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African Games

PENALTY DRAMA AS FLYING EAGLES TRIUMPH INTO AFRICAN GAMES FINAL

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are through to the final match of the African Games after a hectic 120-minute battle with Mali.

The Nigerian side survived the tough encounter under intense heat and scaled through 4-3 on penalties after a goalless encounter.

The score line speaks little about the tension. It was a drama of penalties.

Perhaps the penalty kick miss by Nigeria’s skipper, Ibrahim Abubakar was an indication to the drama that unfolded after the regulation and extra time.

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With score line at 0-0, the tie had to be broken by penalty shootout. One after the other, the two teams missed their kicks thrice in a row.

It was in Nigeria’s fourth kick, by Abubakar Ibrahim that the ball first entered the net. The Malians also scored theirs before Success Makanjuola scored fifth kick.

In sudden death, Samuel Nnochiri and Adesina Gata scored just as their Malian opposite numbers. But after Adewale Oladoye scored, Mali’s next kick was saved by the inspired Ogundare to take Nigeria to Friday’s final

Encounters of Mali and Nigeria at the U-20 level had in recent time ended in penalty shoot-out. At the CAF U20 championship in Niger earlier this year, both played 1-1 in the semi-finals. But Mali triumphed on penalties.

Last year, both met in the WAFU Cup. The game ended 1-1 with Nigeria victorious 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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African Games

BREAKING! Accra 2023 African Games Chieftain is dead

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Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, who superintended the 13th African Games held in Accra Ghana in February has died.

He was the Chief Operating Officer of the Accra 2023  Local Organising Committee (LOC).

According to sources in Ghana, Dr. Owusu-Ansah was a sports administrator and coach, and thus left behind, a significant legacy in the world of sports.

Dr Owusu-Ansah, a former Chief Executive of the National Sports Authority (NSA), was widely regarded as an encyclopaedia of sports knowledge.

Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Owusu-Ansah, a former national chief athletics coach, authored the best-selling book “Principles of Abundant Living.”

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He played a pivotal role in establishing the Department of Sports Studies at the College of Education at the University of Ghana. Additionally, he served as the Director of the Sports Directorate at the University of Ghana, Legon.

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African Games

ASFU mourns African Games 2023 chief executive, Owusu-Ansah  

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The Africa Students Football Union (ASFU) has expressed condolences over the passing of a  patron of the union, Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, who served as the COO of the just concluded 13th Africa Games held in Ghana.

Dr. Owusu-Ansah’s death was announced on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

According to a release by the executive secretary of the union, Femi Abioye, Owusu-Ansah until his death contributed immensely to sports development on the continent and the world at large.

He left an indelible impact on the lives of students-athletes coupled with sports administration across Africa countries.

The ASFU’s President, Prof. Oluwaseun Omotayo, who was shocked at the news of the demise of Dr. Owusu-Ansah described the deceased as a pillar, saying his departure has left a great vacuum in sports management.

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He relished the deceased contribution and unwavering dedication to ASFU, saying the Union would miss the deceased.

“We will miss Dr. Owusu-Ansah, whose contribution to sports, knew no bounds. He was always ready to serve. He helped build the Union and was pivotal to the Union programmes. We will surely miss him,” he said.

He extended the Union condolences to all those affected by this loss, praying God grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

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African Games

A milestone as Egypt becomes the first country to get 100 gold medals in African Games

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A milestone as Egypt becomes the first country to get 100 gold medals in African Games

As the curtain is drawn on the 13th African Games in Egypt, the traditional overall winners, have this time hit a milestone.

They have become the first to hit a 100 gold medal mark in the 59 year history of the games.

As at Saturday morning, they have amassed 101 gold medals, 54 more than that of the second placed Nigeria

The biggest star of the Egyptian team  is swimmer Marwan Elkamash, who won five gold medals in the men’s 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m and 4x200m relays, all in freestyle.

But medal haul is still short that that of his compatriot, Faten Afifi who fished out seven gold medals from the pool.

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