SPORTS
Eagles Ujah Set for First 2.Bundesliga Start
Nigerian forward Anthony Ujah is set to make his first league start for Eintracht Braunschweig as they prepare for their third home game against Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Ujah left Bundesliga side Union Berlin at the end of last season and teamed up with 2.
Bundesliga club Eintracht Braunschweig on a free transfer.The former Berliner signed a contract until the end of the season with the option of another season.
Ujah has since accumulated 37 minutes from the substitute bench across two league matches.
But Eintracht Braunschweig, newly promoted to the 2.
Bundesliga are finding life difficult in the German second tier.The Lions sit bottom of the league without a point or a goal, having lost all four matches, conceding nine times.
Of main concern to Eintracht Braunschweig manager Michael Schiele is his side’s failure to register a goal so far this term.
And the German coach has expressed his willingness to hand Ujah a spot in his starting eleven when Fortuna Düsseldorf visit the 23,000-capacity Eintracht-Stadion on Saturday.
“Tony (Ujah) is an option for the starting eleven,” Michael Schiele said at the pre-match press conference. “He pulls everything along and also does extra shifts.”
Ujah’s stay at Eintracht Braunschweig is his second spell in the German second division.
Just over nine years ago, the 31-year-old signed for FC Cologne, staying two years in the 2.Bundesliga.
The Ugbokolo-born centre-forward scored 24 goals in 62 appearances to help Cologne gain promotion to the Bundesliga.
SPORTS
Chelsea Place £120m Price Tag on Star Midfielder
Enzo Fernandez wants to leave Chelsea after they failed to qualify for Europe, but the club will ask for £120m for the Argentina midfielder.
The 25-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for £107m, is under contract until 2032, which is reflected in the potential fee.
The World Cup winner remains part of the club’s planning for next season, but Chelsea would consider offers that meet their valuation.
After scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists last season, Fernandez finished runner-up in Chelsea’s player of the season award.
Javier Pastore, Fernandez’s agent, is exploring potential destinations, notably his preferred option of Real Madrid.
Alternatives include Manchester City – who are expected to appoint former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s successor in the coming days – but their priority is signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.
Meanwhile, French club Paris St-Germain have downplayed the likelihood of a transfer despite having been linked with a move.
Real are known to be unwilling to pay Chelsea’s asking price unless they are able to raise significant funds in player sales, having also been linked with a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
Senior figures at Stamford Bridge accept they will need to invest in established, Premier League-ready talent for new manager Xabi Alonso after a disappointing season in which Chelsea finished 10th and without a trophy.
SPORTS
Africa Gets 14 Olympic Slots in Boxing
Africa has been allocated only 14 direct qualification spots for the boxing event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a reduction from the 18 slots the continent received ahead of the Paris 2024 Games.
The allocation, confirmed by the International Olympic Committee and World Boxing, gives Africa and Oceania one quota spot each per weight category, while Asia, Europe and Pan-America receive two spots per weight class per gender.
The 14 weight categories are split equally between men and women. The women’s classes are 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg and 75kg, while men will compete at 55kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 80kg, 90kg and above 90kg.
African boxers will have multiple opportunities to secure qualification across four phases. The 2027 World Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, scheduled for April 2027, will be the first qualifying event, offering 44 spots in total.
Semi-finalists in the first four Olympic weight categories for both men and women will earn quotas, while only finalists will secure spots in the remaining categories.
Following the World Championships, each continent will hold its own qualifier. Africa’s continental qualifier will offer one spot per weight class.
A further 46 spots will be available at the first World Qualifier, while a second World Qualifier will serve as the final opportunity, offering between 28 and 36 places depending on how many host country spots the United States has already secured.
The host nation, the United States, is guaranteed a maximum of six quota places, three per gender, with any already earned through other routes deducted from that total.
Eight universality spots, four per gender, will also be available for eligible nations, though the nominated boxer must have participated in at least one of the listed qualification tournaments. Athletes must have been born between January 1, 1988 and December 31, 2009, to be eligible.
At Paris 2024, Africa sent 22 boxers to compete after a last-minute withdrawal and a doping exclusion reduced what was initially a group of 24. Algeria led the contingent with five athletes, while Morocco and Egypt had three each.
SPORTS
Unity Cup: Yusuf, Ogbu Hit Super Eagles London Camp
Alhassan Yusuf, and Igoh Ogbuh have arrived at the Super Eagles camp in London for the Unity Cup invitational tournament.
Yusuf, a midfielder and centre-back Ogbu breezed into the team’s camp on Monday morning.
The duo’s arrival increased the number of players in camp to 19, with the remaining players expected in camp today.
Captain Wilfred Ndidi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Samson Tijani, Ebenezer Akinsamiro, Akor Adams, Emmanuel Fernandez, and Raphael Onyedika are among the players yet to arrive in camp.
The Super Eagles opened camp for the invitational tournament last Saturday with 14 players before Chibuike Nwaiwu, Francis Uzoho and Rafiu Durosinmi joined the squad on Sunday.
The team will continue preparations for the encounter against Zimbabwe with another training session tonight at Cray Valley FC, Middle Park Avenue, London.
The official training session will start at 4pm.
Head coach Éric Chelle and goalkeeper Uzoho will address the media on Monday morning ahead of the clash with the Warriors of Zimbabwe.
The interactive session will hold at the Charlton Athletic Stadium.
The Super Eagles will kick off the defence of their title against Zimbabwe on Tuesday at The Valley, the home ground of Sky Bet Championship side Charlton Athletic.
Reggae Boys of Jamaica and India will clash in the second semi-final at the same venue on Wednesday.
The Valley will also host the final of the invitational tournament on Saturday 30 May.
Players in Camp:
Junior Ayobami, Al Ameen Tijani, Michael Atata, Adeoye Aderemi, Oputa Chibueze, Ighoke Obinna, Ocholi Elias, Oyedokun Tosin, Philip Otele, Arthur Okonkwo, Femi Azeez, Owen Oseni, Nnadi Tochukwu, Terem Moffi, Francis Uzoho, Chibuike Nwaiwu, Rafiu Durosinmi, Igoh Ogbuh and Alhassan Yusuf


