Author: Enitan Obadina
Nigeria has Gift Orban, Chuba Akpom, Dessers, Akor, and Onuachu fit as a fiddle but now has just one fit striker for the AFCON Opener. Despite having a striker glut, the Super Eagles coach will be lacking fit strikers at the 2023 AFCON. Sadiq Umar becomes the second striker to pull out of the AFCON for Nigeria after Boniface according to Owngoal. Terem Moffi will only join the team after the weekend, while Iheanacho is not match fit. The Origin Of The Striker Challenge During preparations for the AFCON, Nigeria played safe by listing only a 41-player-roster against the maximum…
The Confederation of African Football has unveiled the jersey numbers of participating teams at the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire. SportsIntel provides insights into which player will adorn what is now known as Iconic Super Eagles numbers. Iconic Super Eagles Numbers: Number 10, The Magic Is Missing Austin JJ Okocha, Etim Esin, the super brat, and Henry Nwosu are some of the illustrious stars to adorn the world-famous number 10 jersey for Nigeria. For the 2023 AFCON, the jersey belongs to Joseph Aribo. The Southampton Midfielder pales compared to the former illustrious stars that adorned the number for the Super…
āI want to sincerely appeal to President Bola Tinubu to increase the budgetary provision for sports development even though the 2024 sports budget has been signed into law, particularly now that 2024 has a lot of local and international sporting events across the globe.” President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod, makes a yearly call by federations on the Federal Government to do more for sports. For a country working on passing a sports bill that will professionalize sports, the 2024 sports budget is far from its ambition. Nigeria Sports Industry Bill: A Talk and No Walk Yet. According…
Additional Analysis: Atumu Voke The jury is out on the Eagles’ Playmaker role after Jose Peseiro released the 25-man roster for the 2023 AFCON In Cote d’Ivoire. The evolution of football tactics means a team can play without a natural playmaker. What can Jose Peseiro do to make it obvious your playmaker role is covered? He gets 2 or 3 players with specific skills to cover the void. Most teams will go for the obvious and use one winger and two attacking midfielders to do most of the playmaking. Eagles Playmaker: Peseiro’s Current System and How It Has Failed Each…
Super Eagles coach Peseiro has listed eight debutants in his 25-man roster for the 2024 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire. Three-time champions Nigeria have picked a team of 25 players for their onslaught for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title, with Head Coach Jose Peseiro settling for usual suspects in a roster that has three goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders, and eight forwards. Captain Ahmed Musa returns to the squad after he was left out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification series, while South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili is picked alongside Francis Uzoho and Olorunleke Ojo. 2009 U17 World…
After a 0-0 result against Remo Stars, it’s now six clean sheets and 540 minutes without conceding for Doma United’s Osayi Kingdom. A shutout against Gombe United, Bendel Insurance, Akwa United, Enyimba, and Remo Stars makes it eight clean sheets in ten games. Only Bendel Insurance and Super Eagles goalkeeper, Amas Obasogie is close to him (four straight clean sheets and six clean sheets). Additionally, Osayi has two assists in eight NPFL games so far with the two coming in the Savanah derby. How Osayi Built His Kingdom In The Middle Of A Storm Osayi’s journey has not been this…
Two-time champion of the NPFL, Kenedy Boboye is back in the dugout, and this time he is teaming up with Heartland FC who are in search of a lifeline. Nine matchdays into the season and it’s obvious the NNL champions are battling relegation. Boboye will be replacing former international, Christian Obi after his announcement. For industry watchers, Boboye has been out for too long, looking at his pedigree as a league winner. His last job was with Akwa United, where he won the league for the second time. Unlike previous occasions, Boboye will be coming to save a drowning Naze…
Enyimba FC will kick off their Campaign on Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, against Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the first leg of the inaugural African Football League. The two-time African champion is among the elite African teams for the inaugural African Football League. Participation in the AFL represents a second chance for Enyimba after losing out of the 2023 CAF Champions League. Al Ahli Benghazi of Libya beat Enyimba 5-4 on aggregate, sending the Nigeria representative out of the competition. African Football League: Enyimba’s Form At the weekend, the club has just endured a roller coaster 3-2…
“This is the time for me to shine, this is the time for me to be the World Champion, for people to know me…” a tearful Cynthia Ogunsemilore couldnāt control her emotions after qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games in the women’s 60kg Boxing event. Cynthia Ogunsemilore won the GOLD medal in women’s 60kg, recording a 5-0 unanimous decision win over Algeria’s Khelif Hadjila. A product of the monthly Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF) title, Cynthia made the podium at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with the bronze medal in the womenās lightweight. Her Chance meeting Introduced her…
Switching Allegiance from One Country to the other always comes with the attendant shift in orientation for new players like, Jordan Torunarigha. The Gent defender is the latest player to pursue his international career with Nigeria despite playing for Germany at the youth level. Jordan Torunarigha: His Fathers’ Son Jordan Torunarigha and his switch is one for the movies has he is following in his Dad’s footstep. Initially, he allegedly rejected Nigeria despite being the son of Ojokojo Torunarigha, a former Nigerian International. After getting an invitation, Jordan is setting foot in Nigeria for the first time according to sources…