Nigerian Football Archives - Sports Village Square

FLASHBACK: LONGEST-STAYED FOOTBALL EXPATRIATE, FR. SLATTERY DIES

BY KUNLE SOLAJA. Today, people refer to the football generation of Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Paul Okoku and Henry Nwosu as perhaps the best set of school players…

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: AFRICA LOSES 1ST PILLAR OF SPORTS

BY KUNLE SOLAJA Africa’s all-time sports philanthropist, Bashorun MKO Abiola died on this date 7 July 1998. He was the continent’s best-known sports financier. He died in controversial…

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: MUDA LAWAL AND KUNLE AWESU – UNITED ALIVE; BONDED IN DEATH

BY KUNLE SOLAJA. Was it a sheer coincidence? Former Nigeria’s left-winger, Kunle Awesu died on a July 5 date. Another national team player and contemporary at early stage,…

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MYSTERY OF MUDA LAWAL’S GOALS

BY KUNLE SOLAJA. In the Nigerian national team matches of the 1970s and 1980s, there was something intriguing about goals scored by Muda Lawal who died 29 years…

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MUDA LAWAL: REMEMBERING NIGERIA’S FIRST FOOTBALL AMBASSADOR, 29 YEARS AFTER

BY KUNLE SOLAJA This Monday 6 July, it is 29 years since Muda Lawal, one of the best midfielders that ever graced the football turfs of Africa passed…

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TODAY IN HISTORY: FORMER AFRICA’S BEST LEFT-WINGER, KUNLE AWESU DIES

BY KUNLE SOLAJA The defeat and elimination of Nigeria from the quarterfinals by Italy on this date 5 July 1994 turned a double tragedy. Kunle Awesu, the former…

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FLASHBACK: 90 SECONDS TO GLORY AS SUPER EAGLES MISS WORLD CUP QUARTER FINALS

BY KUNLE SOLAJA Nigeria’s Super Eagles have scaled the group stage hurdles in three of their six World Cup appearances. But they never got into the quarterfinals as…

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UPDATED: STRANGE, BUT TRUE: THE NIGERIAN FOOTBALL’S JULY DEATH ANNIVERSARIES

BY KUNLE SOLAJA Sadly, the month of July has virtually become that of memorials for football icons in Nigeria. This may sound strange, but it is true. Sports…

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TODAY IN HISTORY: FIRST NIGERIAN PLAYER TO LIFT CONTINENTAL CUP, SAM OJEBODE, DIES

BY KUNLE SOLAJA. On this date, 4 July 2012, the first Nigerian footballer to lift a continental trophy, Samuel Ojebode of the famous IICC Shooting Stars died in…

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FIFA FINES ARSENAL OVER NIGERIAN-BORN CHUBA AKPOM’S TRANSFER

Premier League side, Arsenal have been fined £34,000 by FIFA and warned about their conduct regarding player transfers following the departures of Chuba Akpom and Joel Campbell in 2018.…

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TODAY IN HISTORY: FATHER TIKO, NIGERIA ‘S YUGOSLAVIAN COACH DIES

BY KUNLE SOLAJA On this date, 1 July 1986, one of Nigeria’s most successful and charismatic coach, Jelisavicic Tihomir-Tiko, popularly known as ‘Father Tiko’ died, aged 57. He…

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NIGERIA’S FEDERAL CAPITAL FA BOSS MAKES CASE FOR LOCAL COACHES

Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCTFA) chairman, Adam Mouktar Mohammed has challenged Nigeria sporting authorities to raise the profile of local coaches so that they can compete…

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CLASH WITH EUROPEAN CLUBS EXPECTED AS AFRICA CUP 2021 IS POSTPONED TILL 2022

Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to hold in Cameroon has returned to the even-numbered year, at least, the next edition. This is sequel to the postponement of the…

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YOBO’S 100TH CAP RUINED BY WORLD CUP’S 41ST OWN-GOAL

BY KUNLE SOLAJA On the 20th anniversary of the last match played by Stephen Keshi when Nigeria beat Greece 2-0 on 30 June 1994, another Nigerian skipper, Joseph…

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CARLTON COLE RATES OKOCHA AMONG WORLD BEST FOOTBALLERS

English football coach and former professional footballer, Carlton Cole has rated Nigeria’s former skipper, Austin Okocha as one of the best footballers ever. He was reacting to racial-inclined…

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FLASHBACK: STEPHEN KESHI PLAYS LAST SUPER EAGLES’ MATCH AND LAST WORLD CUP OUTING

On this date, 30 June 1994, former Super Eagles’ skipper played his last international match as Nigeria engaged Greece in the last Group D match of the USA…

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TODAY IN HISTORY: NIGERIA PROTESTS TO FIFA OVER ARGENTINA’S WIN

BY KUNLE SOLAJA. Five days after Argentina defeated the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a USA ’94 World Cup Group D match, the Nigeria Football Association formerly lodged…

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FLASHBACK: TIJANI BABANGIDA AND SUNDAY OLISEH TURN AROUND THE MYTH OF NUMBER 13

BY KUNLE SOLAJA Figure 13 is often considered an unlucky number in some cultures. That was the shirt that speedy right winger, Tijani Babagandia wore on the night…

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SEX WAS THE REASON SUPER EAGLES LOST 4-1 TO DENMARK AT FRANCE ‘98

Twenty years today, the Super Eagles lost heavily to Denmark in a France ’98 World Cup. British newspaper, Daily Mail has revealed that one of the prime actors…

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TODAY IN HISTORY: DANE GUN DOWNS SUPER EAGLES

BY KUNLE SOLAJA Till date, it remains Nigeria’s worst defeat in all 21 World Cup matches the Super Eagles ever played. Never since the 30 October 1955 Jalco…

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SUPER EAGLES COACH, GERNOT ROHR, LEON BALOGUN HAVE BIRTHDAYS TODAY

BY KUNLE SOLAJA. Two members of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles have birthdays today. They are the coach, Gernot Rohr and Leon Balogun. Coincidentally, both…

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