Nigerian forward Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi was the star of the show, netting both goals to condemn Beerschot to another painful setback.

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The former Flying Eagles attacker delivered a masterclass at the King Power at Den Dreef Stadion, dealing a significant blow to Kuyt’s hopes of reviving his side’s dismal season.

Despite winning just two of their 20 league matches this term, Beerschot had shown signs of resilience, drawing their last two games. However, that fragile momentum evaporated against Leuven.

Kuyt, appointed in December 2023, would have been pleased with his team’s defensive discipline, which held firm for 70-odd minutes.

But the breakthrough came in the 76th minute when Ikwuemesi latched onto a Hamza Mendyl assist to drill a low shot into the bottom right corner.

The 23-year-old forward sealed the win ten minutes later, expertly finishing with his right foot into the bottom left corner.

This marks Ikwuemesi’s second brace of the season, having also struck twice in Leuven’s 2-0 victory over Sporting Charleroi in October.

Since joining from Salernitana in the summer, Ikwuemesi has scored four goals in 19 league appearances. His efforts have propelled Leuven to 11th place in the Jupiler Pro League standings, with 25 points from 20 games.

For Liverpool legend Kuyt, the outlook is grim. Beerschot remain rooted to the bottom of the table, 11 points adrift of safety, with relegation looming large.

Plumptre Impresses in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, Nigeria international Ashleigh Plumptre played a pivotal role in Al Ittihad’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Eastern Flames in the Women’s Premier League.

The defender capped an excellent performance with an assist for Lili Iskandar’s 62nd-minute goal, sealing a dominant win at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Stadium in Jeddah.

Sunday Emmanuel the Hero in Bangladesh

Elsewhere, Sunday Emmanuel shone for Mohammedan Dhaka in the Bangladesh Premier League, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 triumph over Fortis.

The Nigerian forward found the net in the 17th minute after a clever assist from Ghana’s Ernest Boateng.

Emmanuel has now netted three goals in five league matches this season, equaling his tally from 17 games last term.

In only her second appearance of the season following her return from an injury spell, Plumptre grabbed a goal and assisted three others to propel Al Ittihad to their biggest win since a 14-0 mauling of Albayraq in 2022.

Plumptre, playing as a central midfielder, assisted Lili Iskandar for Al Ittihad’s second goal in the fourth minute before getting in on the act to make it 5-0 eleven minutes later.

The Super Falcons star added two more assists in the 29th and 45th minutes as Al Ittihad ended the first half with a 9-nil advantage.

Plumptre was substituted at halftime.
Elsewhere at the Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Medina Joy Jerry got the consolation goal as Al Riyadh fell to a 2-1 defeat to Al Ula to crash out of the SAFF Women’s Cup.

Back to Europe, where Super Eagles star Peter Olayinka assisted one of the goals for Red Star Belgrade in their 5-1 Serbian Super Liga win over Radnički Niš.

In Finland, Nigeria international Roosa Funmilayo Ariyo grabbed both goals to inspire KUPS to a fine 2-0 away victory over HPS in their Kansallinen Liiga game week 6 relegation round clash.

Nigeria’s Adakole Benedict came off the bench to net a late equaliser for Portimonense but Sporting Lisbon fired a stoppage-time winner to secure a 2-1 victory in the Taça de Portugal.

The Nigerian women’s national team suffered a disappointing defeat to Spain, following a cunning free-kick by Alexia Putellas in the 85th minute of the clash.

The English-Nigerian defender praised her teammates for their impressive performance against the Spaniards, highlighting the Super Falcons’ defensive prowess.

“This team [Super Falcons] knows how to defend – sheesh! Good fight @NGSuper_Falcons – proud to watch,” she wrote on her social media platform.

https://twitter.com/ashplumptre/status/1817634502446838268?s=46&t=b9FUBUNstw3lkK85djbEwA

Plumptre, a former Leicester City Women’s defender, was absent from the game due to a recent surgery following a knock sustained months before the Olympic tournament.

Despite her absence, her position in the Super Falcons’ defense was capably filled by Chidinma Okeke, who played a crucial role in Randy Waldrum’s strong defensive setup.

The 11-time African champions will face Japan in their next game. However, even a win may not guarantee their advancement unless they achieve a significant goal-difference victory and Brazil loses, allowing Nigeria to secure a best-loser qualification.

The Super Falcons will be aiming to bounce back and make a statement in their upcoming match, keeping their hopes alive in the tournament.

Rosengard’s Ayinde picked up an injury in training during training with the Swedish side and had to undergo surgery on her knee while Ashleigh Plumptre couldn’t recover on time after getting surgery on her ankle in April.

Waldrum, who led the team to the knockout stage of the FIFA 2023 World Cup admitted losing both players is a big blow for his team but remained confident other players can step up in their absence.

“When you lose Ashleigh Plumptre and Halimatu Ayinde, they are two world-class players tough for anything to lose, especially two of them but then the thing we preach to our players all along is that somebody else has to step up and replace them, and I think we saw that with Chidinma Okeke coming in at left-back for Plumptre when she was out against Cameroon and South Africa. I think right now it’s a good thing we have some depth in midfield, players Deborah Abiodun and Toni Payne. It’s still a solid midfield. We have other players; Echegini can play in there, and Ajibade can play in there. So, even though we lose some players, we have some depth in there. It certainly has to happen; I feel bad for them for not going to the Olympics,” the American gaffer told NFF TV in quotes revealed by MSN.

The eleven-time African Champions are preparing for their Olympics campaign in Seville, Spain and the manager is impressed with the atmosphere in camp.

“The players are excited; they have been sharp and full of confidence. I like what I am seeing at this camp. It has been productive for us. The players are full of confidence coming out of the World Cup; they know they can face the best teams in the world, and that is the biggest improvement I have seen from that time until this time. The good thing about having a national team is having experienced players and the young ones coming up to replace them when ready. Right now, we have a good blend of experienced players and young ones, and I think they are going to have a great future with the team,” the 67-year-old manager added

The Super Falcons will take on the reigning Olympic Champions, Canada, in a closed-door friendly today, and the coach highlighted his team’s focus.

“Against Canada, we will go into the match to give a good performance, irrespective of the results. We are also aware that some players are coming back from injury, so we will allow some players to see what they can do at the Olympics. Canada are Olympic champions, so we expect a tough match, and the girls are ready. We are in a tough group at the Olympics. We have Brazil, Japan, and world-champion Spain. It’s a very difficult group, but our girls will be ready to compete,” the coach concluded.

Nigeria kick-off their Olympic campaign against Brazil on July 25 before taking on Spain on July 28. They’ll wrap up the group stage against Japan on July 31.

Bay FC’s fell to a 3-nil home loss against Washington Spirit, but that didn’t allow the mood in the camp to be dented ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.

After the game, Canada’s goalkeeper- Lysianne Proulx, Zambia’s Rachael Kundananji and Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala who will represent their country in France, were given gifts by the club as they were sent off to the Paris 2024 Olympics. They were also given a guard of honour by their teammates who cheered them on, wishing them the best.

Good luck at #Paris2024, #BayFC is behind you! #BLegendary pic.twitter.com/KRXWaJOfep

— Bay Football Club (@wearebayfc) July 7, 2024

Asisat was a core part of Randy Waldrum’s team, featuring in the qualifiers and helping the Super Falcons secure an Olympic spot for the first time in sixteen years.

Nigeria are a part of Group C with Spain, Japan and Brazil. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage in addition to the two best third-place teams. The Super Falcons open group play against Brazil on July 25 before taking on Spain on July 28. They’ll wrap up the group stage against Japan on July 31.

Lysianne Proulx’s Canada are the reigning Olympic Champions. They’ve been drawn into Group A with Colombia, New Zealand and France. Rachael Kundananji’s Zambia made their first appearance at the Olympics in 2020. They’ve been drawn into the same group with the United States, Germany, and Australia.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria trained for the first time in Sevilla on Sunday as they start preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games after landing in Spain for a two-week training tour on Friday with the invited players expected to join up in camp this week.

Plumptre, who was instrumental in Nigeria’s qualification for the Olympics by defeating teams like Cape Verde, Cameroon, and South Africa, was left out of the 18-player squad selected by coach Randy Waldrum.

Her absence is due to fitness concerns following an injury she sustained while playing for her club, Al Ittihad, in March.

Despite undergoing surgery in April and working hard on her recovery, Plumptre has not regained full fitness in time for the Olympics.

Expressing her feelings on X, she said, “Timings haven’t aligned to be in contention for the Olympic roster – a dream I’ve held since I can remember.”

She added, “Since having my surgery, I’ve worked in every area of my life to be in the best position to recover, but one thing I’ve learnt is how to really listen to my body!”

https://twitter.com/ashplumptre/status/1809672685376393684

Plumptre also expressed pride and excitement for her teammates, saying,

“While on a personal note it’s a shame to miss out, I cannot put into words my excitement and pride in knowing I’ll be watching my @NGSuper_Falcons girls representing this flag on the Olympic stage. Go well, girls! Naija to the world!”

The Super Falcons arrived in Sevilla, Spain, on Friday to prepare for the Olympics. They are in Group C, where they will compete against Spain, Japan, and Brazil.

The former Barcelona forward commented on a video of Plumptre making a surprise visit home after her injury, expressing her astonishment at Plumptre’s large family.

In March, Plumptre sustained an injury that required surgery, causing her to miss Nigeria’s crucial Paris Olympics qualifiers against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana.

Since then, the former Leicester Women’s defender has been featured in several videos documenting her recovery as she aims to represent Nigeria in the Summer Olympics.

Watch the video here:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ashleigh Plumptre (@ashleighhplumptre)

A video has surfaced showing the 26-year-old hugging her family for the first time after moving to the Saudi Arabia women’s league, which took her away from her family in England.

“A true blessing being able to make a short trip back home to surprise the family,” she wrote on her Instagram.

Oshoala responded with “Una plenty o (You guys are many),” along with other Super Falcons stars who appreciated Plumptre’s gesture towards her family.

Watch the video here:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ashleigh Plumptre (@ashleighhplumptre)

Despite her absence, Randy Waldrum’s troops secured their Olympic berth by defeating South Africa 1-0 in Abuja and maintaining a goalless draw in Pretoria.

Plumptre who is a key member of the Nigerian women’s team will be hoping for a quick recovery as she eyes a participating at the Summer Olympics.

Ahead of the Super Falcons’ Olympic qualifiers final round against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, the Al Ittihad player was sidelined from the squad due to an injury.

Following this setback, the 25-year-old defender took to her social media page to announce that she had undergone successful surgery on her right foot and is now focusing on a full recovery.

“Surgery done. Thank you to everyone at Al-Ittihad and to Dr. Pieter D’Hooge for supporting me through my first surgery. It’s been a long time coming trying to get answers, but I’m so grateful to now be at this stage. To my Super Falcons teammates and Nigerian fans, thank you for your patience and understanding when I’ve not been able to be with you. I can honestly say I have fought as hard and for as long as I can with this pain. I can’t wait to be back healthy with you all,” she previously shared on her social media page.

In recent days, the former Leicester City women’s player has shared photos of her taking her first steps toward recovery, as she was spotted hitting the gym and engaging in exercises.

See the photos here:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ashleigh Plumptre (@ashleighhplumptre)

While the Nigerian women’s team has yet to provide information on the squad selection for the tournament, the defender is making strides in her early recovery and could potentially be available to support the team during the competition.

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau showcased the organization’s concern for its players by personally visiting injured Nigerian Super Eagles players.

A photo shared by the Football Federation’s social media pages spotted Gusau posing with Super Eagles vice captain, William Troost-Ekong,Porto FC defender, Zaidu Sanusi, and FC Nantes forward, Simon Moses.

Oparanozie, who recently announced her retirement from professional football, expressed disappointment that injured female players like Tosin Demehin and Ashleigh Plumptre were not given similar attention.

“It will be more nice if this is extended to the women too. [Tosin] Demehin is currently injured and is in the same country with [Moses] Simon, [Ashleigh] Plumptre is injured too.” Oparanozie wrote on her social media page.

The 11-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nation’s champions recently secured their spots in the 2024 Olympic tournament after defeating the Banyana Banyana of South African team with a score of 1-nil aggregate.

With tough opponents like Brazil and Spain in their group, coach Randy Waldrum will need key players like Demehin and Plumptre in peak condition for the upcoming tournament.

The 67-year-old tactician returned to the Super Falcons dugout after his contract with the NFF was resolved. He was in charge as Nigeria only just defeated Cameroon over two legs, thanks to a lone goal from Esther Okoronkwo which took Nigeria into the final round of qualification.

The eleven-time WAFCON winners will take on Desiree Ellis’s South Africa in a two-legged tie, hoping for a victory in a bid to seal a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Speaking ahead of the game against the 2022 WAFCON winners, Randy Waldrum played up the attacking threat they pose but maintained trust in the Super Falcons.

“They’re a very good side, they’re the defending African Champions so we need to have some respect for them. I love some of their talent especially up-front. They’re very dangerous and I know their coach does a really good job, but like I said before, I really like our team and I have all the confidence in our players that we’ll perform well,” the former Houston Dash manager told NFF TV.

South Africa will be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Andile Dlamini, due to medical reasons. Likewise, Nigeria will be without Ashleigh Plumptre and Oluwatosin Demehin, and to the coach, it is a big loss.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those two important players, because it’s a big loss to not have them, and I hope they’re okay. We’ve been working on a plan B, and I think we have players that can come in and do a great job. I have the confidence in our squad,” Waldrum added.

The Super Falcons will host Banyana Banyana in the first leg at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Friday, April 5. The reverse fixture will be held at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Tuesday, April 9.

Whoever emerges victorious from the two-legged tie will be drawn into Group C at the Olympics, joining Spain, Brazil and Japan.

N.B: We want to know your thoughts. Do you think Nigeria can defeat South Africa? Let us know in the comments.