The star midfielder of the senior national team of Russia Danil Glebov has warned his teammates on what to expect in tomorrow’s game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Russia will be up against Nigeria in a first ever friendly game between both countries, with Nigeria using the games to prepare for the resumption of games in the world cup qualifiers in September, while Russia who are suspended from world football following the country’s invasion of Ukraine are using it to keep their team together.

Tomorrow’s game has been rated as one of the toughest friendly games for the team since the ban from competitive football by FIFA , and Glebov who is the team’s main man in the middle spoke about what he expects from the Nigerian team.

“We have had two days of training and we looked. As for Nigeria they are a good team. Fast, technical, aggressive. It will be interesting to play a game with such a team. It will be interesting to see how we will get out from under pressure with these players, how we will press with these players, will it work out or not”, he was quoted as saying by Russian 24 channel.

“It’s all interesting, and for me it is better, of course, to play with the strongest teams to understand what level they are at”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Former coach of the Russian national team Anatoly Byshovets has given his opinion on the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of tomorrow’s friendly game against Russia, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will take on Russia in a first ever meeting at this level tomorrow as part of their preparation for the resumption of games in the world cup qualifiers in September.

Russia who are currently suspended from competitive football by world football governing body FIFA will use the game to keep their team in shape, pending when their ban is lifted.

Looking ahead of the game Byshovets his impression of the Nigerian team, describing them as playing a similar style to that of football powerhouse Germany.

“I can say as a coach who led the USSR against Nigeria that this is a team that is associated with the German team in Europe, only in an African version”, he said before advising Russia on how to get a good result against the Nigerians.

“They play power football, and the winner is the one who wins in single combats – there is such an English proverb. I think such experience will be useful for our players. The work done by Karpin is thankless in terms of waiting for official matches.

“In many ways, it should be built on the future, because there are all the reasons for this. The choice of such an opponent is very different from what was before,” Byshovets told SE.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has lamented the fact that the defence of the team concedes too much goals as seen at the recently concluded Unity Cup tournament in England, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chelle saw Nigeria threw away a two goal lead to draw 2-2 against Jamaica, before winning the game 5-4 on penalties. He was also not happy that they conceded a goal in the 2-1 win over Ghana in their first game of the tournament.

Speaking to London based Nigerian journalist Austine Okon Akpan, Chelle said the defence is a concern for him as he tries to instill a model and identity of play for the team.

“We took so many goals during this Unity games. Especially when we lose the ball and we can’t when win it back and after a cross. We need to to work about that, but the reality is I think we create something new about the game project about the about identity of the team”, he told Austin after the game against Jamaica at the Unity Cup.

“So the identity of the of the team, you know, we made lot of high pressure on the ball and I think it’s great, we are doing that . We have some quality, but we are some weaknesses, so we need to continue and work again, work again and focus about our identity, our working project”.

When pressed to speak about the game project he has always talked about, the Mailian went ahead to explain the idea, philosophy, character, style and way he wants the team to be seen during games.

“This is why every time I talk about that. I want to to talk about the game project because the game project is what are we doing when we don’t have the ball? What are we doing when you have the ball.

“I want that that someone look a game. Watch a game about the Nigerian team and say a Nigeria team when they don’t have the ball. They make a high pressure and when they have the ball, they try to go to to make some fast attack, or if it’s not possible, they try to keep to keep the ball.

“And if you if you watch our four games, our last four games you can see that. So, this is why I’m happy about that, but the reality we need to work because we have some weaknesses. Like in defense. And we need to to improve. And and work physically. To do some high pressure during 60 or 70 minutes”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle says debutant Benjamin Fredrick who gave a five star performance in the 5-4 penalty kicks final win over Jamaica in the Unity Cup after a 2-2 draw in regulation time.

Called up as a replacement for the captain of the team Ahmed Musa who left the team’s camp in London after the first game against Ghana, Fredrick was surprisingly handed a start by Chelle. A bold move which paid off.

Fredrick who plays for the U23 of Brentford and was recently voted the player’s player of the year for the U23 played the entire duration of the game, and won accolades for his performance. It earned him a spot in the team for the friendly game against Russia on Friday.

Chelle while reacting to a question from London based Nigerian journalist Austine Okon Akpan said the 20 year old needs to be protected because this is just the start of what he believe will be a long international future with the Nigerian team.

“I can say something we need to protect him ( Fredrick ) because he played well and the reality is for him to continue to improve and work hard and we need to to protect him because this is not the end”, Chelle said in the interview in London.

” He is the future of the national team and I think he made a great game, but the reality we conceded two goals. This is the reality. He’s a good player, but we took two goals in and his first role is defending.

“He has a lot of quality about technical skills. He’s fast! So good, boy! Good boy, a good boy and a good player”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria has explained why he left newly capped defender Felix Agu out of his squad for Friday’s friendly game against Russia, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Agu made his international bow for Nigeria in the Unity Cup final match win over Jamaica. He played for 83 minutes in the match which Nigeria won 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regulation time.

The Werder Bremen defender gave a good impression of himself in the minute he was on the pitch, and many expected him to be in the squad for Friday’s game but he was surprisingly not in the list.

Explaining in an interview with London based Nigerian journalist, Chelle while explaining why some players were left out of the squad said Agu’s case is visa related, opening the door for more game time for the 25 year old who played 22 games in the Bundesliga.

In his absence Chelle can call on Bruno Onyemaechi who came in as a substitute to play in the final, after playing the entire duration of the 2-1 win over Ghana in the first game of the tournament.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle says he shouldn’t have played Gefate midfielder Uche Chrisantus in the Super Eagles 5-4 penalty win over Jamaica in the final of the Unity Cup after a 2-2 draw in regulation time.

Uche arrived the camp of the team late and had just one training session before the final game, after missing the first game against Ghana which they won 2-1 to seal their spot in the final.

Chelle admitted that it was a very difficult decision to play the 22 year old in the game. Something he shouldn’t have done terming it as a crazy decision.

“It was very difficult for Uche because he only arrived on Friday, and I still included him in the group. It was a crazy decision because, under normal circumstances, he shouldn’t have played in that game”, Chelle told Austin Okon Akpan.

“I don’t even know why I put him in the squad. But he wanted to play, and when he stepped onto the pitch, he brought something really important.”

He went further to explain the gut of the midfielder who took the decisive penalty kick without thinking about any consequences like missing it.

“If he had missed, who knows? Everyone is happy now that he scored, but if he hadn’t.maybe it would’ve affected his national team career.

“I’m proud of him because he came in with a smile and a lot of energy”.

Ade Emmanuel

Olakunle Olusegun of Russian side Krasnodar FC has reacted to his first invitation to the senior national team of Nigeria for the upcoming friendly game against Russia on Friday, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Following a spate of withdrawals from the squad of the Nigerian team for the game , the Russian based forward was handed a first call up as a reward for helping his team lift the Russian league last season.

The former Nigeria U17 forward who was top scorer at the WAFU U17 tournament in 2019, where Nigeria emerged as champions in an interview with the media channel of the Super Eagles confessed that he felt his invitation came too early.

“Playing for the national team is what all players want and so finding myself now in this position I think. It’s a privilege, and it’s an honor for me, because it’s not by my power or by my play which I believe I can do better, and I have to show myself and I have to show why I was called up and I have to show everyone”, he said.

” I’m ready to play evil but when I received a message. I was thinking it was too early for me, but my family told me that you know not really because You just have to go and make that big break”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The last has not been heard about the tussle for the ownership of former Nigeria U17 captain Simon Karshe Cletus between Kaduna based Obaje FC and Mavlon FC, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Cletus who was a member of the Nigeria U20 team that sealed qualification for the U20 World Cup by finishing third at the AFCON has always been known as a player of Mavlon FC since his days with the U17 team of Nigeria.

However a twist happened around a month ago when FC Obaje owned by Gabriel Obaje, the elder brother of well knowned Nigerian footballers in Godwin and Joshua Obaje dragged Mavlon to the NFF claiming ownership of the 17 year old.

NFF in it’s ruling after receiving documents from all parties involved ruled in favour of the Kaduna academy, and duly communicated a message of congratulations shown to our editorial team. The entire case took a sudden twist three days ago.

Obaje while on the pitch training his players was arrested by police officers in Kaduna, who claimed a court order for the reason behind his arrest in order for him to answer a case of forgery against him at the headquarters in Abuja.

We visited the young club owner at the police station and he narrated his ordeal saying he has been held for three days at the Sabo Division located at Kaduna South, pending when he will be taken to Abuja for the case against him.

” They said the parents of the boy claimed that I forged their signature to get parental consent over his economics rights. Instead of going to the NFF where the case was held they got the police to arrest me and I have been here for three days under the worst possible condition”, he narrated from his cell.

He said he has already contacted the NFF, who will send a representative to be with him upon arrival in Abuja and also the Kaduna State FA Chairman, who has offered to support his cause for him to get justice.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

A former assistant to the former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Finidi George says the players of the senior national team of Nigeria are not keen on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Yema Olarewaju who worked with Finidi at Enyimba made this known during a radio interview on Lagos Talks monitored by our editorial team. He cited his reasons on why he insisted on that the players are not showing the same desire like Nigerians have in seeing the team qualify for the world cup.

He said it was the players mentality that affected the performance of the team in the world cup qualifiers games handled by Finidi, where they were held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa and also beaten 1-2 by Benin Republic.

“Nigerians actually want the World Cup, but the players don’t want to go to the World Cup. They are not interested, take it to the bank”, he said.

“When Finidi was the Super Eagles coach, six of the regulars were not available for the game, and the game was in the summer.

“I usually don’t miss Super Eagles training because Uyo is close to Aba. As at four days before the game, the players had an important World Cup qualifier; almost all the players in Europe had already reported to their national teams despite their hectic schedule,” he said.

“Hakimi had already joined the Morocco camp, but our players were busy clubbing in Lagos when camp had opened.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

24 year old Nigerian winger Tenton Yenne has sealed a move to Russian Premier League side Baltika on a free transfer from Armenian side Ararat-Armenia, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Tenton signed a three year deal to play for the ambitious Russian side who were recently promoted to the top division after winning the second division. He is expected to lead their charge to make a huge impression next season.

He arrives as the all time top scorer for Ararat-Armenia, the team he joined just three years ago. His signing is seen by many as a huge coup by the Russian side.

Two seasons ago he was voted the best player in the league as a whole after hitting 16 goals with seven assists in 32 league games. He ended that season with a total of 17 goals in all tournaments with 8 assists from 40 games in all competitions.

In the recently concluded season where his team ended it with a 6-0 thrashing of Ararat a few days ago, Tenton was among the goals netting his 17th of the season where he also has six assists.

The tally makes him the second highest goal scorer in the league , a huge feat considering that he majorly plays as a winger.

Daniel Martins