Sports

KING RONALDO Sets the Tone for Russia 2018 World Cup

Published

7 years ago

June 16, 2018

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Cristiano Rionaldo scored a hat trick, the 51st in his soccer career, to prevent his team, Portugal, from suffering an impending defeat against Spain at the ongoing Russia 2018 World Cup.

His last free-kick that gave Portugal the equalizer was in exercise in determination and professionalism. Everything about that kick suggests goal – He pulled his shorts to lap level, took one last look at the ball on the floor, gazed un-distracted at the goal…the exact place he wanted the ball to go. His focus, passion, attention and committment were deposited in the kick, and no one was surprised when it curved all the way and hit the back of the net. That was was vintage C. Ronaldo.

The Portuguese captain, put in an effort that sets the real tone for a real World Cup and hailed his three goals as ‘personal best’.

Ronaldo produced a display of individual brilliance, as his side avoided defeat in their 2018 World Cup opening fixture against La Roja.

The Real Madrid forward opened the scoring with a penalty, before Diego Costa levelled with a fine solo effort.

Ronaldo made it 2-1 before the break, but Costa struck again in the second half. Nacho slammed in a stunner to make it 3-2.

Ronaldo was on target again late on to rescue the equaliser with a brilliant free-kick.

“I always believed in myself, I work for this,” he told RTP after the final whistle.

“I want to highlight the team’s response, we played until the end, we did not shy away from the fight. The draw was fair.”

He later told reporters of his hat-trick: “I’m very happy. It’s a personal best. It’s a great moment. One more in my career.

“But what’s more important is how the team played. We were playing a great team. In my opinion, it was a fair result. Obviously we are very happy because the game was about to end and we managed to equalise. It was a hard-fought game.

“We are not the favourites but we are candidates. We will do our best. Now we will try to win on Wednesday against Morocco so we can move on to the next stage. I think the team is doing very well.”

Sports

FirstBank Elephant Girls Win in Zone 3, Qualify for WBLA Final Round

Published

1 day ago

December 8, 2025

Eric

FirstBank Basketball Club of Nigeria, popularly known as the “Elephant Girls”, have secured their spot in the final round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA), scheduled to hold in Cairo, Egypt from 5-14 December 2025.

The Elephant Girls put up a commanding performance at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, winning all three games. Representing Nigeria as the country’s sole team in the tournament, they overcame fierce competition from Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin Republic, Ghana, and Togo in the Zone. Their undefeated run included a 66–55 upset against home favourites CSA of Côte d’Ivoire and a thrilling 63–59 comeback win against FBA of Côte d’Ivoire, after trailing by 20 points in the second quarter.

The remarkable performance, marked by resilience, discipline skill, and mental strength, earned the team a triumphant return to continental basketball after a six-year absence. Emerging as champions of Zone 3 and the only English-speaking team to advance, the Elephant Girls have reaffirmed FirstBank’s long-standing commitment to promoting women’s sports in Nigeria and across Africa.

Speaking on the qualification, FirstBank’s Group Head, Human Capital Management and Development and Chairman of the Sports Council, Olumuyiwa Olulaja, said: “We are incredibly proud of the Elephant Girls for their outstanding performance. They have once again shown the world the strength, resilience, and excellence that define FirstBank.

“At FirstBank, we are committed to continuing our support for sports in Nigeria and Africa, and this victory is a significant step forward in our mission to promote excellence in sports on the continental and global stage,” he added.

The Elephant Girls had advanced to represent Nigeria at the WBLA Qualifiers for FIBA Africa Zone 3, following an impressive Silver Medal finish at the Zenith Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Premier League.

With their place secured in Cairo, the Elephant Girls are poised to showcase their talent on the continental stage once again, carrying the pride of Nigeria and the FirstBank brand as they aim to make history in the Final Round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa.

Sports

Morocco’s Hakimi Wins Africa Football Player of the Year Award

Published

3 weeks ago

November 20, 2025

Eric

Morocco and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi has been crowned the Confederation of African Football Men’s Player of the Year Award for 2025, edging out finalists Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool) and Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray).

The announcement came on Wednesday during the glittering CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat, Morocco, where Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain right-back, was the only finalist in attendance, adding to the electric atmosphere.

This marks a historic breakthrough for Hakimi, after finishing as runner-up in both 2023 and 2024 (behind Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, respectively), the 27-year-old has finally claimed Africa’s top individual football honour.

It’s also the first win for a Moroccan since Mustapha Hadji in 1998, and only the fourth for a defender in the award’s modern history.

Sports

Heartbreak As Congo Ends Super Eagles 2026 World Cup Dreams

Published

3 weeks ago

November 17, 2025

Eric

The Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup dream suffered a major blow on Sunday as DR Congo advanced to the intercontinental playoff following a dramatic penalty shootout at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying ended in heartbreaking fashion, marking the second consecutive year the Super Eagles will miss out on the world stage.

The match ended 1–1 after 120 minutes of regulation and extra time, sending the high-stakes encounter to penalties.

Nigeria initially went ahead through Frank Onyeka in the third minute, but DR Congo equalised in the 32nd minute through M. Elia.

Extra time saw both teams create chances, with Tolu Arokodare missing a header for Nigeria and Nwabali making a crucial save from a DR Congo free kick, but neither side could break the deadlock.

The tension continued into the penalty shootout.

Nigeria’s Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon missed early chances, while Nwabali denied DR Congo’s first penalty.

Akor Adams kept the Super Eagles alive, but DR Congo struck back through Sadique and later scored the decisive fourth penalty, leaving Nigeria trailing 4–3 in the shootout.

The victory sets up DR Congo for a chance to secure one of the final World Cup tickets to the expanded 48-team tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Nigeria’s defeat marked the second consecutive year the Super Eagles will miss out on the world stage.

Both teams had earned their places in the final after dramatic semi-finals.

Nigeria had booked their place in the final with a dramatic 4–1 extra-time win over Gabon in Thursday’s semi-final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.

DR Congo also advanced with a 1–0 victory over Cameroon at the Al Barid Stadium the same evening.

The Leopards now await their intercontinental playoff opponent, keeping alive their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup, while the Super Eagles’ campaign comes to an agonising end in Rabat.