Nigeria’s bid to qualify for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has ended in disappointment, with the Yellow Greens finishing sixth at the Africa Qualifiers after losing to Uganda by 66 runs in the fifth-place playoff on Saturday.

Uganda posted an imposing 196 for 7, powered by an unbeaten 66 from Riazat Ali Shah, who anchored their innings with a composed knock.

In response, Nigeria could only manage 130 for 7 in their 20 overs. Captain Sylvester Okpe put up a fight, top-scoring with 26 runs and also claiming two wickets, but his efforts were not enough to turn the tide.

Across the tournament, Nigeria secured wins against Malawi and Botswana but fell short against Namibia, Kenya, and Uganda, exposing struggles with consistency against higher-ranked teams.

With the qualifiers concluded, Zimbabwe and Namibia clinched Africa’s two tickets to the 2026 T20 World Cup, joining South Africa as the continent’s representatives at the global tournament.

By: Fabian Apechihin

Galatasaray have released a statement on Victor Osimhen’s fitness after the Nigerian striker sustained an ankle injury during the Super Eagles’ 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Rwanda on Saturday.

Osimhen limped off just before halftime following a heavy challenge and was replaced by Cyriel Dessers. The forward, who has scored twice in his first three Super Lig matches, reportedly woke up the next morning with severe ankle pain. Nigeria’s medical team has since ruled him out of Tuesday’s qualifier against South Africa.

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle confirmed the injury is being closely monitored, while in Istanbul, Galatasaray are anxiously awaiting further updates. Head coach Okan Buruk told BeIN Sports that the club had spoken to Osimhen and confirmed he was in significant discomfort.

“We hope it is not serious, but of course we are worried about his condition, especially with the international workload,” Buruk said.

According to Fanatik, Galatasaray arranged for Osimhen’s immediate return to Istanbul on a private jet for medical examinations. The club wants a full assessment before determining his availability.

The Turkish champions are desperate to have their record signing fit for the UEFA Champions League group stage, which begins in 10 days with a tough away fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt. Losing Osimhen for such a crucial game would be a major setback, given the expectations surrounding his arrival this season.

The coming days will be decisive in confirming the extent of the injury and whether Osimhen will feature in Galatasaray’s European opener.

Do you want me to make this tight and headline-friendly for sports news sites, or keep it in-depth with more analysis on Galatasaray’s Champions League prospects?

By: Fabian Apechihin

Chelsea forward Joao Pedro suffered a scare on international duty after a heavy collision with Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli left him vomiting on the pitch during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Chile.

The incident occurred in the 18th minute at the Maracanã, when both players challenged for a ball in the Chilean box. Pedro, earning just his fourth senior cap, was seen throwing up while receiving treatment on the turf.

Despite the unsettling moment, the 23-year-old carried on and played 71 minutes before being replaced by Kaio Jorge. Brazil went on to secure a 3–0 victory courtesy of goals from Bruno Guimarães, Estevão, and Lucas Paquetá.

Already qualified for next summer’s World Cup, Brazil remain second in the South American standings. They face Bolivia in their final qualifier, with the South Americans still chasing an inter-confederation playoff spot.

Neymar was again absent from the squad, as manager Carlo Ancelotti explained:
“It was a technical decision based on many factors. Nobody doubts Neymar’s quality, but physical fitness is key, and we assess that for every player, every match.”

Neymar, now back at Santos after a spell in Saudi Arabia, last featured for Brazil in 2023 but has scored six times since rejoining his boyhood club.

Do you want me to keep the Neymar section in for broader context, or make it a shorter, player-focused piece strictly about Pedro’s incident?