Former West Ham United teen prospect Idris Kanu scored a brace for Manchester United Under-18s in a 5-1 win against their Middlesbrough counterparts.

New Manchester United Academy chief Nicky Butt has been on a recruiting spree to revamp the youth set up of the Red Devils, and the the Nigerian is among the numerous players on trial at the club who got to play against Boro’s U18s.

The 16 year who can play upfront or in midfield didn’t disappoint as he was clearly among the best players on parade, a performance which will surely do his chances of earning a deal with the club a whole lot of good.

The Nigerian who represented West Ham he scored twice in quick succession to lift Kieran McKenna tutored side to a 5-1 win, and in the process brought to an end Boro’s under-18s unbeaten run which has been on since January.

Last season, the highly rated made 17 appearances for West Ham with two goals to his name, even though he was mostly played in a deep midfield role.

Gernor Rohr according to Owngoalnigeria.com sources at the team camp has released his line up for today’s encounter against Tanzania.

Carl Ikeme

Musa Mohammed

Elderson Echiejile

William Troost Ekong

Leon Balogun

Ogenyi Onazi

Mikel Obi

Kelechi Iheanacho

Victor Moses

Odion Ighalo

Ahmed Musa

Substitutes

Nosa Igiebor

Ikechukwu Ezenwa

Jamiu Alimi

Shehu Abdullahi

Wilfred Ndidi

Brown Ideye

Moses Simon

Former Everton and West Brom forward Victor Anichebe, who has been frozen out of the international set up by Nigeria has joined Sunderland on a one year deal.

The 28-year-old Nigerian has been without a club following his release by West Brom in May.

Black Cats boss David Moyes has taken action after being left with just one senior striker, Jermain Defoe, on the books of the Wearside club.

With Fabio Borini facing up to three months on the sidelines with a groin injury and Steven Fletcher and Danny Graham having departed Sunderland in the summer, Moyes has moved for a player he knows well.

Anichebe was a youth-team player at Everton under Moyes and went on to make more than 130 appearances for the Goodison Park club, before joining West Brom.

Borini’s misfortune has left Moyes with just one senior frontman, 33-year-old Defoe.

However, youngsters Duncan Watmore and Joel Asoro, who is just 17, can also be called upon after Moyes’ search for reinforcements during the transfer window ended in frustration.

courtesy: Talksport

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola left midfielder Yaya Toure out of his 2016-2017 Champions League squad, due to UEFA strict rules on the inclusion of overseas players.

Guardiola despite letting four internationals leave before Wednesday transfer deadline, still has 18 players on his books and going by the rules City could not include more than 17 overseas players in their squad.

33 year old Yaya Toure has played a major part in all City’s trophy wins since he was bought from Barcelona, then managed by Guardiola, for £24m in 2010 was the one player sacrificed by the manager.

It was his straight choice between him and 19 year old Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho, and the Spaniard settled for the teen who only recently put pen to paper on a new five year deal.

Last season, Iheanacho was included in City’s Champions League squad in January with French star Samir Nasri now at Sevilla, the man sacrificed to accommodate the MVP of the 2013 U-17 World Cup.

Super Eagles latest invitee Chidozie Awaziem has been sensationally left out of manager Nuno Espirito Santo squad for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.

Awaziem is presently in the camp of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, getting ready for Saturday AFCON 2017 dead rubber tie against Tanzania and going by all indications he could make his debut against the Taifa Stars.

However, what was suppose to be his breakthrough year in the Champions League, has been truncated as his place in the list earlier submitted by the coach has been taken by new summer signing Boly.

Last season, the Jos born defender broke into the first team of the Portuguese giants making 10 league appearances, thanks to his fine form for the B team that emerged as Champions of the second division.

This season, he is yet to play a minute of first team football but he has played in all of the five games, the B team has played in the second division.

Manager of Scottish Premier League side Brendan Rodgers, has left Nigeria international Efe Ambrose out of his squad for the 2016/2017 group stage games in the UEFA Champions League.

Celtic submitted their list for the group stage of Europe number one club competition, and for the first time since the Ambrose joined the team in 2013, he won’t represent them in the UEFA Champions League.

Brendan Rodgers listed Kolo Toure, Emilio Izaguirre, Jozo Simunovic, Cristian Gamboa, Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig.Erik Sviatchenko, Eoghan O’Connell, Jamie McCart and Kieran Tierney as his defenders for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.

Ambrose fell out of favour with the new manager after his gaffe in their first Champions League qualifiers against Gilbratar minnow Lincoln Red Imps, and since then he has only made one senior appearance for the Bhoys.

The Nigerian turned down a deadline day move to Standard Liege after a transfer fee has been agreed by Celtic with the Belgian over the deal. He reportedly said he is willing to stay behind and fight for his spot in the team.

However his latest omission will no doubt send a clear message to him, that there is no way back for him in the manager’s plan, which could see him depart the team in January.

QPR defence hardman Nedum Onuoha who turned down the chance to represent Nigeria in 2010, says he is open to the idea of representing the West Africa Nation, if he is called up.

In 2010, while still at Manchester City he turned down the chance to represent Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, despite pleas by former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha.

29 year old Onuoha however accept that the chances of him representing Nigeria might not be a reality, even though he is open to the idea.

There was a time in the past where I did have the opportunity with Nigeria, but it was really only on one occasion,” he said.

“Since then I’ve had a few false dawns with people saying they can sort this out and that out, but it has not happened and I’ve enjoyed the club side of football.

“It is not that important to me to be honest. If I was to receive a call-up then that would be great and there would be a decision to make, but I’ve not received one.”

Even so, Onuoha continues to share a kindred spirit with his birth nation and remains a supporter of the Super Eagles.

He was as glued to the TV as time allowed to watch Nigeria battle their way to bronze at the Olympics after losing to Germany in the semi-finals.

“I’m happy to be a fan for now,” he added and I kept an eye on the boys at the Olympics where they always seem to do well.

“For anyone like me who was born there you hold the success of your nation close to your heart and like to see them doing well. Unfortunately, the gold medal was not to be.”

Since the Super Eagles of Nigeria resumed training for their AFCON 2017 qualifiers tie against Tanzania, the one attacker that has remained consistent in all of their session is Olympiakos of Greece forward Brown Ideye.

The former West Brom forward has won the coaches over with his strong showings in tactical drills and positional awareness, and in the test game against Akwa United he was simply un-playable.

Aside the fact that he scored in the game against Akwa United and in yesterday’s practice session, the 28 year old appears fitter than the rest of the strikers in camp.

Yesterday during the drills on goal scoring, he scored with almost all his efforts with his head and legs and in the practice game, he used his body very well to trouble the defenders he was up against, effectively bringing his teammates into play.

It appears he will lead the line against Tanzania on Saturday due to his consistency in training, as Gernot Rohr starts his reign in Uyo with eyes on next month World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Zambia.

22 year old petit Nigerian midfielder Saliu Popoola is back at French side Metz after spending last season on loan to Belgian second division side Seraing United.

Since moving to Metz in 2013, he has only played games for the B team of the then second division side before his loan move to Belgian second division side FC Seraing.

Last season he made a total of 23 appearances for FC Seraing with three goals to his name, and it appears like he will finally get his chance at Metz who are now in the Ligue 1 this season as he is among their list of players for the season.

So far he is yet to feature in any of their games in the two games old French Ligue 1, but the former 36 Lions forward who also holds a French passport was listed among the players Metz submitted to the League body.

Teams usually submit their list of players for the season after the closure of the summer transfer window, and Owngoalnigeria.com checks on Metz found out that Popoola has been registered for Metz campaign in Ligue 1.

Popoola a bit part player in the Nigerian team that won bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, the central midfielder has also been handed a new shirt number for the season as he will dorn jersey number 28.

Gernot Rohr started his much talked about works on the defence of the Super Eagles in yesterday’s close door session with all of the team defenders participating in various drills.

The session started with the German coach giving the defenders peep talks and description on how to move with and without the ball, demonstrating how he wants them to move by himself.

He later took them on a session that looks more like trying to improve their positional awareness to ward off forwards coming from their blind side, before proceeding to training with the ball.

With the forwards whipping in crosses, the defenders were giving valuable lessons on how to deal with aerial balls and defensive courage in terms of counter attack.

Leon Balogun was particulary impressive with reading and intercepting crosses, with William Troost Ekong also showing his performance at the Olympics is not a fluke. Chidozie Awaziem was however very impressive in coverage drills using his pace and good reading of crosses to cut out deadly balls.

The full backs were not left out of the session although there was no special drill for them, Rohr jointly treated them with the centre backs but focused more on ways of stopping forwards from delivering crosses from their flanks.