Sports
Super Falcons Begin WAFCON Title Defence On Sunday
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will begin their campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) against Malawi on Sunday in Morocco as they seek a record-extending 11th continental title.
The tournament, originally scheduled for March, will hold from July 26 to Aug. 16, with 16 teams competing for Africa’s women’s football title.
Nigeria, the defending champions and Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team, are drawn in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt and Malawi.
The Super Falcons will face Malawi in their opening match on July 27 before taking on Zambia on July 31 and Egypt on Aug. 4.
Coach Justin Madugu has retained a blend of experienced and emerging players for the tournament as Nigeria seeks to maintain its dominance in African women’s football.
Among the key players expected to feature are captain Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Chinwendu Ihezuo, Esther Okoronkwo and Folashade Ijamilusi.
Zambia are widely regarded as Nigeria’s strongest challengers in the group, with reigning BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Barbra Banda and striker Racheal Kundananji leading their attack.
Nigeria defeated Zambia 5-0 in the quarter-finals of the previous WAFCON tournament.
Egypt return to the competition after missing the last edition, while Malawi will make their debut at the expanded tournament.
Madugu said the team remained focused in spite of Nigeria’s successful record in the competition.
“We know every team now believes they can challenge Nigeria. We have to earn every victory through discipline, hard work and consistency,” he said.
The tournament also serves as part of the qualification process for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The four semi-finalists will qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the losing quarter-finalists will compete for two places in the intercontinental playoffs.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also increased the tournament prize money.
The winners will receive two million dollars, while the total prize fund has been increased to 5.8 million dollars, as each participating country will receive 150,000 dollars.
Host nation Morocco, runners-up at the last edition, are among the favourites for the title under coach Jorge Vilda.
South Africa, champions in 2022, and Ghana, who return after missing the previous edition, are also expected to challenge for honours.
The competition will be played at five stadiums in Rabat and Casablanca.
The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarter-finals, with the knockout stage scheduled to begin on Aug. 8.
Nigeria has won 10 of the 13 editions of the competition since it was introduced in 1998 and will be aiming to extend that record in Morocco.
(NAN)
Sports
Iraola: My Fight With Isak Has Never Been About Goals
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola says Alexander Isak is a “massive” player for him – but adds he “fights” with the player about needing to do more for the “collective”.
Isak scored twice in the opening nine minutes in the 2-0 win over Ipswich to take his tally to three for the season – but Iraola hinted the player needs to do more off the ball for the team.
“He’s a massive player for us,” he told Sky Sports. “My demands will not be about the goals: he’s fit, in a good shape and he will produce the numbers.
“But my fights with him are more about other stuff, how to help the team in other situations. But it’s good he has played two full games and today a good amount of minutes, scoring the goals.”
Iraola did not reveal which specific areas Isak needs to improve, but it could be interpreted that Iraola wants his striker to do more in the pressing.
“I will demand other things so we can play well,” he said in his post-match press conference about those demands to Isak. “And if we play well, we are in good positions, the goals will come.
“He has to contribute to the collective and when everyone helps, after the goals and results will come.”
Iraola also said to Sky: “Today we were much, much better in our press. We were recovering very high and then we can contact him in good positions.
“If we recover the ball lower, it will be more difficult to find him to have less spaces. So we need more quality effort to put our No 9 in situations like he had today.”
Sports
‘It’s So Strong’ – Sabalenka Halts Play Over Cannabis Smell
Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of a strong smell of cannabis before cruising into the fourth round in New York.
Top seed Sabalenka raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed”.
The Belarusian asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong”.
Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her, before play continued.
Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium as she chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title.
Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell of cannabis was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.
Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts on to court from the nearby Corona Park.
It is legal to smoke it in New York for adults aged 21 and over.
“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” Sabalenka said.
“I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium.
“I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”
Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.
Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell.
In past years players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.
Sports
Onana Gets Twins As Salah Welcomes First Son Weeks After Joining Turkish Team
Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has welcomed his third child and first son, named Lail, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan said after the Turkish club’s third-round league match against Amedspor.
Doğan said Salah and his Cameroonian teammate André Onana travelled outside Turkey following the match as their wives were due to give birth.
“After the Amed match, we travelled abroad with Onana and Salah. Onana welcomed twins, while Salah welcomed a baby boy. I congratulate their families and wives,” Doğan was quoted as telling Turkish media.
Salah’s sister, Rabab Salah, later revealed the baby’s name on Instagram, posting a photograph of a baby hat and congratulating her brother on the birth of Lail.
The child is Salah’s first son. The Egyptian star and his wife, Magi, already have two daughters, Makka and Kayan.
Doğan’s comments came after a photograph of Salah and Onana aboard a private jet circulated online, prompting questions among Trabzonspor supporters and local media about the reason for their trip.
The club president said both players had travelled for family reasons following the match.
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