The Nigeria U20 team is currently in Togo preparing for the start of the defence of their WAFU B U20 title. The tournament is also the qualifiers for the U20 AFCON, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

They will open their campaign against Burkina Faso on Friday before their second and fina group game against Cote d’Ivoire three days later.

Head coach of the Nigerian team Aliyu Zubairu has picked the squad that will represent Nigeria, and our editor Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman picks the five players he feels will carry the burden of the team at the tournament.

Clinton Jephta – By far one of the best talents in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Last season at Niger Tornadoes he was a revelation and sparked a tug for his signature between Enyimba and Rangers before pitching tent with the former. If he brings his A game, he could be the player of the tournament.

Kparabo Arieri – The first time I got to know about him was his exploits at the TCC League for Beyond Limit FC. Since then he hasn’t looked back. Quick, strong in duels and also blessed with an eye for goal. He will lead the team’s attack and his rush of goals in the buildup to the tournament has already earned him the tag of ” New Osimhen”. Although he is a little bit different in the way he plays.

Kenneth Igbokwe – A late call up to the Super Eagles team for the world cup qualifiers games against South Africa and Benin Republic brought him to the fore. Blessed with an uncanny ability from set pieces. The Enugu Rangers left back is also very good in turning defence into attack. A very exciting player.

Charles Agada – QPR of England bound winger who can go past his marker with ease and style. Currently nursing a knock and facing a race against time to be fit for Friday’s game, he was one of the shining light of the last Nigeria U17 team under Nduka Ugbade. Can easily decide a game on his day.

Nasiru Salihu – Exceptional for El Kanemi Warriors in their shock run to the final of the Nigeria FA Cup. Everything around the team revolves around him with Zubairu building his team around him and expecting him to hold it all together in the middle of the pitch like he did under the same coach at El Kanemi Warriors.

Below is the full squad

Goalkeeper: Nathaniel Nwosu (Nasarawa United), Harcourt Ebenezer (Sporting Lagos)

Defenders: Adamu Maigari (El Kanemi) Daniel Bamayi (Bayelsa United), Musa Adamu (Wireless), Haruna Aliyu (Doma United), Kenneth Igboke (Enugu Rangers)

Midfielders: Raphael Oyebanjo (Shuffle), Nasiru Salihu (El Kanemi), Muhammad Sabiu Ibrahim (Niger Tornadoes), Oliseh Divine (Academy), Israel Ayuma (NK Istra/Croatia), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Bayelsa United), Suleyman Alabi (El Kanemi)

Forwards: Alonge Ibrahim (Academy), Kparabo Arieri (Beyond Limits), Clinton Jephta (Enyimba), Charles Agada (QPR/England), Bidemi Amole, Musa Akinfenwa (Real Sapphire)

The match winner for the senior national team of Nigeria in the 1-0 win over Libya at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo on Friday has revealed the secret behind his goal which was scored in the 87th minute of the win, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was introduced as a second half substitute and he broke the deadlock with three minutes left to play and it ended as the winner. It was his second international goal for Nigeria in five games.

Prior to his introduction Nigeria have wasted lot of chances with Libya resorting to defending in numbers, and also using time wasting antics to frustrate the Nigerians who were keen on a win that will keep them top of the group.

He revealed the secret of the match winning goal in a chat with our reporter shortly before the trip to Libya for the reverse tie game, which was supposed to be played yesterday but canceled after the Super Eagles were left stranded at the hotel for over 18 hours upon arrival for the game.

” Before I was introduced I could see Moses Simon was putting the ball in those spaces. So when I was introduced he knew where I was because the moment I made the runs he delivered the ball right to my feet with right pace making it easy for him to power it home” , he said.

Our ambassador shared his impressions of the 1xBet Cup Nigeria 2024. The renowned entertainer, who has captured the hearts of millions of fans in Nigeria and across the continent, joined the 1xBet team a few months ago. Bi Benard has regularly attended 1xCUP matches and has been open to interacting with fans.

“Other companies and the government should join the 1xBet initiative”

Popular comedian Bi Benard is known for his love of sports. That’s why the showbiz star has eagerly attended 1xCup matches. This further proves that sports are an integral part of everyday life and a vital aspect of our country’s culture.

Bi Benard called the second edition of 1xCUP an incredible event and noted that the level of organization was of the highest standards throughout the tournament. The famous entertainer not only appreciated the high game level but also reminded about the important social aspects: “I hope that other companies and the government will start organizing more competitions like this and support 1xBet in developing mass sports in the country. This will give our youth a chance to earn a living playing even at the level of Nigerian amateur football”.

“More communities need to become part of 1xCUP”

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What needs to be done for 1xCUP to become more than an ordinary football tournament? Bi Benard has his vision:

“I would like 1xCUP to take place in 4 cities in Nigeria, not just in Lagos. I would also love to see even more promo activities so that each game has a fantastic atmosphere and positive emotions from the fans.”

Bread and games

Bi Benard did not emphasize any specific moment from the 1xCUP 2024, as many stood out to him. However, the showbiz star did highlight 1xBet initiative to increase the tournament’s prize fund compared to the 1st edition.

“I was impressed that the money wasn’t awarded just to the champion and finalist. I was very glad to see 10 award categories given to different teams, players, and coaches. Each category came with a solid financial reward, and in the end, 1xCUP brought happiness to many participants. I would also like to highlight the extensive cultural program that 1xBetorganized for the fans during the decisive matches. I saw the happy faces of people and realized that not only the footballers enjoyed the tournament’s positive energy. That’s very important.”

Keep up the good work!

“I am very proud to be part of the 1xBet company, which organized a tournament of this level. I applaud the best bookmaker in Africa and urge it not to stop. You can see that 1xBet is very committed to its creation—the brand invested a lot of resources to ensure the tournament was organized at a high standard. I am very happy to be collaborating with 1xBet. They did everything possible. Thank you!”

We encourage everyone to participate in the development of grassroots sports in Nigeria with 1xBet!

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Nigeria international winger Moses Simon has revealed the extent of torment the team suffered in the hands of their host Libya upon arrival for the reverse tie of their AFCON qualifiers games, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Super Eagles were due to play Libya yesterday in the reverse tie of the AFCON qualifiers game, after winning the first tie played on Friday in Uyo 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

However upon arrival in Libya they were left unattended to at the airport for a period of over 16 hours forcing them to return back to Nigeria, abandoning the game.

Reacting to the ordeal Nantes winger Moses Simon said the players were genuinely scared for their life as they were policed by gun wielding military men, who were threatening to shot at them if they attempt to go against their will by heading out of ten airport where they were held hostage.

” We were there for over 18 hours. They look ready to shot if we had tried to force our way out and made it clear to us that if we leave the facility where we were held anything could happen to us, and it’s none of their business”, Simon said in an exclusive chat.

” Never before have we seen a situation like that. No food, no water and no Internet for almost a day. Even in a war situation I don’t think hostages are treated this way. It’s sad and we expect CAF to do the needful”, he concluded.

One of the stars of the senior national team of Libya has admitted that the Super Eagles of Nigeria were badly treated by the football authority in Libya upon arrival for their 2025 AFCON qualifiers game, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria were due to play Libya yesterday in the reverse tie of the AFCON qualifiers game, after winning the first tie played on Friday in Uyo 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

However upon arrival in Libya they were left unattended to at the airport for a period of over 16 hours forcing them to return back to Nigeria, abandoning the game.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided to suspend the game from yesterday’s fixtures, and announced that the case has been referred to the disciplinary committee.

The decision disappointed the host, who were hoping the football body will rule in their favour by giving them three points if they are allowd to perform the traditional walk over.

Reacting Besiktas midfielder Al Moatasem Musrati admitted that the Super Eagles were indeed treated badly, but it was a response to how they were treated in Nigeria when they arrived for Friday’s tie. A claim that has been proven to be false by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

He said their case wasn’t given enough attention because they don’t have top players in big leagues like the Super Eagles, which made it easy for the European media to feast on the news as shared by the players on their various social media platforms.

Musrati made it known in a post on his Facebook handle as posted below.

This evening, Some European Medias have been falsely reporting the suffering of of Nigerian players after they were badly treated in Libya when they came to playbtye second Leg game here against the Libyan national football team.

This game counts as the fourth round match for the qualifiers of the next African Nations cup.

The full truth of what happened is that this is a normal and logical result according to what had happened to the Libyan National team when they went to play the first leg match in Nigeria.

Libyan players were held for hours in the Airport for no reason then were thrown in malfunctioning busses. They were driven in those busses for three hours to arrive in an area with high military tension.

These events were not mentioned by the media because the Libyan players are not famous enough while the Nigerian players were able to use their fame to show they were treated poorly, thanks to their social media.

Libya is a country that is known for its hospitality and welcoming people, history has shown that.

No National team has ever been treated poorly when visiting our country.

What happened here was a reaction to the horrible treatment that our players had to endure, nothing more.

Is Erik ten Hag’s time at Manchester United running out? The Dutch coach could be sacked if the Red Devils don’t win against Brentford in the Premier League. Let’s preview this game in our best free soccer tips. Are you ready to go?

For another season Manchester United’s performance in the Premier League is far from impressive. The Red Devils are currently 14th in the standings with just 8 points won. Ten Hag’s boys had won just two of their matches so far. And most certainly that’s not enough.

Before the break United made their second draw for the season – 0-0 against Aston Villa at the Villa Park. Given the fact that Villa were favorites to take the win, maybe this result was not as bad at all. But United needs to win – that’s the only way Erik ten Hag can save his job.

What kind of rotations Ten Hag will make against Brentford on Saturday? Joshua Zirkzee could return in the line-up while Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt should take their place in defense. Both of them started from the bench against Aston Villa. Casemiro could return in the starting eleven, too, while Amad Diallo and Manuel Ugarte remain options for the Dutch manager, too.

Manchester United are without a win since September 17 when they won against Barnsley in the Carabao Cup. This makes five consecutive matches in all competitions. In these five matches the Red Devils made four draws and suffered one defeat.

One of Manchester United’s biggest problems is the lack of goals. So far the team has scored just five goals in seven matches played. That’s certainly not what the fans expected.

Brentford are approaching this trip to Manchester from 11th place in the standings. The Bees have 10 points won and a record of 3 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses.

Before the break Thomas Frank’s boys claimed their third win for the season. Brentford participated in one of the most dramatic games since the beginning of the campaign – 5-3 against Wolves at the Gtech Community Stadium. Nathan Collins, Brian Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard, Ethan Pinnock and Fabio Carvalho put the ball in the net for the hosts.

The manager Thomas Frank was happy with the win against Wolves, but he remained worried for his team’s performance in defense. After all, Brentford conceded three goals at home, and this was not good. The Bees will need to do much better defensively against Man United.

Fabio Carvalho can return in Brentford’s line-up for the next match. The talented Portuguese midfielder scored against Wolves and proves his quality once again.

That’s the best free soccer tips for the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Brentford at the Old Trafford. Can United record their first win since a month? Surely the Red Devils need this, but sometimes it’s not as easy as said. This could be Erik ten Hag’s last match as United manager. The fans are getting impatient now, and another negative result could be decisive in this regard.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken the first step towards ensuring that justice is served on the Libyan FA for their barbaric act of abandoning the Nigerian team at the airport for 16 hours upon arrival for the reverse tie of the AFCON qualifiers, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria defeated Libya 1-0 in Uyo to maintain their top spot in the group, and headed out to Libya where a win would have sealed their spot at the tournament next year. However the Libyan FA decided to acted in an unsportsmanlike conduct leading to the decision of the Nigerian team to withdraw from the game.

They flew back to Nigeria and petitioned CAF with details of their ordeal at an abandoned airport, where the players were held hostage for over 16 hours without food and water 48 hours before the game.

CAF has now reacted by first of all taking the proposed game out of their fixture list for today’s matches posted on their official Twitter handle. It is the first step which proves that the claims by the LFF that the game against Nigeria will go on as a walk over is null and void.

The Nigeria U20 team suffered a huge setback ahead of their trip to Togo for the WAFU U20 tournament, which is the qualifiers for the U20 AFCON.

Nigeria head into the tournament as defending champions with a new coach in Aliyu Zubairu. They are in the same group with Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire.

They will open their campaign on Friday against Burkina Faso without mercurial midfielder Daniel Daga who opt out of the tournament in favour of a deal with Norwegian side Molde.

Daga was expected to play a leading role for Nigeria at the tournament, after distinguishing himself for the last U20 team at the world cup in Argentina. He was expected to be one of the leaders of the team but he refused to submit his passport because of his proposed trip to Norway.

His decision left the technical crew stunned as they have built the team around him as the key man in the middle. They had to replace him two days ago with Niger Tornadoes midfielder Sabiu Ibrahim from the final list of players for the tournament.

Below is the list as submitted by the coach.

Goalkeeper: Nathaniel Nwosu (Nasarawa United), Harcourt Ebenezer (Sporting Lagos)

Defenders: Adamu Maigari (El Kanemi) Daniel Bamayi (Bayelsa United), Musa Adamu (Wireless), Haruna Aliyu (Doma United), Kenneth Igboke (Enugu Rangers)

Midfielders: Raphael Oyebanjo (Shuffle), Nasiru Salihu (El Kanemi), Muhammad Sabiu Ibrahim (Niger Tornadoes), Oliseh Divine (Academy), Israel Ayuma (NK Istra/Croatia), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Bayelsa United), Suleyman Alabi (El Kanemi)

Forwards: Alonge Ibrahim (Academy), Kparabo Arieri (Beyond Limits), Clinton Jephta (Enyimba), Charles Agada (QPR/England), Bidemi Amole, Musa Akinfenwa (Real Sapphire)