Connect with us

Sports

13 Super Eagles players arrive camp for World Cup qualifiers

Published

on

The number of players in the Super Eagles’ camp has increased to 13, as Nigeria intensifies preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.

This follows the arrival of nine more players at the team’s camp in Ikot Ikpene on Tuesday, according to Promise Efoghe, the team’s media officer.

The new arrivals include Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Ola Aina, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Moses Simon, Chidozie Awaziem, Adebayo Adeleye, and Benjamin Fredericks.

They joined the quartet of William Troost-Ekong, Amas Obasogie, Felix Agu, and Raphael Onyedika, who checked into camp on Monday.

Efoghe confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria that out of the 23 players who were invited for the double-header fixtures, only 13 had arrived, with 10 more players still being expected.

“A total of 13 players are currently in camp, and we are expecting the rest of the squad to arrive later today and early tomorrow,” Efoghe said.

He also shared details of the team’s upcoming media engagements.

“There will be a press conference with the coaching staff and selected players on Wednesday at the training pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium,” Efoghe stated.

“For Friday, the pre-match press conference will holbe held the same venue, and the first 15 minutes of the team’s training session will be open to media coverage.”

Players still beiexpected to be included arealkeeper Stanley Nwabali; defender Bruno Onyemaechi; midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka; and forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Cyriel Dessers, Christantus Uche, and Tolu Arokodare.

Nigeria will host Rwanda on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, in a Matchday 7 fixture. They will then travel to Bloemfontein to face South Africa on Monday, in a Matchday 8 encounter.

The Super Eagles currently sit third in Group C of the African qualifiers with two points from two matches, behind leaders South Africa (four points) and Rwanda (also four points but with an inferior goal difference).

Only the top team in the group will qualify automatically for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Full 23-Man Squad:

Goalkeepers:

Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa);

Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars, Tanzania);

Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece).

Defenders:

William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia);

Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England);

Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, England);

Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England);

Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece);

Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes, France);

Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany);

Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC, Belgium).

Midfielders:

Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England);

Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England);

Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, Turkey);

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio, Italy);

Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium);

Christantus Uche (Getafe, Spain).

Forwards:

Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Italy);

Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy);

Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Turkey);

Moses Simon (Paris FC, France);

Cyriel Dessers (Rangers, Scotland);

Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium).

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

‘I didn’t expect it to be so difficult’ – ManUnited Fan now regrets viral bet not to cut his hair until club wins 5 games in a row

Published

on

For many Manchester United fans, recent performances have been frustrating enough to make them want to tear their hair out. But for Red Devils supporter Frank Ilett, that’s not an option—because of a bold pledge he made nearly a year ago.

Ilett, who lives in Spain, vowed not to cut his hair until Manchester United won five competitive games in a row. What began as a lighthearted challenge in October has turned into a nearly year-long ordeal. It’s been 324 days since his last haircut, and his once neat buzzcut has transformed into a wild mane, which he often showcases on his TikTok channel “theunitedstrand.”

“I thought it would just be a bit of fun for a few months,” Ilett said. “I didn’t expect it to be so difficult. Looking back, maybe I was too optimistic.”

 

?I didn?t expect it to be so difficult? - ManUnited Fan now regrets viral bet not to cut his hair until club wins 5 games in a row

 

At first, he considered setting the bar at three straight wins but raised it to five for what he thought would be a more interesting challenge. Unfortunately, United’s inconsistent form has kept him waiting. A run that could have ended his bet early this year slipped away, and results since then—including a shocking League Cup defeat to fourth-division Grimsby Town—have only prolonged his hairy situation.

Ilett’s growing hair has become symbolic of the club’s decline. Once the most dominant team in England with 13 Premier League titles, United has struggled under new manager Ruben Amorim. The team failed to qualify for European competition this season and currently sits far from its former glory.

 

?I didn?t expect it to be so difficult? - ManUnited Fan now regrets viral bet not to cut his hair until club wins 5 games in a row

Despite the frustrations, Ilett remains committed to his challenge. He admits the biggest struggle is coping with the heat under his now heavy locks, but he won’t visit the barber until United hits the magic five.

Looking at the fixture list, he hopes for a possible winning streak later this year against teams like Everton, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Wolves, Bournemouth, and Aston Villa. But given United’s own poor form—finishing 15th last season—he’s not overly confident.

Still, he dreams of being in the stands for the decisive fifth victory, comparing it to his own “mini-Champions League final.”

Until then, the wait continues, and Ilett’s hair keeps growing—possibly even turning gray from the stress of watching Manchester United.

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading

Sports

Salah slams Liverpool fan page over Diaz, Nunez disrespect

Published

on

Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticise a Liverpool fan account over what he considered a disrespectful comparison between the club’s new attacking signing and two former Reds who recently left Anfield for moves abroad.

Metro Punch reported that the defending Premier League champions broke the bank to secure the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m before breaking the British transfer record by signing Sweden striker Alexander Isak for a whopping £125m from Newcastle on deadline day as the Premier League hit a record-breaking £3bn transfer window.

The EPL transfer record was broken twice in one window with Liverpool behind both deals, yet this didn’t satisfy a club fan account, which went further by dragging recently departed champions Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz into a needless comparison.

Darwin Núñez’s move to Al-Hilal for around €53 million (£46 m) ended a three-season spell at Liverpool marked by inconsistency, criticism, and missed chances—a romance that never fully blossomed after his €75 million (£64 m) switch from Benfica in June 2022, potentially rising to £85 million with add-ons, making him the club’s record signing at the time.

By contrast, Luis Díaz, who joined German giants Bayern Munich for £65.5 million, was a constant attacking threat under Arne Slot, often operating as a false nine.

Liverpool enjoyed a record-breaking transfer window, strengthening their squad with signings such as Hugo Ekitike (£79m) and Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5m), brought in to replace Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away in a crash, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid.

In total, the Merseysiders spent £446m — a Premier League record for a single window — surpassing Chelsea’s £434.5m outlay in the summer of 2023, according to Sky Sports. Factoring in potential add-ons and excluding undisclosed fees, Liverpool generated £228.1m from player sales.

Had Marc Guehi’s £35m move from Crystal Palace not collapsed on deadline day, Liverpool’s summer outlay would have reached £469.5m, with Milos Kerkez (£40m) and Giorgi Mamardashvili (£29m) already secured.

Despite missing out on Guehi, Liverpool enjoyed an almost perfect summer window worth celebrating. However, the independent fan account @AnfieldEdition on X chose that moment to “ridicule” the impact of Díaz and Núñez, posting a collage of the former Reds in black and white alongside coloured photos of new signings Wirtz and Isak, whose reputation among Newcastle fans has arguably already been damaged after forcing his exit from the club.

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading

Sports

World Cup FULL LIST – Nigeria, others face elimination

Published

on

As African qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup heats up, Egypt and Morocco are edging closer to sealing their tickets to the global showpiece in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, while Nigeria’s hopes hang by a thread.

With four rounds of matches left, the race across the nine African groups is intensifying, leaving several giants at risk of missing out.

Below is the state of play across all groups:

Group A – Egypt in Command

Standings: Egypt lead Burkina Faso by five points.

Key Matches: Egypt vs Ethiopia; Burkina Faso vs Djibouti.

Outlook: Two wins could seal Egypt’s qualification.

Group B – Three-Way Battle

Standings: DR Congo, Senegal, and Sudan are split by one point.

Key Matches: Senegal host Sudan and face DR Congo; Sudan visit Togo.

Outlook: Sudan chase a maiden World Cup amid conflict at home.

Group C – Nigeria in Trouble

Standings: South Africa top with 13 points; Nigeria sit fourth with seven.

Key Matches: Nigeria host Rwanda, then face South Africa away.

Outlook: Nigeria must win both to stay alive. A ruling on South Africa’s alleged ineligible player could impact standings.

Group D – Cape Verde vs Cameroon

Standings: Cape Verde lead Cameroon by one point.

Key Matches: Cape Verde host Cameroon, then travel to Mauritius; Cameroon face Eswatini.

Outlook: Cape Verde eye historic qualification; Libya and Angola still lurking.

Group E – Morocco Poised for History

Standings: Morocco boast a perfect record (5 wins in 5).

Key Matches: Morocco play Niger and Zambia; Tanzania face Congo-Brazzaville.

Outlook: Atlas Lions could become Africa’s first confirmed qualifiers.

Group F – Ivory Coast vs Gabon

Standings: Ivory Coast one point ahead of Gabon.

Key Matches: Gabon host Ivory Coast; Ivory Coast face Burundi and Seychelles.

Outlook: A tight race between two resurgent sides.

Group G – Algeria Closing In

Standings: Algeria three points clear of Mozambique.

Key Matches: Algeria host Botswana, travel to Guinea; Mozambique meet Uganda and Botswana.

Outlook: Algeria well-placed but can’t slip up.

Group H – Tunisia in Control

Standings: Tunisia four points ahead of Namibia.

Key Matches: Tunisia vs Liberia; Tunisia vs Equatorial Guinea; Namibia face Malawi and Sao Tome.

Outlook: Tunisia could qualify early, but an Equatorial Guinea appeal looms.

Group I – Ghana Push for Redemption

Standings: Ghana lead by three points over Comoros; Mali trailing.

Key Matches: Ghana face Chad and Comoros; Comoros travel to Mali.

Outlook: Ghana could book qualification at home, making up for their AFCON 2025 failure.

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading

Trending