Ebenezer Akinsamiro is in danger of dropping out of the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming world cup qualifiers playoff after picking up a shoulder injury for his team Pisa in a 1-0 win over Cremonese in the Serie A, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria handed the 20 year old a maiden call up to the team that will take part in the playoff in Morocco next week.

Nigeria will open their campaign against Gabon on the 13th with Akinsamiro among the players expected to arrive the camp of the team when it opens on Sunday, but that plan seems to have suffered a set back after today’s game.

Akinsamiro was subbed off in the 67th minute after landing heavily on his shoulder. It was his 9th game of the season which is his debut in the Italian top division. He is on loan to Pisa from league giants Inter Milan.

A proper description of what he suffered that led to his substitution will be made known after the game, for now Pisa are all about the celebration of picking up their first win of the season as the league go on break after this round of games for international games.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

A senior player in the senior national team of Nigeria says they have not been paid any match bonus for two years by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will be taking part in the Africa playoff for a spot in the world cup next year. They will begin their campaign at the mini tournament in Morocco with a game on the 13th against Gabon.

They head into the tournament as favourites despite the presence of Congo Dr and Cameroon who will be up against each other in the second semi final of the playoff.

Looking forward to the games and on the issue of bonuses, a senior player in the team said it’s not even an issue because they haven’t been paid for two years.

” I am not sure anyone is thinking about bonuses in the team , because we haven’t been paid for two years. Most people don’t know that but it’s not enough reason not to honour the call up or put in your best when you play for Nigeria”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” I wasn’t in the team for the Unity Cup or the friendly game against Russia but I reliably gathered that no one was paid a dime. It’s been the same story for two years now”, he concluded.

Former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr says the attack of the team can destroy any team in the world on a very good day, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Rohr who saw his present side Benin Republic lose 4-0 to the Nigerian team in the final game of the world cup qualifiers group stage, is also confident that the Super Eagles have what it takes to pick the ticket to represent Africa at the intercontinental playoff next year.

Looking ahead of the playoff in Morocco next week, the coach said what is scary about the Nigerian team is the attack led by Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen, who scored the hattrick that sealed the 4-0 win over Benin Republic for a playoff spot.

” You see there is Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. In the same attack you have Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze. That’s enough to wreck any team in the world”, the coach said.

” When you look at their defence. It’s also not bad because you even have the captain now sitting on the bench. So you can see why they are favourite to win the playoff despite my respect for Gabon, Congo Dr and Cameroon”.

Ade Emmanuel

Franklin Tebo Uchenna has caught the attention of head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle with his performance in the UEFA Europa League for Serbian side Crvena zvezda, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 25 year old who started his career at Nigeria Premier Football League side Nasarawa Utd moved to the Serbian side in the summer transfer window, and has cemented a spot in the team.

So far he has played in five league games, but it’s in the Europa league, where he has started and completed all of their four games that has caught the attention of Chelle.

Yesterday he was on for the entire duration of their 1-0 win over French side Lyon, and got the highest rating among his teammates with Chelle among those watching.

It’s very likely that he will be a part of the team for the AFCON camp, if the world cup qualifiers playoff games comes too fast for him to be a part of the squad.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has raised alarm over the country of the officiating officials for their opening world cup qualifiers playoff game against Gabon in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

World football governing body FIFA appointed South Africa referee Tom Abongile to be the centre referee of the game, with Zakhele Siwela who is also from South Africa as his assistant. Another South African Akhona Makalima will be the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

Benin Republic Hughes Alain Ndjovi will serve as the referee accessor for the game. The NFF made it clear that they are not comfortable with the appointments, due to the fact that they are from countries in the same group with Nigeria during the qualifiers.

For South Africa, they are saying a country whose minister for sports Gayton McKenzie openly spoke about his lack of love for Nigeria, shouldn’t have referees officiating games of the Super Eagles at a crucial tournament like the playoff.

Ndjovi is from Benin Republic who were thrashed 4-0 by Nigeria in the final round of group game to book a spot in the mini tournament.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle will in the next 48 hours make public the list of players who will represent Nigeria in the world cup qualifiers playoff in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The list has already been submitted to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but Chelle asked them to hold on as we waits on the fitness report of three players, who were nursing knocks picked up while on club duty.

He has however gotten an update on two of the three players, with the third also declared fit to take part in the playoff which begins with Nigeria taking on Gabon on th 13th of November.

” Three players were largely why Chelle didn’t give permission for the list to be made public. There were doubts about Samuel Chukwueze, Raphael Onyedika and Zaidu Sanusi. All three of them are now passed fit and ready to travel”, a team source revealed.

” Barring any unforeseen circumstances it should be made public in the next 48 hours with some new players making it as well, but it’s largely the regulars that we all know”.

WC PLAY-OFF SQUAD LIST

GOAL KEEPERS

NWABALI STANLEY

OBASOGIE AMAS

OKOYE MADUKA

DEFENDERS

EKONG WILLIAM

BASSEY CALVIN

BRIGHT-OSAYI SAMUEL

ONYEMAECHI BRUNO

AJAYI OLUWASEMILOGO

CHIDOZIE AWAZIEM

SANUSI ZAIDU

FREDRICKS BENJAMIN

MIDFIELDERS

IWOBI ALEXANDER

ONYEKA FRANK

NDIDI WILFRED

ONYEDIKA RAPHAEL

YUSUF ALHASSAN

FORWARDS

LOOKMAN ADEMOLA

MOSES SIMON

OSIMHEN VICTOR

AROKODARE TOLU

EJUKE CHIDERA

AKOR ADAMS

OLAKUNLE OLUSEGUN

CHUKWUEZE SAMUEL

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Ademola Lookman was prevented from a possible exchange of blows with coach of Atalanta Ivan Juric after he was subbed off in their 1-0 win over French side Ajax in the UEFA Champions League, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Lookman was subbed off with 15 minutes left to play in the game, and the reigning Africa Player of the Year made his feelings known to Juric, while walking off with the manager not helping matters by trying to drag him off.

Clearly frustrated by having a goal chalked off after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR), Lookman was held from attacking his manager from other backroom staff after he was dragged back by the manager.

In the absence of Lookman, 23 year old Serbian Lazar Samardžić emerged as the hero for the Italian side with what ended as the match winner in the second minute of time added on.

Speaking after the game, Juric played it down as normal citing examples with instances elsewhere and said it will be handled in the dressing room.

“These things happen every Sunday, like De Bruyne for Conte. Players don’t accept the change, but these things are resolved later in the dressing room. We all know these situations. These things happen, it can be a bit exaggerated in the heat of the moment, but what matters is Atalanta. For the good of the team, you have to behave well. For me, everything is over, the important thing is to win at Sassuolo.” He then concluded by complimenting one of his players:

“I have to give huge compliments to Krstovic for the work he’s done. We’re happy because we needed a win like this. Now we have to get back on track in the league, we’re a bit behind schedule.”

Ademola Lookman was prevented from a possible exchange of blows with coach of Atalanta Ivan Juric after he was subbed off in their 1-0 win over French side Ajax in the UEFA Champions League, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Lookman was subbed off with 15 minutes left to play in the game, and the reigning Africa Player of the Year made his feelings known to Juric, while walking off with the manager not helping matters by trying to drag him off.

Clearly frustrated by having a goal chalked off after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR), Lookman was held from attacking his manager from other backroom staff after he was dragged back by the manager.

In the absence of Lookman, 23 year old Serbian Lazar Samardžić emerged as the hero for the Italian side with what ended as the match winner in the second minute of time added on.

The goal will no doubt simmer the tension between the Nigerian and the head coach largely due to the fact that they got all three points, it will however put more pressure on Atalanta to let go of the Super Eagles star who has reportedly requested to leave the club in the January transfer window.

He went on strike in the summer trying to force a move to league rivals Inter Milan after falling a public fall out with former coach Gian Piero Gasperini, following his penalty miss against Club Brugge.

The manager criticised Lookman after the miss ” “Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” said Italian Gasperini.

“He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them. Retegui and De Ketelaere were there, but Lookman in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring decided to take the ball and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”

Before last night’s Champions League exit, Lookman had a perfect penalty record for Atalanta, scoring all four penalties he had taken”, he said after the game.

On his social media handle, Lookman replied the coach who is now at the helm at Roma . ” “Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo,” Lookman responded on social media on Wednesday.

The Nigeria international added: “In truth, I have dealt with many difficult moments during my time here – the majority of which I have never spoken about because in my opinion the team must always be protected and must come first.

“This makes what happened last night even more hurtful. Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with last night’s result.”

They however made up before the departure of the coach at the end of last season.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The first choice striker of the senior national team of Nigeria Victor Osimhen sent a timely warning to Gabon, ahead of the world cup qualifiers playoff with a hattrick for Galatasaray in their 3-0 win over Ajax in the UEFA Champions League, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Gabon will be Nigeria’s first opponent in the mini tournament in Morocco on the 13th of November, and Osimhen sent a timely warning with an open play goal sandwiched between two penalty goals.

He showed his predatory instincts with his first goal in the 59th minute, before increasing his tally six minutes after the hour mark from the spot. His hattrick was completed in the 78th minute from the spot.

It was his sixth goal in the tournament in three games after his goal against Liverpool, a brace against Molde before his hattrick today against the Dutch giants at their home ground in Amsterdam.

Nigeria international striker Victor Boniface has fired back at critics of his poor start to the season in Germany, where he is on loan to Werder Bremen from fellow league side Bayer Leverkusen, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Boniface is yet to find the back of the net this season. A decision poor start for the 24 year old who was voted the best young player in the league two seasons ago after helping his team to a league and cup double with an unbeaten run.

His poor start to the season has brought about huge criticism, and has also led to his exclusion from the senior national team of Nigeria by head coach Eric Chelle for their last four competitive games.

In a media roundtable yesterday he addressed his critics saying that statistics alone do not tell the full story. “If you watched our 1-0 win against Union Berlin, I didn’t score or assist, but you’d have seen what I brought to the team,” he was quoted as saying by Soccer Laduma. “When you don’t score, people always talk. But most of them don’t know anything about me.”

He insist that he isn’t bothered by public opinion. “I’ve seen things, but I’m strong. Anyone who knows me knows that. These things don’t affect me. I’m focused on improving every day,” he stated.

With reference to last season he wondered why there are talks about having a poor season after he finished as his club second highest goal scorer, despite missing around 16-20 games.

“I missed between 16 and 20 games but was still Leverkusen’s second-highest scorer, and they said it was a bad season. I’m just trying to understand what that means.” He rounded up with a salvo for his critics. “Most people don’t even watch the games. They check LiveScore, see that you didn’t score, and go on Twitter to insult you. But if you know me, you’d know I have no problem with that”.

Ade Emmanuel