The team left Nigeria on Saturday in two groups via the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.

The first batch of Team Nigeria’s contingent to the 2022 Commonwealth Games is now in Birmingham, the host city of the event.

The team left Nigeria on Saturday in two groups via the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.

Musa Oshodi, president of the Nigeria Judo Federation, who was part of Nigeria’s first batch to the Games, confirmed the team’s arrival.

Mr Oshodi said the team arrived around 6 p.m. on Saturday and has already begun athletes registration in Birmingham.

Meanwhile, another batch of Team Nigeria’s contingent is expected to leave late Saturday night for the Games.

NAN reports that 94 athletes and 21 officials will represent the country in nine sports at the Games.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has charged the athletes to be focused and disciplined.

Mr Dare, in a statement released by his media unit, emphasised that there was going to be zero tolerance for doping by the Nigerian sports authorities.

He also stated the need for the athletes to be clean and fair.

I want to urge you to be disciplined. If you have any complaints, the Ministry has outlined how they can be resolved.

“There are just three layers for conflict resolution now and by the time you are getting to that third layer, you are getting to me.”

The minister recalled that some days earlier, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics had commended Nigeria for its zero-tolerance stance against doping.

The body also noted the seriousness Nigeria has now attached to its anti-doping campaign.

“Our increased number of testings and drive to do things right are some of the things you should reflect at this Games.

“So, as you leave for the Commonwealth Games remember to be good ambassadors of our dear country and strive to do us proud,” Mr Dare added.

The Games are scheduled to begin on Thursday and end on August 8 with about 72 countries expected to participate.

Following Robert Lewandowski’s exit from the Allianz arena, Bayern are now set to return for Napoli forward Victor Osimhen

According to Corriere dello Sport, Napoli are reported to want €120 million for the 23-year-old’s services, but Bayern hope to negotiate that figure down closer to €100m.

The German champions had earlier said they could not consider a move for the Nigeria international as Partenopei’s valuation of the forward was too high.

Reports in Italy have now revealed that Bayern are preparing to make an offer for Osimhen in the summer of 2023 while Sports Bild, via iMiaSanMia report that they have also contacted Harry Kane’s team to speak about a potential deal ahead of the 2023-2024 campaign.

Meanwhile, Osimhen has refused a move to Premier League side Newcastle, with reports in Italy revealing that the Nigeria international views the move as a step down from the Partenopei.

Osimhen is one of Napoli’s prized pieces, and head coach Luciano Spalletti hopes that the Nigerian remains at Naples.

Osimhen joined Napoli from Lille two years ago and has scored 27 goals and made nine assists in 60 appearances for the Italian side, 18 of those goals coming in the 2021/22 season. Last season’s form has sparked interest from other clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United.

He has become the only player to play in two 10-0 wins in 2022 scoring four in Nigeria’s 10-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe in the second game of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers in June and netted one in Napoli’s 10-0 friendly win over Anaune last week Thursday.

• Dessers targets fifth strike

Paul Onuachu will hopefully begin the new 2022/23 Belgian Jupiler season on a scoring note when Genk travels to face Club Bruges on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Nigerian striker who has notched up 129 career goals for the three clubs (Genk, Midtjylland and Velje Boldklub) he has featured for since he arrived in 2012 will be aiming to score his 130th goal in the encounter at the Jan Breydel Stadion.

Onuachu who joined Midtjylland from FC Ebedei played 181 games for the 2019/20 Danish champions scoring 74 goals and making 23 assists.

He had also played 13 games and bagged five goals with an assist while on a season loan spell at Vejle Boldklub.

His blistering performance for Midtjylland in 2019 saw Genk splash €9m for the Nigerian striker. In his debut season, he failed to justify his price tag as he could only bag 10 goals and two assists in 29 games but he bounced back in his second year at the club hitting 35 goals across all competitions in 41 games.

That feat saw him win Belgium’s best African player or player of African descent, the Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year and top scorer’s awards for the 2020-21 season.

Last season, he found the back of the net 23 times in 43 appearances.

In March 2019, Onuachu scored Nigeria’s fastest-ever international goal against Egypt on his full debut, which helped the Super Eagles to their first victory over the Pharaohs in 29 years.

He then had to wait two years for his second goal, and this time he scrambled in Nigeria’s winner deep into injury time as they beat Benin 1-0 in Porto Novo in March to celebrate qualification to the 2021 Nations Cup.

Three days later, he scored his third goal international goal in 10 appearances and helped Nigeria coast to a 3-0 win over Lesotho as they wrapped up their qualifying campaign unbeaten, finishing top of Group L.

His compatriot, Cyriel Dessers, who returned to the club after a successful loan spell at Feyenoord could also feature in the encounter.

The Nigerian striker has scored four league goals for Genk and will be aiming to add to his tally.

Former Nigerian forward, Victor Moses, scored again as Spartak Moscow recorded their first win of the Russian league season after they thrashed Krasnodar 4-1 away on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

In their first fixture of the new campaign last weekend, Moses netted a superb late volley to open his account and help Spartak hold home team Akhmat Grozny to a 1-1 draw.

His impressive performance and brilliant strike earned him the Man of the Match award.

The 31-year-old has now equaled his tally for last season (two goals) in the Russian top-flight after just two games played so far.

Former Nigerian forward, Victor Moses, scored again as Spartak Moscow recorded their first win of the Russian league season after they thrashed Krasnodar 4-1 away on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

In their first fixture of the new campaign last weekend, Moses netted a superb late volley to open his account and help Spartak hold home team Akhmat Grozny to a 1-1 draw.

His impressive performance and brilliant strike earned him the Man of the Match award.

The 31-year-old has now equaled his tally for last season (two goals) in the Russian top-flight after just two games played so far.

And in Saturday’s game against Krasnodar, Moses scored with seven minutes left to play to seal Spartak’s 4-1 win.

The win took Spartak to second place on four points, two points behind leaders CSKA Moscow, in the 16-team league table.

Spartak’s next league game will be their first home tie against Orenburg slated for Sunday.

Two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has opened up on his decision to confront some students who disrespected him during a visit to Loughborough University.

The former world heavyweight champion is currently training for a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.

Before travelling to Saudi, AJ spent time at the campus practicing. During his stay, some students criticized him for not fighting fellow Brit Tyson Fury.

The former Olympic gold medallist changed tactics for his upcoming fight, recruiting experienced trainer Robert Garcia.

The appointment of Garcia was followed by switching his training centre from Sheffield to Loughborough University, and that is where he recently confronted those students who mocked him.

Addressing the incident, Joshua shows some regret but is ultimately happy with his decision to threaten those shouting abuses.

He told JD Sports about the incident as part of his continued ‘Road to Undisputed’ campaign, “I told the guys, listen, I’m here to work, I’m not here to play games.

“I’ve shown you the ultimate respect since I’ve been here. If you lot want to start going down this path of trading words and trading whatever it’s fine with me.

“I’m going to ask you; how would you like it if I break your jaw?

“I didn’t want to address it like that. But I did really feel bad for any other students that those guys do that to that don’t have the courage to address them and tell them that’s wrong what you’re doing.

“I wanted to speak to them and address them. The questions I asked, ‘how would you like it if I said certain things?’”

On the challenge of winning his titles back for a second time, Joshua admits he got it wrong the first time around.

“The fight with Usyk, he busted my a** for some rounds. I have to take that defeat like a man as well. I hold myself accountable,” said AJ.

“I’m someone who can admit when I’m wrong and hold my head high when I’m right. In the fight last September, he was right, and I was wrong.

“Simply, I have to reverse that role on August 20. I don’t like to overcomplicate the situation because there’s simplicity in genius.

“Sometimes, if you keep things simple, you can achieve great things. So I’m just going to keep things simple, move forward, and the date will soon come.”

Usyk vs Joshua 2 is scheduled for August 20 in Saudi Arabia.

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo’s preferred transfer move has been revealed.

According to the Daily Mail, Ronaldo is reportedly open to a controversial switch to Atletico Madrid this summer.

The Portugal captain wants to join a club with a chance of winning the UEFA Champions League and is interested in a move to the Spanish LaLiga giants.

The 37-year-old is desperate to carry on playing in the Champions League and has eyes on lifting Europe’s top prize for a sixth time.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is reported to be willing to take a hefty pay cut of 30 per cent wage reduction in order to join Atletico.

Ronaldo had since informed Man United that he wants to leave Old Trafford this summer after the Premier League giants failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – June 30, 2021 Venus Williams of the U.S. in action during her second round match against Tunisia’s Ons

Former world number one Venus Williams will make her singles comeback after nearly a year at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. that begins next week, organisers said on Thursday.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion accepted a wildcard for the July 30-Aug. 7 WTA 250 event a day after announcing she will also compete at next month’s WTA 1000 event in Toronto, where she will be joined by her sister Serena.

Venus, 42, last played a singles match at the Chicago Women’s Open in August 2021, losing in the first round to Hsieh Su-Wei.

Her most recent return to the court was when she teamed up with Britain’s Jamie Murray and reached the second round in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon.

Sadio Mane is the 2022 African Player of the Year, emulating his idol El Hadji Diouf as the second Senegalese to win back to back CAF awards.

The Senegalese forward, who inspired Senegal to their historic first Africa Cup of Nations title in February as well as guiding the Teranga Lions to this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar, beat strong opposition from his countryman Edouard Mendy and former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah.

“I am so excited to win this award. There are so many players that deserved this award, but I have been chosen. I am honoured and I thank everyone for this,” he told CAF Online.

Thursday’s award was Mane’s second, having won in 2019 when the event was hosted and held in Hurghada, Egypt.

The 30-year-old Mane scored 23 goals for Liverpool in all competitions last season before moving to Bayern Munich in Germany this summer.

It was a big night for Senegal who also won National Team of the Year and for Aliou Cisse who was named the Coach of the Year. Simba’s Senegalese import Pape Sakho also walked away with the Goal of the Year.

Mane expressed his joy at this and said, “I cannot explain this. It is so far the best year of Senegalese football. To collect all these awards, you have to believe first. It was hard work and we never stopped dreaming. We continued working hard and finally we got it.”

Mane and Senegal will be hoping to continue this spirit in Qatar when they make their third appearance at the global showpiece.

Hildah Magaia was the hero for the Southern African giants as they won the continent crown for the first time after losing in five finals

South Africa were crowned 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions after securing a 2-1 win over Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Saturday night.

Hildah Magaia’s second half brace inspired Banyana Banyana to a narrow victory over the tournament hosts who grabbed what proved to be a consolation goal through Rosella Ayane.

It was a battle between two teams which were defeated in the tournament with Banyana having reached the final after edging out their Southern African rivals, Zambia 1-0 in a semi-final clash on Monday.

On the other hand, Morocco, who were making the first appearance in the Wafcon final, had caused an upset when they defeated reigning African champions Nigeria 5-4 on penalties on Monday after a 1-1 draw in another semi-final clash.

Recently crowned Caf African Women’s Coach of the Year Desiree Ellis recalled Nomvela Kgoalo to the starting line-up and the 26-year-old operated in Banyana’s midfield alongside Refiloe Jane and Linda Motlhalo.

 Ellis’ counterpart, Reynald Petros made one change to the team which faced Nigeria as Imane Saoud made her second start of the tournament – operating as one of the front three. 

The two teams cancelled each other out in the opening 20 minutes of the eagerly anticipated encounter with most of the ball being played in the middle of the park with neither side being able to create clear-cut chances. Both goalkeepers were not seriously tested with the lively Jane battling with Lionesses of Atlas’ influential playmaker Sanaa Mssoudy for control of the midfield. 

The match began to open up just after the half-hour mark and the first real chance of the game fell for Magaia who was sent through on goal by Jermaine Seoposenwe’s incisive pass, but the former was denied by goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. The hosts did threaten when Fatima Tagnaout set up Ayane who fired wide of the target from inside the box and the score was 0-0 at half-time. 

Banyana looked dangerous on the counter with the Lionesses of Atlas attacking in numbers after the restart with Petros’ side looking to break the deadlock. However, the hosts were left vulnerable at the back and Seoposenwe ran onto a long ball from Jane, before cutting inside and set up Magaia who made no mistake – beating Er-Rmichi with a low shot from inside the box to make it 1-0 to South Africa in the 63rd minute.

Morocco responded by surging forward in numbers – leaving space behind their defence and they were punished by Banyana again. This time Karabo Dhlamini delivered a cross which was slightly deflected, but the ball fell kindly for Magaia who fired past Er-Rmichi from close range to make it 2-0 to South Africa in the 72nd minute with the Lionesses of Atlas defence exposed. 

Tagnaout, who had been quiet in the second half, burst into life in the closing stages of the game and the left-footed player set up Ayane whose first-time shot beat eventual 2022 Wafcon Goalkeeper of the Tournament Andile Dlamini to make it 2-1 – making it a nervy finish for Banyana with 10 minutes left. However, South Africa were able to contain Morocco in the dying minutes of the game and ultimately, they emerged as 2-1 winners.