A representative of Xi Jinping, as well as Gao Zhidan, Director of the General Administration of Sport of China, will participate in the opening ceremony of the fourth Youth Olympic Games. This will take place in Dakar, Senegal, on October 31.
This was learned on Friday from a representative of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who stated that the invitation was sent to the government of the Republic of Senegal.
The Lions concluded their European tour without any points after a dramatic match against Glasgow Warriors on Friday evening as part of the United Rugby Championship (URC). Although the team fought hard and almost managed to secure their first victory in Scotland, a late attempt and a penalty goal allowed the home side to win 29-20 at Scotstoun Stadium.
This means the visitors return to South Africa after a difficult tour where they failed to earn a single point in three matches, both in the URC and the Champions Cup. The only bonus point opportunity that could have been gained from the seven-point margin against Glasgow was almost cruelly taken away due to a Lions penalty during the lineout late in the match.
However, this penalty generally reflected the evening's performance for the Johannesburg-based team: their discipline, defensive errors, and inability to convert chances played against them. Their debut half looked particularly weak, and allowing the Warriors to take the lead 19-3 at halftime was their biggest mistake. The home side found it too easy to penetrate the Lions' defense, scoring three uncontested tries in the first period, where the Lions should have scored more points.
Numerous attacking errors, lost possession in contact and at the lineout, as well as an inability to dominate the scrum, repeatedly put the visitors in front of the Glasgow goalposts. These errors were sometimes bordering on reckless, and a foolish yellow card for locker Etienne Oosthuizen for an infringement summed up the difficulties of the first half. The situation was also complicated by the early departure of their playmaker Chris Smith.
In the second half, as substitutes came onto the field, the momentum shifted in favor of the Lions, and it seemed the coach Ivan van Rieen's halftime talk had inspired the team. The Lions' scrum began to gain strength, with hooker Boan Winter, link player Morne Brandon, and tighthead Conrad van Vuuren contributing from the bench. The rolling maul also became a powerful weapon, as forwards created the foundation for three tries in the second half, scored by scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, winger Siby Mahashe, and Brandon.
Van den Berg kept the team energized through excellent play and kicks, demonstrating readiness for duties with the South African national team during the November National Championship matches. Brandon's try in the rolling maul in the 70th minute briefly allowed the Lions to take the lead 20-19, and due to their dominance, it seemed they were on track for a famous victory in Glasgow.
They brilliantly defended their lead in the final ten minutes until Ollie Smith scored the decisive try for Glasgow in the 76th minute. The Lions once again found themselves chasing the score. This led to errors and desperate play as they tried to regain possession, and after a couple of penalties, scrumhalf George Horne scored three points, which deprived the visitors of their only bonus point opportunity.
Once again, the Lions demonstrated fighting spirit in a tough match but returned to Johannesburg without points. This break should give the team time to recover and regroup with family and friends after a difficult month on the road following the death of teammate Hyron Andrews in France. It will also give Van Rieen and his coaches time to plan a counterattack when the URC resumes on December 4th with a derby in Uxbridge against the Bulls at Ellis Park.
Glasgow Warriors scored 29 (19) points, including tries by Fergus Watson, Dan Lancaster, Jack Singleton, and Ollie Smith. Conversions were made by George Horne (3), as well as one penalty kick by Horne. The Lions scored 20 (3) points, including tries by Morne van den Berg, Siby Mahashe, and Morne Brandon. The conversion was made by Boeta Chamberlain, and the penalty kick was scored by Chris Smith.
Significant changes have occurred in the Indian squad ahead of the series of friendly matches against New Zealand. The selection committee has included right-arm fast bowler Akib Nabi in the team for the first three matches of the series. Previously, Akib Nabi was included for the fourth and fifth matches of the series.
The squad update was officially published by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Although right-arm fast bowler Akib Nabi was initially selected for the last two matches, he will now play in the first three games.
In the first three matches against New Zealand, the Indian team will be led by Shubman Gill. The team includes experienced players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as well as Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Axar Patel. The pace bowling group now features Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Anshul Kamboj, Guruveer Barar, and Akib Nabi.
Nitish Kumar Reddy will also be part of the squad for the first match, but according to the BCCI update, he will only be available for the first game.
Akib Nabi's name is also present in the list of players announced for the final two matches of the series. In these games, Shreyas Iyer will captain, and Tilak Verma and Kumar Kushagra will also get the opportunity to play.
Shubman Gill will captain the first three matches, while Shreyas Iyer will take charge of leading the team in the fourth and fifth matches.
The squad for the first three matches includes: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Naman Dihr, Anshul Kamboj, Guruveer Barar, Rituraj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy (first match only), and Akib Nabi.
The squad for the fourth and fifth matches is as follows: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Verma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper, vice-captain), Axar Patel, Naman Dihr, Akib Nabi, Guruveer Barar, Rituraj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Ahead of the highly anticipated derby in Soweto, one fan has drawn public attention with her bold declaration. Miracle Ebubechi Michael, affectionately known as Mimi or Anoda Miracle, vowed to walk the entire way back to Nigeria if her favorite team, Orlando Pirates, suffers a defeat against their fierce rivals, Kaizer Chiefs.
Her statement generated significant interest among local football enthusiasts and further fueled the rivalry, which is a central element of South African football culture. Mimi gained recognition after a successful fundraising campaign that raised over 40,000 South African Rand. These funds helped organize her trip from Nigeria to Johannesburg specifically for the derby.
During an interview with SABC, Mimi shared her excitement. Affirming her unwavering belief in Pirates, she stated: 'If Kaizer Chiefs beat Pirates in the Soweto Derby, I will walk all the way back to Nigeria!' This bold statement, captured in a viral video, quickly spread across social media.
Both teams are preparing for a very competitive match following their recent victories on Tuesday evening. Kaizer Chiefs secured a convincing 3-0 victory over TS Galaxy, while Orlando Pirates showed impressive play against Milford, achieving the same result.
The anticipation for this year's derby is heightened by the fact that tickets for the match, which will be held at the FNB Stadium, sold out in just six hours, demonstrating the strong passion fans have for this confrontation. The stadium management in South Africa confirmed the huge demand for the match, forecasting the presence of over 90,000 spectators. Authorities urged fans without tickets to stay away from the venue, implementing strict measures to prevent counterfeit tickets from entering the stadium. Numerous security groups are on high alert to effectively manage the crowd, and the atmosphere at the stadium is expected to be intense.
According to the CEO of Stadium Management South Africa, Bertie Grobbelaar, all tickets for the match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs were sold within six hours, and the event will utilize a fully digital ticketing system.
Mimi noted that the love for South African football is great in her home country. She said: 'I have my brothers and sisters in Nigeria who work in South African football. My whole family knows about South African football. Even my children know how to pronounce the names of Orlando Pirates players.' She also informed SABC sports commentator Holly Zondo about issues related to the strained relations between the two countries, noting that there must be a way to resolve them.
'This is how far we are pushing it in Nigeria. Whatever happens on social media, we will push it through football. I don't know how it will happen, but we have already started,' she asserted. Upon arriving in the country, Mimi thanked the South Africans for their kind messages on social media, saying she found it hard to handle all the attention: 'This girl from the village of Nijaba is being spoiled by South Africans, but I can't handle this generosity. It's not working.'
