CodedSports

Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Olatunji Baruwa Joins Eguavoen’s Interim Super Falcons Crew For Olympic Qualifiers

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer Olatunji Baruwa, M.O.N. has been named goalkeeper trainer for Nigeria’s Senior Women’s National Team, the Super Falcons, as the team prepares for the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers in October.

The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that former Super Eagles head coach Augustine “Cerezo” Eguavoen will lead the 10-time African champions on an interim basis for the second round fixtures against Comoros, while the search for a substantive head coach continues.

The appointment of Baruwa adds a trusted safe-hands coach to the technical crew.

Baruwa previously worked with the Super Eagles and was credited with helping stabilise the crisis-ridden goalkeeping department under Jose Peseiro, including the redrafting of Stanley Nwabali back into the Eagles setup.

He has also worked across all levels of Nigerian football with the CHAN Eagles, Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets, where he discovered and nurtured young talents such as Chijioke Aniagboso, Nathaniel Nwosu, Amah John, Jimoh Saheed amongst others who have gone on to become national team revelations.

His experience will be crucial as the Super Falcons aim to secure one of Africa’s two tickets to Los Angeles 2028.

Baruwa will work under Eguavoen, who famously led the Super Eagles to a bronze medal at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Eguavoen will be assisted by Christopher Danjuma, current head coach of NWFL side Nasarawa Amazons. Danjuma brings vast experience with Nigeria’s women’s teams, having led the Falconets at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.

Also joining the crew is former Super Falcons defender Ayisat Yusuf. Yusuf earned 68 caps for Nigeria and represented the country at four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, three FIFA Women’s World Cups and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Super Falcons received a bye into the second round and will host Comoros in both legs at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo on October 9 and 13, 2026.

Comoros advanced after a 30-0 aggregate win over Sudan.

Nigeria must navigate four rounds of two-legged knockout ties to qualify for Los Angeles 2028.

If they overcome Comoros, the Falcons will face either DR Congo or Morocco in the third round between February 23 - March 6, 2027.

A fourth round clash against Tunisia, Senegal, Benin Republic or Mali is scheduled for October 4 - 12, 2027.

The final qualifying round holds November 23 - December 4, 2027.

National Intermediate Games Postponed, to Support Excellent Hosting of Inaugural Edition

National Intermediate Games Postponed, to Support Excellent Hosting of Inaugural Edition*

The first edition of the National Intermediate Games, scheduled to take place in Lagos from October 1 to 15, 2026, has been postponed to the first quarter of 2027 to allow for further preparations and ensure a successful world-class inaugural edition.

The Lagos State Sports Commission formally communicated the decision to the National Sports Commission following a comprehensive review of preparations by the Local Organising Committee (LOC), the NSC and an independent Quality Control and Assurance Specialist. The review followed the Joint Technical Meeting held from September 3 to 6, 2026.

The assessment covered proposed facilities, sporting events, technical requirements, rules and regulations, as well as other critical operational areas. While the review established that the Games could technically proceed, it also determined that the remaining timeframe may not be sufficient to deliver the inaugural edition to the standard befitting Lagos and an event of national significance.

The postponement is intended to safeguard the quality, credibility and long-term success of the National Intermediate Games, which is expected to establish an operational benchmark for future editions.

Hosts, Lagos State has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the Games and will continue preparations in collaboration with the National Sports Commission and other stakeholders pending the finalisation of a new date by the LOC.

Meanwhile, the NSC will continue its programme towards the Games as previously planned, including accreditation, zonal elimination for team sports and other technical and operational activities within its immediate purview.

International Friendly: Nigeria To Face Russia In Nizhny Novgorod On October 6

Nigeria and Russia will clash for the second time in 16 months when both teams face off in an international friendly inside the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, 6th October 2026, as confirmed by Nigeria’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodatasports.

Both teams played out a 1-1 draw in another friendly inside Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on 6th June 2025 – few days after the Super Eagles retained the Afro-Caribbean Unity Cup Football Tournament trophy in London.

An own goal by defender Semi Ajayi in the first half put the hosts in front but Nigeria levelled in the second half through Tolu Arokodare.

Despite failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico in the summer, the Super Eagles retained the Unity Cup in London, played out a credible 2-2 draw with Poland in Warsaw and narrowly lost 1-2 to Portugal in Meira.

The clash at the 44,000 – capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium (which hosted matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals) will be Russia’s second at the venue. They pipped Cyprus 1-0 in a 2020 UEFA Euro qualifier at that venue in June 2019.

The Super Eagles are currently ranked 26th in the world, while Russia’s ‘Our Boys’ are in the 35th position.

The friendly encounter will hold exactly a week after the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Day 2 qualifying match between the Super Eagles and Guinea Bissau’s Wild Dogs in Bissau on Tuesday, 29th September.

Nigeria will launch their 2027 AFCON qualification campaign four days earlier – against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Sunday, 6 September 2026

Adeleke Heads To Europe For Vacation, Directs Probe Into Koka Kingship Crisis

Governor Ademola Adeleke today left the country for vacation in Europe even as he ordered a probe into the emerging dispute over the kingship of Koka town in Obokun Local Government.

The governor who will also embark on medicals as part of the vacation is headed to the United Kingdom and other destinations to be announced later.

“I am taking a short break to refresh and get further prepared to serve the good people of Osun state”, the governor stated while taking off at the Lagos airport.

He however directed the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to probe the circumstances surrounding the reported appointment of another king for Koka Ilase, leading to alleged two kings in the same town.

The ministry was instructed to review the situation and enforce due process of the law in respect of the chieftaincy law and tradition.

“I read of another King appointed outside the one on the stool. The ministry is hereby directed to look into the dispute and issue a report to set the records straight.

“I however urge all stakeholders to remain peaceful as the ministry does the needful. Kingship is governed by extant laws and regulations and the government will stand by the law and tradition of our people”, the governor posited.

U20 WWC: Two-Time Finalists Falconets Face World Champions Spain In Group F Opener

FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: We will approach game against Spain like a Cup final - Aduku

Moses Aduku, Head Coach of Nigeria’s U20 Women National Team, Falconets, has declared that his team will throw everything into Monday’s opening match of Group F at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, in which they will confront Spain at the Stadion Sosnowiec.

Nigeria, two-time runners-up of the global championship that began as an U19 tournament in Canada in 2002, go up against the Spaniards from 5pm local time (4pm Nigeria time).

“We are looking forward to the match against Spain with high expectations. We are ready and set to go. Spain is a good wide no doubt; let us not forget they are champions of the world at men’s senior level. However, we will approach the game like a Cup final because we want to win. The three points will put us in good stead in our group phase campaign,” Aduku said.

Spain have made remarkable progress in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in the past eight years. Against all odds, they went all the way to the final in France in 2018, finishing as runners-up after a 3-1 defeat by Japan. However, Spain’s forward Patricia Guijarro won both the Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe. Two years later, in Costa Rica, they were champions of the world, avenging their defeat to Japan four years earlier.

Nigeria’s Falconets have an almost-identical story. In 2010, the Falconets, against all odds, went all the way to the final, including enacting a famous penalty-shootout defeat of the United States of America in a dramatic semi final in Augsburg. A week later, after beating Colombia in the semi finals, the Falconets lost by two goals to hosts Germany in Bielefeld. However, it was the first time an African team would go that far in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.

Just as Spain’s Patricia Guijarro won the Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe awards in France in 2018, despite her team failing to lift the trophy, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala dominated the 2014 finals in Canada to the point of winning the Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe. She scored seven amazing goals. But the Falconets lost by an odd goal to Germany after extra time in Montreal.

On Monday, at the Stadion Sosnowiec, Aduku will send out his charges against the Spaniards with clear instructions to dominate and earn the three points, ahead of their other group phase games (against China and New Caledonia) on Thursday and Sunday respectively.