The coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro had finally admitted that the goalkeeping department of the team is indeed a cause of concern after two costly error in their last games.

Maduka Okoye was between the sticks in the 2-2 draw against the B team of Algeria and his error led to the opening goal of the game. In the second half Adebayo Adeleye was introduced and he didn’t quite inspire confidence flapping at crosses and also punching balls back into danger areas.

Peseiro picked Francis Uzoho to start in the main friendly game against Algeria main team just like he has done in his past four games as coach. Uzoho was largely at fault for the goal which handed Algeria a 2-1 win.

Although Peseiro defended the duo after the errors, privately he told his technical crew that the major area of concern is with goakeepers especially the fact that they are very essential in the way he wants his team to play. He love goalkeepers who are good with their feet.

The idea is to have them build attack from the rear and help the team to control games. None of the goalkeepers in the team at the moment can be said to be comfortable with the ball at their feet.

The last international break saw the senior national team of Nigeria play two international friendly games in Algeria, first with the B team of the north African side before playing the main team four days later.

They drew 2-2 with Algeria B and lost 1-2 to the main team. They navigated both games without the services of some players who were billed to play some parts during the course of both games.

OwnGoalNigeria.com takes a look at the players who have now fit enough to represent their respective teams when club football returns this weekend all around Europe.

Samuel Chukwueze – He was among the first to withdraw from the game citing a knock he picked up in Villarreal’s 1-1 draw against Sevilla. A game which he started and played for an hour before he was subbed off. Reports indicate that he is fit for the game against Cadiz on Saturday.

Our Findings: His medical report was sent to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and it showed he was indeed carrying a knock which required a ten day rest. Hence he is fit to play some role on Saturday

Henry Onyekuru – His case is very straightforward as in the game for Adana Demirspor against Antalyaspor he picked up a knock in the first half that led to his substitution one minute after the restart. There is still no report if he will be fit for this weekend game.

Leon Balogun – Reported as injured but recent reports suggest otherwise as we reliably gathered that he took permission to use the break in the United Kingdom following the death of the queen to move his belongings from Scotland, where he played for Rangers. He is now with QPR and isn’t listed among the injured players.

Emmanuel Dennis – Called up as a replacement for the injured Onyekuru. His decision to skip the game on the grounds of picking up a knock was confirmed by his team Nottingham Forest. However we gathered it wasn’t backed by any medical document unlike the case of Chukwueze.

Our Findings – Decided not to honour the game as he feels aggrieved that he was called up as a replacement when the final list was released. He was on the provisional list and felt slighted that he was only considered when Onyekuru pulled out. He is fit for the weekend game against Leicester City.

Wilfred Ndidi – His decision to skip the games came hot on the heels of reports that he will be played as a center back and not as a defensive midfielder. News which was first made public by OwnGoalNigeria.com, we can however confirm that it wasn’t the case. That he is fit for the game against Nottingham Forest made many to doubt the authenticity of the injury clams.

Our Findings: He came to the camp with a note from the medical team of Leicester City. Day two of training he felt something in his hamstring during warm up. He missed the entire session for that day and was taken for a scan, where it was confirmed that he has a strain which requires a minimum of five days to heal.

A decision was reached that he should return to England for proper treatment because risking it could see him miss a longer period of the season if the injury is aggravated.

William Troost Ekong – He left after the first game. Although he wasn’t expected to play the second game. Scans showed he is injured hence the decision to let him leave.

The World Cup is brewing hot, and there are teams raring to show that they can come up with a strong finish in the 2022 run. So far, fans are keen to see which teams will fare well in the competition with the hopes of bringing the FIFA World Cup trophy home.

There are teams that have staged their claim in the top spot of the World Cup, but only a few of them are seen as contenders who actually have the chance of making history in the tournament. After all, the World Cup is where the kings of football are named.

With the World Cup closing in, punters are making their claims and are betting on which team will come out on top. Every FIFA betting site with Bitcoin available has seen a wave of punters making their guesses on various teams who have a chance at the final. Here are the top teams who could pull off a World Cup 2022 win:

Brazil

Frustrations will be the main story for Brazil en route to the World Cup games. In Neymar’s years of leadership, the squad has failed to come up with a title win, and this has set the frustrations for the team as they are still hoping to overcome the tough challenges ahead, and this says a lot about how they are going for a deeper push in the campaign.

Brazil’s short runs in the past few editions have been disappointing. The team aims to show that they can come up with a bigger finish with a revamped squad. Real Madrid rising star Vinicius Junior is also set to join the squad, which means more firepower for the greatest football team in the world.

France

The defending champions of the FIFA World Cup are set to make waves in the competition once more as favourites to win the trophy. So far, the French squad is looking more dangerous than before. Kylian Mbappe is in good form, and the rest of the team has kept the same core that won the 2018 World Cup for them. This just shows that France is ready to roll for another title.

What makes them more dangerous is the fact that Karim Benzema is already back on the roster after years of absence. The Real Madrid lead striker is dangerous as he was back then, and now rolling with the defending champions is going to be a serious threat to all teams in the World Cup. This is their best chance to go for a back-to-back title win now more than ever.

Argentina

Argentina may be looking at the end of an era as soon as the World Cup is over. This is Lionel Messi’s last shot at the World Cup title as he is expected to put up his shoes at the international level. This says a lot about how Argentina aims to score their third World Cup title and the first under Messi’s lead, and it will bring the best out of the whole squad now more than ever.

Messi’s last dance will be the main focus of Argentina’s campaign, which further makes this run more dramatic than ever. The likes of Lautaro Martinez, Pablo Dybala, and Angel Di Maria are ready to give their best shot and make history now more than ever. This is their last chance to prove that Argentina is a football nation that can compete at the highest level.

England

England is making its way into the big stage once more with the hopes of proving that they can actually be a contender in the World Cup. After falling short in their Euro 2020 campaign in the final, the Three Lions are keen to make some noise in an effort to bring the best of their games to the biggest stage. This is a chance for the English squad to bring a title home for the first time.

Harry Kane’s scoring galore should also continue at this point. The star won the Golden Shoe in the 2018 edition, and this time, it is going to be all about how he can keep the same pace to propel England to the final. Who knows, maybe he can go for back-to-back Golden Shoe wins while also making history for his country with a FIFA World Cup win.

What to expect in the World Cup

The FIFA World Cup is here to bring the biggest action in football. Intense games and hyped performances from the best teams and players in the world are all expected, and you should not miss it all. One way to spice up your World Cup experience is by trying to place wagers at any FIFA betting site with Bitcoin for a huge chance to win awesome prizes.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro says some of the players he called up to the senior national team of Nigeria for the friendly game against Algeria were not known to him.

Peseiro handed call up to three new players in Savior Godwin, Raphael Onyedika and Ebube Duru but he also had seven players he hasn’t worked with before in Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Chidera Ejuke, Maduka Okoye, Kevin Akpoguma and Taiwo Awoniyi in the squad for the game.

Speaking after the 1-2 loss to Algeria in yesterday’s international friendly game, Peseiro revealed that some of the players he called up he didn’t quite know them but now he does and going forward it will shape his decision regarding future call ups to the team.

Raphael and Godwin played for the first time with the national team. They did well. I called nine players I don’t really know before. Players who have not played with me before but some of them have played with the national team .

“Players we are just working with for the first time. Everybody played. Good job all around”, he remarked.

The name Ethan Nwaneri dominated discussions before all top leagues went on break for the international round of games, which were concluded yesterday around the world.

Nwaneri became the youngest ever Premier League player at 15 years and 181 days when he played the final three minutes of Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Brentford which saw them go back to top of the table.

Born in the United Kingdom to a Nigerian father by name Obi, the international future of the talented teen is safely in the hands of England where he is already a youth international. As a matter of fact there are talks of fast tracking him to the U21s.

However there is still a glimmer of hope that he could yet play for Nigeria particularly if his chance with England fails to arrive as he sees a player of the senior national team of Nigeria as his idol. The player in question according to his father is Alex Iwobi.

” Iwobi’s rise to the top at Arsenal inspired my son and he sees him as his idol till date. I am also close to his parents so it was easy mentoring my son who was still very young when Iwobi broke into the first team at Arsenal. The dream to match and surpass the feat by Iwobi is also a driving force”, the father said while speaking on the rise of his son to the first team of Arsenal.

Brazil rounded up their preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a comprehensive 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia in what is their final warm up game before the start of the tournament.

Prior to the game they had earlier defeated Ghana 3-0. The games against the African countries is meant to help prepare them for the group game against Cameroon at the tournament proper.

It is for that reason that senior players in the team are pushing the football federation to play another African team in Nigeria, who held them to a 1-1 draw in 2020 when both teams clash in a friendly game.

Yesterday after the game in Paris, Brazilian journalists who were at the game told OwnGoalNigeria.com representative at the game that a game against Nigeria will most likely happen before the World Cup on the request of the star players in the team.

The idea is the playing style of Cameroon is similar to that of Nigeria and the Super Eagles will pose more of a threat with their physical and pacey approach just like the Indomitable Lions.

The senior national team of Algeria secured a comeback 2-1 win over Nigeria in an international friendly game played as part of the ceremony for the opening of the pitch at Oran.

OwnGoalNigeria.com senor editor Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman takes a look at five things we noticed during the course of the game particularly players and the system of play Jose Peseiro loves which is an all attacking style.

1. Goalkeepers Crisis : It’s not even up for debate anymore. The problem does exist as both Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho have taken turns to commit high profile blunders which has proved costly. Adebayo Adeleye the other goalkeeper in the team didn’t cover himself in glory either when he played in the second half of the 2-2 draw against Algeria B.

2. Playing From The Back – The style isn’t quite the problem but having players who can execute it perfectly is usually the main issue. For instance Okoye isn’t the best with the ball at his feet, Uzoho who is a little bit better can’t be said to be that good at it. Again playing with Frank Onyeka means beating the press when playing from the back is almost impossible as he isn’t the best with his passing range or decision making under present.

3. Terem Moffi Is Here To Stay – He showed his form at Lorient isn’t a fluke. Held the ball nicely. Showed good movements and awareness around the box particularly in the goal he scored and even for the second goal which was wrongly disallowed, he teed up Ademola Lookman by being the fastest to react to a loose ball. Showed magnificent first touch severally.

4. Kevin Akpoguma And Calvin Bassey – They combined like they have been playing together for years.  The duo are the only two Nigerian defenders enjoying regular run of games and it showed in how they complimented each other. A building partnership that could be the future mainstay of the defence.

5. Alex Iwobi Is Undroppable – He showed he holds the key to the system Peseiro wants to play. With Frank Onyeka’s limited on the ball ability, Iwobi severally dropped down to help the team beat the press and play from the back. He was also very involved in help making the transition from defence to attack. No one else can give the team what he gives at the moment.

Nigeria international midfielder Alex Iwobi has faulted the decision of the referee to cancel what would have been the second goal for the senior national team of Nigeria in the 1-2 defeat to Algeria.

Nigeria went ahead in the 9th minute through Terem Moffi and thought they had a two goal lead when Moffi played in Ademola Lookman to tap into an empty net but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Television replays afterward showed the goal should have stood as Moffi was onside and well ahead of Lookman who he laid the ball to. The decision happened a few minutes before Algeria drew level from the spot.

They went on to claim what is their third straight defeat against Nigeria in their last three games but Iwobi still believes the goal which Nigeria scored should have stood and it would have made a difference to the final score.

“One Example… Really Confused As To How This Was Disallowed For Offside”, he posted on Twitter with a picture of the action that led to the goal. Anyway we move….”,he said in the next post.

Coach of the senior national team of Algeria Djamel Belmadi has revealed the secret of his team comeback win against the senior national team of Nigeria yesterday.

Algeria recovered from going a goal down as early as the 9th minute to claim a 2-1 win with Riyad Mahrez and Youcef Atal getting the goals that nullified Terem Moffi’s opening goal for Nigeria.

Speaking on how his team were able to turn the scores around and how they bossed the Nigerian team in the second half, the coach pointed out the introduction of Nabil Bentaleb as key to their dominat display in the second half.

He said the introduction of Bentaleb helped them to reorganize and denied Alex Iwobi time and space on the ball to spray the passes that Nigeria need for the transition from defence to attack.

“Nigeria are a good team, it was a real test. We played against them 3 times under my tenure. We beat them 3 times. They wanted to take their revenge”, he said.

“I like what we saw in the second half in midfield. Normally, there is everything you need to have a seat and a way to play. We have what it takes with these three players. They have a half-time lived together. It takes time.

“Conceding a goal can break your momentum. We lacked vigilance, I don’t like it because I insist on it. We stuck to our plan. We relocated and reworked this team”, he rounded up saying.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro says the Super Eagles of Nigeria didn’t lose yesterday’s game due to the blunder by goalkeeper Francis Uzoho rather it was down to poor officiating.

Uzoho was beaten by a long range effort from Youcef Atal which ended as the winner in the 2-1 for the Desert Foxes. The Omonia Nicosia goal tender was badly positioned and misjudged the the flight of the ball despite the length it travelled before getting to him.

Reacting to the blunder, Peseiro said the goal wasn’t the decisive moment of the game rather it was the decision of the referee not to award a goal which would have put Nigeria 2-0 up that decided the game. The goal was ruled out for offside but replays showed it should have stood.

“Everybody makes mistake. Myself and the players can make mistake. We scored a goal that was disallowed,”he said.

“The penalty I could accept. He shoot the ball before Frank caught him. We must accept. There was no offside when we scored. It should have been 2-0 to us at that point”.

He said the main aim of the team still remains winning the next Africa Cup of Nations and he feels they are on track but more friendly matches is needed to help the team perfect some areas of concern.

“I’m sad with the result but we did well. We want to win the next AFCON. First, we must qualify and play quality friendly matches and have more camping”, he explained.

“We want to have a a solid team. We have a good team and we want to improve. Everybody must work together. Myself, my staff and the NFF . We can play at the highest level.”