Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a confident and free-scoring Comoros side in the next round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the island nation completed a staggering 30-0 aggregate demolition of Sudan.

Comoros sealed their passage to the next stage with a 13-0 victory in the second leg of their first-round tie, having already recorded a commanding win in the opening match. The result saw the Coelacanthes score an extraordinary 30 goals across the two legs without conceding a single goal.

The emphatic triumph has generated excitement around the rapidly improving Comoros women’s national team, but a much sterner examination now awaits against Africa’s most successful women’s football nation.

Nigeria, ten-time African champions and one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, enter the next round as overwhelming favourites. However, Comoros’ remarkable scoring exploits against Sudan suggest they will arrive with growing confidence and belief.

The Coelacanthes dominated both encounters from start to finish, displaying clinical finishing and defensive solidity that left Sudan with no answer. Their tally of 30 goals over two matches represents an astonishing average of 15 goals per game.

For Nigeria, the fixture will mark the beginning of another quest for Olympic qualification after missing out on the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Super Falcons, who recently impressed in their international friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne, boast vastly greater experience and pedigree than their upcoming opponents. The nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions have consistently been among the continent’s strongest teams and remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national side.

Comoros coach Youssouf Abdallah has described his team’s performances against Sudan as evidence of the progress being made within the squad, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a true measure of their development.

While Comoros’ record-breaking victory has captured attention across African football, the challenge of overcoming Nigeria represents a significant leap in quality. The Super Falcons have traditionally dominated lower-ranked African opponents and will be expected to continue their march towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The dates for the second-round qualifiers are expected to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the winners advancing further in the race for a place at the Olympic Games in the United States.

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Akwa Ibom State’s growing stature as one of Nigeria’s leading sports development hubs received another endorsement on Monday as taekwondo star Uyama Udobong was formally presented to the Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, following his gold medal-winning performance at the National Taekwondo Open Trials in Ogun State.

Udobong emerged champion in the men’s -87kg category, securing qualification for upcoming international competitions and further highlighting the success of the state’s investment in grassroots and elite sports development.

The athlete was received at the Ministry of Sports headquarters alongside officials of the Akwa Ibom State Taekwondo Association, where the Commissioner commended him and his coaches for bringing honour to the state.

Elder Bassey said the achievement aligned with the vision of Governor Umo Eno’s administration to discover, nurture and develop sporting talents capable of competing successfully on the national and international stages.

“The Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, whom I represent, is proud of this achievement. His administration is intentional about sports development, particularly at the grassroots level. His vision is to see Akwa Ibom children discover their talents, excel in their chosen sports, and project the state’s name on the global stage,” Bassey said.

The Commissioner described taekwondo as one of the sports that has consistently delivered medals for the state and assured athletes and officials of continued government support.

He also addressed concerns relating to travel documentation for international competitions, urging sports associations and athletes to engage the ministry early whenever invitations or competition notifications are received.

“When notifications are brought to the Ministry on time, it becomes easier for us to provide the required support through the appropriate channels. Notwithstanding, we will do everything within our capacity to facilitate the travel documentation needed for this particular athlete’s participation in international competitions,” he said.

Earlier, Coach Henry Anietie and the Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Taekwondo Association, Mrs Stella Udi, formally presented Udobong’s gold medal to the Commissioner, describing the triumph as a successful fulfilment of the assignment entrusted to the state contingent.

The association officials expressed gratitude to the Akwa Ibom State Government, the Commissioner for Sports, the Permanent Secretary and other officials of the ministry for their continued support towards the development of taekwondo.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, Mrs Rosemary Ubia, congratulated the athlete and the association for making the state proud and urged them to remain focused on achieving greater success.

Director of Sports, Mrs Brigid Otton, described every medal won by Akwa Ibom athletes as a collective achievement for the state and the sports ministry.

She attributed the success to hard work, effective collaboration among stakeholders and divine favour, while expressing confidence that the state would record even greater achievements in future competitions.

Akwa Ibom’s impressive outing at the National Taekwondo Open Trials was further enhanced by Stella Gideon, who secured a bronze medal in the women’s -49kg category.

The state’s contingent returned from Ogun State with two medals from five athletes, reinforcing Akwa Ibom’s growing reputation as a fertile ground for the development of taekwondo and other sports in Nigeria.

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Iran’s national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the U.S. the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland ​Security said on Tuesday.

Media reports over the weekend had quoted the Iranian ‌ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, as saying that Iran’s team would have to enter and leave the U.S. the same day as they were playing, raising questions over logistics and whether it would ​affect team performance.

It was not the case that Iran would be forced to ​arrive the same day as their matches, a Department of Homeland ⁠Security spokesperson said.

“These statements are untrue,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Thanks to the ​generosity of President (Donald) Trump, the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before ​their matches.”

The ambassador, speaking to Reuters in Tijuana via an interpreter on Monday, criticised U.S. officials for denying visas to some of the Iranian football federation staff but said that the ones that ​had been granted did not prevent them from staying overnight.

“Their visas don’t specify anything ​about them having to leave at a certain time,” he said.

After weeks of uncertainty, the U.S. awarded visas ‌to ⁠all the players on Friday, just 10 days before their first match.

But several members of the Iranian squad were not given visas, including “key managerial and administrative members,” according to Iran’s football federation. They include the team manager, two team analysts, the media director and ​a representative of the ​Foreign Ministry, according ⁠to Iran’s embassy in Mexico.

Iran is due to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on ​June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The ​players were ⁠originally slated to train in Arizona, but that was changed after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.

Trump said in March that Iran was welcome to participate in the ⁠World ​Cup but that he did not believe it was ​appropriate for Iran’s team to stay in the U.S. “for their own life and safety.”

-Reuters

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