UCL: Samuel Chukwueze scores with his first touch on Champions League debut

Samuel Chukwueze had only three touches of the ball in Villarreal’s 4-1 success over Young Boys on Wednesday night, but the wide attacker’s late strike made up for months of frustration on the sidelines.

The Nigerian missed last year’s Europa League final and had to sit out the opening months of the season as he recovered from an injury that kept him out since the final month of last season. He’s had to watch his teammates claim their first major European trophy, participate in their foremost Super Cup against Chelsea and miss out on the opening two games on their Champions League return.

With a minute of normal time remaining in Bern and already at 3-1 lead, Unai Emery introduced the 22-year-old for his first ever UEFA Champions League appearance.

The Super Eagles forward found the back of the net with his first touch of the game.

Young Boys went into the clash with a three-game unbeaten run on their turf in the Champions League — including a 2-1 win over Manchester United on the opening match-day — but Villarreal produced a superior performance to prevent the Swiss side from equaling their longest run without a defeat in the European Cup.

Salisu Yusuf returns as Super Eagles assistant coach after bribe scandal

The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved the re-instatement of Coach Salisu Yusuf to his position as Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles and Head Coach of the Super Eagles B team, with effect from 1st November 2021.

On the 24th of June 2018, three years after being caught on camera receiving a bribe to influence team selection for the African Nations Championship, Salisu Yusuf returns to his role with the Super Eagles.

He was ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 by the federation after the NFF Ethics and Fair Play Committee ruled that the coach received $1,000 from the men.

Announcing his return in 2019, NFF said, “The federation has noted that the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Salisu Yusuf, has now fully served the one-year suspension clamped on him last year.”

General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed on Thursday that the re-instatement of the former Kano Pillars, Enyimba FC and Rangers International FC gaffer by the NFF Board was on the recommendation of the NFF Technical Department.

“Highly respected for his match –reading ability, calm demeanour and proficiency in talent discovery and development, Yusuf, in his playing days featured for Rancher Bees of Kaduna and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, among others.

Yusuf’s return to the three-time African champions coincides with the closing stages of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying second round phase and the commencement of preparations for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Cameroon early next year.”

Rohr’s current assistant, Joseph Yobo will now move to the role of second assistant and third in the coaching hierarchy of the Super Eagles.

“I am really impressed with what I saw at the Flying Officers Cup” – Hon. Lawrence Ayeni

Member Federal House of Representatives committee on Sports, Hon. Lawrence Ayeni has hailed the organisers of the biggest Women Football Pre-season Championship in Africa, the Flying Officers Cup.

Lawrence Ayeni who presently represents the Ilesha Federal Constituency 1 (Osun State) in the Federal House Of Representative was present at the Area 10 Sports Complex, Abuja on wednesday, and very impressed at what he saw, in terms of organisation of the tournament.

The former Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Sports, said that the feat achieved by the Organisers in successfully organising the tournament was timely and would help spring out more development in women’s football in Nigeria.

“I am really impressed with what I saw at the Area 10 Sports Complex. It is very difficult to see a Nigerian put so much into the development of women’s football.

“As a lover of football myself and one who have invested into the game, I know how far the Organisers must have gone in bringing about 16 teams to participate, including a team from Ghana. This is massive and I encourage more people to take a cue from what Ratels Sports Development Foundation have been doing.”

Reacting to this, the General Coordinator of the 2021 Flying Officers Cup, Dr. Victoria Nlemigbo thanked Hon. Lawrence Ayeni for coming down to show support to the Flying Officers Cup and his home team, Osun Babes FC. She described him as an ardent lover of sports and one who could be described as a Sports ambassador.

The Flying Officers Cup is in its third edition and is solely sponsored by Ratels Sports Development Foundation, founded by Ambassador Barrister Paul Edeh.

The journey to the 2021 Flying Officers Cup semifinals

The 2021 Flying Officers Cup has now reached the semifinals stage. Four teams are two matches away from winning the biggest Women Football Pre-season Championship in Africa.

Confluence Queens, Osun Babes, FC Robo Queens and Edo Queens will compete for a spot in the final, which will be live on AIT.

Confluence Queens and FC Robo Queens have scored more goals than the other two teams in the semifinals. The two teams have recorded 10 goals each going into the semi’s., While Edo Queens and Osun Babes have 8 and 5 goals respectively.

The first semifinals fixture will be between Osun Babes and FC Robo Queens by 10am on friday morning at the Area 10 Sports Complex, Abuja., While the other will see Edo Queens and Confluence Queens battle each other. It will be interesting to see whether Edo Queens undefeated run will continue or Confluence Queens, the top scorer in the tournament will establish its superiority.

The journey to semifinals:

Osun Babes 2 – 1 Prince Kazeem Eletu Queens

FC Robo Queens 1 – 1 Osun Babes

Bayelsa Queens 0 -0 Osun Babes

Q1: Osun Babes 2 -0 Royal Queens

SGH Sports Academy Amazons 0 – 4 Confluence Queens

Confluence Queens 1-0 Sunshine Queens

WACO Ladies 0-4 Confluence Queens

Q2: Confluence Queens 1-0 Nasarawa Amazons

FC Robo Queens 1-0 Bayelsa Queens

FC Robo Queens 1-1 Osun Babes

Prince Kazeem Eletu Queens 1-6 FC Robo Queens

Q3: FC Robo Queens 2-0 Naija Ratels

Nasarawa Amazons 0-1 Edo Queens

Lakeside Queens 0-3 Edo Queens

Edo Queens 3-0 Dannaz Ladies

Q4: Edo Queens 1-0 Sunshine Queens

AWCON Qualifiers: Uchenna Kanu brace Falcons to victory over Ghana

Reigning African champions started the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifying round in style thanks to a double from Uchenna Kanu in the first half of the first leg match at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.

Teams lineup.

After failing to qualify for the 2012 edition of the competition staged in Equatorial Guinea, the Black Queens were seeking to avoid a second-ever absence from the continental showpiece.

Uchenna Kanu nodded home the opener just 20 minutes into the game from a well crafted Ordega’s cross. The Linkopings FC forward doubled Nigeria’s lead with another header from a Toni Payne’s cross, to give the nine-time African Champions an advantage ahead of the return leg in Ghana, on Sunday, 24th of October.

The Ghanaians threatened the hosts on multiple occasions throughout the second half but the defensive pairing of Onome Ebi and Ohale Osinachi proved to be experienced packed.

The eventual winner of this high-profile doubleheader showdown will set up a second-round date with either Niger or Cote d’Ivoire.

Speaking in his post-match analysis Waldrum said: “We are extremely excited about the win. Obviously it’s important to get a win at home I think getting a clean sheet too was very important for us to go into the second leg.

“In the first half, we came out with a good attacking mentality but in the second half we played a little bit more on the counter but they were chasing the game and we had some tired legs in the end.

“The players fought really hard, I thought Chiamaka came up with a big time saves to keep a clean sheet which was very important for us. We all understand this is is just half of the job.”

The American coach explained the difference between the Falcons team that beat Ghana and the one that lost to South Africa at the Aisha Buhari Cup.

“The difference when you compare this team to the one that lost to South Africa is that we didn’t have Osinachi Ohale, Rasheedat Ajibade, Tony Payne.

“These players are key for us and they made a huge difference for us. And I thought Onome and the other defenders did a great job for us with our goalkeeper as well.”

What to expect ahead of the reverse fixture in Ghana on Sunday?

“The staff will get back tonight and we would have some conversation and discuss how we want to approach the second leg.

“We all know that when you do home and away it’s important to keep a clean sheet at home. But it’s also important to score a goal in the second leg because the away goal really count for you. So we will have to find a balance of making sure we are attacking but also protecting the two-goal lead that we have.”

Europa League: Iheanacho double assist as Patson Daka hits quadruple

Zambian international Patson Daka, scored four times as Leicester City came from behind to beat Spartak Moscow 4-3 in a Europa league group C game on Wednesday.

Home side Spartak Moscow had gone two goals up within 44 minutes, through Sobolev and Jordan Larson, but Patson Daka finished off a Kelechi Iheanacho pass at the stroke of half time, to give hopes to the visitors.

Just three minutes into the second half, the Nigeria-Zambia combined once again as Iheanacho picked out Daka who drew the game level.

Daka made no mistake in the 54th minute, as he turned in a well worked Youri Tielesmans’ effort past goalkeeper Aleksandar Maksimenko before netting his fourth in the 79 minute, from a James Maddison assist.

Sobolev then reduced the deficit with four minutes to go.

The 23-year-old becomes the first Zambian international to score a quadruple in men’s UEFA club competition, just days after becoming the first Zambian to score in the Premier League.

Flying Officers Cup 2021 semifinalists confirmed

Edo Queens and Confluence Queens are the latest addition to Osun Babes and FC Robo Queens in Flying Officers Cup Semifinals.

Confluence Queens and Edo Queens joined Osun Babes and FC Robo Queens in the semi final of the 2021 Flying Officers Cup after the conclusion of quarterfinals games on Wednesday.

At the third quarter finals game played on Wednesday at the Area 10 Sports Complex, Abuja, Confluence Queens edged-out Nasarawa Amazons 1-0 to book a place in the semifinals.

The Kogi based side started the game having the lion share of possession before Mercy Omokwu scored the lone goal in the 27th minute with a long range shot from outside the box to beat Chukwu Uchenna in goal for Nasarawa Amazons.

Nasarawa Amazons came out in the second half pilling pressures on Confluence’s defence but Alexander Florence marshalled her back line well to prevent the Lokoja based side from conceding any goal.

In the 62nd minute, Amazons almost levelly through Kalu Chinyere’s long range effort as she hit the woodwork. Six minutes from full time, Confluence Queens thought they had doubled their lead after a header from Joy Michael seemed to have resulted into a goal but referee Vivian Osimani rescinded her decision after consultation from assistant Referee Rasheedat Abdulganiyu.

Edo Queens without Coach Wemimo Mathew who is with Super Falcons for African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) Qualifiers defeated Sunshine Queens 1-0 in the last quarter final game.

As early as the seventh minute, Edo Queens broke the deadlock as Adaobi Okah converted with a fantastic strike from an acute angle.

In the second half, Sunshine Queens pushed for the equaliser but Edo Queens controlled the game well to ward off Sunshine Queens threats and qualify for the semi final.

The semifinals games will take place on Friday, October 22 while the third place and final match will take place on Sunday, October 24.

Quarterfinals Results:

  • Royal Queens FC 0-2 Osun Babes FC
  • FC Robo Queens FC 2-0 Naija Ratels FC
  • Nasarawa Amazons 0-2 Confluence Queens
  • Edo Queens 1-0 Sunshine Queens

Semifinals Fixtures:

  • Osun Babes Vs FC Robo Queens (10am)
  • Confluence Queens Vs Edo Queens (1pm)

ICYMI: Asisat Oshoala named in FIFA Technical Advisory Group

Super Falcons captain Asisat Oshoala has been named in the technical advisory group by FIFA. The role is designed to focus on the growth and advancement of women’s football.

Oshoala who plys her trade in Spanish club, Barcelona is the only current African player in the TAG headed by Jill Ellis, a former FIFA World Women’s Coach of the Year recipient. Ellis is also the only two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winning manager and current President of the San Diego NWSL club.

Also in the team is South Africa women national team coach Desiree Ellis. The African women will be joining the likes of Kelly Smith, Mark Parsons, Jorge Vilda, Pia Sundhage and Ricardo Rambo in the forum created by the football governing body.

“Competitive balance, increased opportunities for underserved nations, a Fifa Women’s Club World Cup, increased visibility and participation, Fifa international windows, prize money and the possibility of staging a biennial Fifa Women’s World Cup are some of the topics included in the discussions held by the Fifa Technical Advisory Group (TAG) led by Jill Ellis,” a statement from FIFA website read.

“As part of a wider comprehensive consultation process, FIFA is also meeting with other women’s football stakeholders including the member associations, confederations, clubs, leagues and teams.

“The TAG, which comprises players, coaches, referees, administrators, sports scientists and executives, features representation from each of the six continental confederations, held its second meeting on Friday, 15 October.”

“It is important for us to get a good win at home” – Super Falcons coach ahead of AWCON Qualifier

The 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for Morocco in the summer of next year –which will also serve as the qualifying tournament for the 32-team 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand– will kick-off its first qualifying rounds tomorrow, Wednesday 20th October, as Super Falcons welcome Ghana.

Nigeria and Ghana were two of the six participating teams at the last month’s maiden edition of Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament. Despite the two sides not meeting at the tournament, both fierce continental rivals will slug it out in a battle which will rendered the losing side inactive for the next two-and-half years, until the qualifiers for the 2024 AWCON are activated.

The Coach of the Nigerian side, Randy Waldrum has fired up his side to go all out to secure the slot for the 2022 AWCON.

“It is important for us to get a good win at home and then go to Accra and play like warriors. These are two battles that we must be ready for. The Super Falcons just have to be at the AWCON and the World Cup and they are ready to give these two matches their all.”

Super Falcons defender, Onome Ebi who holds the record for most FIFA world Cup appearances (five) by any African player also added that it’s a must win battle for her side.

“These are two battles that we must win. We know that we have to start by winning well in Lagos on Wednesday and then go to Ghana and put up another big performance. We are not looking at this as home-and-away matches. We are looking at two matches that we must win.”

AWCON Qualifiers: Super Falcons vs Black Queens, a continental rivalry rekindle

Two of the powerhouses in Africa women’s football will go head-to-head in a battle of superiority and qualification as the Nigeria’s Super Falcons welcome the Black Queens of Ghana for a 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifying fixture at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Wednesday.

Head-to-head:

Both sides have met previously in seventeen matches, with the Nigerians claiming nine wins – compared to three for the Black Queens – and seven draws. Falcons outscored the Ghanaians 26 goals to 10 in the process.

Super Falcons build-up:

Nine-time African champions, Nigeria have struggled in their last five international outings, losing three while conceding 10 goals in the process, including a recent 4-2 humiliating loss to South Africa at the Aisha Buhari Cup.

Despite their poor form midfielder Francis Ordega insists they will leave nothing to chance against the Ghanaians.

“I feel that we are ready judging by the mood of the players in camp and we can’t wait to go out on the pitch,” Ordega told CAFOnline.com.

“Our journey to the 2023 Women’s World Cup starts now and we need to win to make it to the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations. If we don’t win, it automatically means that we are not just only going to miss the AWCON next year but also the World Cup.

“We lost to South Africa (at the Aisha Buhari Cup) but everyone on the team understands what is at stake now, why it is important we redeem our image and also do everything possible to qualify and defend our African title.

“Even though Ghana don’t have some of their best players according to them, we are still not going to underrate them. They are a very good team and tactically sound and one of the best in Africa for a long time. It is going to be a tough and competitive match but we are going to do our best to beat them.”