Author: Brila

Super Eagles Midfielder, Oghenekaro Etebo has revealed that he will be joining up with his new club Stoke City by the middle of July after representing Nigeria at the World Cup. Etebo has been granted permission by the Stoke City hierarchy to rest for two weeks before joining his new teammates for preseason preparations. Etebo will likely make his unofficial debut for the Potters is July 14 when they take on Walsall F.C in a friendly at the Banks’s Stadium, however, the next fixture vs Bochum on July 18 looks more realistic for the former Warri Wolves star. The 22-year-old midfielder…

The AITEO Group has lauded the Super Eagles, for their output at the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia, insisting that the three-time African champions were not disgraced. “AITEO Group wishes to commend players and officials of the Super Eagles for the efforts they put into their campaign at the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia, despite the failure to progress to the knockout rounds of the competition. We note that the players put in their utmost with patriotic fervour and zeal, and were so, so close to getting the needed draw against two –time world champions Argentina.…

The Nigeria Super Eagles will return to action when they face Seychelles in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture on September 7 in Victoria. The encounter will Eagles’ first competitive game following their exit from the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The three-time AFCON winners who have missed out on the last two editions of the competition lost 2-0 against South Africa in their first game in the qualifiers. Gernot Rohr’s men will face Libya on October 10 at home will the reverse fixture to hold five days later in Tripoli. The reverse fixture against the Bafana…

Senegal’s football federation (FSF) has asked FIFA to reconsider its fair play ruling after their accumulation of more yellow cards than World Cup group rivals Japan made the African side the first country to be eliminated by the new regulation. Japan and Senegal were left on the same points, goals and goal difference but it was Akira Nishino’s side that sneaked into the last 16 at the expense of Senegal. Japan settled for a 1-0 loss to eliminated Poland on Thursday as the Volgograd Arena rang with boos from supporters with the Samurai Blue players passing the ball tamely among…

Croatia beat Denmark 3-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Sunday after the round of 16 clash finished deadlocked at 1-1 after 90 minutes. Modric had the chance to send his team into a quarter-final against hosts Russia with a penalty four minutes from the end of extra time but Kasper Schmeichel dived to his left to save the spot kick. A dramatic start with two goals in the first four minutes promised a full-blooded contest to decide who would meet Russia in Sochi on Saturday after the hosts beat Spain on…

ANDRES INIESTA has announced his decision to call it quit with the Spain National team after their shock World Cup exit to Russia this afternoon. Iniesta featured as a second-half substitute on Sunday night with the game tied 1-1 but was unable to impact the game as they were beaten by the hosts in a penalty shootout. Before the tournament, it was understood that this was likely to be the 34-year-old’s last World Cup campaign for his country and after the final whistle was blown on Spain’s tournament, so did it on Iniesta’s international career. ‘Today is my last…

Andy Murray has withdrawn from Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament after the two-time champion decided he wasn’t fit enough to compete at the All England Club. Murray has only just returned to action after 11 months on the sidelines due to a hip injury that needed surgery in January. “It’s with regret I’m withdrawing from Wimbledon,” Murray said in a statement on Sunday. “I’ve made significant progress in practice and matches over the last 10 days but, after lengthy discussions with my team and with a heavy heart, we’ve decided that playing best-of-five-set matches might…

Hosts Russia advanced into the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Sunday when they beat 2010 Champions Spain 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in full time. Russia keeper Igor Akinfeev saved Koke’s and Iago Aspas’ spot kicks in their first ever penalty shootout to send the hosts through following a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes. Spain, who have never beaten a host at World Cups or Euros, went ahead after 12 minutes when 38-year-old Sergei Ignashevich bundled into Spain captain Sergio Ramos at the far post, knocking a free kick in with his heel for the…

Russia pulled off an improbable victory to stun Spain after extra time and penalties at Luzhniki Stadium to keep their home World Cup hopes alive. In the end, it was a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout that decided the game, scoring the winner after a Sergei Ignashevich goal and Artem Dzyuba penalty in normal time meant the two sides could not be separated after 120 minutes of football. With the result, Russia booked a quarterfinal date in Sochi on July 7 against either Croatia or Denmark in the day’s other last 16 tie.

We’re into extra time in Moscow as Spain and Russia remain tied at 1-1 after a scrappy second half to their World Cup last-16 clash. Andres Iniesta’s place in midfield was taken by Koke, who partnered Sergio Busquets in a double pivot, while Marco Asensio lined up on the left wing, with Thiago Alcantara making way. Elsewhere, Nacho Fernandez came in for Dani Carvajal at right-back, although the trio were available to Fernando Hierro during the game. As for Russia, defender Igor Smolnikov was suspended and attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev was ruled out for the rest of the World Cup…