Captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chinese side Tianjin Teda John Obi Mikel will tomorrow lead his team as they go in search of their first win after three pre season games.

Mikel who was handed the captain armband by coach of the team Jaime Pacheco in their second pre season game against German side St. Pauli which they lost 2-6, captained the team as they feel 0-1 to Romanian outfit Dinamo Bucuresti in their last friendly game.

His first game for the team after his transfer from Chelsea also ended in defeat as they were beating by Borussia Monchengladbach II 1-2.

However he will be looking to lead them to a change in their fortunes when they take on Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev in another pre season game tomorrow, as preparations for the start of the Chinese League hots up.

He will also be hoping to get among the goals like he did in their loss to St. Pauli due to his role in the team as the attacking midfielder just behind the top striker of the Chinese team.

Scottish side Celtic are currently leading the race to sign KAS Eupen hot in demand Nigerian forward Henry Onyekuru who has taken the Belgian league by storm this season.

Onyekuru has 10 goals from 21 appearances in the first half of the League in Belgium, a tally which has made top teams like RB Leipzig, CSKA Moscow, Fenerbahce and Anderlecht register their interest in his services.

However a move to Celtic appears more likely for the 19 year old, although he could face the difficult hurdle of securing a work permit as he is yet to be capped by Nigeria at any level.

The Aspire Academy product is reportedly interest in moving to Celtic despite repeatedly voicing out his preference to move to English side Arsenal.

Known for his explosive speed and goal scoring abilities, he is heavily tipped to win the Ebony Shoe Award in Belgium, which is usually given out to the best player of African descent in Belgium.

Arsenal 20 year old Nigerian forward has revealed that he is feeling a little bit unwell ahead of their clash against Burnley on Sunday.

The Nigerian was influential for Arsenal in their last week thrashing of Swansea City forcing two own goals from from Kyle Naughton and Jack Cork as Arsenal ran out 4-0 winners.

Iwobi posted pictures of the various drugs he has been taken shortly before heading out to training with Arsenal yesterday, a sign that should ease any fears about his potential absence from Sunday’s tie.

” I’ve got back up defenders to save me, boy”, says the Gunners star, as he films his various tablets before heading to the training ground.

He is expected to keep his place in the starting line up when they take on Burnley tomorrow, in a tie in which a win will boost their title aspirations if other results go their way.

Gent of Belgium appears to have unearthed a diamond in the rough in little known Nigerian forward Samuel Kalu.

Kalu was signed by the Belgian side from AS Trencin of Slovakia at the start of the January transfer window, and after two weeks of training with his new teammates, he was handed his debut yesterday.

The 18 year old was simply unstoppable using his combination of power, pace and dribble to leave his markers in their wake as Gent defeat Sporting Charleroi 1-0 in their first competitive game of 2017.

Played as a winger, he started on the right but cuts in occasionally to play through the middle, before switching to the left wing in the second half after the substitution of fellow Nigerian Moses Simon.

He lasted the entire duration of the game, and expectedly his performance in the game where he set up the man who scored the only goal of the game, earned him a spot in the Belgian dallies.

New Coach of struggling Dutch second division side Fortuna Sittard maintained his unbeaten start to his reign as coach of the team after a late goal helped them draw 1-1 against Telstar.

Oliseh’s first home game as coach of the team he joined last months didn’t go as planned as his side went a goal down after 32 minutes when Toine Van Huizen put the visitors in front.

The half ended with the visitors holding onto their slim lead even though they were reduced to 10 men when Crescendo Van Berkel was sent off three minutes before the break.

A much changed Fortuna Sittard side emerged from the tunnel in the second half, and dominated their opponents for large spell of the game but still failed to get the goal their dominace deserved.

However just when it seems Oliseh was going to taste his first defeat as manager of the team, Ferry de Regt struck in the 90th minute to bring scores to 1-1.

The point picked help the team move up to 16 on the log in the Dutch second division and enhance their chances of beating the drop to the third division.

Nigerian duo William Troost Ekong and Samuel Kalu both had a debut to remember for Belgian side Gent with the team winning their first game of the year with a 1-0 win over Sporting Charleroi.

They were both on from the start alongside fellow Nigerian Moses Simon, but while they lasted the entire duration of the game, Simon was substituted in the 65th minute.

Kalu on his part provided the assist from which Danijel Milicevic scored the only goal of the game, two minutes after Simon left the pitch.

Ekong was very strong at the rear and played a pivotal role in helping Gent hang on to their slim advantage and pick up three points, as he was timely with his tackles and intervention.

He was also very solid in aerial duels and used his pace to good effect when Charleroi threatened on the break, clearly proving how well he has matured in Norway, where he spent time on loan with FK Haugesund.

Super Eagles defender William Troost Ekong has been handed his debut by manager of Gent Hein Vanhaezebrouck as he will start in tonight clash against Charleroi.

Troost Ekong rejoined the team this January after a loan spell in Norway with FK Haugesund, where he rose to the rank of captain of the team and subsequently broke into the senior Nigeria national team.

He will start in a back three alongside Nana Asare and Stefan Mitrovic with Lovre Kalinic starting as the deepest of the four defenders lined up by coach Vanhaezebrouck .

Vanhaezebrouck also handed a competitive debut to new Nigerian recruit Samuel Kalu who joined the team from Slovakian side AS Trencin during the January transfer window.

Kalu starts as a part of a front three comprising of Super Eagles forward Moses Simon, who will start from the left flank as Darko Bjedov is selected to lead the line for Gent.

Meanwhile Super Eagles midfielder Anderson Esiti was named on the bench but there was no place in the match day squad for the other Nigerian at the club Rabiu Ibrahim.

Nestle MILO a popular household brand in Nigeria and Spanish giants Barcelona have agreed a four year global partnership to help enhance the quality of life of children in Asia, Oceania, Africa and Latin America.

Over the next four years, children in Asia, Oceania, Africa and Latin America can also look forward to initiatives organised by MILO and FC Barcelona such as:

Opportunities to develop and enhance football skills through a football tournament that aims to reward both goals and teamwork and incorporates Tiki-Taka.

Opportunities to receive professional training from the world’s best football coaches where MILO will be selecting and sending kids to train at the legendary Camp Nou.

MILO will be delivering a series of pop-up, mobile football fields delivered by the popular and well-loved MILO van to make recreation and play areas more accessible for kids.

Xavier Asensi, managing director Asia Pacific, FC Barcelona said: “Teamwork is the key for our partnership, and FC Barcelona and Nestle MILO are on the same team. Our values are complementary to Nestle MILO’s and through the various programmes and activities over the next four years, we aim to educate children about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the importance of exercise and physical activity as part of their growth.”

“Like MILO, we believe that through sport, children will gain the necessary tools and essential values which will give them the best start and set them up well for their adult lives.”

One of the key initiatives in Singapore in 2017 will be the launch of the MILO Cup, a local soccer tournament for young children between the ages of six to 14.

The best players from the MILO Cup will be subsequently shortlisted for the opportunity to train overseas with FC Barcelona.

Oghenekaro Etebo will undergo another scan on his injured knee in 15 days time according to reports gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com editorial staff.

Etebo underwent a scan but the extent of the damage to his left knee which caused him to be substituted against Vitoria Guimaraes was not determined.

The 21 year old was asked to rest the knee for 15 days before another round of scans, which will determine when he will return back to training for Portuguese side CD Feirense.

CD Feirense will also be without the services of central defender Paulo Monteiro aside the Nigerian for this weekend game against Estoril.

Watford boss Walter Mazzarri insists striker Odion Ighalo WILL be on the team bus on Friday as the Hornets travel to Bournemouth.

The 27 year-old was linked with a move to West Brom on Thursday in what Is understood to be a fee of around £20 million.

under Quique Sanchez Flores last season but has struggled to recapture his best form in Mazzarri’s side this term.

He has only scored twice this season in all competitions – after notching 17 last term – while the Hornets have struggled for consistency in both their starting line-up and their general Premier League form.

The Nigerian international joined the Hornets on a free transfer from Udinese in 2014 and has scored 39 goals in over 98 appearances. Twenty of those goals helped power Watford to promotion from the Championship to the top-flight in his first season and in 2015 he was English football’s leading scorer with 30 goals.

He signed a new deal with the club last summer having been a £37.5 million target from Chinese outfit Shanghai SIPG with the Baggies also trying to sign him in a player-plus-cash exchange involving Saido Berahino only for that deal to fall through.

The Hornets also turned down a £35million deadline day bid last January from Manchester United – the club Ighalo supported as a boy.

But there is a growing sense at Vicarage Road that a fresh start would suit all parties. Watford’s ruling Pozzo dynasty have also based their business model on scouring the globe for rough diamonds and sel

However on Thursday night Mazzarri played down talk of an immediate deal claiming that Ighalo would travel to the South Coast with the team as they prepare to face Bournemouth in the Premier League this Saturday.

He said ” At the moment he will travel with the team. When we have a game like this against Bournemouth I don’t want the transfer market to distract my players. They have to be focused on the colour of the Watford shirt.”