Author: Oluwaseun samuel

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, recently engaged in a conversation with Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Iwobi, addressing the issue of cyberbullying directed at the Fulham star. The minister’s media aide, Diana-Mary Tiku Nsan, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. Having led the Super Eagles back home after the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final against Ivory Coast, Enoh expressed his awareness of the social media criticism and emphasized the ministry’s commitment to combat bullying against not only Iwobi but all athletes. “We are concerned about how our sportsmen and women are treated,” said Enoh. The…

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has responded to losing the Golden Glove at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to South Africa’s captain, Ronwen Williams. Nwabali, who could have secured the accolade with another clean sheet against Ivory Coast in the final on Sunday, fell short after conceding two goals. Despite the outcome, the Nigerian goalkeeper acknowledges Williams as a deserving recipient of the Golden Glove. Ronwen Williams, a Mamelodi Sundowns player, clinched the Best Goalkeeper award for his instrumental role in guiding South Africa to win the bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations. Williams made history by…

The Super Eagles squad has come back home following their participation in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in Ivory Coast. Nigeria secured the silver medal after a 2-1 defeat by the host nation, Ivory Coast, on Sunday, February 11. Upon their arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Wednesday morning, February 13, the squad was warmly welcomed. The reception was led by the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, and NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau.

In the 86th minute, Scott McTominay’s header secured an impressive victory for Manchester United at Villa Park on Sunday. Manchester United took the lead in the first half through the in-form Rasmus Hojlund. Despite a sustained period of pressure from Villa, resulting in Douglas Luiz equalizing, both teams missed chances to secure the win before McTominay, coming off the bench, delivered a stunning clincher. The victory propels Manchester United to within six points of the top four after securing three consecutive wins in the Premier League. In the early stages of the game, Manchester United troubled Villa’s defense with their…

Reports from Germany suggest that Manchester United’s transfer target, Matthijs de Ligt, is reportedly “not 100% happy” with his current role at Bayern Munich and may consider leaving the club in the upcoming summer transfer window. De Ligt has experienced a decline in his status within the Bayern pecking order this season, with head coach Thomas Tuchel favoring Dayot Upamecano and summer signing Kim Min-jae as his primary center-back pairing. Despite starting all five of Bayern’s Bundesliga matches following the winter break, De Ligt found himself replaced by Eric Dier in the starting lineup during the recent 3-0 defeat to…

According to a recent report, Jose Mourinho is prepared to join Bayern Munich as the head coach and has already begun learning German in anticipation of a potential offer. Currently without a managerial position after his recent departure from Roma, Mourinho’s two-and-a-half-year tenure in the Italian capital included leading the team to victory in the inaugural Europa Conference League in 2022 but fell short of securing Champions League qualification. Despite recent links to a return to Chelsea, 90min suggests that Mourinho is unlikely to make a comeback at Stamford Bridge. Instead, a new opportunity may arise for the Portuguese coach.…

Barcelona staged two comebacks to secure a thrilling 3-3 draw against Granada at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. The home team initially took the lead early on through Lamine Yamal, only to fall behind by the hour mark with goals from Ricard Sanchez and Manchester United loanee Facundo Pellistri. Barcelona leveled the score at 2-2 with a goal from Robert Lewandowski before conceding once again, with Ignasi Miquel scoring a powerful header shortly after. Yamal emerged as the hero in the final ten minutes, scoring an equalizer to earn his side a point. However, the draw leaves Barcelona trailing Real…

Chelsea will have to cope without center-back Benoit Badiashile for approximately a month due to a groin injury sustained during the match against Aston Villa. Despite his partnership with Axel Disasi contributing to one of Chelsea’s standout performances this season, Badiashile exited the field in the final moments with the injury. The Evening Standard reports that the severity of the groin issue will sideline him for about a month, ruling him out of the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool later this month. Mauricio Pochettino, confirming last week’s news of midfielder Romeo Lavia’s injury, now faces the additional challenge of managing…

The Super Eagles’ head coach, Jose Peseiro, has provided insight into his decision not to alter the team’s tactics against Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final. Despite William Troost-Ekong’s first-half header giving Nigeria the lead, the hosts staged a comeback in the second half, securing two goals to clinch the trophy. Addressing questions after the match about why the team adopted a more defensive approach after taking the lead, Peseiro explained, “When you have a system that you have been using and it has been working, you really don’t want to change it. It is true…

Former Chelsea and Roma coach, Jose Mourinho, has praised the officiating standards at the ongoing African Cup of Nations, AFCON. The Portuguese strategist, acknowledging his preference for watching the African tournament over European football, emphasized the need for Europe to adopt Africa’s integrity in officiating, particularly in the implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Mourinho highlighted the impartiality of VAR decisions at AFCON, asserting that they are not influenced to favor wealthy or renowned teams. He went on to suggest that the VAR headquarters should be located in Africa. “I have been following AFCON more closely than European football. They…

Ivory Coast staged a comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles were aiming to clinch the trophy for the fourth time in their history. Jose Peseiro’s squad took the lead in the first half courtesy of William Troost-Ekong’s header. However, the Ivorians equalized after halftime with Franck Kessie’s header. In the dying minutes of the game, Sebastien Haller flicked the ball past Stanley Nwabali. With this result, Ivory Coast has now leveled with Nigeria, each boasting three continental titles.

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations witnessed a historic goal-scoring spree, setting a new record in the competition’s history. The final clash between hosts Ivory Coast and Nigeria, which ended with a 2-1 victory for the Elephants, contributed to the tournament’s total of three goals. Here are the top 6 highest-scoring Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, with the 2023 edition claiming the lead: 1. Ivory Coast 2023: The 34th edition in Ivory Coast became the third tournament to surpass 100 goals, establishing a new record with 119 goals. Considered one of the greatest in the continent’s history, Equatorial Guinea’s Emilio…

In Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to Cote d’Ivoire at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on Sunday night, William Troost-Ekong made history as the highest-scoring defender in the Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles’ defender scored in the 37th minute, giving his team an initial lead. However, Jose Peseiro’s squad conceded twice in the second half, resulting in a defeat to the Elephants. Troost-Ekong’s goal marked his third in the competition, and the 30-year-old now boasts a total of five goals in AFCON finals. Additionally, he was honored with the title of Player of the Tournament.

Erik ten Hag clarified that the decision to substitute Luke Shaw at half-time during Manchester United’s victory over Aston Villa was a precautionary measure. Shaw, who returned to action in late November after a muscle injury kept him sidelined for 16 games over a three-month period, has been gradually reintegrated into the starting lineup under Ten Hag’s management and has become a key player once again. The left-back displayed an impressive performance in the first half of the game against Aston Villa, contributing to a solid defensive showing. However, he was substituted at half-time, with Victor Lindelof taking his place…

Nigeria’s quest for their fourth Africa Cup of Nations title faced a setback as they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Ivory Coast in this year’s final. Initially, at halftime, it seemed the Super Eagles might secure the trophy again following William Troost-Ekong’s goal. The captain soared to head in a corner kick, giving Nigeria the lead. However, second-half goals from Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller secured the title for the Elephants on home soil. Examining the reasons behind the defeat: 1. Tactical missteps by Peseiro: Jose Peseiro deserves credit for transitioning to a 3-4-3 tactical system after the opening…

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, expressed his disappointment over the team’s 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday. Taking to Instagram, the Chippa United stopper also extended his apologies to Nigerian fans. Despite William Troost-Ekong giving Jose Peseiro’s men a first-half lead, the Ivorians managed to level the score in the 63rd minute. Sebastien Haller secured the victory for Ivory Coast in the 87th minute. Nwabali captioned his Instagram post with a heartfelt message: “An unfortunate and disheartening conclusion. I sincerely apologize to Nigerians. Having been a fan myself, and still considering…

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) extended condolences to Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali on Sunday night following Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final. Despite Nwabali’s notable performances for Nigeria throughout the 2023 AFCON, he couldn’t lead Jose Peseiro’s team to victory, conceding two goals against the host nation, Ivory Coast. Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller found the net for Ivory Coast, securing their third AFCON trophy, while William Troost-Ekong’s goal was not sufficient for Nigeria. In a post-game tweet, CAF conveyed their support, stating, “Maybe it’s the end of the…

Renowned comedian Bovi has pointed fingers at Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro for the team’s loss to Cote d’Ivoire in the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. As reported by DAILY POST, Nigeria suffered a 2-1 defeat against the hosts on Sunday. Bovi, expressing his views on his X handle, criticized Peseiro’s tactics as the reason behind the three-time African champions’ downfall. He specifically denounced Peseiro’s strategy of prioritizing defense over attack, emphasizing that even if Nigeria had emerged victorious, he would still be displeased. Bovi stated, “Blame the coach. We are a footballing nation of flare. Fluidity,…

Manchester United is reportedly eager to secure the services of Juventus center-back Dean Huijsen in the upcoming summer transfer window. The club is anticipated to be in the market for a new central defender, possibly needing more than one, given uncertainties surrounding the futures of Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans, as acknowledged by manager Erik ten Hag. La Gazzetta dello Sport reveals that 18-year-old Huijsen, currently on loan at Roma since January, is on United’s shortlist. Having made his Juventus debut in October, Huijsen has impressed during his stint with Roma, even scoring in their recent 4-0 victory over Cagliari.…

Mauricio Pochettino refutes the notion that Chelsea’s struggles this season are solely attributed to the youthfulness of his squad. Instead, he argues that the challenges arise from the ongoing process of the team coming together cohesively. Despite Chelsea’s emphasis on acquiring young talents since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s involvement, criticisms have been directed at the team’s perceived lack of experience to secure victories in the Premier League. Pochettino dismisses the idea that he selects players based on their age, emphasizing that the crucial factor lies in building a team with players still in the learning process of understanding each…