Luton Town FC had a day to remember despite their failure to see out a win as they conceded a 95th minute goal to draw 1-1 against Liverpool in yesterday’s English Premier League game, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The newly promoted English Premier League side took the lead in the 80th minute through Tahith Chong and were heading for a famous win untill Luis Diaz struck with about the last kick of the game.

One player who impressed during the course of the game was relatively unknown Nigerian defender Gabriel Jeremiah Adedayo Osho popularly known as Gabe Osho. He was part of a back five that frustrated Liverpool for large spell of the game.

It was the second game in the English Premier League for the 24 year old, as he only recently returned from an injury. He however showed no sign of a player who is playing just his second game at this level.

Born in England to parents of Nigerian descent, he is yet to be capped at any level by both countries but has made it clear that he has his eyes fixed on the senior national team of Nigeria. He celebrated with a Nigerian flag wrapped around his waist when they secured promotion to the English Premier League.

In July this year, his representative told our editorial team via email that he will be more than excited with a call up to the Super Eagles.

” That will be like the icing on a fantastic year. Remember he was without a club three years ago. He made 30 appearances last season and will be in the English Premier League, with a taste of international football in September on the cards. That’s a year to remember”, a representative of his agency Stonemountain management told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

No doubt, his performance yesterday would have put him in the sight of the head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro as the team steps up preparation for next year Africa Cup of Nations.

Osas Mahawi

Zimbabwe will be looking for their first ever win over Nigeria at senior level when both teams clash on the 19th of November in the race to be at the 2026 World Cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will open their campaign against Lesotho before the trip to Rwanda, the adopted home ground of Zimbabwe for the game, and they will he hoping they keep their impressive record against their host intact.

The Super Eagles have never lost a competitive match against Zimbabwe, winning four and drawing one of five meetings.

Ahead of the game, the coach of the senior national team of Zimbabwe Baltemar Brito called up 28 players and it includes a first time call up for 19 year old Liverpool defender Isaac Mabaya.

The versatile former England youth teamer caught the eye during a number of appearances with Jürgen Klopp’s first team in their 2022 summer pre-season schedule, where he was involved during the Asia tour and training camp in Austria.

He was employed mostly as an attacking option from right-back, although he can also play in midfield. A ten month injury lay off denied him the chance of a first team bow, but he is back playing now and has so far played three games for the U21s as he continues to work his way back to full fitness.

Born in England to parents with Zimbabwean roots, Mabaya played for England at U15, U16, U18 and U19 before deciding to switch his nationality to Zimbabwe at the start of this year.

The game against Super Eagles will be his first involvement with the team since his nationality switch by FIFA was approved.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The list of players who will represent Nigeria when they begin the race for the 2026 World Cup on the 16th of November in Uyo will be made public next week, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria will take on Lesotho in their opening game of the qualifiers before travelling to Kigali, the adopted home ground of Zimbabwe for their second game in the series.

Ahead of the game, head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro sent out provisional invitation to 35 players but will trim it down to 24 after this weekend games in Europe.

From reports made available to us, the team will be without Wilfred Ndidi who has been ruled out of the game with a muscle injury. He joins the likes of Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Zaidu Sanusi and Semi Ajayi on the treatment table.

The above  mentioned players won’t be in the final 23 man list paving the way for two new players to be included in the team one of which is Bayer Leverkusen winger Nathan Tella.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The first choice goalkeeper of top division Sweden side Värnamo Jonathan Rasheed says his focus is on representing the senior national team of Nigeria and not Sweden, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Born in Sweden to parents of Nigerian descent, the shot stopper is eligible for both countries but he hasn’t been capped at any level yet. He has however set a target for himself with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

31 year old Rasheed is having a tremendous season in Sweden at a time, when the senior national team of Nigeria is in a crisis in the area of goalkeepers with the Africa Cup of Nations set to begin next year.

Rasheed however refused to see himself as the solution to the issues of the team in goal, rather he said he only need a chance to show his worth.

“That’s not for me to say. I would be honoured if I got the possibility to say that I would be a solution that I couldn’t say. But if I got the chance I would do everything in my power to make it as good as possible”, he told Eagles Tracker.

He went further to alienate any fears of his dual nationality hindering him from honoring an instant call up by confirming that he already has a Nigerian passport.

“I have a Nigerian passport so it’s always been a dream of mine to go to the national team. I don’t feel like it’s worth being disappointed about it.
“It’s more like if it comes I will be very happy, if not I will still fight and try to make it.

“For a football player it is the biggest thing that you can do – represent your country. It would be a big, big honour so I don’t think you can describe it until you are there”, he rounded up saying.

Nigeria international winger Moses Simon has been rewarded for his fine form at Ligue 1 side FC Nantes with the award of the player of the month, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Simon had an extra ordinary month for the modest Ligue 1 side picking up three assists and a goal in the period under review. Powering the team to three wins out of five, a run that has seen them rise to 7th on the log.

The club are however facing a huge issue in trying to tie him down to a new deal as he approaches the final six months of his contract at the club.

Talks have been held over an extension with a pay rise on the table but the 28 year old, who is also tracked by a host of teams in France is yet to accept the proposal on the table from the club, where he has spent the past five seasons.

Nantes will continue with their push to extend his stay after the international break, with Simon set to be away with the senior national team of Nigeria for their opening world cup 2026 qualifiers game against Lesotho and Zimbabwe respectively.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Struggling Dutch giants Ajax moved out of the bottom of the table with a 2-0 win over Volendam in the Dutch Eredivisie, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

A string of poor results made the club to part ways with coach Maurice Steijn, who only joined them in the summer. He left them rooted at the bottom of the table after four consecutive defeats.

John van ‘t Schip was named the interim head coach of the team on a contract that will run from 30 October 2023 until 30 June 2025. The former Ajax player got his reign underway with a win in front of the home fans.

Captain of the team Steven Bergwijn set them on the path to victory with the opening goal in the 57th minute before Chuba Akpom rounded up the win with his first goal for the club in the 89th minute.

After his well placed header was tipped for a corner kick, he met the resultant cross with a powerful header for his first in the colours of the club he joined in the summer from English Championship side Middlesbrough.

He almost made it a brace in time added on but his effort came off the woodwork after rounding the goalkeeper. A fantastic start to life for the number ten who we gathered is among the players provisionally called up to the senior national team of Nigeria.

Head coach of the Nigerian team Jose Peseiro sent out invitation to 35 players ahead of the start of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, and per what we exclusively gathered Akpom was among the new players contacted by the coach.

The list will be pruned to 24 players after this weekend round of games in Europe. Akpom will be hoping to be in the mix with the team set to be without two regular forwards in Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi.

Ade Emmanuel

Head coach of Enyimba Football club of Aba Finidi George says he has no knowledge about the recruitment of the players at the club bar four of them, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The club woeful performance in the Africa Football League and also in the Nigeria Professional Football League has led to questions about the level of players at the club.

In his defence, Finidi who won the league title with the club last season accused the Kanu Nwankwo led management team of recruiting most of the players he is working with at the moment.

He said Ifeanyi Ekwueme, the sporting director appointed by Kanu to oversee the day to day running of the club recruited the players bar four of them. He said he had no knowledge of how they were registered by the club.

“Out of 19 new players that were brought in, I had knowledge of only 4 of them. When I saw the quality of the players that were brought, I called Ekwueme the Sporting Director and asked what the target for the season is, he said it is just to stabilize in the league as the focus is to settle down first”, he explained in an interview made available to OwnGoalNigeria.com.

“Ideally, before registering players for any competition, the coaches must be consulted to submit the list. But that wasn’t the case here.

” For whatever flimsy reason, we were not consulted and they did the registration themselves. As a result, some of the players we would have needed were not registered. It was much later that the sporting director just sent us the list of players that they had already registered”, he stated.

Damian Waziri

As the cheers of Nigerian sports fans echo through stadiums and living rooms, there’s a new question that’s scoring big in the hearts of many: “Is sports betting changing the very essence of the games people love?” The passionate embrace of sports in Nigeria is undeniable, but the rising influence of sports betting is altering the dynamics, turning every match into a high-stakes contest, both on and off the field.

This article delves into the profound impact of sports wagering on Nigeria’s sports culture, exploring how this intriguing game within the game is reshaping the nation’s sporting landscape.

A Thriving Industry

The sports betting market in Nigeria has expanded rapidly in recent years. Wagering on sporting events is now available to a large segment of the population thanks to the proliferation of online wagering platforms. Nigerians may now gamble on sporting events without leaving the house, thanks to the widespread availability of internet access.

Moreover, cities around Nigeria now include several local sports betting businesses, many of which feature the logos of famous European football clubs. There is more going on at these gambling establishments than just placing wagers. They’ve evolved into social gathering places where people can catch the game, talk strategy and make some wagers.

The Football Frenzy

Although there is a broad variety of sports to wager, in Nigeria, the focus is mostly on football. There is a vast betting craze because of the country’s intense passion for sports, especially the English Premier League. Millions of Nigerians make wagering on EPL matches a weekend tradition that often coincides with their viewing of the games. Betting on football is so widespread because it gives spectators a chance to invest more emotionally in their favourite game.

Wagering on game results, goal scorers like Haaland and halftime scores raises the stakes and increases the fun. It’s not enough to merely root for a team; you must also try to anticipate the game’s plot and results. Furthermore, Nigerians now have an easier time making educated wagers because of widespread media coverage of football events and in-depth analysis offered by betting businesses.

Economic Impact

Nigerians’ relationship with sports is evolving thanks to the sports betting business, which generates new revenue streams. As a result of the industry’s rapid expansion, many new gambling businesses have sprung up, bringing new opportunities for employment and business ventures. Sports wagering has also contributed significantly to government revenue through taxation.

In a country where the government seeks diverse sources of income, the betting industry has become an attractive prospect for generating tax revenue. However, the economic impact is not limited to the industry itself. Sports clubs and organisations have benefited from sponsorships and partnerships with betting companies like Betway, amongst many others. These partnerships provide financial support and resources that help develop sports infrastructure and talent.

Responsible Wagering and Regulation

While the popularity of wagering on sporting events in Nigeria has increased dramatically, others worry that it might lead to irresponsible behaviour and even addiction. Betting agencies and government agencies have responded to these concerns by taking measures to encourage responsible gaming. If a client suspects they have a gambling problem, many bookmakers equip them with methods to restrict their wagering, self-exclude, or get help.

The dangers of compulsive gambling and addiction have also been publicised, and efforts to that end have been launched. The government of Nigeria has also made steps toward better regulating the sector. The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) is in charge of monitoring gambling businesses to make sure they follow the rules and encourage responsible play.

In conclusion, Nigeria’s sports environment has been drastically altered by the “game within the game,” that is, sports betting. For stakeholders to keep sports wagering in Nigeria positively influencing its sports culture, it is essential to balance the industry’s entertainment value and the need for responsible betting as it develops.

The story of the international future of Chelsea midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu would have been a lot different if only the then coach of the senior national team of Nigeria was proactive, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Ugochukwu is the nephew of former Nigeria international defender Onyekachi Apam and at the age of 16 he was already a first team player at French Ligue 1 side Rennes.

His rise is similar to that of Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga who also had his breakthrough at the club at around the same age and left two years later for Real Madrid. Ugochukwu also towed the same path by moving to Chelsea after the same period.

At Chelsea, the 20 year old is still working his way into the first team and presently has nine appearances to his name in all competitions including six in the English Premier League.

He got his first taste of international football in 2021, when he was called up to the U18 team of France. One year to that time he was pushing to be involved with the Nigerian team per what we exclusively gathered.

” I can tell you that his father and his uncle Apam were excited when they heard about the interest from Nigeria. I handed the father’s number to  former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr, but he didn’t get in touch until almost a year later”, a source told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” When Rohr finally got in contact, a meeting was set up with the boy and his family but Rohr didn’t turn up. That left his father really angry and the boy was left discouraged, so one year later the call from France came and he jumped on it. It was when Rohr now became really serious in  trying to wrestle him from France”.

Top division Turkish side Kasimpasa have named Nigeria international defender Kenneth Omeruo as the new captain of the club, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

Omeruo returned to the team he spent two different loan spells in 2015 and 2017 respectively on a permanent deal from Spanish side Leganes. He has since gone ahead to cement a spot in the team.

The 30 year old has played in all of their ten games this season with his contribution a part of the reason why they are presently 5th on the league table.

His leadership qualities hasn’t gone unnoticed and it has now earned him recognition with the team handing him the captain armband. The news was made public by his management team on Instagram.

He is also one of the vice captains of the senior national team of Nigeria, and he is expected to be one of the pillars of the team as they begin their quest to be at the 2026 World Cup and also the Africa Cup of Nations next year.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman