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Super Eagles Can Still Secure 2026 World Cup Ticket – Mikel Obi Says

John Mikel Obi, a former Super Eagles captain, has expressed confidence that the team still has a chance to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Super Eagles currently occupy third position in Group C with 11 points from eight games.

Eric Chelle’s side are poised to take on the Crocodiles of Lesotho, and Squirrels of Benin Republic in their last two games in the qualifying series.

They will be guests of Lesotho at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane on Friday.

The Super Eagles will round up their qualifying campaign with a home fixture against Benin Republic next week Tuesday.

Mikel said the players must take responsibility, and fight for the nation.

“It’s going to be a crime, an absolute crime, if Nigeria doesn’t make it to the World Cup again,” Mikel said on the ObiOne Podcast.

“We love our football too much. Our World Cup fate is in the players’ hands. They have to win these two games—no excuses.”

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Chiamaka Nnadozie Nominated For PFA Fan’s POTM Award

Nigerian star and Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie has earned another milestone.

This comes after she was nominated for the PFA Women’s Super League (WSL) Fans’ Player of the Month award for September.
The 24-year-old, who joined Brighton on a free transfer from Paris FC in the summer, has been a standout performer in the WSL this season.
In her first five league appearances for the Seagulls, Nnadozie recorded two clean sheets.
Her strong performances have helped Brighton secure seven points from their opening five league games.
Reports also indicate she made 16 saves across four matches, showcasing a high save rate.
She was notably named Player of the Match on her WSL debut against Aston Villa.
Nnadozie is competing for the award against five other players namely:
Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)
Melvine Malard (Manchester United)
Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw (Manchester City)
Cathinka Tandberg (Tottenham Hotspur)
Fans can vote for the winner via the official voting platform.
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Guardiola: Haaland “not stupid enough” to leave Manchester City for Barca

Pep Guardiola has dismissed rumours linking Erling Haaland with a move to Barcelona, insisting the prolific striker is “not stupid enough” to consider leaving Manchester City after penning a 10-year contract extension.

Haaland, who has already scored 11 goals in eight games this season, recently committed his long-term future to the Premier League champions.

Reports in Spain had claimed Barcelona president Joan Laporta was targeting the 25-year-old as part of his re-election campaign, but Guardiola was quick to ridicule the speculation.

“He Isn’t stupid enough” – Guardiola

Speaking ahead of City’s weekend fixture, Guardiola said Haaland’s decision to stay reflected his ambition and intelligence.

“I think Erling isn’t stupid enough to sign something he doesn’t want to accomplish, that is for sure,” he said.

“But it’s football, who knows what will happen? Nobody knows. What I do know is that he has a long contract here, and he’s doing really well and scoring a lot of goals.”

The Spanish manager, who spent four years managing Barcelona, admitted he understood why his former club would be interested in a player of Haaland’s calibre.

“Every club dreams of Haaland”

Guardiola added that Laporta’s admiration for Haaland was only natural, given the Norwegian’s extraordinary impact.

“Can you tell me one club that wouldn’t dream of Erling Haaland?” he asked.

“I understand Barcelona dream of him, and so would every club in the world. If he weren’t with us, it would be a dream for Manchester City to have him.”

The 53-year-old praised Haaland’s integration into the team, crediting his teammates for creating the opportunities that allow him to shine.

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La Liga: Sevilla humiliate Barcelona 4-1

Barcelona suffered their first La Liga defeat of the season in humiliating fashion as Sevilla cruised to a 4-1 victory in Andalusia on Sunday.

Araujo’s error sparks Sevilla’s dominance

Ronald Araujo’s foul on Isaac Romero inside the box gifted Sevilla an early breakthrough, confirmed after a VAR review.

Former Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez converted from the spot to make it 1-0. Romero then doubled the lead ten minutes before halftime, finishing a precise pass from Ruben Vargas after missing two earlier chances.

Rashford offers hope, Lewandowski falters

Marcus Rashford briefly gave Barcelona hope with his first La Liga goal from a superb Pedri cross just before the break.

However, Robert Lewandowski wasted a golden chance to equalise in the 76th minute, sending his penalty wide after Alejandro Balde was fouled.

Sevilla seal the rout late on

Jose Angel Carmona’s finish and Akor Adams’ stoppage-time strike completed a dominant display for Sevilla, sending the home crowd into raptures.

The defeat marks back-to-back losses for Hansi Flick’s side after their Champions League setback against PSG.

Barcelona remain second on the table, while Sevilla climb to fourth after their famous victory.

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Haaland fires Man City to victory as Guardiola hits 250 wins

Erling Haaland’s fine scoring run continued as Manchester City edged Brentford 1-0 to hand Pep Guardiola his 250th Premier League win.

Guardiola reaches landmark in record time

Guardiola became only the 16th manager to reach 250 wins with a single club, achieving the feat in just 349 matches, 74 games faster than any other manager in league history.

Haaland’s decisive strike and Rodri injury blow

Haaland sealed the win early, muscling past Sepp van den Berg to control Josko Gvardiol’s looping cross before calmly slotting beyond Caoimhin Kelleher.

The goal was his third this week and 18th in just 11 appearances for club and country this season.

City controlled proceedings but were forced to protect their narrow lead for over 80 minutes.

Their victory was dampened by concern for Rodri, who limped off after 21 minutes. The midfielder, still regaining full sharpness after last season’s ACL injury, faces another spell of uncertainty ahead of the international break.

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Estevao scores dramatic winner as Chelsea edge Liverpool

Chelsea secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, with youngster Estevao Willian netting a last-gasp winner deep into added time to hand Arne Slot his third straight defeat as Reds boss.

The Blues took the lead early through Moises Caicedo, who unleashed a stunning strike from distance to open the scoring.

However, Cody Gakpo equalised for Liverpool after a defensive lapse from the hosts.

Despite losing control in some parts of the game, Chelsea kept pressing until Estevao’s decisive moment sealed all three points.

Injury concerns for Chelsea

The victory came at a cost for Enzo Maresca’s men, as Benoit Badiashile and Josh Acheampong were forced off with injuries late in the game.

The result lifts Chelsea to sixth place, while Liverpool withdraw to take the second spot in the league table.

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Mount, Sesko fire Manchester United past Sunderland

Manchester United picked a vital 2-0 Premier League victory over Sunderland at Old Trafford, easing the pressure on under-fire manager Ruben Amorim.

Mason Mount opened the scoring with a well-taken strike on the turn, giving the Red Devils an early advantage.

Sesko doubles United’s advantage

Benjamin Sesko extended United’s lead shortly after, reacting quickly to tap home from close range and seal the result.

The win provided a much-needed boost for Amorim, who has faced intense criticism in recent weeks following United’s poor start to the season.

The Portuguese manager appeared visibly relieved on the touchline as his side collected three crucial points to get their campaign back on track.

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I’ve only attended 2 weddings, visited cinema 4 times in 25 years – Klopp

Former Liverpool FC coach Jurgen Klopp has surprised many fans after admitting that he rarely took part in social events during his long career in football.

Speaking in a post shared by Liverpool News on X (formerly Twitter), Klopp revealed that in 25 years he only attended two weddings—his own and another just two months ago.

“I’ve never felt like I missed out on anything because I never thought about it,” he said. “In 25 years, I’ve only attended two weddings—my own and one just two months ago.”

Klopp also shared that he hardly went to the cinema, explaining: “In all that time, I only went to the cinema four times, and those were all in the past eight weeks.”

Reflecting on his coaching career, he noted that even though he travelled widely, he never really experienced those countries.

“As a coach, I travelled to many countries but never truly experienced them; all I ever saw were the hotel, the stadium, and the training ground.”

The revelation has sparked reactions online, with many fans praising his dedication to football while others expressed surprise at how much of his personal life he sacrificed for the game.

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AFCON: Why Ola Aina Struggled Against Ivory Coast’s Adingra In Final – Iwobi Opens Up

Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has explained why his teammate Ola Aina found it difficult to contain Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra in the final of the last Africa Cup of Nations.

On February 11, 2024, Aina, who had been one of the AFCON’s most consistent performers, had a difficult moment playing against Adingra.

The Nottingham Forest defender failed to keep out Adingra as the winger provided the assist for both goals as the Ivory Coast overturned a deficit to beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final.

However, Iwobi has now revealed that Aina’s poor display in the AFCON final was because of an injury.

“For those that don’t know, I am sure Ola has already put it out there in many different podcasts and interviews,” Iwobi said on Episode 2 of The Bassey and Iwobi Show.

“He played with a grade 2c hamstring injury — I don’t know how.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria has already qualified for the 2025 AFCON taking place in Morocco and will hope to win it this time around.

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EPL: Man Utd Defender, Dorgu Reveals Meaning of His Nigerian Name (Video)

Manchester United defender, Patrick Dorgu has opened up about his Nigerian name and its meaning.

Recall that Dorgu was the first signing at United after Amorim after he was appointed in November 2024.

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Nigerian parents, the 20-year-old has maintained his Nigerian roots, despite opting to play for the European nation.
Dorgu has now shared the meaning of his Igbo name, a sect of Nigerians located in the south-eastern part of the country.
“Chinazaekpere means God answers prayers.
 
“That’s what my parents gave to me when I was born,” Dorgu said in quotes revealed by Manchester United’s official website.
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