Cup-holders Nigeria are not looking to take anything for granted in Saturday’s Unity Cup Tournament final duel against the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica at the Charlton Athletic Stadium in London.

Head Coach Eric Chelle has been singing the praises of the squad that hammered Zimbabwe 2-0 in Tuesday’s semi final, and he made it clear on Thursday that he might tweak his playing personnel, tactics, pattern and strategy for Saturday’s encounter against the familiar foes.

The Super Eagles and the Reggae Boyz battled to a 2-2 draw in the final of the same mini-tournament on Saturday, 31st May, 2025, before the Eagles swept to victory 5-4 after penalty shootout to retain the trophy they had won in 2002 and 2004 – the only two times the competition had been held previously.

In its first edition in 2002, the Unity Cup was played by only two teams, with Nigeria defeating Jamaica by a lone goal scored by a former Nigeria U17 team captain James Obiorah. Two years later, the Republic of Ireland joined the two teams, but Nigeria still emerged champions, with Bartholomew Ogbeche emerging the top scorer with three goals.

It was at the 2004 edition that Obafemi Martins made his mark, scoring on his debut for Nigeria.

On Saturday, Coach Chelle is permitted further experimentation with the largely fresh group he has brought to London, with Wrexham FC of England goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo likely to be given the nod to start having kept a clean sheet against the nifty Warriors on Tuesday.

A reassuring rearguard of Chibueze Oputa, Chibuike Nwaiwu, Igoh Ogbu and Obinna Igboke could also be wholly retained, following a commendable outing against the Zimbabweans. It may be recalled that it was at the Unity Cup last year that Igoh Ogbu, who plays for Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic, got his break into the Eagles’ big league.

Tochukwu Nnadi, who played some part in the Super Eagles’ campaign at the last Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, may again team up with US-based no-nonsense tackler Alhassan Yusuf and former U17 team captain Samson Tijani in the middle, as Terem Moffi, Philip Otele and two-goal hero Femi Azeez run things at the fore.

Cyprus-based goalkeeper Francis Uzoho is also available, as are midfielder Tosin Oyedokun and forwards Owen Oseni and Rafiu Durosinmi who also did not disappoint as substitutes on Tuesday.

Azeez’s self-assured output against Zimbabwe, with two goals to boot in his debut, gladdened the hearts of the technical crew and much is expected of him against a Jamaican side that nearly torpedoed the books last summer. In the event, he became the first debutant to score two goals for the Nigeria senior team since Mathias Obianika did the same in the Eagles’ 4-0 defeat of Burkina Faso 55 years ago.

On Thursday, the Super Eagles trained at the Cray Valley, ahead of Friday’s official training that will hold at The Valley.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Shahid Afridi

NEW DELHI: The cricket world is still struggling to come to terms with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s astonishing IPL 2026 Eliminator knock, and now former Pakistan batting great Mohammad Yousuf has joined the growing list of admirers with a comparison that instantly grabbed attention.Less than 24 hours after the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals sensation demolished Sunrisers Hyderabad with a breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls, Yousuf declared that the teenager reminded him of a young Shahid Afridi.“15-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reminds me of @SAfridiofficial — young, fearless, explosive, full of energy. The future is here!” Yousuf posted on X.The comparison with Afridi — one of cricket’s most destructive hitters during his peak years — only added to the growing hype surrounding the teenage prodigy, whose fearless batting has become the biggest talking point of IPL 2026.

Sooryavanshi’s brutal assault leaves SRH stunned

Sooryavanshi produced one of the greatest playoff innings in IPL history during Rajasthan Royals’ 47-run victory over Hyderabad in the Eliminator at Mullanpur.The teenage opener smashed 12 sixes and five fours at an extraordinary strike rate of 334.48, tearing apart even Australia captain Pat Cummins with three consecutive sixes in one over.His stunning knock powered Rajasthan Royals to 243/8 before SRH were bowled out for 196.Also Read: How the Sooryavanshi storm ended Sunrisers’ title dream after dramatic revivalThe youngster narrowly missed out on becoming the fastest centurion in IPL history, falling for 97 while attempting another six. However, he still shattered multiple records during the innings.Sooryavanshi now holds the record for the most runs by an uncapped batter in an IPL season with 680 runs, surpassing Yashasvi Jaiswal’s tally of 625 in 2023.He has also smashed 65 sixes this season, breaking Chris Gayle’s long-standing IPL record for most sixes in a single edition.Cricket world in awe of teenage sensationDespite missing his century by just three runs, Sooryavanshi revealed that personal milestones were never on his mind during the innings.“I got to know after the game,” he said when asked about narrowly missing the fastest IPL hundred record. “My focus was on hitting a six. I will score centuries in future but the focus was on getting maximum runs for the team.”Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag admitted the team deliberately avoids overloading the youngster with advice.“We don’t have any conversations; just leave him alone. We give him a lot of batting practice and he does his thing,” Parag said.England pacer Jofra Archer, who played a crucial role with the ball in the Eliminator, summed up the growing fear among bowlers perfectly.“The more runs he scores, the more runs we have to defend. He can get 150,” Archer said.With Rajasthan Royals now set to face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, the cricketing world waits to see whether the fearless teenager can produce another extraordinary performance on the biggest stage.

Major League Baseball owners have formally presented a salary cap proposal to the players’ association, a system the union has consistently vowed to reject.

This move sets the stage for a significant confrontation that could jeopardize the 2027 season and potentially beyond.

The last time baseball owners put forward a firm cap was in 1994, an initiative that triggered a 7 1/2-month strike and led to the cancellation of the World Series for the first time in 90 years.

The proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, with a salary floor of $171.2 million.

MLB spokesman Glen Caplin stated: “Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together. Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts.”

Management argues that a cap is essential to enhance competitive balance and prevent affluent teams, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, from assembling rosters significantly more star-studded than their smaller-market counterparts.

However, players are advocating for expanded free agency and salary arbitration rights, a near-doubling of the major league minimum wage, increased revenue sharing among high-earning and less wealthy clubs, and penalties for teams that fall below payroll floors.

They contend that a cap would primarily benefit owners at their expense, and they remain steadfast in their refusal to accept one. Without a cap, MLB stars have secured lucrative, guaranteed contracts that often surpass those of top athletes in other US sports.

Juan Soto’s $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets is believed to be the biggest ever in team sports and is far greater than the largest deals in the NFL (Patrick Mahomes at $450 million over 10 years) and NBA (Jayson Tatum at $314 million over five years).

The Dodgers, for instance, shattered MLB’s spending record with a combined $515 million in payroll and luxury tax last year en route to their second straight World Series title.

Los Angeles’ total was seven times the $68.7 million payroll of the Miami Marlins, the lowest-spending team, and more than the payrolls of the bottom six clubs combined.

Other major US sports leagues operate under a salary cap. The NBA introduced a modern version in 1984-85, NFL players and owners adopted one for the 1994 season, and the NHL followed suit in 2005-06 after a lockout cancelled an entire season.

Baseball’s current five-year agreement, finalized in March 2022 after a 99-day lockout, is set to expire on 2 December. While a lockout next winter is widely anticipated, intensive negotiations are not expected until late February or early March 2027, when the prospect of losing regular-season games and revenue becomes imminent.

Should regular-season games be forfeited, the dispute could devolve into a test of endurance, with each side gauging its tolerance for economic loss.

The 1994 MLB salary cap proposal also offered a 50-50 revenue split, requiring teams to maintain payrolls between 84-110% of the average. It aimed to eliminate salary arbitration and reduce the free agency threshold from six years of major league service to four, with a provision allowing a player’s former club to match any offer until they reached six years.

That offer was made on 14 June, leading to the players’ strike on 12 August. MLB eventually withdrew the proposal on 6 February the following year under pressure from the National Labour Relations Board.

The strike concluded on 31 March after US District Judge Sonia Sotomayor – now a Supreme Court Justice – issued an injunction reinstating the expired labour contract’s work rules. Owners accepted the union’s offer to return to work without an agreement two days later, with a deal not being reached until 1997.

Aspirant Detdet Pepito during the PVL Draft Combine Day 1. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Detdet Pepito is ready to step out of her comfort zone in the Premier Volleyball League after spending the past 11 years with the University of Santo Tomas.

Pepito, who had been with UST since high school, began the road to the pros as one of the 42 aspirants in the 2026 class for the PVL Draft Night on June 3 at Novotel.

READ: PVL: Galeries Tower wins lottery, gets first pick in draft

“Honestly, I’m nervous because everything feels so different, even the faces I’m seeing now are new to me. But at the same time, I’m also really excited, especially since we’ve been able to train with different PVL teams,” Pepito told reporters after undergoing biometrics and drills on the first day of the Draft Combine at GameVille Ball Park.

Detdet Pepito on entering the PVL Draft. #PVL2026 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/QA2OEyiv0c

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) May 28, 2026

“We’re getting exposed to different systems, different players, and veteran athletes. Even now, we’re already learning so much from them, so it’s been a really fun experience.”

The UST captain admitted it hasn’t been easy adjusting to life outside España Boulevard and training with professional teams.

“Honestly, it’s been really hard. Even just the training schedule is a huge adjustment because most PVL teams train in the morning. In UST, we usually finished training late at night, so my body clock was really used to that,” said Pepito.

PVL Rookie Draft Aspirants during day 1 of the Draft Combine. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

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“Now I’m trying my best to adjust to morning training and to the overall PVL system. It’s difficult, but exciting too because after almost 11 years of training at night, now I’m training in the morning. Actually, I’ve noticed I become more productive after morning training because I still have the whole afternoon to do other things.”

Still, Pepito said it’s an adjustment she is willing to embrace as she prepares for the next chapter of her career.

READ: Alyssa Solomon, UAAP stars banner PVL Rookie Draft pool

“That’s really how I show my leadership and personality. I move more freely and comfortably when I can just be myself and stay playful,” she said.

“I can offer leadership. And of course, I always try to give 101 percent, whether it’s during training or in actual games.”

The two-time UAAP Best Libero is also eager to compete against and learn from some of the league’s top floor defenders, including Kath Arado of PLDT High Speed Hitters, Alyssa Eroa of ZUS Coffee, Justine Jazareno of Akari, Kyla Atienza of Creamline, and the duo of Thang Ponce and Dawn Macandili-Catindig.

“I’m super excited because before, I only watched them from afar. Now, I might actually get to compete against them. I think it’s even better because I’ll get to see firsthand how they move and play,” Pepito said. “I really want to learn from how they adjust, how they handle pressure, and bring those lessons with me so I can continue improving.”

A popular AEW star recently shared his thoughts on a recent alliance with Jon Moxley. The Death Riders leader is the current Continental Champion in the company.

Will Ospreay recently started training with Moxley and The Death Riders. Samo Joe wanted to recruit Ospreay for The Opps. However, the star’s refusal pushed Joe and his stable mates to attack Will. The Death Riders then showed up to make the save and Jon Moxley even suggested he would help Will become a better version of himself. The results were evident as the Aerial Assassin faced former AEW World Champion Samoa Joe in the quarterfinals of the Own Hart Cup. Ospreay defeated Joe in the hard fought battle.

This week, Ospreay took to Twitter to posted some photos from a recent AEW Collision TV taping, showing his interactions and teamup with Jon Moxley. The two stars teamed up with PAC in a Trios match against The Rascalz Zachary Wentz, Dezmond Xavier and Myron Reed. The group won the encounter and even posed together in the ring. The Aerial Assassin added the caption “Starting to understand” signalling that he was finally understand the motto and work ethic of the Death Riders. Interestingly, the Death Riders had put Ospreay out of action last year, forcing the star to get neck surgery.

Kenny Omega warned Will Ospreay about Jon Moxley and the Death Riders

In the aftermath of his victory over Samoa Joe in the Owen Hart Cup, Will Ospreay spoke with Renee Paquette backstage. The 33-year-old star said that he was feeling great despite the physical battle. Ospreay noted that his body felt good before heading to the trainer’s room.

Kenny Omega was also in the trainer’s room, recovering after the chaotic Stadium Stampede match and offered Ospreay some ice. Omega congratulated him on advancing to the next round before shifting the conversation toward the Death Riders. The former AEW World Champion expressed concern about Ospreay trusting the group, reminding him that they had previously carried out every threat they made.

Omega pointed out that the faction had injured both of them in the past, including Ospreay’s neck injury. He questioned why the former International Champion never reached out to him for help, insisting he would have gladly stood by his side.