CURRENT all-time highest goal scorer in the Nigeria Premier Football League, Mfon Udoh, has again stated his desire to see his 23-goal record, which he set in 2014, broken this season. Udoh won the NPFL Golden Boot and cemented his name in the history of the league with an unprecedented 23-goal while playing for Enyimba, smashing Jude Aneke’s 20-goal record. Ten years after setting the record, he believes the current leading scorers in the league this season might be able to set a new record. Remo Stars striker, Sikiru Alimi has scored 11 goals this season in 16 games while…
Author: Peter Noah KC
LESS than 24 hours after making the final 25-man AFCON squad, Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, is a major doubt for the Super Eagles for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. Iheanacho was not included in Leicester’s matchday squad for the away win at Cardiff City on Friday night after he sustained a muscle injury in the Foxes 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town on Boxing Day. His manager, Enzo Maresca, revealed after the game that the versatile forward is still being assessed. Maresca admitted that if it proves to be serious, the 27-year-old will not be able…
THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports of a jersey launch for the Super Eagles as they prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament to be held in Cote d’Ivoire next year. Images of a supposed jersey unveiled by popular American footwear and apparel company Nike made the rounds across social media in the week. Reacting to the trend, the NFF disclosed in a statement via X on Friday which read, “We want to inform the general public that this news is not true. “At the moment we have no jersey being launched for the Super Eagles…
SUPER Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has released his 25-man list for the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with captain Ahmed Musa making the cut while Enyimba’s Olorunleke Ojo is the only home-based player. The list, which was released on Friday evening, is headlined by Victor Osimhen and also includes the much-criticized Francis Uzoho. The Nigerian side, gunning for its fourth title, have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea Bissau. The Portuguese manager had in earlier December unveiled a 40-man provisional squad, including three goal-keepers from the local league. However, in the…
REMO Stars striker, Sikiru Alimi has moved one goal clear on top of the Nigeria Premier Football League scorers’ chart, scoring his 11th goal of the season in their 3-1 defeat against Heartland at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri on Thursday, The PUNCH reports. Alimi restored parity in the 69th-minute for the league leaders but the relegation-threatened hosts came up with two goals in stoppage time courtesy of Onyekachi Okafor and Chinedu Ike to end the game 3-1. Alimi’s closest challenger for the Golden Boot, Robert Mizo, who has 10 goals, fired blanks as Bayelsa United lost 2-1 at home…
SUPER Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has sent goodwill messages to victims of Christmas eve attacks on communities in three local government areas of Plateau State. The winger condemned the attacks and ordered a manhunt for the killers, while calling on Nigerians to stand against violence. On Sunday, gunmen attacked 12 villages — Ndun, Ngyong, Murfet, Makundary, Tamiso, Chiang, Tahore, Gawarba, Dares, Meyenga, Darwat, and Butura Kampani in the Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Bokkos areas of the state, burning houses and shooting at residents. Reacting to the gory incident, Musa, who is poised for his fourth African Cup of Nations appearance…
FORMER Super Eagles midfielder, Friday Ekpo, has tipped quartet Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco as favourites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. The 34th edition of the biennial showpiece will hold from January 13 to February 11, 2024 across five cities on the south coast of West Africa. The Eagles avoided a confrontation against one of the North Africans after being paired in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea. Jose Peseiro’s men were, however, handed a tricky start to their campaign with a game against the National Thunder, as the…
NIGERIA will play two friendly matches against Burkina Faso and Cape Verde in January ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations which holds from January 13 to February 11 in Ivory Coast. The Super Eagles are hoping to win a fourth AFCON title next year and are in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau. Nigeria’s first game will be against Equatorial Guinea January 14 at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium before facing hosts Ivory Coast January 18 while their last group game will be against Guinea Bissau January 22. Last week, the Nigeria Football Federation…
IN the spirit of the Yuletide season, Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has extended his humanitarian gesture to a journalist, gifted a two bedroom flat located in Lugbe, Abuja, to a female sports reporter, Joan Nnenna Iwuchukwu. The beneficiary, an Abuja-based journalist who confirmed Musa’s kind gesture to this newspaper said she is still in shock even as she prayed to God to bless the fromer Leicester City of England striker more, saying loyalty pays. “I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it, not until I got called the second time. I am very grateful. God bless him for me. Loyalty…
FORMER Super Eagles forward, Nwankwo Kanu, has revealed that representing Nigeria at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations affected his game time at Arsenal during the Invincible 2003/04 season. Arriving at Arsenal midway through the 1998/99 season, Kanu swiftly became a key figure, contributing significantly to the club’s triumphs. As the Invincible season approached, he boasted an impressive record, having secured three major honours for the Gunners and accumulating more than 150 first-team appearances. In January and February of 2004, Kanu represented Nigeria at the 2004 AFCON finals in Tunisia, a tournament that would significantly impact the remainder of his…
THE Super Eagles ended 2023 as Africa’s sixth-best team and 42nd in the world according to FIFA’s monthly rankings,The PUNCH reports. The year 2023 has largely been an impressive one for the Eagles, who suffered only one defeat but recorded four wins and three draws. On the African continent, Morocco retained their number one spot and 13th in the world. They are followed by second-place Senegal, who also maintained their 20th place in the world. Tunisia also remained unmoved in the current ranking as they are placed third in Africa and 28th globally. Algeria and Egypt who completes the top…
A HOSTILE reaction from home-based footballers trailed the Super Eagles’ 41-man provisional list submitted to the Confederation of African Football by the Nigeria Football Federation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off January 13 in Ivory Coast. CAF confirmed all provisional squads of the 24 participating teams on Wednesday, putting to rest the rumours that clouded Nigeria’s list. The Super Eagles list only accommodated three NPFL goalkeepers Olorunleke Ojo of Enyimba, Christian Nwoke of Sporting Lagos and Bendel Insurance’s Amas Obasogie. In the wake of the omission of NPFL outfield players, some followers of the league and…
THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has unveiled the provisional squad for the Super Eagles ahead of the forthcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON). The list is contained in a document uploaded on the CAF website on Wednesday. The NFF submitted a 40-man list to the continental football governing body within the stipulated December 14 deadline. The list includes Ahmed Musa and William Troost-Ekong, who were previously absent from the recent Super Eagles outings. Others are six goalkeepers, 13 defenders, eight midfielders and 13 forwards. Victor Osimhen, newly crowned African footballer of the year, was included alongside red-hot Victor Boniface, Ademola…
TWO-TIME Africa Cup of Nations bronze medallist, Dele Aiyenugba, has stressed that goalkeepers selected from the Nigeria Premier Football League must give their foreign-based counterparts a run for their money when the Super Eagles camp opens. The 34th edition of the AFCON kicks off January 13 in Ivory Coast. The Kwara United goalkeeper’s charge came in the wake of the leaked Eagles AFCON provisional list which includes Enyimba goalie Olorunleke Ojo, Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Amas Obasogie and Sporting Lagos’ Christian Nwoke. Ojo, Obasogie and Nwoke are among the six goalkeepers in the 40-man provisional squad which has been making the…
FORMER Chelsea and Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, in an interview with ObiOne Podcast has revealed why he turned a fine attacking midfielder Mikel Obi into a defensive midfielder. Known for his long-range pass and silkiness on the ball during the early stage of his career, the former Super Eagles captain saw his role reversed under the Portuguese manager at Stamford Bridge. Only bettered by Lionel Messi at the 2005 U-20 World Cup in Holland, Mikel finished as the second-best player of the tournament following a fine performance where he helped Nigeria to a second-place finish with his two-goal contributions.…
PLATEAU United forward Albert Hilary stole the show on match-day 14 of the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League with a hat trick as Plateau United compounded the woes of Bayelsa United with a 5-1 defeat at the New Jos Stadium on Sunday. He scored a brace inside two minutes before adding the third in the 61st minute to take his season’s tally to five goals while Silas Nenrot and Chimezie Izuchukwu rounded up scoring for the hosts who also recorded their third win in a row. Bayelsa United’s only goal came from Ekeson Okorie in the 28th minute when they…
MATCHDAY 14 of the Nigerian Premier Football League stages a spectacular showdown in Lafia with Lobi Stars welcoming Doma United in a clash that could have significant implications in the top four race as these two titans lock horns having a point to prove. Doma are bidding to extend their unbeaten run in the NPFL to 10 games in the encounter that hosts, Lobi are also aiming to return to winning ways and also extend their winning home streak to seven games. Lobi are yet to drop a point at home this season – one of the few clubs to…
NIGERIAN defender, William Troost-Ekong, has expressed his determination to secure victory in the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. The Super Eagles find themselves in Group B alongside tournament hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea Bissau for the AFCON campaign. Despite strong competition from teams like Senegal, Egypt, and Morocco, Troost-Ekong remains resolute in his ambition to claim the championship and win Nigeria’s fourth AFCON trophy and a first since 2013. While not recently featuring for Jose Peseiro’s squad in the last four games, concerns have arisen regarding his inclusion in the upcoming tournament. Nevertheless, the…
BASKING from the euphoria of winning the CAF Footballer of the Year prize, Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen says the Nigerian side are in “high spirits” for the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Osimhen broke a 24-year jinx to become the first Nigerian to win Africa’s most coveted individual prize since 1999. Buoyed by that win, the Napoli star says the Super Eagles will do well when the competition begins in Cote d’Ivoire next month. “We are ready and preparing very well,” Osimhen told CAF. “The squad is in high spirits. We are raring to go and hope…
NEWLY crowned CAF 2023 African Player of The Year, Victor Osimhen, on Tuesday penned a gratifying message to celebrate his top prize. In an extended message posted on his X account, the Napoli striker told an inspiring story of how he started as a hawker on the streets of Olusosun in Lagos to becoming a global icon in football. On Monday, the Napoli striker beat Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah to the star prize at the awards ceremony in Marrakech. Reflecting on his journey to stardom, the 24-year-old wrote, “As a young boy who came from the streets…