IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

...as NDDC Clocks 25, Niger Delta Sports Commissioners Brainstorm In PH

Gov. Hope Uzodinma Of Imo State, Has Assured The Management Of The Niger Delta Developments Commission, NDDC, And The Organizers Of The Maiden Edition Of The Niger Delta Sports Festival, Of The Full Supports Of His Administration, And The Participation Of Imo Contingents To The Festival.

The Niger Delta Sports Festival Has Been Slated For 1st Through 8th Of April, 2025 In Uyo, Akwa Ibom State As The Host State.

Speaking Through His Commissioner For Sports, Hon. Obinna Onyeocha, Uzodinma Lauded The Pilot Initiative Of The Sports Festival In The Region, Thanked The Organizers And The NDDC For The Initiative, Adding That The Festival Would Help The Development Of Sports In The Region, As Well As Discover More Sporting Talents.

This Is Even As Commissioners Of Sports From The Nine (9) States Of The Niger Delta, Friday, Gathered At The NDDC Headquarters In Port Harcourt To Brainstorm On Modalities For The Hosting Of The Festival.

This Maiden Edition Of The Niger Delta Sports Festival Is A Sports Development Initiative Of The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Coming As Part Of Its Events For The 25 Years Anniversary Of The Existence Of The Commission.

Addressing The Participating  Commissioners At The Meeting, Dunamis Icons; The Consultant Said The Event Is Aimed At Re-awakening And Reviving The Region's Sporting Potentials And Dominance In The Country. 

The Consultant Also Unveiled The 'Dolphin' As The Mascot For The Festival, Which Is Also Chosen To Be Addressed As "Bros".

"The Niger Delta Is Largely Influenced By The Sea, And One Of The Biggest Characters In The Sea Is The Dolphin, Which Itself, Has Human Semblances. 

"Dolphin Is A Friend To Human Beings, And Are Always Available To Defend Man When Under  Attack By Sharks As Well As Entertain Us. 

"So, We As Niger Deltans, We Are The Defenders Of This Country. We Are The Oil That Runs The Engine Of Nigeria", Also Explained Mr. Fred Edorah, The Director Of Organization,  And A Partner To Dunamis Icons.

Earlier In His Address, The Chairman Of The Meeting, Hon. Boma Iyaye; The Execuve Director, Finance And Administration (EDFA), NDDC Hinted That The NDDC Is Taking Up A 95% Sponsorship Of The Festival For All The States Participating In The Festival, While The States Take Care Of The Remaining 5%. 

He Directed The Commissioners To Set Up Their State Organizing Committees To Help Work In Synch With The Consultant For The Success Of The Festival.

He Charged Them To Commence Immediate Actions At The State Levels, Using The Next Two Months For The Preparations Of Athletes For The Festival.

Under pressure Heartland Queens will throw in everything in her for the much sought after three points against nextdoor neighbours, Abia Angels in the oriental derby slated for the hallowed chamber of the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. The derby is the 2024/2025 NWFL Premiership matchday 3 game. 

Prior to Wednesday's dugout, the premier leaguers experienced mixed fortunes in matchday 2 games. While the Owerri landladies succumbed 1-2 to the superior fire power of the reigning champions, Edo Queens in Owerri, the Angels from Umuahia, the quiet capital city of Abia state, were imperial in their three unanswered goals thrashing of former champions, Nasarawa Amazons right there at their backyard in Umuahia.

In the immediate past season both neighbours campaigned in the same eight-team Group A, while the Owerri mainstreams thrashed her oriental sisters home and away and went ahead to play in her maiden premium Super Six playoffs in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, the Umuahia side, nay Aba side then, practically sweated in her panties to avoid the drop on the last day match of the season.

In the buildups for the ongoing season, both topflights participated in the topmost preseasons, Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament (BOWFT) in Benin City and Sheroes Cup in FCT, Abuja but somehow managed to avoid a potential fierce faceoff by some whiskers.

However, things look prettier for the Angels at the moment than their auspicious hosts, after two rounds of matches in the two-week old topflight, the Owerri side are haplessly without a point in her kitty while the Umuahia side are up high on the ladder with princely three points.

Apart from the mixed experiences and fortunes, there are other factors that will come into play to shape the direction the pendulum will swing on Wednesday. Last season, the helms woman at Abia Angels, Adanna Nwaneri, who is on a second missionary journey right there at the Umuahia Angels, was a deputy to the gaffer at Heartland Queens, Obi Ogbala. In the Umuahia side's rosters can be found severally capped and dressed Owerri side's players still frolicking and enjoying the lollypops.

The Owerri side gaffer, Ogbala, not known for too many words, and who plays the heart game with his selection for each match, is surely going to come up with a potent lineup that will give him victory and the very first points of the season. Of late, he has been juggling with the experienced and youthfulness, the experiment is likely to continue but this time around will certainly achieve the desired result.

Victory for the Owerri side against her oriental neighbours, Abia Angels will be a huge boost to her next week long road trip at the 2024 Sheroes Cup winners and two-season campaigners, Remo Stars Ladies in the NWFL Premiership matchday 4 game in Ikenne, Ogun state. 

Heartland Queens Media

The Super Falcons are to face England in the round of 16 at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Nigeria finished runners-up in Group B with five points after a goalless draw with Ireland on Monday.

A day after that, the Lionesses trounced China 1-6 to confirm the matchup with Coach Randy Waldrum’s girls. England, the European champions, finished winners of Group D with nine points while Denmark got six points to come second on the log. The Danes play co-hosts Australia in the next game.

Nigeria’s round of 16 game against the Lionesses is billed for Monday, August 7th, 2023 by 8:30 am.

Former Italy goalkeeper and World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football aged 45. He wrote on social media: "That's all folks. You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together."

Buffon brings an end to a 28-year career that saw him lift the World Cup in 2006 along with 10 Serie A titles with Juventus and Ligue 1 with Paris St-Germain. He ends his career where it began in 1995, at Parma, now a Serie B club. Buffon, who had a deal with Parma until 2024, made 19 appearances last season as he struggled with injuries.

He began his career at Parma's academy and made his Serie A debut for the club in November 1995 before joining Juventus in 2001, where he spent most of his career, despite a stint at PSG in 2018-19.

He made a record 657 appearances in the Italian top flight and is the most-capped goalkeeper of all time with 176 appearances for Italy.

Chelsea 1-1 Borussia Dortmund: Mauricio Pochettino hopes Christopher Nkunku injury is not "big issue"

Boss Mauricio Pochettino hopes an injury suffered by striker Christopher Nkunku is not a "big issue" as Chelsea drew 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund to end their pre-season US tour undefeated. Mason Burstow scored a 90th-minute equaliser for Chelsea after Marius Wolf gave Dortmund the lead in Chicago.

£52m signing Nkunku, 25, went off in the 22nd minute after appearing to injure his knee when he was tackled. The pitch at Chicago's Soldier Field was in poor condition. Areas were patchy and worn after the stadium, home to the NFL's Chicago Bears, was used for an Ed Sheeran concert attended by 73,000 people last weekend. "The doctors are checking him," explained Pochettino, who felt the tackle which forced Nkunku off "maybe" should have resulted in a penalty.

"He had the chance to score but he feels something in his knee. "Hopefully it is not a big issue and that he can be quick with the team. We need a few days to assess him and until we get back to London it is difficult to know. "Always we take some risks because the pitch is not perfect as they are using it for different sports and that is sometimes the risk of the tour.

"I think it was a bit unlucky in the situation but we cannot complain about the pitch and to blame the pitch for why he suffered the injury. For me, it was bad luck."

Newcastle United have signed AC Milan and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali for an undisclosed fee. The 23-year-old has signed a five-year contract, becoming Eddie Howe's first signing of the summer as his side prepares for Champions League football.

Tonali helped Milan win Serie A in 2021-22 and was part of the side which reached last season's Champions League semi-finals. He is also a member of Italy's squad at the Under-21 European Championships. Tonali came through the ranks at Brescia and made his professional debut for them in Serie B at 17.

Brescia were promoted to Serie A in 2018-19 and, though the club was relegated the following season, Tonali made his Italy debut during that campaign when he came on as a substitute against Liechtenstein in October 2019. He joined AC Milan on loan in the summer of 2020 and, after making the move permanent the following year, scored five goals in 36 top-flight appearances as the club won the Italian title in 2022.

Tonali scored twice in 34 Serie A outings as the San Siro side finished fourth last season, while he made 12 appearances in the Champions League before Milan were knocked out by rivals Inter in the semi-finals.

Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign England midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea on a five-year contract for £55m, plus £5m in add-ons. Mount, 24, will be Erik ten Hag's first signing of the summer as he looks to strengthen his side following United's qualification for next season's Champions League.

Chelsea spent £600m last season and needed to sell before 30 June to ease Financial Fair Play concerns. Mount joined Chelsea aged six. Chelsea had rejected United's first three bids but talks between the two clubs resumed this week to resolve the impasse. It is understood Chelsea preferred not to lose Mount but were unable to successfully negotiate a new contract with his deal set to expire next year.

Mount, who has scored 33 goals in 195 appearances for Chelsea since making his senior debut in 2019, missed the end of the domestic season with injury as the Blues came 12th - their lowest finish for more than 25 years.

Qatari Giants, Al Sadd Sports Club will be offering Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho to the tune of £200,000 Per-Week if he agrees to join them according to a source monitoring players' transfer across Europe and Asia.

Iheanacho who regained form recently may want to leave the King Power Stadium in the summer in search of regular playing time as the Super Eagles step up preparations ahead of the AFCON 2024 tournament.

Al Sadd on the other hand would want to retain it's Qatar Super League Championship and also further push towards winning it's 2nd AFC championship; hence the need for a lucrative forward who can also double as an attacking Midfielder.

"Iheanacho if it pleases him may just be on his way to Asia in the summer," the source revealed to NPFL Updates correspondent Sunday evening.

"Al Sadd as well as Al Duhail SC is interested in the player with the first likely to win the race. A source close to the club, revealed to me that the club is willing to offer him(Iheanacho) to the tune of £200k Per-Week. That's how badly they needed him."

Morocco became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final and ended the hopes of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

All English and Northern Irish football and all professional Scottish football has been postponed this weekend as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Ten Premier League and six Scottish Premiership fixtures were scheduled.

EFL games were due to take place on Friday and Saturday, with six Women's Super League fixtures - the first of the season - on Saturday and Sunday. England's National League, FA Trophy and grassroots football is also off. Friday's play at golf's PGA Championship was called off, along with all British horse racing and cricket's Test between England and South Africa. British horse racing will remain off on Saturday and return on Sunday. 

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died on Thursday aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. The Premier League took the decision to honour the Queen's "extraordinary life and contribution to the nation" and said updates on future fixtures during the period of mourning "will be provided in due course". The league's chief executive Richard Masters said: "We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty's long and unwavering service to our country.

"This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her, and we join together with all those in mourning her passing." The government's national mourning guidance advised that cancelling fixtures was not obligatory, leaving the decision up to individual sports.

Wolves have launched an appeal to the Football Association after failing to gain a work permit for Diego Costa. Costa is travelling to Wolves' Compton training base as the Premier League club wait for news of their appeal.

The former Chelsea striker has been on trial with Wolves this week as the club look for cover following injuries to Sasa Kalajdzic and Raul Jimenez.

Costa, 33, is a free agent having been without a club since leaving Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro in January.

He has not played a professional game since 12 December and his lack of action in recent months meant he did not automatically qualify for a work permit.

Chelsea have sacked manager Thomas Tuchel following Tuesday's night's Champions League defeat by Dinamo Zagreb. The 49-year-old former Borussia Dortmund and Paris St-Germain boss leaves Stamford Bridge after 20 months. Owner Todd Boehly has placed Tuchel's coaching staff in temporary charge until a replacement is found.

A club statement said the owners believe it is "the right time" to bring in a new head coach. "As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the Club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition," the statement read.

"On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, the club would like to place on record its gratitude to Thomas and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the club. Thomas will rightly have a place in Chelsea's history after winning the Champions League, the Super Cup and Club World Cup in his time here."

Tuchel was appointed on 26 January, 2021, replacing Frank Lampard, and guided the club to their second Champions League title just four months later. He went on to add the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup later that year.

A remarkable summer transfer window closed on Thursday with a number of new spending records set - including the most expensive ever deadline-day signing in Manchester United's £82m purchase of Antony.

That deal helped set a new Premier League spending record of about £1.9bn - smashing the previous record of £1.4bn in 2017 - and dwarfing the rest of Europe. Nine of the 20 top-flight clubs spent in excess of £100m as total expenditure bounced back after two seasons of Covid-impacted decline.

Other records included:

 Premier League clubs spending more than Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A and the German Bundesliga combined

 Chelsea spending more in one window than any other club in Premier League history

 Manchester United smashing their own summer spending record

 Nottingham Forest signing more players in one summer than any other British club in history

The combined outlay of the 20 clubs during the window, which was open from 10 June until 1 September, was 67% higher than the previous summer's total of £1.1bn.

According to financial services firm Deloitte, the 2022-23 season already has the highest transfer spend since the two-window season began - exceeding the previous record of £1.86bn, set in 2017-18, by 3%. And that is before the January transfer window has even opened.

Chelsea have agreed a deal in principle worth £12m, plus defender Marcus Alonso, for Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to Guillem Balague.

Aubameyang scored 13 goals in 24 appearances for Barca after joining the Spanish club from Arsenal in January. He had a buyout clause of 100m euros (£83.4m) in his contract, but has only played eight minutes this season. The 33-year-old would be Chelsea's seventh summer signing.

The Blues have brought in French defender Wesley Fofana for a fee in the region of £70m, England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for £50m, Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £34m, English midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa for £20m, Spain left-back Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £60m and Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei from Inter Milan.

A deal for Aubameyang would mean Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly will have spent almost £250m in his first transfer window since buying the club from Roman Abramovich.

Manchester United have signed Brazil winger Antony from Ajax for an initial fee of 95m euros (£82m). The deal, which includes a potential 5m euros (£4.3m) of add-ons, is the fourth most expensive signing in Premier League history.

The 22-year-old has signed a contract until 2027, with the option of an additional year. "This is an incredible moment in my career to join one of the most iconic clubs in the world," said Antony.

"I'm thankful to everyone who has believed in me, especially my family, and all my coaches and team-mates, because I could not have got here without them.

"Playing under Erik ten Hag at Ajax was perfect for me and my development. His style of football and coaching brings out the best in me, and I am excited by what he has told me about his plans and ambitions in Manchester."