Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Kayode John Former Super Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, has revealed that he could have joined Italian giants AC Milan, instead of Ajax Amsterdam, where he featured alongside his compatriot Tijjani Babangida. Oliseh moved to Ajax in 1997 from FC Koln in Germany and won the Eredivisie title with the Dutch club in the 1997/1998 season and back-to-back KNVB Cups. The former Super Eagles captain turned 50 last Saturday, and in a special publication by Ajax to celebrate him, he recalled his time at the club between 1997 and 1999. Oliseh revealed that the unique project presented to…
By Kayode John Leicester City midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, has said the club must replicate their performance in the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday in their next game as they search for their first win of the 2024/2025 English Premier League season. Ndidi registered two assists in the Premier League encounter, first setting up veteran striker Jamie Vardy in the 21st minute to put Leicester ahead. He helped double the Foxes’ lead in the second half when he located Stephy Mavididi one minute after the restart. However, Leicester City blew their two-goal lead to share the…
By Kayode John Former Besiktas forward, Nihat Kahveci, has assured that Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen will score a lot of goals for Galatasaray. Osimhen made his debut for Galatasaray in their 5-0 thrashing of Rizespor in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday, after completing his loan move from Napoli before the international break. However, the 25-year-old could only register an assist in the game for the club’s second goal—with many expecting him to score. Kahveci has defended the Nigeria international, saying he did not get scoring opportunities in the game. “I didn’t see Osimhen as lacking in physicality. He…
Kayode John Four of the five Nigeria Premier Football League matches on Sunday ended in draws as Shooting Stars Sports Club, also known as 3SC, failed to earn their first victory of the campaign and Bayelsa United drew 1-1 at home to Kano Pillars. 3SC hosted the final match of the evening with a 1-1 draw against Plateau United at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. Victor Dawa put the visitors in the lead in the 39th minute but Uche Onwuasonoya pulled the Oluyole Warriors level in first-half added time as they played their second draw in two matches. In…
Team Lagos has won three more medals in the swimming event at the 2024 National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State. The state’s swimmer, Chioma Kanu, won gold in 50m girls’ freestyle while Sokunbi Tobi won gold in 200m boys’ individual medley. Ezumba Chidelu, another Team Lagos swimmer, earned silver in boys’ 200m swimming event. Also, Sunday Emmanuel added another bronze medal in weightlifting after a total lift of 111kg. Emmanuel, in the boys’ 49kg category, lifted 50kg in snatch and 61kg in clean and jerk, bringing the total lift to 111kg. Speaking after the medal presentation, an elated Emmanuel…
By Kayode John Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman, scored the winning goal for Atalanta and also registered an assist in the club’s 3-2 win over Fiorentina in the Serie A on Sunday. Lookman, who was making his first league appearance of the season for Atalanta, got his side out of trouble after they went behind twice. Lucas Martinez Quarta put Fiorentina in the lead after 15 minutes at the Gewiss Stadium, but Lookman delivered an inch-perfect cross for Mateo Retegui to level up six minutes later. Former Juventus striker, Moise Kean, restored the visitors’ lead in the 32nd minute and…
By Nurudeen Obalola Arsenal continued their dominance over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby on Sunday with a 1-0 English Premier League victory. Gabriel scored the only goal of the feisty encounter with a second half header that silenced the home crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The victory is Arsenal’s third in a row at Tottenham, the first time since 1988 they have put together such a run. It was a bit of a smash-and-grab victory for Mikel Arteta’s side as they ceded 64 percent of the possession and looked to hit the hosts on the counter-attack. While…
Kayode John Heartland of Owerri, coached by Super Eagles great Emmanuel Amuneke, have signed 2023/2024 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) top scorer, Chijioke Mbaoma. Mbaoma netted 17 goals in the Nigerian top flight last season to help the People’s Elephant finish third and earn a CAF Confederation Cup ticket. The striker has now joined the Naze Millionaires, following a reported failed move abroad. Heartland confirmed the acquisition of the attacker on their X handle on Saturday, before their 3-1 defeat to Rivers United on matchday 2 of the new NPFL campaign. Mbaoma’s move to Heartland is timely, as they have…
Eight teams are set for the race to win the 1XBET Community Cup as the competition reaches the quarter-final stage on Monday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos. The quarter-finals are poised for high-level action at the famous arena, with a mouthwatering grand prize of N20 million at stake in Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football competition. Leading the quater-finalists are the defending champions SB LFC, who face FC Bethel Sporting in what has been billed as a ‘clash of titans’. Gunners Link FC who surprisingly topped Group A, will tackle Collins Edwin FC for a spot in the last four…
Lionel Messi marked his return from injury with two goals and an assist to help Inter Miami to a 3-1 win against Philadelphia Union in the early hours of Sunday. The World Cup-winning Argentina captain had not played since injuring his ankle in his country’s Copa America final victory over Colombia in July. That saw him miss this month’s World Cup qualifiers, while he also sat out eight games for his Major League Soccer side – though they lead the MLS Eastern Conference standings. But the 37-year-old former Barcelona star played the full 90 minutes in his first start for…