Leicester City recovery under new manager Craig Shakespare continued against West Ham after they defeated the Hammers 3-2 in a Premier League game.

It was also a day for their Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi to pick up his first assist, as he has been credited with the last touch before Jamie Vardy restored the two goals advantage of the Foxes.

Ndidi was involved in a scramble in the box of West Ham following a well taken corner kick from Riyad Mahrez, and the Premier League has ruled that he got the last touch before Vardy turned the ball in.

Also, his Nigerian compatriot at the team Ahmed Musa played for the first time under the new manager, coming on as a substitute for Shinji Okazaki in the 76th minute.

The defending champions are yet to lose a game under recently appointed full time manager Shakespare with four wins so far in the games he has handled them following the dismissal of Claudio Ranieri.

*Prince Michael

Nigeria youth international Orji Okonkwo continued his fine run of form in front of goal for the Primavera side of Bologna with his second goal in three games at the ongoing Viareggio Cup.

Orji netted a brace to take his team to the top of their group following their 2-0 win only over their counterparts from AC Pisa 1909.

Since returning from a two weeks injury lay off the recently turned 19 year old forward has continued from where he left off with goals for the Primavera side.

Already a member of the first team of the Serie A side, his rise at the club has taken a lot of people by surprise judging by how quick he has settled down to life in Italy, although he has played for Spezia in the past.

*Osas Mahawi

Nura Abdullahi is one of the most talked about teen defenders from Nigeria playing for an European side, and the 18 year old who plays for Roma has been rated as one of the best emerging full backs in European football.

The Football Academy Abuja prospect is yet to make his first team debut for the Rome outfit, but his name has been severally mentioned by the first team coach of the team Luciano Spalleti.

Injuries have played a major role in delaying his debut for the first team of Roma, but the speedy right back who was once heavily courted by Barcelona is now back to full fitness.

Nura returned to from his second major injury setback, and has so far played two games for the Primavera side of Roma as he bids his way to full fitness, and reports gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com has it that he was on the verge of making the Nigeria squad for their upcoming friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso later in the month.

” He is a modern day full back, good in defending and extremely good going forward. The amount of ground he covers in a game is amazing. He sort of make the right wing his property”, Italian journalist Mark Fabrizio told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” These days few European teams are producing full backs like him, as a matter of fact very few are like him. Roma are understandably keen on retaining him despite all his injury problems, he has what all team likes.

” If you think Hector Bellerin of Arsenal is quick, Nura is a little bit faster than him and he uses the ball better in the final third than most emerging full backs we have in Europe at the moment”.

* Osas Mahawi

John Obi Mikel absence from Nigeria’s upcoming friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso in London has paved way for Alex Iwobi to take his spot in the team.

Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr usually deploys Iwobi as a left winger, but will play him just behind the main striker in the upcoming friendly games in London.

Rohr will most likely rotate his players for the second game against Burkina Faso, but he has already lined up the players he intends to use in the March 23rd friendly game against Senegal.

Iwobi will reportedly play as part of a midfield three alongside the duo of Eddy Onazi and Leicester City highly rated defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.

Oghenekaro Etebo who has been widely tipped to play behind the striker will now play from the left, while Victor Moses will play from the right according to leaks gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com.

*Osas Mahawi

Half fit Noah Joel Sarenren Bazee has declared himself fit for Nigeria’s upcoming friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso despite advices from doctors of his German side Hannover 96.

The German Nigerian opt to play for Nigeria instead of Germany after talks with Eagles coach Gernot Rohr, who subsequently added him to the 25 man list for the preparatory games in London.

Doctors of promotion chasing Bundesliga 2 side Hannover 96 adviced the 20 year old forward to skip the March 23rd and 27th games to help him recover fully from the knock he has been nursing since the start of the year.

However Bazee insist he is fit for the games and will in the coming days travel to London for the games on the 23rd of March against Senegal and Burkina Faso four days later.

” He will travel for the games in London, he is fit for the game regardless of what the doctors at Hannover are saying, he is eager to play for Nigeria and nothing would stop him”, a source close to the player told Owngoalnigeria.com

” Bazee might not play the entire duration of both games, but he will definitely play a part in the games. He has waited for this opportunity and now he is ready to seize it with both hands.

*Daniel Martins

Manager of Chelsea Antonio Conte has provided update on the injury situation of Victor Moses who is a doubt for Nigeria upcoming friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso.

Moses limped out of Chelsea 1-0 win over Manchester United on Monday in an FA Cup quarterfinal tie played at Stamford Bridge. The injury brought about speculations that he could be set for a spell on the sidelines.

Speaking in his pre match conference monitored by Owngoalnigeria.com online editor, the Italian manager revealed that the wing back is among the players who trained fully ahead of their game against Stoke City tomorrow.

” Moses trained well today. I think he’s available but, before Stoke it’s important to check a couple of situations”, Conte said.

His statement could mean the 26 year old will be available for Nigeria for the March 23 and 27 friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso, if he comes out of the Stoke City game unscathed.

* Daniel Martins

Super Eagles midfielder has confirmed his arrival date for the Super Eagles upcoming friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso in London.

Ogu is in the list of 25 players called up for the game by coach Gernot Rohr, who is using the game to prepare his team for their upcoming AFCON 2019 qualifiers against South Africa and the World Cup 2018 qualifiers tie against Cameroun.

In an exclusive chat with Owngoalnigeria.com, the Hapoel Be’er Sheva midfielder revealed despite club commitments he will arrive the Eagles camp in London just before the start of training.

” I’m ready to help my country win in both friendlies, am anxiously looking forward to the games. It will be a spectacle as Senegal and Burkina Faso are no push over”, Ogu told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” I will by the grace of God arrive the camp of the team on Monday, which I guess will be the start of training ahead of the games. I honestly would have loved to arrive earlier but we have a league game on Sunday”.

*Daniel Martins

The victory of Ahmad Ahmad over Issa Hayatou at the recently concluded CAF elections will no doubt make the coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr far happy than most Nigerians.

Ahmad ended Hayatou’s 29 year reign as CAF president by polling 34 votes as against the 20 votes Hayatou got at the elections which was held in Addis Ababa yesterday.

While most Nigerians have expressed their happiness over the victory of Ahmad Ahmad at the CAF pools, Rohr will be particularly happy for the new CAF President as they share one thing in common.

The wife of the Franco-German coach of the Super Eagles is from Madagascar, same country as the new CAF president, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

His emergence will therefore means more to the family of the Super Eagles coach , whose main job still remains qualifying the Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Nigeria currently lead their qualifying group, four points more than second place Cameroon ahead of the resumption of the qualifiers in September.

*Osas Mahawi