Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Nurudeen Obalola Zimbabwe scored a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw with the Super Eagles in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo on Tuesday. The Super Eagles needed to win the match to stay in contention for African qualifying Group C’s only automatic World Cup ticket, but were undone by poor defending with the game almost over. Victor Osimhen scored the Super Eagles’ goal with 16 minutes left on the clock, his third strike in four days, and Nigeria looked to be heading for a second straight victory. However, Zimbabwe had other ideas, striking back in…
South Africa are in danger of losing three points in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race after it emerged that they fielded an ineligible Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win over Lesotho on Friday. Bafana Bafana are currently on top of African qualifying Group C with 10 points from five matches, and a three-point deduction would immensely benefit the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who are fourth with six points. Mokoena played in Polokwane against their landlocked neighbours on Friday despite having received two yellow cards from previous matches, which made him ineligible for the Lesotho clash. The Mamelodi Sundowns…
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and celebrated French footballer Michel Platini have been cleared of corruption charges relating to allegations of fraud at the global footballing body. An appeals court in Muttenz, near Basel in Switzerland, on Tuesday cleared the two of impropriety over a payment of 2m Swiss francs (£1.6m) Blatter made to Platini in 2011. Both men have consistently denied wrongdoing. The two were first acquitted of fraud offences in 2022, but the verdict was appealed by Swiss federal prosecutors. The long-running case stems from 2015, when FIFA became mired in allegations of fraud and corruption, culminating in…
Trent Alexander-Arnold has agreed to join Real Madrid this summer, talkSPORT has reported. The Liverpool star will leave Anfield after agreeing personal terms over a five-year deal worth in excess of £220,000-per-week with the Spanish giants in a seismic blow to Arne Slot’s side. The England international has been in discussions with Real since January. Liverpool rejected an approach from the Spanish club during the window but Alexander-Arnold is out of contract this summer – a situation that means that the defender is able to move on a free transfer. Despite months of negotiations, the 26-year-old has opted to move to Madrid…
By Korede James Warriors of Zimbabwe head coach Michael Nees has talked up his team’s qualities as they get set to face the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo on Tuesday. Nees posited that his team are a quality side whose results have not matched their performances, leaving them bottom of African qualifying Group C. “We are also a good team and we can have our self-confidence, our self-belief. And based on our performances, let’s see which team would be the better one on Tuesday,” Nees said during his pre-match press conference in…
By Korede James Super Eagles of Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has said he told his players that they have no margin for error in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after a shoddy start. The Super Eagles secured their first victory of the qualifying series in their fifth attempt by beating Rwanda 2-0 in Kigali on Friday, but are still fourth in six-team African qualifying Group C, four points adrift of leaders South Africa. The Super Eagles host bottom side Zimbabwe in Uyo on Tuesday, Chelle’s team needing to win to keep alive their flickering hopes of securing the…
By Korede James Warriors of Zimbabwe captain Marshal Munetsi has boasted that he and his teammates are in Nigeria for the serious business of securing three points against the Super Eagles in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash in Uyo on Tuesday. Zimbabwe are eyeing their first win in African qualifying Group C when they face the Super Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. The first meeting between the two teams in November 2023 in Rwanda ended 1-1, and Zimbabwe are bottom of the six-team group while the Super Eagles are fourth. “Nigeria is a much bigger…
By Korede James Warriors of Zimbabwe defender Emmanuel Jalai has described himself as a capable defender who can deal with Super Eagles attackers in Uyo on Tuesday. Zimbabwe will take on Nigeria’s Super Eagles in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday. Jalai will be looking forward to making his second appearance for coach Michael Nees’ side after earning his first cap in the 2-2 draw with Benin Republic last Thursday. The next task for Jalai is how to contain a Super Eagles forward line that has the likes of Victor Osimhen,…
Corporate partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have offered incentives to motivate the Super Eagles as they host the Warriors of Zimbabwe in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. Nigerian Breweries, through their brands Goldberg, Life Continental and Zagg Energy drink, are sponsoring the man-of-the-match award for the sum of N1 million. The dummy cheque will be presented to the winner right on the pitch immediately after the final whistle. On their part, Carloha, official automobile company of the NFF and the national teams, will sponsor the Chery Most Valuable Player award, also…
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has declared that it is victory or nothing when they host Zimbabwe in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo on Tuesday. Nigeria must win against the Warriors of Zimbabwe to keep alive their fading hopes of earning the only automatic ticket available to African qualifying Group C, four days after a key 2-0 victory in Rwanda. Troost-Ekong reiterated on Monday that the three-time African champions will seek to control the game on Tuesday like they did with Rwanda in Kigali on Friday. “We are looking forward to a win. The three points are…