Author: Nurudeen Obalola
Coach Austin Eguavoen has called up Nigeria Premier Football League veteran Rabiu Ali and 29 other players to camp in preparation for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying tie between Super Eagles B and Ghana. The eighth edition of the continental championship – reserved exclusively for footballers plying their trade with clubs in their country’s domestic Leagues and possessing standard contracts – is scheduled for February 2025 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Kano Pillars evergreen midfielder Ali, who is in his 40s, has scored eight goals this season, and he is invited alongside Remo Stars goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Rivers United…
A number of people died in a stampede at a stadium following fan clashes at a football match on Sunday in the city of Nzerekore, southeast Guinea, the Prime Minister said, while an opposition group cited reports of dozens killed. Videos and pictures shared online showed victims lined up on the ground. In one video, over a dozen inert bodies could be counted and several of them were children. Reuters has not authenticated the videos or confirmed a death toll. Unverified images also showed fans scrambling over the walls of the stadium. “The government deplores the incidents that marred the…
Mohamed Salah starred again as Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the English Premier League to nine points and added to the woes of champions Manchester City with a 2-0 victory at Anfield on Sunday. Arne Slot’s side, fresh from beating UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid in midweek, were dominant against City, with Cody Gakpo and Salah netting at a boisterous Anfield. Liverpool were not flattered by the margin of victory, which leaves them 11 points clear of City, who have not won for seven matches — losing their past four league games. Virgil van Dijk…
The Serie A match between Fiorentina and Inter on Sunday has was interrupted following a medical emergency for Viola midfielder Edoardo Bove. According to Sky Sport Italia, Bove was taken to the Careggi hospital near the Stadio Franchi and was breathing autonomously, but had not yet regained consciousness. The Lega Serie A announced that the game was abandoned and would not be resumed on Sunday. They had stopped play at the Stadio Franchi to discuss a potential VAR check on a disallowed Lautaro Martinez goal when suddenly the former Roma midfielder went down. According to Sky Sport Italia, Bove was bending down…
By Nurudeen Obalola Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi played a starring role for Fulham on Sunday, helping them to secure a 1-1 English Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur. Also on Sunday, Manchester United and Chelsea recorded big wins, the Red Devils thrashing Everton 4-0 at Old Trafford and the Blues easing past Aston Villa 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. Nigeria international Iwobi set up Fulham’s equaliser at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Tom Cairney scored a brilliant goal in the 67th minute off the former Arsenal star’s pass, 13 minutes after Brennan Johnson had given the hosts the lead.…
The Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Gbenga Elegbeleye, has expressed sadness at the reported attack on players and officials of El-Kanemi Warriors by armed robbers. The NPFL team was attacked by armed robbers along the Jos-Bauchi Road on Saturday, while returning from their matchday 15 tie against Ikorodu City. El-Kanemi were on their way back home after losing 2-0 to Ikorodu City on Wednesday in Lagos, about 1,500 kilometres from their base. Elegbeleye said that while the NPFL Board was in touch with the management of the Maiduguri-based club, he is happy that no life was lost…
Bendel Insurance head coach Greg Ikhenoba was a relieved man on Saturday after leading his side to a 2-1 victory over Plateau United in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash in Benin City. Uche Collins and Kayode Oke scored for thr hosts at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, while Victor Dawa netted for the visitors from Jos. Ikhenoba expressed happiness after guiding his side to the full points and assured that the team will continue to battle on and improve in a bid to move out of the drop zone. “I’m happy that our efforts yielded the results we…
France defeated the Super Falcons of Nigeria 2-1 in a friendly match played under wintry conditions in Angers on Saturday night. Eugenie Claudine Le Sommer and Amel Majri struck for Les Bleues before Ifeoma Onumonu cut down the deficit for the Super Falcons, with all the goals coming in the first half. The nine-time African champions started brightly at the Stade Raymond Kopa, but it was the hosts, through Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who had the ball in the net in the seventh minute, only to be correctly ruled offside. Le Sommer, playing her 197th match for Les Bleues, scored her 94th international goal…
Arsenal smashed West Ham 5-2 at the London Stadium on Saturday to climb to second place in the English Premier League table. The Gunners were ahead after just 10 minutes as centre-back Gabriel headed home Bukayo Saka’s corner at the near post after escaping his West Ham markers. The lead was doubled in the 27th minute when Leandro Trossard finished a flowing Arsenal move from close range. Saka was again the provider, played in by a chipped Martin Odegaard through ball before squaring to Trossard to finish. Four goals were then scored in six minutes, two by each team, started…
Two key players will be missing as Nigeria Football Federation President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, as well as the Chairman of the NFF Women’s Football Committee, Aisha Falode, and the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, will be in Angers to watch the Super Falcons take on France in a friendly match on Saturday night. The match will be played at the 18,000 -capacity Stade Raymond Kopa – home ground of Ligue 1 side Angers. Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu will be without captain Rasheedat Ajibade and Turkey-based centre-back Oluwatosin Demehin, who sustained an injury after being named in the squad.…