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

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

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.  

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

 

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.

 

27 Years Later: Shooting Stars Beat CS Sfaxien 1-0 As Yusuf Demands Clinical Finish In Return Leg

 

Shooting Stars head coach Salisu Yusuf says his team left goals on the pitch after beating Tunisian side CS Sfaxien 1-0 in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first leg on Saturday.

The victory marked the Oluyole Warriors’ return to continental football after a 27-year absence, but Yusuf believes the scoreline flattered the visitors.

Speaking after the match in Abeokuta, the experienced coach said 3SC created enough to win by a much bigger margin.

“The game was tactical. They tried to play long balls. We tried to score more goals to no avail,” Yusuf said.  

“The game was supposed to have finished three to four-nil.”

Despite the wastefulness in front of goal, Yusuf was pleased with his side’s structure, especially in the opening 45 minutes.

“We played a very coordinated game in the first half. The pressure was more in the second half. We created more goal-scoring opportunities in the first half than the second,” he explained.

CS Sfaxien’s defensive block limited 3SC after the goal, but the hosts still manufactured several clear chances.

With only a 1-0 lead to defend, Yusuf knows the second leg in Tunisia will require a different approach.

“We are not playing the same way we played here in Tunisia. It is all about the mindset,” he said.  

“We need to defend the win to give the team confidence.”

The coach stressed that Nigerian clubs must go into North Africa with belief, not fear.

“Playing North Africans is all about mindset. As far as we can create more goal-scoring opportunities, I believe we can get a good result,” Yusuf stated.  

“If the players can tactically play according to instructions, we will get a good result there.”

Yusuf noted that the tie was only Shooting Stars’ second competitive game of the season, and fitness levels will improve.

“This is the second match of the season. The way we train now is not the way they trained before,” he said.

He also thanked fans who turned out in Abeokuta, saying their support lifted the players on a historic night.

“27 years back on the continent was a very long time. We appreciate the supporters and everyone that came out. It gave the boys courage to play this game,” Yusuf added.  

“We have played teams that have more pedigree than this and have won. I believe we can get a good result in Tunisia.”

Captain Backs Team To Finish Job

Shooting Stars captain Daniel Falke echoed his coach’s confidence.  

“We are very happy with the win. I believe we are going to Tunisia to fight and get a good result,” Falke said.

3SC will travel with a slender advantage, but CS Sfaxien will have home support in the return leg. For Yusuf’s men, the task is clear: be more clinical and defend with discipline to keep their continental dream alive.

Alert: Osun Govt Says Sports Trust Fund Website Is Not Official

 

Alert: Osun Govt Says Sports Trust Fund Website Is Not Official

The Osun State Government has issued a public alert over a fraudulent website circulating as the “Osun State Sports Trust Fund”.

In a statement, the government said the platform osunsportstrustfund.com is not owned, authorised, or operated by the Osun State Government in any capacity. Officials noted that the site was created to mislead unsuspecting members of the public.

The government therefore advised citizens to disregard any information, fundraising appeals, or financial transactions emanating from the said platform. Members of the public were urged to rely only on official government channels for authentic information on sports and trust fund initiatives in the state.