NIGERIA
Nigeria Football Federation, will consider using the newly renovated Lafia Township Stadium in Nasarawa State as a base for the national Under-seventeen team, Golden Eaglets, Under-fifteen and Under-thirteen teams to camp and play their matches.
Its President Ibrahim Gusau, stated this, while responding to Governor Abdullahi Sule’s request to partner the federation in the development of football especially at the grassroots and youth levels.
Sule emphasised his desire to partner with the Nigeria Football Federation in the aspect of football, to harness the pool of talents that abound in the State for job creation and development.
The Nigeria Football Federation, has sent birth greetings to former Super Eagles winger, Tijani Babangida who clocked fifty years.
Babangida received his first call-up to the senior Super Eagles for a pre-World Cup friendly against Romania in 1994.
He then played in a friendly against Georgia, but did not make the final squad for 1994 World Cup.
Former Nigerian international, Tijani Babangida says he is confident Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen will rediscover his goal scoring boot for Napoli.
Babangida who stated this, said Osimhen would soon start banging in the goals for Napoli.
Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface has been named in the Bundesliga Team of the Week.
It is the third time the Nigeria international would be included in the Team of the Week this season.
Boniface scored a brace in Bayer Leverkusen’s four-one drubbing of Bundesliga new boys Heidenheim.
Nigerian officials have been selected for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Mali and the Central African Republic.
Popular arbiter, Patience Madu would be the centre referee, while Mfon Akpan and Abibatu Yusuf would serve as the first and second assistant referees.
Another Nigerian, Abigael Alaba Olufunmilayo, is the fourth official.
Kano Pillars will take part in a pre-season competition in Katsina from this weekend.
The tournament will run from thirtieth September to fourth October.
Katsina United, Niger Tornadoes, Wikki Tourists, Doma United, El-Kanemi Warriors and Jigawa Golden Stars are the other teams that would participate in the pre-season tournament.
The tournament is aimed at intensifying the teams’ preparations for the new the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Rivers United have completed the signing of Andy Okpe from Remo Stars.
Okpe joined the Pride of Rivers for an undisclosed fee.
The forward could not secure a move abroad after falling behind the pecking order at Remo Stars.
Bendel Insurance has announced that Forward, Imade Osarenkhoe has left the club for United FC of the United Arab Emirates.
The team made the announcement on Monday.
Bendel Insurance will prosecute the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup second-round clash against RS Berkane without the striker.
Abia Warriors have concluded plans to kick-start a screening exercise for their Under-nineteen team.
The programme is in line with the plans of Ochendo Boys management to form a developmental team for the club’s future.
The players selected will be integrated into the youth team set-up.
Midfielder Afeez Nosiru is set for a return to the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Nosiru has been without a club since leaving Greek side Panetolikis in February.
Kwara United are said to have opened negotiations with the player for a sensational return to the club.
ENGLAND
Arsenal goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale’s father has hit back at Jamie Carragher after the Sky Sports pundit claimed he was ‘laughing’ at the Arsenal goalkeeper.
Ramsdale was an unused substitute during the Gunners’ two-all draw with rivals Tottenham, with summer signing David Raya being preferred to the England international.
Despite the fact that he may be losing out on his number one spot at the Emirates, Ramsdale showed a heap of support for his team-mate during the tense North London Derby.
================================
Tests have shown Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice did not suffer a serious back injury during Sunday’s two-all draw with Tottenham.
The England international, who started every league game this season, was substituted at half-time.
After the game, Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta said Rice had discomfort in his back and hoped it was not long term.
Rice, a one hundred million pounds summer signing, was not expected to be in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup squad to face Brentford on Wednesday.
Former Manchester United star, Gary Neville has slammed Mikel Arteta for his lack of composure during Arsenal’s draw in the north London derby.
Reflecting on the match, Neville suggested that Arteta’s antics on the sideline did little to help his team’s chances in the match.
Arteta’s side were held to a two-all draw with rivals Tottenham, after Bukayo Saka’s brace was cancelled out by Son Heung-Min’s double.
Football pundit, Jermaine Jenas has apologised for criticising referee Rob Jones, saying he got it wrong.
Jenas used an abusive term on X, after Jones awarded Arsenal a penalty in Sunday’s north London derby draw.
The former England midfielder had been criticised by refereeing bodies.
Tottenham have confirmed they have agreed to sign highly-rated teenage defender, Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split but he will not join the club until 2025.
The team had been linked with the Croatian for many weeks with Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool also rumoured to have held interest in the player, after helping Hajduk win the Croatian Cup last season.
He also made his debut for the club last year aged fifteen and became their youngest-ever goalscorer after finding the net days after his 16th birthday.
Manchester United forward, Marcus Rashford has reported for the team’s Monday training session in a spare six hundred thousand pounds Rolls-Royce after crashing outside Carrington.
The England forward damaged his seven hundred thousand pounds Rolls-Royce after the collision with a 74-year-old grandmother’s vehicle following United’s win at Burnley.
Chilean star, Arturo Vidal has called-out Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag’s decision to get rid of Cristiano Ronaldo and accused bald managers of being ‘complicated’.
Ronaldo left Old Trafford for Saudi Arabia in January, after falling out of favour under new United boss, ten Hag, and moved to Al-Nassr.
Chelsea co-controlling owner, Behdad Eghbali has reportedly ‘spotted leaving the team’s dressing room at Stamford Bridge after their loss to Aston Villa.
It comes after scrutiny was placed on fellow owner Todd Boehly after he went backstage at Stamford Bridge and addressed Mauricio Pochettino’s side, calling them ’embarrassing’ following their two-one defeat by Brighton at the Bridge in April.
Former Chelsea star, Chris Sutton has urged Chelsea to give Mauricio Pochettino time to turn their fortunes around after a disappointing start to the season.
Pochettino arrived at the club this summer following their dire 2022-23 campaign that saw Chelsea finish down in 12th place.
He has been unable to inspire an upturn in form thus far, with the Blues losing three of their first six games, leaving them 14th in the Premier League’s table.
Police say the sudden death of Sheffield United star Maddy Cusack is not being treated as suspicious.
Midfielder Cusack, the first player to reach one hundred appearances for the club’s women’s team last season, died last week at the age of twenty-seven.
England manager, Sarina Wiegman says it will feel special but strange to face her home country the Netherlands in the Women’s Nations League.
Wiegman led the Netherlands to Euro 2017 glory on home soil before winning Euro 2022 with England at Wembley.
It is the first time she has returned to her homeland with her current side and the teams will play in Utrecht.
OTHER LEAGUES
The Dutch FA has confirmed that the abandoned match between Eredivisie rivals Ajax and Feyenoord will resume behind closed doors on Wednesday.
Feyenoord led three-nil after fifty-six minutes at the Johan Cruyff Arena when the game was stopped as home fans threw flares and fireworks onto the pitch.
The match will be completed with no supporters present.
Meanwhile, Ajax’s match against FC Volendam, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed.
Former Juventus and Barcelona midfielder, Arturo Vidal has blasted Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag over his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Vidal said Ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford began badly as a result of his choice to drop Ronaldo, who later moved to Saudi Arabia.
Despite the fact that Ten Hag oversaw some progressive development in his first season at the helm and an EFL Cup victory, Vidal thinks Ten Hag should take the fall for the collapse.
Former Real Madrid sporting director, Pedja Mijatovic has warned that Los Blancos will struggle this season without Karim Benzema.
He made this known on the backdrop of the team’s three-one loss to Atletico Madrid in the La Liga.
Mijatovic insisted that the team would suffered this season withouthim.
OTHER SPORTS
In Tennis; Team World thrashed Team Europe 13-2 to win the Laver Cup for a second successive year in Vancouver.
Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe beat Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz and Russia’s Andrey Rublev 7-6 7-6 in the doubles to triumph.
Team World dominated the tournament and only needed to win the doubles match to secure the trophy.
In Cricket, the England and Wales Cricket Board says it wants to change the game as it publishes its response to a report detailing racism, sexism, classism and elitism in the sport.
Discrimination in cricket in England and Wales is widespread according to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket ICEC.
Board response accepts most of the ICEC report’s forty-four recommendations.
Former rugby union player, Stirling Mortlock, says sacking Eddie Jones would be the worst thing Australia could do despite their troubles at the Rugby World Cup.
The Wallabies face group-stage elimination at the tournament for the first time after being hammered 40-6 by Wales.
Having already lost to Fiji, Australia’s chances of securing the top-two Pool C spot they need to progress are slim.
In Formula one, British racing driver, Lewis Hamilton has criticised the Mercedes strategy that almost derailed his race at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Hamilton was told by team-mate George Russell to marginally slow down in the dying laps of the race, to give Russell DRS and hold off Carlos Sainz’s challenge behind him.
The move proved to be ill-advised as the Ferrari driver ended up overtaking Russell and then piled pressure on Hamilton during the closing stages of the race.
In Golf, European Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald, says Europe’s women retaining the Solheim Cup is good inspiration for the men’s team with the Ryder Cup starting on Friday.
Europe go into the 44th edition of the biennial match, in Rome, on the back of a record 19-9 defeat by the United States at Whistling Straits in 2021.
SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES TODAY IN THE CARABAO CUP – THIRD ROUND
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace
Salford City vs Burnley
Ipswich Town vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Bradford City vs Middlesbrough
Exeter City vs Luton Town
Mansfield Town vs Peterborough United
============================
TODAY’S THOUGHT
securityandsafetymatters 