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Oshoala Apologises After Super Falcons’ WAFCON Defeat

Published

2 months ago

July 29, 2026

Oshoala apologises after WAFCON defeat as Nigeria’s Super Falcons reflect on Malawi loss and prepare for their next Group C match against Zambia

Nigeria forward Asisat Oshoala has apologised to supporters after the Super Falcons suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), describing the result as a warning ahead of their remaining group fixtures.

Also read: Malawi Ends Super Falcons’ WAFCON Record With Historic Win

The defending champions were beaten by tournament debutants Malawi at the Al Madina Stadium on Tuesday night, with the Chawinga sisters inspiring the Scorchers to a historic victory.

Temwa Chawinga scored twice, while captain Tabitha Chawinga added another goal as Malawi secured one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.

Nigeria responded through captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who converted a penalty, and substitute Uchenna Kanu, but the late comeback was not enough to prevent the Super Falcons from beginning their title defence with a defeat.

Speaking after the match, Oshoala expressed regret over the result and asked Nigerian fans for patience and support.

“We are sorry for losing the opening game to Malawi,” Oshoala told reporters.

The former Barcelona forward said the defeat should serve as a reminder that competition across African women’s football has become increasingly challenging.

“Smaller nations are closing the gap, but it’s also a wake-up call for Nigeria. We have to understand that other teams want to win this trophy as well,” Oshoala said.

The five-time African Women’s Player of the Year added that Nigeria must quickly recover and focus on the remaining fixtures if they hope to defend their continental crown.

“It’s still a long competition, and all we need to do is prepare well for the next game,” she said.

The result ended Nigeria’s long-standing dominance against WAFCON debutants. Before the Malawi encounter, the Super Falcons had never lost to a first-time participant in 17 previous meetings at the tournament.

Despite the setback, Nigeria’s qualification hopes remain alive under the tournament format, which allows the top two teams from each group and the best third-placed sides to progress to the knockout stage.

Also read: Malawi Ends Super Falcons’ WAFCON Record With Historic Win

The Super Falcons now face a crucial Group C encounter against Zambia’s Copper Queens on Saturday, with the match expected to play a major role in determining Nigeria’s route to the quarter-finals. Zambia opened their campaign with a commanding 6-0 victory over Egypt, putting early pressure on Nigeria to respond.

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Opinion

Why Are Football Fans Expecting Trophy Haul from Man City’s 114 Breaches?

Published

7 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Tai Emeka Obasi,

It is exceedingly terrible for clubs operating in a league as supremely elite as the English Premier League, EPL, to fraudulently cheat themselves to massive success.

Also read: NFF Appeals CAF Ruling on Edo Queens’ WAFU-B Victory

Rules are rules, and supposedly responsible club managements should comply with them in administering a game termed the beautiful game.

Manchester City is currently in the eye of the storm for all the wrong reasons.

A whopping 115 breaches were brought against the club, with reports now indicating that an independent commission found City guilty of 114 of them.

The club, however, maintains that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.

Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has appealed to the fans to remain calm and faithful, insisting that the club will continue to defend its position and pursue the available legal process.

According to reports, Manchester City is expected to appeal the verdict. The sanctions have not yet been announced, and the possible consequences could include a heavy fine, points deduction, stripping of titles or even relegation.

From the available reporting, however, there is no basis for football fans to start celebrating the prospect of receiving Manchester City’s trophies.

Even if titles were eventually stripped, the relevant period under investigation is 2009 to 2018.

During that period, Manchester City won three Premier League titles, in 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2017/18, as well as three League Cups, in 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2017/18.

That immediately puts a different complexion on the matter.

For instance, Manchester United finished runners-up to City in the 2011/12 and 2017/18 Premier League seasons, while Liverpool finished second in 2013/14.

But whether those titles would actually be reassigned to the runners-up is another matter entirely.

There is no automatic rule that says a stripped title simply moves to the team that finished second. Any such outcome would depend on the eventual sanction imposed by the relevant authorities.

The same applies to Arsenal and the League Cup. Arsenal were beaten by City in the 2018 final, but that does not mean Arsenal would automatically inherit the trophy if City were sanctioned.

Expert opinion has suggested that the eventual punishment could include a substantial financial penalty and a huge points deduction, potentially severe enough to threaten City with relegation.

But until the sanction is formally determined, nobody can say with certainty what punishment Manchester City will receive.

For Gunners fans, therefore, we should lower our expectations from City’s debacle. Even if Manchester City are eventually found guilty after the appeal process and even if they are relegated, Arsenal will not stroll to this season’s title.

Our last match against Brighton and Hove Albion is a huge warning that our squad is not as complete as it is generally acclaimed to be.