Connect with us

Sports

I am Still In Charge As Super Eagles Interim Coach Says Eguavoen

Published

on

I am Still In Charge As Super Eagles Interim Coach Says Eguavoen

 

Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Austin Eguavoen, has denied stepping down as the interim coach of the Super Eagles after the two 2025 AFCON qualifiers against the Benin Republic and Rwanda.

Eguavoen was appointed by the NFF to take charge of the two games following the inability of the federation to secure the services of German coach, Bruno Labbadia, over what they call stringent German tax laws.

“In the event, Technical Director of Nigeria Football Federation, Coach Augustine Eguavoen, will now take charge of the Super Eagles for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic (Uyo, September 7) and Rwanda (Kigali, September 10),” the statement announcing his appointment had partly read.

The 59-year-old led Nigeria to a convincing 3-0 win over the Benin Republic in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, last Saturday before being held to a goaless draw in the second game of the series by Rwanda on Tuesday.

After Tuesday’s goaless draw in Kigali, Eguavoen was said to have stepped down as interim coach but the gaffer has denied the reports ahead of next month’s AFCON qualifiers double header against Libya.

It’s quite unfortunate that people just trigger something that is not correct. And the situation we are in now, we don’t need negative stories,” Eguavoen said on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja in a media chat.

“I only talked about sitting down with the hierarchy of the federation after these two games and we will see how to go about prosecuting the next games.

“But when I saw that story I was worried. Whatever people are reading out there aren’t correct. I’m still very much in charge. I’m the Technical Director of the NFF, saddled with the responsibility of taking the Super Eagles at this moment,” he said.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

celebrity radar - gossips

Cameroon star backs Lookman to win CAF Player award

Published

on

Cameroon star backs Lookman to win CAF Player award

Cameroon star backs Lookman to win CAF Player award

 

As the celebration for the 2024 CAF Africa Player award gears up, Cameroon international Flavien Enzo Boyomo is confident that Nigeria international and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is the favourite to win the men’s best player award, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Lookman, who made history as the first player to score a hat-trick in a European club competition final during his club’s triumph over Bayer Leverkusen last season, has been getting massive backing from teammates, stakeholders and fans since CAF announced the final shortlist for the award.

Boyomo is the latest to throw his weight behind the Nigerian to claim the honour when the winner will be announced at the CAF Awards 2024 on December 16.

Lookman faces competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Algeria’s Amine Gouiri, Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.

 

Despite the stiff competition from other nominees, the Osasuna centre-back remains confident that the Atalanta man will win the award.

“I believe Lookman will win the African Ballon d’Or,” Boyomo was quoted saying by Actu Cameroon.

 

“He won the Europa League and he is the one who has the best chance of winning the trophy this year.”

 

Lookman’s nomination comes after a remarkable season that saw him emerge as Europe’s most productive attacking player in the latter stages of the 2023/24 campaign, registering 14 goal contributions (eight goals and six assists) from April onwards, more than any other player across Europe’s top five leagues.

The former Everton striker’s stellar performances reached their pinnacle in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, where he netted a historic hat-trick to crown a season that saw him amass an impressive 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions.

The former Everton man has continued with his impressive form this campaign, with the Nigeria international already notching nine goals and five assists in just 16 appearances for La Dea.

Aside from his historic and remarkable Europa League exploits with Atalanta, Lookman emerged as the overwhelming favourite for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award following his 14th-placed finish at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris in October where he was the only African player nominated for the award.

 

Continue Reading

Sports

France Beat Nigeria 2 – 1 In Women’s International Friendly

Published

on

France Beat Nigeria 2 - 1 In Women's International Friendly

Friendly: France Maintain Dominance Over Super Falcons After Securing 2-1 Win

Nigeria’s Super Falcons narrowly lost 2-1 to France in an international friendly game in Angers on Saturday.

It is now fourth wins in four games for France against the Super Falcons.

Eugenie Le Sommer and Amel Majri were the scorers for France while Ifeoma Onumunu got the Falcons ‘ goal.

Sommer broke the deadlock on 29th minute before Majri added the second in the 38th minute.

In three minutes of first half added time Onumonu pulled a goal back for the Falcons which was not enough to avoid defeat.

The Super Falcons welcome back Ashleigh Plumptre who missed the Paris Olympics due to injury.

Veteran defender Osinachi Ohale was sent off in the 97th minute after receiving her second booking.

In goal for the Falcons was Chiamaka Nnadozie while the likes of Christy Ucheibe, Gift Monday, Michelle Alozie, Jennifer Echiegini, Toni Payne, Rofiat Imuran featured for the Super Falcons.

Continue Reading

Sports

Asisat Oshoala, Paul Onuachu Nominated For 2024 FIFA Best Awards (Full List)

Published

on

Asisat Oshoala, Paul Onuachu Nominated For 2024 FIFA Best Awards (Full List)

The Best FIFA Football Awards 2024 nominees announced

Football fans from across the globe can now cast their votes in a host of categories, including The Best FIFA Men’s 11 and The Best FIFA Women’s 11.

🔴Voting is now open for the ninth edition of The Best FIFA Football Awards™

🔴Fans can vote for The Best FIFA Men’s 11 and The Best FIFA Women’s 11 for first time

🔴New FIFA Marta Award added to celebrate the best goal in women’s football

FIFA has announced the shortlist of nominees for The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2024, which will recognise the leading lights in another thrilling year of women’s and men’s football at both club and national-team levels.

Voting is now open on FIFA.com across a number of award categories, with fans set to play a key role in choosing the winners. Voting for The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Women’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper and The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper will be equally weighted between fans, the current captains and coaches of all women’s/men’s national teams, and media representatives.

The winner of the FIFA Fan Award will be chosen entirely by fans, while the recipient of the FIFA Fair Play Award will be decided by an expert panel. Voting for the new FIFA Marta Award and the FIFA Puskás Award will be split equally between fans and a panel of FIFA Legends.

The biggest change in terms of voting for this year’s edition of The Best FIFA Football Awards is that fans will have their say in selecting The Best FIFA Men’s 11 and The Best FIFA Women’s 11. They will be able to choose from a list of 77 nominated players – 22 defenders, midfielders and forwards apiece, plus 11 goalkeepers – slotting them into one of several preset tactical formations to build their team. Votes will be weighted equally between fans and an expert panel.

The FIFA Puskás Award has been redefined as being bestowed on the scorer of the best goal in men’s football regardless of championship or nationality. To honour the best goal scored in women’s football in any league around the world, the FIFA Marta Award, named after the Brazilian legend, will be presented for the very first time.

Voting is open on FIFA.com until 23:59 CET on Tuesday, 10 December 2024. The rules of allocation for all awards are available at the FIFA Digital Hub.

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending