Sports
World Cup: Eagles face wounded Argentina in make-or-mar tie
Nigeria face a daunting task against Argentina as they seek to progress to the knockout stages of the 2018 World Cup in a make-or-mar Group D match at the Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg on Tuesday.
After losing their opening match in the group 2-0 to Croatia and beating debutants Iceland 2-0 on Friday, the Super Eagles need to avoid a defeat against two-time champions Argentina to progress to the round of 16
Albiceleste are on the verge of exiting the tournament except they defeat the Eagles and hope that Iceland lose to or draw with Croatia in the other group match. The Argentines have been less than impressive in Russia having drawn 1-1 with Iceland – with Lionel Messi missing a penalty – and losing 3-0 to Croatia in their second match.
Nigeria and Argentina are meeting a fifth time at the World Cup with the Eagles losing all the four previous encounters.
The Argentines triumphed 2-1 over Nigeria in 1994, they were 1-0 winners in 2002 and 2010 and beat the Eagles 3-2 in 2014. Hence, the Eagles would be seeking to end a run of consecutive losses to the Albiceleste.
Overall at senior level, Nigeria and Argentina have met eight times – the most recent of which was in a friendly match in Krasnodar, Russia in November 2017. Nigeria have won twice in friendly matches – a 4-1 win in Abuja in 2011 and a 4-2 win last year in Krasnodar. One of the meetings ended in a draw – a goalless draw in the Confederations Cup in 1995 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Argentina have won the rest.
The Eagles will be seeking to capitalise on the current unsettled state and dismal form of the Argentines to nick a first win over them at the World Cup and progress at the expense of the South Americans.
Reports of unrest in the team have surfaced since their 3-0 loss to Croatia with coach Jorge Sampaoli under fire for their current form. The reports have suggested the coach would not be in charge of Tuesday’s match as the players would select the team themselves. But the team would also be wary of the threat posed by Barcelona star Messi and Manchester City record scorer Sergio Aguero.
However, Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr would be banking on the form of two-goal hero – against Iceland – Ahmed Musa and the unity of purpose among his players for a result that would guarantee Nigeria’s fourth appearance in the round of 16. The Eagles have only failed to progress from the group stages on two occasions – 2002 and 2010.
Former Eagles midfielder Friday Ekpo said the Argentines would want to make a statement against Nigeria.
“There are a lot of things at stake in the match. Nigeria – apart from seeking to qualify for the round of 16 – will want end the run of losses to Argentina. But for Argentina, there is pride at stake as they will want to show that they are better than Nigeria at the World Cup,” he said.
“Nigerian teams have a way of bouncing back after defeats but they tend to relax after giving a good performance. The Eagles should see it as their final match at the World Cup because they need it more than the Iceland game.”
…reaffirms MTN Nigeria’s support following ‘draw’ with Zimbabwe.
MTN Nigeria, the official telecommunications partner of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), has reiterated its unwavering support for the Super Eagles following their spirited draw with Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifier match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Building on the momentum from their recent victory against Rwanda, MTN Nigeria had expressed strong backing for the national team ahead of the crucial fixture. Tobe Okigbo, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, stated before the game, “We are confident in the team’s ability to make Nigeria proud and qualify for the World Cup.”
Despite the draw, MTN Nigeria’s CEO, Karl Toriola, maintained a positive outlook. “While tonight’s outcome wasn’t what we hoped for, we remain steadfast in our support for the Super Eagles. This result is just part of the journey towards World Cup qualification, and we believe in the team’s resilience and ability to succeed,” Toriola said.
The match showcased the Super Eagles’ grit and determination as they found their rhythm against the Zimbabwean side. Nigeria scored the first goal, demonstrating their prowess and fighting spirit, although the match ultimately ended in a draw. This result has added to the excitement of Nigeria’s path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
MTN Nigeria, which signed a deal with the NFF in 2021 as the Official Telecoms Partner, has been a constant pillar of support for Nigerian football for over two decades. The company’s commitment extends from grassroots to national levels, investing significantly in the development of local football.
“Our support for the Super Eagles and all national teams is part of our long-standing tradition,” Toriola added. “We are building a sustainable legacy of collaboration, growth, and development in the football space. Tonight’s result doesn’t change our belief in the team’s potential to make all Nigerians proud on the global stage. We believe in our Eagles.”
As the Super Eagles regroup and prepare for their next qualifier, MTN Nigeria has called on all Nigerians to rally behind the team. The company emphasized that this is a crucial time for unity and continued support, expressing confidence that the Super Eagles will overcome this challenge and strive towards securing a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Sports
Portugal Football Club Signs on 19-Year-Old Nigerian- born Footballer, Yaqub Usman-Malah
Reporter: Sandra Ani
Brito Sporting Club of Portugal, a football club founded in 1956, has signed an official contract with a United Kingdom-based highly-talented, young Nigeria-born footballer, Yaqub Usman-Malah.
The official unveiling of the young promising footballer was carried out on Saturday, January 4, 2025.
Yaqub, born in Nigeria in 2006, is a budding Nigerian talent with unquantifiable promise and potential.
Prior to his official contract with Brito Sporting Club of Portugal, he was a student and a trainee player with the Brooke College Football Academy in the United Kingdom.
At Brooke College Football Academy, Yaqub had an impressive goal average of 17 goals in 32 matches with no injuries in 116 training days, cumulating into 2, 270 minutes of on-field action.
A clear testimony of his outstanding performance at the Academy was provided by the lead coach of the Under-17B team Yaqub played with.
The lead coach, Tomasz Wasylik, described Yaqub as a ‘well-liked person’ and a role model to his teammates due to his professionalism and unmatched work rate.
The Lead Coach further stated that Yaqub has played in National School Cup competitions against other colleges and programmes in the 2023/2024 session and is a good ‘tactical player’, ‘technically good” and can ‘play in multiple positions on the field’.
It is expected that Yaqub will live to the potential and promise identified by Coach Tomasz Wasylik of the Brooke College Football Academy and achieve greatness in his new club.
“While looking forward to the display of his unarguable skills and boundless stamina, we wish Yaqub a successful career and a place in the halls of football greatness across the globe,” Yaqub’s father, Mr Usman Malah said in a statement issued to the media, on Wednesday 8, 2025.
Man City counts 28 trophies in the last 10 yearsQNET, an Asian direct selling giant and Manchester City, a top Football club in and outside England, are celebrating 10 years of partnership with great results.
The anniversary was part of the 26th V-Malaysia Conference (VCON) at Penang in Malaysia.
The long-standing partnership will see QNET continue as Official Direct Selling Partner for City’s men’s and women’s teams, according to Techeconomy report.
This partnership marked a significant milestone in May 2018 when City welcomed QNET as the first sleeve partner in the Women’s Super League.
Throughout the next phase of this partnership QNET will continue to provide City-led football clinics to communities around the world, as well as engaging with consumers and distributors through this relationship with City.
In a message to the leaders of QNET and the 8,000 VCON participants from over 30 countries, Ferran Soriano, the chief executive officer of Manchester City FC, said they are pleased to achieve great milestones that would not have been possible without the support and the commitment of everybody at QNET, “and every single one of you. I do remember back in 2014 when I met the leadership of QNET for the first time, and we discussed our plans, our ambitions, and we promised a lot.
“We promised that Manchester City would be a great football team, and that they would play beautiful football. Now, 10 years since then, we hold 28 trophies. I have to be honest and say that when we promised we were going to do well, we didn’t think we were going to win 28 trophies.
“We’re excited now we’re starting a new season, and guess what? We want to win again, and if we do, it would be another record. Maybe we can win the fifth Premier League in a row. Obviously, something that hasn’t happened before. I can promise that we will fight for all the trophies like you fight for all your objectives. Manchester City and QNET have the incredible power to engage people from every country, create a sense of community and empower individuals and teams to achieve their aspirations”.
He promised Manchester City’s support to the QNET brand to achieve even more successes in the coming years.
Trevor Kuna, the CEO of QNET said that the partnership with Manchester City has made positive impacts on the business.
QNET’s grass-roots business model enables ordinary people from all walks of life to start their own business with minimal overhead.
With hard work and dedication, QNET distributors, known as Independent Representatives (IRs) have the opportunity to become economically self-sufficient, raising the standard of life for their families and communities.
QNET is driven by two important philosophies: RYTHM (Raise Yourself to Help Mankind) and InService.
Meanwhile, the highlight of the QNET and Manchester City celebration was the presentation of a 10-year partnership anniversary plaque by John Kirton, senior partnership marketing manager, Manchester City Football Club to the QNET team.
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