Norway defeats Brazil 2-1 to advance to World Cup quarter-finals
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Norway secured a 2-1 victory over Brazil to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, with Erling Haaland scoring both goals. Haaland headed Norway into the lead in the 79th minute and added a second in the 90th minute. Norway's goalkeeper Orlan Nyland made several crucial saves, including a first-half penalty from Bruno Guimaraes. Neymar scored a penalty for Brazil deep into stoppage time. Haaland's two goals brought his tournament total to seven, matching Lionel Messi. Norway will now face either Mexico or England in Miami on July 11. This marks Brazil's earliest World Cup exit since 1990 and the sixth consecutive tournament where they have been eliminated by European opposition. The last time Brazil failed to reach at least the quarter-finals was 36 years ago. Julian Ryerson returned to Norway's lineup after a thigh injury. Early in the match, Patrick Berg's goal for Norway was disallowed for offside. Brazil was awarded a penalty after Kristoffer Ajer fouled Matheus Cunha, but Nyland saved Guimaraes's shot. Nyland continued to thwart Brazil's attacks, saving shots from Martinelli and Vin铆cius J煤nior. Despite a quiet first half, Haaland's strength created an opportunity for Martin 脴degaard, whose shot was saved by Alisson Becker. Substitutions were made by both teams, with Endrick almost scoring for Brazil. Neymar's arrival in the 67th minute energized the crowd. Haaland's second goal provided crucial breathing room before Neymar's late penalty, which followed an incident involvi
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Nigeria's senior men's basketball team, D'Tigers, defeated Rwanda 106-62, completing a flawless qualifying window and advancing to the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers. This victory ensured Nigeria finished the three-game window with a perfect record, having also beaten Tunisia and Guinea. Point guard Uche Iroegbu led the offense with 17 points and seven assists, while Caleb Agada, Ikechukwu Mekowulu, and Stan Okoye each contributed 13 points. Nigeria dominated the game, leading 25-14 after the first quarter and 49-29 at halftime, eventually securing an 80-44 lead by the end of the third quarter. The team had previously secured an 84-81 win over Tunisia and an 80-79 comeback victory against Guinea. Nigeria finished with 10 points, level with Tunisia and Guinea, as the top three teams from each of the four groups progressed to the second round, scheduled between August 2026 and February 2027. The remaining 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six, carrying over their first-round results, with the top two from each group and the best third-placed team qualifying for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.
Nigeria has secured 89 fully funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's scholarships for the 2026 academic cycle, making it Africa's top beneficiary of the program. This announcement was made by Gautier Mignot, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, during the 2026 Erasmus Mundus Pre-Departure Orientation in Abuja. A total of 163 Nigerian students were admitted into Erasmus Mundus master's programs this year, with 89 receiving full scholarships. This places Nigeria as the top country in Africa and among the top five globally, alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and the United States. The 2026 awards represent an increase from 81 Nigerian recipients in 2025, and the program is nearing 1,000 Nigerian scholarship beneficiaries since 2014. The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's program allows students to study at a minimum of two universities in two European countries, earning joint, double, or multiple master's degrees. The EU aims to further collaborate with Nigeria to enhance its global ranking in the program. Dr. Chinelo Nwosu, Director of the Directorate of Students, representing Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, and Mrs. Liman K.A.A., Director of the Department of Scholarship Awards in the Federal Ministry of Education, both commended the EU's investment and encouraged scholars to uphold Nigeria's image and contribute to national development. Oluchi Yulis Myron, a scholarship recipient, highlighted the opportunity for
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