Sports

Nigeria forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are set to put the perfect record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane under serious pressure when both sides clash in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco. Zidane, son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, is the only first-choice goalkeeper among the remaining quarter-finalists yet to concede a goal in the tournament. However, his clean-sheet streak faces a major test against Nigeria’s in-form attackers. Osimhen and Lookman, both former African Player of the Year winners, have been outstanding so far, scoring three goals each as the Super Eagles emerged as the competition’s top scorers with 12 goals. The 27-year-old Zidane kept clean sheets against Sudan and Burkina Faso in the group stage before being rested a...

Super Eagles players and coaches have refused to travel to Marrakech due to unpaid bonuses. This was revealed by BBC Africa journalist, Oluwashina Okeleji, who is in Morocco. Nigeria are billed to take on Algeria in the quarter-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday evening. But it is understood they have not paid their bonuses for the four matches they have played. Eric Chelle’s men beat Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda in the group fixtures, before they thrashed Mozambique 4-0 in the Round of 16. They have taken the decision not to travel or train anymore until the bonuses issue is resolved.

Manchester City are set to complete the signing of Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo for £65 million, with the player expected to undergo a medical ahead of the move. According to the BBC, the Premier League champions have agreed to trigger Semenyo’s £65m release clause, which must be activated by January 10. The deal is expected to be finalised before Saturday. Semenyo is scheduled to have his medical after Bournemouth’s Premier League clash against Tottenham on Wednesday evening. Despite interest from several top clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham, City are the only side to have made formal contact with Bournemouth and progressed talks to an advanced stage. Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola hinted that the winger’s time at the club may ...

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have earned a total of $80,000 in goal bonuses for their impressive scoring form at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had pledged a $5,000 reward for each goal scored during the group stage. Nigeria currently leads the tournament’s scoring chart with 12 goals. The team received $40,000 for the eight goals netted across their three group matches against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. They added another $40,000 after scoring four goals in their Round of 16 victory over Mozambique’s Mambas. Nigeria will face Algeria in a quarter-final clash at the Marrakesh Stadium on Saturday.  

Algeria captain, Riyad Mahrez has predicted that his side’s AFCON quarter-final clash with Nigeria won’t be easy. According to Mahrez, anything is possible when Algeria tackles Nigeria in Saturday’s quarterfinal tie. Recall that the last time Nigeria and Algeria met at the AFCON was in the 2019 edition, where Mahrez’s semi-final dramatic last-minute free-kick knocked the Super Eagles out of the tournament. Speaking after Algeria defeated DR Congo in the Round of 16 yesterday, Mahrez told reporters that the North Africans know Nigeria well. “Nigeria? We know them well, the match won’t be easy,” Mahrez, a former Leicester City player, said. “Another last-minute free kick? We will see, anything is possible.”

Super Eagles captains, Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Calvin Bassey are on suspension alert ahead of the team’s quarter-final clash with Algeria, DAILY POST reports Ndidi, Onyeka, and Bassey were booked in Nigeria’s Round of 16 encounter against the Mambas of Mozambique. Should any of the trio be cautioned against Algeria, and the Super Eagles beat the Desert Foxes, they will be suspended for the semi-final. Morocco or Cameroon awaits the winner of Nigeria versus Algeria clash in the last four. The encounter between Nigeria and Algeria will hold at the Marrakech Stadium on Saturday. It will kick-off at 5pm Nigerian time. https://www.youtube.com/@officialsnowtv1

Super Eagles captains, Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Calvin Bassey are on suspension alert ahead of the team’s quarter-final clash with Algeria. Ndidi, Onyeka, and Bassey were booked in Nigeria’s Round of 16 encounter against the Mambas of Mozambique. Should any of the trio be cautioned against Algeria, and the Super Eagles beat the Desert Foxes, they will be suspended for the semi-final. Morocco or Cameroon awaits the winner of Nigeria versus Algeria clash in the last four. The encounter between Nigeria and Algeria will hold at the Marrakech Stadium on Saturday. It will kick-off at 5pm Nigerian time.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has played down reports of unrest in the Super Eagles camp following Victor Osimhen’s outburst toward teammate Ademola Lookman. Nigerian Travel Packages In an official statement released through Dayo Enebi Achor, the  Administrator, the NFF shut down insinuations and dark innuendoes of a rumpus in the team following Monday night’s 4-0 thrashing of Mozambique’s Mambas, which progressed the three-time champions to the last-8 of the 35th  AFCON  in Morocco. In a tense scene in the  encounter against Mozambique, striker Victor Osimhen was seen confronting forward Ademola Lookman just before a corner kick which according to the NFF , had been ‘conjectures of various complexions in the legacy and digital media’. ...

Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher has described his appointment as an opportunity beyond his “wildest dreams,” while stressing that he has not considered the prospect of taking the job on a permanent basis following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese coach was sacked after a difficult 14-month spell at Old Trafford, with former United midfielder Fletcher stepping in on an interim basis. Speaking to the media ahead of United’s clash with Burnley, the under-18s coach reflected on the unexpected turn of events. “It’s surreal,” Fletcher said. “To be given the chance to lead a Manchester United team is an incredible honour. I never imagined, even in my wildest dreams, that this could happen—especially when I was still playing for the club.” While admitting th...

The quarter-final lineup for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 is now taking shape after Algeria secured their spot with a Round of 16 win over DR Congo on Tuesday. Seven of the eight quarter-finalists have already been confirmed in Africa’s premier football tournament, according to SNOW TV NEWS. Algeria defeated DR Congo 1–0 after extra time in Rabat, with substitute Anis Boulbina scoring the decisive goal in the 119th minute, setting up a clash with Nigeria. Nigeria had booked their quarter-final place on Monday with a commanding 4–0 victory over Mozambique, highlighted by a brace from Victor Osimhen to propel the Super Eagles into the last eight. Senegal, Mali, host nation Morocco, Cameroon, and Egypt had already secured their spots, leaving only one R...