Sports
Enyimba, Rangers Oriental Derby Ends In Stalemate In Aba
Touted as the most glamorous football derby in the South East of Nigeria, the encounter between the Peoples Elephants, Enyimba Football Club of Aba and their rivals Enugu Rangers International saw honours shared on Tuesday.
The re-arranged match day 15 NPFL 2024/2025 fixture between the two sides at Enyimba Stadium ended without a winner, with neither side able to score a goal, thus gifting the reigning Rangers, a vital draw in Aba, the home of Enyimba.
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For the encounter, Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu kept faith with the match day squad the demolished Lobi Stars 3-0 in their last match in Enugu and it was an assured performance from his backline with his last man in defense, Lucky Abdullahi, making brave saves to deny the ‘Aba Elephants’ some decent opportunities.
The home side quickly went on the offensive as they kicked off the encounter before the massive fans that turned up for the fixture but Chinemerem Ugwueze, Ejike Ugochukwu as well as the backline were on top of their game to curtail the forays of Ekene Awazie, Kalu Nweke, Clinton Jephter and Ifeanyi Ihemekwele upfront for the home side.
Godwin Obaje had the brightest chance in the first period but he missed after some neat interchange of passes between Isaac Saviour, Kazeem Ogunleye and Chinemerem Ugwueze set him free but he failed to drill past goalkeeper, Ani Ozoemena as the visiting bench rued a missed opportunity.
On the other end, Lucky Abdullahi was at his imperious best to make a full-length dive to stop Imoh Obot’s goal-bound free kick from the edge of the box as the home fans moaned the the opportunity.
In the second period of the encounter, the home side became hungrier for the opening goal just as the ‘Flying Antelopes’ defended doggedly with eyes for occasional counter-attacks which failed to trouble the backline of the ‘Peoples Elephant’ ably marshaled by Paschal Eze.
Chief-coach of Rangers, Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu, in a post-match chat, described the encounter as a highly entertaining one as both side gave their best on the day but there was no goal to celebrate the fine display, stressing, “It was a good result for our side, Rangers, coming all the way from Enugu to pick a point off Enyimba was not an easy task even when our target was to annex the maximum points at stake in the highly entertaining encounter. Both sides played well but my players were at their best as we sat back to hit our opponent on the counter. The result will surely serve as a motivation for the boys in subsequent games as we continue our unbeaten run.”
With the result, Rangers are now placed 4th on the twenty-team log with 24 points from 16 matches and will next, trade tackles with table-topping, Rivers United F.C inside the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Sunday, December 8, 2024.
Edo Queens have made history by winning the WAFU-B Women’s Champions League title and securing a place in the CAF Women’s Champions League finals.
The Nigerian champions defeated Ghanaian side Ampem Darkoa Ladies 4-1 on penalties after a dramatic 2-2 draw in regulation time in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Edo Queens had to come from behind twice before eventually prevailing in the decisive shootout, underlining the resilience that has defined their impressive campaign.
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Ampem Darkoa made a blistering start when Beline Nyarkoh opened the scoring just two minutes into the match.
The Nigerian champions responded almost immediately, with Doosuur Atume restoring parity two minutes later.
The Ghanaian champions regained the lead in the 74th minute, with Nyarkoh completing her brace and putting Ampem Darkoa within touching distance of the trophy.
However, Edo Queens refused to surrender.
In the 94th minute, Oluebube Umejiaku produced a dramatic late equaliser to force the encounter into a penalty shootout.
Edo Queens then held their nerve from the spot, converting four penalties, while Ampem Darkoa scored just once to hand the Nigerian side a 4-1 shootout victory.
The continental triumph caps a remarkable season for Edo Queens, who had earlier won the 2025/26 Nigeria Women’s Football League title.
The Benin-based club finished top of the league with nine points, ahead of Bayelsa Queens and Nasarawa Amazons, who both finished with eight points.
The NWFL triumph was Edo Queens’ second league title in three years, having won their maiden championship in 2024.
The club also celebrated individual success, with forward Atume Doorsuur sharing the league’s Golden Boot after scoring 13 goals, the same number recorded by Rivers Angels striker Abasiofoh Uwah.
Following their WAFU-B triumph, Edo Queens received a ₦50 million reward from Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The governor presented the team with the NWFL and WAFU-B trophies at the Government House in Benin City and praised the players for their determination, resilience and doggedness.
With the regional crown now secured, Edo Queens will turn their attention to the CAF Women’s Champions League finals.
The crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has taken a fresh turn, with world football governing body FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) moving to halt the ongoing electoral process and announcing plans for a joint assessment mission to Abuja.
The development follows reports that FIFA, CAF and the National Sports Commission (NSC) delegation had reached an agreement on proposed reforms in Nigerian football.
However, FIFA has clarified that no decision has been reached on the reforms or the next steps to be taken regarding the crisis.
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In an email dated September 7 and addressed to Barrister Emmanuel Ikpeme, FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Elkhan Mammadov, said FIFA and CAF were still assessing the legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications arising from the situation within the NFF.
The football governing body said the assessment would require a review of the relevant facts, the applicable NFF regulatory framework and the positions communicated by various stakeholders.
FIFA stressed that “no conclusions” had been reached at the stage and that no determination had been made regarding possible next steps.
As part of the latest intervention, FIFA requested that the ongoing NFF electoral process be suspended, directing that no further steps or decisions be taken in connection with the process until further notice.
According to FIFA, the move is intended to preserve the status quo while it and CAF complete their assessment and engage with relevant stakeholders.
The organisation also clarified that the suspension should not be interpreted as a determination on the validity of any decisions, actions or positions taken by any of the parties involved.
FIFA and CAF are expected to send a joint delegation to Abuja at the earliest possible opportunity to gather information and engage stakeholders involved in the dispute.
The delegation is expected to meet with representatives of the NFF administration, NFF members, electoral bodies and the Federal Government, including the National Sports Commission.
FIFA also requested that Ikpeme, whom it recognises as Deputy General Secretary and not Acting General Secretary, remain the primary point of contact between the NFF, FIFA and CAF until further notice.
The international football bodies said the assessment mission would help them gain a clearer understanding of recent developments within the NFF and identify issues requiring further consideration under the applicable FIFA, CAF and NFF regulations.
At the conclusion of the assessment, FIFA and CAF said they would determine whether recommendations or proposals should be submitted to their respective decision-making bodies.
The governing body, however, warned stakeholders against making assumptions about the outcome, stressing that the assessment remains ongoing and that the eventual action by FIFA and CAF is yet to be determined.
The 2026 summer transfer window ended in spectacular fashion, with Premier League clubs once again rewriting the record books after spending close to £3.5 billion on players.
The spending surpassed the previous record of £3.14bn set in 2025, with the final two days of the window producing a frantic series of deals.
According to reports, Premier League clubs spent about £506.5 million on deadline day alone.
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Among the deals that grabbed the biggest headlines were the deadline-day moves involving Enzo Fernández, Gabriel Jesus and Ibrahim Mbaye.
Enzo Fernández completes £125m Manchester City move
The biggest headline deal was undoubtedly Enzo Fernández’s £125 million transfer from Chelsea to Manchester City.
The Argentina international’s move matched the British transfer record and made him the first player to have been transferred for more than £100 million on two separate occasions during his career.
Fernández signed a five-year contract with City after completing the move on deadline day.
The 25-year-old had enjoyed an impressive 2025/26 campaign with Chelsea, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists.
His move also reunites him with Enzo Maresca, who previously worked with him at Chelsea.
The transfer was part of a massive rebuilding exercise at Manchester City. The club also signed Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m and Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for around £86m, among other additions.
City ultimately emerged as the Premier League’s biggest spenders, with their total expenditure reported at about £457.5m.
Gabriel Jesus makes surprise Barcelona switch
Another major deadline-day story was Gabriel Jesus’ move from Arsenal to Barcelona.
The Brazilian striker completed a permanent transfer to the Spanish champions for a reported £8.6m (€10m) and signed a contract running until June 2029.
The move brought an end to Jesus’ four-year spell at Arsenal, where he made 123 appearances and scored 32 goals after joining from Manchester City for £45m in 2022.
The 29-year-old was part of Arsenal’s Premier League title-winning squad last season but found his opportunities limited, making only three Premier League starts during the campaign.
Barcelona moved for Jesus after their efforts to sign Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez failed to produce a deal.
The Brazilian now arrives as another attacking option for manager Hansi Flick.
Interestingly, reports indicate that Barcelona’s pursuit of Alvarez and the Jesus deal were treated as separate operations, meaning the Catalan club could still have been interested in the Argentine forward.
Aston Villa land teenage sensation Ibrahim Mbaye
Aston Villa also completed a significant deadline-day deal by signing 18-year-old Senegal international Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain for £47m (€55m).
Mbaye spent eight years at PSG after joining the club’s academy at the age of 10. He made history in 2024 by becoming PSG’s youngest-ever Ligue 1 starter at just 16 years, six months and 23 days.
The winger was also part of the PSG squad that won successive Champions League titles and Ligue 1 championships in 2025 and 2026.
On the international stage, Mbaye switched his allegiance from France to Senegal and featured at the 2026 World Cup, scoring against France.
His arrival formed part of a dramatic squad overhaul at Villa Park under Unai Emery. Aston Villa made 10 major additions during the summer while also allowing several key players to leave.
Premier League clubs smash spending record
The three deals were part of a transfer window that demonstrated the extraordinary financial power of the Premier League.
By the close of the window, English top-flight clubs had spent approximately £3.49bn, comfortably surpassing the previous record of £3.14bn set the previous summer.
Four Premier League transfers alone exceeded the £100m mark during the window: Enzo Fernández, Bradley Barcola, Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson.
Manchester City led the spending, while Chelsea and Tottenham were also among the clubs to invest heavily.
The extraordinary spending ensured that the 2026 summer window ended as one of the most expensive and dramatic transfer periods in football history, with clubs continuing to spend huge sums in their pursuit of domestic and European success.
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