The medical team of Italian Serie A champions Napoli has revealed that top striker Victor Osimhen played in the Africa Cup of Nations final game against Cote d’Ivoire with a stomach infection, which was largely why his participation in the semi final was in doubt, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Italian publication the Repubblica made the revelation in their report about the virus which he suffered while at the tournament and had to play through it.

“In the Ivory Coast the number 9 was affected by an  intestinal virus , which he should have left behind. But tomorrow’s check-up will sweep away any residual doubts. The Azzurri urgently need their leader and with him they will be able to return to the past, focusing permanently on a more offensive module”, the well known newspaper reported.

Further reports in Italy say Osimhen who started in the Super Eagles 1-2 loss to the host on Sunday is expected back in the country tomorrow, where he will be evaluated by the medical team ahead of a decision to include him in the team for the weekend’s game.

“Osimhen will be in Naples tomorrow morning, the player is leaving Nigeria, no crime, no mystery, no unforeseen delays”, Carlo Alvino an Italian journalist who covers Napoli posted on social media platform X formerly known as Twitter.

“Then his conditions will be evaluated by the medical and technical staff to understand if he can be called up for Napoli-Genoa, which is very likely” concludes Alvino in his post.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Top division Portuguese side Boavista are not happy with the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro for not giving any game time to the duo of Bruno Onyemaechi and Chidozie Awaziem at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria went all the way to the final of the tournament, where they were beaten 1-2 by the host on Sunday but the duo who are regulars at the Portuguese side didn’t play a minute of all of the games at the tournament.

As a matter of fact they are part of the three outfield players including team captain Ahmed Musa who didn’t get to play in the tournament. That of Onyemaechi is more bewildering considering the fact that on two separate occasions Ola Aina was moved to left back when Zaidu Sanusi was unavailable or rested.

While Awaziem has played in 14 games for the team this season in the league, Onyemaechi has played in 13 games making them key players for the 9th placed team in the league.

The fact that they didn’t get any minute means they will return back suffering from match rustiness after spending a month without competitive football. Boavista feels it could take them a while to get match rhythm and wondered why they were taken to the tournament if the coach has no intention of playing them even for few minutes.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Players of the senior national team of Nigeria have started separating the country for their respective bases after the reception held in their honour by the president of the federal republic of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The players were all given 48 hours by their clubs to report back to base with many expected to go straight into the lineup for the games that will be played at the weekend.

One player who has been told he has to be in France in order to be ready for the game this weekend is Nice forward Terem Moffi, with his team keen on having him available for the game this weekend against Lyon.

Nice are keen on holding on to their 2nd spot in Ligue 1 with 3rd placed Monaco just one point behind them. Moffi is seen as a key player for the team after scoring six goals with two assists as well in the 17 league games he has played this season.

24 year old Moffi flew out yesterday night in a private jet reportedly belonging to the president of the club. The rest of his teammates are expected to leave later today.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has given his opinion on the 1-2 defeat the senior national team of Nigeria suffered in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations against the host Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria were denied a fourth AFCON trophy by the host who had to come from behind to win the game in front of a capacity crowds with two second half goals from Franck Kessie and Sebastian Haller canceling out William Troost-Ekong’s opener.

Speaking about the game, Rohr who still remains the longest serving coach of the team after staying in charge for close to six years pointed out at the decision not to start Moses Simon as partly why they struggled.

Rohr gave instance of how he learnt not to bench the Nantes winger in big games after seeing how it cost them in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations semi final game against Algeria.

Head coach of the Super Eagles Jose Peseiro benched the 28 year old who won two man of the match awards, more than any Nigerian player at the tournament picking Samuel Chukwueze to start ahead of him.

” Simon? I learnt not to bench him in big games after 2019 AFCON semi final and that was why he played all the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup while I was in charge. But you never can tell why the coach took that decision and it probably would have worked. I am not happy that my former players lost the final, but I can tell them to be proud of what they achieved at the tournament”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Ade Emmanuel

The president of the federal republic of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confered the honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) on all players of the Super Eagles of Nigeria who finished second at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Tinubu made the announcement at a reception in honour for the team after their performance at the AFCON despite losing the title 1-2 to the host on Sunday. All players of the team were in attendance.

He also announced a land gift and blocks of flat at choice locations in Abuja for the players and the indigenous members of the coaching crew.

Speaking further, the president said all of their concerns particularly in the area of their bonuses and allowances will henceforth receive prompt attention after seeing how their performance at the tournament united the nation.

It will be recalled that the president ensured that all of the outstanding unpaid bonuses of the team for two years was cleared before the start of the tournament to motivate the team to be at their best. He promised that his administration will ensure that none of such happens in the future.

He also praised the technical crew and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their role in ensuring that the team did well at the tournament, pledging the FG continual financial and logistic support to enable them do more in the future.

Ade Emmanuel

The head coach of Italian Serie A side Udinese has praised the contribution of Maduka Okoye in their 1-0 away win against title contenders Juventus, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Okoye made his seventh consecutive start in the Serie A between the sticks for the 15th placed team and played a huge role with three big saves to help them pick up only their third win of the season after 24 round of games.

So far he has conceded nine goals and kept three clean sheets, a run that has now earned him the number one spot ahead of regular first choice goalkeeper Marco Silvestri. Coach of the team Gabriele Cioffi defended his decision not to pick the 32 year old by praising the mentality of Okoye.

“Okoye instead of Silvestri? Madu is as much a pillar as Marco. The goalkeeper must be considered a player in terms of mentality, he didn’t surprise me . I’m lucky to have three strong goalkeepers and to be able to choose”, he said at the post match conference.

In a related development we can exclusively report that the 24 year old is in line for a return to the Super Eagles of Nigeria as early as March, after opting out of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, where the team went all the way to the final before losing 1-2 to the host on Sunday.

Sources close to the player said he took the decision because he wanted to establish himself at Udinese to build his mental side, after the barrage of insults he suffered from some fans of the team after their 0-lost at the AFCON to Tunisia in the round of 16 two years ago.

He knew he won’t be first choice at the AFCON, so instead of sitting on the bench for the duration of the tournament, he stood behind and fought for the number one spot after being assured by the coach that he will get his chance in January.

With back to back clean sheets and regular run of games, he is open to a return to the Super Eagles for the qualifiers for next year’s AFCON, even though he knows displacing new number one Stanley Nwabali will be difficult following his impressive performance at the AFCON.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

As many as four players who are having an impressive run in the English Premier League will likely be available to play for the senior national team of Nigeria before the next Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

At the last AFCON, where Nigerian went all the way to the final of the tournament before succumbing to a 1-2 loss to the host Cote d’Ivoire, as many as seven players in Alex Iwobi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ola Aina, Joe Aribo, Ademola Lookman , Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi, who were eligible for England at some point represented Nigeria at the tournament.

Ahead of the next tournament in Morocco, more players from the same country will likely be with the Super Eagles as they go again for a fourth AFCON trophy following the disappointment of losing the trophy on Sunday.

Top of the list is Bournemouth top striker Dominic Solanke who has 13 goals in 23 games in the English Premier League this season, the 26 year old has played for England at various youth levels but still remains eligible for Nigeria at senior level.

He followed the performance of the Super Eagles all through the AFCON and sources close to him say a decision on representing Nigeria or sticking with England will be made in the summer, as he waits to find out if he will make the English team for the Euros.

Luton Town duo of Gabe Osho and Elijah Adebayo are also in the mix with the latter scoring 11 nine goals so far and very much eligible for Nigeria as he hasn’t been capped by England at any level. Osho has also been very impressive as a center back with two goals in 13 games, like his teammate he isn’t tied to any nationality as he hasn’t been capped by England at any level.

20 year old Aston Villa midfielder Tim Iroegbunam completes the list with sources around him hinting that he will jump at a chance to play for Super Eagles. He also watched all of the games of the team at the AFCON, but his immediate goal will be to establish himself as a regular at Villa where he has made just two appearances this season.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The president of the federal republic of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confered the honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) on all players of the Super Eagles of Nigeria who finished second at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Tinubu made the announcement at a reception in honour for the team after their performance at the AFCON despite losing the title 1-2 to the host on Sunday. All players of the team were in attendance.

Speaking further, the president said all of their concerns particularly in the area of their bonuses and allowances will henceforth receive prompt attention after seeing how their performance at the tournament united the nation.

It will be recalled that the president ensured that all of the outstanding unpaid bonuses of the team for two years was cleared before the start of the tournament to motivate the team to be at their best. He promised that his administration will ensure that none of such happens in the future.

He also praised the technical crew and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their role in ensuring that the team did well at the tournament, pledging the FG continual financial and logistic support to enable them do more in the future.

Ade Emmanuel

The race for who will succeed Jose Peseiro as coach of the senior national team of Nigeria has started with the future of the Portuguese coach uncertain following the expiration of his contract at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria lost 1-2 in the final to the host country on Sunday. Peseiro’s contract expired immediately after the game but he has the option of extending it for another two years after meeting the target of getting to at least the semi final of the tournament.

Peseiro hasn’t made a decision yet, but sources close to the coach says he will likely leave than stay in his current role although all will be dependent on his meeting with the hierarchy of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the minister for youths and sports senator John Enoh.

On their part the NFF are not leaving any stone unturned in order to keep the momentum of the team after exceeding all expectations by getting to the final, hence they have already lined up a potential replacement for the Portuguese in the event that he leaves.

A chieftain of the NFF revealed that his likely replacement won’t be an indigenous coach despite reports saying former Nigeria U17 , U20 and Super Eagles assistant coach Emmanuel Amuneke is the favourite for the role.

” I can’t tell you it won’t be an indigenous coach if Peseiro leaves. We have our targets and even though some coaches have been using some people in high position to put us (NFF) under pressure, we know what we want and Peseiro is for now our best bet. If he doesn’t stay then we will get a coach who can adequately fit into his shoes”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman