The pace at which 20 year old Nigerian forward Gift Orban has settled down to life in Belgium following his January transfer move hasn’t gone unnoticed by top teams around Europe.

Orban has found the back of the net nine times in eight games this season with seven coming in the league including four over the weekend against Zulte Waregem. In the Europa Conference League he has scored twice in just three games.

Signed for a little over €3m from second division Norwegian side Stabæk, his feat has raised his market value to an appreciable height which Gent have now said will be a record sale as they hope to maximize their profit from his sale.

Asked how much he thinks the club will demand in the event of a possible sale of the forward, coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck speaking after the game against Zulte Waregem yesterday said a fee in the region of €40-50m should be okay for his sale. “Forty million! Although it may also be fifty million ”, he said after the match against Essevee.

Although the fee might end up being a lot less but it’s clear that the team have a gem who can fetch them a huge transfer fee especially if he maintains his current run in front of goal. Already he has been voted the player of the month in Belgium and also won the goal of the month.

Daniel Martins

Head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso says he need as many as five strikers ahead of his team’s campaign at the U20 World Cup, which starts May in Indonesia, OGN can exclusively report.

Bosso and his team arrived Nigeria today from Egypt where they took part in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations and finished in 3rd place. They however succeeded with their main target by qualifying for the World Cup.

He said the main area where his team struggled was in attack and believe as many as five strikers from which he will pick three will no doubt help his team to do well at the U20 World Cup. He lamented that at the AFCON they could have done better with strikers who are clinical.

” I am okay with certain areas in my team and won’t make so much change to it for the World Cup. In defence, we can say we are really good and even goalkeeper isn’t an issue but in attack I can do with five new players. If I can get three from them then we are fine”, he told OGN.

” Generally, the main issue we faced is in that department right from when we were in the camp in Abuja. I have asked for the young strikers who are doing well in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) but they are very few. Players born and based in Europe have also been mentioned to me. I am looking at all available options to fortify my attack”, he rounded up saying.

Waziri Damian

As the senior national team of Nigeria get set for their upcoming back to back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau, invited players have started receiving invitation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), OGN reports.

The official list of players invited will be made public by the NFF later this week with invitation letters already sent out to the 25 players called up by head coach Jose Peseiro. Already clubs have started to announce the players invited from their team.

One of such team is Portuguese side Boavista, they have confirmed that one of their star performers this season Bruno Onyemaechi. The 23 year old has been a revelation for the top division side since his loan move in the summer from second division side Feirense.

His performances this season has been so good that even journalists in the country have been raving about him. His form could see him get a look in this time around for game time unlike his first invitation, where he was an unused substitute in the friendly game against Portugal.

Monitored by OGN, Portuguese journalist Zach Lowy in a series of tweet on social media platform Twitter via his verified handle called on his fellow Portuguese to give the defender a chance as he is more of an upgrade on the options available to the manager.

He insist that the left back trio of Zaidu Sanusi, Ola Aina and Jamilu Collins have nothing on the defender. He also said in centre defence where Bruno has played as a left sided defender he is more at home than the present options Peseiro has in William Troost Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Kevin Akpoguma and Chidozie Awaziem.

Lowy made this known while watching Bruno who has one call up for the Super Eagles in action against league leaders Benfica a Primeira Liga which Boavista lost 1-3 but yet the Nigerian stood out.

“Nigeria need to be considering Bruno Onyemaechi for a potential call-up this year.

He’s been a vital player in defense for Boavista since arriving from second-tier Feirense in the summer — strong display today that sees Boavista enter halftime level 0-0 with Benfica at the Luz. he posted.

“A CB/LB hybride, he has filled in across the backline and is currently playing as a left back in a 4-5-1 that sees left back Ricardo Mangas operate as a winger ahead of him. Benfica have been completely nullified in the first 45 and Bruno has been a key reason for this.

“His positioning, focus, and determination to stay close to his man and not allow a dangerous cross in has prevented Benfica from enjoying success down the right. He makes the right decision in possession and executes well with regularity and has won 4/6 ground duels thus far.

” Onyemaechi, 23, is one of the more physical players on the team but has blended that with a strong anticipation and a patience to not get sucked into making lunges, instead holding his ground, putting his foot in and winning the ball cleanly. Very strong footballing IQ.

“Nigeria’s options at LB: Zaidu Sanusi, Ola Aina, Jamilu Collins

Nigeria’s options at CB: Calvin Bassey, William Troost-Ekong, Kevin Akpoguma, Chidozie Awaziem

Think Bruno has everything it takes to consolidate a starting spot in the Super Eagles’ defense.

Osas Mahawi

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has hinted at who he sees as a potential partner to top striker Victor Osimhen in the attack of his team when they take on Guinea Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, OGN reports.

Peseiro’s team have so far picked up two wins from their first two games with wins against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe respectively putting them in pole position to snatch one of the two automatic ticket from the group.

Nigeria will look to seal their spot at the next Africa Cup of Nations by going all out to win the back to back games against Guinea Bissau starting from the first tie in Abuja on the 24th of March and the reverse tie four days later.

Napoli’s hitman Osimhen has cemented his spot as the top striker of the team but in Peseiro’s style and formation which favours a two man attack, the coach hasn’t found a partner for the 23 year old in attack.

However that doesn’t seems to be the issue going into these games with Peseiro hinting at playing Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman in the same role he plays at his team, which is as part of a two man attack. Lookman has 12 goals from that role this season as opposed to his traditional role as a winger.

“The speed of thought and dribbling. He and Osimhen are different: one is power, the other is speed, but they complement each other. I’m proud to see them compete, it’s good for my Nigeria and we will see them in attack for the AFCON qualifiers”, he said in an interview with the Italian media monitored by OGN editorial team.

Waziri Damian

The tug for the international future of Atalanta defender Caleb Okoli is officially on after his meeting with the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro, OGN can exclusively reveal.

Peseiro spoke about the need to meet the 21 year old for talks on switching his international future to Nigeria from Italy, where he is currently a part of their U21. The coach was at the stand to watch Okoli for Atalanta against Napoli on Saturday.

Okoli was an unused substitute in the game which his team lost 0-2 to the league leaders but despite failing to add to his 13 appearances in the Serie A this season, Peseiro went ahead with his plans and met with the defender after the game.

We exclusively gathered that they had a talk about having him play for Nigeria with Peseiro explaining to him how he plan to integrate him into the team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, which the Super Eagles coach said winning it is his ambition.

On his part, the defender whose club teammate Ademola Lookman is a senior international for Nigeria was said to have been impressed with the plans of the coach but said he needed time to speak with his representatives and get back to him.

A decision is expected in earnest and per what we heard from a source close to the player, it looks positive for Nigeria after the talks ” They met and had very good talks. Positive I must say but a decision will be made public very soon. Okoli admires the manager and his plans but we have to wait a little bit for a decision, he still has to hear from his people like his mother, she wasn’t at the meeting but she is aware”, he told OGN.

Mohammed Mowiz

The coach of Manchester United Erik Ten Hag has revealed that Nigeria international forward Paul Onuachu affected a major decision he took during their 0-0 draw against Southampton in the English Premier League, OGN reports.

Ten men Manchester United hanged on to pick a draw despite playing with a man short following the sending off of Casemiro for a challenge, which was subjected to a review by Video Assistant Referee (VAR) before a decision was reached.

Speaking after the game Ten Hag explained why Alejandro Garnacho was taken off after a tackle by Kyle Walkers Peter. He said the Argentine who was pictured leaving the stadium in protective cast isn’t badly Injured. His decision to sub him off was due to the introduction of Onuachu.

Garnacho started on the bench before replacing Jadon Sancho after 73 minutes. He received medical treatment following a tangle of legs with Kyle Walker-Peters and attempted to play on, but was then replaced by Fred in the 90th minute.

“He was limping a little bit after the bad tackle,” Ten Hag said after the game.

“In the end, they brought on another striker, a big and tall one and I didn’t want to take a risk. We were already down to 10 and with one player who is maybe 90%.

“That’s why I took him off but I think it’s not too bad.”

Mohammed Mowiz

The global betting company 1xBet evaluates the participants’ chances in the 1/8 finals return matches.

March 14, Porto – Inter (0-1 after the first leg)

Inter defeated Porto in front of UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. The match was not as spectacular as the others, but it was still quite decent. The game had it all: Barella’s emotions, Darmian’s screams, Otavio’s sarcastic smile after the sending-off and the incredible game of Inter’s keeper Andre Onana. The Cameroonian became a real hero: he saved Evanilson’s shot and reacted to Taremi’s finishing – it’s a pity that after these exploits, the judges recorded offside.  

A few months ago, Onana fell out with Cameroon’s national coach Rigobert Song (he didn’t like that the manager asked him to play more long passes), but he is doing great at the club. In 2023, the goalkeeper played 11 games (he did not concede in 7), won the Italian Super Cup, and is fighting for the TOP-4 place in Serie A. And although Inter is unlikely to catch up with Napoli after losing to Bologna, the team can win the Italian Cup and wipe at the Champions League quarter-finals this season.

Porto let Otavio down in the first game. Even in the first half, the Brazilian midfielder received a yellow card, knocked down Çalhanoğlu and went to rest early. For Dragons, it’s not so much the fact of the sending-off that is sad (although Inter scored after it), but the fact that they will have to play the return game without their leader. The unsuccessful trip to Italy also affected the domestic championship, where Porto sensationally lost to Gil Vicente (1-2). Dragons started that match with a goal in the 4th minute and finished with nine players – a flash mob on red cards was supported by João Mário and Mateus Uribe.

Porto coach Sergio Conceição said his team lost the battle but not the war. After unsuccessful matches, coaches always say something like that, but this time the opponents’ chances really look equal – Blue and whites will be angry and will play against Napoli in their home stadium.

You can bet on the match Porto – Inter here:
(line/football/118587-uefa-champions-league/161993366-porto-internazionale-milano)

March 14, Manchester City – RB Leipzig (1-1 after the first leg)

Whatever Guardiola says, Man City’s cunning plan for the away match against RB Leipzig looked like this: deprive the opponent of the ball, score if possible and save your breath. At the same time, the Citizens did not expect an easy victory.

Nevertheless, the game began rosy and beautifully for Man City. Total ball control (the Bulls made their first meaningful attack in the last minute of the first half) and high pressure made Leipzig make mistakes and get nervous. And there’s Konrad Laimer, who decided to take a better look at his partner on the right edge and didn’t notice a simple pass from another one. Outcome: an interception, several passes and Mahrez’s stylish shot from the penalty line.

The Bulls looked like calves, but only before half-time. The Saxony favorites went into the second half with the understanding that the future is not predetermined and this Manchester is not as good as it seems. Leipzig’s barrages of attacks followed, diluted with Erling Haaland’s unsuccessful shot in a promising counterattack and defender Joško Gvardiol’s wonderful jump, which helped the German team equalize after a corner. After that, it turned out that Leipzig was not too eager to win, and Man City got tired and generally came not so much to play football as to indulge in self-education. Indeed Pep could put the squeeze on the Saxons by releasing fresh Foden and Grealish, but he did not make a single substitution – it’s the first time for him in the Champions League. After the match, Guardiola explained that it was an optimal line-up for such an opponent, but we think he decided to show his displeasure to the first-team players.

Maybe the manager decided to save the players’ strength for the next FA Cup match against a mighty second-division team (this is sarcasm). In this game, Guardiola’s team beat Bristol City with a score of 3-0, then outplayed Newcastle 2-0 in the Premier League and continued to dream of how they would catch up and overtake Arsenal.

After the battle against Man City, Leipzig threw all its forces into the championship, where the Rose team had the task of surviving the struggle for a place in the TOP-4. Incredible density at the top of the standings makes the team play every match like a final. One rival is behind (Eintracht), but with Borussia Dortmund, everything turned out to be more difficult. They didn’t make it in the attack due to Werner’s terrible aim and Nkunku’s lousy game after the injury. Rosé switched to a scheme with three center-backs, and in the Champions League second leg, he is waiting for an improved version of his top scorer and other leaders. Manchester plays much better at home than away, so it will be difficult for any team to reach a positive result at the Etihad.

You can bet on the match Man City – Leipzig here: (line/football/118587-uefa-champions-league/161993367-manchester-city-rasenballsport-leipzig)

March 15, Napoli – Eintracht (2-0 after the first leg)

Eintracht has made a lot of noise in Europe in the last couple of seasons, but the next journey to fame may be interrupted in a few days – after all, Napoli turned out to be very strong.

In the first match, Osimhen and Khvicha stood out as usual – in front of these players, the Eagles lost their temper like students on the final exam. The Georgian did not score a goal but made an assist for Di Lorenzo, and the Nigerian scored his 20th goal of the season after Lozano’s pass. Kolo Muani also aggravated the situation a little for Eintracht, receiving a red card.

With all this, the Neapolitans switched to the championship, where they lost for the first time in 2 months. The victory from the Diego Armando Maradona stadium was taken away by Lazio (0-1). But Napoli made such a significant gap from their opponents that they could rest at the finish line like Usain Bolt. 

Eintracht cannot afford this. Every game is like a battle for a better life. And Oliver Glasner’s team is losing it – they lost to their direct competitor RB Leipzig and tied with Wolfsburg.   

The Germans’ prospects are vague before the return game, although the players and the coach maintain optimism. An impressive mob of the Eagles fans is going to Naples, whose performances deserve a separate article.

You can bet on the match Napoli – Eintracht here: (line/football/118587-uefa-champions-league/161887997-napoli-eintracht-frankfurt)

March 15, Real Madrid – Liverpool (5-2 after the first leg)

In the first match, Madrid scored five goals against the Merseysiders at their stadium (so far, the Reds have never conceded more than three goals in a European Cup matches at Anfield). Liverpool also became the first team in Champions League history to lead 2-0 but then lose with three goals difference. 

After the Champions League, Liverpool went to improve the situation in the tournament, where the team is doing much better. Let’s forget the matches against Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton and discuss the struggle with Man United. At Anfield, Klopp’s team defeated, destroyed, crushed, and broke (choose the best) opponents with a score of 7-0. It was a night when one team had everything, and Man United had nothing (if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong). The latest results allow Liverpool to wedge for the TOP-4 place. But who cares if the team needs to win back three goals on the field of the main European rival?

As for Real, after an impressive British voyage, the team began to feel dizzy with success – after a draw with Atlético, the team lost to Barcelona for the second time in 2023 in the King’s Cup semi-finals. And intrigue is gradually dying in La Liga: Madrid lost four points in two matches, and now it will be challenging for them to catch up with Barcelona. 

Will Liverpool repeat the “The Miracle of Istanbul”, or Real continue their Champions League ascent?

You can bet on the match Real – Liverpool here: (line/football/118587-uefa-champions-league/161887998-real-madrid-liverpool)

The stock of Nigerian forward Gift Orban rose further with the 20 year old hitting a haul for Gent in their 5-2 win over Zulte Waregem in the Belgium top division, OGN reports.

Orban struck in the 53rd, 68th, 75th and 83rd minute to help his team move up to third in the Belgium League table. His team are highly favored to be in the title Playoff at the end of the season .

The four goals means he has now scored six goals in his first six games for the team he joined on January transfer deadline day for a fee in the region of €3m from Norwegian second side Stabæk. He also has two goals in the Europa Conference League.

He was voted the best player in the Belgium top division last season and also won the goal of the month. At Stabæk he scored 19 goals in 24 league games in just six months at the club he joined after a scouting expedition by Nigerian agent Atta Aneke.

His fee of €3m was considered as excessive but with his recent run in from of goal it’s no longer an issue anymore with many praising Gent for their foresight in signing a player from second division in Norway.

Mohammed Mowiz

One of the world leading football agency CAA Base have added another Nigerian to their list of clients few days after announcing Super Eagles star Moses Simon as the newest capture, OGN reports.

Simon was unveiled as a player of the agency that manages Raphael Varane, Kingsley Coman Richarlison, James Madisson and a host of others as he approaches a summer, where he will make a decision on his future with a year left on his deal at Nantes.

He became the second Nigerian player under their agency joining Sadiq Umar of Real Sociedad but that number has swiftly turned to three following the decision of Nigeria U20 defender Benjamin Fredrick to pitch his tent with them.

Frederick played every single minute of Nigeria’s U20 team campaign at the U20 AFCON, where they finished as bronze winners after thrashing Tunisia 4-0. Benjamin was the only player who played every single minute for Nigeria at the tournament.

The Simoiben Football Academy graduate is reportedly tracked by a host of clubs which includes FC Basle, Salzburg, Brondy, Midtylland and Copenhagen. A decision will be made on his next career destination before the U20 World Cup.

Mohammed Mowiz