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Lampard Gives Super Eagles Fans Fitness Boost, Confirms Onyeka Back in Training Ahead of Iran and Jordan Friendlies

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Super Eagles fans monitoring Frank Onyeka’s availability for Nigeria’s upcoming March internationals have received a timely boost, with Coventry City manager Frank Lampard confirming the midfielder is back in training and tracking well toward full match fitness.

Onyeka had raised injury concerns after receiving a series of heavy challenges during Coventry’s defeat to Southampton at the CBS Arena — an outing that left his availability for both club and country in some doubt. Despite the uncertainty, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle held his nerve and kept faith in the 28-year-old, naming him in Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the March friendly fixtures against Iran and Jordan.

Lampard moved to ease those concerns ahead of Coventry’s Championship clash against Swansea City. The former Chelsea midfielder revealed that Onyeka had resumed training earlier in the week and could be available for selection at the Swansea.com Stadium — a swift and encouraging turnaround from the injury scare that had briefly clouded his immediate prospects.

The update will be welcomed in equal measure by Coventry and by the Super Eagles coaching staff. Since arriving on loan from Brentford during the winter transfer window, Onyeka has quickly embedded himself as a central figure in Lampard’s system — his relentless pressing, ball recovery, and tactical discipline giving Coventry a balance and intensity in midfield that has underpinned their push toward Premier League promotion.

Onyeka’s importance to Coventry’s promotion challenge has been underlined by a remarkable early run of form — the Sky Blues won all four Championship matches in which he featured following his arrival, cementing his status as one of Lampard’s most important players.

For the Super Eagles, the timing of his return to fitness is critical. At 28 years old, this Championship season represents a pivotal window in Onyeka’s career to re-establish himself as a regular Super Eagles option, particularly after a positive AFCON 2025 showing in Morocco where his combative displays in midfield earned him strong reviews despite Nigeria’s exit from the tournament. Arriving in the national team camp match-ready, rather than carrying a fitness question mark, could determine the role he plays in the two friendlies that now serve as Nigeria’s first competitive opportunity to regroup following the heartbreaks of AFCON and the World Cup playoff elimination.

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WAFCON 2026: Cameroon Make History With First Title After 3-0 Win Over Malawi

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Cameroon have made history by winning their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title after defeating Malawi 3-0 in the 2026 final in Rabat, Morocco.

The Indomitable Lionesses produced a dominant first-half performance to secure the continental crown, with Marie Ngah scoring twice before Naomi Ndjoah Eto added the third goal.

The victory ends Cameroon’s long wait for the women’s continental championship. The team had previously reached the final on three occasions but failed to lift the trophy. Their fourth appearance in the final finally delivered the title.

Ngah’s Double Puts Cameroon in Control

Cameroon established control of the final during the opening half, with Ngah finding the net twice to put her side in a commanding position.

Eto then completed the scoring, giving Cameroon a three-goal advantage before the interval. Malawi were unable to produce a comeback as Cameroon’s defence maintained its composure throughout the second half.

The result was particularly significant for Malawi, who were appearing in the WAFCON tournament for the first time and had produced one of the competition’s biggest surprises by reaching the final.

Historic Run for Malawi

Malawi’s journey to the final was remarkable considering their ranking and lack of previous WAFCON final experience. Ranked 153rd in the world, they became the lowest-ranked team to reach a WAFCON final.

The Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, were among the key figures behind Malawi’s impressive campaign, with their goals helping the team advance deep into the competition.

Although they ultimately fell short against Cameroon, Malawi’s run represented a landmark achievement for women’s football in the country.

Cameroon Overcome Nigeria and Morocco

Cameroon’s path to the trophy included victories over two of the tournament’s leading teams.

The Indomitable Lionesses eliminated defending champions Nigeria in the quarter-finals before overcoming hosts Morocco in the semi-finals. They then completed their remarkable campaign by defeating Malawi in the final.

Cameroon also finished the tournament with one of the strongest defensive records, conceding only two goals throughout the competition and none during the knockout stage.

Ngock Named Woman of the Competition

Cameroon’s Monique Ngock was named the Woman of the Competition after an outstanding tournament.

Ngock played a key role in Cameroon’s successful campaign, starting five of their six matches and contributing an assist during the tournament.

Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, meanwhile, finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner, highlighting the individual quality that helped drive Malawi’s historic campaign.

Cameroon’s triumph marks a new chapter in the country’s women’s football history and gives the Indomitable Lionesses their long-awaited first WAFCON crown.

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Jessica Oji Makes History With World U20 Shot Put Gold for Nigeria

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Nigeria’s Jessica Oji has achieved a historic milestone at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, winning gold in the women’s shot put and becoming the country’s first-ever champion in a field event at the competition.

The 19-year-old produced a winning mark of 18.08 metres to secure the title in impressive fashion. Oji was the only competitor in the final to surpass the 18-metre barrier, underlining her dominance throughout the competition.

Oji opened the final with an 18.05m throw before improving to her winning distance of 18.08m. She followed that with 17.95m and 18.07m, while two of her attempts were recorded as fouls. Her consistency was enough to keep her ahead of the field and secure the gold medal.

The victory marks a breakthrough for Nigeria in the field events at the World U20 Championships. Before Oji’s triumph, the country’s previous field-event medals at the competition were Esther Aghatise’s long-jump silver in 2002 and Chinecherem Nnamdi’s javelin bronze in 2021.

Oji’s achievement comes during an extraordinary year in which she switched her international allegiance from the United States to Nigeria. She has quickly established herself as one of the country’s brightest young field-event talents.

Her World U20 triumph also comes shortly after another major international achievement. Oji won silver at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding a senior-level medal to her growing collection before claiming the world junior title in Oregon.

The historic performance provides another major boost for Nigerian athletics, particularly in the field events, where the country has traditionally enjoyed greater success in sprinting and jumping disciplines. At just 19, Oji has already created a new chapter in Nigeria’s World U20 championship history.

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Infantino Receives Backing to Remain FIFA President After Crisis Meeting

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received strong backing from senior football officials following an emergency meeting convened to address mounting concerns over his leadership. The meeting ended with broad internal support for Infantino to continue serving as president of world football’s governing body.

The crisis meeting was called after weeks of criticism surrounding FIFA’s governance and decision-making. Despite the pressure, members of FIFA’s leadership expressed confidence in Infantino, describing him as the right person to guide the organisation through its current challenges.

According to officials who attended the meeting, there were no formal moves to remove Infantino from office. Instead, participants agreed that maintaining stability within FIFA was essential as the organisation continues preparations for major international competitions and pursues ongoing reforms.

Infantino thanked FIFA officials for their confidence and reiterated his commitment to strengthening transparency, promoting the growth of football worldwide and delivering successful tournaments. He also pledged to continue working with member associations to address concerns raised during the discussions.

The outcome of the meeting effectively reinforces Infantino’s position as FIFA president, easing immediate uncertainty over the organisation’s leadership while attention shifts back to the sport’s global calendar and upcoming competitions.

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