Sports Archives | Page 55 of 55

Morocco 2025 qualifier: Ekong, 19 others train in Uyo

Our Reporters7 months ago7 months ago02 mins

Only three players are still being expected at the camp of the Super Eagles, as 20 players trained in Uyo on Tuesday evening, ahead of Saturday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic. Captain William Ekong led from the front, arriving on Monday with the earliest birds, which included defenders Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, and Olisa Ndah, midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and forwards Ademola Lookman and Taiwo Awoniyi. Goalkeeper Amas Obasogie and midfielder Wilfred Ndidi were in tow, and forward Victor Boniface and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali joined in the evening. On Tuesday morning, defender Calvin Bassey and midfielders Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka pitched in, before defender Benjamin Tanimu (drafted in place of Bright Osayi-Samuel), midfielder Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and forwards Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze landed. In the evening, just before the team bus pulled out of the hotel for training, defender Bruno Onyemaechi (of Portuguese club Boavista) and midfielder Raphael Onyedika (of Belgian side Club Brugge) arrived in camp. Forward Kelechi Iheanacho is due in camp on Wednesday while goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and forward Victor Osimhen are being expected on Thursday. After Saturday’s encounter, the Super Eagles are scheduled to fly to Kigali on Sunday for Tuesday’s Matchday 2 clash with the Amavubi of Rwanda.

Galatasaray fans welcome Osimhen

Our Reporters7 months ago7 months ago02 mins

Galatasaray supporters on trouped out in large numbers to welcome their new striker, Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian arrived Istanbul at about 3am on Tuesday to complete his loan move from Napoli, with a set of clauses. The deal was done in a matter of hours after the transfer window in most European markets closed and he had been frozen out of the Napoli squad. He was therefore allowed to leave on loan for one season for free, as long as Galatasaray covered the €10m salary. However, Fanatik report the Turkish side are actually paying €8.8m in wages. The 25-year-old Nigeria international also insisted on a break clause in January for 10 specific top clubs, while it’s reported Napoli have agreed to lower the release clause from €130m to €80m if they have not yet completed a sale by June 2025. As his current contract runs to June 2026, there will also be an automatic extension to June 2027 with the same salary. Osimhen was originally meant to arrive around 00.30 local time, but it ended up being closer to 03.30.

Morocco 2025: Ndidi, 2 others swell Super Eagles

Our Reporters7 months ago7 months ago01 mins

Leicester City midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Boniface and Amas Obasogie have arrived Super Eagles camp in Uyo ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying ties.

Morocco 2025: Osimhen, Ekong, Ndidi, others to battle Benin Republic, Rwanda

Our Reporters7 months ago7 months ago03 mins

Captain William Ekong, wing-back Olaoluwa Aina and forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi are back in the Super Eagles’ nest, for next month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda. This year’s AFCON’s Man-of-the-Competition, Ekong, was discountenanced for the Matchdays 3 and 4 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race in June as he was recovering from injury, while Aina, Awoniyi and reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen were out injured altogether. There are three goalkeepers, including AFCON 2023 star, Stanley Nwabali, seven defenders, six midfielders and seven forwards. Bendel Insurance safe hands Amas Obasogie also returns, just as South Africa-based defender Olisa Ndah, and Taiwo Awoniyi, who has not been called since the 1-1 draw with Lesotho in Uyo on Matchday 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign in November last year. The Super Eagles go up against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Saturday, 7th September, before flying to Kigali to take on the Amavubi at the Amahoro Stadium on Tuesday, 10th September. All the players are expected to report in Uyo on Monday, 2nd September. Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Bendel Insurance FC) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England) Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England) Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England)