Sports
Falcons give top position in Group B to the Aussies after Barren Draw With Ireland.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons on Monday at the Brisbane Stadium strolled into their third ever knockout stage of the women’s world cup with a rather disappointing barren draw against hard fighting Irish girls in Green who with their white Jersey matched Nigeria moment for moment.
At the other group match, the Aussie Babes turned the table with a brilliant 3-0 knock of Canada at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Nigeria fielded Oshoala from the start this time and she missed scoring by the gap of the skin of the tooth twice before she was pulled out in the second half. Kanu too shot blank making fans to shout on top of their voices, GIVE US ONE GOAL! Which was what Nigeria needed to top Group B but for the first time, Nigeria was not defeated in their group game.
I report that it was no imported Irish Potatoes and Chicken for the Falcons (except Jos Potatoes), who celebrated moderately moment Ref. Katia Garcia of Mexico blew the final whistle compared with Australians who jumped on each other the moment Ref. Stephaine Frappart of France blew her final whistle.
Nigeria had lost six of their previous outings of the final group games except beating Denmark with 2-0 in 1999 and Canada 1-0 in 2011.
Nigerian coach was full of encomium for his players saying things were not right initially but the players were resilient not losing a single game adding that he is unmoved facing either England or Denmark next. Asked how he will celebrate with his girls without imported Irish Potatoes, the coached winked probably because he was with his players at a street Buka in Brisbane yesterday where an Akwa Ibom Chef gave the players and officials Fufu also called Akpu with draw soup and Okporoko also called Mangala in South East of Nigeria.
Australia was brilliant with Hayley Raso of Real Madrid opening the goals account against Canada in the 9th minute as a Catley cross found her smoking and VAR check said no offside. Raso scored again through a goal mouth melee and Raso slammed it in 37th minute but VAR ruled it off. She collected a pass sent to Sheridan who dilly dally with the ball and got her brace in the 39th minute.
Manchester City player, Mary Fowler scored the 3rd goal for Australia in the 58th minute through Foord who had done well beating the Canadian defence to pass to Fowler for the goal.
Canada and Australia were facing each other for the second time after playing 2-2 in their final group game in 2007. Australia had defeated a CONCACAF team, Jamaica 4-1 in 2019.
Australia had won 1-0 over Ireland and Nigeria drew goalless with Canada in the first round of the group; Canada beat Ireland 2-1 and Nigeria sent Australia to the Rest Room 3-2 in the group second round matches.
Co-hosts Australia is not like New Zealand who are out of the tournament. Australia tops Group B with6 points scoring 6 goals and conceding 3; Nigeria is second chalking 5 points from a win and two draws, scoring 3 goals and conceding 2; Canada has 4 points from a win and a draw scoring 2 goals and conceding 4 while Ireland will avoid dodging in dustbins at Dublin in Ireland for she tried having a draw and scoring a lone goal while conceding 3 to rock the bottom of the group.
Australia faces runners-up of Group D and Nigeria that is second will face winner of group D in the Round of 16 matches.
Tomorrow Tuesday 1st August, group E matches will be concluded at 0800 hours as Vietnam meets Netherlands at Forsyth Barr Stadium and Portugal try the Yankees of USA at Eden Park.
Group D matches will also be decided same tomorrow at 12 noon as the Lionesses of England tackles China at Hindmarsh Stadium and Haiti faces Denmark at NIB Stadium.
By Eniola Olatunji
Team Nigeria will today, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, depart the country for the Lefika International Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, as the nation intensifies its push to qualify for the World Relay Championships later this year.
The Nigerian contingent is scheduled to travel aboard Ethiopian Airlines, with a stopover in Addis Ababa before arriving in Gaborone on March 26.
At the competition, Nigeria will compete in four key events: the men’s 4x100m, mixed 4x100m, men’s 4x400m, and mixed 4x400m relays.
These races are crucial, as the country aims to secure remaining qualification slots for the World Relay Championships scheduled for May in the same city.
Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams have already booked their places at the global event, shifting focus to the other relay squads that must now deliver strong performances in Botswana to join them.
The delegation is led by top officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, including President Tonobok Okowa, Secretary General Isreal Inwang, and Technical Director Gabriel Okon.
Team Nigeria boasts a blend of emerging talents and experienced athletes expected to make a strong impact.
Among those to watch are Enaruna Anita Itohan, Badmus Gafari Atanda, Ezeakor Chidera, Emmanuel James Taiwo, Ojeli Ifeanyi Emmanuel, and George Patience Okon.
Also named in the squad are Nathaniel Samson, Adeyemi Sikiru Adewale, Sampson Victor Ime, Godwin Tejiri, Andrew Jecinter Lawrence, Chukwuka Obi Jennifer, and Omokwe Maria Thompson, all of whom have been part of an intensive preparation programme.
The athletes have spent the last six weeks training in Asaba, where they focused on sharpening race strategies, perfecting baton exchanges, and building team chemistry ahead of the decisive qualifiers.
With the World Relays serving as a gateway to global competitions, expectations are high that Team Nigeria will rise to the occasion in Botswana and secure the remaining tickets needed to complete its relay lineup for the prestigious event.
Former captain of the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh, has said the big teams will begin to go home from the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
There have been no upsets so far at the tournament, with the final eight among the top 10 countries on the continent, according to the latest FIFA rankings.
However, they have all been paired against each other, for places in the semi-finals.
Hosts Morocco take on Cameroon, Nigeria are up against Algeria, Mali will play Senegal and Egypt have been drawn against Ivory Coast.
Oliseh, reacting to a post on X by BBC Sport broadcaster John Bennett, who noted that this AFCON has produced no major shocks heading into the quarter-final stage.
Quoting Bennett’s tweet, he wrote: “Spot on. So far, no huge surprises yet! But this is where it ends!”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has suggested why his team was defeated 2–1 by Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Arteta watched as Aston Villa took the lead through Matty Cash in the first half.
But Arsenal fought back and equalised through Leandro Trossard in the second half.
However, a late goal from Emiliano Buendia ensured the hosts defeated the Gunners at Villa Park.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Arteta admitted it was painful to lose against Aston Villa.
According to him, Arsenal failed to have dominance and allowed open spaces in the second half, adding that they gave two balls away to the opponent.
“In the first half we had moments, obviously had the best chance after a foul on Riccy [Calafiori] that Watkins goes through,” Arteta said.
“In the second half we started really well. Scored a goal and we were really dominant.
“But then we had periods again where the same issue appeared and then we didn’t have the dominance and we allowed the open spaces, we gave two balls away ourselves to the opponent which could have cost us the game before actually the goal.
“Last kick of the game we have the chance with the cross from Declan for Noni and Viktor. We don’t score. Goal kick long, second ball, clear the ball, individual action. The ball comes inside the box and you end up losing it. It is painful.”
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