A FORMER Nigerian international Samson Siasia has revealed that the Super Eagles are not ready for the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. The Super Eagles failed to win their first two matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe. Siasia believes the team is disorganised and not ready to impress at the 2023 Nations Cup and the 2026 World Cup. “Like the majority of Nigerians, I am worried about the Eagles’ lackluster performances so far. Struggling against countries like Lesotho and Zimbabwe is not a good sign of a team ready to win…
Author: Peter Noah KC
THIS newspaper has gathered that the Nigeria Football Federation is considering the future of Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro, with the coach likely to be disengaged soon as the search for his replacement has commenced. Our correspondent learnt that the Technical Committee of the federation was not pleased with the performance of the Eagles under the Portuguese and was desperate to hire a local coach. Since taking charge of the Eagles in 2022, Peseiro has won six and lost six of his 15 matches in the dugout with the three-time African champions scoring 31 times – with 10 coming in…
REIGNING Nigerian Premier Football League champions recorded their third straight win of the season after recording a hard fought 1-0 win away at Heartland in Owerri. It was their first Oriental derby win since June 2015. After a goalless first half that saw The Elephants dominate play and missed chances to score through Chijioke Mbaoma before he was replaced in the second half. With the game looking to end goalless, Enyimba coach Finidi George made some tactical changes which immediately paid off. He replaced Stephen Chukwude for Mbaoma who scored the match winner with his first touch of the game…
SUPER Eagles forward Taiwo Awoniyi has been ruled out for “months” with a groin injury and will miss Nigeria’s outing at the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) billed for early next year. “It’s bad news on Taiwo, he’s had to have surgery and he is going to be out for months,” Nottingham Forest Head Coach Steve Cooper said Thursday. “We’ll support him and try to get him back as quick and as fit as he can be, but it’s a really unfortunate situation and a blow for him.” The striker picked up the injury in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw…
RWANDA pulled one of the biggest shocks of the Africa qualifying series for the 2024 World Cup when they beat South Africa 2-0 on Thursday. With Nigeria getting two points from their first two games in Group C of the qualifiers, the fears of a second consecutive World Cup miss was on the horizon. But goals from Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha ensured all three points for the Amavubi Stars at the Huye Stadium in Butare, Rwanda. The win means South Africa did not pick up six points from two games which could have them firmly in control of the…
A BOARD member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Nse Essien says the federation won’t be able to pay the Super Eagles Head Coach Jose Peseiro his compensatory fees if he were to be relieved of his job. The Portuguese coach has been under pressure of late after his side played out consecutive draws against Lesotho on Thursday and Zimbabwe in their Group C, World Cup qualifiers a few days later. Many Nigerian football fans had expectations that the Super Eagles would almost waltz through the group, however, the teams ranked, 151st and 125th took the lead in their encounter…
FOLLOWING another unimpressive performance against Zimbabwe in the 2026 World Cup qualifier, some fans have once again slammed the Super Eagles labelling their display a shameful outing, The PUNCH reports. Jose Peseiro’s men put up an underwhelming performance as they laboured to a 1-1 draw against the Warriors in the second game of the qualifiers. The draw means the Eagles have just two points from a possible six points having drawn their first game against a lowly-ranked Lesotho side at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Thursday. Peseiro made six changes from the side that drew to the Crocodiles…
TITLE holders Kano Pillars earned their first win of the second phase of the Ardova Handball Premier League 2023 in Lagos. Kano Pillars dispatched Benue Buffaloes 33-24 to stay fifth in the men’s standing. Lagos Tojemarine Academy continued in their good form as they defeated Correction Boys 29-22. Lagos Seasider Boys struggled to defeat Confluence Stars 24-22 while Safety Shooters eased past Police Machine 29-19. League leaders, Niger United outscored bottom-placed Bendel Dynamos 36-17 as De Defenders secured a vital 25-22 victory over Sokoto Rima Strikers. In the women’s category, defending champions, Safety Babes maintained their winning streak this season…
VICTOR Osimhen has made the final list for the 2023 CAF Best Player award, a statement from the football body has shown. “CAF has announced the shortlists for the men’s categories for the CAF Awards 2023,” the African football governing body said on Friday. The Napoli forward, who is the overwhelming favourite, is the only Nigerian to make the cut and will be aiming to cap off an impressive year in which he won the Italian Scuddeto and top scorer gong in the league. A few weeks ago, Osimhen finished eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or awards held in the…
SUPER Eagles coach, José Peseiro, has come to the defence of his shot-stopper Francis Uzoho, insisting he has faith in the 25-year-old as they prepare to face Lesotho in the World Cup qualification tie on Thursday. Since the exit of Carl Ikeme, Nigeria’s goalkeeping department has struggled to find a suitable replacement. South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi and Maduka Okoye have been the targets of severe criticisms on social media as the latter has been harassed by online trolls over his looks to death wishes upon him and his loved ones. It has been no different for Uzoho as his…
NIGERIAN striker, Victor Osimhen, has said that the lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia would’ve changed his life and revealed why he chose to reject the multi-billion niara offer although it was a tough choice. The Nigerian striker was the star of the show in the Campania capital last season during their historic Scudetto success, scoring 26 goals and providing five assists across 32 league games. He stood out as one of the most dangerous centre-forwards in Europe, attracting widespread attention from the biggest clubs in the World including Manchester United and Chelsea. Speaking to John Obi Mikel on the ‘Obi…
CHINEDU Sunday’s 29th-minute goal for Lobi Stars secured a 1-0 victory for the Makurdi side over Sporting Lagos in Lafia on Sunday, just as Abah Adams’s second half header also settled the high-profile game between Kano Pillars and Enyimba 1-0 in favour of the four-time champions. Sunday, a defender grabbed his moment on the stroke of halftime to ensure Eugene Agagbe’s side made it three wins in a row and also keep up their lead on the table with 17 points from eight matches. In Ikenne, Remo Stars kept up the pace with Lobi by beating Gombe United 4-0. Striker…
TWENTY students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) were yesterday rushed to the university’s teaching hospital following a stampede at an examination hall in the campus. This newspaper reports that the stampede occurred where the students were billed to write the General Studies and Communication Skills (GSS) examination that was postponed to Saturday from Friday. The GSS examination was for100-level students from all the faculties of the university. The examination, meant to be taken in batches, saw the students rushing to secure the few available spaces. This newspaper also reports that Saturday’s GSS examination was meant to be the climax…
ON a run of two straight wins in the Nigeria Premier Football League, pacesetters Lobi Star will aim to make it three in a row and five in eight league games with another victory on Sunday (today), when they host newcomers Sporting Lagos in Lafia. Lobi Stars stayed clear by a point at the top in the NPFL after defeating Bayelsa United 2-1 in a mid-week rescheduled fixture. Their newly promoted visitors, the Noisy Lagosians, will aim to build on their impressive 3-0 home win over Kano Pillars in Lagos despite losing their last two consecutive away games against Kwara…
AFROBEATS superstar Davido has finally bagged three Grammy nominations in the 2024 Grammy Awards. The nominations are the first for the 30-year-old, who is considered one of Africa’s biggest acts alongside Wizkid and Burna Boy, both of whom are Grammy winners. In the nominations announced on Friday, Davido was recognised in the category of Best Global Album for his latest album, “Timeless” as well as Best African Performance for his song “Unavailable” and Best Global Music Performance for his song “Feel.” An elated Davido reacted to the nominations with a tweet on X with the caption, “3 nominations at the…
QUADRI Aruna has been listed as the 15th player to qualify for the season-ending World Table Tennis Finals for the top 16 players in the world. The Nigerian will be making his third appearance at the WTT Finals after he was confirmed on Thursday November 9, as the latest qualifier among the top 16 that are expected to compete at the event taking place in Doha, Qatar. The WTT Finals is regarded as the peak of the WTT Series, and it provides the opportunity for the best 16 men’s players in the world to battle for a share of $340,000…
WITH less than 68 days to the start of the Winter Youth Olympic Games in the Republic of Korea, the Nigeria Curling Federation is still battling to secure the funding it needs to prepare the team for the games.. The fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games is billed to hold in Gangwon, Republic of Korea from January 19 to February 1, 2024, with athletes competiting for honours in 15 sports. The President of the Nigeria Curling Federation, Danmola Daniel revealed on Friday that the federation has been in search of funds to organise a camping exercise for the…
THE Super Eagles will be without Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen and Leicester City midfield maestro for the team’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against the Harambe Stars of Zimbabwe and the Crocodiles of Lesotho. Nigeria’s squad list for the November encounters was released late Thursday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). A snapshot of the list shows Nigeria are heading into the games with 23 players as they begin their quest for a place in the global football fiesta billed for the US, Mexico, and Canada. Osimhen will miss the games due to an injury he sustained in Nigeria’s friendly match…
PRESIDENT of Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, has reiterated that Nigeria are ready to give the campaign its best shot when the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations begins in Ivory Coast next year. The three-time African champions have been paired in Group A alongside hosts, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea. The Eagles will begin their quest for their fourth title against Equatorial Guinea January 14 before facing the Elephants at the 60,000-capacity Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan in one the most highly anticipated games of the tournament’s group stage fixtures. Speaking while receiving in audience…
LOBI Stars head coach Eugene Agagbe has stated that his team is not under any pressure to mount a title challenge in the Nigeria Premier Football League this season but will rather focus on picking a continental ticket. Lobi Stars are the last Nigerian team to reach the group stage of the CAF Champions League which they did in 2018. The Makurdi side are now top of the 2023/24 NPFL table after match-day seven with 14 points, thanks to their 2-1 away win over Bayelsa United on Monday. Samuel Tiza bagged a brace to take his goal tally for the…