*Benin Republic move to top of Group C, Super Eagles remain third

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

In what appears a wild goose chase, South Africa’s Football Association (SAFA),  has insisted that it will challenge the decision of FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee to strip Bafana Bafana of three points and three goals in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho last March.

FIFA on Monday announced what many considered a belated decision to punish South Africa for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their World Cup preliminary match against Lesotho played on 21 March 2025. 

Teams in the Group C standing waited for almost six months before the world football governing body did the needful, deducting the points South Africa earned in that 2-0 defeat of Lesotho in accordance to the rule of the game governing use of ineligible player in matches.

FIFA confirmed yesterday that South Africa breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations by featuring the player, who was not eligible for selection. As a result, FIFA awarded the match to Lesotho with a 3–0 scoreline, overturning the original result.

In addition to the forfeiture, SAFA was ordered to pay a fine of 10,000 Swiss Franc, while Teboho Mokoena received an official warning from the world football governing body.

But in reaction to the FIFA decision, SAFA issued a statement later yesterday stressing that it was disappointed with FIFA. It described the ruling as unprecedented.

“The outcome was delivered by a single-member panel without reasons, and without affording the Association (SAFA) an opportunity to present legal arguments.” 

SAFA further said that it has requested written reasons and will submit an appeal to FIFA’s Appeals Committee within the 10-day deadline.

Despite the setback, SAFA stressed its continued backing of the national team the Bafana Bafana.

“The players and the technical team have worked extremely hard to reach this stage, and we remain focused on ensuring they secure maximum points in the matches ahead. We apologise to the nation for this administrative oversight,” the statement concluded.

Bafana Bafana will resume their campaign with a home fixture against Zimbabwe on 10 October at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, before hosting Rwanda on 14 October at Mbombela Stadium. 

Meanwhile, Benin Republic managed by former Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr, have climbed to the top of Group C on same 14 points as South Africa but with superior +4 goals difference. South Africa are on +3 goals difference. Super Eagles are third on the long on same 11 points as Rwanda but ahead on superior goals difference of +2. Lesotho who profited from the points deduction now have nine points while Zimbabwe are at the bottom of the Group C on four points.

NEW GROUP C STANDING

                         P.   W.    D.   L.  GD.  PTS

Benin.              8.    4.   2.    2.  +4.   14

ł§â€™A´Ú°ůžąłŚ˛š.          8.   4.   2.   2. +3.  14

Nigeria.           8.   2.   5.     1.   +2.   11

Rwanda.         8.   3.   2.     3.   0.    11

Lesotho.          8.   2.  3.    3.  -5.    9

Zimbabwe.      8.  0.    4.     4.  -6.  4

*Ekong insists Nigeria will approach clash with confidence 

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, is unperturbed that FIFA is yet to do the needful against South Africa that fielded an ineligible player against Lesotho last March. His focus today is for his wards to beat Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein to keep alive Nigeria’s quest to win the Group C ticket to the mundial to be hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada next year.

Speaking ahead of this all-important cracker against group leaders South Africa, Chelle insisted that the Super Eagles are ready to play a great game despite the unavailability of star boy, Victor Osimhen, who got injured in last weekend clash with Rwanda in Uyo.

“This is a big game, I am really happy to play this game, like my players,” Chelle stated in a pre-match media briefing yesterday in Bloemfontein.

“This is the moment to do a great game against a very good with a lot of good players,” stressed the Franco-Mali born gaffer.

He admitted that injured Osimhen is a big loss for the Super Eagles but he equally have other capable players to get the job done today.

“Osimhen is a big star, a very good player, but I also have a big group and they want to play a great game,” he stressed with confidence.

Chelle has picked seven points out of nine in his three games with the squad and believes the group he has been working with has the capacity to turn things on its head and leave Bafana Bafana in the ditch.

Eagles Captain, William Troost-Ekong, similarly enthused the confidence expressed by his coach, assuring Nigerians that South Africa will fall at the end of 90 minutes.

“South Africa is a good team that we respect but we just have to go on the pitch and play our game. Our objective has not changed; we want to go to the FIFA World Cup finals next year,” observed Ekong who was voted Man of the Competition at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire.

The Al Kholood defender in the Saudi’s Pro League recalled that Nigeria defeated Bafana Bafana at the last AFCON but that is immaterial now as it is in the past.

“We defeated them at the Africa Cup but that is in the past and some changes have been made to both teams since then. 

Our approach (today) will be devoid of arrogance; we will play with level heads and go all out for victory. There will be no arrogance but we will not be diffident either.

 Super Eagles who are chasing to win all remaining three games of the qualifying series, after falling behind South Africa, Rwanda and Benin Republic in the Group C log. The win over Amavubi  at the weekend has however leapfrogged Nigeria over the Rwanda but are still six points behind leaders Bafana Bafana. 

South Africa however risks losing three points for fielding an ineligible Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho last March. If that happens and Eagles get a win in Bloemfontein today, they be on same 10 points with South Africa with their World Cup destinies in their hands ahead of the remaining two matches in October. 

GROUP C STANDING

                         P.   W.    D.   L.  GD.  PTS

ł§â€™A´Ú°ůžąłŚ˛š.          7.   5.    1.    1.    8.     16

Benin.              7.   3.    2.    2.   0.    11

Nigeria.           7.   2.    4.    1.    2.     10

Rwanda.         7.   2.    2.     3.   -1.    8

Lesotho.          7.   1.    3.     3.  -4.    6

Zimbabwe.      7.   0.    4.     3.    -5.   4

TODAY

Kenya v Seychelles 

Namibia v SĂŁo TomĂŠ 

S’Leone v Ethiopia 

Tanzania v Niger

Zimbabwe v Rwanda

B’Faso v Egypt 

C’Verde v Cameroon

D.R. Congo v Senegal

ł§â€™A´Ú°ůžąłŚ˛š v Nigeria

Togo v Sudan 

Angola v Mauritius 

Benin v Lesotho

Gabon v CĂ´te d’Ivoire 

Gambia v Burundi

Mauritania v S’Sudan

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Tolu Arokodare who emerged top scorer in the Belgian topflight league this past season with 21 goals from 40 appearances has caught the eyes of Manchester United chiefs in the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old Super Eagles forward who made his debut last March came from the bench penultimate Friday to score the equalizing goal in Nigeria’s one-all draw with Russia in Moscow. It was Arokodare’s fifth game for Nigeria with two goals to show.

Now, troubled Manchester United who are desperately in need of a top striker to revive the Red Devils’ stocks in the English topflight league after a miserable outing in the recently ended 2024/2025 season have focused  their radar on Arokodare.

It is generally believed that Arokodare could provide the type of potency that they have been without in the last couple of campaigns.

With a playing style similar to that of Victor Osimhen, another player that Manchester United have looked at, Arokodare is a genuine candidate to join the club, with Christopher Vivell and Jason Wilcox both said to be impressed by the former Amiens striker. 

Arokodare celebrated first competitive goal for Nigeria on his Instagram account: “First international goal, the journey has only just started. We thank God,”observed the Ebony Shoe winner as best African player in Belgium this past football season.

He is also said to be the type of targetman profile that Coach Ruben Amorim wants at Old Trafford.  No potential fee has been attached to the player, but he has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €16.8 million.

Interestingly, Portuguese giants, , are also reported to be interested in him. 

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Ahead of Wednesday’s clash between Nigeria and Ghana in the Unity Cup Invitational Tournament in London, Super Eagles camp in Doubletree Hilton Ealing has come alive with most of the invited players already in.

The Super Eagles will take on the Black Stars of Ghana at the Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford on Wednesday, 28th May and then play a second match at the same venue on Saturday 31st May. 

Nigeria’s opponent will be determined by Super Eagles result against the Black Stars, and the result of the 27th May clash between Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.

As at yesterday evening, the usual suspects were all in the Eagles camp and had a light session at the Hanwell Town Football Club training facility.

According to the Media Officer of the Super Eagles, Promise Efoghe, 10 home-based players from the NPFL are in the team for the Unity Cup Tournament as well as the friendly with Russia.

Head Coach of the team, Eric Chelle, at a press conference inside the Gtech Stadium yesterday, defended his decision to include the players from the domestic Nigerian topflight in the two games.

He insisted that it was  a huge opportunity for him to try out fresh players in key positions.

“We need to give chance to a lot of players to know the quality they are made of. It is difficult to judge a player if you don’t give the the chance to show what they are capable of doing on the pitch. So I can defend my decision to bring 10 players from the NPFL to this Unity Cup tournament,” observed the Franco-Mali born gaffer.

As at press time, the following players were in camp: Ahmed Musa, Simon Moses, Kelechi Iheanacho, Semi Ajayi, Frank Onyeka, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Felix Agu, Igoh Ogbu, Wilfred Ndidi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Junior Harrison Nduka, Sodiq Ismaila, Waliu Ojetoye and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi. 

Others include; Papa Daniel Mustapha, Saviour Isaac, Collins Ogwueze, Sikiru Alimi, Adamu Abubakar, Stanley Nwabali and Samuel Chukwueze to complete the 22 players in camp.

Only Tolu Arokodare, Chrisantus Uche, Amas Obasogie and Maduka Okoye were been expected in camp as at press time last night.

*Appoints Odegbami as Grand Sports Ambassador of Ogun State

Duro Ikhazuagbe

The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has promised that the National Sports Festival scheduled to be hosted by the state beginning from May 16 through May 31, 2025 will become the new benchmark in the history of the sports fiesta.

Speaking yesterday while addressing sports journalists in the Governor’s Office Press Centre in Abeokuta, Prince Abiodun insisted that Ogun State was ready to host the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to a memorable Games like never before.

He emphasised that Ogun was deliberate in choosing to host the 22nd National Sports Festival, now dubbed Gateway Games, as a way of showing to the rest of the country the great strides that have taken place in the state since 2006 when it first hosted.

“When we bidded to host, we were very deliberate about it. We have developed  our infrastructures, improved massively on security, and other areas now than when Ogun first hosted in 2006. Now that we have moved into upgrading our tourism, culture and sports infrastructure, we believe that we have all that it takes to host a games like no other,” stressed the Ogun State Governor.

Prince Abiodun said that it was also deliberate to have all the 10,000 athletes from the 36 states and the FCT in one Games Village as a way of creating unity amongst youths in the country.

“We are aware sports unite the people despite our various differences. This is why we are going to house and fed all the athletes coming to Ogun State for the Games in on place. It’s going to be a Games Village, and that’s like Olympics standard.

“We have also put the best security and transportation in place to ensure smooth transit to and from the Games Village and the venues for all the events,” the Governor hinted.

He commended members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for working round the clock to ensure that facilities earmarked for the Gateway Games are of World-class standard.

‘”The LOC and government have been working day and night to put finishing touches to our preparations. I can boldly say we are ready. “

Meanwhile, Governor Abiodun unveiled Nigeria’s former football captain and an African legendary star, Chief Segun Odegbami, as the Grand Sports Ambassador of Ogun State. 

Also appointed as ambassadors are athlete Tobi Amusan and former boxing heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua.

Prince Abiodun presented certificate of appointment to Chief Odegbami, whose activities will go beyond the National Sports Festival.

“Permit me to use this opportunity to perform this ceremony of unveiling Chief Segun Odegbami as our grand sports ambassador.

“The National Sports Festival will come and go, but we’re already thinking of leveraging on the gains that will come from hosting the NSF.

“That’s where Odegbami will come in to help us maximise the sports economy.

“He had already given us the template of the Amsterdam Arena, which we intend to replicate at the MKO Abiola Stadium,” concludes the Ogun Governor.

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Taiwo Awoniyi came on as a 76th minute substitute for Chris Wood last night  as Nottingham Forest defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reclaim the third spot on the English Premier League table.

The other Nigerian in Nottingham, Ola Aina, was not dressed as he has been sidelined by calf injury.

With this win in North London, Nottingham Forest’s dream of a Champions League spot is becoming getting brighter as the season winds to the home stretch.

For the hosts Spurs, their qualification for the UEFA Europa League  semi final did little to make difference as Forest as early as the opening 20 minutes were the dominant team and took the commanding lead of the clash with two goals.

Their opener came after Guglielmo Vicaro parried away a searing drive from Morgan Gibbs-White, with the resulting corner from Anthony Elanga being headed away. But Elliot Anderson’s long range shot deflected past wrong-footed Vicaro for the first goal in the fifth minute.

It was the same Anderson 10 minutes later who played a great ball over the line to Chris Wood who poked it beyond Vicaro in goal for the second goal. 

Before that second goal, the London team was saved the blushes as VAR ruled the goal scored earlier in the 10th minute by Wood as coming  from an offside position.

Brazilian Richarlison however scored a face-saving goal for Spurs two minutes to the regulation time.

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata who was voted the ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ shown brightly at the 2025 Sportsville Awards night which held at the weekend. 

It was a night of glitz and glamour as top sports administrators took turn to be celebrated at the ceremony which held at the Eko Club in Lagos last Thursday. It attracted the creme de la creme of Nigeria’s  sports sector in an atmosphere of camaraderie and felicitation.

Uyi was one of the 22 eminent personalities  and corporate organisations who were honoured with the prestigious Sportsville Special Recognition Award for their contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria over the years.

In his acceptance speech, the former Country Director of PwC thanked the Sportsville Awards organiser for recognising his  input into making Nigeria a powerhouse in cricket in Africa.

“It is amazing that hard work can be recognised. We are glad that the hard work that we have put into cricket is being recognized and rewarded. We are very grateful for this. This award  calls for more hard work for us in the cricket federation,” observed Dr Akpata shortly after receiving the award.

In his short stint as Nigeria Cricket Federation President, Dr Akpata has taken Nigerian cricket to be at par with the East Africans in the African continent. His developmental programme has created a path for Nigerian teams to qualify for the World Cup at the Under-19 level while the girls are rubbing shoulders with big cricket playing nations.

Also honoured at the event is  former CAF and FIFA advisor on refereeing, Linus Mba, who baged the Sportsville Sports ICON Award for his contributions to referees development in Nigeria.

The General Manager of Rangers International FC,  Amobi Ezeaku, recieved the Sportsville Football Administrator of the Year award while Barr. Christopher Green, Rivers State Commissioner  for Sports, Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the Nigerian Premier Football League, Chioma Ajunwa, Terry Eguaoje, Coach  Emannuel Osahon, Coach Fanny Amun, and Rotimi Pedro were also honoured.

Founder of the first sport’s television in the country, DBN, Osa Sonny Adun, baged the Sportsville Sports ICON Award.

Also on the lists of SV award recipients include; Omonlei Imadu, CEO Yucateco Boxing Promotions, Paul Ngadiuba, Boye Oyerinde, President Nigeria Squash Federation, Lagos State FA boss Gafar Liameed, Giadomeneco Masari, President Nigeria Cycling Federation, Moyo Ogunseinde, while late Molade Okoya-Thomas received was honored posthumously.

The CEO of Sportsville Frank Ilaboya, in his remarks said the SV Awards will continue to uphold its integrity as the most credible sports award in the country.

•  Golf kitty holds as Cultural Expo fever spreads in Uyo

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Akwa Ibom State’s quarter-miler, Victor Imeh Sampson, ran 46.12secs to win the gold in the men’s 400m event of the ongoing Niger Delta Sports Festival in Uyo yesterday.

The Akwa Ibom champion was chased to the finish line by David Akhalu who took the silver medal in 46.58secs while Cross River State’s Wisdom Alexander settled for the bronze in 47.57secs.

In the women’s version of the 400m, Delta State athlete, Ngozi Okereke Treasure won the gold in 52.70secs while Odot Effiong(53.80) of Akwa Ibom and Sunny Miracle (54.10) of Rivers State settled for the silver and bronze medals respectively.

In women’s Table Tennis double event, Cross River took the gold while Bayelsa and Delta pick the silver and bronze.

Meanwhile, Managing Consultant of the Niger Delta Sports Festival, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, teed off the Golf Kitty organised in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

This is even as the organisers rev up preparations for the Cultural Expo with the stage being rigged and rehearsals commenced.

Held at the Ibom Golf and Country Club on Saturday morning, on the sidelines of the sports competitions, the event is part of the community engagement activities of the festival to foster social networking.

Over 130 golfers were in the kitty with members of the Main and Local Organising Committees of the Niger Delta Sports Festival in attendance.

“The NDSF project sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was designed to achieve multipurpose objectives of discovering and nurturing athletes, foster regional integration and engaging our host community.

“We have also provided opportunity for games demonstration towards bringing them in when the next edition holds. Cricket and Rugby are such games and we will keep redesigning the festival concept to accommodate more sports”, Ikpokpo told journalists at the event.

The festival also incorporated a Cultural Expo that will hold on April 7 and a number of upcoming entertainers from the nine mandate states will be on parade for comedy, music and masters of ceremony.

Edi Lawani, the country’s leading entertainment impresario said the Cultural Expo is a community engagement platform to provide the people of Akwa Ibom State, the festival community and tourists a time to wind down.

“Over 40 artistes will be on parade as we provide music, comedy, dance and food court for everyone in Uyo to feel the sports festival atmosphere outside the competition venues and make new social and business friends”, the thickly Lawani said donning his trademark shorts and backpack.

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Despite their failure to pick maximum points in the two 2026 World Cup qualifiers played last month, Super Eagles stepped up a place in the April FIFA Ranking released on Thursday.

The three-time African champions moved a spot to 43rd globally and sixth in the African continent.

Super Eagles under new Coach Eric Chelle, defeated Rwanda 2-0 in Kigali, before they were held 1-1 draw at home in Uyo by Zimbabwe in continuation of the 2026 World Cup qualifying series.

Interestingly, Eagles direct rivals for the 2026 World Cup ticket, South Africa, climbed to 56th in the global ratings. The Bafana Bafana are 10th in Africa.

Benin Republic who are on the heels of the South Africans are 21 in Africa and dropped to 95 in the global standing.

Rwanda who Super Eagles defeated in Kigali to pick their first three points of the campaign are 38th in Africa and dropped to 130 in global standing. Zimbabwe’s draw with Nigeria and South Africa earned them step up to 30th in Africa and 116 worldwide. The last team in same Group C with Nigeria in the World Cup qualifying race, Lesotho are 45 in Africa and 148 globally.

Morocco however remain Africa’s highest ranked team at 12th place globally.

Senegal, Egypt, Algeria , Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Tunisia, Cameroon, Mali and South Africa occupy the Top 10 ranking in the continent.

Globally, Argentina remain top thanks to impressive wins away to Uruguay (1-0) and at home to Brazil (4-1), but the Albiceleste have new company, as Spain(2nd, up 1) took full advantage of France’s (3rd, down 1) slip-up in Croatia to secure second spot.  LesBleusnevertheless remain on the podium, with England (4th) looking on and Brazil (5th) completing the top 5.

The Netherlands(6th, up 1) are in close pursuit of the leading pack, having overtaken Portugal(7th, down 1). Belgium(8th), Italy(9th) and Germany(10th) have all preserved their top-10 berths, while Croatia(11th, up 2) and Morocco(12th, up 2) are breathing down their necks. 

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Super Eagles quest to steady their campaign in the direction of picking Group C ticket to the 2026 World Cup, will gain traction this evening as they confront Zimbabwe in a must-win clash inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Already, new Manager of the team, Eric Chelle, has shown why he was considered the right man for the job, going all the way to Kigali to pick Super Eagles first full three points of the campaign against Rwanda last Friday.

Now, another three points in the bag today against Zimbabwe, would have comfortably turned around Nigeria’s previous hopeless situation. Nine points will put Super Eagles in full contention with leaders South Africa and Benin Republic for the sole ticket on offer in Group C.

However, the Warriors from Zimbabwe will not give up the points without a fight. If both Lesotho and South Africa could come to Uyo to play draw with Nigeria, the visitors from Harare must also be dreaming of their share of the booty! New Super Eagles gaffer, Chelle, has however shown that days of free launch for teams in Nigeria are over!

Already, he’s sticking with the crack line up that he conjured last Friday to inflict pains on Rwanda’s Amavubi right in their Amahoro Stadium fortress.

It is going to be full fireworks from the frontline led by irrepressible Victor Osimhen who is fast chasing to erase Rashidi Yekini all-time record as Nigeria’s top scorer!

Team Captain, William Ekong, reiterated on Monday afternoon that the three-time African champions will seek to control the game the way they did the encounter with Rwanda and then work hard to get the goals. 

“We are looking forward to a win. The three points are important to us. At this stage, we cannot afford to drop any more points. Our aim is to take it one match at a time, collect three points here and there and hope fervently that these will be enough to get us the ticket,” observed the Al Kholood of Saudi Arabia’s Pro League central defender.

Without a win in their first four games of the series, Nigeria languished in fifth place in the six-team group C and remained in a perilous situation, until Friday’s robust win over Rwanda in Kigali threw them up as a proposition for the ticket to the finals.

Nigeria, with six points now, moved up to fourth position, while Zimbabwe, on three, prop up the table, and will seek to increase their haul in Tuesday’s encounter.

Group C leaders South Africa, on 10 points, square up to second-placed Benin Republic, on eight points, at the Stade FĂŠlix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan in a match starting simultaneously with that of Uyo.

Lesotho, now in fifth place following their defeat by South Africa on Friday, will tackle Rwanda’s Amavubi in the last match of Group  C this evening.

GROUP C 

Teams.                P. W. D. L. GF. GA. GD Pts 

South Africa.       5.   3.  1.  1.  8.    5.    +3.  10

Benin .                  5.   2.  2. 1.  6.    5.     +1.  8

Rwanda.              5.   2.  1.  2. 3.    3.      0.   7

Nigeria.               5.   1.  3.  1.  6.    5.     +1.    6

Lesotho .             5.  1.  2.   2.  3.    4.    -1.    5

Zimbabwe.          5.  0.  3.  2.  4.    8.   -4.   3

RESULTS 

Wold Cup Qualifiers

Namibia 1-1 E’Guinea

CAR 0-0 Mali

G’Bissau 1-2 B’Faso

Liberia 2-1 SĂŁo TomĂŠ 

Ivory Coast 1-0 Gambia

Madagascar 0-3 Ghana

Today 

Angola v Cape Verde

Benin v South Africa

Nigeria v Zimbabwe 

Rwanda v Lesotho 

Uganda v Guinea

Botswana v Somalia

Burundi v Seychelles 

Cameroon v Libya

Egypt v S’Leone 

Sudan v S’Sudan

Algeria v Mozambique 

Senegal v Togo

Morocco v Tanzania

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Captain of the Super Eagles, William Troost-Ekong, is bullish about the chances of Nigeria picking first ever victory against hosts Rwanda in Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

The Al Kholood central defender in the Saudi Arabia’s Pro League insisted yesterday that winning the three points at stake in Friday’s clash with the hosts is all that matters to him not history of past encounters.

“Actually, we read about (Eagles not winning in Kigali) in some places but we are not bothered. I was part of the last game in Kigali which ended scoreless, but we know that we cannot afford a draw this time. Our objective is to pick the three points and bring some life back into our campaign.

“We are certainly not concerned about history books and what has happened before now. Qualification for the FIFA World Cup is our priority,” stressed the former Udinese defence strongman now wearing Eagles Captain’s arm band.

 According to past encounters between Nigeria and Rwanda, the three-time African champions are yet to achieve victory over Rwanda in that country, going back to 20 years ago, when a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match ended 1-1 at the Amahoro Stadium. 

In 2011, a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Stade Regional de Nyamirambo, in the outskirts of Kigali, ended scoreless. 

In September last year, another 0-0 was the outcome of a 2025 AFCON qualifying match at the Amahoro.

Ekong and his teammates are targeting to end this jinx on Friday evening as Super Eagles aim to gain control of the Group C of the 2026 Mundial qualifiers with win here and another victory at home in Uyo, four days later.

 Meanwhile, all the 23 invited players were at the Eagles’ Radisson Blu nest on Tuesday night and were all involved in the second training on Wednesday. The Nigeria  senior national team will have a feel of the Amahoro Stadium turf with the official training session this evening.

Nigeria’s goal-banger Victor Osimhen was among the early arrivals, while celebrating becoming the new leading scorer in the Turkish Superlig with 20 goals after a hat-trick on Saturday. The 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup top scorer now has 23 goals for Nigeria in 47 matches.

There are also reigning Africa Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman, Simon Moses, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar and new invitee Tolu Arokodare to make life difficult for the Amavubi rearguard.

World football-governing body, FIFA has appointed Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed, who turns 38 two days after the match, to take charge of the game that will kick off at 6pm Rwanda time (5pm Nigeria time). 

Jayed took charge of a friendly game between the Super Eagles and Ghana’s Black Stars in Marrakech on 22nd March 2024, which Nigeria won 2-1.

That match marked the first in 18 years that Nigeria would overcome Ghana in a game at senior level.

On Friday, Franco-Malian tactician Éric Sékou Chelle will lead out the Super Eagles for the first time, as the FIFA World Cup qualifying series resume with Nigeria, yet to win in their previous four matches, having to start winning in order to brighten their chances of picking the only automatic ticket from group C to the finals in USA, Canada and Mexico next summer.

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Nigeria’s foremost stadium turf construction expert, Ebi Egbe, believes that the Super Eagles will grind out a positive result from the 2026 World Cup qualifier against hosts Rwanda in Kigali tomorrow evening.

Egbe who is the CEO of Monimichele Sports Facilities Limited, told ĚÇĐÄĘÓĆľ yesterday that why he remains very positive of the outcome of the Friday clash is because the Super Eagles will find the Amahoro Stadium turf seamless transition from where they play in Europe to this same hybrid grass. 

“The Amahoro Stadium pitch is an advantage to Nigeria. I am saying this because that Rwanda pitch is a hybrid one, very similar to where most of Nigeria’s Europe-based pros ply their trades. So, for me, Super Eagles will play better on that pitch, began the Monimichele CEO.

He insisted that as elite players from Europe, the Super Eagles will find the Amahoro Stadium pitch a beautiful opportunity for them to express themselves. “It is completely different from when they play on natural grass. So Nigeria will win this game,” Egbe restated with certainty.

He urged Nigerian sports authorities to invest in quality pitches in the country to help the several talents to realize their full potentials.

“If you go to a country like Morocco, you see several quality pitches all over the country. Without quality football pitches, we can not make the desired progress. This is the reason that I will keep preaching about top-notch playing surfaces,” he stressed.

Egbe insisted that so many countries in Africa have realized the need for quality football pitches in order for them to grow the game in their respective countries and attract sponsors.

“Take a country like South Africa for instance, they have very good pitches. That is why their leagues have sponsors. Matches are good to watch on television. The moment these pitches are television friendly, sponsors will come.”

The Monimichele Chief Executive however commended the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration for the moves it has made so far to have hybrid pitches all over the country for those in the grassroots to benefit from it.

Super Eagles have been in poor form in the four matches played so far in the 2026 World Cup qualifier, picking miserable three points  from a possible 12.

WORLD CUP Qual.

Africa (Results)

Tanzania v Congo (CC)

Zambia v Eritrea (CC)

CAR. 1-4 Madagascar 

Eswatini 0-0 Cameroon

Liberia 0-1 Tunisia

Today

Mo’bique v Uganda

Cape Verde v Mauritius

Malawi v Namibia 

S’Leone v G’Bissau

Zimbabwe v Benin Rep

Gabon v Seychelles 

Gambia v Kenya

Libya v Angola

Comoros v Mali

UEFA Nations League

Croatia v France

Denmark v Portugal 

Italy v Germany

Netherlands v Spain

Turkey v Hungary

Austria v Serbia

Bulgaria v Ireland

Greece v Scotland 

Kosovo v Iceland

Ukraine v Belgium

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

To avoid jet lag, the few Super Eagles players who opened the team’s Radisson Blu Hotel camp in Kigali yesterday ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifier against hosts Rwanda on Friday, took to the gym to work out while awaiting the arrival of the bulk of the invited 23 Nigerian pros from Europe.

Amongst the early birds that were involved in the workout were; Galatasaray marksman, Victor Osimhen; Olympiacos of Greece defender, Bruno Onyemaechi; Tolu Arokodare of KRC Genk in the Belgian topflight Jupiler league; former Bendel Insurance safe hands now based in Tanzania, Amas Obasogie and the duo from the NPFL, Remo Stars’ Kayode Bankole and Papa Daniel Mustapha of Niger Tornadoes.

Media Officer of the Super Eagles, Promise Efoghe, confirmed from Kigali that top stars like Simon Moses, Victor Boniface, Raphael Onyedika, Jordan Torunarigha, Stanley Nwabali, Samuel Chukwueze, Bright Osayi -Samuel and Igoh Ogbu are expected to troop into camp this Tuesday for the team to have first full training under the watch of Coach Eric Sekou  Chelle in the evening.

The Super Eagles will not have feel of the Amahoro Stadium turf until Thursday evening on the eve of the World Cup qualifier with the Amavubi who are joint leaders of  the Group C standing with South Africa and Benin Republic on seven points. Lesotho are fourth on five points while Eagles are fifth on three points. Zimbabwe are at the bottom on two points.

Meanwhile, Rwanda’s Algerian coach, Adel Amrouche, has named a 28-man provisional list of players that will face Nigeria on Friday in Kigali and then Lesotho on Tuesday on the same ground.

He will, however, prune the squad to 23 as the countdown to the encounter with Nigeria continues.

Midfielders Hakim Sahabo and Rafael York are among the returnees to the squad of the new coach.

The duo’s last call up was on June 11, 2024, when Amavubi defeated Lesotho 1-0 in South Africa.

The two players were suspended from the team by former coach Torsten Spittler due to disciplinary reasons.

Also, back to the squad is attacking midfielder Djabel Imanishimwe who plays for Naft Al Wassat in Iraq.

The former APR captain hasn’t featured for Amavubi since February 6, 2022 when he played in an AFCON qualifier against Mozambique.

Other key returnees are goalkeeper Maxime Wenssens who wasn’t selected during Amavubi’s 2025 AFCON qualifiers as well as APR shot-stopper Pierre Ishimwe who has now cemented his place as APR’s number 1.

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Former Super Eagles Captain, John Obi Mikel, has responded to Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher, over his remarks that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was not a major tournament.

Reacting yesterday via his The Obi One Podcast, the 2013 AFCON winner with Nigeria in South Africa insisted that the former Liverpool defender probably didn’t understand what the tournament means to Africa to speak in such disrespectful manner live on Sky Sports studio.

While reacting to Mohamed Salah’s terrific form, helping The Reds to beat Manchester City 2-0 last Sunday, Carragher suggested the Egyptian would have to win the Champions League in order to win the Ballon d’Or because AFCON was not recognised by voters as a “major tournament”.

But Mikel who played in five AFCON tournaments, winning one  in his 14-year stint with the Super Eagles, dismissed Carragher as someone who didn’t win any major trophy with England.

“You don’t know what it takes to win with your national team. You can’t discredit such a wonderful tournament.

“The AFCON is on same level as the Euro and the Champions League. To speak the way Jamie spoke is so disrespectful. How dare him regard AFCON as not a major tournament?” queried the former Chelsea midfield enforcer.

“No doubt about it. I was privileged to have won several tournaments during my career but the Africa Cup of Nations medal (in 2013 with Nigeria) and the Champions League medals (2012 Chelsea) are my two biggest prized trophies,” stressed Mikel who also attended two World Cups with Nigeria in his 91 caps with the Super Eagles in addition to winning an Olympic bronze medal at Rio 2016 with the Dream Team.

In his defence of the AFCON as a major tournament, Mikel insisted that it was the tournament that inspires generations of African players to become household names in major leagues in Europe including the English Premier League.

“Africa Cup of Nations is what inspires African players to greatness. People in Africa die for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“Children, kids grow up watching their idols like Didier Drogba, Jay Jay Okocha,  Yaya Toure, Michael Essien and a host of others. These players put in everything supporting their country.

“For me, the influx of African Player into the Premier League, coming to Europe to play is because they grew up watching the Africa Cup of Nations,” he further observed.

Salah whose form this season sparked social media discourse on the possibilities of his emerging the Ballon d’Or winner, has scored 25 goals and 16 assists  in the Premier League and three in the UEFA Champions League. He’s the topmost player in the running for the prized football honour. The highest position he has attained in previous Ballon d’Or is sixth. Manchester City’s Rodri won the last Ballon d’Or even as Real Madrid officially believed that their  Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior should have been given the award.

Duro Ikhazuagbe

African Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman who missed a penalty in Atalanta’s 3-1 home defeat to crash out of the UEFA Champions League in the playoffs stage on Tuesday night, has reacted to his Coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s comments describing him as “one of the worst penalty takers” he had ever seen.”

Club Brugge stunned Atalanta 3-1 in the second leg of their playoff tie to dump the Italian side out with a 5-2 aggregate win and reach the last 16.

The Nigerian international who came from the bench in the second half to score barely one minute after his introduction into the clash with Club Brugge, described Gasperini’s comments as â€œdeeply disrespectful” and “hurtful.”

But for a VAR review, Lookman who scored a second goal that was disallowed before missing the penalty, insisted that singling him out for blame for the ouster was the most unfair thing to do by the coach.

“Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo,” Lookman wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.

“In truth, I have dealt with many difficult moments during my time here – the majority of which I have never spoken about because in my opinion the team must always be protected and must come first.

“This makes what happened last (Tuesday) night even more hurtful. Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with Tuesday night’s result.

Gasperini said Lookman has a “terrible record (in penalty taking) even in training”, adding that Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere were better options to take the spot kick and did not know why the Nigerian did.

The Super Eagles forward revealed that he did not put himself forward to take the kick as stressed by the coach. “During the match the designated penalty taker instructed me to take the penalty; and to support the team I took responsibility in the moment to do so. Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power which I’ll continue to do.”

Lookman was Atalanta’s hero last season when they won the Europa League, netting a hat-trick in the final when they beat Bayer Leverkusen who had been undefeated all season. This season, he has scored 15 times for the Bergamo side.

*Feyenoord knock out AC Milan, to play Inter or Arsenal in Last 16

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Ademola Lookman’s efforts were not enough to rescue Atalanta from crashing out of the UEFA Champions League against Belgian side Club Brugge. Brugge won the second leg 3-1 and qualified 5-2 aggregate into the Last 16 round of the foremost club competition in Europe.

After Atalanta lost the first leg through a controversial penalty goal helped the Belgians to a 2-1 slim edge, Coach Gian Piero Gasperini was expected to throw everything in his arsenal into this second leg.

That was not to be as it was the visitors who raced to a 3-0 advantage in the first 45 minutes.

Chemsdine Talbi got the opener in the 3^rd minute and added the second goal in the 27^th minute before Feran Jutgla added the third in the added minutes of the first half.

However, on return from the first half break, Coach Gasperini took the risk of throwing recuperating Lookman into the mix. And it appears Atalanta’s talisman was going to change the story for the Italian side.

Barely one minute after, the Nigerian international pulled back one goal. Lookman  diverted Davide Zappacosta’s cross home into Brugge net.

The deficit of the night appeared about to be wiped clean when the Super Eagles forward again stepped forward to play a penalty earned by Atalanta after VAR showed Brugge’s Christos  Tzolis was adjudged to have hauled  Juan Cuadrado to the ground. Lookman’s well-taken penalty kick, was shockingly, saved by Brugge’s goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Before that penalty, Lookman’s other effort was overruled as scored from an off side position. And so began the frustration of near misses as Atalanta’s wait for their consecutive home win in the Champions League goes on un-end. For Brugge, they will know on Friday who they will play in the Last 16 between Lille and Aston Villa next month.

Meanwhile, another Italian side, AC Milan with Super Eagles Samuel Chukwueze in the mix,  also crashed out of the Champions League after being held to a draw by Feyenoord in the second leg of their knockout play-off at San Siro Stadium.

The Italians  after just 36 seconds as Santiago Gimenez netted against his former club with the fastest goal in this season’s Champions League.

But Milan full-back Theo Hernandez was sent off in the 51st minute for two yellow cards and Feyenoord substitute Julian Carranza headed in the decisive 73rd-minute goal to seal a 2-1 aggregate success.

The last-16 draw, to be held on Friday, will decide whether the Dutch club face Inter Milan or Arsenal next month.

Seven-time European champions Milan had the perfect start with Gimenez’s effort.

RESULTS

AC Milan 1-1 Feyenoord

(1-2 aggregate)

Atalanta   1-3  Club Brugge

(2-5 aggregate)

B’Munich 1-1 Celtic

(3-2 aggregate)

Benfica 3-3 Monaco

(4-3 aggregate)

TODAY

Dortmund  v  Sporting

PSG  v  Brest

PSV  v Juventus

R’Madrid v Man City

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

The Referee who was at the centre in Sunday’s NPFL clash between Heartland FC and Shooting Stars in Owerri, Kolawole Emmanuel, has been stepped down indefinitely from officiating games in the Nigerian topflight league.

Nigeria Football Federation’s Referees’ Committee took the tough decision of suspending the match arbiter yesterday as a way of restoring credibility to the NPFL after the centre referee took some questionable decision, including the two penalties awarded to both teams.

In a letter addressed to the referee and his assistant, Joshua Amao, through the Kwara State FA, the Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Mohammed Ameenu, said: “ Reference to your decisions that adversely affects not only the outcome of the match between Heartland FC and Shooting Stars on Sunday, February 16,  2025, wherein you awarded penalties that were not  in line with the provisions of the Laws of the Game….. Your actions did not only negatively affect the outcome of the match but equally brings the game to disrepute.

“I am therefore, directed to notify you that you have been stepped down indefinitely and with immediate effect from the league,” concludes the letter suspending the referee from further officiating in the NPFL.

Meanwhile, Head Coach of Heartland FC, Emmanuel Amuneke, has admitted that the game against Shooting Stars was not an easy one as he had to dig deep to get the necessary result.

He remarked that his boys had to take control of the midfield to cut off possible lively ball passing by the Shooting Stars.

The former Tanzania national team coach praised his lads for remaining focused on the match plans and subjecting the Oluyole Warriors to intense pressure.

Shooting Stars had to resort to long balls to locate their strikers up front as the midfield was condoned off. Heartland won the game 2-1.

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, who returned to full training at the weekend could play a deciding role in Atalanta’s progress in today’s UEFA Champions League home clash with Club Brugge.

The Belgian side won 2-1 at home last week in the first leg of the Champions League Playoffs to now put Lookman and his Atalanta side on edge this evening in Bergamo.

Gustaf Nilsson snatched the winner for Brugge via a controversial late penalty last week with Lookman still recuperating from the knee injury on the sideline.

The 27-year-old Super Eagles forward last played for Atalanta in last month’s 2-1 win at Como in the Italian Serie A.

But with Lookman’s return to full fitness, Atalanta coaches and their fans will be hoping that the Nigerian forward will conjure his magic wand to lift the Italian Serie A team above Brugge and gain a berth in the Last 16 Round of the Champions League.

They still remember with relish how it was Lookman that singlehandedly won the Europa League title for Atalanta, scoring all three goals in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Atalanta narrowly missed the Top 8 automatic qualifiers as they finished ninth in the new format Champions League. The Europa League cup holders depended mainly on Lookman for their good run in the early stage until losing to Barcelona. That defeat ensured they needed to go through this tortuous route of competing in the playoffs.

Lookman has been absent from Atalanta since after aggravating the injury he picked up against Napoli in January again during training ahead their Barcelona clash in the Champions League tie.

In his absence last week, his  Super Eagles teammate, Raphael Onyedika, was in action for Club Brugge all through the 90 minutes duration and was well rated for his contributions from the midfield for the first leg win.

Club Brugge  started brightly last week and were rewarded for their industry when teenage winger Chemsdine Talbi collecting a loose pass and crossing for Ferran Jutgla to dispatch a right-foot shot into the top left corner in the 15th minute.

Atalanta however levelled four minutes before the end of the first half, with Croatia international, Mario Pasalic, heading in Davide Zappacosta’s cross from the left.

But in the added minutes of the game, Atalanta’s Swedish defender  Isak Hien held off his compatriot Nilsson with his arm, Turkish referee, Halil Umut Meler, awarded a penalty to the hosts which was confirmed by the video assistant referee (VAR).

Atalanta Coach  Gian Piero Gasperini was visibly angered by the decision, but Nilsson kept calm to send keeper of the Italian side, Rui Patricio, the wrong way from the spot.

The winners of the tie after today’s second leg will play either Lille or Aston Villa in the Last  16 of the competition.

Duro Ikhazuagbe  with agency report

New Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, who was earlier scheduled to return to Abuja this week to firm up preparations ahead Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, has gone to England to meet with his players in the English topflight.

Chelle is to meet with the  likes of  Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey (Fulham); Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest) and Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) amongst several others in the second tier English Championship.

According to SCORENigeria, the Malian gaffer is accompanied by his first assistant, Hedi Taboubi, on this trip to England.

“They will talk with the players on how the Super Eagles will approach these two qualifiers and what is expected of them both on and off the pitch.

“Eric is working quietly and with a clear direction,” a relable source told SCORENigeria yesterday.

The Super Eagles will be guests of Rwanda’s Amavubi  on March 21 and four days later welcome Zimbabwe to Uyo in two crucial games next month.

Rwanda are top of Group C on same  seven points as South Africa and Benin Republic.

Lesotho are fourth on five points, while the Super Eagles are fifth with three points.

Zimbabwe are bottom of the standings on two points after four rounds of matches.

For Nigeria to stand any chance of upstaging the front runners and grab the lone qualifying ticket to the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico, the Super Eagles must win all their remaining six matches while also hoping that some of the front runners drop points.

Super Eagles were not at the last Mundial hosted by Qatar in 2022.

Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick is expecting big things from new signing Kelechi Iheanacho.

Iheanacho arrived the Sky Bet Championship club on loan from Sevilla on transfer deadline day.

He arrived in Boro after a difficult season in La Liga, but has good pedigree in the English game, having started at Manchester City before spending seven years at Leicester, the final season of which he scored five goals last season to help Leicester City win promotion from the Championship back to the topflight Premier League.

Carrick believes the forward’s experience will be crucial in the club’s promotion push.

“He (Iheanacho) is not a replacement. It’s never one player for one player. It’s a collective responsibility. We’ve got enough throughout the frontline – creating goals, scoring goals,” Carrick told the Northern Echo.

“We’re delighted to get Kelechi in. His quality is pretty obvious and he knows what it takes to be successful at this level from last year. He played in the Premier League for a number of years. He’s a quality, quality player and we’re really happy to have him.”

Similarly, another Super Eagles forward now in the English Championship, Emmanuel Dennis is to earn a weekly salary of ÂŁ20,000 at Blackburn Rovers after finalizing a late deal with Nottingham Forest for his transfer.

The recent transfer window was busy for Blackburn, as manager John Eustace aimed to strengthen his squad for the remainder of the season in pursuit of a playoff spot.

Further details regarding Dennis’s contract have emerged, indicating that Blackburn has negotiated a favorable deal. 

Journalist Alan Nixon reported that the Rovers will pay only ÂŁ20,000 per week, along with bonuses, which is a small portion of Dennis’s overall wages. 

His annual salary is estimated to be around ÂŁ4 million, translating to over ÂŁ75,000 per week.

This lower wage commitment aligns well with Blackburn’s wage structure, ensuring that it won’t disrupt the team dynamics in the dressing room. From Nottingham Forest’s perspective, offloading some of Dennis’s wages will be a relief, as he had not been part of the first team and was unlikely to play for the club.

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Super Eagles forward, Victor Boniface’s expected move to  Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in a record transfer by a Nigerian player, has been put on hold following a twist introduced into the transfer talks by the Arabians.

Until yesterday, everything appears smooth for the Nigerian to switch Bayer Leverkusen to the Saudi Pro League side, as both clubs had reportedly reached an agreement on a substantial transfer fee of €60 million.

It was also revealed that Boniface had done medicals and agreed personal terms believed to be in the region of €15 million a year.

The 24-year-old forward was waiting to say goodbye to the management of the German Bundesliga side and friends at the club when Al Nassr officials cooled the talks.

Reports from England suggested that Al Nassr were in another ongoing negotiations with Aston Villa Colombian striker, Jhon Duran.

It was also reported that the 21-year-old Colombian forward had also agreed personal terms with Al Nassr while his representatives were optimistic about completing the move soon. 

Aston Villa are also believed to have received a mouthwatering €70 million offer for Duran.

It was this twist in the transfer talks that appears to have halted the plan for Boniface to head out to the Middle East country.

The lead is expected to be put on the winter transfer in Saudi Arabia expected to close today Thursday January 30, 2025.

If the deal pulls through for Boniface, he will become the most expensive Nigerian player of the moment. His Super Eagles friend, Victor Osimhen, is on 12 Million Euros a year, on the big-money chart.

Leverkusen paid Belgian club Union St.Gilloise barely €23 million to sign him in the summer of 2023.

Boniface is expected play alongside his ‘GOAT’ Cristiano Ronaldo and one-time CAF Player of the Year Sadio Mane at Al Nassr.

*Disquiet amongst Nigerian coaches, Mali govt angry with FA over Chelle

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Former Mali Coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, who was appointed as Super Eagles Head Coach on Tuesday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is expected to touch down in Abuja at the weekend with his unveiling likely to hold early next week.

Chelle, 47, was appointed to replace Portuguese gaffer, Jose Peseiro who left the position after leading the Super Eagles to runner up slot behind hosts Côte d’Ivoire at the AFCON 2023 last February. Ex international, Finidi George who was in-charge on Interim basis got fired after he lost two crucial games. Another ex international, Augustine Eguavoen who was drafted in to lead Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 qualifiers got the ticket with a game to spare but declined to take the job with Eagles 2026 World Cup qualification fortunes sliding after four games.

A top football official confirmed to ĚÇĐÄĘÓĆľ last night that the former Malian gaffer will fly into Abuja at the weekend to tidy up the contract and hit the ground running immediately.

“There is no time to waste. Since he has accepted the offer of the federation, he needs to be on ground here in Abuja so that he can get familiarize with his working environment and start off with our Super Eagles B Team for the African Nations Championship,” observed the top official who will not want to be quoted on the matter.

Against fears in certain quarters that the new Super Eagles  Coach may have issues communicating with Nigerian players, ĚÇĐÄĘÓĆľ learnt that Chelle is fluent in both French and English.

“English will not be an issue at all. He speaks English and is even familiar with some of our senior players which will make it easier for him to integrate fully into the Super Eagles.”

However, reports from his home country Mali said Chelle appointment as Nigeria  coach was not well received by the military government in Bamako.

The ruling military Junta in Mali is unhappy with the country’s football association for letting the coach go despite appeals to keep him after Mali Eagles crashed out of AFCON 2023.

Football fans in the country are bashing the Malian FA on social media after the news broke that the NFF have hired their former coach.

When Chelle left the Malian team after the 2023 AFCON, it was a shock and a big mistake for many Malians and even their players.

In Chelle’s two year stint in Mali, his team played one of the best attacking football any Malian team has ever played and his results were very visible for everyone to see on the continent with 14 wins, 5 draws and just 3 losses in his 22 games in charge.

Back home in Nigeria, the social media was also a mixed bag of comments on the appointment of the Malian, with the majority insisting that it was a major gamble for the NFF to go for an African coach to replace Peseiro.

Even amongst Nigeria’s legion of ex internationals, most adopted “Siddon Look” posturing, waiting to see the magic Chelle will perform in Eagles remaining six World Cup matches to qualify the country for the Mundial to be jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

*Immediate task is to lead Home-based Eagles to CHAN 2024 in East Africa

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

After months of searching for a befitting coach to resurrect Nigeria’s fading glory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday night endorsed the choice of former Mali Head Coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, 47, as the right candidate to lead the Super Eagles to the promised land.

Chelle with no known pedigree in both continental and global football, has been saddled with the task of making the Super Eagles to win all their remaining six matches in the qualifying rounds of the 2026 Mundial. 

Eagles are presently fifth in the six-team standing on miserable three points. Rwanda, South Africa and Benin Republic lead the Group on seven points each while Lesotho are fourth on five points, two points better than Nigeria. Only Zimbabwe are behind Nigeria in Standings. This is the reality of the situation that the Ibrahim Musa Gusau led-NFF board has saddled a man with no capacity to turnaround.

In appointing the Chelle born in Côte d’Ivoire to a French father by a Malian mother, the NFF said in a statement last night that it was endorsing the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee.

The 47-year-old who featured for Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais in France during his playing career, led Mali close to a place in the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire. Mali lost to hosts and eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire 2-1 after extra time, after leading by a lone goal until the final minute of regulation time.

The defence minded gaffer with preferred 4-3-1-2 playing formation, led Mali to beat Nigeria 2-0 in Morocco last year. He first showed interests in the Nigerian job barely weeks after Portuguese Jose Peseiro left the post. 

Ex international Finidi George was appointed but got fired after two games for poor results. Head of NFF’s Technical Department, Augustine Eguavoen was drafted to continue Eagles qualification rounds for AFCON 2025. He succeeded in getting the ticket for Nigeria with a game to spare but declined to continue the World Cup qualifiers starting next month with Eagles away trip to Rwanda  and home games against Zimbabwe same March.

In an earlier chat with NFF TV, NFF President, Gusau, insisted that Chelle’s immediate task will be to lead the Home-based Eagles to next month’s 2024 CHAN in East Africa.

“We have come out with the policy that whoever we employ as the Super Eagles will also be the one to manage the affairs of the CHAN Eagles,” Gusau said in that interview. “We want players from the domestic league to be injected into the Super Eagles.”

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Super Eagles Number 1 goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has been orphaned by the passing of his mother.

The South Africa-based Chippa United FC safe hands announced the death of his mother on the X social media platform on New Year day.

“A very very crazy world indeed.  Rip mom, worst year of my life already,” Nwabali  announced the sad news with emojis of tears and heartbreak without stating the cause of her death.

The death of Stanley Nwabali’s mother is coming barely two months after the passing of his father last November.

The goalkeeper braved the news of the death of his father on the eve of Super Eagles crucial AFCON 2025 qualifier against Benin Republic in Uyo. He only announced the sad news to his international teammates after the match that ended in a one-all draw.

The irony of Nwabali’s mother’s death was that it occurred barely hours after the Nigerian international posted a video recap of his exploits in the just ended year. He won a silver in the AFCON 2023 that took place last February in Côte d’Ivoire and helped Eagles to book a place in the AFCON 2025 with a game to spare. He also had a great season with his South African club.

“2024 was a good year, we’re doubling everything in 2025. Thank you Chippa United FC. Thank you Super Eagles. Thanks to all my fans. Let’s do more!” Nwabali wrote as footnote to that video.

He has now joined the like of Victor Osimhen who has lost both parents.

The 2024 Lagos Liga has reached its exciting semi-final stage, a proof to the competitive spirit and exceptional talent on display since the league’s kickoff. From an initial roster of 16 teams, Applebee FC, Tacha FC, 30BG SC, and Primal Sporting FChave emerged as the final four contenders, all vying for the coveted N50 million grand prize. 

Sponsored by BetKing, the league continues to champion grassroots sports development, providing a platform for non-professional players to shine while fostering stronger community connections. Launched on December 6, 2024, at the iconic Campos Stadium, the Lagos Liga has successfully elevated grassroots football by providing a structured platform for non-professional players to showcase their skills. 

Adding to the excitement, BetKing has introduced the â€œKing of the Match” voting process, allowing fans to actively participate by selecting the Most Valuable Player (MVP). Players are evaluated based on their contributions, including most assists and most goals, with the ultimate goal of winning a N5 million jackpot pull. Voting for the “King of the Match” can be easily done via the .

Commenting on the progress of the League, Nengi Akinola, Head of Marketing at BetKing, stated: “The Lagos Liga represents a pivotal moment in redefining grassroots football in Nigeria. At BetKing, we are committed to initiatives that empower individuals, foster community engagement, and provide platforms for local talent to thrive. This league is a celebration of the unifying power of football and its potential to inspire and uplift communities.”

To further enhance fan engagement, BetKing has introduced a range of interactive activities, including free bets for active customers with at least N1,000 in their BetKing wallets, as well as engaging activations like Spin to Win and live demonstrations of Aviator. She added.

Complementing these efforts is the BetKing Jingle Bets campaign, which has resonated strongly with audiences, adding an exciting and festive layer to the league’s atmosphere.

As the semi-finals/final’s approaches, BetKing remains steadfast in its mission to drive the growth of sports in Nigeria by creating opportunities for talent development, supporting local communities, and celebrating the passion that defines Nigerian football.

Stay connected by following BetKing’s blog and social media channels for the latest news, match analyses, and betting tips.