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
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.”
Former Nigeria international and Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has said that Victor Osimhen could be heading to Real Madrid next summer.
He said the LaLiga giants are closely monitoring the striker, with a potential move set for the summer.
The Nigerian could be replacing winger Vinicius Jnr, who might likely depart the club.
Osimhen is currently lacing his boots for Galatasaray, following a permanent move to the Turkish champions last summer.
The Super Eagles striker has netted six times in the Champions League this season despite being slowed down by injuries.
Meanwhile, Vini is yet to agree to a new contract with Real Madrid, as his current deal expires in the summer of 2027.
Oliseh told Insight Podcast that Kylian Mbappe can easily return to his position on the left of the attack if Vinicius leaves the club, creating room for Osimhen to take the centre-forward role.
According to him, the club now has the luxury to let go of Vinicius without losing anything.
“And there’s a lot of talk under the ground about the possibility of Osimhen being a candidate. I am not going to tell you how I got this information, but there’s a lot of talk,” he added.
“Let’s see how this plays out. But when I heard it from a top personality, I was happy for the young man,” he added.
Osimhen left Napoli permanently for Galatasaray in the summer of 2025. The Turkish giants were able to pay the player’s salary as he opted against a move to the Saudi Pro League despite huge offers.
No Nigerian-born player has ever played for Real Madrid’s first team. Oladimeji Lawal and Mutiu Adepoju only made the Spanish giant’s B team.
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