Sports
Updated: Osimhen named man of the match as Super Eagles thrash Lesotho 3-0
Victor Osimhen has been named man of the match in Nigeria’s 3-0 win against the Crocodiles of Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Tuesday.
Osimhen scored the opening goal for the Super Eagles in the 22nd minute of the game and later set up Oghenekaro Etebo for the second goal five minutes after the break.
The 22-year-old Napoli forward, who was replaced by Paul Onuachu 14 minutes from time, finished the qualifiers joint top scorer with five goals alongside Zambia’s Patson Da.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria were at their best in the match, beating Lesotho 3-0 in their last African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match in Lagos. They were playing for the first time in Lagos after 20 years, with about 8,000 fans allowed into the Teslim Balogun Stadium to cheer them to victory.
The Nigerian side had already qualified for AFCON after defeating Benin Republic by a lone goal at the weekend in Port Novo.
Tuesday’s match was therefore going to be an entertaining one as the home side had no pressure on them.
The match saw the Super Eagles scoring their first goal on 23 minutes through Victor Osimhen.
Oghenekaro Etebo scored Nigeria’s second goal on 50 minutes of the match.
Etebo latched on to a loose ball and beat the Lesotho goalkeeper.
Paul Onuachu, who came in as a substitute on 76 minutes to replace Osimhen got the third goal for the Eagles on 83 minutes.
It was Onuachu who gave Nigeria the win against Benin on Saturday by scoring the lone goal of the match after coming in as a substitute.
The Super Eagles dominated the match from the beginning to the end as they entertained the Lagos fans who have been yearning for Eagles to play in the state for a long time.
The Eagles had 61 per cent ball possession, with 13 goal attempts and six shots on goal, while Lesotho had no shot on goal.
The Eagles finished as group L leader with 14 points, winning four games and drawing two.
The game between Sierra Leone and Benin in Freetown will determine which team qualifies for AFCON as second in the group.
Sierra Leone will need to win the match with at least two goals to qualify for AFCON, while a draw will see Benin through.
Sports
Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match
Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match
Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday night suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali in a friendly match played in Marrakech, Morocco.
Mali, ranked 19th below the Super Eagles in the FIFA’s latest standings, opened scoring through Atalanta-based striker El Bilal Toure in the first half after Nigeria’s dreadful error resulting from a short goal kick.
Toure could barely believe his luck when defender Chidozie Awaziem tried to play a long square pass under pressure near the edge of the Nigeria box and succeeded only in crossing the ball straight to the Mali striker.
He controlled well on his chest before bundling a finish past goalkeeper Stanely Nwabali.
Nigeria lost Moses Simon to injury when the Nantes star collided with Mali keeper Mamadou Samassa and had to be substituted after appearing to suffer a painful knee injury.
Kamory Doumbia made it 2-0 for Mali with three minutes to normal regulation time.
Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 last Friday in a positive result for interim coach Finidi George, the former Ajax and Real Betis winger, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.
The defeat has left the Super Eagles with a lot of concerns before they resume World Cup qualifying in June.
This was the 12th meeting between Nigeria and Mali. Nigeria have the head-to-head advantage, with six wins and three defeats in those games.
Mali’s most recent previous win over the Super Eagles was a 4-1 friendly victory way back in 1975.
Some key stars missed the friendly match due to injury. They are Victor Osimhen, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Boniface, Ola Aina, and Zaidu Sanusi.
Midfielder Frank Onyeka has also withdrawn from the squad.
Sports
Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen
Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen
Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer €90 million for Napoli star striker, Victor Osimhen, according to Italian newspaper, II Mattino.
Osimhen has a release clause of around €120 million in his contract but Napoli President Aurelio de Laurentiis could accept a bid below that, according to the publication.
Napoli are prepared to part company with the Nigerian at the end of the season despite the forward signing a new contract last December.
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Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG have been persistently linked with a move for the forward.
Intermediaries are reportedly working with the striker’s agent, Roberto Calenda to sort out his future.
Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Ligue 1 club, Lille in 2022, has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances for the Partenopei.
Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen
Sports
Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today
Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today
Former World Cup star Finidi George is determined to secure a second consecutive win as he leads the Super Eagles in their clash against Mali today. Appointed as the interim coach for the Nigerian team, George aims to maintain the winning momentum after their recent victory over Ghana.
The encounter between the two West African teams is scheduled at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, where the Super Eagles emerged triumphant in their previous match against arch-rivals Ghana with a 2-1 scoreline.
However, George faces challenges as key players such as defender Calvin Bassey and midfielder Frank Onyeka are sidelined due to injuries, adding to the absence of other notable names like Victor Osimhen, William Ekong, and Olaoluwa Aina.
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Despite these setbacks, George remains optimistic about the team’s prospects against Mali. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a winning mentality and expresses confidence in the players’ ability to replicate their performance against Ghana and secure another victory.
Notably, George himself has a history with the Eagles of Mali, having played against them during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria emerged victorious.
In light of the absences and injuries, George may turn to players such as goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Jamilu Collins, midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to play prominent roles in the upcoming fixture.
Despite the challenges, Finidi George remains determined to guide the Super Eagles to another triumph as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June.
Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today
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