Author: Enitan Obadina
Despite Nigeria’s early AFCON U17 exit, Yahaya Lawali might have done enough to attract interest from top European clubs. The Golden Eaglets lost out in the AFCON U17 Quarter-final after aĀ 2-1 loss to Burkina Faso. Sources revealed that FC Barcelona is joining other top European clubs to target the sensational Nigeria U17 right-back Yahaya Lawali. Lawali won back-to-back Man of the Match Awards in group games against Zambia and Morocco, making him one of the tournament’s top stars. Sources within his management, Player Solution Agency, revealed that French Ligue 1 clubs such as Lens, Lyon, and Strasbourg are in…
Football business institute, MatchRoom Football Business Academy, has entered into an agreement with innovative Nigerian second-tier side Ikorodu City to collaborate on educational and professional development matters. The collaboration will help the Oga boys prepare for life after football through exposure to business opportunities. “We are excited to welcome Ikorodu City into our network as we continue to grow collaborations in Nigeria to boost football business education. “Nigeria is a country passionate about football, and it is our desire to develop and innovate the industry by organizing knowledge-based courses for footballers, coaches, and professionals. “With our specialised courses, we intend…
Anytime any underage team misses the world cup, the cost is usually bigger than the disappointment of missing out or the backlash from Nigerian football fans. The golden eaglets lost 2-1 to Burkina Faso at the 2023 AFCON U17 in Algeria. The team could not get back into contention despite having more than 20 shots at goal. Counting the cost: The misses translate to each player in the squad missing out on the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of a global scouting audience that usually throngs the FIFA U17 world cup in search of the next big star.…
Coach Ladan Bosso is building a new national U20 team ahead of the 2023 FIFA U20 world cup. The U20 FIFA world cup will hold in Argentina after the previous host lost the rights. The list is not out, but what goes into making a squad list for a U20 team without MRI checks? SportsIntel.ng takes you through the process of Building An U20 team. Building An U20 team: Talent Identification: error by design Firstly, for all the talks about age cheats, the Nigerian football federation uses conventional and unconventional means to check the ages of prospects. Currently, Nigeria runs…
The last set of international friendlies for the Super Falcons has given more than just exposure to the team. The three-nation Invitational in the USA(June 2021) and double-header friendly against Canada gave the coaching crew accidental new players. A logistic nightmare became a chance to unearth new players for the super falcons as the pool enlarges. The opportunity is a welcome development for super falcons coach Randy Waldrum, who enjoys the benefits. āWe needed to find some players that could come directly into Canada without a visa.ā It’s the same thing that happened last summer when we arrived in the…
A 19-year-old underdog, Philemon Jeb Junior, delivers a knockout against a more experienced rival to highlight the debut of mixed martial at the One Fight Ultimate OFU Fight Night 2. Philemon Jeb Junior claimed a technical knockout victory over Opara Goodluck at Redbar Lagos in Lekki. The 19-year-old was the underdog against Goodluck, the gold medal from the last edition of the National Sports Festival in Delta State, but all that did not matter in the cage as Jeb claimed a first-round TKO in the lightweight bout. It was an electrifying atmosphere as OFU continues its commitment to host a…
The next five to ten years will witness an increase in the remuneration of players and officials coupled with infrastructural development that will guarantee more revenue for the Nigerian league and increased viewership. A strategicĀ partner for the Nigeria Premier League, GTI Capital, has listed these and other interventions in the works for the next ten years. Speaking at a Media Parley organised by its strategic partners, GTI Assets Management & Trust Limited, the Chairman of the IMC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, revealed that GTI, through Nigeria Football Fund, has already injected the sum of N200 million as a takeoff grant for…
In her first race of the season, Favour Ofili is .01s away from equalling the world-leading time in the 200m. The Commonwealth 4X100m gold medalist beat all comers at the Razorback Invitational athletics meet in Arkansas. Running for the Lousiana State University, LSU, Ofili hit the time of 22.53 to beat Talitha Diggs of Florida to second place at 22.65. Firstly, the top end of the African Record (AR) of 22.46s helps her sail through the competition, overtaking Diggs in the final 50m. Ofili couldnāt make any grounds on Diggs in the first 60(this means Ofili needs to do more…
Head Coach Jose Peseiro has named two new defenders in his 23-man squad to face World Cup-bound Portugal in a friendly encounter. The friendly encounter against the former European champions will hold in Lisbon on Thursday next week. Defenders Bruno Onyemaechi from Boavista, Portugal, and Bright Osayi Samuel of Fenarbache, Turkey is called up for the first time. They will hope to claim a spot on the regular squad in the absence of Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi two regular full-backs for the super eagles. Ola and Zaidu are missing out due to injuries and other reasons. In the battle…
Nigeria vs Costa Rica featuring a mix of unknown players and NPFL stars lost 2-0 to World Cup-bound host in a friendly international. on Wednesday. Oscar Duarte’s seventh-minute goal was followed by a second from Kendall Waston in the 73rd minute against a Nigerian team without any of their overseas-based regulars and made up mainly of members of their Under-23 team. Nigeria Vs Costa Rica Positives An impressive and surprising performance from hitherto unknown players who kept the home team at bay and conceded due to early jitters Negatives A shaky defence littered with poor coordination and timing issues. The…