Orjinma is NWPL top scorer

Pelican Stars of Calabar's prized asset, Amarachi Orjinma is the top scorer in the recently ended Nigeria Women Premier League. 

Amarachi according to the release from the Nigeria Women Football League board scored a total of seventeen (17) league goals, three ahead of her nearest challenger.

Below are the top four scorers:
Amarachi Orjinma Pelican Stars -17goals
Obot  Bassey, Ibom Angels -14goals
Ngozi Ebere, Rivers Angels - 6goals
Asisat Oshoala, Rivers Angels - 5goals.

Meanwhile, the 2014/2015 Nigeria Women Premier League season has been fixed to commence on the 28th of February, 2015 Ceteris Paribus.

Rivers Angels won the NWPL on the last match day beating Edo Queens. The Angels got the double after winning the NFF Women Federation cup.

Amokachi drops injured Zango

Super Eagles Assistant coach, Dan ‘the Bull’ Amokachi has dropped injured Kano Pillars defender, Zango Umar from the list of players for the FIFA free window friendly games against Cote D Ivoire and Mali.

The games which will be of immense benefit to the opponents preparing for the Equatorial Guinea 2015 Africa cup of Nations (AFCON) will be played in Abu Dhabi, United Araba Emirates (UAE) and scheduled for January 9 and 13. 

The Kano Pillars central defence ace, Umar is nursing an injury and Amokachi wasted no time in dropping and replacing him with reliable Mighty Jets of Jos defender Ahmed Idris.  

The team will gather in Abuja on Sunday, December 28, to commence preparations for the games.

AYC: Tough draw for Flying Eagles

The Flying Eagles have been drawn against hosts, Senegal in the 19^th edition of the U-20 Africa Youth Championship (AYC).

The two West African Nations will square off in the opening match at the Leopold Senghor Stadium in Dakar on 8 March 2015.

Three days on, Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will face Congo whilst hosts Senegal lock horns with Cote d’Ivoire in an-all Francophone affair, both at the Leopold Senghor Stadium.

On 14 March 2015, it will be Senegal versus Congo at the Leopold Senghor Stadium and Nigeria against Cote d’Ivoire at the Caroline Faye Stadium in Mbour, located along the coast of the West African country.

In Group B, Ghana hosts South Africa in the opening match on 9 March 2015 and Mali versus Zambia, both at the Caroline Faye Stadium. Three days later at the same venue, South Africa will engage and Mali whilst Zambia battles Congo.

On 15 March 2015, Ghana will face Mali in an-all West African affair at the Caroline Faye Stadium whilst Southern African duo, South Africa and Zambia cross swords at the Leopold Senghor Stadium.

The semi-finalists will represent the continent at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

2015 CAF U-17: Golden Eaglets get fair draw

Golden Eaglets' Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke has said that his main objective at the Africa U-17 Tournament in Niger is to qualify the Country for the world cup.

Amuneke was reacting to the draw made on Sunday which pitched Nigeria against the Host Nation, Niger alongside Guinea and Zambia in Group A. 

"We are not going to underrate any of the teams but our sole objective in Niger is to qualify for the World Cup and after that, we can begin to talk about other things."

"I think it is a fair grouping not minding the fact that we are going to face the host country, Niger," Amuneke stated. 

Nigeria whitewashed Niger 10-1 on aggregate in the qualifiers for Morocco 2013.

"Both Zambia and Guinea showed they are a strong side during the qualifiers; so we are going to take all our matches seriously." The former Africa player of the Year added. 

The Golden Eaglets will face the Menas of Niger Rep. in the opening match on 15 February. 

In the other half of the draw, defending champions, Cote d'Ivoire would slug it out in Group B along with the trio of South Africa, Mali and Cameroon.

Niger 2015 CAF U-17 tournament will take place between February 15th and 1st March 2015.

The semi-finalists will earn tickets to the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup holding from October 17th to November 8th, 2015 in Chile.

Dream trips lined up for Dream Team

Coach Samson Siasia has disclosed that the NFF has secured for his team a four-legged international friendly match against the Egypt U-23 team.
 
The first game will come up in Nigeria on January 15, and the second game on January 17.

The Dream Team will then travel to Cairo and play guest to the Egyptians on the 20th and 22nd.

Siasia added that his team will after the trip to Egypt move to Turkey and subsequently to Dubai and Malta for other rounds of intensive trainings and playing tours.

they are expected to return to Nigeria on February 7, 2015 to prepare for the first game against Gabon in an All Africa Games qualifier.

Meanwhile the team will be going on break on December 21 and will reconvene on January 4, 2015.

West Brom's Brown Ideye was struggling to score in training

West Bromwich Albion coach Alan Irvine reveals 26-year-old Nigerian international, Brown Ideye is back in form after struggling even to find the net in practice matches.

Alan Irvine has revealed that Brown Ideye is becoming prolific in training after admitting West Bromwich Albion’s record striker went weeks without hitting the target on the practice pitches.

Brown’s appearance in last weekend’s win over Villa was his first Premier League start for three months and while he was unable to score, Irvine was impressed with his stamina and fitness.

The 26-year-old Nigerian international has only recently returned to the first team fold after injuries disrupted the early stages of his career at The Hawthorns.

And Irvine explained that Brown’s break has finally come because the £10million striker has started to find the net regularly in training.

         Albion's Brown Ideye up against Jores Okore of Aston Villa  

 Albion’s head coach hopes that the glut of games over the festive programme will give Brown plenty of opportunities to boost his match fitness.

“He does need games and obviously this is a great time for him to be doing it,” said Irvine.

“He’s going to get his games. It’s really important that he was back to where he needs to be. The signs were that he’s started scoring goals again in training on a regular basis.

“He went through a period where he couldn’t score for weeks in training.

“We play 11 v 11 but don’t necessarily play them on full size pitches. We play them on smaller pitches when chances should be more frequent and he couldn’t score.

“But now he is. He’s in a position where again it’s that little bit of sharpness and just him being quick enough to get into positions and be composed when he’s actually making that finish.

“Until you get that then you might be quick enough, but you’re not composed and it comes off you. He’s in a much better place. He just really wants a goal to come.

Brown himself admits he will continue to work hard to prove himself at The Hawthorns following his big money move from Dynamo Kiev in the summer.

His only goal for the Baggies came in the Capital One Cup win over Hull in September and he was injured in the process.

Speaking about getting 90 minutes under his belt against Villa, Brown said: “I was happy that I was in the first XI. I was always hungry to start for West Brom and I always give my best.

“Sometimes it’s difficult but I have to keep on pushing and working hard for the team. 

"I am getting closer to my best. I have had a lot of things to deal with so I just have to be focused and take it one game at a time.

“I would say I have been working very hard.

“The gaffer said he wanted me to work hard and at times it has been difficult for me to adapt to the system that the team plays.

"I have to adjust to what I have to do when the team is playing, but right now I think I’m there and I am just working hard now.”

Brown’s demeanour has been boosted by the arrival of his family in the Midlands and he has promised to score a goal for his four-year-old son Brown Junior, who watched the win over Villa.

“It is very important (to have his family here), I am happy about that that things are working out for me,” he added.

“He always wanted to see the dressing rooms so I had to take him in to see it.

“He is happy that we won but he was disappointed that I didn’t score – so I have told him I will score next time.”

Lifted from Birmingham Mail

NFF line up two friendlies for Eagles in Januey

As Countries who qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations prepare for the championship, Nigeria which did not make it will be helping some of the Teams to shape up for Equatorial Guinea 2015.

NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu confirmed that a selection of the homebased Super Eagles will play two International friendlies against Cote d'Voire and Mali in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in January 2015.

The match against Cote d’Ivoire comes up on 9 January and that against Eagles of Mali comes up four days later.

“The Elephants and the Les Aiglons are on their way to the 30th Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea, so they are sure to give our team good games.” Musa Amadu said. 

Meanwhile, for the second time in a row, Coach Stephen Keshi has 'shunned' the homebased Eagles as his assistant, Dan Amokachi will take charge of the two games and has named a 24 man squad for the games. Amokachi was in charge when the home based Eagles beat Ghana U-23 to open the Akwa Ibom Stadium in Uyo. 

The Full List of players: 
Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United); Daniel Akpeyi (Warri Wolves); Theophilus Afelokhai (Kano Pillars) 

Defenders: Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Idris Aloma (El-Kanemi FC); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Nelson Ogbonna (Heartland FC); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Erhun Obanor (Bendel Insurance); Bright Esieme (Enyimba FC); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars) 

Midfielders: Ammel Angel Wilfred (Kogi United); Joseph Nathaniel (Sharks FC); Charles Henlong (Giwa FC); Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Chinedu Udeaga (Enugu Rangers); Emem Eduok (Dolphins FC); Kingsley Sokari (Enyimba FC) 

Forwards: Mfon Udoh (Enyimba FC); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Osaguona Christian (Enugu Rangers); Gambo Muhammad (Kano Pillars); Christian Obiozor (Enugu Rangers)