The lead allowed Nigeria to dictate the play and wrap up the match comfortably.
The D’Tigress will face host France in their next Group B match on Thursday before a showdown against world number 5, Canada next Monday.
SportsNews
BREAKING: D’Tigress defeat Australia to secure their first Olympic win in 20 years.
D’Tigress of Nigeria have beaten the Opals of Australia 75-62 in women’s basketball at the Paris Olympics.
Point guard Ezinne Kalu produced a clutch performance, inspiring the Rena Wakama-coached team to withstand a late rally from the Aussies at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday.
The victory was Nigeria’s first at the Games since Athens 2004.
Kalu finished the game with 19 points and five rebounds helping Nigeria to a memorable win over the third-best team in the world.
At the start, Australia showed some real urgency and was all over the Nigerian ladies in the opening few minutes.
Jade Melbourne and Ezi Magbegor led the early onslaught as the Opals raced to a 13-5 lead.
However, D’Tigress, playing their second successive Summer Games, responded with a magnificent Kalu leading their lines.
They had their noses in front after the first quarter at 18-17 largely thanks to Kalu’s 11 points, which included three three-pointers.
Kalu continued to run the play in the second quarter. With Amy Okonkwo and Elizabeth Balogun adding to the Opals’ woes, the D’Tigresses went into half-time with a surprise 41-28 lead.
An astonishing 16 turnovers by the Aussie players had a telling say on the scoreboard. Nigeria, in comparison, had only eight in the first half.
The Opals, five-time Olympic medallists, needed a strong response in the second half. Despite some resolute defending from the Nigerian players, the Opals chipped away at the lead slowly with Alanna Smith leading the fightback.
Heading into the final quarter, the Aussies trailed by just four and had pulled themselves back into the basketball contest.
The final quarter proved to be a nervy affair. With just over six minutes left on the clock, the Opals trailed by just two before a disastrous spell of play transpired for them.
Smith, who had been excellent for her team, missed two free throws before Promise Amukamara converted both of hers for Nigeria. Promise then set up Okonkwo for a three-pointer which saw the reigning four-time African champions go seven points clear.
Politics
PRESIDENT TINUBU CONDOLES WITH SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE OF THE SUPER EAGLES ON THE PASSING OF HIS MOTHER
President Bola Tinubu sends his condolences
to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze on the passing of his mother.
The President also extends his sympathies to the family and friends of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away on Thursday.
President Tinubu mourns with the Chukwueze family and encourages them to find solace in the memory and legacy of their late matriarch.
“The passing of Mrs Chukwueze, the mother of one of our bright football stars, just a few days after the passing of Super Eagles’ captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, is deeply saddening.
I mourn with them, and I am with them in prayers during this difficult time,” the President says.
President Tinubu prays that God Almighty will grant the departed eternal rest.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
Arsenal’s starting XI to face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday evening has been unveiled.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta opted to start Gabriel Jesus ahead of Viktor Gyokeres to lead the Gunners’ attack against the Red Devils.
This comes after Jesus scored a brace against Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.
The Brazilian will be assisted by Bukayo Saka and Leandro on the wings.
In midfield, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard return to join Martin Zubimendi.
SportsNews
Osimhen’s Indiscipline Cost Nigeria The AFCON Title — Football Legend, Sunday Oliseh Blows Hot (Video)
Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has attributed Nigeria’s failure to clinch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco to what he described as indiscipline on the part of Victor Osimhen, arguing that individual actions disrupted team unity at a critical stage of the tournament.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Oliseh said Osimhen’s public confrontation with teammate Ademola Lookman during Nigeria’s 4–0 Round of 16 win over Mozambique disrupted the squad’s chemistry and weakened their title chances.
During the match, Osimhen appeared to rebuke Lookman for not releasing the ball in an attacking move, an incident that drew backlash from fans who criticised the striker’s conduct as unprofessional.
Oliseh claimed the consequences were felt beyond the Mozambique fixture, insisting Lookman’s form dipped noticeably afterwards, affecting Nigeria’s attacking potency in the semifinal.
“Let’s look at the toxicity that might have cost us the AFCON title,” he said. “We are confusing talent with licence. Victor Osimhen is world-class, but talent is not a license to destroy team chemistry.”
“Look at the evidence. Since that public outburst against Ademola Lookman, one of our brightest lights, he became a shadow of himself, and we lost our bite. When you publicly diminish your teammates, you break their spirit.”
He added that Lookman had been “the most dangerous player in the tournament until that public verbal abuse broke his focus,” arguing that Nigeria lost “the psychological edge needed to win” against a disciplined Moroccan side in the semifinal.
Oliseh also criticized what he described as a fan culture that now tolerates such behavior: “What’s worse, and frankly, what’s most dangerous for our football is the fan culture that now tolerates this.”
His critique widened to include Osimhen’s earlier public comments attacking former Super Eagles coach Finidi George. While acknowledging Osimhen’s value, Oliseh stressed that no player is bigger than the national team.
“Scoring goals for Nigeria doesn’t give you a licence to disrespect certified legends like Finidi George or Victor Ikpeba. It doesn’t give you the right to disrespect your coaches or teammates,” he said. “If goals alone justified arrogance, what should the legends who put Nigeria at the pinnacle of world football, like Amokachi, Amunike, Okocha, Babangida and myself, do? Walk on people’s heads?”
Oliseh warned that continued indiscipline and poor administration would damage the team’s future: “If we don’t fix the discipline and the administration, there won’t be a Super Eagles left to support.”
He also criticised the celebrations that followed Nigeria’s third-place finish, when the Super Eagles beat Egypt on penalties.
“There was a time the Super Eagles shed tears at second place, because to us anything but the trophy was a failure; celebrating third place built a culture of mediocrity,” he said.
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