LA 2028 Olympics Race: Eguavoen Invites Ajibade, Nnadozie, 26 Others For Comoros

 

LA 2028 Olympics Race: Eguavoen Invites Ajibade, Nnadozie, 26 Others For Comoros

 

Interim Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has selected captain Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defenders Michelle Alozie and Oluwatosin Demehin, midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Jennifer Echegini, and forwards Rasheedat Ajibade and Gift Monday, among a group of 28 players for next month’s Los Angeles 2028 Olympics qualifying fixture against Comoros.

 

There are also youngsters Christiana Uzoma, Farida Abdulwahab, Tumininu Adeshina, Favour Nkwocha, Shakirat Moshood, Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, and Janet Akekoromowei.

 

Also listed are defenders Ashley Plumptre and Shukurat Oladipo, midfielder Toni Payne, and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Joy Omewa and Uchenna Kanu.

 

The players have been instructed to report at the AM2PM Hotel, Ijebu-Ode on Saturday, 3rd October.

 

Comoros will host the first leg of the second-round fixture on Friday, 9th October while Nigeria will host the return leg on Tuesday, 13th October. Both matches will be played at the Remo Stars Sports Stadium, Ikenne-Remo, as Comoros does not have a CAF-approved venue for international games.

 

Victory on aggregate will send the Falcons to a third-round fixture in the five-fixture stretch qualifying campaign that will end in December next year.

 

28 SUPER FALCONS FOR OLYMPICS QUALIFYING FIXTURE VS COMOROS

 

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton Hove & Albion, England); Comfort Erhabor (Portsmouth Ladies, England); Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens)

 

Defenders: Michelle Alozie (Chicago Stars, USA); Shukurat Oladipo (AS Roma, Italy); Farida Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Glory Ogbonna (Besiktas JK, Turkey); Oluwatosin Demehin (SL Benfica, Portugal); Glory Edet (Bayelsa Queens); Ashley Plumptre (Al-Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia); Tumininu Adeshina (Edo Queens)

 

Midfielders: Christy Ucheibe (Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia); Joy Igbokwe (Nasarawa Amazons); Favour Nkwocha (FC Robo Queens); Fatimoh Solaty (Nasarawa Amazons); Suliat Abideen (Fenerbahce Ladies, Turkey); Toni Payne (Inter Milan, Italy); Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint Germain, France)

 

Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris Saint Germain, France); Asisat Oshoala (Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia); Flourish Sabastine (SL Benfica, Portugal); Shakirat Moshood (SCU Torreense, Portugal); Gift Monday (Washington Spirit, USA); Joy Omewa (BK Hacken, Sweden); Blessing Nkor (Dynamo Brest, Belarus); Oluwakemi Adegbuyi (Edo Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (SL Benfica, Portugal); Uchenna Kanu (Cruz Azul Femenil, Mexico)

Osun SWAN Welcomes Sports Investment Initiative, Urges Action on Sports Commission, Stadium

 

The Osun State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has welcomed the steps being taken by the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke to attract investment into the state’s sports industry.

We described the Governor’s engagement with investors in the sports business sector as a positive development capable of opening new opportunities for sports development, talent discovery, employment generation and economic growth in the state.

We particularly welcomed the proposed establishment of a football manufacturing factory in the Osun State Free Trade Zone and the planned football talent academy aimed at developing young footballers in the state.

Such initiatives, if properly implemented, could complement existing government efforts and reposition sports as an important component of the state’s economic and youth development agenda.

However, while commending the initiative, we want to urge the state government to sustain its attention on the institutional development of sports by facilitating the actualisation of the Osun State Sports Commission Bill, which has already been passed by the State House of Assembly.

The establishment and effective take-off of the Sports Commission would provide a stronger institutional framework for the administration, development and promotion of sports across the state.

We also appeal to the Governor to expedite that could hasten the completion of the Osogbo Township Stadium, describing the project as an important sports infrastructure that could complement the proposed investments, talent development programmes and other sporting activities in the state.

The combination of private-sector investment, a functional sports commission and modern sporting infrastructure would further strengthen Osun’s sports ecosystem and create opportunities for athletes, coaches, sports administrators and other stakeholders.

Osun SWAN Welcomes Sports Investment Initiative, Urges Action On Sports Commission, Stadium

 

The Osun State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has welcomed the steps being taken by the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke to attract investment into the state’s sports industry.

We described the Governor’s engagement with investors in the sports business sector as a positive development capable of opening new opportunities for sports development, talent discovery, employment generation and economic growth in the state.

We particularly welcomed the proposed establishment of a football manufacturing factory in the Osun State Free Trade Zone and the planned football talent academy aimed at developing young footballers in the state.

Such initiatives, if properly implemented, could complement existing government efforts and reposition sports as an important component of the state’s economic and youth development agenda.

However, while commending the initiative, we want to urge the state government to sustain its attention on the institutional development of sports by facilitating the actualisation of the Osun State Sports Commission Bill, which has already been passed by the State House of Assembly.

The establishment and effective take-off of the Sports Commission would provide a stronger institutional framework for the administration, development and promotion of sports across the state.

We also appeal to the Governor to expedite that could hasten the completion of the Osogbo Township Stadium, describing the project as an important sports infrastructure that could complement the proposed investments, talent development programmes and other sporting activities in the state.

The combination of private-sector investment, a functional sports commission and modern sporting infrastructure would further strengthen Osun’s sports ecosystem and create opportunities for athletes, coaches, sports administrators and other stakeholders.

PAMOJA 2027 Race: Chelle Says Eagles Will Not Under-rate Wild Dogs

 

PAMOJA 2027 Race: Chelle Says Eagles Will Not Under-rate Wild Dogs

 

Head Coach Éric Chelle has declared that three-time African champions Nigeria will take nothing for granted when they confront Guinea-Bissau’s Djurtus (Wild Dogs) in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Day 2 qualifying match in Bissau on Tuesday.

 

“We respect them because they are a strong team; I have followed their progress over the years. They also won away in Tanzania on Friday and will be confident playing on home ground tomorrow.

 

“Our objective is to take the three points, and to do that, we must approach the game with a strong mentality. We have to be at our best to earn victory,” Chelle said at Monday’s pre-match press conference.

 

The Franco-Malian refused to dwell on the poor state of the pitch of the 24 September Stadium, saying his team will make the best of the terrain for the 90 minutes.

 

For 65 minutes on Monday evening, the Super Eagles had their official training at the match venue, under a light shower of rain, with all 24 invited players involved in the session.

 

SUPER EAGLES TO TAME WILD DOGS

 

Goalkeepers: Arthur Okonkwo (Charlton Athletic, England); Maduka Okoye (Udinese Calcio, Italy); Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)

 

Defenders: Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Isaac James (Alverca FC, Portugal); Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford FC, England); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Chibuike Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)

 

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Raphael Onyedika (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany); Frank Onyeka (Coventry City, England)

 

Forwards: Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry City, England); Akor Adams (Venezia FC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Ajax FC, The Netherlands); George Ilenikhena (Al Ittihad, Saudi Arabia); Moses Usor (LASK

Osun To Get Football Factory, Talent Academy As Governor Meets UK Investors

 

 

Osun To Get Football Factory, Talent Academy As Governor Meets UK Investors

Governor Ademola Adeleke today hosted a team of investors focused on sports industry development in Osun state, restating his commitment to the transformation of the state from civil service to an industrialised subnational entity.

The governor gave the assurance while hosting the investors led by Dr Bob Olukoya, Country Director, Alive and Kicking Nigeria Limited and Mrs Joanne Macrae, a Director, Amos Sports Business School, London and Business Development Director, Alive and Kicking Nigeria Limited at his London residence.

The governor narrated the investment friendly policies and programmes of his administration and assured the investors that the Osun Free Trade zone is ready for investors with excellent ease of doing business.

Accompanied by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rev Bunmi Jenyo, the Governor directed the ministry to treat with urgency the submission from the Alive and Kicking firm, assuring that Osun is in a hurry for industrialisation.

Speaking earlier, Dr Olukoya and Mrs Macrae had told the state governor that their company is interested in building a factory for production of football to service the massive football needs of Nigeria, Africa and the whole world.

The team noted that the ministry has already treated its application for a land space at the Osun State Free Trade Zone and that preparation is already in top gear for commencement of work on the allocated site.

The team further told the governor that it has finalised a football talent academy to train and develop young Osun footballers for participation in local and international leagues.

The firm while explaining huge opportunities that abound in the field of sport business promised to submit detailed proposal on the talent hunt idea.