Author: SportsIntel

Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen ruled out of Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after failing to recover from a lingering groin injury. Osimhen sustained the injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over Istanbul Başakşehir earlier this month. Medical examinations later revealed an advanced-moderate strain involving his right adductor muscle group. Victor Osimhen ruled out Although the 27-year-old was initially included in Eric Chelle’s squad for the September international window, his recovery has taken longer than expected. Nigerian team officials have now confirmed that he will not be available for the upcoming fixtures against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. His replacement, Taiwo…

Ahead of their high-stakes quarter-final clash, the Falconets vs Colombia clash at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will see Nigeria battle for a spot in the semi-finals in Łódź The clash against Colombia in Łódź is coming on the back of a soul-lifting performance, with the Nigerian girls still relishing a three-goal defeat of England’s Young Lionesses in the Round of 16. Nigerian Stars To Watch The trio of Tosin Rafiu, Janet Akekoromowei and Mary Mamudu scored to send the Lionesses back to London. Mamudu has proved a consistent finisher in the past few weeks, after scoring against…

Nigeria’s Under-18 Men’s Handball team produced a dominant second-half display to emphatically defeat Madagascar 45-27 at the ongoing Africa Youth Handball Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on Friday. The Nigerian youngsters faced a tough challenge in the opening half as Madagascar stayed within touching distance, with Nigeria holding a narrow 16-13 lead at the break. Nigeria returned stronger after the interval, raising the tempo and producing an impressive attacking display to pull away from Madagascar. The team eventually secured a convincing 45-27 win to book their place in the quarter-finals of the championship. Akibu Muhammed emerged as Man of the…

The ten-woman Flamingos defeat Ghana 4-2 in a dramatic six-goal thriller at the WAFU-B U17 Girls Championship in Yamoussoukro. The Nigerians played over 30 minutes with a player down and still earned a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Ghana’s Black Princesses in Yamoussoukro on Friday. A cagey opening saw several missed chances; the Flamingos found their rhythm after the cooling break with improved coordination and control. The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when Oluwakemi Adegbuyi broke the deadlock with an excellent finish to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead. Captain Harmony Chidi doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time to ensure…

Nigeria’s No.1, Canice Abua, will open proceedings against Morocco’s Karim Bennani in the first singles rubber of the 2026 Davis Cup World Group II tie between hosts Morocco and Nigeria on Saturday morning. The 2026 Davis Cup World Group II official draws for the tie took place at the Conference Hall of the Union Sportive des Cheminots de Tennis du Maroc in Rabat. Nigeria’s Daniel Adeleye will take on Morocco’s Yassine Dlimi in the second singles on Day One, Action returns on Sunday with the crucial doubles rubber. Moroccan pair of Younes Lalami and Yassine Dlimi will face Nigeria’s Michael…

Alaysha Johnson stunned former 100m hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan on the line to win the Athlos 100m hurdles event held at Stonex Stadium on September 18, 2026. Johnson crossed the line in 12.50s, edging Amusan by 0.01 seconds as the Nigerian finished second in 12.51s. With this victory, Johnson claimed the inaugural ATHLOS crown and the $65,000 top prize, while Amusan finished second. Tobi, on her part, will receive $35,000 for finishing second. This is her second second-place finish in a week after earning silver at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Belgrade. Alaysha Johnson stuns Tobi…

The inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026™ will get underway, with the first matches starting on 24 October 2026 in Azerbaijan, giving FIFA Member Associations of all sizes and with varying football traditions the chance to compete on the global stage. FIFA plans to establish the competition as a fixture of the international game, with the girls’ tournament scheduled for 2027. Subsequently, from 2028, the girls’ and boys’ tournaments will be held annually. Following a December 2025 FIFA Council decision, the competition is open to all FIFA Member Associations. Arsène Wenger and Talents For Football’s Future Arsène Wenger, FIFA…

The Nigerian U20 girls secured a stellar 3-0 victory against England as the Falconets reach the quarterfinals of the ongoing tournament in Poland The two-time World Cup silver-medallists showed intent from the opening whistle and were rewarded in the 8th minute when Tosin Rafiu broke the deadlock with a composed finish to put Nigeria 1-0 ahead. The goal came after early pressure from the Nigerians, with Ramotalahi Kareem and Precious Oscar also testing the English defence. England tried to respond through Lily Dent, Princess Ademiluyi, and Rachel Maltby, but Nigeria’s backline stood firm. A Video Assistant Referee review for a…

The Nigeria Men’s Volleyball team came from behind to defeat Algeria in a tie-break after more than two hours of battle, qualifying for the quarterfinals of the 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship in Tunisia. After 2 hours 06 minutes of play, Nigeria totaled 109 points against Algeria’s 101. The five rounds lasted 30, 24, 27, 26, and 19 minutes, respectively. Nigeria defeated Algeria in a five-set thriller (23-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12) in their last group stage match on Thursday, September 17. The Zone 3 champions started the first set on a high note, taking the lead, but the North…

The Nigeria Davis Cup Tennis team for the World Group II playoff qualifier has promised to earn a record promotion against Morocco. Nigeria qualified for a World Group II playoff spot after defeating Uzbekistan in February, ending more than three decades of waiting to reach this stage. The players in Morocco include Daniel Adeleye, Canice Abua, Michael Emmanuel and Yusuf Abubakar, under the guidance of Head Coach Benson Ishicheli. Nigeria’s number one player, Canice Abua, is having a good year, in which he won the CBN Open championships, and in an interview with Phatil, wants to take that form into…