Author: Nurudeen Obalola
Victor Osimhen will miss Super Eagles’ back-to-back 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Libya as he has been ruled out for six weeks with a thigh strain. Osimhen, who is on loan at Galatasaray, was substituted off in half-time of the club’s 3-3 draw at home against Kasimpasa last weekend with a suspected muscular problem. Afterwards, the 25-year-old Nigeria international said the injury was not serious but according to Football Italia, he will be out for more than a month, indicating the issue is more serious than previously thought. The injury came just as the reigning African Player…
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have another trophy, along with home-field advantage throughout the Major League Soccer playoffs. Messi scored twice in the final minutes of the first half, goalkeeper Drake Callender stopped a penalty kick in the 84th minute and Inter Miami beat the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew 3-2 on Wednesday night/Thursday morning, wrapping up the Supporters Shield given annually to the team with the best regular-season record. It was Messi’s 46th major trophy won for club or country, extending his record for the most by any men’s football player in history. And it is the second he has won with…
By Kayode John Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League and registered his first assist in the competition as well, as Atalanta recorded a 3-0 victory at Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night. The Nigeria international provided the assist for the Italian club’s first goal after 21 minutes when the 26-year-old set up Berat Djimsiti. Lookman put his name on the score sheet to double Atalanta’s lead one minute before half-time and was named man-of-the-match for his performance. He is the second Nigeria international to score his first goal in the prestigious European club…
Aliou Cisse has been relieved of his position as Senegal coach after nine and a half years in charge of the Teranga Lions. The 48-year-old guided the West Africans to their first continental title, winning the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in February 2022. Although his previous contract ended in August, he remained in charge for Senegal’s two 2025 AFCON qualifiers last month, a 1-1 draw with Burkina Faso and a 1-0 victory over Burundi. The country’s football federation (FSF) wanted Cisse’s deal to be renewed but the sports ministry, under Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s new government, has made…
The Nigeria Football Federation has announced the launch of its monthly football awards scheduled to begin this month. “As football leagues across the globe resumed fully last month, the Nigeria Football Federation is proud to announce the launch of the much-anticipated NFF Monthly Awards, a celebration of the outstanding performances of Nigerian football players across various Football Leagues including Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL,” the football body said in a press release made available to SportingTimes.ng on Wednesday. “With the football calendar in full swing, the NFF Monthly Awards aim to honour the brilliance, dedication and passion that Nigerian football…
Former Arsenal and Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has joined Barcelona until the end of the season. “FC Barcelona and Wojciech Szczęsny have reached an agreement for the goalkeeper to join the Club until 30 June 2025,” the Spanish club confirmed on their official website on Wednesday. “The Polish keeper comes to the Club in unusual circumstances but there is no doubt that his CV speaks for itself. During his career, which appeared to have come to an end in the summer, he has played at top clubs such as Arsenal, Roma and Juventus since leaving his home town of Warsaw…
By Kayode John Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has revealed factors that motivated his decision to join Galatasaray on loan last summer. Osimhen ended up with the Super Lig giants until the end of the season from Napoli after a stormy summer transfer window filled with interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Al-Ahli. “To be honest, there were a lot of players I idolized and followed since I was little,” Osimhen said according to NTVSpor, in an interview with Galatasaray’s YouTube channel. “Drogba is one of them. Onyekuru and Etebo played here before, I knew the atmosphere was good, I…
By Kayode John Super Eagles interim head coach Austin Eguavoen has cast doubt over the likelihood of taking the job permanently. Eguavoen was appointed as caretaker coach of the senior national team in September for Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, following a failed bid by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to bring in German tactician Bruno Labbadia. The former Super Eagles captain has been asked to continue in his role after decent results in both games, with a 3-0 win over Benin Republic in Uyo and a 0-0 draw with Rwanda in…
The Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) believes the six-month stadium ban imposed by FIFA on its president Samuel Eto’o is the result of a misunderstanding and have not ruled out a legal challenge, a statement said on Tuesday. Eto’o has been barred from attending Cameroon national team matches after being found guilty of “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play”, FIFA said on Monday. This was following the Cameroon women’s Under-20 team’s loss to Brazil in their round of 16 match at the World Cup in Colombia on Sept. 11. FECAFOOT admitted Eto’o confronted the match officials after the 3-1…
By Kayode John Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 victory over AC Milan at the BayArena on Tuesday night. Boniface played his first-ever game in the competiton two weeks ago in his side’s 4-0 win over Feyenoord but he did not get on the scoresheet. After the first half ended 0-0 on Tuesday night, Boniface netted the only goal of the game in the 51st minute to maintain Leverkusen’s perfect start to the competition this season with two wins in two matches and inflict on Milan their second consecutive defeat…