RandaFooty: Everything Nigerian football, home and abroad

Former ABS FC midfielder Stone Evbuomwan has penned a two-and-a-half deal with Egyptian Premier League side Arab Contractors subject to international clearance. The lanky midfielder had been on trials with the Egyptian club side for a couple of weeks now and it seems the former Golden Eaglets player will continue his career at the ‘Yellow and Black.’ An elated Evbuomwan told supersport.com he is happy the deal went through and cannot get wait to started, calling it a ‘new chapter’ in his life. “I’ve signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with El Mokalwoon (Arab Contractors) after I had trials with them. “The deal suits me and my representatives and I can’t wait to get started with the team. I want to help them win as much laurels as I can. “Egypt is a nice place for a young player like me to develop into a better player. I’m excited because I’ll be playing under coach Hassan Shehata, the famous coach who led Egypt to win the Africa Cup of Nations. “He is one of the best coac

Results from Match Day 3 of the Glo Premier League  Super 4 Invitational Tourney Flying Eagles 1 ( Musa Mohammed)  Warri Wolves 0 Kano Pillars 1 ( Christian Obiozor)   Dream Team VI ( Yahaya Adamu) Dolphins FC 0  Enyimba International 1 ( Chinonso Okonkwo )

I was asked by a couple of friends who my top Nigerian football players are currently and if I could name a starting eleven. Well, here is what I came up with. You may choose to agree or disagree but I'll love it if you list out yours. Hit me up on twitter @RandaAndrew or use the hashtag #NigeriaX1 and let's get the debate rolling Team Goalkeeper:  Vincent Enyeama (OSC Lille) Defenders: Musa Mohammed (Besiktas/Flying Eagles), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves),  Ambrose Efe (Celtic) Elderson Echiejile (Monaco) Midfielders: Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars), John Ogu (Hapoel Be'er Sheva), Joseph Nathaniel (Sharrks) Forwards : IK Uche (Villareal), Odion Ighalo (Watford) Bartholomew Ogbeche (Cambuur)

The much anticipated Super 4 tournament has kicked off in Abuja, Nigeria. Here are the results of day 1 Kano Pillars 2 ( Tswanya Samuel,  Christian Obiozor)  Dolphins FC 0 Enyimba International 0 Flying Eagles 2 ( Musa Muhammed Musa Yahaya) Warri Wolves 1 ( Gift Atulewa )  Dream Team VI 2 ( Austin Amutu,  Baker Ebiabowei )

Flying Eagles training. (Photcred-completesports) Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles, have expressed confidence they will give a good account of themselves at the expanded Super 4 tournament, which kicks off   on Saturday   at the Abuja National Stadium. The Flying Eagles and the Nigeria U23 team have been handed special invitations to feature in the pre-season competition, which has drawn league champions Kano Pillars, Enyimba, Warri Wolves and Dolphins. The Nigeria U20, who arrived Abuja  on Thursday  from their training base in Kaduna, will play their first match on Saturday at the Abuja National Stadium against league runners-up Enyimba.

Photocred-royaltimes.net Here are the teams that will compete in the women's league for the coming season. Usual suspects are there. but some interesting teams have also popped up. Adamawa Queens FC Bayelsa Queens FC COD Ladies FC Confluence Queens FC Delta Queens FC Edo Queens FC

Simon sees red (PhotoCred- voetbalkrant.com) Newly signed KAA Gent winger Moses Simon was in the news for the wrong reasons on Wednesday night during Gent's 1-0 win over Lokeren in the Belgian Cup. Simon, who moved to the Jupiler Liga team from Slovakian side AS Trecin was sent off barely seconds after coming unto the pitch as a substitute.

Kalu undegoing his medicals (Photocred-podoactiva.com) Spanish Primera Liga side UD Levante has reached an agreement  in principle to sign Nigerian midfielder.  Uche Kalu from Qatar side Al-Rayyan. Negotiations have been on-going and Uche has already had a medical at the club as he awaits international clearance and the go ahead from the Qatari side Levante have been looking to shore up their ranks as La Liga gets into the deep end with the Levante hierarchy sounding Kalu out as an experienced player that can help their push in the league.

Stanley Ohawuchi... yes..remember him? Former Flying Eagles star who starred for Heartland in the Glo Premier League? Well. he now plays in the Egyptian top flight for Wadi Degla. Big news is he scored the fastest goal in the Egyptian top flight ever. Can I also add he had a hat trick in the game? Here are the goals

I was checking out some stuff on youtube and stumbled on this video which showed Odion Ighalo display some silky Jay Jay Okocha type skills. By the way he scored two goals yesterday against Cardiff. Will try get the vid here soon. Enjoy this, you can also subscribe to the Watford youtube channel

Nigeria earned her first win of the Middle East tour after beating  the Yemeni national team  2-0 at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai. Two goals in each half from Mfon Udoh and defender Azubuike  Egwuekwe gave the  African champions a 2-0 win in the international  friendly on Saturday. Nigeria assistant coach Daniel Amokachi, made only one change from the team that lost 1-0 to Ivory Coast as Steven Ukoh came in for his  first international start  for the crocked Kingsley Sokari who failed to recover from his ankle knock. The Super Eagles had a flurry of chances in the opening exchanges but Enyimba  striker Mfon Udoh couldn't convert most of the chances  that came the Eagles way. Nelson Ogbonnaya was the main man in the Nigeria defence as he thwarted the  efforts of the Yemeni attack led by Yasser Al Gabr.

Nigeria midfielder John Ogu scored the match winner for his side Hapoel Be'er Sheva as they beat the visiting Maccabi Petach Tikva 1-0 Ogu celebrates after scoring. Photocred-Ronnie White At the full capacity Vasermil Stadium, the home side were on the offensive from the beginning and were duly rewarded when Ogu scored the only goal of the game in the 17th minute as his team held on for the three points. Maccabi Petach Tikva couldn't get a goal back as the game became physical towards the end as both teams finished the game with 10 men with William Soares of Be'er Sheva and Hagai Goldenberg both sent off. The 26 year old former Academica de Coimbra midfielder has scored three times this season from 15 matches. Ogu wheels away celebrating. Photo-cred Shocker Generation Be'er Sheva are now third on the Ligat HaAl standings with 35 points after 18 match days.

Iheanacho-Photocred : Daily Star English Premier League champions Manchester City have informed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) they will not release Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali for the 2015 African Youth Championship in March in Senegal. Both players were among nine foreign-based pros called up by the Flying Eagles for the AYC. They were given a  Thursday  deadline to join up with the country's U20s in their training camp in Kaduna. But in a mail signed by City scouting and recruitment operations manager, Fergal Harkin, the EPL side said Iheanacho is injured and may not be fit till mid-March, while Nwakali is about to be loaned out to a club in Europe. Nwakali-Photocred: fifa,com “With regards Kelechi Iheanacho, he is currently injured. We believe he will be fit around the middle of March but can keep in contract regarding his recovery,” read  Tuesday’s  mail in part.   “For Chidiebere Nwakali, we are currently in the process of agr

Simon at training. Photocred-Moses Simon KAA Gent new signing Moses Simon says he is excited about his new adventure at the Belgian Jupiler Liga side. The 19 year old made the January move to the Belgian team from Slovkian side AS Trecin after impressing in his debut season. Simon had been tracked by Heerenveen and a host of other clubs but opted for the Belgian side to continue his football education. "It came out of the blue, but I'm pleased it all worked out well in the end,"Simon told  9jafooty about his move to Gent. "I have started training already and played a test match. We train three times daily and right now I just want to rest before the next training session. "I want to thank everyone at AS Trecin for their love and support, I'll miss all of them. Simon, who is also a junior international, scored 17 goals in 35 matches AS Trecin before his move to Belgium.

Quadri in action-Photocred: Zimbio Okay, so I know this isn't football related but it's a big deal that Aruna Quadri got awarded the prestigious Player of The Year award by the International Table Tennis Federation for the year 2014. A first by a Nigerian and an African. The ceremony was held in Dubai at the Armani Hotel. Big cingrats to him for a wonderful 2014 where he repped Nigeria's colors to high praise. Currently ranked 30th in the world, Qyadri defeated the world number 1 Xu Xin of China and other top stars this year. Quadri with his awrds- PhotoCred: Getty Images “This is the best day of my career and I want to thank the organizers for considering me for this. I also want to thank all my fans all over the world for their support because this is unbelievable for me and I promise to continue to work hard,” Quadri told AFP

The dark side of football transfers January  brings the absurd largesse of the football transfer window. In its shadow, a parallel market of chancers and criminals is thriving By  Oliver Brow Even with only his workaday shoes and a scuffed football, Souleymane Oeudraogo exudes instinctive talent. Close control skills, keepy-uppy, volleys on the spin: all are effortless. This spartan municipal training pitch in southwest Paris is his habitual terrain. But something is amiss. Oeudraogo looks too gaunt to be a central defender, the position he plays. And the 21-year-old is wearing only a gilet to stave off the piercing late-afternoon chill. He tells me it is his only jacket. Oeudraogo is a professional footballer who two years ago stood on the cusp of joining the Burkina Faso national team. He arrived in Paris eight weeks ago, after 24 months of moving between clubs and academies in Senegal, Portugal and Belgium. He is one of thousands of young players hoping to catch

  Nicked this feature from the BBC.. you can read it on their site here Adebayo Akinfenwa: Wimbledon's 'Beast' - 10 things you never knew Adebayo Akinfenwa captured the nation's attention on Monday night when he scored an  unlikely equaliser against Liverpool  in the FA Cup third round. But who is the man they call "The Beast"? Here are 10 things you may not know about the 32-year-old AFC Wimbledon striker. Akinfenwa is 5ft 11in but he weighs in at a mighty 16 stone, or 102kg. That's a  BMI    of 31.3 or around the same body weight as England rugby hooker Tom Youngs. He says he has always been a "naturally big guy", and has even struggled to get football teams to take him seriously. "People said I'm too big to play football," he said. "One hundred goals later, I'm not. There are no limitations to what you want to do."

Story culled from Carl Orakwe's blog: http://pointmancarl.wordpress.com/ Dolphins hitman Emem Eduok has sounded it loud and clear that he is fully owned by the Port Harcourt based club side and has no affiliations elsewhere as being speculated in the media. Norwegian club side Sarpsborg 08 had revealed recently that they bought Eduok from A and B Academy in Rivers state, a side they claimed they had been fully informed by the player and all concerned had the full rights to the player. Though Eduok admits visiting the Norwegian club and putting pen to paper for a deal he however adds that he was deceived to signing as he was never informed at any stage he was being traded off as a property of A and B Academy. He informs pointmancarl that he has quickly backed out of the deal ever since realising his parent club, Dolphins was not included in the deal.

Eagles Pound NYSC 5-2, Amokachi Unimpressed Expectedly, Super Eagles first warm up game since the team opened camping December 30 th  last year ended in victory for the national side against the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), by 5-with the FCT State League side showing a lot of grit and fluency against the Eagles. The NYSC side actually drew the first blood in only the second minute of the match when number 10 shirted Nwowu Ikenna, sleek dribbles in the Eagles vital area ended on the legs of teammate, Omefe Ifeanyi, who did a ‘thank you very much’, by slotting home from close range. The goal jolted the national team to reality and four minutes later hotshot, Mfom Udoh equalized after Gambo Mohammed’s beautiful run from the right fell to him. But the NYSC team will not let go, as they again took the lead through Eugene Utom in the 6thminute after another defensive mix-up that forced Coach Dan Amokachi to pull out experienced defender, Azubuike Egwuekwe, who was app

Sokari in action. Pic courtesy shengolpix Enyimba midfielder, Kingsley Sokari, is optimistic that 2015 will be the year the Super Eagles will rebound and claim their place among the top nations in African football after missing out in qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Equatorial Guinea. The 19-year-old, who is in the Super Eagles camp in Abuja in preparation for the international friendly matches against Sudan and Ivory Coast feels it is just a matter of time before the Eagles regain their lost glory. “We are all sad that the Eagles couldn't qualify for the Nations Cup but that is all in the past,” he told supersport.com. “(The year) 2014 is gone now and we have to look ahead. Nigeria has loads of talent that can make the country great again like 2013 when we won the Nations Cup.