Parma defender Simone Lacoponi says Nigerian international forward Victor Osimhen is the fastest defender he has faced in his career after playing against the Nigerian over the weekend.

Osimhen was introduced 60 minutes into the game for his Serie A debut and he made an instant impression with the way he changed the attack of Napoli in the 2-0 win.

He used his pace, strength and link up play to good effect and it create the space for Hirving Lozano and Dries Mertens to score the goals that handed the game to the Gennaro Gattuso led side.

Speaking after the game Lacoponi who struggled to keep pace with the Nigerian said his pace was the major problem in the way he played as it kept them on their toes.

“ Osimhen was quick and that is naturally a hard thing to cope with particularly the stage he was introduced. He is the fastest I have played against. As a team we lost focus and that we have to address in subsequent games”.

The reason behind the shock exclusion of Cologne defender Kingsley Ehizibue in the Super Eagles list for their upcoming games has been made known to Owngoalnigeria.com

Ehizibue was widely expected to be named in the squad for the games against Tunisia and Côte d’Ivoire scheduled for 9th and 13th of October respectively in Austria. His name was however not in the list released yesterday.

Explaining the reason behind his omission, a member of the technical crew confirmed to this portal that the 25 year old hasn’t been given a Nigerian passport.

He said even though his switch of allegiance has been approved by FIFA he is yet to be issued a Nigerian passport by the Nigerian Embassy in Germany. Largely due to the coronavirus pandemic that brought about a lockdown in several countries.

Coach of the team Gernot Rohr was keen on having the right full back but want to be sure that his invitation won’t be a challenge per the fact that he hasn’t been issued a passport yet.

His invitation has now been deferred to November when hopefully the Nigerian team will converge in November for their next set of international engagements. This time around in the qualifiers for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.

Newly invited goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria Matthew Yakubu has revealed how he felt when he was called by the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria.

Yakubu who has been impressive for Slovakian side SKF Sered this season with as many as five clean sheets in his last seven games was called up to the Nigerian team for the first time.

He was among the goalkeepers called up by coach Gernot Rohr for the games against Tunisia and Côte d’Ivoire respectively in Austria next month. The first game will be on the 9th with the other one against Côte d’Ivoire four days later.

Yakubu said he read about his call up on this portal weeks before he was finally called up by Rohr. A coach he admires from a distance hence he was moved to tears when he introduced himself as coach of the Super Eagles.

“ Severally I read about my call up via owngoalnigeria.com but nothing was communicated to me until on Saturday. First it was Tunde Adelakun that called me before coach Rohr did. To be honest I cried after the phone call. It was like a dream”, he said.

“ I know I have done well this season but I wasn’t expecting a call up even though I know I am ready for it. My aim is now to prove myself in camp. It’s now a case of making an impression for me”.

Top Belgium journalist Mark Stephen says the decision of coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr in picking Cyriel Dessers ahead of Paul Onuachu is shocking.

Speaking to Owngoalnigeria.com on the Super Eagles list he said both players who are at same club are different in their style of play but presently Onuachu is ahead of Dessers at Genk.

“ I think it has to do with what both players did last season and not this season so far. Dessers was on fire at Heracles in the Dutch League but at Genk it’s Onuachu that is the main man”, he said.

“ Onuachu has scored four goals in five games including three in his last two games. Dessers hasn’t been all that prolific since his move with just two goals from the spots since his move. He has even lost his spot in the starting lineup.

“ Maybe it’s a case of settling down but if football is a game of current form then Onuachu should have made the list ahead of Dessers. It’s the national team anyway and call ups most times can be funny”.

Ventspils of Latvia goalkeeper Dele Alampasu says he isn’t coming to the camp of the Super Eagles for formalities as he has his eyes on the number one spot.

The goalkeeper who was first invited to the Super Eagles ahead of current first choice Francis Uzoho said he is well aware of the challenge ahead of him in his quest to become the first choice.

He said although he respects the goalkeepers in the team at the moment but he is willing to put up a fight for their position by proving himself in training.

“ I trained with this team before all of the goalkeepers in the team. It’s unfortunate that I experienced some difficulties in my career but now I’m back to stay. My aim is to push for the number one spot”, he told owngoalnigeria.com.

“ The past few months have been good to me and I think I am in my best shape in a very long time m. My aim is to prove myself to the coaches in training and leave the rest for them to judge”.

The list of players for the senior national team of Nigeria for their upcoming friendly games had the name of two senior players who are now playing in the second division following the relegation of their team.

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr is keen on players playing top flight football in competitive leagues but had to list the duo of Kenneth Omeruo and Jamilu Collins.

They both suffered relegation with their respective teams with Collins dropping from the Bundesliga with Paderborn while Omeruo was relegated with Leganes from
the La Liga.

Explaining his decision to name them in his squad. The duo who are likely going to move to a top division team before the end of the current transfer window earned their spot base on the fact that they have been part of the team for a while.

“You know if somebody we know very well is playing in the second division in such a big league like Spain or England it is not a problem if he is playing well. So it always depends on what they are doing in the clubs.

“They have to play , they have to continue the good shape they have with us. These players like Ebuehi, like Omeruo. We know them of course they played with us at the World Cup. If things are okay with them there’s no reason not to take them in our list”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com in an exclusive chat.

Nigeria international defender Jamilu Collins is close to sealing a switch to Bundesliga side Union Berlin, Owngoalnigeria.com understands.

Collins is keen on a move away from relegated Paderborn and he has gotten his desire to remain in the German top flight with Union Berlin close to clinching his signing.

His arrival will swell the number of Nigerian players at the club to three with Anthony Ujah and Taiwo Awoniyi who recently joined on loan from Liverpool completing the list.

The 26 year old was priced out of a move to Werder Bremen with Paderborn insisting on €10 million for the left back despite the fact that he has a year left on his deal at the club.

In preparation for his exit, Paderborn loaned Chima Okoroji from Freiburg who plays in same position and so far he has played in most of their games in pre season including their first league game of the season last weekend. Meanwhile Collins wasn’t listed.

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has submitted the list of players who will represent Nigeria in their upcoming friendly games next month.

Nigeria will take on Tunisia before squaring up against Côte d’Ivoire four days later at same venue in Austria.The aim of the game is for the coach to assess some players who have been doing well for their respective teams in Europe, hence he has called up some new players.

Also the coach called up on loan Benfica defender Tyronne Ebuehi who has displayed nothing but class since joining FC Twente In the Dutch Eredivisie.

As at the time of filing this reports, we are still unclear about the inclusion of Shehu Abdullahi and Josh Maja of Bordeaux. Shehu recently moved to Omonia Nicosia of Cyprus on a free transfer from Bursaspor.

He will likely miss out in a bid to allow him settle in his new environment and in his position they are other players who are presently at the peak of their game.

Full List:

Goalkeepers

Francis Uzoho
Maduka Okoye
Matthew Yakubu

Defenders

Kingsley Ehizibue
Tyronne Ebuehi
Ola Aina
Willian Troost Ekong
Kenneth Omeruo
Semi Ajayi
Chidozie Awaziem
Leon Balogun
Jamilu Collins
Zaidu Sanusi

Midfielders

Samson Tijani
Wilfred Ndidi
Alex Iwobi
*Shehu Abdullahi
Ramon Azeez
Oghenekaro Etebo

Attackers

Kelechi Iheanacho / Josh Maja
Cyriel Dessers
Victor Osimhen
Moses Simon
Samuel Kalu
Samuel Chukwueze
Chidera Ejuke

When Owngoalnigeria.com broke the news of the inclusion of Samson Tijani in the Super Eagles list for their upcoming friendly games it naturally sparked a round of debate.

Tijani was handed a call up by coach of the Nigerian team Gernot Rohr for the games against Tunisia and Côte d’Ivoire which will take place on the 9th and 13th of October respectively in Austria.

On loan to Hartberg from fellow Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, the 18 year old has only played four professional games in his career which started when he completed 18.

However he has done enough to convince Rohr that he is one for the future owing to his performances for Nigeria at the U17 World Youth Championship where he captained Nigeria.

He emerged as one of the few bright spots in that team but even at that a call up to the senior team of Nigeria is seen as rather too rapid in the eyes of many but Rohr has his reasons.

“ The coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for many to travel and since Tijani is based in Austria it makes sense to have him with the team. He is 18 already and playing regularly. It’s about time we integrate him into the team”, a source told owngoalnigeria.com.

“ He could be a part of the team for the 2022 World Cup but that looks like a long shot for now. The other thing that helped his case is that most of the midfielders who would have been in the team are yet to be given the all clear by FIFA.

“ Everything plus venue and absence of some players for various reasons played in his favour. He has to make it count and prove the trust of the coach right”.