Enugu Rangers manager, Gbenga Ogunbote says his side will come back from Ethiopia with the qualification ticket into the next preliminary phase of CAF Confederations Cup in their pockets.
Though most of the attention will go to Croatian star Luka Modric, who won the Ballon d’Or award for the first time, breaking up a stranglehold that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have held on the prestigious trophy for the last 10 years, the real breakthrough came from Norway’s Ada Hegerberg.
Segun Alebiosu is confident Kwara Utd can fight for the Nigeria Professional Football League title this coming season but warned his side must work hard.
Chelsea stand-in Captain Cesar Azpilicueta says he wants to “keep Chelsea where it belongs” after signing a new four-year deal with the club.
Go Round’ s Captain Nelson Esor has decided against joining Enyimba of Aba and he’s now closing on a move to Rivers United ahead of next season Nigeria professional football league.
Esor trained with the Aba Elephants for few weeks but he’s on the verge of Joining Stanley Eguma side after he revealed he has agreed personal terms with the Club.
“I have left Enyimba and I am now with Rivers United,” Esor told the media.
“There are some difficult decisions one has to take for his career and I am happy that I took that decision because I don’t want to remain in a club that I will only part of the squad. I enjoy playing regularly when I am fit.
“Rivers United and other few clubs have been inundating me with offers and I can say that I am very happy to play for them. I have already agreed on personal terms and I am looking forward to Rivers United reaching an accord with Go Round which I am still contracted to.”
Esor stars for Go Round last season, which was their debut season in the elite division and hope to link up with ex-teammate Adeseun Adelani who recently joineded to Rivers United.
Nigeria legend Victor Ikpeba believes the Super Falcons were lucky to win the just concluded 11th AWCON in Ghana , but added that the commitment of the players can’t be faulted.
The African women power–house needed penalty shootout to beat Cameroon and South Africa on their way to a historic ninth title after both semi-final games ended stalemate after 120 minutes.
“You can’t fault the commitment of the girls but it saddens me that with the quality of players that we have, we can’t match Cameroon or South Africa. We needed penalties to defeat them. Even against Zambia and Equatorial Guinea, we won but it was tough,” Ikpeba said .
Following Asisat Oshoala‘s struggle to replicate her good form at the tournament , the Former African footballer of the year added with other stars in the team , the Falcons shouldn’t struggle to win games while on the continent.
“Asisat Oshoala had a disappointing tournament. We were fortunate to win the title. These countries we struggled against don’t even have women’s football leagues.
” People say you don’t have to play well to win but we should play with panache, we are the champions of Africa champions. We have great players like Oshoala, Ordega, Oparanozie,” . He added
The Super Falcons alongside Cameroon and South Africa will represent Africa at the Women’s world cup in France next year.
Nigeria Table Tennis Start Aruna Quadri Will end 2018 in the top after dropping three places to 26th in the latest International Table Tennis Federation‘s ranking released on Monday.
2018 was an eventful year for the Oyo state born Quadri whoremains as Africa’s number one , he won the Nigeria open and stars in this year‘s commonwealth games in Gold Coast.
The Portuguese based Quadri started the year in top 30, and has never look back as the Conntinent‘s best player since he replaced Egyptian Omar Assar who who moved from 53rd to 47th in the world and will also end the year as Africa’s second highest ranked player.
Quadri who dropped three places from 23 to 26 and Assar who moved six places up will remain the highest ranked African players and will finish the year in top 50 elite players ranked by the world table tennis governing body.
Meanwhile China’s Fan Zhendong and compatriot, Xu Xin remainsthe top two ranked in the world, they were trailed by Germany’s Timo Boll and China’s Lin Gaoyuan. Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto moved one position to occupy the no.5 spot.
Rangers International of Enugu will depart Nigeria for Addis Ababa on Tuesday to keep a date with Defence Force for the second leg of the Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round fixture scheduled for Wednesday.
Godwin Aguda’s two second half penalties was enough to hand the Flying Antelopes 2-0 victors in the first leg played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu in November .
However, Midfielder Chiamaka Madu revealed that the team will leave the shore of Nigeria on Tuesday(today) via a connecting flightto East Africa from Akanu Ibiam Airport.
“We are leaving for Addis Ababa on Tuesday and it is as a result of the connecting flight to Ethiopia from Enugu Airport which we do not have control over,” Madu stated.
“We are targeting another impressive performance that is better than the one we displayed in the first leg. We have seen the Defence Force and we know that we are not going to have it easy with them. We have thus far concentrated on our preparation for the second leg and I can say that we have really improved.”
Rangers are seeking to become the first Nigerian club to lift the CAF Confederations Cup after Dolphins qualified for the final in 2005 but lost to FAR Rabat of Morocco.
Former Cameroon international Patrick Mboma has branded CAF’s decision to take the hosting right of 2019 African Cup of Nationsfrom Cameroon as a disgrace.
Cameroon saw their hope of the hosting the African biggest football fiesta dashed last week, following CAF executive committee decision to strip them off the hosting right , amidst security and infrastructure reasons.
However, the news wasn’t well received across the country and former African footballer of the year, Mboma‘s position on the issuewasn’t different.
“Me, who was thinking June 15, 2019 was in 197 days. It’s a tough one for us. I feel battered. I am in anger. It’s a shame,” Mboma said.
“How did this escape us? Why? Who do we blame now? I think it’s time to sit down and mull over what really went wrong,” he said.
“Football is life in Cameroon. It’s a big blow to everybody: players, fans and officials. I don’t know what we are learning from this.”
After several inspection to Cameroon, CAF had expressed its concerns on delays in training and accommodation facilities but the local organisation committee said they would be able to beat the deadline.
CAF had since informed interested who want to host the 2019 AFCON to submit their applications within 21 days.