Eintracht Frankfurt eyes CHRISANTUS

NEWLY promoted German Bundesliga side,Eintracht Franfurt has expressed serious interest in ex-Nigeria U17 star Macauley Chrisantus,his agent has said. Chrisantus’s agent Adam Mohammed told MTNFootball.com they have received an enquiry from Frankfurt,which has fought their way back to the German Bundesliga after they were relegated last season. “We have an interest from Eintracht Frankfurt already”, Mohammed told MTNFootball.com. “We will look at all the possibilities in the summer.” The 21-year-old striker’s contract at German Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV will run out in the summer of 2013. Eintracht Franfurt is the club who gave Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha his big break in Europe and is currently top of the Bundesliga 2 standings on 68 points with two matches to spare. Eintracht and second-placed SpVgg Greuther Furth, who are also on 68 points, are battling for the overall championship in the lower league after they both guaranteed themselves places in the German top flight next season. Macauley has scored eight goals for Eintracht’s city rivals FSV Frankfurt in the Bundesliga 2 on loan from Hamburg.

JOEL OBI scores first Serie A goal

Inter Milan midfielder,Joel Obi scored his first goal for his Serie A side in Sunday's 2-1 win and quickly dedicated the strike to his family.Obi,who had been trying to open his goal account for Il Biscione,was delighted with his goal. He was quoted as saying by the official website of Inter Milan: ''I'm happy with the goal.I finally did it after so many matches,even though it was half an own-goal.I dedicate it to my family and all my friends whom I love and who have always supported me.'' Adds Obi: ''The great performance of the whole team,especially because today the result counted.It was important for the standings. Today I also did well in defence,because it was also my task to cover at the back. Gradually we're getting used to Stramaccioni's work methods and this is also fundamental. I like my role.I have a lot of freedom,both in attack and in defence''.Meanwhile, Italy's number one sports daily La Gazzetta Dello Sport reported yesterday that Joel Obi could be one of the players to be used as make- weight in the deal by Inter Milan to land the highly rated Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi.

VICTOR MOSES earns Roberto Martinez praise

Roberto Martinez after his side routing of Newcastle United on Saturday hailed Nigeria international,Victor Moses.Wigan thumped Newcastle 4-0 in front of their supporters at the DW Stadium,their biggest win since Martinez was appointed manager. "The chances we've been creating lately are down to the pattern of play that the players are showing a real understanding in and their movement off the ball was very effective. "Then,in front of goal,the finishes from Franco Di Santo,Shaun Maloney and Victor Moses were top class,'' says Roberto Martinez to the club's official website .Wigan could guarantee their Premier League status if they get four points from their next two games against Blackburn Rovers and already relegated Wolves.

Red hot VICTOR MOSES scores brace as Wigan fights for EPL survival

Newly recruited Super eagles forward Victor Moses scored a quick-fire first half brace to help Wigan Athletic beat highflying Newcastle United 4:0 in an English Premier League game on Saturday. The 21-year-old's form has been pivotal to Wigan's impressive fight to beat the drop which has seen famous casualties like Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle in recent weeks. He headed his team ahead in the 13th minute, and two minutes later doubled their advantage when he struck home from close range. Team- mate Shaun Moloney made it three on 36 minutes, before an exquisitely lofted ball from outside the area saw Argentine forward Franco Di Santo seal the win in first half stoppage time. Wigan moved into the 16th position and now have two games to safeguard their top- flight status. Super Eagles star Moses' magnificent form this season has drawn attention from some of the league's top clubs, with Liverpool and Tottenham among his admirers. His double today takes his tally to six goals in 36 games this term

SUPER EAGLES camp opens May 6

Camp of the Super Eagles will be opened in Abuja on May 6,to prepare the team for the international friendly match against Peru in Lima on May 23,and also for the upcoming African Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers slated for June. The Super Eagles were also scheduled to play Gabon in a friendly,but agreeing on a suitable date for both countries has shelved the game indefinitely,because of a hectic qualifying series.Both countries are expected to work out a beneficial date that will not hamper their qualifiers. Coach Stephen Keshi,who is expected back in the country on Sunday to release the list of players to execute the programme,has rejected the idea of a foreign camp in Faro Portugal.Keshi prefers to prepare his team here in Nigeria “for me,I don’t think there is any need for that,for now because what we should all be thinking about for now is how the team will qualify for the two competitions ahead of us.The matches we’re going to play in the qualifiers are against African teams but I won’t say much about that until I’m briefed by the NFF.” Nigeria will play three crucial qualifiers against Namibia, Rwanda and Malawi in June.

Reading ready to swoop on YAKUBU

According to report by Goal.com the Championship winners have placed the Nigerian at the top of their summer shopping list and want him to lead their line when they return to the Premier League next season. However,Goal.com has learned that Reading will only make a move if Rovers are relegated from the top flight. The 29-year-old has two years remaining on his Blackburn contract after moving from Everton for £1.5million last summer. But he is unlikely to be willing to drop down a division following a prolific season in which his Premier League haul of 16 goals from 27 matches is bettered only by Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero. Yakubu,who is playing for his fifth English club since moving to Portsmouth in 2003, revealed in February that he rejected interest from QPR in the January window. “I said 'I don’t want to go',” he explained.“Blackburn gave me the opportunity to play in the Premier League again so for me to just go and want to leave,I don’t want to do that. “I’m lucky to be here,they gave me the opportunity to prove myself so why do I have to leave? I had made the decision I didn’t want to leave, I wanted to stay here and help the team stay in the Premier League”. Goal.com

SUPER EAGLES Coach to arrive Nigeria on sunday

Super Eagles gaffer Stephen Keshi is due in Nigeria Sunday from the United States of America, where he has been vacationing. He will return to begin preparing the team for crucial friendlies and qualifiers in the coming weeks. The national team are to report to Abuja on Sunday,May 6, ahead of the international friendly against Peru in Lima. The Peru match is fixed for May 23. Nigeria also have three crucial qualifiers against Namibia, Rwanda and Malawi in June. Keshi said there are not expected to be many changes in the squad he will soon name as his rebuilding process is nearing a crucial stage where he has to have a standing team for the qualifiers.

Tragic event after CHELSEA UCL win

Seven Chelsea fans were burnt alive when the bus they were travelling in went up in flames after it somersaulted in Lagos Tuesday night.The seven fans met their death inside a public bus popularly called ‘Danfo’ on their way to the densely populated Lagos neighbourhood of Ojuelegba from Ojota. Eye witnesses told the sports daily Soccer Star that the bus driver was drunk,which led to his reckless driving. Mean while in another Lagos neighbourhood of Shasha, John Idoko,23,died from stab wounds after he got into a bitter debate during Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final clash. Police spokesman Jaiyeoba Joseph confirmed the incident and said the killers of Idoko are still at large. An eye witness,Kayode Olumide,said rival fans belonging to both Barcelona and Chelsea battled with broken bottles and planks soon after the match was blown off at the Camp Nou.

PETER UTAKA scores first goal of the season for Chinese club

Ousted Super Eagles forward Peter Utaka was happy after he broke his duck with his first goal in China at the weekend. The Nigeria star was on target for his new Chinese Super League side Dalian Aerbin as they salvaged a point away at Guozhou Renhen courtesy of a 2-2 draw. “I am relieved now and I believe more goals will follow,” said Utaka, who moved to China for the cash during the winter transfer window. "I have been doing my best to score since I came here and I wasn't happy I was yet to score because I know a lot is expected from me. “But I am sure the goals will come now because my dream is to win the top scorer's award, it is not late. I will do it and help my team finish well on the table." The former Odense of Denmark striker has scored once in seven games, four goals short of the league’s scorer Dario Conca of leaders Guangzhou Evergrande. Utaka’s Dalian Aerbin are now 13th on the table.

MIKEL wants UEFA to Rescind Champions League suspensions

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel thinks the three players who are suspended from the Champions League final should have their bans rescinded. The midfielder was also booked but was not already on a caution so will be available for the game, but he admitted the four who will miss the game through suspension. John Terry’s red card for kneeing Alexis Sanchez means he joins Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles on the suspended list – the latter three being the bookings that Mikel thinks to be so unjust. “The yellow cards should be cancelled going into a final and UEFA should look into that,” he is quoted as saying in The Telegraph. “When you get to the final everyone wants to see the best players and it's a shame that JT, Ivanovic, Meireles and Ramires won't play.” The Nigeria international felt that Barcelona’s Chilean winger was overreacting to minimal contact and accused him of doing the same when Mikel received his own booking for a late foul. The defensive midfielder confirmed the players who are set to miss out were understandably devastated, but was confident Roberto di Matteo’s side could lift the trophy for those set to miss out. “The JT one was soft from what I saw and it was a yellow card.I think Sanchez made the most of it,” he added. “Alexis did the same to me as well.He got me yellow carded.There was a little touch and he rolled on the ground ten times.He definitely made the most of it. “The four players were devastated in the dressing room.They’re happy for the team but are very disappointed to not be in the final. We will go out to win the trophy for them.Chelsea will be playing Bayern Munich in the finals of the Uefa Champions league on the 19 of May in Munich.

GBOLAHAN SALAMI Confirms Fenerbahce Interest

Enyimba forward Gbolahan Salami has confirmed that Turkish giants Fenerbahce are interested in his signature. He told Nigerian Tribune: ''I was told by my agent that there is a possibility of playing in the Turkish League and he told me of Fenerbahce and other clubs but for now I put everything in the hands of God and I am hoping that He will do the best for me. "My agent is working while my duty is to play and continue to do well. Fenerbahce is a good club I will like to play for them.'' Two other European powerhouses - AC Milan and Manchester City - have also been linked with the former Nigeria Under 23 international.

TAIWO ‘Sickened’ By Age Cheat Rumours

Nigeria international Taye Taiwo says he is sickened by rumours making the rounds about age cheating involving him and his late twin. Taiwo turned 27 on April 16, but a BlackBerry broadcast message with unknown origins claimed that while the QPR defender was celebrating his 27th in London, his supposed twin brother was marking his 39th. The message quickly went viral, with some claiming the supposed twin turned 37, and others 33. It is, however, common knowledge among close friends and relatives of the Taiwos, that Taye’s twin, a girl, died barely two months after they were born. Taiwo, who helped Rangers to a critical 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, is understandably angry. “I don’t know what kind of sick joke this is, or the kind of sick person who will come up with it,” he tells KickOffNigeria.com. “I did not even know my twin. I was very young when my father told me that she died when we were young. “Why is it that people are always looking for a way to bring others down? I don’t understand it.”

Barca under pressure,says MIKEL

Chelsea ace Mikel Obi has said Barcelona and not Chelsea will be the team under pressure when both teams clash in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final. Chelsea won the first leg match by the odd goal and Mikel in an exclusive interview said that they are very relaxed going into the return clash at Camp Nou Tuesday night. The Chelsea midfielder again admitted it will be another tough match between the two clubs, but Chelsea hold the advantage. "We are going into the game at Camp Nou with one thing on our mind - that is to secure the UEFA Champions League final ticket,” said Mikel. “It is going to be a tough game for both sides but we are at advantage going into the game with a goal from first leg. “They will be under pressure to win and not us, and the draw with Arsenal was a good test for us ahead of the clash. “The last time we went there, we did not lose, so the same thing will happen in this game. We are ready for the battle." Chelsea have not lost in their last three visits to Barcelona with the last being a barren draw in the 2009 UEFA Champions League semi-final.

VICTOR MOSES wanted by Sunderland

According to Daily Express Sunderland are monitoring the contract situation of the Nigerian winger Victor Moses and could table a bid for him in the summer. The 21-year-old Nigeria international,who made his debut in February against Rwanda in Kigali,runs out of contract with the Latics in the summer and is stalling on putting pen to paper on a new deal which has alerted a horde of clubs. Liverpool,Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are also interested in the signature of one of Nigeria's brightest talents. Moses has scored four goals in 35 appearances for Wigan who are battling to save their Premier League status.

Student squanders school fees while celebrating Real Madrid victory

A Real Madrid F.C. fan in Abakaliki on Saturday night squandered his school fee while celebrating the team’s victory over Barcelona F.C. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, recalls that Real beat Barcelona 2-1 in an away match in the Spanish La Liga, to earn a seven-point lead over the latter. The fan, Ekene Emigo, a student of Ebonyi State University, ordered food and drinks for football fans at Kingol Guest House soccer viewing centre at Uyanwa Street, Abakaliki. Emigo told NAN that he spent more than N70, 000 on drinks and food for other fans, adding that although that was his school fee, he did not regret the action. He said with the victory, Real had avenged its four seasons nightmare in the hands of Barcelona.

SONE ALUKO scores sixth goal for Rangers

Nigeria international winger Sone Aluko fired his sixth goal for Scottish giants Rangers as they beat hosts Hearts 3-1 Saturday. The former Aberdeen player opened the goal floodgate with a 29th minute strike to put his team ahead. Aluko is a subject of transfer speculations as he will be a free agent at the end of the season. Rangers are now second on the table with 66 points behind champions Celtic, who have amassed 81 points.

KALU UCHE'S international future at risk

Vietnamese Club V.Ninh Binh have threatened to report the Nigeria international and Espanyol forward Kalu Uche to world's football governing body,Fifa over his failure to refund money he collected in 2011 as sign on bonus from the club. The most concrete interest for Kalu's services when is former team[Almeria] were demoted was from a team in Asia, V.Ninh Binh. The Vietnamese club were even willing to match Almeria's 100 billion Vietnam dong (3.5 million euros) valuation of Kalu Uche. Kalu Uche and his agent, Jose Rodriguez Baster received advance payment from V.Ninh Binh which they failed to return when the proposed transfer met a brick-wall. ''Uche and Jose Rodriguez Baster representatives (the company Promosport BCN, Barcelona, Spain) had received an amount of money from us. If Uche had signed the contract, V.Ninh Binh would have said nothing about it. But when the contract was not signed Uche should have refunded the money to us. ''Currently, the club has nearly completed records to send to FIFA demanding repayment of the money from Uche. We have all papers showing that Uche had collected money from the club. If Uche does not pay the money, V.Ninh Binh will work to make sure he can not compete at international tournaments in the future,''Executive Director Pham Van Le told thanhnien.com.vn. Should V.Ninh Binh carry out its threat of reporting Kalu Uche to Fifa, his availability for Nigeria's three games against Rwanda, Malawi and Namibia in June remains a mystery.

SIDNEY SAM not ready for Nigeria

Stephen Keshi has revealed that Bayer Leverkusen star Sidney Sam may not be ready to play for Nigeria.Keshi, who had planned to visit Germany to talk to Sam, said he would now rather allow the winger to make up his mind on his international future. “I have called Sam over 15 times and each time, the phone dovetails into voice mail and I have always left message, but the player has not responded to any of my messages, that to me is shocking and says a lot about his readiness or otherwise to play for the Super Eagles,” Keshi said. Keshi said while he has not given up on the player, he has for the meantime decided to look beyond him and try other willing Nigerians, even as he has employed some scouts to work on Sam, who has capped by Germany at various age- grade levels.

JOSEPH AKPALA To Sign New Contract At Club Brugge

Joseph Akpala has announced that he will extend his contract which expires at the end of next season. Before the start of the season, the 25-year-old had wanted to leave the blue army as the coach did not guarantee him playing opportunities. He started this season on the bench but soon established himself in the first team squad. Akpala is one of the reasons why Club Brugge are one of the candidates for the league diadem, with 14 goals in Belgium's topflight. ''My manager informed me that an agreement had been reached regarding the final details for a contract extension. I do not know the length of it. Our goal this season was to win a European ticket. It is always the case. But if against Anderlecht, the favorite for the title, we managed to overtake and take first place, we will not miss this opportunity,'' Akpala told nieuwsblad.be.

ODEMWINGIE,EMENIKE to participate in a video against racism

Nigeria internationals Osaze Odemwingie and Emmanuel Emenike, two players that have suffered racism in the Russian Premier League, have participated in the recording of a video against racism which appears on Russian TV on Friday afternoon, informs championat.com. Russian Television, Rain TV, has chosen April 20 as the 'Day of the fight against racism in Russian football'. ''Do you think football is the policy. How racism came to the country that defeated fascism? Who benefits? And when we cease to be afraid of sending their children to the stadium?'' the television station said on its website. The video features Odemwingie, Emenike, Roberto Carlos and Seydou Doumbia. Throughout the day the leading television channel will discuss issues related to racism in Russian football.

KHADIRI IKHANA unveiled as Super Falcons coach,to earn N3m monthly

THE newly appointed Head Coach of Nigeria’s senior female team, Khadiri Ikhana will be taking home a monthly salary of N3 million.Ikhana disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday during his unveiling ceremony by the Nigeria Football Federation at the FIFA goal project in Abuja, even as the football house handed him a seeming difficult task of ensuring that the Super Falcons qualified for all the championships that are taking place for the next four years.Maigari charged the new coach to ensure that the six- time African champions return to winning ways by qualifying for all the scheduled continental championships and winning them as well as the Female World Cup in 2015 and the Rio-De-Jenerio Olympics in 2016. Apart from the Super Falcons job, the former Enyimba International of Aba handler has been given the authority to oversee the other female teams and to make his inputs to the coaching crew any time he believes he should intervene. ‘Kadiri Ikhana is a very good coach and that is why we decided to engage him for the task of rebuilding our female national team who have failed to qualify for some important championships including the forthcoming London 2012 Olympic Games,’ said Maigari ‘He has the task of repositioning the Super Falcons who have the enviable record of winning six of the seven African Women Championships and I believe he can do it.’

Nigeria U-20 to play in South Africa's 8-nation tournament

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said the forthcoming Eight-Nation Invitational Tournament in South Africa would be used to assess the national U-20 team in new squad. Head coach of the Flying Eagles John Obuh who disclosed this to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday, however, described as a major setback the inability of players in the U-17 team to move into the national U-20 team. The tournament in Cape Town is scheduled to take place between May 24 and June 3, with Nigeria's Flying Eagles as defending champions. The coach said he was not expecting too much from the team for now, adding that the game would enable the players to test their ability in a competitive match. According to him, the performance of the present crop of players in the team during the trial matches would determine whether there would be any addition or subtraction from the squad. Obuh allayed the fears of clubs that the players might not be released to honor club assignments, saying that playing for their clubs was also good exposure for them. Other countries expected to participate in the tournament are South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, Japan, Argentina, Cameroon and Ghana.

GBOLAHAN SALAMI on the radar of AC Milan,Man City And Fenerbahce

According to report emalnating via Turkish newspaper Vatan, Fenerbahce ,AC Milan and Manchester City are watching the Olympic National Team forward Gbolahan Salami. Scouts of the mentioned clubs have been in Africa scouting the 21-year-old forward as they see him as a player with the right qualities to succeed in Europe. If not for injury, the Enyimba striker would have made his international debut in the high profile friendly against Egypt last week. Gbolahan Salami's first adventure outside Nigeria ended even before it started. Last summer, he joined South African PSL side Mamelodi Sundowns but had his contract terminated months later.

Keshi monitoring RAHEEM LAWAL

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has set his sights on Atletico Beleares midfielder, Raheem Lawal. The 21-year-old Spain-based Lawal turned out for Nigeria’s Under23s at the London 2012 Olympic football qualifying tournament in Morocco where the “Dream Team V” failed to make the cut for the games. Keshi says he is willing to give the youngster a chance in the national team. “Lawal is young and talented and many Nigerians who have watched him have said he will go places in future, those are the type of talents that we are looking up to in raising a team that Nigeria will be proud of in the near future,” Keshi said. Lawal scored a hat-trick for the Nigerian Under23s in their 4-1 victory over Algeria at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Morocco in December, 2011.

NFF to charter flight for Super Eagles

A top official of the Nigeria Football Federation has disclosed to MTNFootball.com:that the Football Federation have concluded plans to fly the Super Eagles to Malawi in a chartered flight. Nigeria will play against ‘the Flames’ of Malawi in a 2014 World Cup qualifiers on June 9, which will be followed by the second leg qualifiers against Rwanda in Nigeria. “We plan another chartered flight for the World Cup qualifier in Malawi. We want to ensure adequate preparation for the match and as such we are leaving nothing to chance, especially as it concerns the comfort of the players.” In February, the NFF also chartered a flight that set it back by as much as $180,000 (about N29 million) for the team’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Rwanda. The Eagles flew on special flights for the 2012 Nations Cup qualifiers in Ethiopia and Madagascar. Said the official. Nigeria beat Malawi 1-0 in Blantyre in a 2004 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. The Eagles also won the reverse fixture 4-1 in Abuja in June 2003.

Overseas-based players still relevant,KESHI

Stephen Keshi,coach of the super eagles insists his foreign players are still very relevant to his plans, despite the increased training and utilisation of players in the Nigerian Premier League for national assignments. There have been increasing calls for Keshi to turn to locally-based players following the recent unconvincing run of the Super Eagles, despite the heavy reliance on the largely Europe-based contingent. The calls have grown louder with the good showing of the domestic Eagles in friendly games against the likes of Zambia and Egypt as well as the recent 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash with Rwanda. But Keshi, who has overseen the growing exposure of the home-based Eagles, believes every Nigerian player in good form should be factored into the team's plans. "It will be foolhardy of us to quickly say that we won't use our players who are based abroad in the national team anymore.� Keshi told Supersport.com. "We won't ignore any player doing well whether he plays here (in Nigeria) or plays abroad. But so far such a player is ready to give his best when called up to the team." Keshi expressed belief that the local players were capable of improving further, but cautioned that the rebuilding programme was still very much a work in progress. With the European season drawing to a close and Nigeria facing three consecutive competitive games against Namibia, Malawi and Rwanda in the first three weeks of June, it is unclear how Keshi intends to tackle the challenge.

Emenike Unaware of EPL interest

Emenike, who has scored 12 goals this season for Spartak Moscow, said he has neither been informed by his Russian club or his agent about any interest from English clubs Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. "I don't think there is anything like that because my club or my manager have not informed me of any interest from Chelsea or any EPL team,” he told MTNFootball.com “EPL is a glamorous league, I even watch games that involve the big teams when I am not busy. But I don’t dream of the EPL, but La Liga, even though I can never tell (where I will be) in the long run.” Emenike said his immediate target is to help Spartak qualify for the Champions League from the Russian championship playoffs. “I am not allowing any speculations to distract me as I am committed to helping the cause of my club to earn UEFA Champions League ticket at the end of the play offs,” he said. “I am focussed on a good performance for Spartak Moscow, I love it here."

NEDUM ONUOHA remains optimistic of survival

QPR defender Nedum Onuoha has urged teammates not to panic over their dwindling survival chances. Rangers blew the chance to put daylight between themselves and the Barclays Premier League bottom three on Saturday when they lost 1-0 at West Brom. It does not get any easier for Mark Hughes' men, who face Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City during their last four matches. But defender Onouha said: "At this stage of the season, no-one goes into the final few games and has any easy games to play. "There is always someone trying to prove something somewhere. You just have to look at it that way and try and get as many points as you can. "I am very hopeful of staying up. Hope is the one thing that transcends fear and you have to hope you are going to stay up so in the end things will go your way."

FALCONETS through to the next round after 3 v 0 win over Zimbabwe

Nigeria’s U-20 Women national team on Sunday afternoon proved too hot for Zimbabwe whipping them 3-0. The Nigerians thus moved to the next round of the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers on a 6-0 aggregate having beaten them 3-0 in the first leg in Abeokuta. Striker, Desire Oparanozie opened scores for the Nigerian side in the 10th minute while Esther Sunday grabbed the second in the 27th minute to keep scores 2-0 at half time. In the second period, substitute, Ebere Orji who came in for Sunday in the 46th minute struck in the 86th minute to compound Zimbabwe’s woes and eliminate them. Nigeria had more ball possession, had more corner kicks and more attempts at goal unlike the Young Mighty Warriors. Kudos must be given to Chief Coach, Edwin Okon for propelling his girls to victory. “Today l am a happy man because my girls played well,” he said. Falconets Keeper, Ebubuleye Whtye was virtually on holiday unlike her counterpart, Portia Makucha who was kept on her toes throughout the encounter. Nigeria will now meet the winner of the Mali/Congo DR encounter next month. The winner will be among the 16 teams at the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Japan in August.

Chelsea reportedly on the trail of BROWN IDEYE

According to report emanating from goal.com,the London club are said to be in the hunt for the 'new Didier Drogba' as they prepare for the potential exit of their iconic Ivorian hitman in the summer. While big names like Napoli striker Edinson Cavani are being considered, the Blues are also seeking a less expensive option with the potential for superstardom. The former Neuchatel Xamax and Sochaux forward caught the eye after racking up 12 goals in 24 league appearances for Ukrainian side Dinamo Kyiv in what is his debut season. Representatives of the 10m pounds-rated Brown, 23, are understood to have visited London last weekend and met senior Chelsea officials including chief executive Ron Gourlay.

Chelsea loanee KENNETH OMERUO on target in Holland

Nigeria youth international Kenneth Omeruo scored his first goal since he joined Dutch club Ado Den Haag on a season-long loan from Chelsea. The former Standard Liege of Belgium youngster scored his team's second goal in 3-0 bashing of FC Groningen. The highly-rated Omeruo hit target with a header in the 59th minute to take the game beyond Groningen. The home victory lifted injury-hit Den Haag to 14th position with 32 points from 29 matches. The defender has shone since he joined the Dutch Eredivisie team as he has cemented a place in the starting eleven.

KESHI hails Home based Eagles,lambastes Referee

Super Eagles head coach Steven Keshi was full of praise for his side despite loss to Egypt.Keshi blamed the referee for the loss,but rather commended the players for showing character, grit and concentration till the final whistle. “The boys did well despite the odds and there is nothing to feel sad about. To have played this well against such a top side gives cause to be satisfied,” the former Super Eagles captain told SuperSport.com. Keshi said there were positives to pick from the game; his first defeat since he took the reins of the national team on November 2, 2011. “There were a lot of positives to draw from (Thursday’s) game. I am pleased with what I saw from the boys. The future is bright for Nigerian football,”. He also added “The referee if he has a conscience, should know that he robbed us, because we had a penalty that was not given and the last goal looked questionable but like I told you I expected this type of officiating,said Keshi. Nigeria will next play Gabon in another international friendly in Libreville, as well as Peru in Lima next month.

Nigeria to play South Africa in the semi final of the U13 Africa Championship

Defending champions of the Nestle Milo Under 13 African football championship, Nigeria defeated Kenya 6-0 in their second group match to qualify for the semi-finals. Nigeria will take on South Africa at 11am local time in Accra in the second match this Friday. Hosts Ghana will battle Sierra Leone at 9am. The final match will take place later in the evening. Nigeria opened their campaign in the competition scoring the fastest goal of the tournament as they dispatched Sierra Leone 3-0 in a Group B match played on Thursday at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra, Ghana. Nigerians represented by St Stephen Primary School, Lagos Island, Lagos were the pre- match favourites and lived up to the billing at the venue filled up by pupils from different Ghanaian schools. Toheeb Oyelakin opened scoring in the fifth minute and this was followed by the goals from Adeyemi Ashafa also in the first half and Lukman Azeez who sealed victory forthe country in the second half. Nigeria lost a penalty kick which was blown over the bar during the first half. The Nigeria-Sierra Leone game was the second for the day as the teams played in round robin format within each group. Hosts Ghana opened the rain of goals with the 5-0 win over a hapless South African team. The coach of the Nigerian team Ogunnaike Oludayo attributed their victory to discipline. He said, “We are very satisfied with the outing. Hard work, confidence and understanding of themselves helped our players. The kids have become very bold and confident and that played out today.” Nigeria was billed to face Kenya in their second match of the day as at press time while the Ghanaians were scheduled to play against Liberia. The top two teams from the group of three teams will go into the semi final stage Friday morning before the final match in the evening. The competition will be rounded off with a dinner session for the teams at the Holiday Inn before their departure on Saturday. Nigeria won the maiden edition of the competition held two years ago in South Africa.

EGYPT 3 : 2 NIGERIA (Match report)

A Nigeria side composed solely of players from the Nigerian Premier League gave a good account of themselves despite losing 3:2 to a strong Egypt side. The Homebased Eagles scored through Sunday Mba and Kalu Uche while the Pharaohs got their goals through Ahmed Temsah, Mohammed Aboutreika and Ahmed Hassan Mekki in a match which was played in El Nasr stadium,Dubai. it was the Nigerian side that grabbed the lead in the thirteenth minutes through Sunday Mba after good work from Enyimba star Uche Kalu. Egypt fought back to level 12 minutes later through Ahmed Temsah who profited from a defensive error by the Nigerian defence. The Pharaohs then went ahead when Abou-Treika scored from the spot after defender Juwon Oshaniwa fouled a man in the box. Nigeria went on the offensive and were deservedly back on level terms in the 43rd minute, this time Kalu was the scorer after backheeling an Ejike Uzoenyi corner into the net. Egypt made some changes to their squad in the second period, introducing Sunderland star Ahmed Elmohamady and danger man Emad Meteb. In the dying moments Ahmed Hassan Mekki snatched the winner after another defensive blunder by the Super Eagles backline.

CHRISTIAN CHUKWU gives his take on Nigeria v Egypt friendly

Former Nigeria skipper and coach Christian Chukwu has cautioned that today's friendly against Egypt should not be used as a yardstick for measuring how far Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has gone in his team rebuilding programme. Chukwu however believes the game will be a good test for the team of home-based players that Nigeria will feature in the tie against the almost full-strength Pharaohs. "The friendly against Egypt on Thursday (today) will be an interesting game but the most important thing is that the players are playing a big game. It's a good test for the home-based players." Chukwu told Complete Sports. The 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner also urged fans not to bother about the amount of goals scored, saying they should instead see it as an opportunity for the handlers to understand the team better. "Stephen Keshi and his crew are on a rebuilding process. So, we should be more concerned about the effect of such games on the team rather than whether they scored plenty of goals. "However, if the goals come, fine. Nigerian fans should not put enormous pressure on the team." Chukwu added

Nicolas Anelka Named Shanghai Shenhua Player-Coach

Nicolas Anelka has been put in temporary charge of Shanghai Shenhua, according to reports. The France striker, 33, was only lured to the big-spending Chinese outfit from Chelsea in January but has already taken his first steps into management. Anelka is an unlikely candidate for management, having once been branded 'the Incredible Sulk' after falling out with several of his former clubs and having a reputation as a surly character. But Anelka was handed his new role after Shanghai sacked their team's coaching staff following a dismal run. They have won only two of their five matches so far this season. Shenhua confirmed the sackings, but no mention was made of boss Jean Tigana following speculation he had also been axed. However, reports suggest that Tigana is now negotiating a severance package. A club statement read: 'Due to the team's recent record which has not met the expectations and demands of the club's fans, media and other parties and the fact the foreign players are in urgent need of high-quality training the club has made the decision to replace some members of the coaching staff. 'The club will introduce four coaches from the United Kingdom and France to join the coaching staff to provide the necessary training support to ensure the competitive state of the players. 'In addition, the team captain Nicolas Anelka will coach and participate in the team's daily training management.' The Oriental Sports Daily newspaper said the club had sacked the coaches brought on board by Tigana and hired four new ones as replacements. Former Tottenham keeper Ian Walker, who will work with the goalkeepers, and Birmingham fitness coach Dan Harris will also join as new assistants, as do two Frenchmen, Alioune Kissima Toure and Jean-Florent Ikwange Ibenge, according to the newspaper. Anelka, who has also played for Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bolton and Galatsaray, is the most high- profile foreign footballer to sign for the Chinese league. Shenhua finished in the bottom half of the table last season. Tigana, the former Fulham and Monaco boss, also joined Shenhua as the club sought out more foreign talent. Shenhua are 11th in China's Super League, having claimed just five points from five games this term.

YAK laud NPL players

Blackburn Rovers hotshot Yakubu has hailed NPL stars like Ejike Uzoenyi and Godfrey Oboabona for their displays for the Eagles recently. Uzoenyi, Oboabona and Azubuike Egwuekwe started a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in February, alongside Europe- based stars like Yakubu and Osaze Odemwingie. "I was really impressed with what Ejike Uzoenyi, Godfrey Oboabona and Azu Egwueke did in Kigali against Rwanda and am sure they have opened the door for others to play in the Super Eagles with such good performances,” said Yakubu, who is now six goals short of scoring 100 goals in the EPL. “These were things that we enjoyed too while I played with Julius Berger in the local league and that explains why I try to do my little bit to encourage the players when I get the chance as was the case with last season's top scorer Jude Aneke.” The Blackburn Rovers star was a one-time NPL hotshot and he rewarded last season's top scorer in the NPL Jude Aneke with $1000 and a golden boot for his heroics. The Eagles striker further said what was most crucial in friendlies played by the home- based players was the experience and exposure rather than results. "We must not dwell so much on the results of the friendly matches whether they are very good or very bad,” he said. “The most important thing is that these games are being played and the home based stars are gaining valuable experience and exposure that will make them better players. "They should be very grateful to the Nigeria Football Federation and coach Stephen Keshi for giving them these opportunities and they must seize them to better their careers.”

NIGERIA vs EGYPT [Preview]

Date:12 Apr 2012 Venue:UAE Kickoff Time:7pm(5pm Nigeria time) TEAM LIST: EGYPT; GOALKEEPERS:Essam Al- Hadari,Abdul-Wahed Al- Sayed,Sherif Ekrami, Defenders: Mahmoud Fathallah,Mohamed Naguib, Ahmed Saied 'Ouka', Mohamed Abdul-Shafi, Bassem Ali, Mohamed Nassef,Ahmed Duiedar, MIDFIELDERS:Ahmed Hassan,Mohamed Abou- Treika,Walid Soliman, Hossam Ghaly,Ibrahim Salah, Hossam Ashour,Ahmed Khairi, STRIKERS: Amr Zaki, Emad Meteb,Geddo,Ahmed Abdul-Zaher,Ahmed Temsah, Ahmed Hassan Mekki,Ashour Al-Taqui NIGERIA; GOALKEEPERS: Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves), Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland), Defenders: Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine), Sope Ahmed (Shooting Stars), Juwon Oshaniwa (Sharks), Nura Mohammed (Enyimba), Ugonna Ozuchukwu (Enugu Rangers), Papa Idris (Kano Pillars), Azubuike Egwueke (Warri Wolves), MIDFIELDERS: Ikechukwu Ibenegbu (Heartland) Uche Ossai (Warri Wolves), Henry Uche (Enyimba), Gabriel Reuben (Kano Pillars), STRIKERS: Izu Azuka (Sunshine Stars), Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland), Sunday Mba (Warri Wolves), Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers), Barnabas Imenger (Kwara United), Uche Kalu, Gbolahan Salami (Enyimba).

Yak scores his 16th and 17th goal of the season

Yakubu Aiyegbeni recovered from a penalty miss to score a brace for Blackburn Rovers,but they ended up losing 3:2 at home to 10-man Liverpool in an English Premier League
game on Tuesday night.
A quick-fire brace in the 13th and 16th minutes by Maxi Rodriguez gave the Reds a
dream start at Ewood Park,but Rovers fought back through their talismanic Nigerian
striker.Liverpool's stand-in goalkeeper Alexander Doni was sent off in the 25th minute for
fouling David Hoilett in the box,but Yakubu loused up the resulting penalty.He
however atoned for it with a fine header off a free kick in the 36th minute.
The 29-year-old then pulled Rovers level from the spot in the 61st minute following
calamitous goalkeeping by substitute goalkeeper Brad Jones.

The goals were Yakubu's 16th and 17th of the campaign but the loss leaves Rovers
steeped in the relegation zone.

KADUNA to host Eagles game (despite bomb blast),NFF

Despite a horrific bomb blast a that claimed about 40 lives on Easter Sunday in Kaduna,
the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said the northern city will still host the
country's World Cup qualifying game with Namibia on June 02.
The city had also been picked to host the return leg of the Super Eagles' 2013 Africa
Cup of Nations qualifier with Rwanda two weeks later.
There have been fears expressed over the decision to host the games in the northern
region where religious extremist group Boko Haram has repeatedly unleashed terror
with a string of suicide bombings.
Sunday's incident believed to have been carried out by the group,has raised the debate,
but NFF president Aminu Maigari does not feel there is any cause for alarm.
"This kind of attack is not targeted against football," the NFF boss told Soccer Star.
"We are staging the match in Kaduna as part of our efforts to use football to bring
unity to the country.
"Nobody should raise unnecessary alarm."
Indeed last November the Eagles hosted Zambia in a friendly in Kaduna despite Boko
Haram's ongoing terror attacks at the time.But the unstructured nature of its operations
has many worried that there are no safe areas.
The turf of the Abuja National Stadium which is the current home of the team is in bad
shape and would require about N75m (just under half a million US dollars) to fix,a
sum which the football authorities have bulked at.

VICTOR OBINNA NSOFOR not leaving Lokomotiv Moscow

Obinna Nsofor has shared his thoughts on the 0-1 home loss to Zenith St Petersburg in the last round of matches in the Russian Premier League. '' I believe that today (Saturday,ed) we do not deserve defeat. We had a very good game, especially in the first half. Unfortunately, we did not score a penalty, it is insulting, but it happens to the best players in the world, no one is immune from this. Missed an unfortunate goal. Very sorry, we really wanted to beat Zenith.Well, now it's in the past. We have to think about the match with the Kubanin the next round,'' Obinna told Chempionat.com. The ex Hammer also denied reports in the Press that he would be leaving the Railway Men at the end of the season, and was only fielded to enable him remain match fit. Obinna said: ''I unfortunately do not understand Russian, and I do not read the Russian press. Such rumors first time I heard. If Lokomotiv wanted to sell, I would have been the first to know about it.'' The Nigeria has found it difficult cementing his place in the first team squad. Saturday's encounter against Zenith was only his first start this calender year.

Eagles on their way to Dubai for Egypt game

Goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agbim was at the head of 21 players who left Abuja on Easter Monday afternoon for Dubai, for Thursday’s high-profile international friendly match against the Pharaohs of Egypt. Assistant Coach Daniel Amokachi, standing in for Head Coach Stephen Keshi who is holidaying in the United States of America and will join the Eagles in Dubai on Tuesday, rolled out a list that consisted of two goalkeepers, six defenders, seven midfielders and six strikers. The team travelled out aboard an Ethiopian Airline aircraft, to stop over in Addis Ababa before another three-hour flight to Dubai. Agbim, of CAF Confederation Cup campaigners Warri Wolves, will have as cover goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, with defenders Azubuike Egwueke, Papa Idris, Juwon Oshaniwa, Hamed Adesope, Godfrey Oboabona and Nura Mohammed. Left-footed Ejike Uzoenyi of Enugu Rangers, voted Man of the Match in the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali at the end of February, leads the midfielders that also include Bartholomew Ibenegbu and Gabriel Reuben, with strikers Uche Kalu, Sunday Mba and Izu Azuka among others. Mba scored the two goals in the 2-0 away win over Liberia’s Lone Star in Monrovia in February while Azuka has been in great form for Sunshine Stars, and scored home and away as the club knocked out Recreativo Libolo of Angola to reach the CAF Champions League third round. Thursday’s game will mark Coach Stephen Keshi’s sixth match in charge of the Senior National Team, with two wins and three draws in the previous five. FULL LIST: GOALKEEPERS: Chigozie Agbim, Dan Akpeyi DEFENDERS: Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwueke, Papa Idris, Juwon Oshaniwa, Hamed Adesope, Nura Mohammed MIDFIELDERS: Uche Ossai, Ejike Uzoenyi, Bartholomew Ibenegbu, Obinna Nwachukwu, Henry Uche, Gabriel Reuben, Ogonna Uzuchukwu STRIKERS: Gbolahan Salami, Uche Kalu, Mohammed Lawal, Izu Azuka, Sunday Mba, Barnabas Imenger Jnr.

Top Epl Clubs in hunt for EMENIKE

Report emanating from Turkish most influential daily,Milliyet,stated that EPL clubs are in hunt for Spartak Moscow frontman EMMANUEL EMENIKE. Chelsea,Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in doing business with Spartak Moscow in the summer for the prolific Nigerian forward. The Russian team has placed a bounty of 25 million euros on Emenike's head. Emenike joined Spartak Moscow July, 2011 from Turkish champions Fenerbahçe for a transfer fee of ten million euros. In less than a year, his market value has ballooned by more than 100 percent. The 24-year-old has had stints with FC Cape Town and Karabükspor. After a glorious spell with Karabükspor, he left to join Fenerbahçe, but did not play an official game for the club due to match fixing scandal.

AL ARABI after KANU NWANKWO

British newspaper, The Sun,reports that Al Arabi have contacted the Nigerian legend Nwankwo Kanu, and are doing everything possible to lure him to Qatar with an attractive offer. The 35-year-old forward is under contract with Portsmouth until the end of the 2013 season. Kanu has fallen down the pecking order at Pompey, and has not played an official game for the club since January. A move to Al Arabi which once paraded a certain Taribo West could save the former UEFA Champions League winner from his Pompey agony.

Championship Clubs after youthful AKINOLA of Nigerian heritage

Several English Championship clubs are chasing Nigerian youngster Simeon Akinola, who features for Boreham Wood in the Conference South. Akinola, 19, scored twice for Harrow Borough Tuesday as they defeated East Thurrock United as he continued his comeback from injury. Having scored 53 goals last season with the Boreham Wood reserves, Akinola has started to attract attention from Championship clubs, with scouts attending his last three matches. With four goals in five games since a return from injury, the Nigeria-born striker, also eligible for Spain, shows no signs of letting up as he maintains his incredible scoring record. “There has been a lot of interest in Simeon over the past few weeks,” said the player's agent, Kay Sarpong. “The thought of playing at a higher level is obviously pleasing for him and he is definitely capable of reaching those heights. “Right now though, Simeon is just focused on performing well and scoring goals.” Boreham Wood have announced the immediate return of Akinola from his loan spell and the young striker will now go straight into the first-team for Friday's fixture against Thurrock.

WIKKI TOURISTS blames Referee for match defeat

Nigeria Premier League side Wikki Tourists have blamed Wednesday’s 4-1 spanking at Sunshine Stars to biased officiating. Wikki spokesman Abbas Gungura accused referee Nwabueze U.M (Abia) of masterminding their heavy defeat and disclosed that they have lodged an official complaint to the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) to that effect. “It was the worst match I have watched this season in terms of officiating,” Gungura told MTNFootball “The referee made sure we lost. He awarded a penalty to them in the 21st minute and four minutes later we equalised. “He then sent off our player in the 38th minute. To make things worse, the third goal was a clear offside, while a Sunshine player held our player back to allow them score the fourth goal. “We are sad because this was unfair. This man is not worthy to handle NPL games.We will file a complaint to the NPL on this.” Cameroonian midfielder Tamen Medrano netted a brace in this rescheduled Week 16 fixture. He opened scoring from the penalty spot in the 21st minute, before Alaba Johnson drew the visitors level minutes later. Wikki defender Mustapha Ibrahim was then sent off on 38 minutes. Medrano again converted a penalty in the 43rd minute. Goals by Ukeyima Akombo and Dele Olorundare completed the trouncing late on.

SONE ALUKO linked with the three clubs,Sporting Braga inclusive

Sone Aluko is spoilt for choice ahead of the summer transfer window. Three clubs have expressed concrete interest for the services of the in-form Nigerian winger who becomes a free agent at the end of the 2011-2012 season. Reports which surfaced today suggest that Rayo Vallecano lead the queue for the signature of the 23-year-old. But there is also interest from another Spanish club Espanyol and Sporting Braga, Portugal. Aluko, who trialed with Italian giants Juventus last summer, is flattered to be linked with the three clubs. However, he wants to continue playing well for Glasgow Rangers. ''That's not something I'm looking at right now. I'm just concentrating on playing for Rangers and carrying on my good form,'' said Aluko. The former Nigeria youth- teamer is Rangers' second top goalscorer in the league with six strikes in fifteen games.

Mikel Obi to avenge loss

Mikel Obi has revealed Chelsea will seek to avenge a Champions League semi-final exit they suffered against Barcelona three seasons ago. Barcelona dumped Chelsea at the same stage of the competition in the 2008/09 season on the away goals’ rule after they drew 1-1 in very controversial circumstances in London following a goalless draw at the Camp Nou. ‘The Blues’ will now host the defending champions on April 18 in another semi-final match- up in the Champions League with the return tie six days later. "We've met at this stage before and they scaled through. It’s our time now to do same to them,” Mikel told MTNFootball.“Barcelona are a great team, no doubt. They are the best now, but that does not mean they are invincible as they have lost games this season, so we can beat them. “We just have to win the first leg at home while keeping a clean sheet and then go to Barcelona to wrap it up. We have top quality players who can make this happen." Mikel played the full duration in both legs of the quarterfinals against Portugal’s Benfica as Chelsea won 3-1 on aggregate after winning their first game in Lisbon 1-0. "We are relieved to reach the semi-finals as it was not easy to beat a very good Benfica team,” admitted Mikel

IKECHUKWU UCHE:I Do Not Care Where I Play

Ikechukwu Uche is one of the most important players for Granada.Only the Italian defender Guilherme Siqueira has played more games than him in the La Liga (29 games). Ahead of this weekend's game at the Iberostar Estadi against Mallorca, the 28-year-old striker says he is ready to play in any offensive position Coach Abel Resino considers him to fill. ''I do not care if I play on the right side or as top striker. What I think every week is to work for the team, trying to help, if from the start, the better, and if I do I have to wait too. If given the choice I prefer to play up, but now we must not think of the position where you do, but what you bring to the team, wherever,'' Uche told granadahoy.com. Ikechukwu Uche has scored 3 goals in 28 matches this season for the Rojiblancos horizontales.

DAVID ALABA Gets Rave Reviews In Germany

Bayern Munich have progressed to the last four of the Champions League. Thanks to their 2-0 victory over Marseille on Tuesday. The Austria Player of The Year David Alaba, who has Nigeria heritage, played a role in Bayern's victory in the quarter-finals, and was praised by the media after the game. ''We were the better team for the full 90 minutes. We've won and we’re through. I've struck up a good understanding with Ribery, and I hope it carries on. I want to thank the coaching staff and the team for their 100 percent support,'' Alaba told German media. France star Franck Ribery feels comfortable that Alaba playing at left back is behind him. Ribery said: ''He's a really good kid. He is only 19 years old and has a lot of quality. He plays well, and I'm very happy, if so, a boy plays with us. I talk to him much. Of course I say something to him when he plays a slow pace, but I remain always positive.''

Orlando Pirates approaches Siasia for coaching job

Former Nigeria coach Samson Siasia may be named as the next coach of South African powerhouse club Orlando Pirates. The Buccaneers as they are famously known parted ways with Julio Leal this week and need a coach to take them to the end of the season. Siasia lost his job as coach of the Nigeria national team after the Super Eagles could not qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations that was won by Zambia in February. DON'T MISS Siasia who recently agreed to coach in India said the opportunity if confirmed will be too good to be turned down. “All I can say now is that someone contacted me to ask if I was interested in the job,” Siasia told KickOff.com. “I told them I am open to discussion. What coach in Africa would not be interested in Orlando Pirates? But, for now, no discussions have taken place,” he added. Siasia whose CV reads quite impressively has famously led the U-20 and U-23 teams to silver medal positions at the U-20 FIFA World Cup in 2005 and the Beijing Olympics football event respectively. If he is contracted, he will join another former Super Eagles coach Shaibu Amodu as having coached the South African side. Amodu coached the Buccaneers in the 1996/97 season.

CSKA Moscow In Love With MICHAEL UCHEBO

Recently declared surplus to requirement at Dutch club VVV Venlo, Michael Uchebo could join compatriot Ahmed Musa in Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow,reports www.voetbalzone.nl citing sources in Russia, CSKA Moscow are in love with two strikers of VVV Venlo - Uche Nwofor and Michael Uchebo. The agent of the two Nigerians has met with the hierarchy of CSKA Moscow, and according to reports a preliminary agreement has been reached with the army team for the players to join the club at the end of the season. VVV Venlo have an excellent relationship with the Russian team, and have sold two of their players - Keisuke Honda and Ahmed Musa - to the 2005 Europa Cup winners.

Saintfiet not boss of Keshi,says NFF

Nigeria's new technical director Tom Saintfiet will not be the boss of Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi as well as other national team coaches, according to the general secretary of the country's football federation Musa Amadu. Amadu dispelled fears in sections of the football community in Nigeria when he told Complete Sports that the Belgian had his role clearly defined, stressing that he would primarily be focused on youth and grassroots player-development as well as working to improve local coaches. The former Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia coach will be expected to scour the vast country to identify and facilitate the grooming young talents. He will also be involved in organising training programmes for coaches. "The national technical director will organise seminars, coaching clinics with clubs and state football associations but will not include vetting Keshi or national team's list. Keshi and Saintfet will not clash, that I can assure you because they have their jobs spelt out," Musa insisted. Amadu debunked reports that world governing body FIFA will pick up the bills for Saintfiet, saying it was the NFF's responsibility to pay his wages and attendant costs. Meanwhile the national body is currently processing Saintfiet's papers at the Nigerian Immigration Services. The 39-year-old is expected in Nigeria next week to sign his contract papers.

Nigeria v Egypt friendly match called off due to sponsorship issues

The International friendly match between Egypt and Nigeria has been cancelled. Goal.com learnt that the match will no longer be played because the sponsor of the game that was supposed to take place next week in Abu Dhabi pulled out. The Egyptian side have been in camp for months and the Super Eagles just resumed camping on Monday in Abuja. Musa Amadu, secretary general of the Nigeria Football Federation,said that they are still studying the situation and will come out with a statement when everything is clear. "We are going to get a confirmation from the Egyptian Football Association, and after that we will know what to do," Amadu said. The match is likely to be rescheduled to another date. Source:goal.com Nigeria

Nigerians in Europe

It was a tale of two Victors in England as Everton striker Victor Anichebe and Wigan hitman Victor Moses both scored for their clubs. Everton beat West Brom, while Wigan triumphed over Stoke City. Both scored in identical 2:0 wins, and both netted the goals that sealed the wins. The goals took the tallies of both players to four each this season. There were no Nigerian goal scorers in France, Spain, Italy, Holland and Germany, but the less popular leagues recorded some goal scoring activity for the west Africans. Veteran Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins cast his struggles aside to score the only goal of the match for Rubin Kazan who beat big-spenders Anzhi Makhachkala 1:0 at home on Sunday in the Russian Championship Play-offs. In Belgium red-hot Joseph Akpala kept up his rich scoring form when he capped a 2:0 win for Club Brugge in the first game of the Belgian Championship Play-offs on Friday. It was his fourth goal in his last three games and his 14th league goal overall this season. Substitute Derick Ogbu salvaged a point for OH Leuven as they drew 1:1 with Lierse in the play-offs for a Europa Cup place in Belgium. The 22-year-old struck the equaliser on 86 minutes. Left-back Elderson Echiejile netted a consolation goal for SC Braga who slid to third place in Portugal after a 2:1 loss at Benfica. It was the 24-year-old's fourth goal of the season. Four Nigerians started for Midtjylland in Denmark in a draw 2:2 with Silkeborg. Sylvester Igboun, 21, grabbed his seventh goal of the season to give his side the lead, while Jude Nworuh, 22, netted his third of the campaign to give Midtjylland the lead for a second time. In the new Norwegian season that is two games gone, Kemi Ojo rounded off a 3:1 win for Brann over Sandnes Ulf with a goal in the 62nd minute. 31-year-old Lucky Idahor scored his second goal for Zorya to ensure a share of the spoils with Illichivets in the Ukrainian Premier League. Compatriot Ideye Brown netted his 12th goal of the season to help Dynamo Kyiv to a 3:1 win over Chornomorets

YAKUBU TALKING TOUGH

Blackburn striker Yakubu has warned Manchester United that he believes he could score a hat-trick when the two meet on Monday at Ewood Park. The Nigerian international scored two goals as his side clinched a shock 3-2 victory against the defending champions at Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve. And the forward recalled the day fondly, telling The Sun: "Scoring against United is always special — they're one of the biggest clubs in the world. "To score two that day at Old Trafford was a great feeling. You always want to be at your best when you play the biggest clubs. "But I always think I can score, no matter which club I am playing against. Whenever I get the ball I believe I can score. "After I get my first goal I always feel I can go on and get a second. That's what happened at Old Trafford. Maybe I can do it again — to go one better and get a hat- trick against United. That would be great for me." The Red Devils recently overtook rivals Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table and would go five points clear with a win at Ewood Park. However, Yakubu believes his side, who have climbed out of the relegation zone after winning three of their last six league games, will not make it easy for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. He continued: "The league will be a fight to the end. City won't just give away the title. United could drop points at any time. Already this season we have won some games people did not expect us to win." The forward has already scored 14 league goals so far this campaign, but underlined his desire for more and thanked his manager for giving him the opportunity to do so. He continued: "I want to score more than 20 goals in a season. To score more than 20 in the Premier League is always a great achievement. "Steve Kean gave me the opportunity to come back to the Premier League. He allowed me to prove what I can do — and I have to thank him for that."

ISAAC PROMISE on the radar of Bursaspor and Toulouse FC

Nigerian striker Isaac Promise has reached an agreement in principle to join Bursaspor after the end of the 2011 - 2012 campaign. The 24-year-old becomes a free agent in the next two months, and won't play in Turkey's second tier with relegated Manisaspor. Promise had an outstanding season with Manisaspor., scoring 11 goals in the league despite being used in some games as a right midfielder. According to reports in Turkey, Toulouse FC, France were also interested in Promise but couldn't agree terms with the striker and might have put his case in the drawer. Before Promise joined Manisaspor three seasons ago, he had spells with Gençlerbirliäÿi and Trabzonspor.

MIKEL OBI:ABRAMOVICH Wants Results

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel insists their problems this season are not down to owner Roman Abramovich. The Nigerian insists the players are in tune with Abramovich's ambitions. Obi Mikel was quoted as saying by TribalFootball.com: “It has been a difficult season as a player. “You can question the owner but the owner wants results and he wants to win trophies. “If things are not right, it is his money and his team so he has the right to change things. “Tomorrow, if he says he wants to get rid of us players and wants to get new ones, we will respect him. It is his money and his business.”

NPL full result

Kwara United 2-0 Rising Stars Niger Tornadoes 1-1 Lobi Stars Dolphins 1-0 Kano Pillars ABS FC 3-0 Jigawa Golden Stars Enugu Rangers 3-2 3SC Heartland 0-1 Sharks Enyimba 1-1 Akwa United Sunshine Stars 1-1 Warri Wolves Kaduna United 1-0 Ocean Boys Gombe United 1-0 Wikki Tourists

Martins scores first goal of the season

Obafemi Martins scored his first goal of the season for Rubin Kazan to ensure a 1:0 win over Anzhi Makhachkala in a Russian Premier League Championship Play-offs game on Sunday. The Nigeria international netted in the 50th minute after crouching to loop a header over the Anzhi backline following a nicely flighted cross from near the corner flag. Martins has endured an injury- ravaged season and today's game was only his sixth of the season. The defeat seriously dents Anzhi's hopes of a UEFA Champions League place as they slid to sixth place on the eight-team table and could drop further pending the result of today's game between Lokomotiv Moscow and Dinamo Moscow. Legendary African striker Samuel Eto'o led Anzhi's frontline, while Morocco midfielders Mbark Boussoufa and Mehdi Carcela as well as Congo defender Chris Samba all started for the Dagestan- side. Meanwhile Nigeria striker Ahmed Musa came on for Liberia star Sekou Oliseh in the 69th minute as CSKA Moscow drew 1:1 away to Kuban Kransnodar yesterday. Cote d'Ivoire hitman Seydou Doumbia bagged the goal for CSKA. The draw could cost the Muscovites their second place in the standings, and final UEFA Champions League place, by the end of the weeken

Rangers Boss McCoist Backs SONE ALUKO

Rangers boss Ally McCoist has defended the Nigeria international Sone Aluko saying he didn't dive to win a penalty for the side against rivals Motherwell on Saturday in an SPL match. ''I went to see Iain after the game and he was great. We had a chat about it and he saw it as simulation so he booked Sone. My argument was that I thought it was a penalty. I can understand the penalty decision because sometimes referees give them and sometimes they don't. "I just feel so sorry for the kid because he hasn't dived. He has a big stud mark on his thigh that indicates there was contact. That was my big gripe, because the boy has been fantastic and he doesn't deserve to be branded something that he's not,'' says McCoist to the official website of Rangers. Saturday's 2-1 win over Motherwell means Rangers now have a hefty six points gap over their nearest challengers for second place.