SPECTACULAR 9JA

As the July 3rd, 2022 date scheduled for the commencement of the second edition of the Peace Cup 2020 is fast approaching, Sports247 Nigeria sat with Dr. Kolade Kolapo who is the Chief organizer of the Peace Cup to talk about matters pertaining to the 2022 edition of the tournament. Dr. Kolade Kolapo Chief Organizer Peace Cup 2022 Can you briefly discuss what people should expect in this second edition of the Peace Cup? “First and foremost, it’s my privilege to have the opportunity to proceed to the second edition of the Peace Cup tournament. We are bringing in new sponsors to partner with us to give back to the community interns of football as it may be. 16 teams will feature in this year’s event with all matches to be decided in the knockout out format” You earlier made mentioned new sponsors coming in for the 2022 tournament. Can you talk about that? “We are bringing the likes of Sports 247 and Ottasolo group of companies to partner with us and

Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro has invited defender Valentine Ozornwafor to the team for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Leone Stars of Sierra Leone and M and Les Dodos of Mauritius, Spectacular 9ja reports. Ozornwafor’s invitation for the qualifiers was confirmed by his Belgian Pro League outfit, Sporting Charleroi statement. “Our African internationals will play several qualifying matches for the next African Cup of Nations,” reads a statement on the club’s official website. “Valentine Ozornwafor who was selected by Nigeria, will face Sierra Leone before traveling to Mauritius.” The 21-year-old debuted with the Super Eagles in a friendly 1-0 loss to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in June 2021. The former Enyimba defender also has stint at the U-20 level, also featured at the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Credit :Abbeylivenetwork 

Monza have been promoted to the Italian top-flight for the first time in their 110-year existence following a 6-4 aggregate triumph over Pisa in the Serie B play-off final after extra time. Although Monza led 2-1 after the first leg on Thursday, Pisa surged to a 2-0 lead in just nine minutes on Sunday to take control of the tie. Monza made it 2-2 on the day and looked to have done enough to secure promotion, but Giuseppe Mastinu equalized in the 90th minute to square the aggregate score and force a 30-minute extra time. Luca Marrone, a former Juventus defender, scored early in extra time for Monza, and Christian Gytkjaer added his second of the day with 101 minutes remaining. Monza have struggled financially for much of the last 23 years, going for bankruptcy twice, in 2004 and 2015. After a succession of owners failed to offer stability, Monza was purchased by an investment company led by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who also owns Milan and wa

Zouheir El Moutaraji scored both goals for Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca as they won the African Champions League title with a 2-0 win over Egypt’s Al Ahly, Spectacular9ja.blogspot.com reports. It is a third time that Wydad have been crowned African Champions after winning in 1992 and 2017, it also stopped Ahly winning a third straight title.   El Moutaraji scored a spectacular opener in the first-half before adding the second just minutes after the break to seal the win for Wydad in front of their own raucous fans who had filled the stadium hours before the match. The final was controversially hosted at Wydad’s home ground in Casablanca, as fans were allowed in to watch the final for the first time since 2019 after the global Covid-19 pandemic. Wydad started the stronger and their first chance came in the 10th minute when Congo-Brazzaville striker Guy Mbenza saw his fierce strike from just outside the area hit the bar. Just four minutes later Wydad took the lead w

The road to the 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, set to be held in the Ivory Coast, gets under way on Wednesday, 1 June, with the first three of 44 group stage qualifying matches set to be held in the space of 13 days, Spectacular 9ja gathered.   The ‘big gun’ in action on Wednesday evening is Ghana, with the West Africans welcoming Madagascar to Cape Coast for a Group E clash.   The Black Stars are still buzzing after overcoming Nigeria to secure 2022 World Cup qualification two months ago, though their squad is missing key players in the shape of Thomas Partey (injury) and Alfred Dunan (retired from international football).   Thursday sees Egypt begin their post Carlos Queiroz era, as new coach Ehab Galal looks to lead them to a victory over Group D rivals Guinea.   “We are not here to ruin what the previous coaching staff did, we’ll try to keep the positive aspects and fix the negative ones,” said Galal. “There might be some changes to our playi

Spartak Moscow hailed their winger Victor Moses following Sunday’s Russian Cup final win against city rivals Dinamo Moscow, Spectacular9ja.blogspot.com reports. The People’s Team defeated Dinamo Moscow 2-1 in the keenly contested tie to win their first Russian Cup since 2003. Moses was in action for the entire duration of the game. It was the former Nigerian international’s first major honour with the Red and Whites since linking up with the club on a permanent deal from Chelsea in July 2021. “Commenting on Moses’ performance, the club wrote on Twitter: “Another trophy for Victor Moses, what an exemplary footballer. “My hero.“ Moses scored three goals and provided five assists in 34 appearances in all competitions for Spartak Moscow this season. Credit :Abbeylivenetwork 

Nigerian winger, Victor Moses helped his club Spartak Moscow to clinch the Russian Cup as they defeated their city rivals Dinamo Moscow 2-1 in the final on Sunday,spectacular9ja.blogspot.com reports. Moses was in action for 90 minutes and the victory meant Spartak won a first Cup title since 2003, and it was their 14th in the history of the competition. Moses, who has retired from the Super Eagles since 2018, has now won his first trophy since joining the Russian topflight club. It was Aleksandr Sobolev who opened the scoring for Spartak in the 10th minute of the game before Arsen Zakharyan drew level for Dinamo early in the second half. Spartak Moscow sealed the win in the 72nd minute when the ball went off the boot of Quincy Promes. Dinamo Moscow had a golden opportunity to equalize when they were awarded a penalty but Daniil Fomin missed it nine minutes into added time. The winner of the Russian Cup ordinarily got a spot in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

Hull City want Trabzonspor winger Anthony Nwakaeme, spectacular9ja.blogspot.com reports.  Hull City are interested in luring the Nigeria international to England this summer as they search for new additions.  Nwakaeme, 33, is out of contract at the end of next month and is due to become a free agent as things stand.  Hull City are gearing up for their first full season under the ownership of Acun Ilicali and management of boss Shota Arveladze.  The Championship outfit need to bolster their attacking options following the departure of striker Tom Eaves and Marcus Forss’ return to Brentford.  Nwakaeme is a vastly experienced player who has racked up over 400 appearances in his career to date and may have been identified by the Yorkshire club as someone to add more competition and depth to attacking department.  The Lagos-born man has been on the books at Trabzonspor since 2018 and has been a key player for them over the past five years.  He has played 145 games in

Nigeria international, Victor Osimhen is increasingly likely to remain at Napoli, as nobody is prepared to meet the €110m asking price, spectacular9ja.blogspot.com  reports. Reports from Italy claimed that the Partenopei would be prepared to let Nigeria international hitman Osimhen go this summer, but not for less than €110m. Although there is interest from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United, none of the Premier League sides are ready to hit those figures. Considering Napoli paid over €70m to sign the 23-year-old from Lille in 2020 and he scored 18 goals with six assists in 32 competitive games this season, the price-tag is to be considered well within the market average. Meanwhile, Napoli released a formal statement to deny reports in the Corriere dello Sport claiming that they had offered Kalidou Koulibaly a contract extension at half his current salary, which is €6m per season. If that was the proposal on the table, it would

Super Eagles new boss Jose Peseiro has revealed he’s an advocate of attacking football and that is the way he expects the Nigeria national team to play, Spectacular 9ja gathered. Addressing the press after the 2-1 loss to Mexico at the magnificent AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, Peseiro said he loves to attack and pressure his opponents and that is how the Eagles will play. “My philosophy as a coach is to play attacking football,” he explained. “I love my team to score and pressure the opponent, this is the best way to unsettle your opponent and win games. “That is how we played in the second half against Mexico. “And we will work more ahead of the Ecuador game.” Peseiro lost in his first match in charge of the Eagles and he said he will take the blame for this. He maintained that stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong should not be blamed for the team’s loss because he scored an own goal. “I will not blame Ekong or any player for the loss,” the coach sai

Following their arrival in New Jersey from Dallas on Sunday, three –time African champions Nigeria have stepped up preparations for their friendly match with Ecuador on Thursday evening, as well as next month’s AFCON 2023 qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and Mauritius, spectacular 9ja  gathered. A rampant Mexican side were lucky to win a game of two halves at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Saturday, with the Eagles showing great spirit and creating a number of chances in the second half after settling down to the prestige friendly, following long-haul flights into the United States from across the world. “We were unhappy to have lost to Mexico because everyone worked very hard. The issues of long travel and little time to adapt to the new zone affected us all in the first half, but we created a raft of chances in the second half and were unlucky to have lost. Nevertheless, we have taken on board a lot of lessons from the game and they will be quite useful in s

“Our Emphasis Remains On Developing The Players,” Coach Akande Fatai Says After Promoting Dannaz FC. Dannaz FC completed the Nationwide League One (NLO) Division Two after and intense six matches in seven days and gained promotion to the NLO division one which head coach of the side says is not a new thing to him as the aim is to develop the players. “I’m happy about it but it was very tough, intense and demanding playing six matches in seven games,” Fatai told Sports247. “Towards the end, fatigue began to set in while we had two very important back to back games to play but then I’m proud the players could manage it,” he added. “We have to continue from where we stopped. A lot of emphasis is on developing the players, especially the young ones as we try to ensure the team is about 80% young players who have the potential and are ready to take it to the next level,” he added. Coach Akande formerly promoted AS Racine to the NLO 2 and also Ijebu United to the NLO One and he be

A match full of electrifying moments but Ahmed Saleh escapes from the hands of Olajide Omotayo to progress into the men's singles semi finals. Result: 4-2 (7-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-7) #FestivalofTT2022

Remo Stars Sports Club are fast becoming the darling of the club championship, boasting of the powerful trio of Mati Taiwo, Azeez Solanke, Amadi Omeh, this team have worked its way into the final of the men's team over the NSCDC club. #Festivaloftt2022

Fatimo Bello has pulled off a huge win against compatriot Offiong Edem. Result: 4-3 (3-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7) Meanwhile, we have never seen Bello  this emotional after winning a match before surely this was different. #FestivalofTT2022

The three-time African champions are gradually getting ready for the upcoming of two international friendly match in USA, Abbeylivenetwork.com reports.  Deputy captain of Super Eagles William Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, Semi Ajayi, Moses Simon were the first set of players to arrive.  13 players in Camp: Adewale Adeyinka (Akwa United); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC), Ibrahim Buhari (Plateau United), Chiamaka Madu (Rivers United), Ishaq Rafiu (Rivers United), Victor Mbaoma (Enyimba FC), Faisal Sanni(Katsina United), Babatunde Bello( Akwa United), Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England), William Ekong (Watford FC, England), Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France), Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England).  The Super Eagles team had dinner with the head coach, Jose Peseiro present. Peseiro later had a brief meeting with his entire coaching staff. The team will have its first training session at 6pm(Dallas,Texas time) this evening.  Supe

Deputy Governor of Lagos State Obafemi Hamzat has assured the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) that the state is ready to host World Championships in near future following the successful hosting of several ITTF-sanctioned tournaments in the last eight years, Spectacular9ja gathered. Speaking during a courtesy visit by the ITTF team to his office in Lagos on Tuesday, May 24, the Deputy Governor, said the state would continue to support table tennis while assuring that they would be willing to host the world based on the experience of hosting several tournaments in the past. “I am excited to receive the ITTF team in my official office which used to be the office of the Governor of Lagos State which was built in 1979 and this visit is significant, especially in this office. We are happy that our efforts have started yielding positive results with Quadri Aruna now ranked among the top 10 players in the world. In the past it used to be the Chinese that used to do

Holders of Nigeria Professional Football League title Akwa United Football Club have signed a shirt sponsorship contract with a foremost online betting company 1XBE, Spectacular 9ja gathered. The contract will see the reigning NPFL Champions advertise 1XBET products and services during its league matches, and on its social media platforms and well as crest the company’s logo on the front of its jersey in the 2022/2023 NPFL season. Chairman of Akwa United Elder Paul Bassey and Managing Director of 1XBET in Nigeria Dr. Oluwafemi Babalola put pen to paper on behalf of both brands during the official signing and unveiling of the partnership agreement at Marriott hotel, Ikeja on the 25th May 2022 in Lagos. Dr. Femi Babalola in his speech said, 1XBet is proud to identify with a leading brand like Akwa United. “We are delighted to partner with the champions of Nigeria Professional Football League Akwa United. As a leading betting company we only partner with the best brand

Kwara United Football Club have been ordered by the League Management Company to play their subsequent home games in this season’s Nigeria Professional Football League behind closed doors, Spectacular9ja gathered. The order was contained in a letter signed by its Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar, on Tuesday. The letter said this would be until they were satisfied with the club’s efforts in the area of crowd control. This was in the wake of the encroachment by some of their supporters into the pitch after the win against Rivers United of Port Harcourt in Ilorin on Match Day 26. LMC, in the letter to the Ilorin-based club’s Chairman, Kumbi Titiloye, expressed dissatisfaction with the manner some fans gained entrance into the stadium during the Match Day 28 clash against 3SC FC. NAN reports that Kwara United won the match 3-1. “Kwara United have been ordered to play home matches behind closed doors until when the LMC is satisfied that crowd contr

Newly appointed Nigeria head coach, Jose Peseiro is determined to make his reign with the Super Eagles a successful one, Spectacular 9ja reports. The Super Eagles were eliminated in the Round of 16 at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon despite winning all three group games. The West Africans also failed to secure a place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, losing by an away goal to eternal rivals, Black Stars of Ghana. Peseiro’s immediate task will be to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. ‘Pride! It is with great pride and joy that I am the coach of one of the greatest football nations in the world. Commanding the Super Eagles starts with knowing how to respect the history, value it and be inspired by its roots,” Peseiro wrote on his Twitter handle. Peseiro’s first competitive game in charge of the Super Eagles will be the 2023 AFCON qualifier against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone at the Moshood Abiola Stadium,

Taiwo Mati dumped two former champions to win his maiden laurel in the men’s singles at the ITTF Africa Western Region Championships as Fatimo Bello claimed her third consecutive title in the women’s singles of the competition, spectacular 9ja reports.  Mati, who finished fourth at the national trials organized by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF),edged 2019 champion Oba Oba Kizito of Cote d’Ivoire in the quarterfinal as well as his compatriot and 2021 champion, Rilwan Akanbi in the semifinal en route to the final where he defeated compatriot Azeez Solanke 4-1 (11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8) to emerge as the new regional champion.  In the women’s singles, Bello continued her dominance with another victory over compatriot Bose Odusanya in the final.  Unbeaten since 2019 when she won the maiden title in Abidjan, Bose showed her class when it mattered most with a 4-2 (11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-4) win over Odusanya.  Meanwhile, in the team event, host Ni

Super Eagles on Tuesday evening depart Nigeria for the United States of America (USA) ahead of this weekend’s glamorous friendly game against Mexico and Ecuador, Spectacular 9ja reports.  The three –time African champions Super Eagles will clash with CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, State of Texas on Saturday, 28th May, before flying to New Jersey to tackle Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on Thursday, 2nd June.  Most of the invited players will link up with the team in USA because they will be coming from European countries where they are based.  According to report, those that travelled from Nigeria are the backroom staff led by Finidi George, Ike Shorunmu (goalkeeper trainer) team secretary Dayo Enebi, Super Eagles coordinator, Patrick Pascal, the team doctor, and the home based players.  Yusuf Salisu, who is also Head Coach of the CHAN and the U23 teams, has included eight home–based professional players, inclu

According to Fichajes, Chelsea and Bayern are set to battle it out for Rangers defender Calvin Bassey. The Nigerian international received a lot of plaudits in Rangers’ recent Europa League final and was unfortunate to be on the losing side, Spectacular 9ja reports.  A product of the Leicester Academy, Bassey left the Premier League club to pursue first-team football at Rangers, and the move seems to have paid off.  After an excellent season in the SPL, Bassey is attracting interest from clubs around Europe, and deservedly so. Bassey is a left-footed defender, capable of playing in the middle or at full-back, and could suit Thomas Tuchel’s system perfectly.  In a back three, it’s beneficial to have a left-footed defender in the defence, especially when trying to play out from the back.  But the 22-year-old could consider improving his chances for silverware by joining a bigger team at the end of the season. The report suggests Bayern Munich are one of the teams keen

India 2022: Ajakaiye’s goal lifts Flamingos over Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. Nigeria’s Flamingos beat hosts Ethiopia 1-0 on Friday in the ongoing FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup African qualifying series, Abbeylivenetwork.com reports. In the final round first leg match at the Abebe Bekila Stadium in Addis Ababa, both sides failed to make hay from a number of opportunities in the first half-hour. Prolific striker Opeyemi Ajakaiye took her goals’ tally to six in the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup African qualifying series after breaking the deadlock  in the 36th minute after she was put through by diminutive midfielder Taiwo Afolabi. Omowunmi Bello, who cart away hattrick in Nigeria’s 6-0 aggregate by rioting Egypt in the earlier round, came close to to double the advantage for Flamingos, only to see her 35 –yard shot effort rock the upright in the 50th minute. Ethiopian ladies Kumneger Kebede, Emush Daniel and Bethelem Germa all had chances to restore parity in the

The 27-year-old Super Eagle has penned a two-year contract with the Bluebirds ahead of the new campaign, Spectacular 9ja reports. EFL Championship side Cardiff City have confirmed the signing of defender Jamilu Collins from German second-tier side SC Paderborn. The 27-year-old Nigeria international becomes the fourth signing for the Bluebirds and he has signed a two-year contract ahead of the new campaign. “The Bluebirds are delighted to confirm the signing of Nigerian international Jamilu Collins on a two-year deal commencing from July 1st, subject to clearance,” read a statement on the club’s official website. “The 27-year-old arrives in the Welsh capital from German side SC Paderborn 07, having made 137 appearances for the 2. Bundesliga outfit since September 2017. “A versatile player, who most frequently features at left-back, Collins has 25 international caps for Nigeria to his name and featured at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon for the Super E

Europa League Final: Aribo’s goal not enough as Rangers lose Europa League title to Frankfurt. Nigeria International Joe Aribo was on target but Rangers lost 5-4 on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the UEFA Europa League on Wednesday night, Spectacular 9ja reports.  Aribo slotted a 57th-minute finish past Kevin Trapp in the Frankfurt goal and sent the Gers fans at the Ramon De Pizjuan into raptures.  Joe Aribo scored for Rangers early in the second half, but the lively Rafael Borre equalised with 20 minutes to go, forcing the match to go into extra time and then penalties.  Calvin Bassey, starting in the Rangers defense was solid for the entire duration of the contest as he made vital blocks and interceptions.  His reading of the ball and tackling were also exceptional on the night in Andalusia.  Former Arsenal and Juventus star Aaron Ramsey missed for the Scottish giants in the shootout, with the germans scoring all their penalties.  The first

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has received a major boost in his bid to secure regular football at Watford following Ben Foster’s announcement, Spectacular 9ja  reports. The veteran English goalkeeper announced that he will be leaving the Hornets’ nest at the end of the season. The 39-year-old former Manchester United goalkeeper tweeted: “The ups, downs, good, bad and ugly…it’s all part of the journey! “My time at Watford FC is up, but a huge thanks for all the support and love I’ve received from fans, players and staff in the 6 years with the club, it’s been a blast! “Looking forward to what next season will bring.” This leaves the number one spot at the club up for taking, with Okoye returning to his parent club in the coming weeks to prepare for a new season in the English Championship. The German-born Nigerian international’s heroics between the sticks for Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam, where he spent one-and-a-half seasons and a six month loan spell, helped ke

The Flying Eagles scored a penalty deep into extra time to edge Ivory Coast U20 national team 2-1 and qualify for the final of the WAFU B U20 Africa Cup of Nations Qualification tournament in Niger Republic, spectacular 9ja reports. The Ladon Bosso tutored side have qualified for the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, as Flying Eagles now face Benin in the final of the regional tournament on Friday, May 20. The Flying Eagles went ahead in the first half through Daniel Daga who was the Man of the Match in the 2-2 draw against Burkina Faso. The midfielder who again scooped the Man of the Match award on Tuesday night open scoring in the fifth minute, heading from a corner played by Ibrahim Muhammad. However the Baby Elephants of Ivory Coast restored parity just before the halftime break from an exquisite free kick. Flying Eagles has several scoring chances to put the Ivorians to sword but their goalkeeper severally came to their rescue with lot of saves. The game ended goalless i

Tornadoes Visits Ex Golden Eaglets Player Who Suffered Career Ending Auto Crash 13 Years Ago: ...Donates Food Items & Cash. Niger Tornadoes Football Club Of Minna have paid a visit to the family home of its former player and ex Junior International Joshua Daniel who resides in Kaduna. The versatile defender who often played on the right full back position and served the Ikon Allah Boys meritoriously before the infamous and career ending accident, while traveling to Kaduna for an holiday in 2009.  Joshua Daniel who was part of the late Yemi Tella's victorious Under 17 Golden Eaglets team that won the 2007 FIFA World Cup in South Korea had since resigned to fate for survival since losing his means of livelihood through football.   Delivering his speech, the leader of the delegation and Team Manager of Niger Tornadoes FC, Aliyu Mohammad said, "We now play our home matches in Kaduna that is why we have decided to come, not just as a team, but family. Joshua was our

Super Falcons invite Oshoala, Ordega, Oparanozie, 29 others to AWCON camp. Head Coach Randy Waldrum has invited 32 players to the camp of the Super Falcons as the Cup holders get set for a two-week training camp in Morocco ahead of the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations holding from July 2 to 23, spectacular 9ja reports. Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender and captain Onome Ebi, midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne, and forwards Francisca Ordega, Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala are among those called to the two-week intensive training programme. According to NFF (Nigeria Football Federation) disclosing the training camp would start on June 18 in the North African kingdom, with all players already advised to arrive in Rabat on June 17. Nine –time champions Nigeria will play in Group C of the 12-team tournament alongside South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, Botswana and Burundi. Nigeria’s first match of the competition, at which Africa’s four flagbearers to ne

Ottasolo Host Go-Round in NNL Second Stanza Opener It's the start of the second stanza of the NNL season and Ottasolo fc will be looking to improve their abysmal performance from the first stanza show down which saw dem finished in 12th place.  The chairman of Ottasolo fc, Otunba Gabriel Davies, promised to bolster the squad with key signings in different positions where the teams seems to be lacking. To that effect the team have celebrated the arrival of some household players in Nigeria football to help savage their status in the Nigeria National League.  Ottasolo FC welcome Go-round FC who are the league leaders from Omoku, Rivers State to the Teslim Balogun Stadium in a must win encounter for the Homer's in order to move out of the drop zone.  The Rivers State outfit came from behind to beat Ottasolo 2 - 1 when both teams traded tackles in the last match of the first Stanza.  Ottasolo fc would want to get it's pound of flesh back from Go-round fc as the addi

India 2022: Flamingos Off To Addis Ababa On Wednesday. Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has picked 22 players for Friday’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualification final round, first leg match between Nigeria and Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. The delegation will travel to Addis Ababa on Wednesday. The delegation will travel to Addis Ababa on Wednesday. After home-and-away victories over the Democratic Republic of Congo and Egypt, the Flamingos have a final hurdle to negotiate against a team that sensationally sent South Africa’s Bantwana packing with a 3-0 win in Johannesburg. Olowookere’s girls are also to be dreaded, having scored 14 goals and conceded none in their four qualifying matches so far. They defeated DR Congo 8-0 on aggregate and handed Egypt a 6-0 aggregate spanking in the third round. Friday’s match will hold at the Abebe Bekila Stadium in Addis Ababa starting from 4pm Ethiopia time (2pm Nigeria time) and will be superintended by Namibian officials. The retu

Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi has signed a contract extension which keeps him at West Bromwich Albion until the summer of 2025, Spectacular 9ja reports. The Nigerian international saw his previous deal at The Hawthorns expire at the end of next season. Now, though, the centre-back is set to remain at the club until the summer of 2025 after putting pen to paper on a new three year deal. “This club feels like home to me,” Ajayi said. “I’m really, really pleased to secure my future here. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here, through the highs and the lows, and I’m excited about the future. “The talks have been going on for a very long time so I’m glad we’ve finally got it all sorted. “I can now look forward to next season and doing my best to try and help this club get back to the Premier League. “It still feels like yesterday when I signed, but I’ve always felt so welcome here and I’ve got a really good relationship with the supporters. “They’ve always been

AFCON 2023: Mauritius Win Appeal Against Sao Tomé & Príncipe, Now To Play Nigeria. Mauritius have confirmed their place in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying round and will battle Nigeria’s Super Eagles, among others, for a spot at the next edition of the championship to be hosted by Ivory Coast next year, spectacular 9ja reports. São Tomé and Príncipe would feel hard done after they defeated Mauritius 4-3 on aggregate in the preliminary qualifier in March. But Mauritius protested the victory and filed a report with CAF that their opponents fielded a player who had tested positive for COVID-19. São Tomé & Príncipe disputed this assertion. CAF has, however, ruled that São Tomé and Príncipe forward Luis Leal, who scored the only goal in the first leg of their play-off, broke the body’s COVID-19 protocols. Victory for Mauritius at the CAF Disciplinary Committee means they now join Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau in Group A of the six-match phas

The Sports Ministry has approved the appointment and service of Jose Peseiro as the new technical adviser of the Super Eagles. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) picked Peseiro to replace Gernot Rohr as the substantive head coach of the Super Eagles ahead of three other candidates, Frenchman Laurent Blanc, former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde and erstwhile Netherlands defender Philip for the post. According to report from Complete Sports monitored by BSNSports.com.ng disclosed that the sports ministry has now approved Peseiro’s appointment after talks with the NFF. Jose Peseiro was first announced by the NFF to take over the Super Eagles after the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. Peseiro eventually did not take up the job after Augustine Eguavoen’s temporary appointment was extended to cover the ill-fated 2022 World Cup playoffs against the Black Stars of Ghana The Portuguese last managed the Venezuelan national team. He has previously handled Egyptian club Al Ahly, his on

The Nigeria Professional Football League enters Match day 28, ten games to the end of the season and Remo Stars sit in 4th position with 43 points, two behind Rangers Int’l in third place, meaning no matter what happens in the remaining fixtures, the team can’t get relegated. Captain of the side Nduka Junior told Spectacular 9ja that his personal target was to ensure the club remains in the league after being relegated twice in the past. “The target I set for myself is to maintain the club crest in the NPFL,” the skipper said. “After relegating twice in the past, I just had to set the target that it’s never going to happen again because I don’t want to take the club back to the mess it came from which is the NNL,” he added. The captain who has been consistent in defence with performance alongside Super Eagles invitee Isah Ali told Spectacular9ja that his greatest motivation was his mother and striving to make his family comfortable. “My greatest motivator has been my mum, d

Ottasolo FC President, Otunba Gabriel Davies Desperate To Do More For The Club Ahead Second Round . President of Ottasolo FC, Otunba Gabriel Davies has stated his desire and plan to do much more than he currently for the team all round in terms of support and welfare Spectacular 9ja reports. The President told spectacular9ja that despite the club not being in the position where they desire he still promises to ensure the players and staff have a better welfare package going into the second round of the season. “I have to commend the effort of the team in the first round. It definitely wasn’t easy I can’t tell,” Otunba said. “I am assuring the players and technical crew of a better welfare package as we go into the second round of the league,” he added. Ottasolo FC sit in twelfth position of the thirteen teams in the Nigeria National League 2022 Southern Conference Group B2 table with thirteen points from twelve games after the first half of the season.

Volleyball Championship: Nigeria Customs Suffer Narrow Defeat After recording an impressive victory in the opening group game against Equity Bank of Kenya, Nigeria's Customs Service have suffered a narrow defeat in the second game. The Nigeria side put up a superlative performance to earn a straight ser win over the Kenyan side. Customs have a tough time against the Cameroonian side Port Douala and they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat. Despite winning the first two sets 22-25, 18-25, Customs allowed Port Douala back into the game with a loss in the third set 25-13 which prompted two more sets in which Douala won 25-23, 15-12. Customs will have the opportunity to redeem themselves when they face Gisagara of Rwanda in the final group match.

Lagos Commence Renovation Of Teslim Balogun Stadium To An All-Covered Complex After CAF Ban. The Lagos State government has commenced the renovation of the Teslim Balogun Stadium to an all-covered complex. Construction of the stadium, located directly opposite the National Stadium in Surulere, started in 1984 under the administration of the military governor and was completed in 2007 after years of being abandoned. The Stadium which hosted some matches of the Nigeria Super Eagles 2022 World Cup Qualifiers was banned from hosting international matches due to its bad condition. According to reports, some pillars had been mounted around the seating arena, preparing it to become an all-covered stadium. A bulldozer was levelling the tartan track, which was re-lag build-up build up to Eko 2012 National Sports Festival. The Stadium is expected to be ready in a few months. Credit : BSNSPORTS 

After a comfortable 2-0 win and three maximum points secured against defending champions and reigning Africa’s best, Ghana on Sunday, Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are expected to keep things intense but firm against the Junior Etalons of Burkina Faso on Wednesday, to earn their semi final ticket at the ongoing WAFU B U20 Championship in Niamey, BSNSports.com.ng reports. Both teams will take the pitch at 5pm at the Stade General Seyni Kountché, the same venue where the Flying Eagles enacted a masterclass to send African champions Ghana tumbling on Sunday. Ibrahim Muhammad and former U17 star Ahmed Abdullahi scored the goals that downed the Black Satellites. Coach Ladan Bosso still has the full complement of his squad, and is unwilling to rest any of his regulars as he looks to make sure of a place in the last four. “We must approach the match against Burkina Faso with even stronger determination and desire than we did for the Ghana match. A ticket to the semi finals is key at t

The Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Emmanuel Adesanya has affirmed in an interview that the second tier league in the country will resume Friday, May 13, 2022. Adesanya stated authoritatively that there is no going back on the May 13 resumption date. "I want to reassure Nigerians that the league has been scheduled to restart by 13th of May, by the special grace of God, there is no going back. The date has been fixed and for the first time we are going to stick by the date. The Nigeria National League has come to stay, the date is sacrosanct." He also urged football stakeholders in the league to avoid the 'win at home' syndrome which has allegedly labelled the second best league. "I want to urge managers, stakeholders to avoid 'win at home' by all means. If you play good football, you will win and if you play badly, you lose. This has to stop"

Kwara United midfielder Afeez Nosiru has expressed happiness for making the 30-man Super Eagles squad for the international friendly games against Mexico and Ecuador scheduled to hold in America. The NFF on Tuesday afternoon made available the list of the 30 players who will enter camp before 25 will be selected to travel to US.  Afeez Nosiru has been impressive this season for Kwara United in the NPFL which paved ways for him into the National Team.  While speaking with Kwara United Media Team, Afeez Nosiru explained that he will work hard in training so as to make the final 25-man list that will travel for the friendly games.  "Being invited to the Super Eagles is a dream come true for me and I want to thank my coaches, teammates, management and Kwara fans for their support as I promise to make them proud in the Super Eagles," Afeez Nosiru stated.  Meanwhile, Afeez Nosiru and his teammates at Kwara United are currently occupying sixth position on the NPFL table

Super Eagles’ First Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusuf has released a list of 30 players, including Captain Ahmed Musa and forward Moses Simon, ahead of the prestigious international friendly matches against the ‘A’ Men National Teams of Mexico and Ecuador in the United States of America.  The three –time African champions will clash with CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, State of Texas on Saturday, 28th May, before flying to New Jersey to tackle Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on Thursday, 2nd June.  Salisu Yusuf, who is also Head Coach of the CHAN and the U23 teams, has included eight home–based professional players, including goalkeepers Adewale Adeyinka and Ojo Olorunleke, defender Ibrahim Buhari, and forwards Victor Mbaoma and Ishaq Rafiu.  Only 25 players will make the final list for the tour, which is preparatory to next month’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Sierra Leone in Abuja (9th June) and São Tomé