Nigeria’s Super Falcons booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after an emphatic 6-2 victory over Egypt in their final Group C match on Wednesday.

The defending champions entered the match needing a convincing win to keep their hopes of progressing alive following an opening defeat to Malawi and a hard-fought victory over Zambia.

The result ensured Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage in pursuit of a record-extending 11th WAFCON title.

Nigeria produced an attacking masterclass, scoring six times against the Pharaohs, who managed two goals in reply, as the Super Falcons completed one of the standout performances of the group stage.

The comprehensive victory completed a remarkable turnaround for Justine Madugu’s side after their shock opening loss to tournament debutants Malawi.

Nigeria had revived their campaign with a 1-0 win over Zambia despite playing much of that game with 10 players before sealing qualification with Wednesday’s commanding display against Egypt.

The Super Falcons will now await their quarter-final opponents as they continue their quest to retain the continental title in Morocco.

Post match report

Defending champions Nigeria produced their most convincing performance of the tournament on Wednesday, thrashing Egypt 6-2 to book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Falcons, who entered the final Group C match under pressure following a shock opening defeat to Malawi and a narrow victory over Zambia, responded with an emphatic display at the Rabat Olympic Stadium to secure qualification alongside Malawi.

Asisat Oshoala opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 21st minute before Gift Monday doubled Nigeria’s advantage in first-half stoppage time after being set up by Rinsola Babajide.

Egypt reduced the deficit through Nadine Ghazi’s penalty deep into added time, sending Nigeria into the break with a 2-1 lead.

Nigeria regained complete control after the restart.

Babajide provided her second assist of the night for Uchenna Kanu to make it 3-1 in the 57th minute, while Christy Ucheibe converted another penalty in the 81st minute.

Although Ghazi grabbed her second goal for Egypt three minutes later, Rasheedat Ajibade restored Nigeria’s three-goal cushion from the penalty spot in first-half added time before setting up Joy Omewa, who completed the scoring in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

The victory completed Nigeria’s recovery from an opening 3-2 defeat to Malawi, with Justine Madugu’s side finishing the group stage on six points after successive wins over Zambia and Egypt.

Despite Nigeria’s six-goal haul, Malawi topped Group C after defeating Zambia 2-1 in the other final group match.

Malawi, Nigeria and Zambia all finished on six points, with Malawi claiming first place on the tiebreak criteria, while Zambia were eliminated. Egypt ended the campaign without a point after losing all three matches and conceding 15 goals.

Nigeria now advance to the knockout stage with renewed confidence as they continue their bid to retain the continental title.

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Chelsea have reportedly placed 11 players on the transfer list as the club continues its squad overhaul during the ongoing summer transfer window.

The Blues are said to be looking to reduce the size of their squad after spending more than £300 million on new signings this summer.

The club has strengthened its ranks with the arrivals of Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Valentin Barco, Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha.

As reported by the Athletic on Thursday, the players available for transfer include Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Malo Gusto, Benoît Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guiu, David Datro Fofana, Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson.

Chalobah has reportedly agreed a £31 million move to Serie A side Como, while Pedro Neto has been linked with a possible reunion with Enzo Maresca at Manchester City.

Chelsea are expected to sanction further departures before the summer transfer window closes as they continue to reshape the squad.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s preparations for the 2026/27 season have produced mixed results, with Xabi Alonso’s side recording one win and two defeats in their opening three pre-season fixtures.

The Blues began their tour in spectacular fashion, defeating Western Sydney Wanderers 6–4 in an entertaining encounter.

The attacking display thrilled supporters, with Chelsea showing creativity and firepower, although defensive vulnerabilities were also exposed after conceding four goals.

However, Chelsea’s momentum was halted in their next outing against Tottenham Hotspur. Despite a spirited performance, the Blues fell to a 2–1 defeat in Sydney, as Alonso continued to rotate his squad and assess players ahead of the new campaign.

The team’s struggles continued in Hong Kong, where they suffered a narrow 1–0 loss to Juventus.

Chelsea created opportunities but lacked the cutting edge needed to find an equaliser, leaving them with consecutive pre-season defeats.

After three matches, Chelsea have scored seven goals and conceded seven, highlighting both their attacking potential and the defensive issues still to be addressed before the Premier League season begins.

The Blues will now look to regain momentum in their remaining friendlies against AC Milan on Saturday, Johor Darul Ta’zim on Sunday and Real Sociedad on Saturday August 15 as Alonso continues fine-tuning his squad ahead of the start of the new season.

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About 10,000 runners from Nigeria, other West African countries and East Africa are expected to converge on Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, for an international half-marathon covering a distance of 21 kilometres.

The organisers said the event, scheduled for November 14, 2026, marks a new phase for the marathon after a decade of hosting participants mainly from within Nigeria.

Speaking at a media briefing on Monday to officially announce the date, the Convener of the Port Harcourt International Marathon, Goodluck Azunwena, said the 2026 edition is more than a race, showcasing culture, tourism and healthy living through sports under the theme, “Green Race.”

Azunwena said, “As we celebrate a decade of purpose, we are proud to officially reopen this chapter of our journey, driven by renewed energy and an even bigger vision, beginning with the Port Harcourt International Marathon taking place on November 14.

“A world-class event that represents far more than a race. It is a platform for unity, tourism, economic growth, healthy living, youth empowerment and global visibility. Through it, we invite the world to experience the true spirit of Port Harcourt.”

He said the organisers had already secured the support of the Rivers State Government and some private partners while remaining open to additional sponsorship.

On the expected number of participants, Azunwena said previous editions attracted about 5,000 registered runners, but participation had now been expanded following increased interest from within and outside Nigeria.

“For this edition, our projection is to have at least 10,000 runners register for the race. Everything in terms of security has been put in place to ensure a hitch-free event,” he said.

In her remarks, an official of the marathon, Diri Dikibujuri, said the 10th edition had been tagged “Port Harcourt to the World.”

She said, “As we celebrate the decade of the ‘Green Race’, we are transitioning from what we used to know as the Port Harcourt City Marathon to the Port Harcourt International Marathon. We are proud to announce this year that we are welcoming runners from across Nigeria and other West African countries and East Africa.”

She explained that the theme, “Green Race,” was chosen to reflect the marathon’s renewed vision. “We all know green means life, renewal and growth. In this case, green signifies Port Harcourt as the Garden City. The word ‘race’ goes beyond athletics or sports. It signifies humanity running towards a better life, impact and sustainability,” Dikibujuri said.

She continued, “Together, Green Race is about taking Port Harcourt to the world by building an initiative that delivers multidimensional impact.

“We are bringing together sports, culture, sustainability, education, empowerment, environmental advocacy and youth development under one umbrella. We have activities before the race, on race day and after the race, all aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 3, 11 and 13 because it is an international race.

“We are engaging the entire Port Harcourt community in moving towards a greener city. In the end, we are not just taking Port Harcourt to the world; we are bringing the garden back to the city.”

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