Nigerian Football
MANCHESTER UNITED BOSS BANKS ON ODION IGHALO FOR TOP-FOUR FINISH
Manchester United had a disappointing home game on Wednesday night forcing a 1-1 draw with West Ham United.
The score line only temporarily put them at the third position ahead of fellow contenders, Chelsea and Leicester City.
The crunch match for Manchester United will be on Sunday when they are away to Leicester City in what could be their final finish decider.
As the current season hit the home stretch Manchester Uinited Boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has identified former Super Eagles forward, Odion Jude Ighalo and Portuguese star player, Bruno Fernandes as the key to the team’s rise to the top four quest this season.
After Wednesday night’s outing against struggling West Ham United to push the former European champions to torching distant to make the top-four finish and play in the UEFA Champions League next football season, the club manager admitted that the duo added resilience to the club’s adventure in the second half of the season.
“I think we’ve grown over the whole season,” Solskjaer told reporters.
“The additions of Odion, Bruno and Paul coming back, (plus) Marcus coming back is a strength for us. We are better as a group and more robust and resilient.
“The proof is in the pudding and we’ll have to see on Wednesday how they perform,” he remarked ahead of the match last night at Old Trafford.
The Reds tasted their first defeat in all competitions last Sunday in a 1-3 loss to Chelsea at the Wembley Stadium in the second semi final of FA Cup but had maintained a 13-match unbeaten run in the league restart.
Manchester United were defeated for the first time since January, in all competitions, in Sunday’s Emirates FA Cup semi-final tie with Chelsea, but will be looking to extend our unbeaten run to 14 league games when we face West Ham United on Wednesday, and Leicester City on Sunday.
Avoiding defeat in final match away to Leicester City will be enough for Champions League football slot next season, and the manager believes his winter signings – coupled with the return from injury of Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford – have been vital in helping us close what was a significant gap to our top-four rivals.
The disappointing 3-1 reverse to Chelsea at Wembley at the weekend put paid to hopes of a first domestic trophy for Solskjaer, although silverware could still arrive by way of next month’s Europa League.
Ahead of a massive five days for United, the boss said that his side need to react to the setback of defeat, as they have before, and get a positive result over West Ham at Old Trafford, which will see us leapfrog Leicester going into the final-day showdown at the King Power Stadium.
“When you lose a game, you’re hurt and disappointed,“ he admitted. ”You’ve just got to focus on the next thing.
“A defeat isn’t the end of the world – it was the end of the FA Cup dream and the final, but now it’s business as usual and onto the next game.
“We’ve had so many setbacks as a club before. We’ve lost big games before and we’ve turned that around and that’s what we need to do now.”
Nigerian Football
Tiger Street Football Tournament Heads for Grand Finale in Awka After Electrifying Weekend
The maiden Nigerian edition of the Tiger Street Football Tournament is nearing its climax in Awka, following an action-packed weekend that blended grassroots football with music, street culture, and celebration.
The atmosphere around the venue was electric as DJs and hype men kept the energy high between matches, while food vendors, entertainers, and Tiger Beer enthusiasts turned the event into a full-blown street festival — a vibrant showcase of football, rhythm, and camaraderie.
From 16 teams that began the competition, only four now remain in contention for the ₦5 million grand prize, after thrilling quarterfinal fixtures held on Sunday, October 19.
In a day filled with goals and grit, Sunday Sparks, Peace Warriors, Peace Dominion, and Peace Ambassadors booked their places in the semi-finals.
- Sunday Sparks continued their dominant run with a 3–0 victory over Young Stars. Peace Warriors edged Star Boys 2–1 in a tense contest.
- Peace Dominion narrowly defeated Super Strikers 1–0, while Peace Ambassadors overcame Mgbakwu Pillars 2–1 to complete the semi-final lineup.
The semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, October 25, where Sunday Sparks will face Peace Warriors, and Peace Dominion will take on Peace Ambassadors. The winners will advance to the grand finale later that same day at the highly anticipated “Tiger Uncaged” celebration.
Football fans in Awka have hailed the tournament as a breath of fresh air for local talent.
“The energy here is unbelievable. It feels like the real spirit of Nigerian football — no big names, just passion,” said Ifeanyi Okeke, a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
“Kudos to Tiger Beer for bringing something this exciting to Awka. It’s giving young players real hope.”
Another fan, Chisom Udeh, described the event as “a refreshing celebration of local talent.” She added: “You can see the joy on the players’ faces — this is football in its purest form. Tiger Beer really deserves credit for supporting the streets and turning it into something this big.”
The grand finale will take place at Newberries Lounge, Awka, featuring a lively mix of football, music, and street culture. The event will be hosted by Uzor and headlined by Jeriq, with DJ sets from DJ SkyBlisz, DJ Snow, and DJ Kay-Y, alongside performances from Wanni & Handi. Hype men Twix da Jims and Slymshady will keep the crowd charged throughout the evening.
Fans will also have the chance to win exciting prizes in raffle draws during the finale. Organisers have reminded attendees that the event is strictly for persons aged 18 and above and encouraged everyone to enjoy responsibly.
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Nigerian Football
Brazil-Based Nigerian Star Fashanu Michael Ifeoluwa Tipped for Super Eagles Call-Up
By Bolaji Okunola
Emerging Nigerian football prodigy Fashanu Michael Ifeoluwa, popularly known as Fash11, is being closely monitored for a potential Super Eagles call-up following his dazzling performances in the Brazilian U-20 league.
The Fortaleza FC forward has taken the Brazilian youth scene by storm, scoring seven goals and providing two assists to power his club to victory in the league — a feat that has thrust his name into Nigeria’s senior national team conversation.
Before his move to Brazil, Fashanu honed his skills at Dynamic Plus Soccer Academy, a Nigerian grassroots club renowned for grooming young talents who have represented the country on the global stage.
His exploits at the academy caught the eye of international scouts during a scouting programme jointly organised by ATJ Sports and Trivella Brazil seven months ago — a move that ultimately secured his transfer to Fortaleza.
With Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle currently assembling his provisional squad for next month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier playoff and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Fashanu’s form has sparked excitement among Nigerian fans and analysts who see him as part of the nation’s next generation of attacking talents.
Speaking on his recent success, the young forward expressed pride in his achievement and eagerness to represent Nigeria at the highest level.
“Winning a tournament like this in a football country like Brazil is a dream come true,” he said. “I never imagined it could happen so quickly in my short spell with the club. This success motivates me to push harder, and I look forward to wearing the green and white jersey to make my country proud if given the opportunity.”
With his pace, flair, and goal-scoring instinct, Fashanu Michael Ifeoluwa could soon join the growing list of Nigerian stars making waves from South America to the global stage — a bright prospect for the future of Nigerian football.
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Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Gbenga Elegbeleye, became an unexpected star attraction at the just-concluded World Football Summit in Madrid, thanks to a spontaneous late-night call to Nigerian football legend, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha.
Narrating his experience in Madrid, Elegbeleye revealed how what started as a casual conversation during the summit’s gala dinner turned into a moment of surprise and excitement for global football executives.
According to him, the gala night—attended by top football administrators, investors, and professionals—had barely begun when some guests at his table became curious about Nigerian football. One Japanese delegate from the J-League leaned in and asked, “Do you know Jay-Jay Okocha?”
Elegbeleye smiled and replied confidently, “Jay-Jay? That’s my close friend.”
That statement immediately captured everyone’s attention. Though it was already past 11 p.m. in Nigeria, a Turkish delegate urged him to place a call to the former Super Eagles captain. Amid cheers and laughter, Elegbeleye obliged—and the atmosphere changed instantly.
“The moment they saw Jay-Jay’s WhatsApp display picture, the whole table went agog,” Elegbeleye recounted. “When he answered the call, the excitement in the room was unbelievable. People from nearby tables came over just to say hello to him.”
The NPFL boss joked that for several minutes, he and his phone became the “beautiful bride” of the evening, as guests lined up to exchange brief greetings with Okocha.
But the story didn’t end there. A Portuguese investor involved in ParaSoccer, visibly thrilled after speaking with the Nigerian icon, decided to express his admiration in a most unusual way — by upgrading Elegbeleye’s hotel room from a standard single to a deluxe executive suite.
“All because I’m friends with Jay-Jay Okocha,” Elegbeleye said humorously. “Next time I check in at my regular Eurostars Madrid hotel, they’ll probably wonder why I’m not in the super deluxe suite.”
The NPFL chairman concluded the tale with a touch of gratitude and amusement: “So, thanks, Jay-Jay, for making me a temporary big man in Madrid. But no thanks — because now I have a reputation to maintain.”
The incident has since become one of the lighthearted highlights of the World Football Summit, underscoring Okocha’s enduring global appeal and Nigeria’s rich football heritage.
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