Author: Enitan Obadina
A brace from Balon d’Or nominee Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen led Nigeria to a comfortable 3-0 win over Benin Republic in a AFCON 2025 qualifier. Coach Augustine Eguavoen took over the coachless team and he led them over the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo. The compact nature of Benin Republic means Nigeria couldn’t make use of its early dominance in the game. With the first half coming to a close, Ademola Lookman found a way out. Ademola Lookman slices through the Beninoise defence and fires home to give the hosts the lead. The…
Onyinyechi Mark set a world and Paralympic record on her way to winning Nigeria’s first gold medal at the Paralympic games in Paris. Mark competed in the women’s up to 61kg Para-Powerlifting category and shattered her previous world record by lifting an astonishing 147kg, After securing the GOLD medal in women’s up to 61kg Para-Powerlifting, Onyinyechi Mark returned to smash the World Record she had set earlier, to improve on that mark with a new WR of 150kg. She has set the last three World Records in this event: 146kg, 147kg, and 150kg in one year. Onyinyechi broke two World…
Nigeria vs Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium is the first match of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers for the Super Eagles. After the U-turn by Bruno Labbadia, the Nigeria vs Benin Republic match is a must-win for Nigeria without a substantive coach. Once again, the technical director of the Nigerian federation, Eguavoen is called upon to lead the team temporarily. Nigeria Vs Benin Republic: Return Of Eguavoen Augustine Eguavoen’s 1st task is to get the Super Eagles off to a good start in the #AFCONQ2025 qualifiers, helping the team pick up their 1st win since March. The team has…
FIFA U17 Women World Cup Bronze-winning Coach Bankole Olowookere has released the final squad of the Nigerian U17 team featuring Nigeran Next-Gen Stars. Bankole listed captain Taiwo Afolabi and forwards Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong in his 21-woman Flamingos’ roster for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic. Sports Intel unveils the Next breakout stars expected from the Flamingos. Nigerian Next-Gen Stars: Harmony Chidi Nigeria’s goal machine, Chidi Harmony first burst onto the scene in 2023 scoring 14 goals in 6 matches at the Ifeanyi Chiejine Memorial Cup (ICMC). For Coach Bankole, Harmony is a…
The 2024-2025 NPFL Nigeria Premier Football League kicked off on August 31 as Defending champions, Rangers played 0-0 against newly promoted El Kanemi Warriors. Apart from being a season opener, the game witnessed innovations in officiating. Sportsintel will go through the new rules for the 2024-25 NPFL season. Communication Gadgets For 2024-25 NPFL At the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu officially unveiled the Communication Gadgets for use in the 2024-2025 NPFL. Earlier in the Preseason seminar for the Assessors NFF president, Gusau said it is part of the federation’s project to better refereeing with the latest technical equipment in officiating. Nigeria…
With an average age of 22 years, Ikorodu City FC plans on becoming a forever young team in the Nigerian Premier Football League mostly fascinated with quick wins and older/experienced players. In most clubs, there’s no space for the young ones because the ownership structure tilts towards money bags and state governments who desire a shortcut to glory. The relatively new club believes a competitive team can be built on young home-grown players. Why It Matters For Ikorodu City FC Ikorodu City is neither a club owned by a billionaire nor a state government but a community club seeking to…
Known as a sprint nation in athletics, Nigeria is rising steadily in multiple field events, throwing up experienced and young athletes to make it a track and field nation. The 2024 Paris Olympics provided a glimpse into the future of Nigerian Athletics in the Field events. In throws, Long, and high jump, Nigeria had athletes reaching the final or setting record appearances and there are more at home waiting for their turn according to coach Soetan who believes Nigeria is more of a jump(field events) nation than Track. “I’ve always known Nigerians are top jumpers and hurdlers. We are not…
The Dtigress Historic Olympic Quarter-Final qualification makes them the first African basketball team to go beyond the Group phase after earning two wins in three group games. Nigeria shot down Canada 79-70 to become the first African team (women or men) to take a ticket for the last eight. Dtigress Historic Olympic Quarter-Final Record Meanwhile, this is the first time Nigeria will win two games at the Olympics. Overall it is Nigeria’s only third win in the Women’s Olympic Basketball tournament, after a 68-64 win against South Korea in 2004; However, it is their second win in nine games in…
4 years ago, Chidi Okezie and nine other Nigerians were on the streets of Tokyo protesting instead of competing at mankind’s biggest sports event, the Olympics. The reason for the Protest? The Nigerian Athletics Federation failed to ensure the athletes get the mandatory four tests before the Olympics. Their future was sacrificed for the internal politics that engulfed the AFN, the national anti-doping agency, and the sports ministry. “Four years ago, my world shattered. I faced the crushing blow of disqualification due to no fault of my own. My dream of competing in the Olympics was ripped from my hands,…
It’s been weeks since Rivers Hoopers became the first Nigerian team to medal at the Basketball Africa League, BAL with a win over Cape Town Tigers in Rwanda. Nigerian champions Rivers Hoopers completed their adventure at the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) with a dominant 23-point blowout of South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers to clinch third place, securing Nigeria’s first-ever podium finish at the BAL with an 80-57 victory. The third-place finish celebrated all over Nigeria was a culmination of the journey that started after their first participation in BAL three years earlier. After a 1-4 record at the inaugural…