The decisive stage of the 1XBET COMMUNITY CUP 2024 kicked off on Monday at the prestigious Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos. Eight teams are gearing up for anintense battle for the grand trophy of Nigeria’s most prestigious grassroots football championship, with extremely high stakes.

The tournament’s prize pool of an impressive N20 million has motivated all participants to give their absolute best on the field.

The Road to the Quarter-Finals: Emotions and Struggles

The teams that have reached this stage have gone through a challenging journey. Their path has been filled with tears, sweat, and fierce battles. But they all know why they are here: for the chance to make history and take home a substantial cash prize.

Particular attention is on the defending champions, SB LFC. The team continues to confidently defend its title and is not ready to stop now. In the quarter-finals, they will face a tough test against the powerful FC Bethel Sporting, in what has already been dubbed the “clash of titans.”

The Key Quarter-Final Matchups

Another interesting match awaits Gunners Link FC, who surprised everyone by topping Group A. The team is determined to continue their winning streak and advance to the semi-finals, where they will face Collins Edwin FC.

Emaljus FC is preparing for a tense encounter with the tournaments sensation — Diadem Stallion FC, who have already knocked out one of the favorites, 36 Lion FC. Now, they aim to continue their magical journey in the tournament.

Dominion Hotspur FC, who have shown their dominance throughout the championship, will face Emiloju FC, the team that eliminated last year’s finalist, Ighalo FC. This promises to be a very intense and unpredictable match.

New Standards of Organization and Excitement for Fans

The tournament’s sponsors, 1XBET, and the organizers, Match International Limited, continue to maintain the highest level of organization. They assure that everything is ready to continue delighting fans with outstanding games and thrilling moments on the field.

The CEO of Match International Limited, Engineer Waidi Akanni, has promised soccer fans untold excitement, top-class football matches, and lots of glitz and glamour throughout all the games. The entire tournament has been a spectacle filled with great football action and entertainment.

The Main Event Is Approaching

The quarter-final matches will be a true test for all participants. Every match is a chance to take another stepcloser to the coveted victory, and every mistake could cost a place in the semi-finals. One thing is for sure — fans will witness unique and thrilling encounters, full of unexpected twists and intense moments.

The wait is almost over. Who will be crowned champion ofthe 1XBET COMMUNITY CUP 2024?

Take part in supporting grassroots football in Nigeria andsupport your favorite at the stadium in the decisive playoff matches! The final is coming, so don’t forget to visit the tournament website for detailed information about the results, game schedule, and the latest news of the participating squads .

The former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro says he is still in touch with players of the team and they are open to his possible return as coach of the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Peseiro left the team following the expiration of his contract as coach in February, turning down the option of staying for another two years after meeting the target of getting to at least the semi final of the Africa Cup of Nations.

He led Nigeria to the final, where they were beaten 0-1 by the host Cote d’Ivoire. One of his assistants Finidi George was picked as his substantive replacement, but he only lasted two games before he threw in the towel citing disrespect by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after a 1-1 draw against South Africa and a 1-2 loss to Benin Republic in the world cup qualifiers.

Bruno Labbadia was announced by the NFF as his replacement but a few days later , the German turned down the job following a breakdown in talks over the payment of his taxes, leaving the NFF to turn to their technical director Austine Eguavoen to lead the team in the AFCON qualifiers in interim capacity.

There is still no decision on keeping Eguavoen permanent in the role, but he could remain till after the AFCON qualifiers back to back games against Libya in October.

Speaking to the media at the coaching symposium organized by CAF, Peseiro revealed that he is still in touch with players of the team and most of them want him back , but he has made his mind up on moving on to another chapter of his career.

” My players obviously miss me and I miss them. Some of them tell me they want me back as coach but that chapter is closed for me”, the coach said before explaining the reason why he quit the role.

“I don’t know, I think it was one moment I liked, but I decided, when I started the AFCON, that when I finished my contract, I would leave. I decided at that moment.”

“Because, yes, I put too much effort into my job. Too much stress. Okay, but I gave my all, along with my staff and the players. The players were the best part, but I think it was enough.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of English Premier League side Leicester City Steve Cooper says Nigeria international midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has shown he has what it takes to play the number 10 role, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Ndidi picked up his third assist in four games in the league this year with his two assists helping his team to a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace. A little over a week after his assist for Nigeria in the 3-0 win over Benin Republic in the AFCON qualifiers.

Deployed in a more defensive role for the senior national team of Nigeria, at club level he was moved to a new role higher up the pitch by former coach Enzo Maresca in their successful promotion bid back to the top league.

He has maintained the same position in the Premier League as against the thought of many who suggested that the 27 year old might struggle to play in that position in the English top division.

Cooper is of a different opinion insisting that Ndidi has earned the right to play in that advanced midfield role for club and country after his success last season.

“Ndidi did that quite a lot last season,” Cooper said after the game, speaking of the midfielder’s attacking role.

“We can make decisions in terms of profiles for certain games and in certain positions, and Wilf has delivered today. He had a long week travelling and there was some thought around the international boys who came back late, about whether they should play.

“But Ndidi has got so many Premier League appearances. That doesn’t mean that you definitely start the game, but I just felt that today we needed that.”

The denial by top brass of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on contacting Winfred Schäfer for the Super Eagles job has sparked a response from the camp of the coach, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Yesterday the online edition of foremost Nigeria media outlet Guardian ran a story of the 74 year old former coach of Cameroon getting the nod to take over as coach of the senior national team of Nigeria.

In a swift response, the NFF denied contact with the coach saying Austine Eguavoen will still continue in his role as interim coach for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers back to back games against Libya in October.

A representative of the coach reached out to OwnGoalNigeria.com to speak on the reported interest stating the part of the coach , who won the AFCON title for Cameroon 20 years ago.

“You don’t work for the Guardian but I want you to clear the air since you also wrote the story. Schäfer was contacted two days before the Super Eagles 3-0 win over Benin Republic. Proposals were made and talks progressed nicely”, he said.

” The proposed contract was discussed with his lawyers and reverted back to the NFF. So to say there was never contact is mischievous and misleading. You can’t destroy people’s job like that”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Former captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Joseph Yobo has voiced his unhappiness on the manner he was axed from the coaching crew of the senior national team of Nigeria after their failure to secure the ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Yobo was part of the coaching crew led by Austine Eguavoen that failed to make it to the tournament in Qatar after failing to beat Ghana in the playoff. The unfortunate incident led to the dismissal of the crew.

He feels he was unfairly treated, because he was inherited from the former technical crew led by Gernot Rohr with a clear plan to be the next Super Eagles coach, when he was appointed.

He started by detailing how he went into coaching despite not initially opened to the idea. ” My case is peculiar. Initially, I never wanted to become a manager. When I was called to do it (become an assistant) I was a bit skeptical but I saw it as a chance to learn the trade. My appointment came during Covid and I hadn’t gotten my badges yet and not even a Nigerian coaching course could have been arranged at the time because of the situation globally”, he told the print edition of Guardian.

“My role was a bit different under Gernot Rohr and Eguavoen. One thing I observed even as a player was some managers forget they used to be players before which is something I was able to do differently by relating more with the boys being a former player myself.

” I won’t lie to you I loved it (coaching the national team). Ask the players. The coaches that were there and anyone who knows me know that whatever I’m involved in, I do it with passion, but we didn’t qualify (for the 2022 World Cup). Rather than review and look to the future, they let go of everybody”, he stated.

Speaking on the failure to qualify for the world cup owing to the loss to Ghana , he explained he still found it hard to believe they didn’t score away to Ghana, which proved fatal.

“Whatever transpired in the away game against Ghana, I thought we should have won that game. I knew I had a big role to play being a former captain by talking to the players on what to expect from this type of situation but in football, goals decide games and we couldn’t score in Ghana and they eventually qualified on away goals here in Abuja. I wanted to be part of the experience (the World Cup) from the sidelines after experiencing it first hand as a player.

” The NFF at that time made a decision to drop all the coaching crew, forgetting that I was brought in as a project for the future. In doing so, they deviated from the purpose and I moved on to other things. When I saw a window of opportunity (to get my license) during that time frame, I took it with the PFA which I paid for in full and still have receipts for it but still ended up getting dropped from the crew”, he lamented.

Despite report of the imminent appointment of 74 year old German Winfred Schäfer as the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, the technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Austine Eguavoen will still be in charge of the list of players who will represent Nigeria in the next international round of games in October, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Eguavoen who handled the team in interim capacity for the AFCON qualifiers 3-0 win over Benin Republic and the 0-0 draw against Rwanda in Kigali will remain as one of the assistants of the German, if he eventually gets the job.

In order not to caught in a similar situation that happened in the case of Bruno Labbadia, who was announced as coach but talks broke down over tax , the NFF are keeping Eguavoen in charge until all is sorted with Schäfer, or any other coach who ends up getting the job.

A return to his role as technical director of the NFF means he will still have a say on players invitation, and it includes the next international round of games which the Super Eagles will play in back to back qualifiers games against Libya.

We also gathered that two players namely Benjamin Tanimu and Alhassan Yusuf will miss out in the list with Kenneth Omeruo also in line for a return to the setup after missing the last three games due to varying reasons.

The search for a new coach for the senior national team of Nigeria appears to have come to an end according to the print edition of Nigerian newspaper Guardian, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria have been without a substantive coach since the exit of Finidi George three months ago. A deal for German coach Bruno Labbadia broke down over dispute on the payment of his taxes.

The technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Austine Eguavoen handled the team in interim capacity during the last round of international games, leading the team to a 2-0 win over Benin Republic and a 0-0 draw away to Rwanda in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.

According to David Meshioye who wrote the story, Schäfer is expected in Nigeria later this month for an unveiling ceremony. Talks over his backroom staff is said to be progressing nicely and his arrival will see Eguavoen return to his role as technical director.

His last job was as the head coach of Qatar side Al-Khor in 2021, when they were in a difficult situation. Results and performance improved relatively, the team remained in the league after win 3–1 in the play-off match against Al-Shahania. He left his role on the 11th of November 2021, after his contract was terminated.

In Africa he is famously known for guiding Cameroon to the AFCON title in 2002, when they defended their crown with a 3-2 penalty shoot out win over Senegal after both teams have stayed locked at 0-0 in regulation and extra time.

We tell about 4 Wildcard stage matches at the largest Nigerianamateur football tournament on September 9-10.

Bethel Sporting FC v Wasola FC, 1-0

Bethel Sporting FC lost the 1st place in Group A due to the defeat inthe last clash against Gunners Link FC, but in the end, they used thesecond chance at the Wildcard stage and made it to the top eight. Thisteam knew Wasola FC’s weaknesses. They had already played thisopponent in the group and won 4-1. The struggle for the quarterfinalsproved to be tougher, but Bethel Sporting FC again beat Wasola FC thanks to Kadri Olanrewaju’s only goal in the 24th minute.

Dosu Joseph FC v Collins Edwin SC, 1-1; penalty shootout – 1-2

Dosu Joseph FC finished their Group B performance with a win overreigning champions SB LFC. After such success, the squad expectedto triumph at the Wildcard stage as well. Dosu Joseph FC led most ofthe match due to Michael Ede’s goal in the 31st minute. However, EkeLight scored in the 88th minute, and the regular time ended with thesame result as their game in the group – 1-1. The penalty shootout wasthe goalkeepers’ finest hour, as they allowed the players to succeedwith only 3 shots. In the end, Collins Edwin SC won 2-1.

Ighalo FA v Emiloju FC, 0-1

Experts and fans keep considering Ighalo FA as the favorite againstEmiloju FC. But the underdog has found an antidote to the 1xBet Cup 2023 finalist and won with the same score as in the group C struggle. Daniel John netted the only goal in the 29th minute, which broughtEmiloju FC to the quarterfinals. Ighalo FA can only lament theleaders’ absence – the best scorer, Fawas Yusuf, and the most valuableplayer, Justice Ohanusi. Captain Emmanuel Inah and king of speed Dennis Kingsley did their best but failed to help Ighalo FA to repeatits success.

36 Lion FC v Diadem Stallion FC, 0-0, penalty shootout – 4-5

Diadem Stallion FC secured the 3rd place in group D only in the lastmatch. Few people believed in this team at the Wildcard stage, butthey learned lessons from the previous struggle with the favorite. In Group 36, Lion FC won 2-0 thanks to Seun Lawal’s double, but onSeptember 10, Diadem Stallion FC stopped both the recognizedgoalscorer and his partners. The regular time in the intense clashended with no goals being scored. In the penalty shootout, DiademStallion FC succeeded with all of its shots and won 5-4. Although 36 Lion FC counted on goalkeeper Samuel Oriola, who earned a reputation as a specialist in handling 11-meter penalties, theopponents were better.

What’s next at the 1xBet Cup Nigeria

All 8 quarterfinal participants are known:

The playoff schedule:

Remember that this year at the 1xBet Cup Nigeria, the game betweenthe squads that lost in the semifinals will not just be a consolationfinal. After the first tournament’s success, 1xBet was convinced of itssocial mission importance and now wants to invest in grassrootsfootball in Nigeria. The best bookmaker in Africa has increased thebonuses and the number of teams sharing the 1xBet Cup prize moneyin Nigeria.

The competition for individual awards

Seun Lawal (36 Lion FC), Ayato Akindele (Dosu Joseph FC), Okechukwu Nwanna (Bethel Sporting FC), and Wasiu Yaya (EmaljusFC) lead the strikers’ race with 4 goals. However, as their teams havebeen relegated, the first two footballers have slim chances to competefor 300,000 NGN in prize money for the 1xBet Cup 2024 best scorer. The most valuable player and the best coach at the 1xBet Cup Nigeria2024 will also receive 300,000 NGN each.  

A total of 98 goals were scored in 44 matches. The goalkeepersworked brilliantly so that the average performance of the Wildcardstage was only 1 goal per game. We remind you that the tournament’sbest goalkeeper will also share the 1xBet Cup prize money in Nigeriaand receive 250,000 NGN. According to 1xBet, the Nigeriangrassroots football development policy should encourage not onlyteam but also individual achievements.

Take part in supporting grassroots football in Nigeria and supportyour favorite at the stadium in the decisive playoff matches! The finalis coming, so don’t forget to visit the tournament website for detailedinformation about the results, game schedule, and the latest news ofthe participating squads.

English Premier League side Nottingham Forest have made public their list of players registered for the season following the close of the transfer window and also conclusion of all transfers related to the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Coach Nuno Espirito Santo has decided to leave out Nigeria international forward Emmanuel Dennis out of his squad despite having him in the team for their pre season squad and test games.

A summer signing from Watford two seasons ago , Dennis had two separate loan spells last season and was hoping to win the trust of the coach who he was working with for the first time.

The decision to leave him out of the squad has been mooted for a while, with his representatives already aware that he is surplus to requirements at the club, where his fellow Nigerian Taiwo Awoniyi still remains their top striker.

His contract could be mutually terminated if he fails to find a new club , when transfer window closes around all the leagues in the world.

61 year old Swede Janne Andersson is still interested in becoming the substantive coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, despite failing to reach an agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) one month ago, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Andersson was offered the role by the NFF but he was undecided on when to resume in his new role wanting the NFF to excuse him from the recently concluded AFCON 2025 qualifiers games, as he will only be available from the end of this month due to his contract with a media company.

It was verbally agreed between all parties involved that he will assign his assistants to take charge of both games, but he came up with another twist requesting for the date of his resumption to be shifted to November.

The NFF refused his request, which led to the appointment of German coach Bruno Labbadia as the coach, but the 58 year old made a u-turn on the offer after a breakdown in talks over the payment of his taxes. The technical director of the NFF Austine Eguavoen was hurriedly drafted in as coach.

Eguavoen led the team to a 3-0 win over Benin Republic and a 0-0 draw against Rwanda, effectively ending his two games mandate as coach which has opened the door for the appointment of a substantive coach.

We can exclusively report that Andersson is still very much in the picture as all have been agreed with him , with only his date of resumption missing from the agreement meaning talks can resume if the NFF deems fit as the coach has maintained his interest in the job.