Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Russia with a reduced squad after several clubs blocked players from travelling and a number of key players were ruled out through injury.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi suffered a minor knock during last week’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Guinea-Bissau and is unavailable for Tuesday’s international friendly.

Eintracht Frankfurt prevented midfielder Raphael Onyedika from travelling to Russia, while Bright Osayi-Samuel and UAE-based midfielder Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola were also stopped by their clubs.

Switzerland-based defender Victory Akpe will miss the match because of injury. Austria-based Moses Usor, who scored on his Nigeria debut against Madagascar in Uyo on 25th September, was not initially included in the travelling party.

However, after Head Coach Eric Chelle later called him up, LASK FC told Usor that he should not travel to Russia.

Suleiman Mubarak, who was invited from Slavia Prague in Czechia, was unable to join the squad because his resident permit had not been secured.

The absences have left Nigeria with a weakened group for their meeting with Russia’s senior men national team, known as ‘The Boys’. The teams drew 1-1 in another international friendly at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium 16 months ago.

Late call-up Ibraheem Ajasa, who plays for FC Rostov in Russia, was expected to arrive at Nigeria’s team camp in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday evening.

Nigeria’s 18-man squad in Russia

Goalkeepers: Michael Atata (Ikorodu City), Samuel James (SJK FC, Finland), Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa).

Defenders: Kenneth Igboke (Enugu Rangers), Isaac James (Alverca FC, Portugal), Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford FC, England), Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Abdullahi Bewene (FC Banik Ostrava, Czechia).

Midfielders: Chibuzo Nwoke (Fulham FC, England), Stephen Michael (Vendsyssel FF, Denmark), Igor Wilfred (Kristiansund FC, Norway), Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City).

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor FC, Turkey), Moses Simon (Paris FC, France), Akor Adams (Venezia FC, Italy), Peter Edokpolor (SL Benfica, Portugal), Abubakar Umar (FC Famalicao, Portugal), Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove, Czechia).

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Russia with a reduced squad after several clubs blocked players from travelling and a number of key players were ruled out through injury.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi suffered a minor knock during last week’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Guinea-Bissau and is unavailable for Tuesday’s international friendly.

Eintracht Frankfurt prevented midfielder Raphael Onyedika from travelling to Russia, while Bright Osayi-Samuel and UAE-based midfielder Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola were also stopped by their clubs.

Switzerland-based defender Victory Akpe will miss the match because of injury. Austria-based Moses Usor, who scored on his Nigeria debut against Madagascar in Uyo on 25th September, was not initially included in the travelling party.

However, after Head Coach Eric Chelle later called him up, LASK FC told Usor that he should not travel to Russia.

Suleiman Mubarak, who was invited from Slavia Prague in Czechia, was unable to join the squad because his resident permit had not been secured.

The absences have left Nigeria with a weakened group for their meeting with Russia’s senior men national team, known as ‘The Boys’. The teams drew 1-1 in another international friendly at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium 16 months ago.

Late call-up Ibraheem Ajasa, who plays for FC Rostov in Russia, was expected to arrive at Nigeria’s team camp in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday evening.

Nigeria’s 18-man squad in Russia

Goalkeepers: Michael Atata (Ikorodu City), Samuel James (SJK FC, Finland), Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa).

Defenders: Kenneth Igboke (Enugu Rangers), Isaac James (Alverca FC, Portugal), Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford FC, England), Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Abdullahi Bewene (FC Banik Ostrava, Czechia).

Midfielders: Chibuzo Nwoke (Fulham FC, England), Stephen Michael (Vendsyssel FF, Denmark), Igor Wilfred (Kristiansund FC, Norway), Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City).

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor FC, Turkey), Moses Simon (Paris FC, France), Akor Adams (Venezia FC, Italy), Peter Edokpolor (SL Benfica, Portugal), Abubakar Umar (FC Famalicao, Portugal), Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove, Czechia).

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Russia with a reduced squad after several clubs blocked players from travelling and a number of key players were ruled out through injury.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi suffered a minor knock during last week’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Guinea-Bissau and is unavailable for Tuesday’s international friendly.

Eintracht Frankfurt prevented midfielder Raphael Onyedika from travelling to Russia, while Bright Osayi-Samuel and UAE-based midfielder Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola were also stopped by their clubs.

Switzerland-based defender Victory Akpe will miss the match because of injury. Austria-based Moses Usor, who scored on his Nigeria debut against Madagascar in Uyo on 25th September, was not initially included in the travelling party.

However, after Head Coach Eric Chelle later called him up, LASK FC told Usor that he should not travel to Russia.

Suleiman Mubarak, who was invited from Slavia Prague in Czechia, was unable to join the squad because his resident permit had not been secured.

The absences have left Nigeria with a weakened group for their meeting with Russia’s senior men national team, known as ‘The Boys’. The teams drew 1-1 in another international friendly at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium 16 months ago.

Late call-up Ibraheem Ajasa, who plays for FC Rostov in Russia, was expected to arrive at Nigeria’s team camp in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday evening.

Nigeria’s 18-man squad in Russia

Goalkeepers: Michael Atata (Ikorodu City), Samuel James (SJK FC, Finland), Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa).

Defenders: Kenneth Igboke (Enugu Rangers), Isaac James (Alverca FC, Portugal), Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford FC, England), Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Abdullahi Bewene (FC Banik Ostrava, Czechia).

Midfielders: Chibuzo Nwoke (Fulham FC, England), Stephen Michael (Vendsyssel FF, Denmark), Igor Wilfred (Kristiansund FC, Norway), Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City).

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor FC, Turkey), Moses Simon (Paris FC, France), Akor Adams (Venezia FC, Italy), Peter Edokpolor (SL Benfica, Portugal), Abubakar Umar (FC Famalicao, Portugal), Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove, Czechia).

Rangers remained at the summit of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after beating Abia Warriors 3-1 at Awka City Stadium.

Godwin Obaje put the defending champions ahead eight minutes before half-time, and Chidiebere Nwobodo added a second four minutes after the restart.

Abia Warriors reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute when Emeka Obioma converted a penalty, but Rangers secured the points in stoppage time as Akorode Daniel restored their two-goal advantage.

The result keeps Rangers at the top of the table, while Enyimba continued their improvement with a 2-0 home victory against Plateau United.

Ifeanyi Ihemekwele and Richard Ezinna scored for the nine-time champions, also known as the Peoples’ Elephant.

Rivers United also maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign by defeating Ikorodu City 2-0 in Port Harcourt.

Samson Olasupo broke the deadlock after 19 minutes for Finidi George’s side. Chinemerem Ugwueze then doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time.

At the Pantami Stadium, Joshua Abbah scored the only goal as Doma United beat Warri Wolves 1-0.

Inter Lagos and Katsina United shared a 1-1 draw at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan. Nura Abdulbari gave Katsina United the lead four minutes after the half-hour mark, before Kevwe Iyede equalised for the hosts three minutes before half-time.

Kwara United completed a comeback to defeat Ranchers Bees 2-1 in Ilorin. Jamilu Yusuf put the visitors ahead in the seventh minute, but Toheeb Gidado levelled five minutes into the second half. Stephen Gideon then scored the winner 13 minutes from time.

Former champions Shooting Stars were held to a 1-1 draw by Nasarawa United at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, in Ibadan.

Full results

The full results listed were:

- Doma Utd 1-0 Wolves

- Bendel Insurance 4-1 Barau

- Rangers 2-0 Abia Warriors

- Rivers Utd 2-0 Ikorodu City

- Shooting Stars 0-0 Nasarawa Utd

- Inter Lagos 1-1 Katsina Utd

- Enyimba 2-0 Plateau Utd

By Adeboye Amosu

Super Eagles forward Akor Adams says Nigeria must respond quickly after their disappointing 3-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Djurtus secured a comfortable victory in Tuesday’s Matchday 2 game at the September 24 Stadium in Bissau, leaving Nigeria with only three points from their opening two matches.

Nigeria began their qualifying campaign with a narrow 2-1 win over Madagascar, but the heavy defeat in Guinea-Bissau has increased the pressure on the Super Eagles to correct their shortcomings.

Adams said the squad had accepted responsibility for the performance and was already working on the issues exposed during the match.

“It’s not a game we should lose, and we have to take responsibility for that,” Adams told the Super Eagles media.

“We have taken responsibility for it. It’s a game we prepared very well for. We knew how important it was to us in the qualification phase.

“Looking back, we are already making corrections to what happened in the game. In football, we were on the bad side on that day as a group and as a team.

“We know our possibilities and how good we can be when we are at our best.”

Adams criticises pitch but rejects excuses

The forward also voiced his dissatisfaction with the playing surface at the September 24 Stadium, while making clear that he did not regard the pitch as a valid explanation for Nigeria’s defeat.

“That wasn’t our best day. It’s something we have to take responsibility for. I think a good pitch should be the bare minimum for African football. We all know this. I’m not making any excuses, and I would not make excuses,” he said.

Adams said Nigeria’s players had to remain capable of dealing with difficult conditions, regardless of the circumstances surrounding a match.

“We are professionals, and we should know that there are a lot of things that come with the game.

“The weather, the referee, whatever the circumstances, we should be able to find our way. But a good pitch should be the bare minimum for how big African football is, and that was not the case on that day.”

The result was Guinea-Bissau’s second win of the qualifying campaign, while Nigeria suffered their first defeat after opening with victory against Madagascar. Adams believes the Super Eagles can show their true level by responding positively to the setback.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has added Rostov midfielder Ibraheem Mahfus Ajasa to Nigeria’s squad for Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia.

Ajasa has been brought in after Bright Osayi-Samuel withdrew from the squad. Captain Wilfred Ndidi and Akpe Victory have also pulled out of the fixture.

John Otomewo and Vince Osuji were selected as replacements for Ndidi and Victory respectively.

Rostov confirmed Ajasa’s late call-up on the Russian club’s official website.

“Ibrahim Mafus Ajasa has been called up to the Nigerian national team for the match against the Russian national team.

“We wish you good luck!” the club said.

The Super Eagles have already started preparing for the game, which will be played at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday.

Nigeria’s meeting with Russia is a friendly fixture, with Chelle having to make three changes to his squad because of the withdrawals.

Niger Tornadoes goalkeeper Alladoum Kolimba has called on his team-mates to end their five-match winless run when they host Kun Khalifat FC in the Nigeria Premier Football League on Sunday.

The Ikon Allah Boys have failed to win any of their past five league fixtures and will be aiming to return to victory with three points in Minna.

Kolimba, who has recently returned from international duty, said Niger Tornadoes must approach the match with focus and determination rather than underestimate their opponents.

“We will not take the game for granted. We must fight and work hard to achieve the maximum points,” Kolimba told the club’s media.

The fixture will be the third competitive meeting between the teams, with Niger Tornadoes still waiting for their first victory over Kun Khalifat FC.

Their previous encounters last season produced contrasting results. In one match, Abba Khalid gave the hosts the lead before the visitors recovered to earn a share of the points. Niger Tornadoes also suffered a 2-0 defeat in the reverse fixture.

The Minna-based side have been handed a further boost before Sunday’s game by the return of Akabe Hannafi, who has recovered ahead of schedule after missing last week’s trip to Lafia.

Joseph Bulus and Daniel Hussaini have also been successfully registered, strengthening the squad and providing the technical crew with additional options for the important encounter.

Russia scored five times in the second half as they overwhelmed Namibia 6-0 at the Ekaterinburg Arena, delivering a strong warning to Nigeria’s Super Eagles before Tuesday’s international friendly.

Lechi Sadulaev put Russia ahead in the 37th minute before Danil Prutsev doubled their advantage nine minutes after half-time. Konstantin Tyukavin added a third in the 65th minute, with Maksim Glushenkov scoring in the 84th.

Maksim Petrov converted a penalty three minutes later, before Namibia goalkeeper Kamaijanda Ndisiro completed the scoring with an own goal in the second minute of added time.

Russia registered 24 shots, including 14 on target, while Namibia failed to test the Russian goalkeeper with a shot on target.

The result underlined Russia’s strong recent form. They have been restricted to friendly matches since their FIFA ban in 2022, but have now won their past four games, scoring 14 goals without defeat.

Their last loss came on 28 May 2026, when they were beaten 1-0 by Egypt.

Nigeria will meet Russia at the 44,000-capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, 6 October. The venue hosted matches during the 2018 World Cup.

Nigeria prepare for second meeting

The fixture will be the countries’ second meeting in 16 months. Their previous encounter ended in a 1-1 draw in Moscow in June 2025.

Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi scored an own goal in that match, but Tolu Arokodare later equalised for the Super Eagles.

Nigeria manager Eric Chelle has selected an experimental 24-man squad for the fixture. Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze are all unavailable.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Akpe Victory have also withdrawn from the squad. John Otomewo of Reims and Vince Osuji of Tromso have been called up as replacements.

Moses Simon, Kelechi Iheanacho and Akor Adams are expected to form the main attacking options for a largely youthful Nigeria side, which includes two players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

The Super Eagles go into the match after an inconsistent AFCON 2027 qualifying window. They began it with a 2-1 victory against Madagascar before suffering a 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau.

Sporting Lagos head coach Jeffrey Buter has been asked to appear before the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after publicly questioning the standard of refereeing in the competition.

Buter’s comments followed Sporting Lagos’ 1-1 draw with Barau FC in a keenly contested matchday six fixture at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, last month.

The coach criticised the officiating after the game and challenged the performance of referee Abubakar Abdullahi, who is from Niger State.

The NPFL has taken exception to Buter’s remarks and has summoned him to appear before the league body at its headquarters in Abuja this week.

League officials have also warned coaches and club officials against making public statements or critical comments that could damage the credibility of match officials.

The NPFL said complaints relating to officiating must be submitted through the appropriate administrative channels rather than aired publicly.

According to the league, following that process is necessary to safeguard the image and integrity of the competition, as well as its sponsorship interests.

By Adeboye Amosu

Enugu Rangers will provide free buses for supporters travelling to Awka for Sunday’s EUROMATCH NPFL Oriental Derby against Abia Warriors.

The week-seven fixture will be played at Awka City Stadium, which Rangers are using as their adopted home ground.

The club’s management announced on Saturday that buses would transport Rangers fans from Enugu in an effort to ensure strong support for the home side.

Supporters are expected to gather at Rangers Camp, Enugu, at 12pm before travelling to the venue.

Rangers have won each of their past three home meetings with Abia Warriors, including a 2-0 victory in October last year.

Abia Warriors are aiming to end that run and secure their first league victory away to their rivals in three years. Victory in Awka would also strengthen their position in the race for continental places.

Rangers lead the EUROMATCH NPFL table with 13 points from six matches, while Abia Warriors are 10th on eight points.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) will introduce Friday night fixtures when Shooting Stars host Ranchers Bees in a new matchday scheduling format designed to broaden the league’s appeal.

The Matchday 9 meeting will take place at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, on Friday, October 16, with kick-off at 6pm.

The fixture will be Shooting Stars’ second Friday home match of the season. Their first came on the opening matchday, when they defeated Inter Lagos 2-1.

Friday evening matches are being added as part of efforts to offer supporters a more varied matchday experience and provide a prime viewing slot for top-flight football.

The NPFL has traditionally relied heavily on weekend afternoon kick-offs. Under the new arrangement, however, Friday night matches will be followed by early Saturday and Sunday fixtures as the season progresses.

The revised calendar is intended to give fans, broadcasters and commercial partners greater flexibility, while also bringing the presentation of the competition closer to scheduling patterns used by some of the leading football leagues around the world.

For Shooting Stars, the Ranchers Bees fixture will offer another opportunity to assess the response to evening football at the historic Lekan Salami Stadium. Supporters in Ibadan are expected to attend in numbers for the Matchday 9 contest.

The league believes the introduction of Friday night football could increase attendance and fan engagement by making matches more accessible at a time when supporters are able to gather for an evening game.

The changes will also add greater variety to the NPFL fixture list, with the league seeking to create a more engaging atmosphere around its matchdays.

Sporting Lagos head coach Jeffrey Buter said his side were satisfied to leave with a point from their Nigeria Professional Football League meeting with Kano Pillars, despite missing an opportunity to claim victory.

The teams played out a 1-1 draw in a closely fought encounter in which both sides had spells of pressure. Sporting Lagos created the clearest opening of the match late in the second half, but could not find the decisive finish needed to take all three points.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Buter acknowledged that his team had allowed a chance to win the game to pass them by. However, he said the result remained valuable given the circumstances of the match.

“We’re content with the point even though we could’ve gotten three with the best chance in the game at 1-1,” Buter said.

The Sporting Lagos coach’s comments reflected the balance between disappointment at the late missed opportunity and satisfaction with the team’s performance away from home.

Both clubs had traded attacking moments before the match ended level, with neither able to produce a winner after the score reached 1-1. Sporting Lagos’ late chance offered them the possibility of changing the outcome, but Kano Pillars held on to secure a share of the points.

Buter said his players would now turn their attention to recovering before their next fixture, rather than dwelling on the result.

“We’ll rest now and shift our focus to the next game,” he added.

The draw gives Sporting Lagos another result to build on as they continue their campaign in the domestic league. Their ability to hold Kano Pillars away from home, despite the frustration of not converting their best chance, provides the basis for the side to maintain its progress in the demanding Nigeria Professional Football League schedule.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee has approved the organisation’s 2026-2030 competitions calendar while confirming dates and venues for several major continental events, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The meeting, chaired by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, also confirmed Nigeria as the host of two major events later this year.

Lagos will stage the 2026 CAF Awards on December 7, while Abuja is scheduled to host the CAF Ordinary General Assembly on November 21.

The two events will bring some of the continent’s leading football administrators, players, coaches and other stakeholders to Nigeria within a three-week period.

CAF also approved the dates for its Strategy Conference, which will be held in Sal, Cabo Verde, from October 7 to 9.

The conference is expected to focus on key issues surrounding the development and administration of African football, as well as the future direction of the game on the continent.

The Executive Committee further confirmed that the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League will take place from November 1 to 15.

The tournament will bring together some of Africa’s leading women’s club sides as they compete for continental honours.

Senegal, meanwhile, has been confirmed as the host of the 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations, with the tournament scheduled to run from November 28 to December 6.

Another major outcome of the Executive Committee meeting was the approval of the 2026-2030 CAF competitions calendar, providing a framework for the scheduling and organisation of the confederation’s competitions over the next four years.

The latest decisions set the stage for a busy period across African football, with several countries preparing to host major CAF competitions and administrative events.

For Nigeria, the CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Abuja and the CAF Awards in Lagos will place the country at the centre of continental football activities towards the end of the year.

Lagos is set to become the centre of African football attention when the 2026 CAF Awards are held in Nigeria on Monday, December 7, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The prestigious ceremony is expected to bring together some of the biggest names in African football, including players, coaches, club officials, national association representatives and CAF officials.

CAF’s current procurement programme confirms that the CAF Awards are among the major continental football events being prepared for Nigeria in 2026. The organisation has already opened procurement processes covering areas such as event design, coordination, set-up and host broadcasting.

The annual ceremony traditionally recognises outstanding performances across different areas of African football, with major honours including the African Player of the Year awards for men and women, Interclub Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Other major categories include National Team of the Year, Club of the Year and Goal of the Year.

The 2026 ceremony will give Nigeria another opportunity to host a major CAF event, while placing Lagos in the spotlight as the continent’s football community gathers for one of its most anticipated annual occasions.

CAF’s preparations for the awards also include arrangements for event branding, transport, security, interpretation, production and broadcasting, highlighting the scale of the ceremony planned for Nigeria.

The event is expected to attract leading figures from across African football as the continent celebrates players, teams and individuals who have made significant contributions to the game during the year.

For Lagos and Nigeria, the hosting of the CAF Awards represents another opportunity to showcase the country’s ability to stage major international football events.

With the ceremony scheduled for December 7, attention will soon turn to the nominees and eventual winners as CAF prepares for another celebration of excellence in African football.

Nigeria’s Flamingos have strengthened their squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco with the return of five players who were recently part of the Falconets setup, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Precious Oscar, Favour Nkwocha, Tosin Rafiu, Queen Joseph and goalkeeper Jane Ijirigho have rejoined the U17 squad following their involvement with the Nigeria U20 women’s team at the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

Their return gives the Flamingos additional options and brings valuable international experience into the squad as preparations for the global U17 tournament enter a crucial stage.

The five players were part of the Falconets team that represented Nigeria at the U20 World Cup, where they gained experience against some of the leading young teams in women's football.

Their return comes as the Flamingos continue to work towards the U17 World Cup in Morocco, with the coaching staff expected to intensify preparations ahead of the tournament.

Attention will also be on the Super Falcons, who are preparing for the start of their 2028 Olympic Games qualifying campaign against Comoros.

Interim Super Falcons head coach Augustine Eguavoen has invited 28 players for the two-legged second-round qualifier, with the team scheduled to begin camping in Ikenne on Sunday, October 4.

While the senior women's national team focuses on securing progress in the Olympic qualifiers, the Flamingos will continue their preparations for the U17 World Cup.

The return of Oscar, Nkwocha, Rafiu, Joseph, and Ijirigho adds further depth to the Flamingos squad as Nigeria steps up its preparations for the tournament in Morocco.

The Sand Eagles were beaten 6-4 by reigning African champions Senegal in the first of their two international friendly matches in Kaduna on Saturday, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The encounter at the Murtala Muhammed Square Beach Soccer Pitch produced an entertaining contest, with Nigeria putting up a strong challenge against the more experienced Senegalese side.

Senegal opened the scoring through Laye Diagne, but Nigeria responded quickly as Abdullahi Hassan found the net to bring the Sand Eagles level.

Mamadou Sylla then took control of the contest for the visitors, completing a hat-trick as Senegal regained their advantage.

Ninou Jean-Paul Diatta and Asane Ba also got on the scoresheet for the reigning African champions as they maintained their grip on the game.

Hassan, however, was Nigeria’s standout performer, scoring all four of the Sand Eagles’ goals during the encounter.

His impressive individual performance earned him the Man of the Match award despite Nigeria ultimately suffering a narrow defeat.

The Sand Eagles will have another opportunity to test themselves against Senegal when both teams meet again at the same venue on Monday morning.

The two-match series is part of Nigeria’s preparations for their CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie against Ghana later this month.

Senegal, meanwhile, are using the fixtures to prepare for the continental tournament, where they will enter as defending champions and hosts.

The second meeting is expected to provide the Sand Eagles with another valuable test as they continue their preparations for the crucial qualifiers against Ghana.

Acting General Secretary of the NFF Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme has praised Nigeria’s U17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, for their display at the WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Cote d’Ivoire.

Speaking on Saturday, Ikpeme said the team had represented Nigeria well and urged the players to carry their winning mentality and determination into the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in Morocco this month.

He also challenged the Flamingos to aim for a place on the podium at the tournament.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will take place from 17 October to 8 November.

Captain Harmony Chidi, speaking on behalf of the squad, assured the NFF and Nigerians that the team would fulfil its responsibilities at the finals.

She said the players were determined to repay the confidence placed in them by the Federation and the country.

The Super Eagles have begun preparations in Nizhny Novgorod for Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia’s senior men national team.

A 17-player group took part in the first training session on Saturday, including 101-cap Moses Simon, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Benjamin Fredricks and Emmanuel Fernandez, and forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Akor Adams.

Nigeria will hold two further training sessions on Sunday and Monday before facing Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The players and officials travelled on Turkish Airline and Ethiopian Airline flights, passing through Istanbul and Addis Ababa respectively. They arrived in Moscow before continuing by air to Nizhny Novgorod.

The fixture will be the second meeting between the two nations in just over a year. Russia and Nigeria drew 1-1 at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on 6 June last year.

Russia took the lead through an own goal by Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi, but Tolu Arokodare equalised for the Super Eagles.

The Super Eagles have begun preparations in Nizhny Novgorod for Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia, holding their first training session in the city on Saturday night.

The Nigeria delegation arrived in Moscow on Friday before travelling on for the meeting with Russia.

Captain Wilfred Ndidi, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Akpe Victory will miss the fixture after withdrawing for various reasons. Head coach Eric Chelle has responded by calling up John Otomewo and Vince Osuji as replacements for Ndidi and Victory.

The squad will complete its final training session on Monday, the day before the match.

Tuesday’s game will be played at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00 Nigerian time.

It will be only the second senior international meeting between Nigeria and Russia.

African champions Senegal defeated Nigeria’s Sand Eagles 6-4 in an entertaining friendly at Murtala Mohammed Square in Kaduna on Saturday night.

Nigeria’s Abdullahi Hassan was the outstanding player for the hosts, scoring all four of their goals.

Senegal’s attack was led by Mamadou Sylla, who completed a hat-trick. Mandione Laye Diagne, Ninou Jean Paul Diatta and Asane Ba were also on target for the African champions.

The teams will meet again at the same venue on Monday, with Nigeria continuing their preparations for a 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie against Ghana’s Black Sharks.

Abdullahi Isa’s side will host Ghana in the first leg in Kaduna on Saturday, October 10. The return match will take place in Accra on Saturday, October 17.

The winner of the two-legged contest will qualify for the 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations finals, which will be hosted by Senegal.