Nigerian footballer Ndifreke Effiong has joined Libyan Premier League side Al-Afreeki Sports Club ahead of the 2026/27 season.

The Derna-based club announced the signing on Sunday, August 16, 2026, welcoming the experienced Nigerian international to the team.

“From a distant sky… to the sky of the veteran ✨️

Ndifreke Effiong joins our ranks for the 2026-2027 sports season, starting his new journey from El Zahra. ✈️

Welcome to Alafreky, Ndifreke. ,” the club said in its announcement.

Effiong is a versatile and experienced player who is expected to strengthen Al-Afreeki as the club looks to have a more competitive campaign this season.

The Nigerian famously won the Nigeria Premier Football League title with Akwa United in 2021. He has since continued his career with clubs in Europe and Asia.

Al-Afreeki, also known as Al-Afryki Derna, compete in the Libyan Premier League and are coached by experienced Libyan manager Abdulhafid Erbeish.

The club finished third in their preliminary group during the 2025/26 season, collecting 23 points from 14 matches after seven wins, two draws and five defeats.

They later finished sixth in Group 2 during the final stage and did not reach the championship play-off final.

Al-Afreeki will now hope Effiong’s experience can help improve their fortunes as they prepare for the 2026/27 campaign.

Back-to-back wins build momentum and confidence in the course of a season.

Wins can also lead to overconfidence and complacency, so stringing them together demonstrates focus and respect for the next opponent.

The table below shows the victories, losses, and win percentages for the region’s top programs as the away team favorite over the last 20 seasons.

Boise State leads the way, followed by Oregon, BYU, Utah, and USC.

Bob Peters, making one of his infrequent trips from Western Australia, watched on as Cosmic Crusader extended its flawless Melbourne racing campaign with a victory in the P B Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield.

Now trained at Pakenham by Andrea Leek, Cosmic Crusader has achieved two wins from two starts since its arrival from Perth.

The horse first won the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 25, and then added Saturday’s Group 2 race to its impressive record.

Ridden by Willie Pike and starting as the $2.40 favourite, Cosmic Crusader secured a three-quarter length win over Private Eye ($3.40), with Evaporate ($5) a similar distance back in third. Those following the best horse racing betting apps saw the favourite live up to expectations with another strong performance.

Peters mentioned that he couldn’t recall the last time he journeyed from Perth to witness one of his horses race in Melbourne.

“I made it a point never to fly when I only have one runner,” Peter said.

“I went to Morphettville once for a Group 1.

“Everything was going alright, but at six o’clock in the morning I got the call that the horse had done a tendon, so I thought ‘never again’ if I’ve only got one.

“I had another function on, so that’s why I’m here today. It was a good opportunity to come for two things.”

Peters was pleased with Cosmic Crusader’s effort, noting the horse settled further back than anticipated during the race.

The next race on the agenda is the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 29.

“I was a little bit worried in the run when he was pulling, but once Willie got him to the outside, I could see he was on the job,” Peters said.

“(The Memsie) that’s the way to go. He had to get through this one to get there, but he’s done it well.

“It’s a bit of a step up when you get up to the big boys and girls in the next fortnight.”

Leek stated that Cosmic Crusader would not require significant training between its recent win and the Memsie Stakes.

She advised that the horse would be kept in light work on the hills at their property to prepare for the upcoming event.

“He’s a lovely horse with a lot of ability and I thought he had come on from that first-up run and hopefully he can come on from this one to,” Leek said.

Explore the latest racing odds at Australian betting sites for the upcoming Memsie Stakes.

Champion trainer Chris Waller is assembling an outstanding team for the upcoming Group One Winx Stakes, with star mare Autumn Glow expected to be a leading contender. Decisions on the final number of stablemates joining her will be made later in the week.

Six of Waller’s carnival hopefuls participated in exhibition gallops at Rosehill on Saturday. Four of these horses are likely to be nominated for the 1400-metre feature race next weekend, including Autumn Glow.

“Whatever is ready to run, will run, so there will be a lot. It’s just such an important starting point,” Waller remarked from Rosehill. “Not many of them could probably beat a horse like Autumn Glow, but when you’ve got horses like Beiwacht, anything is possible. They’re all well prepared. They’ve been trialling for a number of weeks now. Today was an important stepping stone for me and the horses just to see exactly where they are seven days out from a very big race day.”

James McDonald partnered Autumn Glow during her solo gallop between races, and the jockey returned with a glowing endorsement.

“She is ready to go,” McDonald stated. “She seems to be working really well. Every bit of work she has done, she has come on, worked a bit sharper and sharper.”

Beiwacht and Lady Shenandoah also galloped individually. Waller confirmed both would be among the Winx Stakes (1400m) entries. Meanwhile, ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’Italia is expected to target the Show County Quality (1200m) on the undercard.

Buckaroo, French import Barnavara, and Autumn Boy worked together on Saturday. However, only Autumn Boy is a likely runner in the Winx Stakes.

Buckaroo is slated to resume in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield a week later. Barnavara’s equipment will be adjusted by Waller following her aggressive gallop.

Aeliana, Fangirl, Lindermann, and Angel Capital are also probable Winx Stakes nominations for Waller. However, Angel Capital is anticipated to join Buckaroo in Melbourne.

Aeliana pleased Waller with her barrier trial on Friday, despite an earlier setback in her campaign, and remains a strong contender for the Winx Stakes. “She will definitely be in the ‘noms’,” he said. “She only trialled (on Friday) because of the setback, but I think over 850 (metres), she was sharp enough, which is what I wanted to see.”

Those looking to get involved in the action can find a wide range of racing betting markets with top Australian betting sites.

PurplePTSD works in partnership with Vikings Territory, similarly doing their utmost to offer top-notch coverage of the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, we’re promoting five of their top articles of the past month in “The P/PTSD Perspective.” Take a peek at some of their best stuff.

The P/PTSD Perspective: August 15th, 2026

1) Vikings Fans Don’t Have to Pick a Side in the J.J. McCarthy-Kyler Murray QB Battle: Vikings fans will make the decision that Vikings fans want to make. Quite possibly, the majority of the fans will arrive at a consensus about the best path forward. Do note, though, that Minnesota has made the call.

2) Jakobe Thomas Isn’t Making Much Noise During Vikings Practices: Still early but there’s something to be said for what’s not said. Guys such as Chuck Demmings and Jake Golday have received no shortage of hype (Caleb Banks, too). Where does Mr. Thomas land within the safety hierarchy? At minimum, he should be a great special teams player.

3) Demond Claiborne Has a Better Day on Saturday: Quite possibly, nobody on the Vikings’ roster boasts as much speed as the young runner (corner Isaiah Rodgers may quibble with that perspective). Unless there’s an injury, Claiborne won’t go higher on the depth chart than being the RB3 in 2026. Maybe he can show enough in that job to still demand touches.

4) Jake Golday Gets Endorsement from Vikings Legend: The rookie is looking really good. He’s a versatile, explosive athlete who boasts good length. What’s yet to be determined is how much Brian Flores can put on his shoulders as a rookie.

5) Vikings Sign New RB, Say Goodbye to Another: A good GM is always hunting for ways to improve the team. Sometimes, that means showing a player the door to see if a different player can help. Can the new add solidify the running back depth?

Enjoy the extra reading, Vikings fans.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Hunt is not afraid to voice her bold ambitions.

Announcing that she “wants it all” before these championships, Hunt, even in these early stages of her senior career, has demonstrated a propensity to thrive on major stages, and under ever-increasing expectation.

“Four golds was the dream and perhaps dreams do come true,” said Hunt.

“It’s so beyond the bounds of my dreams that I’m just euphoric. I can’t believe it’s happening.

“I think it will sink in later, maybe on the podium. I’m just so proud of myself and the way I’ve handled this week.”

The Briton has already spoken about the big goal: repeating her sweep of the sprint golds at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Her playlist – she creates one for every major event – is already being built as she begins to visualise how that might feel.

She will be well aware how much work there is to do. So far this year, she ranks 14th-fastest worldwide in the 200m, and 25th in the 100m. Asher-Smith’s British records, at 21.88 and 10.83 seconds respectively, remain untouched since 2019.

The next opportunity for global honours, beyond the inaugural World Ultimate Championships in September, will arrive at next year’s World Championships in Beijing.

And, once the dust has settled on a momentous week, Hunt will set about translating continental domination to glory on the sport’s biggest stages – just as British team-mate Asher-Smith achieved following her European treble in 2018.

“Amy has already won world silver, but she was not a favourite then,” Jackson said.

“Now, it’s a big change. She is a champion and she has to go and take on the best in the world.

“Is it going to be easy? No. But this will fill Amy with confidence. She will be on start lines trusting her ability is great, and I’m hoping that she will go from strength and strength.”

Tommy John, the former MLB pitcher whose elbow surgery set the standard in baseball and helped lengthen the careers of countless players, has died. He was 83.

Mike Maguire, his agent, announced John’s death in a statement.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Tommy John looks on from the dugout at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., circa 1987. (Getty Images)

“Thomas Edward ‘Tommy’ John Jr. passed away peacefully at his home in Lakewood Ranch last night surrounded by his loving wife, Cheryl, and his sister-in-laws Judith Florentino and Karen Jordan,” the statement read.

“A private celebration of life will be held in Florida.”

John’s death comes about a week after he released a farewell message to fans on New York Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day.

He said in his message he was “saying goodbye” as the team revealed he had been battling health issues.

“I want to thank the Yankees organization & the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, along with all the friends & fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career,” John’s message read.

“Thanks to Dr. Jobe, who saved my arm & made it possible for me to continue pitching. That surgery has since gone on to save the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Tommy John of the New York Yankees pitches against the Oakland Athletics on May 18, 1989, at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. John was 46 years old at the time. (Getty Images)

“Thank you to all the fans who supported me & my teammates for 26 years. I will never forget you.”

John had his famed surgery in 1974 and became a success story as he went on to win more than 160 games after the operation was completed. He missed the entire 1975 season and was a three-time All-Star after the surgery.

He finished his career as a four-time All-Star and played eight of his 26 seasons with the Yankees.

He also played for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, Cleveland Indians and Oakland Athletics.

He had a career 3.34 ERA with 2,245 strikeouts.

“The day I left for my first job as a pitcher, my father looked at me & said, ‘Good luck, Tommy. Just remember one thing: whether you make it big in the big leagues or you don’t, you’ll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana,’” his message added.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Tommy John during testimony before the U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee on ALS in Washington on May 11, 2005. (Reuters)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I’ve never forgotten those words. Thank you & God Bless.”