Author: Nurudeen Obalola
Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and had a hand in two more goals as Argentina crushed Bolivia 6-0 in South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday in front of raucous fans at the Monumental de Nuñez Stadium. Making only his second international appearance since recovering from an injury sustained at the Copa América in July, Messi capitalised on a mistake by defender Marcelo Suarez to open the scoring in the 19th minute. “We enjoyed this, we are happy to be here playing in Argentina,” said Messi, who once again refused to say whether he will play…
Super Eagles and Kano Pillars star Ahmed Musa handed out N200,000 to workers at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo after they celebrated him on his birthday on Monday. Musa was in action for Kano Pillars at the stadium on Sunday when they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Akwa United on matchday 6 of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The wide forward recently rejoined the club for his third stint after becoming a free agent in the summer. In a video posted to X by Kano Pillars, staff working at the facility gathered to sing a birthday song…
Nigeria’s Flamingos will be aiming for the full points when they face New Zealand on Wednesday night in the first match of this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. Although the game between host nation Dominican Republic and Ecuador (the other fixture in Group A) is billed as the opening match, Nigeria and New Zealand will do battle at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros from 4pm local time (9pm in Nigeria), while the hosts and Ecuador will begin their battle from 9pm local time (2am Thursday in Nigeria). Bronze medallists in the last…
Enitan Oshodi was unanimously elected as the President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), at the 2024 Annual General Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday. Oshodi, a former Commissioner of Sports and Youth Development in Lagos State, is now the only Nigerian currently presiding over a continental sports body. He has been a key stakeholder with decades of involvement in table tennis, both locally and internationally. During his time as commissioner, Lagos became a major destination for table tennis, hosting high-profile events attended by high-ranking players. Oshodi previously served as Deputy President of ATTF and is currently an Executive…
By Kayode John Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has revealed that he met Libya’s captain Faisal Al-Badri in Uyo to apologise for the challenges he claimed his team encountered after arriving in Nigeria for the first leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers last Friday. Before the game which the Libyans lost 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Al-Badri claimed his team encountered delay and suffered mistreatment in the hands of Nigerian authorities. He then promised revenge in the return leg. The revenge mission became an unprecedented ordeal for the Eagles after touching down in Libya…
Manchester United have reportedly ended a multi-million pound agreement with their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson as part of a cost-cutting drive. Ferguson became a global club ambassador and club director after stepping down as manager in 2013 after a 26-year reign. He reportedly received £2.16million-a-year to serve as a global ambassador for the club in an agreement which has continued for over a decade. According to the Athletic, the agreement has now been ended by the club’s minority owners Ineos following a face-to-face meeting with Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The move comes as part of a cost-cutting drive by Ratcliffe since Ineos took…
By Kayode John The Tunisian pilot of the VaueJet plane who flew the Super Eagles of Nigeria team to and from Libya for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers has made some startling revelations. He explained that the diversion of the flight from Benghazi to Al Abraq airport constituted a huge risk to the safety of the crew and passengers on board. The flight carrying the Nigerian team which comprised players, coaches, journalists and officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), including its president, Ibrahim Gusau, and former African footballer of the year, Victor Ikpeba, was redirected to…
Nigeria Football Federation Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, who was with the team for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match, gives a detailed narration of the hellish 20-hour experience of the Super Eagles in Libya that caused worldwide outrage… 1) The chartered ValueJet aircraft departed from the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo at 11.55am on Sunday, 13th October 2024, and landed at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano at 1.10pm, for the completion of immigration formalities and for the aircraft to refuel. 2) The aircraft took off from Kano at 3.18pm, for the 3 hours and 35 minutes flight to…
By Nurudeen Obalola The Super Eagles have landed back in Nigeria after a nightmarish experience in Libya. They arrived back in the country around 6pm on Monday, almost 24 hours after they got to Libya for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the North Africans, which was scheduled for Tuesday. The contingent’s ValueJet plane landed in Kano on Monday evening, about five hours after leaving the Al Abraq airport in Libya. “Just in: Super Eagles finally return to Nigeria. Just landed in Kano,” the team’s media unit posted on WhatsApp at 6.01pm. The Super Eagles and their officials…
By Kayode John Former Green Eagles goalkeeper Peter Fregene has passed on at the age of 77. Nigerian football legend and close friend of Fregene, Segun Odegbami, broke the news in a Facebook post on Sunday. According to him, Fregene died in the presence of his family after a protracted illness. Odegbami, 72, had solicited financial assistance for Fregene and he thanked those who extended support to the deceased while he was alive. “And the Man died. A few minutes ago, Peter ‘Apo’ Fregene, OLY, former goalkeeper for Nigeria’s Green Eagles, who has been on life-support for the past one…