HEAD Coach, Eric Chelle has announced a provisional 31-man squad for Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and South Africa in September, with captain William Troost-Ekong leading an experienced and youthful blend of Super Eagles stars. News Point Nigeria Sport reports the Franco-Malian tactician retained several of his trusted regulars, including first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Ola Aina and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, as well as forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Moses Simon. Emerging talents and returning faces were also given opportunities, signaling Chelle’s intent to revamp the squad after a…
Author: Peter Noah KC
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A FORMER Super Eagles forward, Brown Ideye, has retired from professional football after a long and successful career that spanned over a decade. This comes after he left two-time African Champions League winners Enyimba in the past season. In a heartfelt message shared on Tuesday, Ideye revealed that the decision came after much thought and reflection, describing it as one filled with “mixed emotions.” The 36-year-old forward expressed deep gratitude to everyone who played a role in his football journey, including agents, sports journalists, coaches, teammates, and the fans who stood by him through highs and lows. Ideye’s career took…
NIGERIA’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, have crashed out of the ongoing FIBA AfroBasket Championship in Angola, following a disappointing 91-75 defeat to Senegal in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. News Point Nigeria’s Sport reports that the loss, which came at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda, not only ended Nigeria’s quest for a podium finish but also denied the team a chance to claim the $100,000 cash reward pledged by President Bola Tinubu for medal-winning performances. D’Tigers began the game brightly, showing flashes of the form that saw them dominate Group B with three straight victories in the preliminary round. The…
NIGERIA restored some pride with a 2–0 win over Congo in their final Group D match at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, but it was not enough to keep their campaign alive. The victory, courtesy of second-half goals from Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi, came after two bruising defeats that had left the Super Eagles B team on the brink. Nigeria finished third in the group on three points, behind Sudan and Senegal, who advanced to the quarter-finals after playing out a goalless draw in Kampala. Yusuf broke Nigeria’s scoring drought…
NIGERIA’s home-based Super Eagles squad at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has been dealt another setback, as first-choice goalkeeper Ozoemena Ani and defender Stephen Mayo have both been ruled out of the team’s final Group D clash against DR Congo in Dar es Salaam. The CHAN Eagles, who played their opening two games in Zanzibar, lost 0–1 to Senegal and 0–4 to Sudan, results which condemned them to an early exit from the competition. With no points and no goals scored so far, their last fixture at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium tomorrow has become a formality. A team official…
CHELSEA legend Didier Drogba has stepped into the growing transfer dispute between Atalanta and Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman, filing a 50-page petition against the Italian club over their handling of the Nigerian star’s proposed move to Inter Milan. The petition, submitted directly to Atalanta in Italy, was prepared with the endorsement of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and calls for what it describes as a “fair and transparent transfer process.” Lookman, 27, had already agreed personal terms with Inter Milan after the Nerazzurri tabled a €45 million bid in late July. However, Atalanta rejected the offer, holding out…
THE home-based Super Eagles’ hopes of progressing at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) came to a crushing end on Tuesday night after a 4-0 thrashing by Sudan in Zanzibar. The defeat, Nigeria’s second in the tournament after a 0-1 loss to Senegal last week means Eric Chelle’s men are mathematically out of contention for the title, a bitter blow in a competition designed exclusively for players plying their trade in domestic leagues. Speaking after the match, an evidently dejected Chelle described the encounter as “the worst game” he had overseen from the dugout. “We have lost all ambition. The…
NIGERIA’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, began their 2025 AfroBasket campaign impressively, defeating Madagascar 77–59 to claim their first victory in their opening Group B match. News Point Nigeria reports that the team thrilled fans at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda, Angola, with an all-round excellent display. D’Tigers overcame an early scare to secure the win against Southern African side Madagascar. They led the first quarter 18–14 but lost the second 23–20. The match was tight at 38–37 midway through when Madagascar mounted a comeback attempt. The third quarter proved decisive, as Nigeria stretched to a 55–46 lead. By the…
NIGERIA’s home-based Super Eagles crashed out of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Tuesday night after a humiliating 4–0 defeat to Sudan at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar. The result, which leaves Nigeria bottom of Group D with no points, was sealed with a game to spare. Sudan, meanwhile, surged to the top of the table after a clinical and disciplined performance masterminded by head coach Kwesi Appiah. Sudan’s midfield maestro, Abdel Raouf Yagoub, scored twice in the second half to compound Nigeria’s misery, adding to an early own goal by Leonard Ngenge and Walieldin Khdir’s emphatic first-half penalty.…
THE new Assistant Coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club, Ibadan, Oyo State, Akin Olowokere, on Monday morning, slumped and died. He was one of the recently appointed coaches at 3SC. As of press time, there were no official reports on what led to his death. However, eyewitnesses told this newspaper in Ibadan, the state capital, that “he slumped on the pitch during the team’s Monday morning training session and was rushed to the hospital. “He was, however, confirmed dead at the hospital where he was rushed to.” It was further gathered that the former Sunshine Stars of Akure player and…
FORMER Super Eagles gaffer, Sunday Oliseh, says the staggering financial terms surrounding Victor Osimhen’s clause stopped big European clubs from signing the Nigerian international. In a post shared on X on Sunday, the FIFA Instructor revealed that the Super Eagles striker cost Galatasaray a staggering €187m and not £75m as widely believed by many. According to Oliseh, while many concentrated on Napoli’s €75 million asking price for Victor Osimhen, the true cost was much higher due to additional commitments. Oliseh highlighted that the total package includes the €75 million transfer fee, a 10% resale clause for Napoli, and Osimhen’s salary…
FORMER Super Eagles Forward, John Utaka, has been appointed the new manager of Montpellier HSC women’s team, replacing outgoing boss, Frederic Mendy. Utaka will share coaching duties with Baptiste Merle until the end of the current campaign, with both working closely under the guidance of sporting director Jean-Louis Saez. The appointment is a milestone for Utaka, making him the only African manager in France’s top-tier women’s league. Utaka’s connection to Montpellier runs deep. During his active days, the 43-year-old was instrumental in helping the men’s team clinch the 2011–2012 Ligue 1 crown, famously scoring twice in the final match to…
AS the Confederation of African Football (CAF) prepares for the preliminary round draw of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, Nigeria’s top clubs are missing from the top 20 in the latest CAF club rankings released on Friday. The rankings, based on a five-year performance index, place Rivers United FC in 24th position and Enyimba FC in 35th. No other Nigerian club features in the top 50. The list was published ahead of the draw scheduled to take place on Saturday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, at 13:00 local time (10:00 GMT). Rivers United, ranked highest among Nigerian…
VICTORIOUS Super Falcons goalie, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and coach Justine Madugu have received nominations for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Nnadozie was nominated for the Women’s Yachine Trophy while Madugu was nominated for the Women’s Team Coach of the Year Trophy. The Brighton goalkeeper was among a five-woman shortlist which also included Ann-Katrin Berger of Germany and Gotham FC, Cata Coll of FC Barcelona, Hannah Hampton of England and Chelsea, and Daphne Van Domselaar of Arsenal. The former Paris FC shot stopper was part of the Super Falcons team that recently won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after defeating the host…
CHELSEA defender, Tosin Adarabioyo has stated that he is yet to make a final decision on whether to represent Nigeria at the international level, despite growing speculation that he is poised to pledge allegiance to the Super Eagles. The 26-year-old central defender, who was born in Manchester to Nigerian parents, has played for England at various youth levels, featuring for the U-16, U-17, U-18, and U-19 national teams. However, he has never been capped at the senior level by the Three Lions, leaving the door open for a potential switch to represent the country of his heritage. In recent months,…
NIGERIA’s home-based Super Eagles began their campaign at the 8th African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a 1-0 loss to defending champions Senegal in Zanzibar on Tuesday. The decisive goal came with 15 minutes remaining at the Amaan Stadium, after a moment of confusion at the back allowed the Senegalese to score with their only shot on target. Goalkeeper Lawal Mustapha had been drawn off his line during the build-up, enabling the Lions of Teranga to take the lead. The match, played at high intensity, saw both sides closely matched in pace and physicality. Nigeria controlled possession for long periods but…
NIGERIA’s D’Tigress have returned to the country following their historic fifth consecutive title win at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The women’s basketball team landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday aboard two chartered flights conveying both players and officials. On the ground to receive the team were officials of the National Sports Commission, the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Association of Nigerian Women in Sports, and a handful of supporters. They brought home not only the championship trophy but also an unprecedented achievement in African women’s basketball. D’Tigress…
SUPER Eagles’ forward, Ademola Lookman has formally submitted a transfer request to Atalanta, accusing the Serie A club of breaking promises and treating him poorly despite years of commitment. In a statement posted on Instagram on Sunday, the Nigerian international expressed his frustration over the club’s alleged refusal to honour a mutual agreement to let him leave if a fair offer came in. “Despite now receiving an offer in alignment with what I believe had been discussed, sadly, the club are blocking the opportunity for reasons I do not understand. There have been numerous clubs approached Atalanta in the past,…
SENATOR Oluremi Tinubu has commended D’Tigress, Nigeria’s female basketball team on their unprecedented fifth consecutive #AfroBasketWomen title, becoming the first African country to achieve this feat. “You are true inspirations and pride to girls and women in general. Thank you for keeping the Nigerian flag flying,” the wife of President Bola Tinubu said in a statement late Sunday. In the final on Sunday, Nigeria edged out Mali 78-64 in a tense showdown, displaying resilience and composure to claim their seventh AfroBasket title. They have dominated African women’s basketball, winning their 29th consecutive game without a single loss since 2015. As…
IN a display of elite athleticism, discipline, and national pride, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, on Sunday night etched their names into the annals of African sports history by defeating Mali 78-64 to win their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title, a feat no other African country has ever achieved. News Point Nigeria reports that the victory, sealed at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, marked D’Tigress’ seventh overall continental championship, reinforcing their dominance in African women’s basketball and extending their impressive winning streak to 29 consecutive games, a run that stretches back to 2015 without a single defeat. The…