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Nigeria’s Anu Opeyori Retains Africa’s Badminton Gold in S/Africa

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Nigeria’s number 1 badminton player, Anuoluwa Opeyori has won his third African title in a space of five years to assert himself as Africa’s undisputable champion.

 

His latest victory came in South Africa at the weekend as he beat Mauritius Julien Paul 18-21, 21-13, 21-18 to win the gold medal of the Men’s singles of the All Africa Senior Championships.

It was not an easy feat as the Nigerian delegation was psychologically drained even before the championship owing to non-issuance of travel visa to four of the ten-man team.

 

With his latest win, Opeyori has added to earlier titles won in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 2019 and Kampala, Uganda in 2022.

 

He had also won the Men’s Singles title at the African Games in Morocco in 2019 to make it four titles in five years!

His spirit was initially dampened following the inability of  four of his teammates to obtain entry visa into South Africa for the competition. 

The affected players were: Aliyu Alhaji Shehu, Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan, Sofiyat Arinola Obanishola and Ramatu Yakubu.

That reduced the Nigerian field and narrowed the possibility of the country making a good impact. 

This is the second time in recent years that a Nigerian contingent to the All Africa Senior Championships will have serious and demoralizing problems regarding their visas. The first was when the Team was traveling to Egypt for the All Africa Senior championships in 2020.

Opeyori in the 2022 edition arrived Uganda as the sole participant from Nigeria and went all the way up to clinch the Men’s Singles gold medal, thereby becoming King of African badminton for the second time after his feat in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.  

His drive, youth, strength, determination and skill saw him stepping unto the courts with a strong message when he easily routed Mauritius player, Julien Paul in two straight sets during the Mixed Team event part of the 2023 edition of the championships before confirming his intention to leave no prisoners. 

He muscled his way into the Individual Championship segment of the edition.

He was loud and clear as the competiion served off. His intention was clear – to clear off all disenting oppositions on his way to the throne. 

His form was devastating to all that came his way. He easily dispatched his opponents with ruthless efficiency.  They fell like packs of cards blown by the huricane. 

Opeyori began the individual event easily outstroking Trinity Chimpumho of Zimbabwe 21-8, 21-9. Next to succumb to his firepower was homeboy,  Ruan Snyman who also fell in two straight sets of  21-11 and  21-16 at the Round of 16. Only Zambia’s Kalombo Mulenga showed a little resistance. But ‘Huricane Opeyori’ blew him away after the Zambian narrowly took the first set at 19-21.

Opeyori with fury of thunder smashed out the Zambian 21-10 in the next set and 21-19 in the third set of the quarter-final duel to win the match.

With the games getting tougher as the championship tie beckoned, Opeyori won the semi-finals against another homeboy, Robert Summers, 21-19 and 21-15 before his title match with the Mauritian. 

It’s a new begining, remarked the Badminton Federation of Nigeria president, Francis Orbih who admitted that the sport in Nigeria suffered a setback following an initial internal wrangling that was only resolved  last year. 

“We are back to reassert our commanding stature in Africa”, he concluded.

SPORTS

PSG Edge Liverpool on Penalties to Reach Champions League Quarters

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Paris Saint-Germain have knocked top seeds Liverpool out of the Champions League to reach the quarter-finals, 4-1 on penalties.

The feat was achieved thanks to two saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The Italy international saved spot kicks from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones, while Vitinha, Goncalo Ramos, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue converted for PSG who remain in the hunt for a first title in the elite event.

The last 16 tie was locked at 1-1 after PSG had cancelled out their 1-0 home defeat from last week through Dembele in the 12th minute at Anfield.

Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan also reached the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

The other four last 16 return legs are on Wednesday.(dpa/NAN)

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SPORTS

Kwara United Clinch 2025 State FA Cup

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Defending champions Kwara United triumphed 5-4 on penalties over Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC, following a 1-1 draw in regulation time, to claim the 2025 Kwara FA President Federation Cup.

The match, held at the Rashidi Yekini Main Bowl in the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin, saw ABS FC take the lead in the 21st minute.

A defensive lapse by Kwara United allowed Boluwatife Ajina to score, putting the Saraki Boys ahead.

ABS FC dominated much of the game, with Kwara United finding it difficult to breach their defence.

In the second half, Coach Tunde Sanni made tactical changes, introducing Ismaila Gatta, Shola AbdulRaheem, and Junior Aimufua for Wasiu Jimoh, Issa Gatta, and Akanni Akeem.

The substitutions paid off, as Kwara United increased pressure and were rewarded in the 80th minute when Kabiru Mohammed was fouled in the box, earning a penalty.

Ismaila Gatta stepped up and converted the spot-kick confidently, levelling the scores at 1-1.

With the game tied at 1-1, the match proceeded to a penalty shootout.

The decisive moment came when the ABS goalkeeper missed a sudden-death penalty, allowing Kabiru Mohammed to seal the win with the final kick.

Sanni, in his post-match remarks, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, calling the win a morale booster ahead of their next NPFL fixture against Abia Warriors on Wednesday.

Moje Queens defeated Kwara Ladies United 4-3 on penalties in the women’s final after a 2-2 draw in regulation time. (NAN)

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Arsenal Crush Manchester City to Stay in Title Hunt

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Arsenal delivered a statement of intent in the Premier League title race with a 5-1 hammering of champions Manchester City to close the gap at the top to six points on Sunday.

Captain Martin Odegaard fired Arsenal into a second-minute lead and City were finished off in ruthless fashion after the break with teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri both on target for the rampant Gunners.

Erling Haaland’s 55th-minute equaliser, his 250th senior career goal, had briefly raised City’s hopes, but they could have no complaints as any lingering chance of winning a fifth successive title surely disappeared into the north London night.

Arsenal are now 14 games unbeaten in the league and have 50 points from 24 games with leaders Liverpool on 56 from 23.

Manchester City are a distant fourth with 41.

Arsenal have been accused of being over-reliant on set-piece goals this season but on Sunday they played with fluency and flare to rack up their biggest home win of the league season.

“It was a top game, a top performance and with the fans and the atmosphere it can’t be better, so very happy.

“In the end, I think we got what we deserved, “Odegaard said

City, whose six-game unbeaten run in the league had suggested they were returning to form, were generally second-best apart from a lively spell before halftime when Arsenal keeper David Raya was forced into a couple of crucial saves.

“It is difficult. I think all of us don’t take losing well,” City defender John Stones said. “It is hard to put into words straight after a game like that.

“How we played in the last 30 minutes was not acceptable.”

Sloppy City gifted Arsenal the lead when Manuel Akanji was put in trouble by teammate John Stones and was dispossessed before Kai Havertz calmly set up Odegaard to sweep home from close range despite an attempted block by Stones.

With City at sixes and sevens, Arsenal thought they had made it 2-0 shortly afterwards when Gabriel Martinelli lifted a shot past Stefan Ortega but was adjudged to be offside.

City were spared further punishment when they again lost the ball playing out from the back and Havertz, with the whole goal to aim at, somehow dragged his shot wide.

Haaland touched the ball only six times in the first half but came alive in the 55th minute to head in Savinho’s cross.

For a moment it looked as though Arsenal’s earlier misses might haunt them but 38 seconds after the restart Phil Foden gave the ball away and Thomas Partey’s shot deflected off Stones to leave Ortega with no chance.

With their tails up, Arsenal looked to rub City’s noses in the dirt and Lewis-Skelly took a pass from Declan Rice before sending a right-footed shot past the diving Ortega.

Havertz made up for his earlier miss with a clinical finish from Gabriel Martinelli’s pass after a counter-attack.

The party was already in full swing when substitute Nwaneri left Ortega for dead with a sublime curling finish after a long passing move.

Arsenal will now try to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit in Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final at Newcastle United.

While City will have to dust themselves down as a seismic Champions League playoff against Real Madrid looms. (Reuters/NAN)

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