Reigning FIFA U-17 World Cup champions, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria advanced to a quarter-final meeting against Brazil on the back of a hat-trick from the impressive Victor Osimhen, ending Australia’s run with a one-sided 6-0 victory in Vina Del Mar. The tale of the first half was compacted into a three-minute period as Nigeria scored twice sandwiched either side of a gilt-edged opening for Australia. It was 2-0 at the interval, and the game was still a contest until the final 17 minutes before Nigeria ran riot against an Australian side looking flat after surviving the ‘group of death’. The Aussies started in pro-active fashion, but it was Funsho Ibrahim Bamgboye who hit the post with a rasping shot from the edge of the penalty area as Nigeria’s first effort narrowly failed to break the deadlock. That moment came on 22 minutes as Osimhen showed just why he is the tournament’s leading goalscorer by bursting forward with pace and power on the left, before turning his defender and sliding the ball impressively inside the far post.

Australia could have drawn level immediately with Cameron Joice seeing his shot saved, while Lucas Derrick pushed the follow-up wide as a golden opportunity was spurned. Almost immediately Nigeria were two in front as Funsho Bambgboye went to ground in the penalty area, and Kelechi Nwakali coolly slotted home the resultant penalty. The two goals seemed to inspire the Nigerians who took a greater hold as the half wore on creating several half-openings around the Aussie goal. Nigeria continued their powerful performance after the break, and although Australia dominated possession for periods, it was the Africans who ended the contest with a third. Osimhen scored twice in the space of six minutes, the second with another laser-perfect drive into the top corner. The deflated Aussies conceded to more goals in the dying minutes as firstly substitute Edidiong Michael Essien, and then Samuel Chukwueze, inflicted further pain as Nigeria stormed into the last-eight in confident fashion.

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen scored the first hat-trick of Chile 2015 to see him stand alone as the outright top goalscorer in the competition so far with seven goals. The Golden Eaglets 6-0 victory over Australia is the joint-biggest win in the history of the FIFA U-17 World Cup knockout stages, level with Japan’s 6-0 win against their antipodean neighbours New Zealand in 2011, which also come in the Round of 16.

Wednesday 28th October 2015:

Brazil 1 – 0 New Zealand

Mexico 4 – 1 Chile

Nigeria 6 – 0 Australia 

Korea Republic 0 – 2 Belgium

Today’s Fixtures (Thursday 29th October 2015):

Croatia vs Germany 9pm

Mali vs Korea DPR 9pm

Russia vs Ecuador 12am (Friday morning)

France vs Costa Rica 12am (Friday morning)

*Time = Nigerian.

Seven candidates will stand in FIFA’s presidential election on 26 February. The candidates are: Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Musa Bility, Jerome Champagne, Gianni Infantino, Michel Platini, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale. Trinidadian ex-footballer David Nakhid was not included on the list, despite saying he had submitted his candidacy. The election is to find a successor to the suspended Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation. The Swiss 79-year-old announced he would be stepping down in June, with world football’s governing body at the centre of a corruption scandal. Nigeria’s Orji Uzor Kalu and Segun Odegbami who decleared interest did not make it to this level as they later bowed out.

Wednesday 28th October 2015:

Brazil vs New Zealand 9pm

Mexico vs Chile 9pm

Nigeria vs Australia 12am (Thursday morning)

Korea Republic vs Belgium 12am (Thursday morning)

*Time = Nigerian.

Boxer Floyd Mayweather chilling with his new 2015 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse that cost $3,498,000. The Money Man indeed.

How much can Jose Mourinho take these days? He has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association over his language and behaviour in Chelsea’s defeat by West Ham United. Mourinho was sent to the stands after going to speak to referee Jon Moss in his room at half-time on Saturday. Both clubs have been charged for failing to control their players and have until 29 October to respond. Chelsea are already facing a £25,000 fine for receiving more than five bookings in the Premier League loss. As well as the two yellow cards given to Nemanja Matic, Chelsea also had Cesar Azpilicueta, Willian, Cesc Fabregas, John Mikel Obi and Diego Costa booked at Upton Park. Mourinho’s assistant Silvino Louro was also dismissed during the match and has been charged with misconduct in relation to his behaviour in the technical area. The club is also going to be asked by the Premier League to explain why Mourinho did not take part in the post-match news conference. On Friday, Mourinho warned that his relationship with the media would be changing after phone camera footage of him in west London was published. Mourinho watched most of the second half from the directors’ box at Upton Park, but disappeared shortly after Carroll headed home West Ham’s winner to make it 2-1, and did not reappear to fulfil his post-match press duties. The Premier League has confirmed that should a club fail to undertake media obligations, the governing body will write to them to obtain their reasons before deciding on any sanction. It added that this can range from a warning to a fine, with each case looked at on its merits.

Chad have named former Cameroon captain Rigobert Song as their new national team coach. The 39-year-old was appointed on Monday to succeed Frenchman Emmanuel Tregoat, who was fired after failing to qualify the team for CHAN 2016. “It’s not going to be an easy task to qualify for the 2017 Nations Cup but we are prepared to give our best,” said the ex-Liverpool and West Ham defender. Song’s first task is a 2018 World Cup qualifier against Egypt in November. Les Sao will host the Pharaohs in the first match of the two-legged tie in N’Djamena on the 14th of the month. During his playing career, Song won over 100 caps for the Indomitable Lions, and also became the first African to play at four World Cups. Having made his international debut against Mexico in 1993, the former Galatasaray defender captained Cameroon for 10 years until Eto’o took on the role in late 2009. In 2003 he witnessed the death of Marc-Vivien Foe, who died on the pitch during Cameroon’s Confederations Cup match against Colombia. Song retired from international football in 2010 after playing at the World Cup in South Africa – the only time the tournament has been held on the continent. Highlights of his club career include a four-year spell at Turkish side Galatasaray and three years in England playing for Liverpool and West Ham between 1999 and 2002.

Aston Villa have sacked manager Tim Sherwood after eight months in charge. Villa are bottom of the Premier League following a 2-1 defeat by Swansea – the club’s sixth straight league loss – and Sunderland’s first win of the season. The club said in a statement: “The board believes the results on the pitch were simply not good enough and that a change is imperative.” The club are expected to speak to a number of potential replacements, and an announcement may not be made until after next week. Appointed in February to replace Paul Lambert, Sherwood reached the FA Cup final and led the club to a 17th-placed finish in his first season in charge, but has won one of ten league matches this term. Villa have not won since the opening day and are four points from safety. Sherwood has overseen just 28 games in all competitions – the shortest spell of any permanent Villa manager. The club’s statement  offered Sherwood “sincere thanks for all his efforts during a difficult period last season and for the many positive contributions he has made to the entire football set-up”. After the defeat to Swansea, Sherwood evaded questions about his future, saying when asked whether he would be in the job next week that he was “not the person to ask”. He added: “I feel like the club is in a hole. At the moment we are short.” Villa’s next game is against Southampton in the League Cup on Wednesday. The Villa job was Sherwood’s second Premier League appointment following a spell at Tottenham Hotspur. The former Spurs midfielder was appointed at White Hart Lane in December 2013, but was dismissed in May 2014 despite the club finishing sixth in the Premier League.

Thursday 22 October 2015:

New Zealand 0 – 0 Syria

South Africa 1 – 1 Korea DPR

Paraguay 1 – 3 France

Russia 1 – 1 Costa Rica

Today’s Fixtures (Friday 23rd October 2015):

Guinea vs Brazil 9pm

Korea Republic vs England 9pm

USA vs Chile 12am (Saturday morning)

Croatia vs Nigeria 12am (Saturday morning)

*Time = Nigerian.

The Nigeria Football Federation officials have announced that Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has returned to Belgium after falling very ill in the team’s camp in Port Harcourt. The NFF officials said via their Twitter handle, “Coach Oliseh has returned to Belgium to continue treatment after being advised by Eagles medics. He became dizzy and weak after lunch on Thursday and he travels abroad tonight through the Port Harcourt Airport.” The development means that Oliseh will not be on the bench when Eagles take on Burkina Faso on Sunday in the second match of the qualifier for the 2016 Championship for African Nations. The former Nigeria captain had been reported as ill soon after Nigeria defeated Cameroon 3-0 in a friendly match played in Brussels. He was initially not expected for the match against the Burkinabes in Port Harcourt but he arrived in the camp barely 24 hours to the match. In his absence, Salisu Yusuf will take charge of the team in Ouagadougou on Sunday. The Eagles B are travelling to the Burkina capital with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.

We wish Oliseh speedy recovery.

Nigerian Amos Adamu is under investigation by FIFA’s ethics committee, it revealed on Wednesday. Adamu is alleged to have breached FIFA’s code of ethics but world football’s governing body did not provide any more details. The 62-year-old was a member of FIFA’s executive committee for four years until 2010, when he was banned from all football activity for three years. He was banned over claims he asked for money in exchange for World Cup votes. Adamu’s suspension expired in October 2013. He was was a high-ranking government official for Nigerian sport for 20 years and was once considered to be a leading candidate to succeed long-serving Issa Hayatou as president of the Confederation of African Football.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed manager of Norwegian club, Molde for the second time and will take charge for Thursday’s Europa League tie against Celtic. The former Manchester United striker left his position at Cardiff a little over a year ago.

Ex-NBA star Lamar Odom is back in Los Angeles after receiving treatment at a Las Vegas hospital, a week after being found unconscious at a Nevada brothel. Mr Odom will continue his recovery in Los Angeles and is making “miraculous” progress, even taking a few steps, according to a family statement. His estranged wife Khloe Kardashian, his father and two of his children are with the former Lakers star. Police are conducting tests to establish what happened. Odom, who married reality television star Kardashian in 2009, has long struggled with addiction. He told brothel employees he had taken cocaine before arriving, police said. Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly said that a worker at the brothel reported Odom was found unresponsive with blood coming from his nose and mouth. US media had reported that although Ms Kardashian filed for divorce from Mr Odom in 2013, it had yet to be processed and she was making decisions about his medical care. Odom won the NBA championship with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2011. He last played in the NBA in 2013 with the Clippers.

Congrats to Nigeria’s Brown Ideye who scored the winner for Olympiakos.

Tuesday 20 October, 2015:

BATE Borisov 0 – 2 Barcelona

Bayer Leverkusen 4 – 4 Roma

Arsenal 2 – 0 Bayern Munich

Dynamo Kiev 0 – 0 Chelsea

Dinamo Zagreb 0 -1 Olympiakos

FC Porto 2 – 0 Maccabi Tel Aviv

Valencia 2 – 1 KAA Gent

Zenith St Petersburg 3 – 1 Lyon

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Defending champions Nigeria continued their impressive start to their FIFA U-17 World Cup title defence by completing a comprehensive 5-1 victory over hosts Chile and progressing to the knockout stages in the process. A goal within 30 seconds by star man Samuel Chukwueze set the tone for a straightforward win, with the diminutive No8 grabbing a second in the second half after he had earlier been fouled for Kelechi Nwakali’s to score from the spot, and before he was felled for Victor Osimhen’s successful spot kick conversion. Chile grabbed a consolation, before Funsho Bamgboye saw his marching orders, with Osimhen’s late header adding some gloss to the win, despite Nwakali missing his second penalty of the match after Chukwueze had been fouled in the penalty area for a third time.

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Tuesday 20 October 2015:

USA 2 – 2 Croatia

England 0 – 1 Brazil

Chile 1 – 5 Nigeria

Korea Republic 1 – 0 Guinea

Today’s Fixtures (Wednesday 21st October 2015):

Australia vs Mexico 9pm

Belgium vs Honduras 9pm

Argentina vs Germany 12am (Thursday morning)

Ecuador vs Mali 12am (Thursday morning)

*Time = Nigerian.

Former France international Djibril Cisse has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34. Cisse scored in Liverpool’s penalty shootout victory against AC Milan to win the Champions League in 2005. After announcing his retirement, Cisse broke down live on French television as he heard a tribute from Guy Roux, his former Auxerre coach.

Let’s celebrate once more the guys that won the first ever world cup for Nigeria. The U-16 Baby Eagles as they were called went to China for the maiden FIFA U-16 (now U-17) world cup. On their return after winning the trophy, they were renamed the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria. Playing in Group D, they defeated Italy by a lone goal, played goaless draw with Saudi Arabia and defeated Costa Rica by three unreplied goals. They came second in the group behind Saudi Arabia on goals difference. In the quarter final, they defeated Hungary by three goals to one and went on to defeat Guinea 4 -2 in penalty shoot out after a 1 – 1 draw in the Semis. To lift the cup, they defeated West Germany by two unreplied goals (scored by Jonathan Akpoborie and Victor Igbinoba) in the final match. This Sebastine Broadricks and Christian Chukwu tutored lads left the country unannounced but returned as heroes making the the Federal Government to name streets after them at the capital cities of their various states of origin as at then. Talk of Chukwuma Nwoha street in Owerri, Fatai Atere way in Lagos and Nduka Ugbade street in Benin city for instance.
The heroes are:

1. Lucky AGBONSEVAFE
2. Tenworimi DUERE
3. Nduka UGBADE (Captain)
4. Fatai ATERE
5. Binabei NUMA
6. Kingsley AIKHIONBORE
7. Salisu NAKADE
8. Sani ADAMU
9. Jonathan AKPOBORIE
10. Victor IGBINOBA
11. Billa MOMOH
12. Imama AMAPAKABOR
13. Bauldwin BAZUAYE
14. Joseph BABATUNDE
15. Chukwuma NWOHA
16. Mohamed YAHAYA
17. Hilary ADIKI
18. Dele ABUBAKAR

Shaikh Salman, the most powerful man in Asian football, says “senior” figures in the game have told him to run for the FIFA presidency. In a letter to members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) executive committee, the 49-year-old Bahraini said he is not yet a candidate. But he added he had been urged to stand “by a growing number of senior football administrators, FIFA members and personalities of public life”. The election takes place in February.

South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released under house arrest nearly one year after he was jailed for killing his girlfriend, prison officials say. He is expected to spend the remainder of a five-year prison sentence at his uncle’s home in Pretoria.He shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door in 2013 but said he thought she was an intruder. Ms Steenkamp’s relatives say they think Pistorius is “getting off lightly”.