Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has invited a total of 30 players to camp as the Nigeria Football Federation activates its commitment to ensuring the qualification of the Super Eagles B for next year’s African Nations Championship finals, Nigeriasoccernet.com gathered.

The 8th edition of the continental championship – reserved exclusively for footballers plying their trade with clubs in their country’s domestic Leagues and possessing standard contracts – is scheduled to run the length of February 2025 in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Kano Pillars’ evergreen midfielder, Rabiu Ali, who has scored eight goals this season, is among the players called, alongside Remo Stars’ goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Rivers United defender Steven Mayo, and Abia Warriors’ exciting forward Sunday Megwo.

There are also Enyimba FC goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, Remo Stars’ wing-back Ismail Sadiq, Enugu Rangers’ midfield ace Kazeem Ogunleye, and Nasarawa United forward Anas Yusuf.

Victor Collins, the Nasarawa United defender called up for last month’s 2025 AFCON qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda, and Plateau United’s Adamu Abubakar, are also called up.

All the invited players have been instructed to arrive at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Wednesday, 4th December 2024, where the team will train ahead of the first leg of the qualification fixture against Ghana’s Black Stars B, billed for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 22nd December. The second leg will take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, 28th December.

Ghana stopped Nigeria from reaching the Africa Nations Championship finals in 2009 and 2023. In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition hosted by Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria took a 2-0 first-half lead in the opening leg in Accra, only to concede three goals in the second half. The return leg in Calabar ended 0-0. In the qualifiers for the last edition hosted by Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost 0-2 in Abuja, but prevailed after a penalty shootout at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.

30 PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES B CAMPING IN IKENNE-REMO

Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United)

Defenders: Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City); Imo Obot (Enyimba FC); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International); Steven Mayo (Rivers United)

Midfielders: Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors); Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Kazeem Ogunleye (Rangers International)

Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United); Osy Martins (Lobi Stars); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Samuel Ogunleye (3SC); Abiam Nelson (Kano Pillars); Meyiwa Oritseweyimi (Bendel Insurance); Ngbemena Ikechukwu (Heartland FC); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors); Umar Al-Amin Ibrahim (El-Kanemi Warriors); Adams Aminu Sani (Kano Pillars)

Credit: NFF Media

Lobi Stars head coach, Mohammed Babaganaru says his side deserved the victory against holders Rivers United in their rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League clash on Wednesday.

The Makurdi club won 3-2, with Elijah Ani scoring the winning goal deep into stoppage time.

“Playing against the current champions who are at the same time playing in the continental is a difficult one but we’ve put in our best and the result is what we all see,” Babaganaru stated.

Match winner, Ani also reflected on the hard-fought win.

“The most important thing is we needed the three points and we got it”. He maintained.

Lobi Stars extended their lead at the top of Group B to six points following the win.

credit: Daily Post

Vandrezzer Football Club will play their home matches in the 2023 Nigeria National League (NNL) at the Eket Sports Stadium.

General Manager of the club, Fatai Olayinka disclosed the team is making a return to their home state in Akwa Ibom.

Mr Olayinka added that after playing for two seasons in Lagos the newly constructed Eket Sports Stadium will be their home ground.

“We will be playing at home this season at Eket Sports Stadium.

“We are playing home now in Akwa Ibom at our newly constructed Stadium. He said

Vandrezzer FC will share the Eket Stadium with FC ONE Rocket and Ibom Youth FC.

Credit: Daily Post

Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has paid tribute to his former teammate Christian Atsu after the Ghanaian winger was found dead following the dreadful earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria.

Atsu was on the books of Chelsea from 2013 to 2017 but did not make a competitive appearance for the first team after he was acquired from Portuguese setup Porto.

He was farmed out on loan to Vitesse, Everton, Bournemouth, Malaga and Newcastle United during his time at Chelsea, before a permanent switch to the Magpies in May 2017.

According to Atsu's agent, Murat Uzunmehmet, the player's lifeless body was found under the rubble, putting an end to speculations that he may be alive.

The Ghanaian, who was 31 years old, came off the bench to net a stoppage time winner in his final game for Hatayspor on Sunday, February 5.

Writing on Instagram, Mikel stated : "I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Christian Atsu, my thoughts and condolences are with his family, friends and everyone affected by this very devastating event "

Atsu was named the Player of the Tournament at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and his strike against Guinea won the Goal of the Tournament.

Super Eagles and PSG  midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha has shared words of encouragement to his former side ahead of their Champions League final meeting with Bayern Munich on Sunday evening.

The French club's Twitter handle posted a video of the the former midfielder congratulating the Parisians for making it to the tournament's showpiece, and wishing them good luck as they take on  Bayern Munich at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa.

The Super Eagles legend played for PSG from 1998 to 2002 but he is fondly remembered in German football for the wonder goal he scored for Eintracht Frankfurt against ex-Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn who was defending the colours of Karlsruher SC during the 1992-93 Bundesliga season.

Okocha left Karlsruher defenders dazed in the goal, as well as repeatedly rounding Kahn before slotting home to leave the German red-faced.

Below are some comments from Twitter as fans recounted the incident.

@itsLycanAlpha: I'm waiting for the clip where he Embarrassed Kahn. Somebody do the honours

@chimezieatasie: @IAmOkocha will always remain my best African player forever .....The guy is a Legend

@ideco001: How was he able to take that shot from that distance? Tuale!

@AgainztAllOdds: I'll share this a thousand and one times anytime I see it.

@Akpan_Peters: ??????? only neymar would possibly do this today

@shedy88: I know one player who can replicate this tonight - Neymar Jr. Alé Paris ?

@WhoisBash: Oliver cannot Khan??

@joewee_igwe: Kann pratically slept on the ground and used the opportunity to rest a little ?????

@MdeenOlawale: He was so good they had to name him twice ?

@eppyjukebox: Pure wickedness ??Oliver Khan never forgive this guy ??

@BenZiMoha: This guy was such a king that people literally bow down for him whenever he touches the ball ??

Emmanuel Chinaza

Nigeria-born forward  Joshua Zirkzee is set to start as a substitute in Bayern Munich's starting lineup when they battle Paris Saint-Germain in European club football's showpiece this evening.

Zirkzee who has featured for the  Netherlands at the youth international level may not be in manager Hans-Dieter Flick's starting XI, with unarguably the best number 9 in the world at the moment Robert Lewandowski his preferred candidate to lead the attack.

Of the 12 appearances Zirkzee has made for Bayern Munich's first team since his debut, nine came from the bench and he was named in the starting lineup three times only because Lewandowski was unavailable for selection through injury or suspension.

Rohr believes Zirkzee can be a quality back-up to the Polish striker andmentioned  the teenager as he discussed the players who can make a difference from the bench ahead of the big game.

"The big squad is generally an adv for Bayern. Joshua Zirkzee is also a good alternative to Robert Lewandowski in attack”, Rohr told Abendzeitung Munchen :

"But of course: the French are all able to help. And they will be highly motivated against PSG.

"There are clever world champions, Pavard, Lucas Hernández, Corentin Tolisso. Kingsley Coman played for PSG in his youth. That's a plus."

Zirkzee whose mother is from Nigeria joined Bayern Munich from Feyenoord in the summer of 2017,and has been involved in 74 goals (50 goals, 24 assists) in 89 games for Bayern Munich's teams.

EPL side Sunderland have opted out of signing Nigeria forward Chinedu Obasi because he could not prove his fitness.

Obasi, who is a free agent after he was released by German Bundesliga side Schalke 04, has been training with Sunderland with a the hope of bagging a deal.

According to Mailonline, Sunderland have passed on a chance to sign Obasi after he failed to prove his fitness while they need a player who could walk straight into the team.

The Nigeria international, who holds a German passport, will now seek other options.

Matches in the Glo Nigeria Premier Football League will resume on Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 after all games where rescheduled due to Nigeria's CHAN 2nd leg qualifier away at Burkina Faso.

The home based Super Eagles could only manage a goalless draw in Ouagadougou but ultimately qualified on 2-0 on aggregate.

Attention however returns to the NPFL in midweek as Match Day 35 games are played across the country as the league runs to a close.

It's one of the closely fought title races in a decade as four teams are still in the mix with just four games to go.

There are just 5 points separating the top four teams of Enyimba, Warri Wolves, Wikki Tourists, and Giwa FC.

Defending champions Kano Pillars are resigned to losing their crown after their indifferent campaign that saw them surrender a 12-year record without a loss at home. They currently occupy the 9th position, 4 points adrift of a continental place.

Enyimba are the pundits' favourites however, after only losing a mere 6 matches all season. They next travel to Ilorin to square up against relegation-threatened Kwara United.

The Harmony Warriors are not the only struggling side though with none of Akwa United, El-Kanemi Warriors, Lobi Stars, Bayelsa United and Dolphins of Port Harcourt having recorded an away win so far. The latter duo are currently stuck in relegation waters. They are joined in the bottom four by FC Taraba.

Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho is hoping to show that it’s not only Manchester United who have a talented teenager leading their line.

Iheanacho, ten months younger than his United counterpart Anthony Martial, has only been promoted to first team duties this season, but announced his arrival on the big stage with a last-minute winner at Crystal Palace in August.

Typically relaxed, the Nigerian youngster says if he does get a chance to play, it will just another game to him.

"I haven't thought that much about it because I've never played in a Manchester derby before and I don't know what it feels like so for me, it would just be a normal game and I wouldn't play my football any differently," Iheanacho said to mcfc.com.

"Hopefully, I can get to play some part on Sunday and obviously I hope I can help my team take the three points we need."

He also admits he respects United's Martial and believes the French striker isn't feeling the pressure of his sizeable transfer fee.

"I think Martial is a very good striker - he's a young lad and the same age as I am, 19. He's very composed in front of goal and he will be a threat if we allow him time and space in the final third.

"I don't think he has any pressure on him because all he needs to do is play football and score goals and that's what he's doing at the moment."

HJK Helsinki have extended the contract binding them with Nigeria international Taye Taiwo after the defender impressed in the last two months.

The 27 - time Finnish champions have activated a clause which was inserted into his earlier contract that allows them to prolong his stay by an additional season.

Despite lacking match practice for more than a year prior to his arrival at the Sonera Stadium, Taiwo has gone the distance in every single game contested by HJK in the Veikkausliiga and has not been cautioned once.

According to reports, the 30 - year - old’s intermediary will begin to evaluate the offers on the table in December, with an eye on the January transfer window.

President Muhammadu Buhari extends his best wishes for a triumphant outing to the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria who are in Chile to participate in this year's under-17 FIFA World Cup Tournament.

As the tournament opens tomorrow, President Buhari urges the Golden Eaglets to do their utmost best to match the outstanding performance of their victorious predecessors who have won the competition four times including the inaugural edition in 1985 and the last tournament in 2013.

The President assures the Golden Eaglets and their handlers of the full support of the Federal Government and all Nigerians as they strive to bring more sporting glory to their fatherland by outplaying all their opponents in Chile and winning the Under-17 World Cup for a record fifth time.

President Buhari will follow the team's progress through the tournament in Chile with keen interest and high expectation in the belief that the boys have the skills, dedication and determination required to make Nigeria world champions at the youth level once again.

He calls on the players to stay focused, avoid all distractions and put their globally acknowledged skills, ability and doggedness on display against the USA tomorrow, Chile on October 20, Croatia on October 23 and in all their subsequent matches to win the tournament and give millions of soccer-loving Nigerians the perfect end-of-the-year gift.

Garba Shehu

SSA to the President

(Media & Publicity)

October 16, 2015

[caption id="attachment_314693" align="aligncenter" width="299"] Arsenal Youngster Alex Iwobi[/caption]

Nigeria international Alex Iwobi trained with Arsenal’s first team on Friday afternoon ahead of the Premier League tie with Odion Ighalo’s Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

The Hale End Academy product is yet to play a competitive game for club and country, bearing in mind that the two games he featured in for the Super Eagles were friendlies and do not count.

Should Iwobi be included in the 18 - man squad by the Frenchman, it would be the first time in his career that he will be part of the first team squad in the Premier League.

The 19 - year - old racked up 44 minutes of playing time for the Super Eagles during the international break.

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Moses Kpakor has described the the manner Coach Sunday Oliseh handled issues in the Super Eagles camp in Belguim which resulted in the departure of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama as a smark of inmaturity on the part of the coach.

Speaking on the now resolved fued in the Super Eagles camp, Kpakor called on Oliseh to adopt some level of diplomacy in the handling of the national team if he hopes to have a smooth spell.

He noted that the coach’s duty goes beyond being with the players on the field of play for practice sessions and matches but includes a role as a manager as well as a father.

“Yes, he must instill discipline but he needs to be diplomatic in his actions as I think he did not even consult with the NFF before attempting to send Enyeama out of camp. Oliseh needs to win the confidence of his players to get the best out of them. If he does not adopt diplomacy and maturity, his temperament will ruin him as Eagles coach.

“I am in favour of the appointment of ex-internationals handling our national team as long as the person is qualified but I fault the manner in which Sunday Oliseh was appointed. Yes, we need younger minds on the job but there is need for maturity in the coaches. Oliseh’s action in the Super Eagles camp in Belgium which saw to the sacking of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama clearly shows he lacks maturity.

New captain of the Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa, is convinced that either him or the team’s former skipper, Vincent Enyeama, can win this year’s CAF African Footballer of the Year award.

Musa and Enyeama are the only two Nigerian footballers that made the 37-man shortlist for the prize.

“I believe either myself or Vincent Enyeama can win the award this time around. We deserve the nomination and I think we are good enough to win it for Nigeria,” Musa told AfricanFootball.com

“I am happy to be nominated for the African Footballer of the Year award again. It’s a good thing when one gets such recognition because Africa is blessed with lots of good players.”

It is the third straight year Ahmed Musa has been nominated for the award.

The last Nigerian to win the award was Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.

Seattle Sounders forward and Nigerian striker, Obafemi Martins, is on course to be recalled to the Super Eagles for next month's 2018 preliminary World Cup qualifier against Djibouti or Swaziland two years after he last featured for the national team, according to reports.

Martins, who has been in blistering form for his Major League Soccer (MLS) side in the USA, is being seen as a catalyst that could offer stiff competition to Odion Ighalo and Emmanuel Emenike, who are both expected to be included in coach Sunday Oliseh's squad for the November tie, a top source in the NFF revealed.

According to the source, the Eagles attack has not impressed the head coach by scoring 5 goals in 4 games.

And despite preferring Ighalo to Emenike, Oliseh needs a good option with wealth of national team experience to rival the Watford star who has scored 5 goals in eight EPL games for the Hornets, the source says.

"Obviously, Martins is an option we are considering in attack and he could make a return to the team but the coach has the final say on that," the highly-placed source told Completesportsnigeria.com.

"Emenike has not showed the handlers he could be relied on in the games he has played."

"The coach wants his forwards to be aggressive and press high up but that has not been the case."

The former Inter Milan star has scored 14 MLS goals in 19 appearances for Sounders who sit fifth on the Western Conference log.

Martin reportedly called it quit with the Super Eagles last year, but the report has since been denied by his representatives who insist the former Levante star was quoted out of context.

Astana will be without their Ghanaian striker Patrick Twumasi ahead of their historic UEFA Champions League home clash against Galatasaray on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old is still serving a six-match ban and missed the side's 2-0 defeat at Benfica two weeks ago.

Football fans in Kazakhstan's capital Astana are eagerly gearing up to welcome the Turkish giants for their first ever Champions League group match in the Central Asian nation on Wednesday.

FC Astana already made history when they visited Portuguese giants Benfica to play their first ever group stage encounter in Europe's most prestigious and lucrative competition two weeks ago, losing 2-0.

"It's absolutely fantastic, to watch your team play in the Champions League," 23-year-old supporter Yermek Serkebayev told AFP ahead of Wednesday's game.

"Galatasaray fans welcome the visiting teams with their famous slogan: 'Welcome to hell'.

"But they've never been here at Astana before. We're set to show them what the real support of your beloved team can be."

FC Astana shot to prominence after they were established in the winter of 2008-09 from a merger of two clubs from Kazakhstan's former capital Almaty, FC Alma Ata and FC Megasport.

The ambitious project saw immediate success despite shifting some 1,200 kilometres from their initial home, and they finished second in Kazakhstan's top flight in their maiden season.

However, the club were not allowed to play in European competition for licensing reasons until the 2013-14 season, when they made their debut in the Europa League.

The appointment of Bulgarian manager Stanimir Stoilov in June 2014 was the turning point for the club as the 48-year-old led Astana to their first national title in the same year.

"Our manager is a many-sided man," Astana's Serbian goalkeeper Nenad Eric said about Stoilov.

"His role in our success can hardly be under-estimated."

Local star Georgy Zhukov, Colombian Roger Canas and Serb Nemanja Maksimovic form the backbone of Astana's midfield, while Foxi Kethevoama of the Central African Republic and Baurzhan Dzholchiev spearhead the attack.

Under Stoilov the Kazakh club favour an offensive style of football, especially when playing at their 33,000-seat home venue.

In their first Champions League match against two-time former champions Benfica, the rookies of Astana failed to shine in attack.

However, Stoilov pledged that his team would step up their game and promised that his men will show their best on their home turf against Turkish giants Galatasaray.

"We want to play our own style, it's very important for the team," he said.

"In Lisbon we were not bad at all, especially in the first half.

"In the second, Benfica showed their level so we have to salute them. We played a bit defensively, but at home, being more attacking, I believe we can score."

Ghana FA Executive committee member Wilfred Osei ‘Parma’ believes the Premier League title is out of reach for Aduana Stars, tipping Ashantigold to end a 20-year wait for a crown.

The miners have opened a three-point lead at the summit of the table ahead of their trip to the dreaded Golden City Park where they face Chelsea in a potentially decisive game on Saturday.

A win for the Obuasi-based will greatly enhance their title prospect and the president of second-tier side Tema Youth is confident coach Bashir Hayford’s men will scale the hurdle.

“Aduana cannot contest Ashantigold. It’s a fair accomplishment for Ashantigold,” he said

“I don’t think Aduana can challenge them. If you look at the remaining matches of the two teams, it’s practically impossible for Aduana.

“Aduana will play Heart of Lions and looking at the position of their opponent, I doubt if they can bag even a draw in Kpando.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a done deal for Ashantigold.”

Schalke chief Horst Heldt insists the club has no regrets for freezing out Kevin-Prince Boateng following their 5-0 win over MSV Duisburg in the DFB Cup.

The German side froze out the Ghana international after a breakdown in trust between the two parties.

The Ruhr Valley club looked rejuvenated in the post Kevin-Boateng era after the side thrashed lower side MSV Duisburg 5-0  in the opening round of the DFB Cup.

And director of sports Horst Heldt has revealed there are no regrets for kicking out the former AC Milan man.

“Of course we have results that satisfy us and we look forward to subsequent games. We are a new side hoping to do great things this season. From the perspective of Kevin, I would do it again if it was today,” he said

“We want to necessarily commit a player who has leadership qualities. It would be hypocritical if today I stand up and say in retrospect I would do something different.

“In the first year, Kevin fulfilled many expectations. Then a lot of the negatives started evolving.

“It was also about lack of discipline. You have introduced code of conduct and you require new players to abide by it and not flout it.”

Boateng is on scouring mission for a new club after his hugely-publicized move to Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon fell through over health concerns.

Ghana defender Isaac Vorsah has been left out of the Red Bull Salzburg squad for the first half of the season.

The 27-year-old only made a dramatic return to training last week after a two-year absence.

But the former Hoffenheim strong centre-back has been left out of the official 27-man squad for the first half of the season due to concerns over his fitness.

Officials of the Austrian side are unsure about the physical fitness of the Ghana international, leading to his expulsion from the initial squad.

Vorsah has not played since 2013 after suffering a career threatening knee injury.

Asamoah Gyan has had a shirt designed for his unveiling as a new signing for Chinese club Shanghai SIPG.

The T-shirts designed by local artiste named Rudolph under his Ruddy wear label has ‘Efee Bo Ta Shi Okwe’ boldly inscribed on it.

The bold inscription which is in a local Ga dilate is a famous slogan used by famous local boxer Ayitey Powers.

The inscription is often used to mock perceived haters.

Gyan who had many bitterly disappointed in his move to Al Ain back in 2011 is set to arouse fury amongst many others with his imminent mega move to Chinese club Shanghai SIPG.

The 29-year-old performance on the field of play has however justified his unpopular moves as his goalscoring statistics since has improved significantly for both club and country.

Gyan plans to wear the shirt to mock his haters when he is unveiled as a new signing for Shanghai SIPG on Wednesday.