The National U-19 National team A.K.A Junior Yellow Greens have begun their final lap to the ICC U-19 World Cup scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2020.
Nigeria will confront Cameroon in one of the Round of 16 matches of the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations finals ongoing in Egypt, and venue is the Alexandria Stadium on Saturday, 6th July. The match will kick off 5pm Nigeria time.
This tantalizing fixture was accomplished on Tuesday evening after a 0-0 draw with Benin Republic, and Ghana’s 2-0 defeat of Guinea Bissau, condemned the Cup holders to second place in Group F, and a direct confrontation with the second –placed team in Group B, being Nigeria.
Cameroon defeated Nigeria in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984, 1988 and 2000, but most painful for the Super Eagles was that agonizing penalty shoot-out loss in front of home fans at the National Stadium, Lagos on 13th February 2000.
In 2004, Jay Jay Okocha spearheaded a sweet 2-1 defeat of then Cup holders (as they are now) Cameroon in a quarter final match at the Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet in Monastir, Tunisia and in the 2018 FIFA World Cup African qualifying series, the Super Eagles lashed the Lions 4-0 in Uyo and were forced to a 1-1 draw in Yaounde.
Nigeria and Cameroon share eight African titles between them. While the Indomitable Lions have won five times (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 and 2017), Nigeria were champions in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
Saturday’s game is indeed a titanic battle, and the Super Eagles would be expected to pick themselves up from Sunday’s stunning defeat by Madagascar and battle the bitter rivals the way they should.
Namibia captain Ronald Ketjijere believes Morocco are a better team than Ivory Coast after facing the two teams at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Egypt.
Colombia national soccer team player William Tesillo told local media that he has been threatened via social media after his missed penalty kick in a Copa American shoot-out with Chile last week cost Colombia the chance to remain in the tournament.
The National Football League is the highest level of competition for American football. The sport itself can be traced back to the 19th century, which was created when its rules diverged from the sports of association football (soccer) and rugby football (rugby), two games that were growing in popularity in England at the time.
Similar divergences occurred to create Gaelic football and Australian rules football, both of which have a number of similarities to American football.
Walter Camp – The Father of American Football
Some of the most notable changes in the rules that distinguished American football from its counterparts was pioneered by Walter Camp. He was a graduate of Yale University where he was also a football coach. He is credited with inventing the line of scrimmage and the downs system that are major elements in American football today.
The Birth of the National Football League
The NFL was formed in 1920 and was originally known as the American Professional Football Association, this name lasted only two years and was formally changed to the National Football League in 1922. Ten teams filled the original line up, representing just four states. These teams had existed prior to the creation of the league, and played in their respective regional leagues.
Of the original ten teams that took part in the inaugural year, just two remain today. These are the Chicago Bears (who were originally called the Decatur Staleys) and the Arizona Cardinals (who were originally the Chicago Cardinals). For the NFL’s second season, the Green Bay Packers (originally known as the Green Bay Acme Packers) also joined the league. This makes them the oldest NFL team that has operated within the same location continuously.
Growth and Stabilisation
Although the league was founded in 1920, the first NFL championship game was not held until 1933. Around this time, the NFL expanded with new teams whilst simultaneously working to formalize the governance structure of the league. This would be important in securing its modern day success, since the sport needs to operate as a commercial operation just as much as a league of sports teams.
Off Field Competition
Whilst promoting competition on the football field, the NFL has faced its own competition on a few occasions in its history. The All America Football Conference (AAFC) was founded in 1944, consisted of 8 teams and ran for four seasons between 1946 and 1949. The AAFC was founded by several wealthy people who had unsuccessfully attempted to buy NFL teams.
The AAFC challenge came at a very opportune moment. Normally new leagues are at a distinct disadvantage against their established rival, but the NFL had not operated at its full strength or capacity during World War II with teams temporarily merging or suspending their operations. Despite this, the AAFC was unable to sustain itself financially but did succeed in attracting many of the country’s best players. Ultimately the NFL absorbed the AAFC in 1950 with the former AAFC team, the Cleveland Browns, dominating the NFL for the next 7 years.
The other major challenge to the NFL came from the American Football League (AFL), which ran for 10 seasons between 1960 and 1969. Also started by people who had unsuccessfully tried to have NFL teams, the AFL was made up of teams that had hoped to be included in an expanded NFL championship.
TheAmerican football world was woken up to the challenge of the AFL in 1960 when it signed 75% of the players picked in the NFL’s first round draft. The tough competition between the two leagues led to a surge in player salaries and lower game attendances across both leagues as fans were too thinly spread.
The Birth of the Super Bowl
The competition between the NFL and the AFL ultimately led to the creation of the Super Bowl. The leagues agreed to merge in 1966, with the first step in this being a championship game that pitted the winner of each league against each other to decide the champion of champions that year.
The Conferences
After 1970 when the NFL and AFL merged, the league was split into two conferences, the similarly named AFC and the NFC. On their way to the Super Bowl, teams must win their respective conference. According to Oddschecker, the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs are the two best tipped teams for victory in the AFC, based on the fact that the former has won the last 3 AFC titles, and the latter was their rival in the final.
Team Relocations
The first few years of the NFL saw a number of teams merging, relocating or folding due to financial difficulties. This was particularly prevalent during World War II when there were fewer players available. After the absorption of the AAFC, the financial position of teams stabilised until the NFL’s next rivalry with the AFL in the 1960s. The mid to late twentieth century saw a number of teams relocate to different parts of the country.
Examples of these relocations include:
• The Chicago Cardinals to St Louis in 1960
• The Los Angeles Chargers to San Diego in 1961 (joining the AFL)
• The Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis in 1984
• The Houston Oilers to Nashville in 1998
Teams have also been known to move several times. For example, after moving there in 1982, the Raiders moved back to Oakland in 1995. However, Los Angeles was left without a franchise and the St Louis Rams and San Diego Charges moved back to the city in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
The NFL has an interesting history. It is one of the most popular sports leagues in the United States, however, it has had to fight to earn this status. Initially created after its rules diverged from similar English sports, American football had a turbulent time in the 20th century as the NFL fended off attempts for other leagues to also diverge from it. Ultimately, the challenge from the AFL helped to create the Super Bowl, which has grown to become one of the biggest events on the US sporting calendar
Assistant Coach to the former Kwara United tactician, (Abubakar Bala), and his second in command, Suleiman Ashifat has been named Head Coach Kwara Utd and the club retains 27 players for the 2019/2020 football season.
Suleiman Ashifat, who deputized Abubakar Bala at Kwara United in the just concluded Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season has been appointed the substantive head coach of the team.
The Club’s Media Officer, Abdulwaheed Bibire, made this known in a statement on Tuesday to brila.net in Ilorin.
The statement added that the appointment was with immediate effect and he would steer the affairs of Afonja Warriors for the next season.
He said the club also retained 27 players and declared 13 surplus to requirement in preparatory to the 2019/2020 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
Bibire said all administrative staff of the team are to continue with their day to day service to the club.
The statement advised the retained players to be of good conduct and embraced professionalism that the team was known for, pending the announcement of when the club will resume for next season.
ARSENAL HAVE CONFIRMED the signing of teenage Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli from Ituano.
Former Arsenal, Ajax, and Super Eagles skipper Nwankwo Kanu is celebrating his 15th year in marriage to Amarachi on Tuesday 2nd July 2019.
The 1996 Olympic Gold medalist is, however, on international assignment in Egypt as one of the CAF ambassadors for the Africa Cup of Nations, Kanu still had time to show his appreciation to the Almighty God for sustaining his marriage which is blessed with three children.
The two-time African footballer of the year took to the social media to appreciate God and his wife for the journey.
“15 years 
More to come. Happy anniversary to us. We thank God for everything 
@amarakanu #postivevibes#kanuheartfoundation #family #anniversary #thankgod,” he posted the message on Twitter.
Their love story started in 2005 when they tied the nuptial knot in Owerri, Imo State when Amara was 18 years and Kanu 28.
Former chairman of the technical committee of the NFF, Barrister Chris Green has submitted that the reason for the Eagles struggling at the AFCON 2019 in Egypt is due to the absence of Trabzonspor of Turkey midfielder.
Brila.net can confirm that former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has already agreed on a contract which will see him return to his beloved club as manager.
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