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Olympic Games: Basketball Fans Back D’Tigress To Survive Group Of Death

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Olympic Games: Basketball Fans Back D’Tigress To Survive Group Of Death—-Basketball fans in Lagos have expressed the hope that Nigeria’s Senior National Women’s team, D’Tigress, will survive their Group of Death at the forthcoming Olympics in France.

They also told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that D’Tigress would need to work very hard to excell in their Group B which included Canada, Australia and the host country, France.

For Micheal Ezechie, a basketball fan, the right combination of players by Coach Rena Wakama would play a key role in Nigeria’s qualification from their group.

He also told NAN that the quality of players the head coach would assemble would be very helpful to the team’s overall performance.

“The Group B encounter with teams like Australia, Canada and France is definitely a tough one because the three teams are in the top 10 in International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA’s) rankings.

“For D’Tigress to qualify from the group, their level of hard work and preparations must be well-defined to make any impact.

“They must invite top quality international players who know what they can achieve and begin early preparations for the team to gel properly,” Ezechie said.

Also, Anthony Adekoya, another basketball fan, said the D’Tigress have proven their quality over time and are no strangers to major competition.

“It’s a tough group, but I have good confidence in the team’s capacity and capabilities to achieve a good outing at the coming Olympics Games in France.

“D’Tigress are no strangers to major competition. As they carry the African hope, they must rise to the occasion and do the nation proud,” Adekoya said.

Similarly, Chinedu Okoro, a fan of D’Tigress, said that the team would surprise many at the Olympics.

He said the team have the capacity to win one or two matches with its top notch players plying their trade at the international and major leagues in Europe and in the U.S.

“It’s a matter of training well for the competition. It is not an impossible feat for them to beat highly rated teams in world of basketball.

“With good determination and good team work D’Tigress should be able to pull some strings at the coming Olympics,” Okoro said.

Currently ranked 12th in the world, Nigeria are the sole flag bearer from Africa in the women’s basketball tournament while South Sudan is holding it down for the men at the Olympic Games.

Under the stewardship of coach Wakama D’Tigress, without a good camping programme, managed to secure a place at the Games.

D’Tigress defeated Senegal and lost to USA and Belgium during the play-off in Antwerp, Belgium in February.

D’Tigress finished 11th in their outings at the last two Olympic Games.

Nigeria will begin their quest for Olympic glory against Australia on July 29 before meeting France on the Aug. 1.

Their final match in the group stage will be against Canada.

Serbia, Spain, China and Paraguay are in Group A while World Champions USA, Germany, Belgium and Japan are the teams in Group C.

The top two teams in each of the group plus two best third countries will advance to the quarter-finals.

The draws have intensified the anticipation of this year’s Olympic Games Basketball Tournaments which will be held from July 27 to Aug. 11 in France.

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Tottenham Agree Club-Record £100m Deal for Sandro Tonali From Newcastle United

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Tottenham Agree Club-Record £100m Deal for Sandro Tonali From Newcastle United—-Spurs have reached an agreement with Newcastle United for the Italy international, with Roberto De Zerbi landing his top midfield target in a blockbuster deal worth up to £100 million.

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a club-record £100 million deal with Newcastle United to sign Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali, in what is set to become one of the biggest transfers of the summer window. The agreement is understood to be worth an initial £92.5 million, with a further £7.5 million in performance-related add-ons.

The 26-year-old is expected to sign a long-term contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after agreeing personal terms. Tonali is reportedly set to become one of the club’s highest-paid players, with manager Roberto De Zerbi playing a pivotal role in convincing his fellow Italian to make the move to North London.

De Zerbi identified Tonali as the cornerstone of his midfield rebuild, believing the Italy international possesses the technical quality, leadership and tactical intelligence needed to transform Spurs into Premier League and UEFA Champions League contenders. The pair share a close footballing philosophy, with sources indicating Tonali was persuaded by De Zerbi’s long-term vision for the club.

Tonali joined Newcastle United from AC Milan in 2023 for around £55 million and quickly became one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders. Although his first season in England was interrupted by a 10-month suspension for breaches of betting regulations, he returned strongly and helped Newcastle end their long wait for major silverware by winning the Carabao Cup before re-establishing himself as one of the league’s elite central midfielders.

For Newcastle, the sale represents a substantial profit and provides significant financial flexibility as the club continues to reshape its squad. Reports suggest Eddie Howe’s side are already targeting replacements, including Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Touré and Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi, while also exploring further additions before the new season begins.

The acquisition of Tonali signals Tottenham’s intent under De Zerbi. The Italian midfielder is expected to become the centerpiece of a revamped Spurs side aiming to challenge for domestic honours and compete strongly in Europe. Once the medical and final paperwork are completed, Tonali will officially become Tottenham’s most expensive signing in the club’s history, eclipsing all previous transfer records.

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JUST IN: Folarin Balogun Scores but Sees Red as USA Beat Bosnia to Reach World Cup Round of 16

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JUST IN: Folarin Balogun Scores but Sees Red as USA Beat Bosnia to Reach World Cup Round of 16—-The USMNT defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in Santa Clara to book a last-16 clash with Belgium, but the victory was overshadowed by Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card after the striker had opened the scoring.

The United States booked their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a determined 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, overcoming the dismissal of star striker Folarin Balogun to continue their impressive run on home soil.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side endured a nervy start at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium as Bosnia threatened through Ermedin Demirović, forcing goalkeeper Matt Freese into two excellent early saves. Despite Bosnia’s bright opening, the hosts gradually settled into the contest, dominating possession and creating the better opportunities.

The breakthrough came just before halftime in the 45th minute. A high press forced Bosnia into surrendering possession near midfield, and after Malik Tillman’s attempted pass deflected kindly into Balogun’s path, the Monaco striker calmly slotted a left-footed finish beyond the goalkeeper to score his third goal of the tournament. The strike made Balogun only the third American player to score three or more goals in a single FIFA World Cup.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when Balogun was shown a straight red card following a VAR review. Referee Raphael Claus upgraded the incident to serious foul play after reviewing Balogun’s challenge on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemović, leaving the United States to play the remainder of the match with ten men. The dismissal means Balogun will miss the Round of 16 clash against Belgium through suspension.

Despite the setback, the Americans showed tremendous resilience. With Bosnia pushing forward in search of an equalizer, Malik Tillman produced a moment of brilliance in the 82nd minute, curling a superb free-kick into the top corner to double the lead and effectively seal qualification. Matt Freese completed an outstanding evening by preserving his clean sheet with several key saves late in the contest.

The victory sends the United States into the Round of 16, where they will meet Belgium in Seattle in one of the standout ties of the knockout stage. However, Pochettino will be without his leading scorer after Balogun’s dismissal, a significant blow as the co-hosts aim to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.

While Balogun’s evening ended in disappointment, his goal proved crucial in setting the United States on course for victory. Combined with Tillman’s spectacular free-kick and a disciplined defensive display, it was enough to keep the Americans’ World Cup dream alive as they prepare for their toughest test yet against Belgium.

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