The Flying Antelopes started brightly and were rewarded when Chidozie Iwundu put them ahead in the 23rd minute.

The goal gave Rangers the initiative and appeared to put them in a strong position to secure a first-leg victory.

However, AS Sobemap fought back to draw level in the second half and ensure both sides shared the spoils.

Rangers pushed for a second goal but could not find a way past their opponents as the encounter ended all square.

The result leaves the tie finely balanced heading into the second leg.

Rangers will be disappointed not to have secured victory after taking the lead, but they will draw confidence from getting on the scoresheet and will look to finish the job in the return fixture.

Sobemap, meanwhile, will be encouraged by their battling display to come from behind and secure a draw in Abeokuta.

With the tie level at 1-1, Rangers will need to be more clinical in the second leg if they are to progress, while Sobemap will also know that victory will be enough to send them through.

D’Tigress will play for pride when they face France in their final Group B game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on Monday (today), having already crashed out of the competition after two defeats.

The Nigerian women suffered a 99-81 defeat to South Korea in their opening game before losing 71-67 to Hungary on Saturday, ending their hopes of progressing from the group.

The clash with France will therefore be an opportunity for D’Tigress to bow out of the tournament on a positive note after a disappointing start.

However, their campaign has also raised questions about the team’s preparation, particularly the involvement of head coach Rena Wakama in the build-up to the tournament.

In an interview ahead of the World Cup, Wakama revealed that she only learnt a few days before leaving the United States that she would be travelling to Berlin for the tournament, after spending part of the period with WNBA side Chicago Sky.

Her late arrival meant she joined D’Tigress only four days before their opening game, after the team had already gone through a significant part of its pre-tournament programme in the United States, China and Spain.

Wakama’s absence was not, however, limited to the final days of the build-up.

In April, the Nigeria Basketball Federation announced that she would miss D’Tigress’ United States tour because of her commitments with Chicago Sky, with assistant coach Wani Muganguzi taking charge of the team during the trip.

Muganguzi subsequently led D’Tigress in games against WNBA sides Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx as part of the team’s preparations for the World Cup.

D’Tigress lost 89-63 to the Sparks before putting up a stronger performance in an 88-79 defeat to the Lynx, with Muganguzi overseeing both games.

The assistant coach’s role was part of a wider preparation programme that continued while Wakama remained committed to her WNBA duties.

D’Tigress later travelled to China for a series of warm-up games before continuing their preparations in Spain ahead of their arrival in Berlin, all without Wakama.

The issue has gained more attention following D’Tigress’ disappointing start to the World Cup and the debate that has followed over the quality and age of the squad.

Wakama herself, after the defeat to South Korea, pointed to the cohesion of their opponents, noting that they had played together and were clear about what they wanted to do.

“It is tough when your shots weren’t falling. I thought we had great looks in the first half, really good looks. We got to the free throw line but finished the game shooting 12-23 from the free throw line. We just weren’t able to get it done,” she said.

Against France, D’Tigress will hope to produce a stronger performance and end their campaign with a victory despite having nothing but pride at stake.

The Nigeria Football Federation has revealed this, expressing confidence in the 10-time African champions’ ability to secure a back-to-back Olympic ticket after their participation at the 2024 Games in Paris.

Nigeria, one of the three highest-ranked teams in the qualifying competition, received a bye into the second round, where they will face Comoros in the two-legged encounter.

Comoros secured their place in the second round after defeating Sudan 30-0 on aggregate.

The Falcons must navigate four rounds of two-legged knockout ties to claim one of Africa’s two available places at the tournament in Los Angeles.

If Nigeria overcome Comoros, they will progress to the third round, scheduled for February 23 to March 6, 2027, where either DR Congo or Morocco will await them.

Progress to the fourth round will see the Falcons face one of Tunisia, Senegal, Benin Republic or Mali between October 4 and 12, 2027.

The final round of the qualifying race will hold from November 23 to December 4, 2027, with Nigeria set to face one of Guinea, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Central African Republic, Algeria and Burkina Faso.

However, the Falcons could enter their Olympic campaign with a new technical crew, as the NFF intensifies efforts to appoint a coach before next month’s qualifiers.

Swedish coach Thomas Dennerby is in line for a return to the Super Falcons job, with the NFF considering his appointment as the team prepares for the Comoros fixtures.

In August, an embattled NFF board under former president Ibrahim Gusau asked the technical crew, led by coach Justine Madugu, to step down following the team’s disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The Falcons failed to defend their title at the tournament and also missed out on a ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Madugu and his crew had led the team to a record-extending 10th WAFCON title in 2025.

Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, had also said the team would get a new technical crew before the qualifiers.

“The Olympics are around the corner; we will see how we can tweak the technical team of the Falcons as we did for the U-23, which coach Eric Chelle will handle. This is because we are desirous of qualifying for the Olympics,” Olopade revealed in August.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 5pm local time, 4pm Nigerian time, with Head Coach Moses Aduku saying his team is determined to start the competition on a winning note.

Aduku said the Falconets would treat the clash like a cup final as they target the maximum three points against the Spaniards.

“We are looking forward to the match against Spain with high expectations. We are ready and set to go. Spain is a good side no doubt. However, we will approach the game like a Cup final because we want to win,” Aduku said.

The coach added that a win over Spain would put Nigeria in a good position ahead of their remaining Group F fixtures against China and New Caledonia.

Spain have become one of the leading forces in the competition in recent years, finishing runners-up in 2018 before winning the title in Costa Rica two years later.

The Falconets have also had a good pedigree at the tournament, finishing runners-up twice.

Nigeria first reached the final in 2010 before losing to hosts Germany, while their second final appearance came in 2014 when they were beaten by Germany after extra time.

With both teams boasting good records at the tournament, the Falconets will be looking to make a statement today by defeating the Spaniards and taking an early advantage in Group F.

The other group matches against China and New Caledonia will take place on Thursday and Sunday respectively.

Edo Queens were crowned 2026 WAFU B Women’s tournament winners following a 4-1 penalty shootout victory over the Ghanaian champions.

Both teams battled to a 2-2 draw in regulation time.

The Nigerian champions appeared destined for elimination after conceding an early penalty, but they fought back to equalise in the 90+3rd minute and force a penalty shootout, where they held their nerve to win 4-1.

Adegbuyi, a member of Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, was in impressive form throughout the CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU-B qualifiers, scoring two vital goals in Edo Queens’ 3-1 win over ASEC Mimosas.

She scored in her debut appearance before adding another goal in her second game, with her performances earning her the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player.

Adegbuyi’s rise has followed a sensational 2025/26 season with FC Robo Queens, where she scored 11 goals during the NWFL Premiership regular season and Super Six playoffs.

Her outstanding campaign also earned her the NWFL Premiership Player of The Season award.

The teenager has now added the WAFU-B Player of the Tournament accolade to her growing collection of individual honours, while helping Edo Queens qualify for the 2026/27 CAF Women’s Champions League.

She will be one of the stars to watch at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco from October 17 to November 7, 2026.

Galatasaray confirmed on Sunday that Osimhen is dealing with a groin injury, while Onuachu was also taken off in the 44th minute after scoring a brace in Trabzonspor’s 5-0 win over Gençlerbirliği.

Osimhen picked up the injury during Galatasaray’s thrilling 3-2 win over Istanbul Basaksehir after scoring the opening goal. He lasted 33 minutes before being substituted.

Onuachu was also reported to have broken his chin during a challenge, with both players adding to the growing list of injury concerns for coach Eric Chelle ahead of the two fixtures.

Already on the treatment table are Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar, Tochukwu Nnadi and Zaidu Sanusi, who all recently picked up knocks.

In an update provided on Sunday, Galatasaray said Osimhen and midfielder Mario Lemina had suffered moderate-to-advanced strains with bleeding in the right groin area.

“Following the completion of MR and advanced examinations at our sponsor Acıbadem Hospital, advanced-moderate level strain (bleeding and strain) has been detected in the right adductor (groin) muscle group of our footballer Victor Osimhen,” the club said on Sunday.

“Similarly, advanced-moderate level strain (bleeding and strain) has been detected in the right adductor muscle group of our player Mario Lemina, whose examinations have also been completed, and their treatment processes are ongoing.”

The update puts Osimhen in doubt ahead of Nigeria’s September fixtures, with the Super Eagles beginning their 2027 AFCON campaign against Madagascar on September 25 before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.

The two matches are part of Group L, where Nigeria were drawn alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-hosts Tanzania. Only the highest-ranked team apart from automatically qualified Tanzania will advance from the group.

Osimhen’s absence would leave Nigeria without one of their most important attacking players at the start of the campaign.

Missing the window could also delay his climb up Nigeria’s all-time goalscoring chart. The 27-year-old has scored 35 goals for the Super Eagles, two behind the late Rashidi Yekini, who remains the country’s all-time leading scorer with 37 goals.

At club level, Osimhen has also scored six goals and provided two assists in four games this season.

The superstar sisters, whose 14 Grand Slam doubles titles include two US Opens, rallied from a break down in the third set and led the deciding 10-point tiebreaker 5-0 but fell 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (10/7).

Venus, 46, and Serena, 44, hadn’t played Grand Slam doubles since the 2022 US Open and last won a title together at Roland Garros in 2018.

They showed flashes of their brilliant best, Serena proving particularly dangerous patrolling the net but struggling with her serve.

After recovering from losing the first set to level the match in the second-set tiebreaker.

They belted no fewer than 20 winners in the set, holding serve throughout and leveled the match when Joint smacked an overhead long to roars from the crowd.

Chan and Joint regrouped to seize a 4-2 lead in the third. The sisters rallied, but get to the finish line as Taiwan’s Chan and Joint fought back superbly to clinch the victory.

For Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion considered by many to be tennis’s greatest women’s player, it was her first return to the courts of Flushing Meadows since then.

The 44-year-old had returned to major singles play as a Wimbledon wild card four years after “evolving away” from the game.

At the All-England club she lost to Joint in a Centre Court clash that captured the imagination of both diehard and casual tennis fans.

Even that experience didn’t prepare Joint for the atmosphere on the cavernous Ashe Stadium.

The sisters received a thunderous ovation when they took court, all business in understated white outfits.

Every blistering volley and overhead smash from the Americans received raucous cheers, and when they sprinted to the lead in the decisive 10-point tiebreaker the noise was deafening

“The atmosphere was surreal,” Joint said. “Being able to play aginst such legends of the game is super special.”

AFP

Tyson Fury has confirmed that his long-awaited heavyweight showdown with British-Nigerian Anthony Joshua, will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York, ending months of uncertainty over the venue for the fight.

The former world heavyweight champion announced the development on Instagram with a poster of himself and Joshua set against the New York City skyline. However, no date was attached to the post.

“What a place NYC, and what a venue MSG, and what a fight Fury vs AJ, the land of opportunity,” Fury wrote.

“What a weekend away for the lads on the piss in NYC. Iconic! Not long now guys.”

Joshua was not tagged in the post, and neither the two-time world champion nor his promoter, Matchroom Boxing, had confirmed the development as of this report.

The fight is expected to hold in November, with November 20 understood to be the target date, after both fighters signed contracts with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

Joshua’s original terms had stipulated that the fight must take place in the United Kingdom, but organisers Netflix and Alalshikh pushed for a Stateside clash, leading his promoter, Eddie Hearn, into fresh negotiations to allow the bout to move to America.

Hearn said Joshua’s team remained opposed to staging the fight outside the United Kingdom but understood it had to work for all parties involved.

“We don’t want to do the fight in the US, but we also understand it has to work for everybody,” Hearn said.

“We’ve set out our position, mainly in concern to the tax situation that will deplete his net purse by going to America, which can be rectified and I think they’re happy to do that”.

“We will need to make a decision this week. They’ve replied, they have our terms. It’s up to them,” Hearn said.

The announcement drew criticism from fans, who questioned why an all-British contest was being staged in America rather than at a venue such as Wembley Stadium.

38-year-old Fury has won 36 of his professional bouts, with his only defeats coming in back-to-back fights against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in 2024. He returned to the ring in July, stopping Polish opponent Mariusz Wach in a tune-up fight in Pattaya, Thailand, having earlier retired from the sport following his second loss to Usyk.

Joshua won his tune-up bout on July 25 over Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, a development Hearn said helped clear the way for talks with Fury’s camp to progress.

Plans for a Fury-Joshua fight first collapsed in 2021 after a United States judge ruled that Fury had to face Deontay Wilder in a trilogy bout instead.

“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team…

“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment.

“I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.

“There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give.

“Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here.

“Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones.

“Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.

“I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!

“Thank you God, for making me Argentine.

“Vamos Argentina!

“I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this decision than before.”