The first elimination stage of Portuguese cup tournament Taça da Liga otherwise called the Allianz Cup saw second division side Leixões up against fellow second division side CD Feirense, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Leixões triumphed 4-3 on penalties after both teams stayed tied at 0-0. Their win was aided by three Nigerian players who were making their first team bow for the team following promotion from the U23 team.

2019 Nigeria U17 defender Lawrence Adeniyi tops the list and was part of the back four that kept a clean sheet in the game. He was in the defence with another Nigerian in Bright Osuoha Godwin who operated as a left back for 83 minutes.

While the duo were handed starts, Arome Emmanuel Idache was a second half substitute as early as the 39th minute replacing Moses Conceição. Their opponent CD Feirense had Nigerians in their team as well.

Former Enugu Rangers midfielder Tony Shimaga who now plays as a center back was on from start to finish just like former Plateau United midfielder Oche Ochowechi.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

French second division side Amiens have officially announced the acquisition of Nigerian defender Osaze Urhoghide on a three year contract, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

“Amiens SC is delighted to welcome Osaze Urhoghide to its ranks for the next 3 seasons wishing him full success in this new chapter of his career”, a statement on the website of the club reads.

The 23 year old started his career at English side AFC Wimbledon before making a big career move to Scottish giants Celtic in 2021. He rose from their youth team to the first team but was soon sent out on loan to English side Sheffield Wednesday.

That loan move was followed by another to Belgium where he defended the colours of KV Oostende for 18 months and played in 36 games in all competitions playing majorly as a center back. He is also comfortable as a right back.

Amiens finished 12th last season meaning they will go into next season with the hope of a better standing and possibly gain promotion to the French Ligue 1 following their relegation in 2021.

Damian Waziri

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has confirmed that he is keeping a close watch on a new option in the midfield for the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Although he is presently out of contract as the coach of the Nigerian team, he has been assured that he will keep his role as the coach of the team for the Africa Cup of Nations, after helping the team to seal a spot at the tournament with a game to spare.

He has already started the process of fixing up the team and top of his list is the midfield area, where the team is in dire need of options with only the quartet of Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Joe Aribo and Alex Iwobi the options available to the Portuguese.

Reacting to a question three days ago about newly signed G.D. Chaves midfielder Kelechi Nwakali, he admitted that the 25 year old is one player he has been tracking for a while and he will possibly give him a chance soon.

Peseiro made this known in an interview with Portuguese online media Record. He however said he is one of the many players he is keeping track of in view of a possible call up.

Nwakali was a member of the senior national team of Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations, but since after the tournament he hasn’t been a part of the set up, but all of that could change if he finds his feet at his new club following his move from Ponferradina.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The proposed transfer of out of favour Nigeria international goalkeeper Maduka Okoye to Italian Serie A side Udinese has suffered a huge setback which could lead to the move getting called off, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Okoye hasn’t found the same form that made Watford to splash big on him last summer from Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam. He made only two cup appearances last season with Daniel Bachmann holding onto his spot as the undisputed first choice of the English Championship side.

A loan move to Udinese, a team that is owned by the same entity that owns Watford was seen as an escape from the bench role he has endured for a year but the move is now in serious jeopardy. No reason was given for the present condition of the move which was made public by his close friend Oma Akatugba.

Recent reports has it that a newly promoted team in Turkey are weighing up a move for him but that too is dependent on Okoye accepting a massive pay cut or Watford agreeing to foot more than half of his wages.

Daniel Martins

Barring a last minute change in plans Kenneth Omeruo will complete a summer transfer to Turkish side Alanyaspor from second division Spanish side Leganes, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Omeruo is prime for an exit from Leganes, where he has been since 2019 on a permanent transfer made possible after a year on loan from Chelsea. His exit is a necessity this summer with a year left to run on his deal.

It was a straight battle between two Turkish teams in Alanyaspor and Kasimpasa, where he has spent time on loan during his career but It’s the former who are having the edge at the moment according to reports in Turkey.

He played the 2016/2017 season with Alanyaspor making 26 appearances and the memories of the time he had there is what is driving him back but this time around on a permanent deal. Details of the transfer is being trashed out.

Kasimpasa are still hopeful of a deal though and  will continue their push for the 29 year old, who made 54 appearances in their color over two separate loan spells in the 2015/2016 season and also the 2017/2018 season.

Daniel Martins

The proposed transfer of Nigeria U20 winger Joel Ideho to Italian Serie B side FeralpiSalò appears to have fallen through as he is presently undergoing trials with top division Dutch league side Heerenveen, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Among the players released by Arsenal in the summer, initial reports has it that he will team up with the U21s of Burnley, but that report was topped by news in Italy that he has joined Serie B side FeralpiSalò.

It appears that move, which was exclusively reported by transfer guru Di Marzio didn’t see the light of the day as he is back in the Netherlands. He started trials on Sunday.

Signed from the youth team of Dutch giants Ajax by Arsenal three years ago, the idea was to have him progress to the first team in the nearest future but that didn’t happen leading to his exit from the club. The closest he came to the first team is by joining them in training.

Ideho who missed out on a spot in the Nigeria U20 team for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations due to passport issues, and later couldn’t make it to the World Cup after suffering an ankle injury while on club duty with Arsenal.

Daniel Martins

The captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ahmed Musa has revealed that henceforth he will be selling premium motor spirit (PMS) at his fuel station for N580 per litre as opposed to the general price of N620 per litre.

In an announcement on his official Twitter handle, the 30 year old said his fuel station located in Kano will sell fuel lower than the official and agreed price. His price of N580 per litre is even lower than that of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“Fuel #580 @MYCA -7 Filling Station Kano. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️,” he posted on his verified Twitter handle. A claim which OwnGoalNigeria.com Damian Waziri who visited the fuel station confirmed as real saying it has sparked excitement among residents in the state.

Asked by one of his followers how he is able to do that:  “How manage Alhaji? N580 in Kano when not in Lagos? Are you whining us?” to which Musa replied, “That is what me I decide to sell my own 🤷‍♂️.”

We however gathered that Musa decided to lower the pump price at his fuel station as a way of supporting the people of Kano state, where he had his career breakthrough while playing for Kano Pillars in the Nigeria Professional Football Leagu ( NPFL).

Osas Mahawi

One time Super Eagles Invitee Alhassan Yusuf was star for Belgium champions Antwerp in their Belgium Super Cup win over Mechelen, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Both teams were tied at 1-1 after regulation time and during penalty shoot out, Antwerp kept their nerves to claim a 5-4 win despite ending the game with ten men following the sending off of Gastón Ávila in the 69th minute.

One player stood out in the game was 23 year old Nigerian midfielder Alhassan Yusuf. The Kano born enforcer ran the show for the entirety of the game and can easily pass for the award of man of the match.

Yusuf wasn’t just busy winning back possession, he also impressed with his passing range and how he covers lot of grounds, effectively turning defence into attack with ease. He was simply majestic in the center all through the game.

His performance in the game will no doubt ignite talks about another chance by way of invitation to the senior national team of Nigeria. He was invited for the friendly games against Mexico and Costa Rica respectively but injury made him not to honour the invitation.

The same injury and fitness concerns limited him to just 22 games last season. He missed three months because of a muscular injury but his performance tonight suggest he has regained full fitness.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Following the departure of Victor Boniface to German Bundesliga side Bayern Leverkusen, Belgium side Union Saint-Gilloise (USG) have drawn up names of possible replacements for the 22 year old.

Boniface contributed 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions last season, his only season at the club following his move from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt last summer. This summer he moved to Leverkusen for a fee of €18m potentially rising to €20m.

His importance to their campaign last season, when they went as far as the quarter finals of the Europa League with Boniface finishing as joint top scorer in the tournament means replacing him has become a top priority before the end of the transfer window.

Top of their list of targets is Algeria international Mohamed El Amine Amoura of Swiss side FC Lugano. He is tracked side by side with former Nigeria U20 forward Jerome Adams Akor who has emerged as the hottest prospects in Norway.

Akor is the present top scorer in the Norwegian top division with 15 goals in 15 games for Lillestrom.  A form that has set most teams in top European leagues on alert over his possible transfer this summer.

USG are however facing a battle in their bid with a certain team from Ligue 1 said to the favorite for his signing despite reports of interest from English Championship side duo of  Middlesbrough and  Leicester City.

Daniel Martins

Burnley suffered a shock 0-2 defeat to Belgium side Genk in a test game meant to prepare them for their campaign in the English Premier League following promotion from the Championship, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Last season Burley secured promotion back to the English Premier League in style by finishing as winners of the Championship in the first season under new coach Vincent Kompany. They have gone ahead to further improve the team with new signings.

The investment in the squad led to high optimism from fans of the team ahead of the start of the season in twenty days time, but they were brought down to earth yesterday by Genk with goals from two former youth internationals of Nigeria.

2019 Nigeria U20 winger Yira Sor opened scoring before 2016 Nigeria U17 forward Tolu Arokodare rounded up the win with a late second, in what was their last game of pre season before the commencement of the Belgium league.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman