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African Games

NIGERIA SEEKS 1ST AFRICAN GAMES’ FOOTBALL FINAL SLOT IN 41 YEARS

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, RABAT

When Nigeria’s Flying Eagles seek to fly over Mali in this Tuesday’s semi-final football match of the African Games, they will be seeking a revenge for their semi-final loss to the Malians in the CAF U-20 Nations Cup earlier this year.

But more importantly, it is to get to the final of the African Games. If they do so, it will be the first time Nigeria will play the final match since their 0-1 loss to Algeria in 1978.

Despite Nigeria’s pedigree, the gold medal of the football event had been elusive for 46 years since the then Green Eagles won the 1973 edition on home soil.

To get to this stage this time around, the Flying Eagles drew with Burkina Faso (1-1) and Morocco (2-2) and defeated South Africa (2-1) to reach the last four at this tournament.

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To the seven-time African champions, the Malians are kind of familiar customers, after both teams also clashed in the semi finals of this year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Niger Republic. The encounter ended 1-1 in regulation and extra time but the Malians triumphed after penalty shoot-out.  

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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