New Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh is determined to show he has the managerial ability to disprove the critics who say he lacks the experience needed for the job. The 40-year-old former Borussia Dortmund and Juventus midfielder signed a three-year deal last month and succeeded Stephen Keshi, who was sacked at the start of July. Oliseh coached the Belgian lower league side Vervietois between 2008 and 2009 and since then he’s been working as a pundit, sport consultant and Fifa Technical committee member. “People are saying say I’ve never coached at this level before,” Oliseh told BBC World Service. “The only answer I can give is, can they name to me one African former player that has been able to coach any first division team in Europe? “It’s not a question of lack of effort, I got my coaching badge from the English Football Association more than five years ago, I’ve been working with the Fifa technical study group so it’s not through lack of trying. “It’s a question of the fact that at this moment there doesn’t seem to be opening for African coaches in Europe. “Eventually we will get there, I am very optimistic. We will break the barriers someday.”

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Manchester City have agreed a £14m fee with Roma for striker Edin Dzeko. Dzeko, 29, joined Manchester City from Wolfsburg in 2011 and scored 50 goals in 130 Premier League appearances for the Blues. The Bosnian was part of two Premier League title-winning squads, scoring the vital injury-time equaliser in the dramatic final-day encounter with QPR in 2012. He started the 2013 League Cup final win over Sunderland at Wembley and was an unused substitute in the 2011 FA Cup final victory against Stoke.

Championship side Hull City have signed England under-20 striker Chuba Akpom, 19, on a season-long loan from Arsenal. Nigeria’s Sone Aluko plays for Hull City who were relegated at the end of last season.

Rafael da Silva will join French club Lyon from Manchester United on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee. The 25-year-old right-back, who has two Brazil caps, moved to United along with his twin brother Fabio from Fluminense in 2008. However, he had fallen out of favour at the club under Louis van Gaal, starting just six league games last season. “I want to thank Manchester United fans for all the love during those eight years,” Rafael tweeted.  He was left out of United’s squad for their pre-season tour of the United States, before Torino right-back Matteo Darmian joined the Old Trafford club. Rafael will join the Ligue 1 runners-up having made 170 appearances for Manchester United, scoring five goals. He won three Premier League titles, the Club World Cup and the League Cup during his seven years at United. Rafael’s brother Fabio has already left United, having joined Cardiff City in January 2014.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has rued its women’s team’s failure to qualify for the 2016 Olympic football tournament in Brazil. The reigning African champions suffered a 2-1 defeat in Equatorial Guinea on Sunday to crash out 3-2 on aggregate. The exit completes back-to-back Olympic disappointments for the Super Falcons. Equatorial Guinea will now play off against South Africa for a place in the Olympics, while Cameroon take on Ivory Coast for the other African berth. “It’s an unfortunate disappointment,” NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport. “The NFF made strong effort to ensure qualification but the first leg result proved a mountain to climb in Bata.”

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Leicester defender Robert Huth is pleased to be reunited with new Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri – the man who gave him his Premier League debut in 2002 while the pair were at Chelsea. “I was only 17 at the time and he let me train with the first team from just before my 17th birthday.” said Huth, who scored the first of his side’s goals in Saturday’s pre-season win against Birmingham at St Andrew’s. “That was good first team experience at that young age and he gave me my debut. “He’s slightly different in that he likes to set up a little more defensively and start with a clean sheets. That’s something we’re keen to do – stay solid – and maybe score a few more goals. The way we finished last season was tremendous and we’ll try to keep it tight at the back and score a few more goals up front.”

Wayne Rooney was given a standing ovation as he returned to Goodison Park in an Everton shirt to play in Duncan Ferguson’s testimonial. The England captain made 77 appearances for Everton before joining Manchester United for £25m in 2004. In front of 34,718 fans, he came on for the last 15 minutes against Villarreal. “I didn’t know what to expect with the reception, but the fans were great,” Rooney said. “I really appreciated it. More importantly it was a big day for Duncan. I said to him before the game that it was the most nervous I had seen him.” The Spaniards won 2-1, ex-Blues striker Ferguson coming on in the 83rd minute. Rooney has frequently received a hostile reception from Everton fans when he has returned to Goodison Park with United.

South Sudan will compete at Rio 2016 after becoming the 206th member of the Olympic movement. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) unanimously approved the inclusion of the African republic, which became independent in 2011. IOC president Thomas Bach wished the country a “bright future” after its inclusion was ratified. “This will put your nation on the world map,” he said. “We will stand by your side.” A South Sudanese marathon runner, Guor Marial, did compete at London 2012 but under the Olympic flag as South Sudan was not yet an IOC member. South Sudan already has a men’s football team due to take part in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

Seattle Sounders striker Obafemi Martins has not ruled out a Nigeria return, but admitted he is focusing on his MLS club career. Martins was called up just once in the last three years, against Kenya, in a 2014 World Cup qualifier. Despite being his country’s most in-form striker last year, alongside Ikechukwu Uche, he was omitted from the Brazil 2014 squad. But Martins is not closing the door on the Super Eagles just yet. “Things have changed at home and if the new coach [Sunday Oliseh] said he wants me to play for Nigeria again, I’d jump at the chance,” Martins told BBC Sport. “The opportunity to represent a country of over 170 million people doesn’t come often and I will never turn it down. “But right now I’m just focusing on giving my best to Seattle Sounders and take it from there.” It was widely reported in the Nigerian media that Martins – who scored 18 goals in 39 internationals for Nigeria – had retired from international football after falling out with ex-coach Stephen Keshi.

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South Africa, Egypt and Zambia all booked places in the 2015 African Under-23 Championships in Senegal, with wins in their qualifiers. The South Africans comfortably beat neighbours Zimbabwe 3-0, while Egypt beat Uganda 2-1 and Zambia squeezed past Ivory Coast on penalties. The championships in Senegal start on 28 November. They also serve as qualifiers for the Rio Olympics in 2016. The three sides join hosts Senegal and Algeria at the tournament, after Algeria sealed their qualification last week. Eight nations will compete at the African Under-23 Championships, with the top three securing places in Brazil.

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Nigeria left-back Juwon Oshaniwa has signed for Hearts on a three-year contract saying he is advancing his career by moving to Scottish football. The 24-year-old World Cup defender has spent the last three years with Ironi Ashdod in Israel’s Premier League. “I am happy because I have made a big step in my career by joining Hearts,” Oshaniwa told BBC Sport. “Starting from Nigeria and playing in Israel to land here in Scotland is a big progress for my career.” Oshaniwa, who has 17 caps, played in all of the Super Eagles’ matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. But he only made 13 appearances last season as Ashdod suffered relegation from Israel’s top flight. “I thank God for the opportunity,” said Oshaniwa of his move to Edinburgh. “I also thank Hearts too for the confidence and determination to bring me here. “My immediate focus is to give my best and hopefully achieve many success stories with the club.”

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Manchester United’s Angel Di Maria is set to have a medical in the next 24 hours before a proposed move to Paris St-Germain. The winger, a British record £59.7m signing last summer, is expected in Doha on Sunday to meet PSG officials. The fee for the 27-year-old Argentina international is believed to be about £44.5m. Di Maria did not join United’s pre-season tour of the United States after appearing at the Copa America in Chile. The former Real Madrid player moved to Old Trafford last August after helping the Spanish giants to a 10th European Cup in 2014. But after a promising start, including a goal and an assist in three of his first four appearances, his form fell away midway through the season. He started only one match after a defeat by Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-final on 9 March.

Ernest Mtawali has been appointed as the new head coach of Malawi’s national football team, with Burundian Nsanzurwimo Ramadhan named as his assistant. The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said Mtawali beat off competition from four other coaches in interviews held on Thursday. Both Mtawali and Ramadhan have signed a one year contract with the option of an extension. 51 year old Mtawali, a former Malawi midfielder, had been temporary coach of the team following the sacking of Young Chimodzi who was dismissed following the Flames’ home defeat to Zimbabwe in their opening qualifying match in Group L for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

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England striker Eniola Aluko (sister to Super Eagles forward Sone Aluko) won the English ladies FA cup today. She also won the player of the match award. Her team, Chelsea Ladies won their first major trophy as they beat Notts County 1-0 in the first Women’s FA Cup final ever to be played at Wembley. South Korea striker Ji So-Yunscored from close range in the first half, in front of a record final crowd of 30,710. Leanne Crichton had Notts’ best effort cleared off the line by Chelsea forward Gemma Davison after the break. Aluko created the winner and was outstanding in a deserved win for the Blues.

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Sunday 02 August, 2015:

Dolphin vs Nasarawa

Giwa vs Kwara United

Ifeanyi Uba vs Abia Warriors

Sharks vs Warri Wolves

Taraba vs Sunshine Stars

Enyimba vs Enugu Rangers

Bayelsa vs Akwa United

Kano Pillars vs Lobi Stars

El-Kanemi vs Shooting Stars

Wikki Tourists vs Heartland

*All games are for 4pm Nigerian time.

Manchester United have become the latest club to launch their new kit, the first of a record-breaking deal with Adidas worth £75m a year. United announced the 10-year contract in July 2014 but could not release the kit until a 13-season deal with Nike, worth £23.5m a year, expired. It is the first time Adidas has made United’s strip for 24 years, with the club saying it was a “classic design”.

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Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has extended his deal with the club until the end of the 2019-20 season. Aubameyang, 26, had been linked with a move to a number of European clubs including Premier League side Arsenal. The Gabon international, who joined from St Etienne, netted 16 goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances last season. “Every part of me wants to be here and I have never wanted to leave,” he told the club’s website. 

West Brom have completed the signing of Rickie Lambert from Liverpool for an undisclosed fee. The England international has penned a two-year deal and goes straight into the squad for Friday night’s game at Bristol Rovers.

Liverpool defender Kolo Toure has told the Liverpool Echo that he turned down offers from a host of European clubs to sign a new contract with Liverpool because he feels loved at Anfield. “There were other offers but I couldn’t leave one of the best clubs in the world,” said the 34-year-old. “For me, to be able to be at Liverpool – playing for this manager and being part of this squad and playing for amazing fans – is massive. I really enjoy being here. I feel loved and that’s important. I am so lucky to be at a club like this and I want to help this club to get better.”

Bayern Munich coach and Manchester City target Pep Guardiola says he is still undecided about his future at the German club with his contract due to run out the end of the season. The 44-year-old added that he had not received any offer from any club and there is still time to discuss his future with Bayern officials, who are eager to keep him. Bayern’s season starts on Saturday when they take on Cup winners Wolfsburg in the German Super Cup.