In a heated Italian Serie A showdown on Saturday night, Napoli suffered a 2-0 defeat against Roma, marred by Victor Osimhen’s red card expulsion.

The 24-year-old Nigerian forward, who earlier in the day had inked a contract extension with Napoli, was sent off after committing two reckless fouls within a mere 12 minutes.

Osimhen’s dismissal left Napoli two men down on the field, compounding their woes as they trailed by a goal.

The match was riddled with discord, as Osimhen’s strike partner, Matteo Politano, had already been sent off earlier in the tense encounter, leading to a total of 11 yellow cards. Both clubs’ coaches were also booked for their protestations.

Roma’s manager, Jose Mourinho, engaged in a confrontation with Osimhen during the first half, accusing him of simulation in an attempt to win a penalty. Surprisingly, the altercation concluded with Mourinho planting a kiss on the cheek of the former Lille striker.

Osimhen’s first yellow card came in the 75th minute, and the second arrived in the 87th minute, culminating in his vehement disagreement with the referee’s decision to send him off.

This incident marks Osimhen’s second red card during his tenure with the club.

Romelu Lukaku, Roma’s striker, hammered home the final blow deep into added time after Lorenzo Pellegrini had earlier put Roma in the lead in the 76th minute.

With this loss, Napoli slid to seventh place on the Serie A table, amassing 27 points from 17 matches. Roma capitalized on the victory, leapfrogging above Napoli in the standings.

One of the usual suspects will win next month’s African Cup of Nations billed to start in Cote d’Ivoire on January 13, 2024. This is the verdict of a panel picked to dissect the chances of the participating countries at a trophy viewing event organised by VISA, one of the sponsors of the biennial championship.

Visa recently welcomed its partners and lovers of African football in Nigeria to an exclusive viewing of the AFCON trophy, which arrived in Lagos on December 14.

The four-man panel comprising Charles Ogundiya of New Telegraph newspaper, Onyinye Ogu of Galaxy TV, Peter Edema of Daily Independent and Africa’s first female pidgin commentator, Tracy Chapele also known as Suo of Wazobia FM, were convinced that one of Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria and Cameroun will win the title currently held by Senegal.

The panelists looked at the pedigree of the teams and the quality of stars they have in arriving at their choice, although they did not rule out any of the outsiders from causing an upset as was the case when Zambia won the title in 2012.

Chapele who picked Morocco and Senegal as the frontrunners, said, “Morocco showed at the last World Cup that they are a team to reckon with. I believe this is their best opportunity to win the Nations Cup after many years.

“Senegal as the defending champions still have some the best African players and they have been together for long. So, they can retain the title all things being equal.”

To Edema, who picked the Super Eagles for the crown they last won in 2013, “it is very early to pick any of the top teams for the title. Any of the top-rated teams could succumb to a referee’s bad call in a game or a players/administrators’ crisis can make nonsense of a top team, just as injury to top stars and many other extraneous things can change a team’s fortune.

“However, I am picking the Super Eagles because I am a Nigerian, who knows that the Super Eagles have the ability to surprise people when they have been written off.

“I recall that in 2013, Emmanuel Eboue of Cote d’Ivoire wrote off Nigeria because the quarterfinals. He said that a country that has Mikel Obi as its biggest star stood no chance against the Elephants. And that singular statement was what Coach Stephen Keshi used to boost his team psychologically to defeat Cote d’Ivoire.”

Apart from experts’ analysis of the chances of participating teams, Visa’s clients and partners, customers and football enthusiasts were at the event hosted by internet sensation, Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, popularly known as kie kie, and Radio Celebrity OAP, Tega Onojaife of Smooth FM, treated to an amazing musical performance by Mavin’s top-rated artiste, Crayon and an opportunity for guests to experience the trophy live.

As part of the activities for the tour, the trophy had earlier made its first stop at the Lagos State Government House, where it was presented to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu by Vice President, and Head of Visa West Africa, Andrew Uaboi.

[Guardian]

Anthony Joshua put in a terrific performance to beat Otto Wallin inside the distance. But Deontay Wilder’s shock points loss to Joseph Parker on the same bill scuppered plans for the long-awaited heavyweight showdown.

Nigerian-Briton Joshua boxed magnificently in Saudi Arabia, dominating Wallin before the Swede’s corner pulled him out of the fight at the end of the fifth.

Earlier in the night, American Wilder appeared a shadow of himself in Riyadh, and was hurt badly in the eighth as New Zealander Parker was awarded a unanimous decision.

“I heard that Deontay lost. So what? He’ll be back. Deontay, everything that he said about me, I could rip him apart right now, but I’m going to take the higher ground,” Joshua said.

“You can come back. If he wanted to, he can come back. I’m sure everyone still wants to see that fight.”

Parker, also a former world champion, was awarded a unanimous decision with the judges’ scoring it 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108.

Saudi organisers had already pencilled in the Joshua-Wilder bout for next year. While no contract had been signed, the pair were expected to enter the ring post-fight and announce a deal to fight at some point in early 2024.

Wilder admitted all the talk of a fight at least five years in the making had been “a distraction”, although Joshua more than did his part. After the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn said Joshua is most likely going to face Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic for a vacant IBF world title, bidding to become a three-time world champion.

But as the dust settles in Riyadh, many boxing fans will be cursing their luck, as Joshua v Wilder slips away once again.

Wilder dazed
Wilder a shadow of himself as Parker proves his worth Wilder entered the ring wearing a crown, but it has been almost four years since he reigned over the heavyweight division. The 38-year-old was introduced with his newly acclaimed nickname ‘Dr Sleep’.

After some cagey opening rounds he may have put the crowd to sleep rather than his opponent. The inactive Wilder had boxed just three minutes in the past two years, signs of ring rust were expected. But losing rounds is nothing new to Wilder.

Numerous times before he has looked out of his depth, only to unleash that ferocious right hand. Parker, 31, grew in confidence and traded with Wilder in the fourth, whipping a left hook into the body and hurting Wilder with an exchange on the inside.

Was the ghost of the Tyson Fury trilogy, when Wilder drew one and lost two, haunting him? His timing and judgement of distance was off. Parker came forward with bursts. In between rounds Parker’s trainer, Andy Lee, told his fighter to go after Wilder, that a knockout would come.

“This is your moment,” Lee said.

Wilder enjoyed his best moment in the sixth, landing a right but without the ferocity which has stopped 42 opponents in 43 wins.

Former WBO champion Parker was the busier, more accurate boxer, comfortably winning most rounds. Wilder had no answer for what was to come in the eighth. Parker landed the most thunderous overhand right.

Wilder, backed into the ropes, was in trouble as Parker continued the attack. Saved by the bell, Wilder poked his tongue out as he stumbled back to his corner.

All the while Joshua was getting his hands wrapped and going through warm-ups in the dressing room, unaware of what was unfolding in the ring.

Wilder was telegraphing his right hands as Parker continued to land more cleanly as the fight entered the championship rounds. New Zealand’s Parker was on a run of three straight wins and two knockouts.

He was demonstrating just why many pundits tipped him for the win. For all Parker’s dominance, there was still a puncher’s chance for Wilder. He threw the kitchen sink in the 12th, but missed by an absolute mile.

Wilder refused to rule out retirement, but with just one win in four years his next move is uncertain. With Joshua moments from making his ring entrance, his promoter Eddie Hearn told TNT: “It was the most one-sided heavyweight fight I’ve ever seen. It’s ruined our plans. We’ve got to go let Anthony Joshua know Wilder lost to Parker.”

Composed & confident AJ does the business
The Saudis, promoters and boxing followers had jumped the gun.

There was still an air of disbelief as Sweden’s Wallin – in what is probably a boxing first – walked to the ring to ABBA’s ‘The Winner Takes it all’.

UFC star Conor McGregor and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo watched on as Joshua made his ring walk. On a dramatic night for heavyweight boxing, there was a noticeably low-key atmosphere in the Kingdom Arena, with plenty of empty seats in the 6,000 capacity venue.

Joshua, unlike Wilder, began strongly. The 34-year-old delivered a gut-wrenching body shot in the first and made southpaw Wallin’s legs buckle in the second with straight rights down the barrel.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist has transitioned from an explosive power-punching finisher to a smarter, less reckless, boxer.

Joshua was enjoying his work in a measured, composed and dominant performance. He connected with a brilliant left hook in the fifth.

It was one clean punch too many, with Wallin’s team deciding it was best the 33-year-old stayed put on his stool.

The Watford fighter called the win “just another fight” and although he did not rule out a bout with Wilder in the future, he now seems ready to set his sights on challenging for a world title.

With Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury on 17 February in Saudi Arabia, a potential rematch between that pair could see the IBF title become vacant. A belt Joshua and Hrgovic could contest.

“We’ve got bigger ambitions,” Joshua said of his three wins this year.

“As I said to Louis Theroux, we don’t celebrate when we win these fights, we celebrate when we win titles.” BBC

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen has officially signed his new contract with Napoli to June 2026.

Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis made the announcement himself by posting images of Osimhen signing the paperwork with only one word: ‘Done!’

According to Sky Sport Italia, Osimhen's salary will increase to €10m per season after tax.

There will also be a release clause, believed to be set at €120-130m, valid only for clubs outside of Italy during the summer.

On Friday, Romano noted that “the agreement between Napoli and Victor Osimhen on a new deal is 100% done and confirmed.

Oshimen joined Napoli from Lille in €75m deal in September 2020.

He helped the club win the Scudetto, becoming the first-ever African Capocannoniere of Serie A and African Player of the Year.