Author: Idris Abdullahi

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has been confirmed as the next opponent for Boxer Anthony Joshua. The two heavyweights are set to face off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in March, though an exact date has not yet been announced. More details about the highly anticipated boxing match between Ngannou and Joshua, arranged by Matchroom Boxing and Queensberry Promotions, will be revealed at a press conference on January 15th. Eddie Hearn of Matchroom stated “It’s official! Ngannou vs Joshua is happening in Saudi Arabia. We’ll have a press conference on Jan 15th with more information.” Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions…

Alhassan Yusuf, who was born on July 20, 2000, in Kano, Nigeria, started his football career at FC Hearts. He has been called up to Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, to replace the injured midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi. However, the Tiki Taka Development Group, a Swedish-based academy with operations in Nigeria, recognized his talent and played a pivotal role in shaping his career. The academy provided him with the opportunity to showcase his skills at the prestigious Gothia Cup. Personal Details IFK Göteborg Discovery Yusuf’s talents took the spotlight during the 2017 Gothia Cup, catching the attention of IFK Göteborg.…

According to the information gathered, the reason was due to AC Milan’s request for the Eagles winger to participate in the Coppa Italia match against Cagliari on January 2, which the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) granted. The changes allow Chukwueze to take part in AC Milan’s game before reporting to the Super Eagles camp in Abu Dhabi on January 3, as confirmed by Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio. Similarly, the Algerian Football Federation declined AC Milan’s request for midfielder Ismael Bennacer for the same match. Samuel Chukwueze is set to join the Super Eagles’ 2023 Africa Cup of Nations camp…

The hectic festive football schedule in England has thrown up a real Christmas cracker here, as Wolves and Chelsea are set to battle it out in what is only the second Premier League (PL) fixture ever to be held on December 24th, and the first since 1995! Wolves vs Chelsea Analysis With just three points separating Wolves from Chelsea, fans will hope their side can deliver them a win that would put them within touching distance of the top half on Christmas Day. It’s difficult to make a case for such an outcome as Wolves head here on the back of a poor run…

Dominic Solanke netted a 94th-minute winner to seal a 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest, denying the 10-man Reds a point as the Cherries win four consecutive Premier League (PL) away matches for the first time ever. Espírito Santo would have been pleased to see a solid opening showing from his new Forest side in front of a buoyant City Ground. The Reds gave little away against a Bournemouth side unbeaten in five and even looked dangerous going forward with Wood and Anthony Elanga seeing early shots saved by Neto. As Bournemouth started to see more of the ball though, they…

Suarez recently joined the South Florida scene, joining former Barcelona teammates Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets in Major League Soccer. ‘Nothing more beautiful than with friends,’ Inter Miami shared on Instagram, with a picture of children holding the names of the team’s four stars. The team expressed on X, previously known as Twitter: ‘Embracing the Miami dream.’ Suarez’s move to the MLS club comes after leaving Brazilian side Gremio earlier this month. According to reports on Friday, the 36-year-old has signed a one-year contract with an option to extend for another season. Meanwhile, the Miami Herald disclosed that the…

Al Nassr FC secured a convincing 3-1 victory against Al-Ettifaq FC. The game kicked off with high anticipation at the 0′ mark. In the 14th minute, Mane’s shot narrowly missed the target, keeping the score level. Controversy arose in the 26th minute as Telles went down in the box, but the referee waved off penalty appeals. Ronaldo’s attempt in the 33rd minute soared into the sky, and his header at the 35th minute lacked the precision to trouble the opposition. Excitement peaked in the 43rd minute when Alex Telles found the back of the net, giving Al Nassr FC a…

Mikel Arteta has frequently made appearances in the referee’s notebook this season, yet his Arsenal team currently leads the Premier League’s Fair Play table, while North London counterparts Tottenham find themselves at the bottom. Yellow cards contribute a single point in the Fair Play standings, and a red card from two bookable offenses adds three points. A direct red card results in a team receiving five points. Arsenal has accumulated a total of 29 points this season, with only 21 yellow cards in 17 Premier League matches—a nine-card difference from their closest competitor. Two Gunners players, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Fabio…

Aston Villa is reportedly considering the signing of Nigeria’s Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho. According to various online media, the Premier League team is contemplating a move to secure the services of the in-form Nigerian international in the upcoming January transfer window. The forward, part of the Super Eagles, is approaching the end of his current contract with just six months remaining. Starting in January, he will have the freedom to engage in discussions with other clubs. However, despite interest from various clubs like West Ham, Fulham, Brentford, and Wolves after Leicester City’s relegation, Iheanacho chose to stay with the…

The Super Eagles of Nigeria concluded 2023 as Africa’s sixth-best team and ranked 42nd globally in the latest FIFA monthly standings. The Nigeria national team had just one loss but achieved four victories and three draws throughout 2023. Morocco maintained their top position in Africa and was 13th globally, while Senegal, holding onto 20th place worldwide, secured the second spot in Africa. Tunisia retained their position as the third-best team in Africa and 28th globally in the current rankings. However, Algeria and Egypt, both contenders in the top five in Africa, concluded the year in the 30th and 33rd positions…

Liverpool and Manchester United battled it out in a high-stakes game at Anfield, ending in a 0-0 draw that left fans wanting more. Even though Liverpool dominated possession and took a whopping 34 shots, they couldn’t break through Manchester United’s solid defense. Despite the visitors coming from a recent Champions League exit, they showed strong resilience, holding off Liverpool’s attacks. This game marked Liverpool’s 34 shots, the most without scoring since Manchester United in 2016. Erik ten Hag’s struggling team, led by defenders Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans, put up a tough fight, frustrating Jurgen Klopp’s usually successful squad. Diogo…

Nathan Tella, the talented 24-year-old winger from Bayer Leverkusen, couldn’t contain his excitement as he made his debut for the Super Eagles during Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe. In the clash with the Likuena of Lesotho, Tella, a former Arsenal star, started on the bench. However, in the game against Zimbabwe, he secured a spot in the starting lineup, only to be replaced after the halftime break. Expressing his joy, Tella shared on his Instagram page, “Good experience away. Happy to make my debut for Super Eagles.” Looking ahead, the Super Eagles are anticipated to…

Nollywood actress, Nkiru Umeh has recounted how, when she was a teenager, she met her husband and settled down. The 40-year-old actress disclosed that they first connected when she was 17 years old, and they got married when she was 18 the following year. Nkiru clarified that the reason she chose to marry so young was that, even at the age of 14, she was receiving a lot of proposals, which encouraged her to think about starting a family. She said; “I met my husband when I was 17 years old but I got married at 18. I had my…

Nigeria Super Eagles forward Jude Ighalo‘s ex-wife, Sonia, is not slowing down as she continues to drag him on social media. The estranged couple have in the past few days been throwing subtle shades at each other. In her previous post on Instagram, Sonia dared the footballer to utter another word as she vowed to do the unexpected. In a new post, Sonia implied that she was the one who made it possible for him to move to the UK and that she also assisted Jude’s elder brother in relocating. She further disclosed that Jude Ighalo shares updates on the…

Shooting Stars goalkeeper Darlington Ovunda is on track to make his return to the team after suffering a foot injury during the Oluyole Warriors’ matchday six match against Remo Stars. According to Gbenga Ogunbote, the technical adviser of Shooting Stars, the club’s medical team has provided assurances regarding Ovunda’s impending return. During his absence, Oluyole Warrior backup goalkeeper Chinedu Anozie has been filling in for Ovunda in goal, notably in Shooting Stars’ recent home clash against the Niger Tornadoes at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasingba, Ibadan. Darlington Ovunda has made six appearances for Shooting Stars in the Nigeria Premier…

The Spanish club FC Barcelona are already working on their plans for the 2024 season, with a focus on securing the future of key players they already have and upgrading their squad in key areas. According to Mundo Deportivo, the La Liga club giant’s top priority is to sign Brazilian striker Vitor Roque in January, ahead of his originally scheduled summer arrival. This is due to the long-term injury to Robert Lewandowski. Once Roque is on board, Barcelona will turn their attention to making permanent deals for Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo, who have both impressed since arriving on loan…

The Spanish club FC Barcelona has shown interest in signing Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer transfer window. Barcelona intends to sign Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi during the upcoming summer transfer window. Dailystand recalls that Ndidi’s contract with Leicester City ends next summer, and he hasn’t extended it yet. Recently, Barcelona has signed free agents such as Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez. They are interested in Ndidi upon the expiration of his contract in 2024. This season, Ndidi has been in excellent form for Leicester City, scoring three goals across all competitions. In January of 2017, he joined…

Arsenal prepared for their 194th North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur excellently, breezing to a 4-0 Champions League win over PSV on Wednesday night and maintaining their unbeaten record this season with six wins and one draw. After their 1-0 Premier League victory over Everton last weekend, manager Mikel Arteta praised some of his team’s exceptional performances. On the other hand, Tottenham, who hasn’t played in Europe this season, had less time to recover. Nonetheless, Arteta aims for a similar performance as he manages his seventh North London derby, with four wins and three losses so far. The Gunners have…

Sheffield United learned the harsh realities of football in their last match, losing 2-1 away to Tottenham after conceding two goals beyond the 97th minute. This defeat keeps the Blades without a win in the Premier League (PL) after five games, just like their start in the 2020/21 season, which led to them finishing at the bottom of the table. Boss Paul Heckingbottom’s main goal this season is to avoid relegation. However, his team’s slow start has led to reports suggesting that the club might sack him soon. Despite this, his squad has rallied behind him. Returning to Bramall Lane…

Burnley ended their three-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. VAR controversially denied them their first league win of the season. Manager Vincent Kompany found some positives and believes they will earn more points. However, they must improve their defense (they’ve conceded 12 goals) and stop their losing streak at home. Burnley hasn’t lost four consecutive home games since the end of the 2020–21 season. Kompany may embrace the challenge of facing Manchester United, who are struggling. Burnley hasn’t had much success against them historically, winning only two out of their last meetings…

The Rwandan Premier League side Bugesera FC has signed Elijah Ani from Lobi Stars. Ani, a strong forward, joined the Nyamata-based club for an undisclosed fee. He had a good season after switching from Rangers. In the Nigeria Premier Football League playoffs in Lagos, Ani played five games for Lobi Stars. However, Lobi Stars finished last in the playoffs, and Ani scored one goal. Ani began his football career with Warri Wolves in the Nigeria National League before joining Rangers in 2022. His move to Bugesera FC is an interesting addition to their squad, and fans are eager to see…

Nigeria won its first gold medal at the 2023 ITTF Africa Championship thanks to Funke Oshonaike and Fatimo Bello in the women’s doubles event. It is a historic achievement, as they became the first Nigerians to do so at the ongoing African Senior Championship in Tunis, Tunisia. Oshonaike, a seven-time Olympian and renowned African athlete, came out of retirement to team up with Bello in the women’s doubles. They faced Cameroonian player Sarah Hanffou and her Egyptian partner, Marwa Alhodaby, in the final. This event did not have an open Olympic qualification, so both teams were competing solely for the…

Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola, had some time during the international break to think about the last-minute equalizer that prevented his team from securing their first Premier League (PL) victory of the season against Brentford, resulting in a 2-2 draw. He openly acknowledged that his team faced difficulties in the closing moments of the match. Currently, they have one fewer point than they did after four games last season and two fewer than during their relegation campaign in 2019/20. The Cherries are in dire need of gaining points when playing at home. Their recent record at home in the PL has…

In a CAF Confederation Cup clash in Benin City on Saturday, Bendel Insurance and RS Berkane ended in a 2-2 draw. The hosts dominated the game, and in the 28th minute, Imade Osarenkhoe scored after RS Berkane’s goalkeeper couldn’t hold Benjamin Tanimu’s shot. Ten minutes later, Hamza El Moussaoui equalized for RS Berkane, and the score stayed the same until halftime. Five minutes into the second half, Bendel Insurance took the lead again thanks to Vincent Augustus. However, the visitors managed to equalize once more, with Mohamed El Morabit scoring from a brilliant counter-attacking move seven minutes before the end.…