Hours after raising the hope of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup to be held in North America, the Nigeria Super Eagles’ Coach, Eric Chelle, has come out to say the team had been under “a lot of pressure” even before the Friday game.
The players had defeated Lesotho 2-1, having fielded a strong side with the return of the Galatasaray forward, Victor Osimhen, and Saudi Pro League, Al-Kholood defender, William Troost-Ekong.
In a post-match conference, Chelle expressed excitement that the team had won the game against Lesotho.
He, however, said that the pressure to put up the best performances had been on the team since March.
“Today we are happy because we won. We are still alive. I am happy for my players and I want to congratulate them. Perhaps we have felt the pressure since March. Every time my players, whenever we meet, they tell me they feel the pressure, because for Nigeria, we need to travel and we need to go to the World Cup.
“There is a lot of pressure, and this is the reality.
“So now, maybe they will take some hours of cool after this win, and I’m happy for that. Playing in this game is not the same as regular football.
“In the first half, because we were under pressure, technically, sometimes we miss some things, and it is difficult to come on the pitch, because there is a lot of tension, but I am so proud of my guys, and I told them.”
Nigeria’s midfielder #5 William Troost-Ekong successfully signals for the offside of Lesotho’s midfielder #10 Jane Ts’otleho during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Africa qualifiers group C match between Lesotho and Nigeria at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on October 10, 2025. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP
READ ALSO: Super Eagles Boost World Cup Hopes With Slim Win Over Lesotho
While corroborating Chelle’s stance, William Troost-Ekong said the match against Lesotho was a tough one.
“I also want to start by saying that Lesotho played a great game, and we knew that from the start. I can understand the disappointment and frustration because they put up a very good fight. These kinds of games are never easy, and the Coach said that already. The pressure has been on us since March at the start of the Qualifiers,” he said.
He, however, said the team was looking forward to a great outing come 2026.
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The I’m A Celebrity and Love Island star is all set to star on the big screen in new Irish comedy film, The Spin, as character Rose and it marks her acting debut
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Maura Higgins makes her acting debut in comedy film The Spin(Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Maura Higgins has seen her career sky rocketed since appearing on Love Island back in 2019 and now she’s adding another feather to her cap by making her acting debut on the big screen.
The 34-year-old will play the character of Rose in Irish comedy film, The Spin, and it’s just days away from releasing in cinemas.
Maura’s inclusion in the film was previously announced on The Spin’s official Instagram page as they penned: “It’s no surprise that Maura excelled in the jungle. The Spin team knows that Maura faces new challenges with her unique warmth, charm and humour.”
Maura Shared: “The Irish are known for our storytelling, so it felt fitting that my acting debut would be in an Irish film. Being on set was an incredible experience and I enjoyed every moment.”
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Producer Ismail Ismail said: “It has been amazing to watch Maura thrive both in the jungle and on the big screen. She was a natural in front of the camera and we’re incredibly grateful she could join us despite her busy schedule.
“We couldn’t be prouder that Maura brought her dedication and talent to The Spin in her role as Rose. Thank you for joining us on our journey, @maurahiggins.”
The film follows Dermot and Elvis (Brencock O’Connor and Owen Colgan) who are facing eviction and needing a miracle to help them, before they come across a mad chance to help save their record shop.
The best pals have to venture on a road trip from Tyrone to Cork, but of course nothing is ever that easy and the two are involved in plenty of mad antics along the way.
The Instagram account shared a post on Friday (October 10) to tease Maura’s character of Rose. Alongside stills of Maura sitting at a bar and wearing a silver top and denim jeans, they posted: “Presenting Rose (@maurahiggins, Love Island and Glow Up), a beautiful butterfly trapped in a jar.
“Her relationship with Dermot is stagnant and Omagh is too small a town for this big city girl. Sensing her fella has itchy feet too, Rose resorts to taking decisive action…”
The upcoming film also stars Pussycat Dolls star Kimberly Wyatt and Tara Lynne O’Neill in leading roles and it had it’s grand premiere at The Belfast Film Festival in 2024.
It also won the Best Irish Feature Film at the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival and was the official selection at Toronto Irish Film Festival, International Filmfest Bremen and IrishFilmFesta Rome.”
Maura shot to fame on Love Island in 2019 and after coming in third place with then-boyfriend Curtis Pritchard, she went on to appear on Dancing On Ice as well as host the Irish version of makeover show, Glow Up.
Last year, she appeared on I’m A Celebrity and made her move Stateside by working as a presenter on Love Island USA: Aftersun following the airing of spin-off, Love Island: Games.
A source revealed to The Sun in August before the show aired: “The first series of Love Island Games didn’t include an Aftersun show, as it was filmed in advance and broadcast later. But this time, it’s going out in real time like the main show.
“That’s why bosses have decided to create a dedicated Aftersun, and Maura was the obvious choice to host it.”
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“Maura was thrilled to be asked to do it, as Games is a totally separate show so there was no guarantee she would be offered it. When bosses approached her, she was over the moon because it proves how happy they are with her and she is seen as a key fixture in the Love Island USA family.”
She’s further set to cement her place on American television as a contestant on the US version of The Traitors, which is expected to air in American in January, in line with previous series airing.
The reality star was diagnosed with both ADHD and autism in 2023, after years of struggling with his attention span while at school. Sam says the label made him feel ‘so much better’
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Sam Thompson has opened up about the ways his ADHD and autism diagnosis affected him(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for BGC)
Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson has opened up about how being diagnosed with ADHD and autism completely changed his life for the better.
Sam, 32, is best known for his appearances on reality shows like Made in Chelsea and I’m A Celebrity, which he went on to win. He is also the proud co-host of hit podcast Staying Relevant, alongside his best friend Pete Wicks.
While fans have always loved Sam’s outgoing nature, away from the spotlight, he has been going through a deeply personal journey related to that part of his personality.
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In 2023, just before his 30th birthday, Sam was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism. He has admitted this took “a massive weight off [his] shoulders”.
To commemorate ADHD Awareness Month with British charity ADHD UK, the star has spoken about how his diagnosis brought him relief after years of being misunderstood at school.
“When I was first diagnosed, I felt this massive weight off my shoulders. Hearing the diagnosis made me feel so much better about myself,” Sam said.
Sam is now an official ambassador for ADHD UK, and uses this platform to encourage others like him to embrace their differences.
He added: “I like to tell kids it’s a superpower because I genuinely believe it can be. If you can channel your ADHD into doing something you love — whether that’s a subject, industry or a hobby — it can be incredible.
“Having said that, I think the struggles people have are very real and it’s about trying to balance that conversation with not feeling ashamed.”
Sam’s journey to diagnosis was featured in Channel 4 documentary Is This ADHD? in 2023, which helped spark nationwide conversations about the condition.
His time on I’m A Celeb also had a similar effect. He has now revealed: “When I came out of the jungle, the biggest surprise I got was the community that surrounds neurodiversity.
“The number of parents who came up to me saying their child had been ashamed of having ADHD, but after watching that part on I’m A Celebrity, their perspective completely changed.”
Sam added: “If I could do that just once — make one child feel better about who they are — that’s enough for me. I’ve never felt a community like that before.”
As part of his ambassador work, Sam recently visited Oaks Park Secondary School to talk to students about ADHD, and encourage those of them who are diagnosed to see the positives in their condition.
He told pupils: “To my younger self I’d say: you’re not feeling this way alone. There are so many other people feeling exactly the same way — and you’re in it together.”
Sam has recently spoken about whether or not he would ever follow in the footsteps of his pal Pete Wicks by taking on the challenge of being featured on Strictly Come Dancing.
In a chat with The Mirror, he admitted: “I don’t know. I’ve never been a talent guy. I don’t really have a talent. That was the reason I’m A Celebrity was so good for me, I didn’t have to do anything. I just had to go and make friends.”
Tens of thousands of forcibly displaced Palestinians are making their way back to devastated areas in northern Gaza as Israeli forces stop operations as agreed under phase one of the ceasefire plan with Hamas, and partially withdraw.
Gaza’s al-Rashid Street, which has witnessed massive population movements northward and southward over recent months as Palestinians fled Israeli attacks, is once again witnessing a tide of humanity on the move.
Now, with the ceasefire in effect and Israeli forces withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor that previously divided the road, tens of thousands of Palestinians are journeying north – hoping this time to return permanently.
“Once again [displaced Palestinians] are taking the same exact road, the only lifeline for Palestinians now to go back to their homes in Gaza and the northern part [of the enclave],” reported Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud from the central Gaza coastal highway.
Mahmoud noted that the critical highway has been extensively damaged by Israeli bulldozers, creating a difficult passage for those carrying their belongings.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Al Nuseirat, Gaza, said: “Since this morning, we have seen families walking towards Gaza City. We saw children, women, elderly, cars, vans, donkey carts loaded with furniture. Families removed their makeshift tents to take and reset them over the ruins of their destroyed homes in Gaza City.”
These residents were originally forced to abandon Gaza City due to bombardment, only to find overcrowded conditions in central and southern Gaza upon arrival.
“While this return marks a historic moment, it must be accompanied by substantive measures to address the humanitarian crisis,” Abu Azzoum added.
Most returnees are discovering barely any intact buildings in Gaza City following Israel’s relentless bombardment and ground invasion there. There is now an urgent need for temporary shelters and mobile housing units for these returning families.
Paloma Faith was the first person to leave the first ever series of Celebrity Traitors this week, with Paloma not too impressed with how it happened
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Paloma thought Alan leaked her breakup(Image: BBC)
Paloma Faith shared her suspicion pal Alan Carr leaked her split before his Traitors betrayal. The singer has admitted she doesn’t know if she can trust her friend after thinking he could’ve betrayed her twice.
Speaking in a resurfaced clip from her Mad, Sad and Bad podcast, Paloma recalls when she was convinced that Alan has told the press about her relationship news, despite not telling anyone about it herself.
The 44-year-old star was joined by the comedian where they discussed how bad they thought it was to gossip. Paloma started off the topic by asking Alan: “Do you think gossip’s bad?'”
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He then answered: “I gossip about people all the time.” While Paloma replied: “You think it’s okay?” Alan confessed: “I don’t like people… I mean, I’m a pure hypocrite. I love gossiping, but I hate people gossiping about me. I’m a complete gossip hypocrite.”
Paloma went on to then ask if Alan thinks gossiping is a “guilty pleasure”. Alan said: “It’s a guilty pleasure. If people are d***s, you’ve got to talk about them, haven’t ya.”
Reminiscing about her breakup, Paloma said: “Do you remember when I called you, we went out one night, we went to the Halloween party, and the next day it was in the paper that my relationship had ended, but I hadn’t told anyone.”
Alan instantly defended himself denying that he would leak the news. Paloma added: “But do you remember I called you and asked if you knew, if you’d mentioned it by accident, you were like no, no, no.”
Alan replied: “Oh, now you’ve lured me in saying ‘are you a gossip?’ And I’ve gone ‘yeah’, and you’ve gone ‘yeah, because someone’s gossiping about me!'”
Paloma found the discovery amusing as she denied Alan’s theory. The pair’s friendship was at risk once again this week as to Alan ‘murdered’ Paloma on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors this week.
The show, which started this week, saw a cast of 19 celebrities enter the famous Scottish castle with Claudia Winkleman – who chose her three Traitors.
Claudia chose Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross and Cat Burns as the three Traitors and their first challenge was to murder in plain sight.
During the episode it was revealed that Alan had chosen to ‘murder’ his best friend Paloma Faith by sneakily touching her face.
Paloma has made it no secret that she was disappointed to be leaving the show, and she’s not the only one as she revealed her daughter told her the Chatty Man is ‘banned’ from their house following the betrayal.
Paloma revealed on The One Show: “He went out so he didn’t have to watch it. But I’m sure he’ll be fine, because everyone loves him. By next week everyone will forgive him because he’ll just be funny again.” However, it looks like Alan won’t be forgiven by Paloma’s four year old daughter, as she revealed the savage comment she made after watching the episode last night.
“This morning, she woke up, shook me and said, ‘Mama, I don’t like Alan anymore. He can’t come to our house. You can’t invite him to our house again,'” she laughed.
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