Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are making sure no stone is left unturned in their quest to retain their West Africa Football Union WAFU Zone B Under 17 crown.
To keep abreast of the game’s rules and regulations, the Eaglets attended a lecture on the laws of football in Ghana.
Confederation of African Football CAF instructor and NFF member Dr Mohammed Ameenu lectured the players and officials on key aspects of the law.
After the class, the Eaglets took to the pitch for training, where the players put in a lot of hard work for possible staring slots on the Nigerian team.
The session attracted the presence of former Ghana international John Paintsil whose academy trains on the same pitch.
Paintsil commended the Nigerian squad for their professionalism, wishing them the best of outing in the youth football tournament.
The Eaglets will train again today at 4pm.
With qualification for next year’s Africa Under 17 Cup of Nations at stake, the Golden Eaglets will begin the defence of their title against a Burkinabe opposition at the University Stadium on Thursday, 16th May with kickoff set for 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time), before matches against Niger Republic on Sunday, 19th May (6pm Ghana, 7pm Nigeria) and Togo on Wednesday, 22nd May (4pm Ghana, 5pm Nigeria).
The match against Niger Republic will also hold at the University Stadium while the clash with Togo will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Tag: African Football
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The awards are coming thick and fast for Africa’s safest pair of hands and Super Falcons’ undisputed number one goalie Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The 23 year old keeper was recognised yesterday for her sterling qualities in goal for French side Paris FC after she scooped THE NATIONAL UNION OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS keeper of the year 2024 award.
Nnadozie also made the All Star team for 2024 in the D1 Arkema – France’s elite women football league.
The 2024 Olympic bound keeper took to her X account to express joy at the turn of events in her career.https://twitter.com/Nadoziechiamaka/status/1790339410677927993?s=19
“l’m incredibly grateful and humbled by this award. @tropheesunfp thank you for recognizing my efforts @paristc_feminines, the president, the entire team staff, the fans and my wonderful teammates.Your belief in me and my work is a tremendous source of motivation,” she penned.
A recent highlight video where Nnadozie showed excellent reflex saves against PSG Women has been trending online with a deluge of comments heaping praises on the current Africa Goalkeeper of The Year.
She won the player of the game in the PSG game despite her team losing the playoffs 4-5 via penalties after 2-2 in normal time.
Paris will be in action next Friday for a chance to secure a slot in next season’s European football.
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The 5th JOF Under 13 Grassroots football tournament reached a crescendo yesterday as HB Utility Ilupeju emerged champions of the 64 team competition.
Utility spanked Zamadek of Lagos Island 3-0 in the last game played at the UNILAG sports complex and organised under the auspices of Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Association.
Former Nigeria international winger and AFCON silver medalist Friday Elaho who watched the encounter commended organisers of the tournament for staging a befitting grand finale, urging more private sector involvement at the grassroots in order to churn out budding talents that will take over from the ageing ones.
For emerging champions in the 5th edition of the competition, Utility smiled home with a prize money of seven hundred and fifty thousand naira while Latoyem FC received half a million naira after beating Strong Dove of Orile 1-0 in the bronze medal game also played yesterday.
In the individual awards, Ayomide Atiga was voted tournament’s Most Valuale Player MVP, his colleague Toheeb Ojerinde won the best keeper accolade while Abolade Abdulahi of Zamadek scooped the top scorer’s prize.
Speaking after the event, the Chairman/CEO of JOF Nigeria Dr Olusegun Olugboyegun promised that a select group of players who excelled in the tourney would be camped over the year as they undergo training in ethics, morals and other life skills. -
A delegation of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF has paid a condolence visit to former Nigeria international forward and President of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria Tijani Babangida who was involved in a ghastly auto crash along the Kaduna – Zaria Road last Thursday.
The unfortunate incident, on the spot, claimed the life of Tijani’s younger brother, Ibrahim – a member of the 1993 FIFA U17 World Cup winning Golden Eaglets.
Tijani’s infant son, Fadil reportedly passed away Friday night during surgery, while his wife, Maryam is said to have successfully undergone facial surgery.
The visiting NFF delegation included the President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, NFF Executive Committee member Timothy Heman Magaji and the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.
Others were NFF Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen; Member of the NPFL Board, Mr. Jude Anyadufu; former Nigeria international and Chairman, Bauchi State Football Association, Mr. Pascal Patrick; and ex international goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro.
The delegation met Tijani Babangida at a hospital in Abuja after he was transferred to from ABUTH.
They commiserated with the former World Cup star on the deaths of his brother and son, praying for quick recovery for him and his wife who is still under intensive care at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. -
Members of the Super Eagles are expected to start arriving camp on 1st June preparatory to pivotal 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic per Soccernet.
Nigeria sit third but will need to defeat South Africa and Benin in June if they are to go top of Group C of the World Cup qualifying.
On June 5, Nigeria will play South Africa, and three days later, they will fly to Benin for the second match.
The Nigeria Football Federation has reportedly received a provisional team list from the team’s new gaffer Finidi George, and the final list is expected to be made public shortly.
The South Africa match will be played at Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, hence the Super Eagles will camp in Akwa Ibom State -
19 man playing squad of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets plus officials are expected to arrive today in the Ghanaian capital, Accra for defence of their WAFU B U17 Championship crown in this year’s tournament, kicking off on Wednesday, 15 May 2024.
The five-time champions of the world, swept aside every opposition to achieve glory in another Ghanaian city, Kumasi, two years ago, but failed to light up the Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Algeria where they came short in the race to compete for another global honour in Indonesia.
Chief coach Manu Garba who coached the country to world cup gold medal in 2013 will lead a technical crew that has the mandate of not only successfully defending the regional crown, but to continue to improve the squad for a great outing at the U17 AFCON and onwards to a probable sixth global title.
With qualification for next year’s Africa Under 17 Cup of Nations at stake, the Golden Eaglets will begin the defence of their title against a Burkinabe opposition at the University Stadium on Thursday, 16th May with kickoff set for 3pm Ghana time (4pm Nigeria time), before matches against Niger Republic on Sunday, 19th May (6pm Ghana, 7pm Nigeria) and Togo on Wednesday, 22nd May (4pm Ghana, 5pm Nigeria).
The match against Niger Republic will also hold at the University Stadium while the clash with Togo will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium.
19 EAGLETS FOR WAFU B U17:
1. Adekunle Sunday Adedigba,
2.Sylvester Chizoba Chika
3. Daniel Ofonime Mendie
4.Destiny Samuel
5.Abdulwaris Yunus
6.Boluwatife David Ekishola
7. Ibrahim Damilare Abdulganiyu
8. Edward Oloche Ochigbo
9 Rapha Adams
10. Simon Karshe Cletus
11. Oreoluwa Olawale Agbenla
12.Okorie Marvelous Chibuike
13 Abdulmuiz Adeleke
14. John Ogwuche
15. Qurib Adetola
16.Chinedu Levi Dominic
17.Abdulmuiz Oluwatimilehin Oladimeji, 18.Daniel Vowero Arierhi
19. Imrana Muhammad -
Veteran manager Stanley Eguma has been relieved of his chief coaching position at Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL side Rivers United.
Eguma’s former assistant Evan Ogenyi took charge of the team in yesterday’s 0-0 draw against Kwara United.
The news of Eguma’s sacking filtered through immediately after Rivers United’s 2-1 defeat to Remo Stars last Sunday.
The experienced tactician was mandated by the club to win the game against the Sky Blue Stars.
He left the Port Harcourt club in 13th position.
Eguma, nicknamed ‘Capelo’, guided the club to the 2021 NPFL title win, and equally led the Pride of Rivers to second place finish in the 2016 NPFL their first in the NPFL after sponsors, Rivers State Government merged Sharks FC and Dolphins FC to form what’s today known as Rivers United FC.
He also oversaw United’s back to back CAF Confederation Cup quarter final appearances, falling to USM Algiers in this season’s edition. -
Kano Pillars’ management has appointed Jangora Ahmed and Ahmed Yaro Yaro Garba as coaches for the remainder of the team’s fixtures in the Nigeria Premier Football League this season.
Both managers will take charge of the team following suspension of head coach, Abdullahi Maikaba as announced by the club on Tuesday.
The veteran tactician had earlier complained about his working condition at Pillars which didn’t go down well with the club’s management.
The new caretaker coaches who assisted Maikaba during this season’s campaign played for the Sai Masu Gida in the past.
Kano Pillars have recorded 44 points from 32 games in this campaign. -
Nigeria’s Super Eagles received a major boost ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying double-header against South Africa and Benin Republic following the return to training of Captain William Troost-Ekong.
Super Eagles’ captain William Troost Ekong’s return to training from injury has provided a major boost for the team ahead their doubleheader World Cup qualifying with South Africa and Benin Republic next month.
The AFCON 2023 MVP has been sidelined since undergoing surgery for an injury he sustained in the continental showpiece in Cote d’Ivoire.
The centre-back who scored three goals in Cote d’Ivoire was expected to miss the remainder of the 2023/24 season but has made a quick recovery from the injury.
He is now available for Greek side PAOK Salonica’s last three league games of the season.
Ekong’s return comes timely for the Super Eagles, who are yet to record a win in the world cup qualifiers where they occupy third spot behind Rwanda and South Africa.