Sports

WAFCON: Falcons battle Zambia for consolation medal

Published

4 years ago

July 22, 2022

Super Falcons

After seeing their chances of winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the 10th time quenched by hosts Morocco, the Super Falcons turn their attention to a third-place finish as they face Zambia for the consolatory bronze medals at the Complex Mohamed V in Casablanca on Friday (today), The PUNCH reports.

The Falcons will hope to make it three out of three when they face the Copper Queens in Casablanca, having dominated their previous meetings, winning 6-0 in their first clash at the 2014 edition, before defeating the Queens 4-0 in Ghana in 2018, on their way to a ninth title.

Heading into this clash, Nigeria are the clear favourites against the Zambians, who made it past the group stages for the first time in three attempts.

This is only the third time, since the women’s tournament began in 1998, that Nigeria would play in a third-place match – winning one and losing the other.

Seeking to reach the final and retain the title they won in Ghana four years ago, the nine-time champions were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses, who won 5-4 on penalties, after a 1-1 deadlock in regular and extra-time.

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Despite being reduced to nine players, following the sending off of Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde, Falcons held Morocco and forced the game into a penalty shootout.

The duo will be highly missed, especially the Atletico Madrid forward Ajibade, who alongside Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak, are the tournament’s top scorer with three goals each.

Their absence will however provide an opportunity for Uchenna Kanu and Gift Monday to fill as they hope to come out victorious against the Zambians.

Also out is captain Onome Ebi, who was knocked out by a hamstring injury – that could require between six weeks to two months to recover – during the gruelling semi-final clash against Morocco on Monday.

Having picked up a World Cup ticket, Randy Waldrum’s side will hope to put their defeat behind them and get the better of Zambia, who lost to South Africa in the other semi-final.

Speaking during a press conference ahead of the game, impressive defender Ashleigh Plumptre admitted that the Falcons had a mountain to climb against the Zambians.

“We have a mountain to surmount, surely, but we are ready and will approach the game like the final match,” defender Ashleigh Plumptre said at Thursday’s pre-match conference.

On his part, head coach Waldrum remains optimistic despite missing three of his key players.

The American said, “We have two players suspended as a result of red cards in the last game, and we also have some players down with an injury. So, there will be changes but we will go for the best legs that would give us victory on Friday.”

The Queens were silenced 1-0 in their last four clash by the Banyana Banyana, with Linda Motlhalo’s last-minute penalty sending them packing.

Both the Falcons and the Queens were the victims of controversial refereeing decisions in their semi-final losses.

While the Falcons were hard done by the two red cards, the Queens saw a late penalty handed to the Banyana and both will target winning the bronze medal in this clash as some consolation.

Speaking ahead of today’s clash, Zambia head coach, Bruce Mwape, said his players had put their semi-final disappointment against South Africa behind them and were aiming to win the third-place game against Nigeria.

“We gave our all and created chances but we failed to take them and that was a mistake that we paid dearly for in the end. We have put that behind us and now, we want to win the bronze medals for our people,” Mwape said.

Related Topics:Falcons medal WAFCON Zambia

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International

Asian Games Organisers Apologise After Blunder Broadcasts North Korean Anthem for South Korea

Published

2 hours ago

September 18, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Asian Games Organisers Apologise After Blunder Broadcasts North Korean Anthem for South Korea

A mistaken stadium audio track following South Korea’s 5-0 hockey win over Bangladesh triggers protests amid wider logistical issues in Japan.

Organisers of the Asian Games in Japan issued a formal apology on Friday after mistakenly playing the North Korean national anthem for South Korea’s men’s hockey team.

The embarrassing mix-up occurred shortly after South Korea secured a commanding 5-0 victory over Bangladesh, leaving players standing perplexed on the pitch as the wrong national anthem echoed through the stadium speakers.

Following the initial blunder, venue operators played the national anthem of Bangladesh before finally broadcasting South Korea’s proper anthem, prompting a stadium announcer to issue an immediate apology over the public address system.

However, South Korea coach Min Tae-seok condemned the oversight as an inexcusable operational failure. Min stated that while tournament officials blamed an individual operator for selecting the wrong audio file, an international competition must never tolerate errors of such sensitive political magnitude.

Furthermore, the anthem blunder compounds wider operational difficulties facing Japanese host venues ahead of Saturday’s official opening ceremony. Several delegations have voiced strong frustration over logistical arrangements, with visiting teams reporting airport delays lasting up to six hours.

In addition, members of South Korea’s basketball squad published videos showing water pouring from broken pipes into their athlete village rooms, intensifying pressure on local organisers to resolve village infrastructure and technical coordination before mainstream competitions begin.

Asian Games Organisers Apologise After Blunder Broadcasts North Korean Anthem for South Korea

Sports

Osimhen Is ‘One of the Best Strikers in the World’ – Terim

Published

3 hours ago

September 18, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Osimhen Is ‘One of the Best Strikers in the World’ – Terim

Victor Osimhen has received another major endorsement after former Galatasaray boss Fatih Terim described him as one of the best strikers in world football.

Terim said Osimhen’s combination of strength, finishing ability and movement makes him a difficult player for defenders to contain.

He particularly pointed to the striker’s ability to punish opponents immediately when they make mistakes.

“Even when there’s no scoring opportunity, he can score goals” Terim said. “He’s a striker who earns his own living the hard way.”

Terim, however, identified one area Osimhen needs to manage, advising the Nigerian to avoid unnecessary emotional reactions and psychological tension during matches.

Six Goals Before Injury

Osimhen had already made an impressive start to the new campaign before injury interrupted his run.

He recorded six goals and two assists across four Süper Lig appearances for Galatasaray.

His latest goal came in Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over Istanbul Basaksehir, although he was forced off in the 33rd minute with a groin problem. The club later confirmed a strain in his right adductor muscle.

He has nevertheless been included in Nigeria’s squad for the opening 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Osimhen Is ‘One of the Best Strikers in the World’ – Terim

Sports

Mbappé Targets 2026 Ballon d’Or, Wants Trophy Back at Real Madrid

Published

6 hours ago

September 18, 2026

Trends Admin

Kylian Mbappé

Mbappé Targets 2026 Ballon d’Or, Wants Trophy Back at Real Madrid

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has made clear his ambition to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, saying he wants the prestigious individual award to return to the Santiago Bernabéu and give Real Madrid supporters another reason to celebrate.

The France captain stated this in an interview with Spanish sports newspaper AS, as preparations intensify for the presentation of the Ballon d’Or 2026 in London next month.

Mbappé said he wants the trophy back at the Bernabéu and with Madrid supporters, while also acknowledging the quality of other players competing for the award.

The comments came days after the 27-year-old said he believed he could win the award despite Real Madrid and France failing to secure major team trophies during the 2025/26 season.

Mbappé’s individual statistics form a major part of his case. He scored 25 goals in La Liga and 15 in the UEFA Champions League during the 2025/26 campaign. He also scored 10 goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot.

His World Cup campaign also produced a major individual milestone. Mbappé took his career tally at the tournament to 22 goals, moving past Lionel Messi to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

France, however, failed to reach the final after losing to Spain in the semi-final, while Real Madrid ended the season without a major trophy.

That has generated debate over the importance of team success in the Ballon d’Or selection, but Mbappé has maintained that the award recognises individual performance.

The French forward has pointed to his achievements in the Champions League, La Liga and World Cup as evidence of his individual contribution and has maintained that the absence of major team silverware should not automatically rule him out.