Sports Zone 08-04-2024

Enjoy the crew banter and discuss different stories around the world;

- Day 2 of MTN CHAMPS Ibadan witnessed a thrilling display of athletic prowess at both Lekan Salami Stadium and the University of Ibadan Sports Complex on Saturday.

- Team Nigeria boxing head coach, Tony Konyegwachie, has expressed his displeasure over non payment of allowances to some of the boxers who won laurels for the country at the 13th African Games in Ghana.

- Anthony Joshua has confirmed he will return to the ring in September following his KO win against Francis Ngannou.

- The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) says it is "considering multiple proposals" to host the event in 2026, amid continued uncertainty over its long-term future.

- Max Verstappen cruised to a comfortable victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, leading team-mate Sergio Perez to a Red Bull one-two.

- The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has rallied behind the Super Falcons, urging them to break the 16-year jinx that has kept Nigeria out of the Olympic Games Female Football event.

- Captain Rasheedat Ajibade is confident that the Super Falcons will earn a ticket to the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Paris, France despite the threat from South Africa’s Banyana Banyana

- The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has banned for life a referee Zaharadeen Nasiru from Katsina State and his assistant Usman Auwalu of Borno State over their poor handling of the Nigeria National League (NNL) week 17 fixture between Jigawa Golden Stars and Sporting Supreme in Dutse.'

- Nigerian club Rivers United’s dream of reaching the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals was shattered after a 2-0 defeat to USM Alger in the second leg of their quarter-final clash on Sunday night.

- This year’s men and women Federation Cup competitions will enter into a new gear on Thursday with the national play-off matches, which will be held in five cities in the Federation.

- The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) wishes to announce the postponement of Matchweeks 13 and 14 of the NWFL Premiership to April 17th and April 24th respectively.

- A seven-goal thriller ensued at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium as Katsina United ended Rangers International's 10-game unbeaten run in a scintillating fashion.

- Ajax’s disastrous season hit a new low on Sunday when they suffered a humiliating 6-0 defeat to bitter rivals Feyenoord in Rotterdam, their largest ever loss in De Klassieker and the joint-fifth biggest defeat in the club’s history.

- Jürgen Klopp lamented Liverpool’s draw at Manchester United in a game they “should have won” and declared he was ready to support his club’s fiercest rivals against ­Arsenal after surrendering the initiative in the ­Premier League title race.

- Martin Ødegaard has insisted Arsenal do not fear anyone as they prepare to face Bayern Munich on Tuesday in the Champions League ­quarter-final in scintillating form.