Author: Enitan Obadina
The Nigeria rugby national 7s team is back on the international scene like they never left, picking up a slot in the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier in Mauritius. Popularly called the black stallions, they delivered a 5-1 record to finish as the second-best team at the pre-Olympics qualifier. The Nigerian rugby federation has been out of the international rugby scene as a result of government interference. The interference led to a ban by the world rugby federation which lasted three years. Upon the lifting of the ban in May, the board appointed a new coach to lead the national team.…
From Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, to Giant of Africa, to Hungary, to Barcelona, to the NBA, 18-year-old James Nnaji is living his dream. James Nnaji, who turns 19 on Aug. 14, 2023, is among the youngest players in the draft class. Standing at 6-foot-11, 226 pounds with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Nnaji is a rotational center for FC Barcelona. James Nnaji: Late Start With Brave Heart Nnaji first picked up a basketball in 2016 in Markurdi, where he started learning about the game. A video showreel composition made by his mum went viral in 2018 on Facebook. The viral video changed…
Barcelona is interested in signing 17-year-old Nigerian youngster Ibrahim Afolabi Oseni. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Nigerian playmaker Ibrahim Oseni has been on trial at Levante. Now he will also do trials at Barça and Villarreal before a final decision will be made on his future. The attempt is coming on the heels of the earlier capture of Mikayil Faye by the La Liga champions. Oseni started his football development at the Barça Academy in Lagos before moving to Flexy football academy. Currently, Ibrahim Oseni is a free agent after having parted ways with his former team Joy Cometh Football…
In a strange move, the Nigeria Football Federation says Nigerians will determine if the current super eagles’ coach, Jose Peseiro, will stay on the job or go. The contract of Jose Peseiro is up with the Portuguese seeking to continue on his job as super eagles coach. Jose Peseiro took over from interim coach Augustine Eguavoen after the world cup qualifiers. Results have not been going his way, as his records show he has won four while losing five in nine games in charge. Speaking during an interview, the president of the NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, says the NFF will push…
Czech giants Slavia Prague have announced the signing of Nigeria forward Muhamed Tijani on a five-year contract. The 22-year-old Muhamed Tijani joins Slavia Prague from another Czech club, Banik Ostrava. Tijani’s humble beginning dates back to when he was discovered by a journalist in Kaduna, northern Nigeria. Subsequently, he moved to 36 Lions FC in Lagos before joining the national U20 team for the 2019 world cup. Speaking on his journey, Gafaar Liameed, owner of 36 Lions FC, believes the patience is paying off. “We are incredibly thrilled that a young man scouted in Badiko Kaduna State by a renowned…
Adebayo Adeleye made his long-awaited debut for the super eagles in an AFCON 2023 qualifier match against Sierra Leone. The Super Eagles came out tops, winning 3-2 as Adebayo marshalled the defence in Moronvia. Sportsintel.ng shares the views of Veteran sports journalist Kayode Ogundare on his performance on the day. A goalkeeper is as good as his defence. So before reaching a definite decision on how good or bad a goalie is, we should be focusing more on the back four. How good, consistent, comfortable in their skins and compatible with one another are they? How does the midfield formation…
Bendel Insurance won the Nigerian Federations Cup without losing or conceding a goal in all five matches. A late first-half penalty kick converted by Bendel Insurance’s prolific striker, Imade Osarenkhoe after a suspected handball incident gave the team the only goal of the game. The win ensured Insurance went through the Federation Cup campaign without conceding a goal in five games. The Benin Arsenal’s first attempt at going unbeaten ended after 21 matches in the NPFL playoffs, but while that unbeaten run ended, they were building another in the Federation Cup. The team did not lose a game in the…
Former world footballer of the year, George Weah, is taking a new interest in the growth of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen after the Napoli striker broke his African scoring record in the Serie A. George Weah: The Goal That Kick Started The Relationship On Sunday, May 7, the 24-year-old converted a penalty to score Napoli’s lone goal in their 1-0 victory over Fiorentina, giving him 47 Serie A goals overall, one more than Weah’s 46. The former Liberia international held the record till Osimhen broke it by scoring 46 goals for AC Milan between the 1995–1996 and 1999–2000 seasons. Osimhen’s…
Head Coach Randy Waldrum has listed history-making captain Onome Ebi, European Cup winner Asisat Oshoala, and attacking midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade in his Super Falcons squad for this year’s FIFA World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand. Nigeria will play Canada, co-host nation Australia and the Republic of Ireland in that order at the biggest-ever FIFA Women football World Cup finals in history. 32 teams are set to debut at the FIFA women world cup 2023; same number as for the men’s finals in Qatar last year. Super Falcons Squad -The Casualties: Regina Otu and Okobi leads a list of…
Chairman of the NPFL Interim Management Committee (IMC), Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, says the league expects an expansion of its financial rewards bracket as they expect more sponsors. In its current form, the league is a winner-takes-all as Enyimba won the league and a prize of N100m. “Obviously, there is a need to have an inclusive financial reward system to also have clubs benefit based on their positions on the log at the end of the season also to support them in players recruitment and facility upgrade.” Enyimba ₦100m: IMC Breakdown League Prize Money Recruitment of players and development of club infrastructure…