase match.

Nine-time African champions Nigeria still call the shots at that level though, with nine of 12 titles contested so far, and with a squad brimming with youth and experience, and the bounce of having been Africa’s best performer at the last World Cup finals – unbeaten in regulation time until their exit via penalty shootout defeat to England.

Related Topics:Abuja camp Falcons Paris 2024

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Drake Wins $1 Million After Betting $770,000 on Canada v South Africa Match

Canada sealed the win in stoppage time when Stephen Eustáquio struck the only goal of the game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Published

17 hours ago

June 29, 2026

OCHEFA

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Canadian rapper Drake has won more than $1 million after Canada beat South Africa 1-0 in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match.

The victory also saw his $770,000 bet return a payout of $1,001,000.

Drake shared a screenshot of the wager on Instagram before kick-off, showing he had backed Canada to qualify.

He said that the bet came after an exchange with South African DJ Black Coffee, writing: ”@realblackcoffee was chirping in the DM I had to raise the STAKES.”

Canada sealed the win in stoppage time when Stephen Eustáquio struck the only goal of the game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The result sent the co-hosts into the Round of 16 for the first time in FIFA World Cup history.

For South Africa, the defeat ended a memorable campaign.

Bafana Bafana reached the knockout stage for the first time after finishing second in their group and qualifying for the expanded 2026 tournament ahead of Nigeria.

Sports

FIFA bars Nepal from international competitions

FIFA said in a letter to the All Nepal Football Association that the decision came after “undue interference by a third party”, referring to arguments between ANFA and Nepal’s National Sports Council, the country’s authority for sports administration, over governance of Nepali football.

Published

5 days ago

June 25, 2026

OCHEFA

75 Views

World football’s governing body FIFA has suspended Nepal’s football association, officials said Thursday, barring the country from all international competitions.

Nepal is currently ranked 175th in FIFA’s world rankings.

The women’s national team ranks 88th.

FIFA holds that a national football association must operate independently of government bodies.

Sports

The World Cup is half over, with 54 of 104 matches complete

“The best is yet to come,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino told SNTV earlier this week.”

Published

5 days ago

June 25, 2026

OCHEFA

67 Views

• United States’ Alex Freeman (16), second left, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup Group D soccer match between the United States and Australia in Seattle, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — It’s halftime at the World Cup.

Take a break, everyone.Wednesday marked the midpoint of the 104-match tournament — technically, just past the midpoint, with 54 matches now in the books and 50 remaining before a World Cup champion is crowned in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.

The U.S. has reached the Round of 32, which shouldn’t be surprising. Mexico and Canada, the other host nations for this biggest World Cup in history, are also through to the knockout stage. And the stars are positively shining: Argentina’s Lionel Messi has five goals to kick-start what he hopes is a run toward a second consecutive World Cup title. France’s Kylian Mbappé has four, as do Norway’s Erling Haaland and Brazil’s Vinicius Júnior.

Stadiums are mostly filled; FIFA is touting record attendance.

And there have been some feel-good stories, most notably the tale of Cape Verde goalie Vozinha and how his mother was able to come to this World Cup.

“The best is yet to come,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino told SNTV earlier this week.

In other words, the second half of this tournament — just like the second half of matches — is when things might get really good.