Republic of Ireland defender, Louise Quinn, has expressed caution regarding the formidable threat posed by Nigeria as the Irish national team braces for their final group stage encounter against the Falcons in Brisbane on Monday

After facing defeats against Australia and Canada, Ireland’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stages have been dashed. Meanwhile, Nigeria has been on an impressive trajectory and appears to be cruising towards the last 16, especially after their stunning victory over hosts Australia in their recent outing. Quinn is well aware that her team faces a tough challenge.

“How they’re even ranked the fourth seed in the group I don’t know because they are an excellent, excellent team. We knew that we wanted to be able to come into this game, in terms of progressing through the group, to really have something to play for, but for us, there’s still so much that we want to achieve and that we want to do,” the 33-year-old conveyed her thoughts to Sky Sports.

Despite their inability to advance, the Irish squad is not giving up. Quinn highlighted their determination to make history by earning points and disrupting the group standings. “We want to still make the history of getting points, really mixing up this group for us. We’re still fully concentrated on that,” she asserted.

Complimenting the Nigerian team’s performance, Quinn acknowledged their excellence in the tournament thus far. She recognized the Falcons’ prowess in their two previous games and acknowledged the uphill battle ahead for her side saying, “But they’ve been excellent, they’ve proved it in their two games. We have our work cut out with them.”

However, Quinn also expressed confidence in Ireland’s ability to pose a challenge to the top teams, as they have demonstrated their mettle against Australia and Canada. She warned Nigeria to be vigilant, saying, “But, at the same time, we’ve shown against the two top sides in this group as well, Australia and Canada, that they’re going to have to beware of us in a lot of ways.”

Nigeria currently leads Group B, narrowly ahead of Canada based on goals scored, while Australia, who will face Canada, follows closely one point behind. Ireland is yet to secure any points in the group.

Over the last five years, Nigerian footballers have been making significant moves across Europe, capturing the attention of fans and football enthusiasts alike. These players have climbed the ladder of success by transitioning to bigger and more prestigious teams, showcasing their talent and potential along the way. In this article, PUNCH Sports Extra takes a look at some of the biggest Nigerian moves of the last half-decade.

Victor Osimhen (Lille to Napoli)

In 2020, Victor Osimhen’s move from Lille to Napoli shook the football world, making him the most expensive African transfer at the time. Napoli paid a staggering fee of €70m, potentially rising to €80m with add-ons, to secure the services of the talented striker.

Osimhen had just enjoyed a remarkable season with Lille, scoring 18 goals in his debut campaign in the French Ligue 1.

This move marked a giant leap for Osimhen, transitioning from a mid-tier French club to a prominent Serie A side like Napoli. In Italy, he continued his impressive goal-scoring form and won the Serie A Best Young Player award in the 2021/22 season then following that up with Scudetto and golden boot success in the 2022/23 campaign. Osimhen’s success in Italy solidified his position as one of Nigeria’s finest football exports and established him as a key figure in Napoli’s attacking lineup.

Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal to Milan)

Chukwueze’s transfer from Villarreal to AC Milan on Thursday, July 27 is the biggest move of this summer for a Nigerian. The talented winger had a stellar season with Villarreal, contributing 13 goals and 11 assists in 50 matches. AC Milan, one of Italy’s most illustrious football clubs, recognized his potential and signed him to a four-year deal.

Chukwueze’s move from Spain to Italy represented a significant step up in his career, as he joined a club with a rich history and a strong tradition of success in both domestic and European competitions. With his impressive pace and dribbling skills, Chukwueze added a new dimension to Milan’s attacking prowess.

Chukwueze helped Villarreal clinch the UEFA Europa League during the 2020/21 season and he will be targeting more success with Milan.

Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua to Manchester United)

In January 2020, Odion Ighalo’s dream of playing for Manchester United became a reality when he joined the Premier League giants on loan from Shanghai Shenhua. Ighalo, a lifelong United fan, seized the opportunity to play for his beloved club and even took a pay cut to make the move happen.

Ighalo’s move to Old Trafford marked a remarkable turnaround in his career, as he returned to the Premier League after previous successful stints at Watford. The Nigerian striker’s brief tenure with Manchester United allowed him to contribute to the team’s attack and fulfill his dream of representing the club he admired since childhood.

Calvin Bassey (Rangers to Ajax)

Calvin Bassey’s potential was evident during his time at Rangers, where he played a vital role in the team’s run to the 2022 UEFA Europa League Final. Ajax, recognizing his potential, secured his services in 2022 for a club-record fee of around £20m.

Bassey’s move from Scotland to the Netherlands was a significant move up the ladder for the young defender. Ajax, known for developing and nurturing talents, provided him with a platform to further showcase his skills and grow as a player.

Bassey’s £19m move from Glasgow to Netherlands saw him become Nigeria’s most expensive defender in history.

The 22-year-old joined Rangers from Leicester for a nominal fee of £230,000 two years ago, departs for the biggest fee the Scottish side has received for a player in their history.

Victor Boniface (Union Saint-Gilloise to Leverkusen)

Victor Boniface’s completes his move to Bayer Leverkusen last weekend on July 22. The talented striker signed a five-year contract with the prestigious German club, making him one of the promising Nigerian talents to watch.

The deal is believed to be worth in excess of €20m plus add-ons.

His impressive performances, including a standout display against Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League, caught the attention of the Bundesliga outfit. Boniface’s move to Leverkusen represents a major leap in his career, providing him with an opportunity to compete at the highest level of German football.

Shooting Stars have embarked on a close camping ahead of the upcoming pre-season tournament in Ikenne.

The Oluyole Warriors defeated Utility Sporting at the Dipo Dina Stadium on Saturday in a test game.

Malomo Toafeek scored the only goal to maintain their impressive buildup to the new Nigeria Professional Football League season.

Head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote has continued to build a new team that will fight for laurels next season.

Shooting Stars have seen a massive departure of players after their unimpressive 2022-23 Nigeria Professional Football League campaign.

They finished in the fifth position last season.

Kwara United has intensified their preparation for the upcoming 2023-24 Nigeria Professional Football League season.

The Harmony Boys arrived Ikenne on Friday for the 2nd edition of the ValueJet Pre-season tournament.

Kwara United players had a running up session on the training pitch of the Remo Stars Stadium.

Kabiru Dogo’s tutored side will take on top Nigeria Professional Football League sides during the tournament.

The ValueJet pre-season tournament is billed to kick-start on August 4 at the Remo Stars Stadium.

Rivers United, Sunshine Stars, Shooting Stars, Heartland, Remo Stars and Sporting Lagos will participate in the competition.

Morocco won a Women’s World Cup match for the first time after Ibtissam Jraidi struck early to give them a stunning 1-0 victory over South Korea on Sunday.

Having been thrashed 6-0 by Germany on their World Cup debut, this hard-earned win kept alive Morocco’s unlikely chances of reaching the last 16 in Australia and New Zealand.

As well as the first Morocco victory ever at the tournament, there was another piece of history when defender Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a hijab at the Women’s World Cup.

“We are just so glad that our efforts paid off,” said the goal-scorer Jraidi.

“I would like to dedicate this victory to Morocco and all the Arab nations at large. It was the fruit of our hard work.”

French coach Reynald Pedros saw his Morocco team take the lead after only six minutes in front of just over 13,000 fans in Adelaide.

Hanane Ait El Haj crossed and forward Jraidi nipped in ahead of her marker to expertly glance her header into the far corner.

Morocco, one of the lowest-ranked teams at the tournament at 72 in the world, were supposed underdogs against the 17th-ranked Koreans.

But they made by far the better start against shell-shocked opponents.

Colin Bell’s Korean side belatedly grew into the game towards the end of the first half, but like in their 2-0 opening defeat to Colombia, they lacked punch up front. Related New.

Many of the crowd were shouting for the Koreans and their team piled on the pressure in the second half as they attempted to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

Morocco were grimly hanging on.

The Koreans had three players on two as they raced towards Morocco’s goal, only for Benzina to cynically clip an advancing Korean attacker and earn a yellow card.

Bell threw on attacker Casey Phair, the United States-born 16-year-old who is the youngest player ever to feature at a Women’s World Cup.

But Morocco held on for a gritty win that left South Korea facing an early exit from Group H, having failed to get even one shot on target despite all their possession.

“First of all, congratulations to Morocco on the win, the first in their World Cup history,” the Englishman Bell said.

“I’m not going to say it was deserved. They got off to a good start and that affected us in the first half.

“Second half we had almost all of the play, but the chances that we did create, we rushed them, we didn’t take them.

“I’ve experienced many ups and downs in football, and this is definitely one of the worst moments.”

The highly anticipated clash between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, slated for a possible showdown in December 2023, has encountered a setback as promoter Eddie Hearn expressed doubts over the chances of the encounter taking place in the near future.

Joshua returns to action on August 12 when he takes on Dillian Whyte in a rematch of their 2015 contest live on DAZN and DAZN PPV, and this fight looks to have affected the prospect of facing the former WBC world heavyweight champion in the near future.

It was looking likely that a potential Joshua vs. Wilder fight would take place in Saudi Arabia and while this is still the desired, Hearn revealed that it will all depend on how the former two-time world champion fares against his domestic rival.

“Definitely, the finalisation of the Wilder fight is on hold until they (The Saudis) see what happen on August 12th and that’s the risk that we’re in,” Hearn told Boxing Social.

“It’s a big risk (facing Whyte), is it the right risk? We’ll find out, Joshua wanted a real fight, he wasn’t motivated to take a lesser, smaller fight, but the Wilder fight will be dependent on victory at the O2 Arena on August 12th.”

Hearn then went onto name a potential month for when a Joshua vs. Wilder fight could take place, but while there were plans to stage an undisputed fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on the same card, he believes that this may not come to fruition.

“I think it will be January, I’m not sure whether Fury-Usyk will get made,” Hearn concluded.

Bassey returns to the UK after spending one season with Ajax in the Netherlands, where he played 39 matches.

Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey Ughelumba has completed a move from Dutch side Ajax to Fulham in the English Premier League. Ajax signed the former Rangers defender in the last summer transfer window, but after one season and 39 games, Bassey is back in the UK with Fulham.

In a statement posted on the Fulham website, the club said: “The Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Calvin Bassey from Ajax for an undisclosed fee, subject to international clearance, which is expected to be received during the early part of next week.”

With the addition of the 23-year-old, Fulham hopes to improve on their 10th-place finish from the previous campaign, though another defender, Tosin Adarabioyo, is planning to leave during this transfer window.

“I know how big of a club Fulham is,” revealed Bassey in his first interview. “They always have quality players; they’re playing in the Premier League, the best league in the world, so I didn’t have to think much about it.

“It’s a London Club as well, so it’s always a plus to go home! I’m happy it’s all done now, and I can just focus on the football and help the team build on last season when they did amazing.”

The vice-chairman and director of football operations, Tony Khan, said, “I’m thrilled to welcome Calvin Bassey to Fulham Football Club!

“He’s a young and versatile defender; a homegrown player who developed at Leicester City’s academy before moving on to play for Rangers and then for Ajax, as well as Nigeria’s national team.

“Calvin’s been a top target for us, so we’re all delighted that he’s committed for the long term with Fulham, and we’re looking forward to watching him progress. Come on Fulham!”

Fulham will kick off their 2023/24 campaign against Everyone on 12 August at Goodison Park.

The winner of Sunday’s clash between Nigeria and Egypt will secure automatic passage to the quarter-final.

After Friday’s opening day win over DR Congo, the Nigeria national women’s basketball team, D’Tigers, are set for action today (Sunday) at the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket tournament ongoing in Kigali, Rwanda.

D’Tigress will be up against North African powerhouse Egypt in what many predict will be a tougher contest compared to the tie against the Congolese.

Even though some feel D’Tigress did not play well enough in Friday’s outing, the Rena Wakama-tutored side still breezed to a huge 69-35 victory over their opponents from central Africa.

Egypt like Nigeria also defeated DR Congo on Saturday but it was a closer contest in which the North Africans eventually prevailed 89-78.

With this scenario, the winner of Sunday’s tie between Nigeria and Egypt is guaranteed an early berth in the quarter-final.

As explained by FIBA, the teams that finish in the first positions in Groups A, B, C and D, qualify directly for the quarter-finals.

The teams that finish in second and third places of each group will have a second chance to remain in the competition by playing in the Qualification Round to the quarter-finals, where the losing teams will be eliminated.

Though largely made up of new players now, D’Tigress have a good record in previous meetings against Egypt.

Reigning champions Nigeria outclassed Egypt 106-72 in Bamako in 2017.

Captain Ogoke

One player that was part of the 2017 class and still very much around for D’Tigress in Kigali is Sarah Ogoke

A three-time champion with Nigeria, Ogoke has displayed her talent in six previous editions of the tournament.

Since making her debut in 2011, Ogoke has gone on to feature in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021.

The 33-year-old, who is D’Tigress captain in Kigali, was among the top performers in Friday’s game.

Ogoke’s experience should come in handy as Coach Wakama, the only female head coach at the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket, seeks to get past Egypt into the quarter-finals.

Ogoke after the victory against DR Congo assured that D’Tigress will keep improving in Kigali.

She said: “It’s our first win with this young team. We’ll continue to improve throughout the tournament.

“We have to give credit to DR Congo. They are a good team and they played a very physical game. They played well but we were able to take in the pressure.

“Now, we’re going to focus on our next game, against Egypt. We’re going to rest, have a good training session and look forward to having a great game on Sunday.”