Nigeria’s Ugo Njoku has been given a three-match ban by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee at the Women’s World Cup in Canada. She has been punished for an elbow on Australia’s Sam Kerr during the Super Falcons 2-0 loss on Friday. The offence by Njoku, who came on as a 52nd-minute substitute, went unpunished during the game. However the disciplinary committee  later examined the video footage and handed the 20-year-old the ban. Njoku will miss the final group game against the United States plus the country’s next two official matches.

Usain Bolt laboured to victory in the 200m at the New York Diamond League meeting. The Jamaican world record holder clocked 20.29 seconds, edging out 19-year-old Zharnel Hughes of Anguilla. “I wasn’t too happy with the time today,” said Bolt. “But training has been going well and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.” Six-time Olympic gold medallist Bolt has yet to break 20 seconds for 200m this year, while American rival Justin Gatlin clocked a world-leading 19.68 at the Eugene Diamond League meet last month. Gatlin’s 9.74 in Doha is also the fastest 100m time of the year. The pair are yet to meet on the track this season, although with the World Championships in Beijing just over two months away, Bolt has played down concerns over his fitness and laughed off suggestions he is running scared of the American. The 28-year-old, who set the current 200m world record of 19.19 at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009, has said he will retire after the 2017 World Championships in London.

Nigerian defender David Faramola Oniya died on Saturday after collapsing on the pitch during a friendly between his Malaysian club T-Team and Kelantan. Local media said the T-Team captain, who was 30, collapsed three minutes into the match in Kota Bharu and was taken to hospital. The match was abandoned after 60 minutes when a message was received from the hospital that Oniya had died. Oniya had only just joined the Malaysian club this season.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday defeated Chad 2 – 0 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier played in Kaduna. The two goals were scored in the second half with Gbolahan Salami scoring the first goal while Odion Ighalo netted the second from the penalty spot after being brought down by a Chadian defender. Ogenyi Onazi saw red when he confronted the Chadian defender.

Nigeria’s Line up: Vincent Enyeama, Kenneth Omeruo, Kingsley Madu, Willian Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Michael Babatunde, Ogenyi Onazi, Anderson Esiti, Ahmed Musa, Gbolahan Salami and Aaron Samuel. Subs: Rabiu Ibrahim, Odion Ighalo and John Ogu.

Saturday 13 June 2015:

France 0 – 2 Columbia

Brazil 1 – 0 Spain

England 2 – 1 Mexico

Korea Republic 2 – 2 Costa Rica

Sunday 14 June 2015:

Brazil 3 – 1 Portugal  – Penalty shoot-out after 0-0 draw.

Mali 4 – 3 Germany – Penalty shoot-out after 1-1 draw

USA 5 – 6 Serbia – Penalty shoot-out after 0-0 draw

Uzbekistan 0 – 1 Senegal

Brazil, Mali, Serbia and Senegal have all qualified for the semi finals. Two African teams progress. So nice!

Friday 12 June 2015:

Australia 2 – 0 Nigeria

Switzerland 10 – 1 Ecuador

USA 0 – 0 Sweden

Japan 2 – 1 Cameroon

The former Empoli head coach Maurizio Sarri has been appointed as Rafael Benítez’s successor at Napoli. The 56-year-old, who was born in Naples, had never worked in the top flight until last season. After a long career in the lower divisions, Sarri took Empoli up from Serie B and guided them to a 15th-place finish last season. Benítez chose not to renew his contract with Napoli after missing out on a Champions League place last season. He has since been appointed as Real Madrid’s new head coach. Sarri’s first order of business will be to convince the striker Gonzalo Higuaín to stay.

Adel Taraabt signs for Benfica on a free transfer after being released by Queens Park Rangers. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder joins the Portuguese champions on a five-year deal. Taraabt last played for QPR in March, and back in October then-manager Harry Redknapp claimed the Moroccan was “three stone overweight” and “not fit to play football”.

Usain Bolt says he is not yet ready for a duel with Justin Gatlin but is looking forward to silencing the confident American in a Beijing sprint “explosion” at the World Championships in August. While the Jamaican has eased into the season after an injury-disrupted 2014, Gatlin has set the fastest times of the year in both sprints and declared himself the “man to beat”. “Gatlin has been doing a lot of talking, saying a lot of things,” Bolt said ahead of Saturday’s Diamond League meeting in New York. “He’s proved he’s running fast times and he’s ready. So it should be exciting going into the World Championship. “I look forward to competing when people talk because if you don’t back it up you look really stupid.”

Sunday 14 June 2015:

Brazil vs Portugal 2am

Mali vs Germany 2am

USA vs Serbia 5:30am

Uzbekistan vs Senegal 5:30am

Thursday 11 June 2015:

Germany 1 – 1 Norway

China 1 – 0 Netherlands

Cote d’Ivoire 2 – 3 Thailand

Canada 0 – 0 New Zealand

We reported earlier today that Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira was sacked by Greek champions Olympiakos after leading them to the league and cup double. Now we can tell you the 46-year-old has been snapped up by Turkish side Fenerbahce on a two-year contract. No time wasting!

According to recent Forbes report, the top ten highest paid men in sports are:

1. Floyd Mayweather, US, Boxing = US$300m

2. Manny Pacquiao, Philippines, Boxing = $160m

3. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Football = $79.6m

4. Lionel Messi, Argentina, Football = $73.8m

5. Roger Federer, Switzerland, Tennis = $67m

6. LeBron James, US, Basketball = $64.8m

7. Kevin Durant, US, Basketball = $54.1m

8. Phil Mickelson, US, Golf = $50.8m

9. Tiger Woods, US, Golf = $50.6m

10. Kobe Bryant, US, Basketball = $49.5m

At number 83, Yaya Toure is the first from Africa with $20m.

UEFA have announced their Champions League squad of the season. There are 10 players from Barcelona’s treble winners and five Juventus stars in the 18-man squad. Real Madrid have two players while Chelsea have a player.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers: Ter Stegen (Barcelona), Buffon (Juventus)

Defenders: Ivanovic (Chelsea), Pique (Barcelona), Mascherano (Barcelona), Chiellini (Juventus), Alba (Barcelona)

Midfielders: Rakitic (Barcelona), Marchisio (Juventus), Busquets (Barcelona), Iniesta (Barcelona), Pirlo (Juventus), Kroos (Real Madrid)

Forwards: Suarez (Barcelona), Messi (Barcelona), Morata (Juventus), Neymar (Barcelona), Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Greek champions Olympiakos have sacked Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira after six months in charge at the club, during which time he led them to a Greek league and cup double. Local media said the 46-year-old had angered Olympiakos owner Vangelis Marinakis when it was reported he held talks with Scottish club Rangers last month.

Former England manager Steve McClaren has been appointed as the new head coach of Newcastle United. The 54-year-old succeeds John Carver, who was sacked on Tuesday, and has also been named on the club’s board. Mike Ashley has quit as a director but remains owner. McClaren, who has signed a three-year contract that could be extended to eight years, said: “This club has waited far too long to win a trophy. That’s one of my primary objectives.” McClaren, sacked by Derby in May, had turned down the Magpies job twice. He was approached after Alan Pardew’s departure in December  and then again with three games left of the Premier League season.

Ghana forward Andre Ayew has joined Swansea City on a free transfer, signing a four-year contract at the Premier League club. Ayew, 25, has been at Marseille since 2006 but his deal with the Ligue 1 side expired this month. The former BBC African Footballer of the Year scored 52 goals in 181 appearances for the French club and has 62 caps for his country. “I felt this was the right place for me,” Ayew said. “I felt that my desire to play in the Premier League and wanting to grow as a player meant that Swansea was the best solution for me in every way. “Seeing the honesty and desire of the club made me feel that they really wanted me to come. They have proved that in all ways.”

New Zealand 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup Round-16 Results….

Thursday 11 June 2015:

Austria 0 – 2 Uzbekistan

Germany 1 – 0 Nigeria

Portugal 2 – 1 New Zealand

Brazil 5 – 4 Uruguay Ukraine – Penalty Shoot out after 0-0 draw

Uzbekistan, Germany, Portugal and Brazil have all qualified for the quarter finals.

Despite the high rating in local media, the Flying Eagles of Nigeria has been knocked out of the U-20 World Cup by Germany. Sad!  Kelechi Iheanacho who was the most valuable player for the U-17 tournament has not been playing for Nigeria. Is it lack of form or personality clash after he reacted for being subbed in the first game? We need to know. In the coming days, we’ll share the stories of our glory days when we played in the finals of Saudi ’89 and Netherlands ’05.

West Ham United confirm the signing of Spain under-21 midfielder Pedro Obiang from Sampdoria for a fee thought to be in the region of £4.4m. Obiang tells the Hammers’ club website: “We have been talking about this for a long time and now I’ve finally got the chance to come here. “I think Slaven Bilic is a manager that can do very well here. He is a manager that likes to play good football and I really like that so I am sure that we will get along very well.”