Coach Chris Danjuma has called up 26 players to the camp of the Nigeria’s U20 Girls, Falconets ahead of this month’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying cracker against Cameroon’s U20 Girls, Junior Lionesses.

The list includes defender and captain Oluwatosin Demehin, goalkeeper Omini Monle, midfielders Basirat Amoo and Esther Onyenezide, and forwards Flourish Sebastine, Mercy Idoko and Precious Vincent.

A 15-goal haul in their last three matches has taken the two-time World Cup finalists to the penultimate round of the African qualifying series for this year’s finals, which will hold in Costa Rica. The Falconets hammered their Central African Republic counterparts 7-0 away and 4-0 at home in the second round, before a 4-0 bashing of hosts Congo in Brazzaville. The Congolese opted not to travel to Nigeria for the reverse tie.

Cameroon will host the first leg of the penultimate round in Douala on Sunday, 23^rd January, with the return leg to hold at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos a fortnight later.

The winner will have a date with the winner of the fixture Senegal/Morocco for a slot at the 2022 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Costa Rica in August.

All the invited players have been directed to report at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye in Abuja on Wednesday, 5^th January 2022 with their training kits and covid19 vaccination cards.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS

Goalkeepers: Chidinma Nkiruka (Edo Queens); Nelly Ekeh (Sunshine Queens); Inyene Etim (Abia Angels); Omini Monle (Bayelsa Queens)

Defenders: Rofiat Imuran (Rivers Angels); Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens); Motunrayo Ezekiel (Naija Ratels); Oluwatosin Demehin (Rivers Angels); Omowunmi Oshobukola (Edo Queens); Oluwabunmi Oladeji (Naija Ratels); Oluchi Ohaegbulem (Confluence Queens); Chidinma Ogbuchi (FC Robo Queens); Deborah Abiodun (Rivers Angels)

Midfielders: Basirat Amoo (Nasarawa Amazons); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens); Yina Adoo (Nasarawa Amazons); Anuoluwapo Yusuf (Bayelsa Queens); Chinyere Kalu (Nasarawa Amazons)

Forwards: Joy Jerry (Bayelsa Queens); Mercy Idoko (Nasarawa Amazons); Flourish Sebastine (Edo Queens); Taiwo Lawal (FC Robo Queens); Precious Vincent (Bayelsa Queens); Blessing Okpe (Rivers Angels); Chiamaka Okwachukwu (Royal Queens); Amarachi Onyenekwe (Nasarawa Amazons)

The Federal Government has named a high powered delegation to lead the Nigerian contingent to the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament starting in Cameroon next Sunday, January 9, 2022.

The delegation will be led by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, the Deputy Senate president, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba and Honourable Olumide Osoba are also in the delegation.

Some other members include the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, Minister of  Agriculture, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, Ministers of State for Finance, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri and Science and Technology, Mohammed Abdullahi, the Special Adviser to Mr President on Sports, Daniel Amokachi as well as a representative of the Department of State Security(DSS).

Others expected to be part of a special  delegation are Sunday Asefun, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS), Mr Allen Onyeama, Chairman of Airpeace, Mr Bisi Adebutu, Executive Director, Premier Lotto, Mr Emmanuel Orhiaki, Executive Director Marketing, Nigeria Breweries, Mr Karl Toriola, Managing Director, MTN and Mr Alfred Olajide, the Managing Director of Coca-cola.

The delegation is expected to leave for Cameroon on Monday , the 10th of January, 2022 ahead of Nigeria’s first game on the 11th of January.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are in Group D alongside Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau. The group games will be played in Garoua. Nigeria’s first game will be against Egypt on Tuesday, the 11th of January, 2022.

Sierra Leone coach John Keister says he received death threats prior to naming his squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on Sunday in Cameroon.

The 51-year-old received two threats – regarding the inclusion of certain players – a day before announcing his 28-man squad and reported them to police in the west African country.

“I think it’s very, very sad that it has to come to this,” Manchester-born Keister told Sport Africa.

“Whatever walk of life you are in, nobody deserves that.”

Keister added: “I don’t think it should get to that point where my life is being threatened because people feel players should be in [the squad] – and if they are not, this is what they are going to do.”

Keister featured for several British clubs, including Walsall and non-league Margate, during his playing career and was capped by Sierra Leone between 1997 and 2003.

He is in his second spell as national coach and has led the Leone Stars, ranked 108th in the world, to the tournament finals for the first time since 1996.

“We have come a long way [so] there’s no reason for [the death threats],” added Keister.

“I’ve got family, I look after these boys and I have a job to do. It gets me angry and for me, where I have come from and my background, I feel there is something I need to do about it.

“Regardless of the job, I need to do something about it.”

His squad, including one-time England defender Steven Caulker and former Middlesbrough striker Kei Kamara, 37, will face holders Algeria, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea in Group E at the Nations Cup.

Another intriguing year for golf is promised in 2022, a year expected to mark another comeback from Tiger Woods, a landmark Open Championship and the appointment of two new Ryder Cup captains.

There is much to anticipate, including the emergence of potential new superstars, the women’s game breaking new ground and political power-plays to fend off disrupters who want to smash the status quo.

Here’s what we can expect in 2022, including my predictions for the majors…

Return of the Tiger

Apart from his hit and giggle appearance with son Charlie at the PNC Championship in Florida last month, 2021 was a barren year for Tiger Woods, who recently turned 46.

Woods spent most of it recovering from a February car crash which almost resulted in the loss of his right leg. His Orlando return surprised many and while young Charlie stole the show, the outing proved the 15-time major champion can still play.

Realistically, though, it may be a while before we see him compete again at the highest level. Woods would love to play the tournament he promotes, The Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February, but that may prove too soon.

Likewise for another favourite stop at Bay Hill in March and would undulating Augusta prove too physically demanding in April?

I would be most tempted to back his return at The Open at St Andrews in July. The Old Course terrain should be forgiving enough and where better to come back than the home of golf where Woods has won two of his three Open titles?

Landmark Opens

Regardless, that week will be exceptional as golf celebrates the 150th Open. The oldest and most historic of the majors has come a long way since eight men first teed off in Prestwick and Willie Park won the Challenge Belt back in 1860.

The Open is one of the world’s biggest sporting events and there will be an air of celebration when Collin Morikawa embarks on the defence of the title he won on his Open debut last summer.

There is likely to be a mini champions challenge event on the eve of the main competition. At the very least we can expect to see Woods appear in that.

A couple of weeks later, the AIG Women’s Open will be played at Muirfield for the first time. Many a female golfer will tell you the sport still has a long way to go on the path of equality.

In 2017, Muirfield needed to change its male-only membership policy and staging the biggest women’s golf event in the UK there could be another significant step. Expect plenty of focus on Anna Nordqvist’s title defence come August.

Europe’s captaincy dilemma

There is no Ryder Cup this year but both Europe and the United States will be keen to appoint captains sooner rather than later.

With favourite Lee Westwood having taken himself out of the running to lead Europe in next year’s match in Italy, one of his former partners, Luke Donald, is the most likely candidate to succeed Padraig Harrington.

Others in the frame include 2016 Open champion Henrik Stenson and another Swede, Robert Karlsson. He is highly regarded for his analytical skills and has been a vice-captain in the past two matches.

Francesco Molinari has strong credentials for an Italian job while Graeme McDowell is another future captain but more likely for Adare Manor in 2027.

Is it too soon for Ian Poulter? Observers also wonder whether Europe might break with recent convention and offer the job to a successful former skipper such as Thomas Bjorn, who led the continent to success in Paris in 2018.

After the USA’s record 19-9 win at Whistling Straits, Zach Johnson is favourite to succeed Steve Stricker to lead their quest for a first away win this century, but a certain Mr Woods may also be interested.

Europe could make their choice as early as this month at the tour stop in Abu Dhabi. Regardless, the Middle East will prove increasingly important ground in golfing geo-politics.

Money, money, money

Much attention surrounds Greg Norman’s bid to revolutionise the professional game, aided by a back pocket wad of Saudi Arabian cash to shake the status quo.

Permissions have already been grudgingly granted by the PGA Tour to allow some of their biggest stars to compete without sanction in February’s Saudi International, which is now an Asian Tour event.

But the spectre of a Saudi funded rebel super league still remains and we can expect the established circuits on both sides of the Atlantic to try to find more imaginative ways to keep top players happy.

Announcing a lucrative post FedEx Cup series with guaranteed millions and potentially a team element is not beyond the realms of possibility.

The PGA and DP World (formerly European) Tours have already acted with this July’s rebranded Genesis Scottish Open counting on both circuits. Expect plenty of big name US stars to be part of the field at Renaissance Club the week before The Open.

The distance debate

Golf will continue to wrestle with this issue with the R&A and USGA courting top tours and manufacturers to find agreement on how to restrict the lengths that golf balls travel.

Potentially, local rules will be approved more frequently for elite golf. Some will see it as bifurcation by stealth to ensure ancient links such as the Old Course at St Andrews remain relevant for decades to come.

Ones to watch

I’m expecting American Sam Burns to become a household name in 2022. Only Jon Rahm, Morikawa and Viktor Hovland picked up more world ranking points than the largely unheralded Burns last year.

Hovland looks ready to challenge for a first major, while a resurgent Thomas Pieters, Irishman Seamus Power (up 357 places to 72 in the world) and Denmark’s Hojgaard twins, Nicolai and Rasmus, are on track for big seasons this year.

After her major breakthrough in 2021, I’m interested to see whether the exciting Patty Tavatanakit can maintain the progress that has taken the Thai to the fringes of the women’s top 10.

Nelly Korda and Jin Young Ko are formidable pacesetters, while Irish Solheim Cup hero Leona Maguire has climbed from 177 to a career high 40th in the past 12 months. She has attributes to put herself among the very best in the world this year.

Andy Murray suffered a losing start to 2022 as he was beaten by world number 76 Facundo Bagnis in the first round of the Melbourne Summer Series.

The Briton, 34, produced an error-strewn display as he lost 6-3 5-7 6-3 to the Argentine.

Murray slammed his racket into his bench in frustration during the deciding set.

Bagnis broke the Scot in the fifth game of the set before serving out to take the match.

Murray came into the tournament with confidence, having reached the final of an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi in December, losing the decider to world number five Andrey Rublev.

But he struggled with a poor ball toss and a disappointing second-serve percentage against an opponent who has never gone past the third round of a Grand Slam tournament.

It leaves the three-time Grand Slam winner with plenty of work to do before this month’s Australian Open. Murray has accepted a wildcard for the tournament and will be appearing two years on from what, at the time, looked set to be his final match in the event as he prepared for hip surgery.

Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the men’s event in Melbourne because of asthma.

The 26-year-old played only 15 matches in 2021, winning seven of them and has not been in action since late September because of knee issues, slipping to 93rd in the rankings.

He was set to take on Slovakian Alex Molcan but will now begin his 2022 season at next week’s Sydney Tennis Classic.

GB beaten by Canada in ATP Cup

Jamie Murray and Joe Salisbury were beaten by Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger Aliassime, as Canada defeated Great Britain 2-1 in their ATP Cup Group C tie.

The doubles rubber was decisive after the two singles matches, in which Dan Evans beat world number 14 Shapovalov 6-4 6-4 and Cameron Norrie lost out to Auger Aliassime 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.

British duo Murray and Salisbury lost a tight first set but were beaten comfortably in the second, losing 6-4 6-1 in one hour and 10 minutes.

Great Britain, Canada, USA and Germany have all won one and lost one before the final day of the group stage. The winners of each of the four groups go through to the semi-finals.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka made a winning comeback after four months out with victory in the first round of the Melbourne Summer Set event.

The reigning Australian Open champion, 24 took on an indefinite break from Tennis, after a third round defeat at September’s US Open.

She was far from her best on her return but still did enough to beat France’s Alize Cornet 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Osaka had 57 unforced errors, including eight double faults.

But she said afterwards that she was approaching 2022 with a new attitude to her game.

“I only really have one major goal this year – I want to feel like every time I step on the court I’m having fun,” she said.

“I can walk off the court knowing that even if I lost, I tried as hard as I could.

“I’m the type of person that cared a little bit too much about the results and the ranking and stuff like that. And I just need to find a way to enjoy the game again because that’s the reason why I was playing in the first place.”

At last year’s French Open, the four-time Grand Slam winner said she would not do news conferences to protect her mental health.

She went on to pull out of the event and missed Wimbledon to take a break from tennis, having experienced anxiety and depression.

Osaka returned to play at her home Olympics in Tokyo, where she lit the flame at the opening ceremony before going on to lose in the third round and she then saw her US Open title defence ended by eventual finalist Leylah Fernandez in the third round before stepping away from the sport again.

However, she admits that her time away has helped her gain a different perspective and she has also vowed not to cry in news conferences again after she broke down in tears in Cincinnati in August.

“What probably got me ready again was talking to people,” she added. “During the off-season I just hung out with my friends and talked to my family a lot. I felt like that was a way of decompressing the pressure I had on myself.

“Then I just slowly started to regain the feeling of love that I had towards the game. It’s not like it ever completely went away, but I felt like it got overshadowed by a lot of emotions that I was feeling just by constantly playing year after year.

“It was just like an extreme build-up, and you just happened to see it all release last year. I don’t really feel the same way. But I’m going into this year a bit more optimistic.”

Osaka won the opening set against Cornet and broke early in the second before the French world number 61 fought back to win four straight games and the set.

The former world number one claimed the first three games of the final set before serving out the win from 0-30 down and set up a meeting with Belgium’s Maryna Zanevska.

World number one Novak Djokovic will defend his Australian Open title later this month after receiving a medical exemption from having a Covid-19 vaccination.

All players and staff at the tournament must be vaccinated or have an exemption granted by an expert independent panel.

Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open winner, has not spoken publicly about his vaccination status.

The tournament begins in Melbourne on 17 January.

“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I’m heading down under with an exemption permission,” the 34-year-old said on Instagram on Tuesday. “Let’s go 2022.

“I am ready to live and breathe tennis in the next few weeks of competition.”

The news was confirmed by tournament organisers Tennis Australia, who said: “Novak Djokovic will compete at the Australian Open and is on his way to Australia.”

Earlier this week, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said that some unvaccinated players had been granted exemptions to play in the year’s first Grand Slam.

Applications for medical exemptions are being assessed anonymously by two separate panels, with inflammatory cardiac illness or another acute condition listed as valid reasons.

But it is also possible Djokovic has recently tested positive for the virus, which would allow him to defer taking the vaccine.

Tennis Australia said Djokovic was granted an exemption after a “a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts”.

“Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone,” said Tiley in a statement on Tuesday.

“Central to this process was that the decisions were made by independent medical experts and that every applicant was given due consideration.”

Djokovic had pulled out of the Serbia team for the ATP Cup in Sydney, which had raised doubts over his participation at Melbourne Park.

BBC tennis commentator Andrew Castle said, while he was “not surprised” by the reaction to the exemption, the decision was “not unfair”.

“We don’t know what Djokovic’s medical exemption is and we’ll never know because it’s private,” Castle told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“But he must have one. We knew this would happen when exemptions were announced. I’m not surprised [by the reaction] but what I will say is, it’s not unfair because he satisfied two independent panels.

“Is he giving the world of tennis the correct lead? It’s arguable. It doesn’t look like he’s broken any rules, he’s satisfied the independent panels so we’re once again left arguing over another Covid-related matter.

“I can understand the Australian public being furious. They’ve been to hell and back and if the crowd boo him – which I think they will – he will put it aside and become the favourite to win. No-one is arguing about his tennis, the concern here is leadership and the example he is setting, but it’s not mandatory to have the vaccination.”

Djokovic has won the past three Australian Opens and is in a three-way tie on 20 majors with Roger Federer, who misses the tournament through injury, and Rafael Nadal in the all-time list.

“He has a chance to break this record,” added Castle. “The tournament would be worse off without him from a tennis point of view, of course. But he’s never been quite as loved as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and this won’t do anything to endear him to this part of the world.

Romelu Lukaku has apologised and will return to the Chelsea squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Tottenham, says manager Thomas Tuchel.

Lukaku was dropped for Sunday’s Premier League draw with Liverpool after comments he made in an interview recorded three weeks ago.

The pair had a “calm” meeting on Monday about the striker returning.

Lukaku has since said he is “sorry for the upset caused”.

“I should have been much clearer in my message,” Lukaku told the Chelsea website.

“The interview was about saying goodbye to the Inter [Milan] fans, and it wasn’t about trying to disrespect the [Chelsea] fans, my team-mates, the club and the manager.

“They made a lot of effort to bring me here and I wanted to come back. I have been on a mission since I left so I totally understand the frustration of the fans, but now it is on me to make sure I show my commitment 100%.”

In the interview, recorded in December, Chelsea’s club record £97.5m signing said he was “not happy” with his bit-part role under Tuchel and would like to return to Inter Milan in the near future.

But Lukaku, in his direct message to the club’s fans, added: “I am sorry for the upset I have caused. You guys know the connection I have to the club and I totally understand you guys being upset.

“It was not the right moment and I want to move forward and make sure we start winning football matches.”

Speaking during his news conference earlier on Tuesday, manager Tuchel said: “He apologised and is back in the squad for today’s training.

“We have given it time to look back on. For me, the most important thing was to understand – and clearly understand – it was not intentional. He did not do this intentionally to create this kind of noise in front of a big game.”

Before Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool, Tuchel said he had left the 28-year-old out of the squad to “protect the preparation”.

Tuchel added: “Even before, when he seemed to be, in his opinion, ready to play after his injury from the start and we thought he needed to readapt to the intensity a little bit more, there was never the slightest behaviour against the team.

“So, it was the very first time that he felt in this way. It’s very important to stay calm and understand it’s not as big as maybe people want it to be.”

Lukaku has scored seven goals in 18 appearances since he rejoined Chelsea from Italian champions Inter Milan in August.

He has been hampered by injury and illness since returning to Stamford Bridge and, at times, was left out of the starting line-up even when fit.

However, he has had a recent upturn in form, scoring in his past two Premier League appearances, after discussions about his role with Tuchel.

The Blues boss said Lukaku is “aware of what he has created”, adding the frontman “feels the responsibility to clean up the mess”.

“He is still our player and we have good, good reasons to make him play for us and convince him to fight hard,” said Tuchel.