Author: Nurudeen Obalola
By Korede James Barcelona coach Hansi Flick believes Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman will be a big miss for Atalanta in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash. Atalanta travelled to Spain on Tuesday without the injured Lookman as the Italian side hope to book their place in the round of 16. Lookman has suffered a knee injury and will remain out of action for at least one month, according to reports. The reigning African Player of the Year has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 19 Serie A appearances this season. In this season’s Champions League, he has netted…
Nigeria beat Ireland by six runs in their second match in the Super Six at the ICC U-19 Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup in Malaysia on Wednesday. Losing key batter Victory Igbinedion in the first over and in the lurch at 18/3 inside five overs, Christabel Chukwuonye (25) led the rebuild with contributions from Omosigho Eguakun (17) and late flurries from Peculiar Agboya and Lilian Ude. With this victory, Nigeria finished in third spot in Super Six Group 2 which, unfortunately, was not enough to secure a semi-final place. In the semi-final India will face England and South Africa battle…
By Nurudeen Obalola Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface is on the verge of a move to Saudi Arabia that will earn him a staggering pay rise, according to reports. Sky Sports Germany claimed on Tuesday night that Bayer Leverkusen have reached a €60 million deal to sell the 24-year-old Nigeria international to Saudi Arabia Pro League club Al Nassr. Boniface is wanted by Al Nassr, the club of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, as the replacement for Anderson Talisca, who is about to join Fenerbahce in Turkey. According to the Sky Sports Germany report, Boniface has already passed his medical with Al…
By Korede James Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has expressed confidence that the team have what it takes to qualify from their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group and fight for the title. Nigeria were placed in Group C with Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania during the draw for the tournament in Rabat, Morocco on Monday night. They will open their campaign with Tanzania on December 23 and face Tunisia four days lster. The three-time African champions will round off the group phase against Uganda on December 30. Reflecting on the draw, Troost-Ekong, however, said their Group C opponents must not…
The draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was held in Rabat, Morocco on Monday, with Nigeria’s Super Eagles placed in Group C with Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania. In this piece, Sportingtimes.ng’s KOREDE JAMES recalls how Nigeria fared against their Group C opponents at previous AFCON meetings… TUNISIA Nigeria 2-0 Tunisia (AFCON 1978, third-place match) Nigeria’s first meeting with Tunisia at the AFCON was at the third-place match in 1978 in Ghana. The match was abandoned after Tunisia walked off in the 42nd minute with the score tied at 1-1 to protest the officiating. Nigeria were awarded a…
By Korede James Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Enugu Rangers have announced the signing of former Super Eagles striker Michael Uchebo. “We are thrilled to officially announce the signing of Michael Uchebo to Rangers International FC,” the Flying Antelopes stated on Monday. “Welcome to the family, Michael!” Uchebo had his first spell with Rangers during the 2008-2009 season and had a brief second spell with the club in 2029. The 34-year-old has spell the greater part of his career in Europe featuring for VVV Venlo in the Netherlands, Cercle Brugge in Belgium and Boavista in Portugal. He was part…
By Korede James Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman will miss Atalanta’s UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona on Wednesday due to a knee injury. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lookman will not fly to Catalunya with the rest of the team on Tuesday and will undergo tests on his injured knee in Bergamo. The nature of the injury is still unclear, but Gazzetta reported that it could force the forward to be out for one month. The Italian publication claimed that Lookman sustained the injury during a training session on Monday. In addition to the Barcelona clash, Lookman could…
Kwara State has honoured the late Nigerian football legend Rashidi Yekini and table tennis great Atanda Musa by naming sporting facilities after them. Yekini, who died in 2012 aged 48, is Nigeria’s record top scorer, having netted 37 goals in 62 appearances for the Super Eagles in an international career that spanned the 1980s and 1990s. The former Shooting Stars of Ibadan, Vitoria Setubal of Portugal and Sporting Gijon of Spain striker spearheaded the attack of the ‘golden generation’ of Nigerian football who reached the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 1988 and 1990 and won the trophy in 1994.…
By Korede James Former captain Joseph Yobo has said qualifying from the group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) would not be a problem for the Super Eagles, tipping the three-time champions to go all the way in Morocco. Yobo made the statement after the AFCON 2025 draw in Rabat, Morocco, on Monday, for which he was an assistant. The Super Eagles were drawn in Group C alongside 2004 champions Tunisia, and African Nations Championship (CHAN) co-hosts Uganda and Tanzania. The last time the Super Eagles failed to go past the group stage of the AFCON was at…
Sevilla have completed the signing of Nigerian striker Akor Adams from French club Montpellier. The 24-year-old will be linking up with his compatriot Chidera Ejuke Ejuke, with Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho reportedly on his way out. Adams is believed to have cost Sevilla around €5.5 million on a permanent transfer. “An agreement has been reached with Montpellier HSC for the signing of Akora Adams. The Nigeiran striker arrives after playing 15 games for the French side this season, scoring three goals and getting three assists,” Sevilla stated on Monday night. “Adams joined Montpellier in August 2023 from the Norweigan club…