The confusion over the winner of the man of the match awards between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman after the Super Eagles 6-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe has been put to rest by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen bagged a hattrick for his tenth goal in the qualifiers, a tally which also makes him the highest goal scorer in the AFCON qualifiers while Lookman helped himself with a goal and an assist.

After the game both players were given man of the match awards by two separate companies, and it sparked a debate on how and why two players from the same team will win the same award in a game.

Explaining a member of the NFF media department said it’s nothing really saying the duo were awarded by two separate companies, using different methods to arrive at the decision.

He said both awards are independent of the NFF even though it was powered by their sponsors. They had to share it on the social media handles across all platforms as part of their obligations to the sponsors.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Despite the close of the transfer window in major European leagues, teams in Russia are still very active in the transfer market with their window still open till the 14th of September, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

To that end top division Russian side Torpedo Moscow made attempts to lure Nigeria international defender Chidozie Awaziem from high flying Portuguese side Boavista a few days ago.

They made a bid of €2m for the 26 year old, who is back at the club after a loan spell in Croatia with Hajduk Split. Their offer was rejected for falling short of the €5m valuation of the defender who has been capped 29 times by Nigeria at senior level.

Before the close of the transfer window in France, Ligue 1 side Nantes made attempts to bring him back to the club, where he spent the 2017/2018 season on loan from his then club FC Porto. The deal broke down following a disagreement on the terms and fees of the deal.

Awaziem has been key to the fine start of Boavista in the Portuguese League, who are joint top of the league with Sporting Lisbon and FC Porto.  It is believed that the club is not in a hurry to let go of his services till maybe next summer.

Daniel Martins

The Nigerian contingent at Cyprus side Omonia Nicosia will in the coming days swell with another Nigerian close to joining Francis Uzoho at the club, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

According to Fotbolldirekt.se. Danish side FC Copenhagen are close to reaching an agreement with Omonia Nicosia for the sale of Akinkunmi Amoo, who only recently returned from a long term injury.

FC Copenhagen signed the winger in January 2022 from Swedish side Hammarby on a contract till 2026, but injuries and fitness issues limited him to just four appearances since his move.

The 21 year old was approached by Omonia, with their present sporting director Jesper Jansson a huge admirer of the player he helped Hammarby to sign, while working in this same capacity with the Swedish side.

Amoo impressed during a training period and with the transfer window still open till the 15th of September, a deal is said to be close to happening with two options, which is either a permanent signing with the option of further sale or a loan deal.

Daniel Martins

Head coach of the senior national team of Sao Tome and Principe Ricardo Cardoso says the Super Eagles of Nigeria are second best on the African continent to the Teranga Lions of Senegal, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The coach was on the sidelines as his team got spanked 6-0 by the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their final game of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Uyo, with a hattrick from Victor Osimhen and further goals from Ademola Lookman, Taiwo Awoniyi and Samuel Chukwueze completing the rout.

Nigeria were already through to the Africa Cup of Nations before the game , and head coach of the Nigerian team Jose Peseiro maintained that their aim is to win the next AFCON that will take place in Cote d’Ivoire.

Cardoso however thinks that the Super Eagles of Nigeria for now can’t win the tournament and he went ahead to tip Senegal as the favourite for the title.

“Nigeria has some of the best players in Africa, quality players in top leagues around the world,” he told journalists at the post-match press conference.

“For now, after Senegal who are my favorites and Nigeria has the best team in Africa, ” he concluded.

The recent decision by Gent of Belgium defender Jordan Torunarigha to switch his international allegiance to Nigeria from Germany appears to have an effect on other players of Nigerian descent in Germany, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Torunarigha was handed a first time call up to the senior national team of Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers game against Sao Tome and Principe in Uyo, a game which Nigeria won 6-0 with the 26 year old an unused substitute in the game.

However, the decision of the former Germany U20 defender has alerted other players who have dual nationality that they can have a future with the senior national team of Nigeria, with opportunities for Germany at senior level now limited.

One of such players is Jonas David who is on loan from Hamburg to fellow Bundesliga 2 side Hansa Rostock, the 23 year old has already represented Germany at U19 and U20 level with a total of nine caps. In recent times he twice came close to getting a first time call up to the Super Eagles under former coach Gernot Rohr.

His representative told OwnGoalNigeria.com that he dream of following in the footsteps of Torunarigha in the coming years especially now that he is getting steady run of games in his favorite position at a centre back.

” The feeling was that the departure of Rohr portrays a bleak future for players like Jonas but that isn’t entirely true anymore with the invitation of Torunarigha. Jonas is keen on getting his chance with Super Eagles, he is just 23 and now playing in his favorite position as a center back. It might be now or in the future but he will still be here”, he revealed in an exclusive chat.

Osas Mahawi

Victor Osimhen might not get to pair with Taiwo Awoniyi in the attack of the senior national team of Nigeria despite the duo finding the back of the net as the two front strikers in the 6-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

While Osimhen helped himself to a hattrick, Awoniyi scored the third goal for Nigeria as they round up their AFCON qualifiers campaign in style at the nest of champions in Uyo.

Their combination in attack wasn’t fluid and according to the coach of the team Jose Peseiro, they might not get to play as a pair in attack because they both have the same likeness for playing as lone forwards.

“It’s not easy to create combinations. Even if the players play alone in the team, Taiwo plays alone, Osimhen and Boniface also. You want to play with two strikers but it’s not easy that coordination with them. You need time, training. I told you yesterday that I need to call the best players every time to build the team”, he said at the post match conference after yesterday’s game.

Newly appointed head coach of Turkish top division side Adana Demirspor Patrick Kluivert has picked the attack of the team as the one area he hopes to strengthen before the close of the transfer window in Turkey, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

Kluivert took over from Italian manager Vicenzo Montella, who guided them into the Europa Conference League qualifiers last term. They failed to reach the group stage of UEFA’s tertiary tournament, but are still putting together an intriguing project.

According to Sports Digitale journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, the Turkish Super Lig side as demanded by Kluivert have submitted a bid to sign Nigeria international forward Emmanuel Dennis, who have been frozen out of the first team picture at English Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

Dennis is said to have agreed to the terms proposed by the club, which has made talks between both teams to be smooth and a move is said to be imminent. It is coming three days after another Turkish side Trabzonspor rejected the chance to sign the 25 year old.

Trabzonspor were said to be closing in on a deal for the Forest outcast but in a rather bizarre twist signed his Nigeria international teammate Paul Onuachu from Southampton.

Daniel Martins

Another round of drama between the coach of the women team of Nigeria Randy Waldrum and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is brewing with the official announcement by the football house that he is no longer in charge of the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

In a communique made public by the NFF after their Annual General Meeting (AGM), the board said the contract of the coach and the others in the women’s team have all expired, and they will in the coming days begin the process of employing a new coach.

“The NFF Board resolved to be thorough and ensure meritocracy in the composition of new coaching crews for the various Women National Teams (Super Falcons, Falconets and Flamingos) within the shortest possible time, as the Super Falcons and Falconets have crucial qualifying fixtures for major championships in a matter of weeks”, a part of the communique reads.

It is coming five days after the coach granted an interview with the online edition of Punch saying all reports about his sack by the NFF, first reported by OwnGoalNigeria.com is false.

” I’m seeing reports that I’ve been sacked but my contract doesn’t end until October 31,” Waldrum who led the team to the round of 16 at the recently concluded world cup told PUNCH Sports Extra.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The head of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has explained the logic behind his decision with five strikers in the Super Eagles 6-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe in Uyo yesterday, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

A strong believer in the 4-3-3 system, the Portuguese switched style for the visit of the group’s whipping team Sao Tome and got rewarded with six goals.

Playing that formation meant the quartet of Victor Osimhen, Taiwo Awoniyi, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho all started in attack.

A double pivot of Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka was deployed in front of the back four for protection. The team not only scored six goals but also didn’t concede.

Asked if that will be the style going forward, the coach played it down saying they will approach each game depending on who they are up against. Saying the large pool of players at his disposal is why he can tweak formations to suit games.

” We have lot of talented players in the Super Eagles, so we will approach every game on the strength of how we want to play and who we will play. I played four strikers because we want to attack, it’s our style. That is how I want us to play in certain games not in all games”, he said.

Osas Mahawi

Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface says his invitation to the senior national team of Nigeria came at the perfect time following his debut in their 6-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe in their final game in the AFCON qualifiers, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Last season Boniface while at Belgium side Union Saint-Gilloise finished with 17 goals and 12 assists. He was also the joint top scorer in the UEFA Europa League with six goals, the same as Marcus Rashford of Manchester United.

Despite that he wasn’t handed a call up last year and this year with a healthy tally of five goals in four games for Bayer Leverkusen, while still settling down to his new surroundings he was handed a maiden call up.

The 22 year old marked his debut with an assist for his fellow substitute Samuel Chukwueze and he said his involvement with the senior national team of Nigeria came at the appropriate time.

” I don’t think my invitation came late. It was appropriate that I get called up when I was calls up. Now that I am here my heart is on doing the best for the team and make Nigerians proud”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com in an exclusive chat.

Ade Emmanuel