Everton Women handed Manchester City their first loss of the season, defeating the reigning UWCL quarterfinalists 2-1 and leaving their title hopes hanging by a thread at Walton Hall Pack.
As the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony draws near, all eyes are on two of Nigeria’s brightest football stars, Chiamaka Nnadozie and Ademola Lookman, as they vie for the prestigious Player of the Year honors in their respective categories.
The Super Falcons’ shot-stopper, Nnadozie, is one of the leading contenders for the Women’s Player of the Year award, a title recently dominated by her fellow Nigerian Asisat Oshoala.
Chiamaka Nnadozie, a key figure in Nigeria’s football resurgence, has had a standout year, playing an instrumental role in the Super Falcons’ qualification for next year’s Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Her stellar performances also helped Nigeria secure a spot in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after a 16-year absence.
Additionally, her remarkable displays with French club Paris FC have earned her widespread acclaim. Nnadozie faces stiff competition from Moroccan goalkeeper Sanâa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Barbra Banda.
Beyond the Player of the Year award, Nnadozie is also in contention to retain her Goalkeeper of the Year title.
She faces competition from South Africa’s Andile Dlamini and Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi, both of whom have also impressed on the continental stage.
On the men’s side, Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman is in the running for CAF’s Male Player of the Year award.
Lookman is up against tough competition, including Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Senegal’s Sadio Mané, but his consistency and impact in Serie A have earned him a rightful place among the nominees.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has voiced its unwavering support for both players, who could make history by claiming both the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year titles in the same year, a feat last achieved by Nwankwo Kanu and Mercy Akide-Udoh in 1999, and more recently by Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala in 2023.
Other categories also feature Nigerian representation. In the Women’s Young Player of the Year race, former junior international Chiamaka Okwuchukwu will compete with Egypt’s Habiba Sabry and Morocco’s Doha El Madani.
Meanwhile, the Men’s National Team of the Year category sees Nigeria competing against Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa, while the Super Falcons are vying for the Women’s National Team of the Year alongside Morocco and South Africa.
Further adding to the excitement, Nigeria’s Edo Queens have earned a spot in the running for Women’s Club of the Year, alongside TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Morocco’s AS FAR.
As the countdown to tonight’s CAF Awards continues, the question remains: Will Lookman and Nnadozie make history as the first Nigerian duo to claim both the Player of the Year awards in the same ceremony?
The stage is set for a memorable night in Marrakesh.
Nigeria forward, Vivian Ikechukwu, has completed her transfer to Mexican side Santa Laguna from Cruz Azul, marking a new chapter in her career.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria have maintains their spot as Africa’s highest-ranked women’s football team, maintaining a global ranking of 36th in the final FIFA standings for 2024.
Nigeria international forward, Edna Imade, continued her impressive goal-scoring run for Granada, leading her team to a 1-0 win over Madrid CFF in Spain’s top women’s football league on Saturday.
The stage is set for a thrilling showdown as Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire will battle for the top spot in Group B after both teams cruised into the semi-finals of the U-17 WAFU-B Women’s Tournament.
The Nigerian U-17 girls’ football team, the Flamingos, sent a powerful message in their opening match of the WAFU-B Girls Cup in Ghana, demolishing Niger Republic 9-0 in a dominant performance.
Following the match, Flamingos’ head coach Bankole Olowokere was satisfied with the team’s display, praising their preparation and the continuity of the squad and highlighting the players’ experience on the international stage.
“The team has gone to the World Cup and played with the Super Nations, it’s just one of those things, and this is a team that has been training for quite a while now, so that’s just one of those things. It’s just a message.”
He credited the team’s success to strong planning and consistent preparation, emphasizing that continuity among the players has been a key factor in their performance.
“Continuity, preparation, I think a good team is about good planning, good preparation. That’s just one of those things.”
The coach also acknowledged the importance of keeping the focus on their own game while respecting their future opponents.
“At the time we don’t want to score, so we just have to play ball to their 18 and return back to our group. Just to avoid their elimination and protect their job as well. I always talk about myself, I take opponents the way they are.”
Olowokere cautioned against overconfidence, stating that every opponent must be taken seriously.
“It’s not good for them to be full of themselves. When they come, we never know what other people have. So when they come, we take them as who they are.”
The coach is now setting his sights on the next challenge – facing Ghana.
“They know they are determined to come and play against them here, so we never know. I can’t tell what they have in their preparation, so let them come.”
With the 9-0 victory under their belt, the Flamingos are ready to face whatever comes their way as they continue their journey in the tournament.
All eyes will be on Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie this Monday, as she competes for the coveted 2024 CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award, which would crown her as the next Queen of African football.
The 24-year-old, who has dazzled in her role as the last line of defense for both Nigeria and her club Paris FC, is one of three finalists for the prestigious award, alongside Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Morocco’s Sanaâ Mssoudy.
The ceremony, set to take place at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco, promises to be a night to remember.
After a rigorous voting process, Nnadozie’s remarkable season has put her in the spotlight for the award, previously won by Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala.
Nnadozie’s stellar performances in France’s Division 1 Féminine have earned her widespread recognition.
She was named Goalkeeper of the Season in 2023/24, following a series of crucial saves and clean sheets that helped Paris FC secure a third-place finish.
With a 33% clean sheet ratio, her presence at the back has been indispensable in keeping her team in title contention.
Her performances for Nigeria, including at the Paris Olympic Games, further cement her place as one of the continent’s most reliable talents.
As the new season progresses, Nnadozie’s ambition remains clear: she hopes to continue breaking barriers, lifting both her club and country to greater heights.
The race for the award is tight, with Barbra Banda of Zambia also in contention, fresh off a standout season with Orlando Pride and a historic performance at the Paris Olympics, and Sanaâ Mssoudy of Morocco, who played a pivotal role in her team’s run to the final of the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.
Regardless of who wins, one thing is clear: Chiamaka Nnadozie is setting a new standard for African footballers on the global stage.
Will Monday’s ceremony crown her as the next queen? The answer will soon be revealed.
Nigeria’s U17 girls, the Flamingos, put on a spectacular performance on Thursday in their second match of the 2024 WAFU U17 Girls’ Cup, demolishing Niger Republic 9-0 in Ghana.
Shakirat Moshood was the star of the show, scoring four goals as the Flamingos ran riot.
The match began with a bang as Aishat Animashaun opened the scoring just five minutes in, following a pinpoint cross from Mary Mamudu.
The Flamingos’ attacking onslaught continued with Moshood’s stunning 35-yard strike in the 17th minute, leaving Nigerien goalkeeper Ndiaye Fatai Basiru with no chance.
Moshood added another six minutes later, assisted by Animashaun, before Janet Akekoromowei made it 4-0 in the 33rd minute with a close-range finish.
Akekoromowei struck again just before halftime to claim a first-half hat-trick, as the Flamingos led 7-0 at the break.
Moshood completed her own hat-trick in the dying moments of the first half, making it 7-0, and didn’t stop there.
Early in the second half, she completed her fourth goal of the match, a solo effort that made it 8-0.
Peace Effiong capped off the rout with a long-range shot in the 79th minute to seal a dominant 9-0 victory.
The Flamingos will now shift their focus to their upcoming match against Cote d’Ivoire on Monday.
Emmanuel Osahon, the owner of Robo Queens FC, has raised alarm over the state of grassroots sports in Nigeria, citing poor funding and resources as major barriers to the country’s athletic development.