Nigeria Sports Arena

Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, will depart from their final training camp in Tirol, Austria on Thursday, 2nd August for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, with high level of confidence after scoring seven goals and conceding none in two friendly games. The 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup silver medallists hammered Austrian Women League top flight team, FC Wacker Innsbruck 4-0 in their final pre-tournament friendly in Tirol, Austria on Saturday, with a brace from top scorer Rasheedat Ajibade and one each from Adebisi Saheed and Chinyere Igboamalu. A few days earlier, the Nigerian girls had spanked another Austrian top flight side, FC Bergheim 3-0. Saturday’s match in Tirol was also watched by Nigeria’s Youth and Sports Minister Solomon Dalung. Ajibade, who plays for FC Robo Queens of Lagos and also featured at the last tournament in Papua New Guinea, top –scored for Nigeria in the African qualifying campaign and is heavily touted to dazzle the world in France next month. Nigeri

The Nigeria Football Federation has announced that it will offer retired Super Eagles’ safe hands Carl Ikeme coaching education as a goalkeeper trainer and then absorb him into the technical crew of the Senior National Football Team. NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi disclosed at the weekend that the Federation is in contact with Ikeme, who announced his retirement from the game on Friday afternoon, with a view to training him as a goalkeeper coach. “Carl Ikeme was an embodiment of absolute dedication, commitment and patriotic fervour in the games that he played for the Super Eagles. The circumstances of his retirement from the game are somewhat depressing, even as we thank God for his life. “The Nigeria Football Federation will find the resources to send him on a coaching course, and afterwards absorb him into the technical crew of the Super Eagles. That is the least we can do for such a dedicated patriot.” Dr. Sanusi revealed that the NFF was in the know about I

FC Zurich striker, Stephen Odey opened his 2018/19 goal account on Saturday evening as the City Club claimed a 2-0 derby win over Grasshoppers in Matchday Two of the Raiffeisen Super League played at the Letzigrund Stadium. Having missed out of the first league match last weekend against FC Thun.  The former MFM FC player was included in coach Ludovic 18 man list to for the derby game and he justified his inclusion with the second goal of the match. After a goalless first 45 minutes, Adrian Winter put the City Club in front with just two minutes into the second half of the entertaining derby. The 62 minutes of the game witnessed a defining moment for FCZ as they sealed their second straight win of the season courtesy of a second goal from Odey. Odey expressed his feelings to nigeriasportarena.blogspot.com "I am really excited with the way we played today and very happy for the amazing result and my goal as well. " Derby games are not easy games, there

Nigeria's foremost sports kitting company  Haggai Sportswear has entered into partnership agreement with the organisers of Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi Football Championship as official kit sponsor of the third edition of the tournament. Haggai is a sister company of Nigeria’s foremost sports equipment marketers, the popular Zenith Sports. Ogunjobi Cup is sponsored by the Pillar of Sports in the State of Osun and organized by State of Osun Football Association and gradually becoming a commercial hot cake for big brands. The partnership deal was sealed on Monday in Oshogbo after the Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Sports, Paul Maduakor, and Tunde Shamsudeen (Ogunjobi's SA on Media) concluded talks. Haggai Sportwear announced it will kit the U-13, U-15 and U-18 finalists, and awards for the Best Goalkeeper, Highest Goalscorer and the Most Valuable Player.. According to Shamsudeen who brokered the deal noted: "It's another feather in the cap for the tour

More and more respected Nigerians are signing on to work as volunteers at the 21st African Senior Athletics Championships to be staged in Asaba, Delta State from August 1-5. According to a statement from Olukayode Thomas, Head of Media and Publicity for CAA Asaba 2018, the latest on the line is Nduka Irabor,Editor Emeritus and former Chairman of the League Management Company, LMC. The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for African Championship, Solomon Ogba commended Irabor for taking the bold step while he also encouraged other Nigerians; particularly those in the entertainment industry, musicians, actors, comedians and the likes to also join the train as Asaba is set to make history for Nigeria and Africa. “I must commend Mr. Irabor for showing yet another of his exemplary attitudes, I will like to see more eminent Nigerians come on board; the musicians, actors, and comedians are all welcomed as things like this help improve our ratings out there” Ogba stated.

Lagos State has once again been picked as host of the 2019 FIBA Men's World Cup qualifiers 4th round between the 14th and 16th of September. The decision to award the hosting rights of the 4th window of the qualifiers was contained in a letter sent to the Nigeria Basketball Federation secretariat by FIBA Africa Secretary General, Alphonse Bile on Friday. The latest announcement has been described by many as an evidence of the growing confidence in Nigeria by the Federation of International Basketball Federation to be a major player on the African continent under the leadership of Engineer Musa Kida. Host- Nigeria currently leading the pack with 12 points is in Group F alongside Senegal, Central Africa, Rwanda, Cote d'Ivoire and Mali. Reacting to the letter, NBBF President, Musa Kida said winning the hosting right for the second consecutive time will present the D'Tigers the perfect opportunity to continue their unbeaten run in front of their home fans in thei

Arrangements have been concluded for the third edition of Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi Football Championship, scheduled to kick-off on Sunday July 22, at the Oshogbo Township Stadium. Sixty-two (62) grassroots teams in the State of Osun, registered for the tourney with the final scheduled for August 21, to celebrate the former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation, date-of-birth. Thirty-six (36) teams registered for the U-18 tourney which will be decided on knock out format, while sixteen (16) teams obtained forms for the U-15 and have been group into four to be played on league format, with ten (10) teams registering for the U-13 category. The age grade tournament is sponsored by the Pillar of Sports in the State of Osun and organized by State of Osun Football Association to boost discovery of exceptional talents abounding at the grassroots, catching them young in a bid to provide a well defined future for the players. Rotimi, Ogunjobi's son, a Law stud

Former Orlando Magic player, Olumide Oyedeji has signed a three years deal with PEAK Sports. The Olympian become PEAK first African Ambassador. PEAK Sport is a Chinese sportswear/sports equipment that designs, develops, manufactures, distributes and markets its sportswear products under the PEAK brand. Oyedeji, who captained the Nigeria National Basketball Team, D’Tigers to the 2015 FIBA AfroBasket title in Tunisia said; "I just signed a three years endorsement with PEAK Sports which is one of the top five sports apparel in the World”. “PEAK Sports signed a contract with the Nigeria national team which is not fulfilled. I’m excited and proud to be part of the PEAK Family and probably looking at the business part of it, having my own line brand, signed a three years endorsement and probably be the Africa PEAK ambassador, the first African athlete to be signed”, Ex-D’Tigers Captain Oyedeji added. “I’m looking forward to join NBA All Stars like; Tony Parker (San Anto

The Nigeria U15 National Team, nicknamed Future Eagles, has been drawn to play Morocco, Djibouti and Libya in the football tournament of the 3rd African Youth Games that commenced in Algiers on Thursday. The draw held on Wednesday put the Future Eagles in the same pool as Morocco, with whom the Nigerian boys were involved a two –match friendly fair in Marrakech in August 2017. Morocco won the first game 1-0 with the other match tied 1-1. The Future Eagles and their Moroccan counterparts face off on Thursday, before the Nigerians take on Djibouti on Saturday and Libya on Monday. Nigeria did not participate in the football event of the first African Youth Games in Rabat but won four out of five matches, drawing the other to emerge winners of the football gold at the second edition in Gaborone, Botswana four years ago.

Norwegian club, IK Start has granted the request of Nigeria Football Federation to release former Super Eagles B star Afeez Olalekan Aremu to feature for the U20 boys, Flying Eagles in Saturday’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations qualifier against Mauritania in Lagos. The defensive midfielder turned up at the Flying Eagles’ Pearlwort Hotel camp in Ikeja and decided to train with the squad. The technical crew was impressed with his game and being eligible, he was asked if he could feature on Saturday. But he said his Norwegian club would have to grant permission for him to play as he is on holiday in Nigeria. Team Administrator Aliyu Lawal Ibrahim immediately commenced the process and within the hour, the Kristiansand –based Club granted the permission with a caveat that the player must fly back to Norway on Sunday, 22nd July. Aremu played for the Eagles B in the qualifiers for the 2018 African Nations Championship and at the WAFU Cup of Nations in Ghana in September 2017, but tr

Sixty - two (62) grassroots teams in the State of Osun will contest for the third edition of Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi Football Tournament for U-13, U-15 and U-18. The age grade tournament is sponsored by former Secretary General of Nigeria Football Federation and organized by State of Osun Football Association to boost discovery of exceptional talents abounding at the grassroots, catching them young in a bid to provide a well defined future for the players. The tourney is scheduled to kick off proper on Sunday July 22, 2018 at Oshogbo Township Stadium, with the finals billed for August 21, to celebrate the birth date of the State of Osun Pillar of Sports. Osun FA secretary, Amoo Abayomi, told newsmen on Sunday after screening and draws for the tournament that thirty-six (36) clubs registered for the U-18 tourney which will be decided on knock out format, while sixteen (16) teams obtained forms for the U-15 and have been group into four to be played on league format, with te

General Coordinator of Elkanemi Warriors Football Club, Alhaji Abubakar Abubakar has tendered his resignation letter due to internal wrangling. Dan Fulani as the former Enyimba International Football Club North East Coordinator is fondly called by his admirers on Wednesday resigned from his position as General Coordinator of the Nigeria Professional Football Club side. The fans and players of the Borno Army, are in a state of shock following his resignation. The former Sunshine Stars International Football Club North Coordinator said the decision to leave Elkanemi, a club close to his heart, was difficult as he enjoyed a good working condition throughout his stay adding that he would remain grateful for the chance to serve and contribute to the development of the team. “After difficult considerations, I have decided to resign from my position as General Coordinator of Elkanemi Warriors Football Club. “I deeply appreciate my time with Elkanemi and I want to thank

The third edition of Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi Cup Football Tournament for U-13, U-15 and U-18 is set to take a center stage in the State of Osun, bulging amongst the grassroots clubs. The age grade tournament which is organized by State of Osun Football Association is to ferret out exceptional talents abounding in the grassroots, catching them young in a bid to provide a well defined future for the participants. According to Osun FA Secretary, Amoo Abayomi, the form would be on sale for the intending participants from July 2-15, 2018, while screening for U-13 and U-15 takes place on Saturday July 16, 2018 within the Oshogbo Township Stadium Complex. The information further has it that, draws and fixtures for U-13, 15 and 18 shall commence immediately after the screening exercise at the same venue. Numerous football clubs across the state are enjoined to grab this smashing opportunity forthwith. The winner of each category and the respective runner's up would smile home wi