NFF names interim coach for Super Falcons

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially appointed Coach Justin Madugu as the interim head coach of the Super Falcons, the Senior Women National Team.

Madugu takes over from Randy Waldrum, who recently stepped down for personal reasons.

Waldrum led the Super Falcons for four years, during which he achieved significant milestones, including a Round of 16 finish at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, as well as securing the team’s qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris—a milestone not reached since 2008.

In his resignation letter dated September 12, Waldrum expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to serve and emphasized the importance of prioritizing his family.

Madugu now faces the challenge of building on Waldrum’s achievements, with the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco on the horizon next summer.

READ ALSO:

• NRC, Lagos govt, NPA, NSIB, others support Nigeria transport summit
• Three Nigerian siblings arrested for deceiving Croatian into sending nude pictures
• Officers accused of extorting N1m from corps members under interrogation – Police

In a related development, the NFF has confirmed that Coach Augustine Eguavoen will continue in his role as Head Coach of the Super Eagles.

Eguavoen, aged 58, is set to guide the team in the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Libya next month. His recent successes include a 3-0 victory over Benin Republic and a goalless draw with Rwanda.

Eguavoen will be supported by an experienced coaching staff that includes Fidelis Ilechukwu, Daniel Ogunmodede, Olatunji Baruwa, and Tomaz Zorec.

The technical team will also oversee the Super Eagles B team’s qualifying efforts for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

These coaching appointments were approved by the NFF’s Executive Committee following recommendations from the Technical and Development Sub-Committee.

NFF names interim coach for Super Falcons

Nkunku hits hat-trick as Chelsea thrash Barrow in Carabao Cup

Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick as Chelsea cruised into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a convincing win over League Two Barrow at Stamford Bridge.

Nkunku opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a cool finish after a fine chipped pass from Joao Felix.

The forward soon added his second with a clever flick to divert Malo Gusto’s low cross into the net, before a Felix free-kick hit the post and bounced in off Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman to give the Blues a 3-0 half-time lead.

READ ALSO:

• UEFA strips Milan’s San Siro of hosting 2027 Champions League final
• Bobrisky denies giving N15m to EFCC officers, refutes viral audio
• Exports of APM Terminals Apapa rise, 2nd exporters forum beckons

Two minutes after the restart Pedro Neto scored his first Chelsea goal by tapping in after Mykhailo Mudryk’s pass across goal.

Nkunku completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute after tackling keeper Farman and passing the ball into an empty net.

Thanks to his first Chelsea treble, the 26-year-old Frenchman now has six goals in eight appearances this season for the Blues.

Nkunku was making his first start for the hosts since their opening-day defeat by Manchester City last month.

Nkunku hits hat-trick as Chelsea thrash Barrow in Carabao Cup

UEFA strips Milan’s San Siro of hosting 2027 Champions League final

The 2027 Champions League final will no longer be held at the San Siro stadium in Milan, according to UEFA. The decision comes amid concerns over potential renovation works at the iconic venue, leaving European football’s governing body with no choice but to move the event.

UEFA announced that Milan could not guarantee that both the stadium and surrounding areas would remain unaffected by refurbishments during the final. As a result, UEFA has reopened the bidding process to find a new host city, with a final decision expected in May or June of 2025.

Earlier in September, AC Milan and Inter Milan, both of whom share the San Siro as their home ground, rejected a project aimed at modernizing and restructuring the stadium. The San Siro is owned by the city of Milan, and the project’s failure adds more uncertainty to its future.

READ ALSO:

• Bobrisky denies giving N15m to EFCC officers, refutes viral audio
• Exports of APM Terminals Apapa rise, 2nd exporters forum beckons
• Two million security personnel can’t protect 200m Nigerians — COAS Lagbaja

Milan’s Mayor, Giuseppe Sala, has indicated that both clubs are considering reviving their initial plan to build a new stadium near the current San Siro site.

However, this proposal had previously been shelved due to political and bureaucratic challenges.

Meanwhile, AC Milan has acquired land in the San Donato Milanese suburb, with plans to move their home ground outside the city’s official limits.

The club hopes this will expedite the building approval process. Inter Milan, on the other hand, is exploring potential locations in the towns of Rozzano and Assago, just south of Milan, as well as former industrial land in the northern suburb of Sesto San Giovanni.

While the San Siro’s future remains in flux, it is still set to host the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

This development means that football fans will have to wait until 2025 to find out which city will host the 2027 Champions League final, as UEFA continues its search for a suitable venue.

UEFA strips Milan’s San Siro of hosting 2027 Champions League final