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  • 2026 WCQ: Osimhen, Lookman lead Nigeria’s starting XI against Rwanda

    2026 WCQ: Osimhen, Lookman lead Nigeria’s starting XI against Rwanda

    Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will lead Nigeria’s attack against Rwanda as Eric Chelle named his starting eleven in the 2026 World Cup qualifier.

    This is Chelle’s first official outing and starting XI since he took charge of the team in January.

    Currently 5th in Group C with three points, Nigeria will have to win all its matches left to stand a chance of qualifying automatically to next year’s finals in USA, Mexico, and Canada.

    The starting eleven consists of players who have been featured consistently for the clubs in recent times.

    Stanley Nwabali retains his position in goal. The back four is made up of captain William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Bright Osayi-Samuel. Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi are expected to control proceedings from the middle, while Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon operate from the flanks.

    Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are expected to convert chances created.

  • 2026 WCQ: Rwanda vs Nigeria – preview, team news, how to watch

    2026 WCQ: Rwanda vs Nigeria – preview, team news, how to watch

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles will aim to revive their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign when they face Rwanda’s Amavubi at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

    With their qualification hopes hanging in the balance, the pressure is on for the three-time African champions to secure a much-needed victory.

    Match Details

    Fixture: Rwanda vs. Nigeria
    Competition: FIFA World Cup Qualification (CAF) – Group C
    Matchday: 5
    Date: Friday, 21 March 2025
    Kick-off Time: 5:00 Nigeria time

    Venue: Amahoro Stadium, Kigali

    How to Watch

    Fans in Nigeria can catch the action live on SuperSport, while Rwandan supporters can tune in to RTV Rwanda for full coverage.

    Team Form and Previous Meetings

    Nigeria will be looking to avenge their shocking 1-2 defeat to Rwanda in Uyo last November, which marked Amavubi’s first-ever victory over the Super Eagles.

    The reverse fixture in Kigali last September ended in a goalless draw.

    With just three points from four games, Nigeria is yet to register a win in the qualifiers (D3, L1), a record they must improve if they hope to make their first World Cup appearance since 2018.

    Meanwhile, Rwanda currently tops Group C with seven points from four matches and remains unbeaten in its last three encounters against Nigeria.

    Predicted Lineups

    Both teams head into this fixture with full squads and no major injury concerns.

    Rwanda (4-3-3)
    Goalkeeper: Fiacre Ntwari
    Defenders: Fitina Ombolenga, Thierry Manzi, Ange Mutsinzi, Ishimwe Yannick
    Midfielders: Djihad Bizimana, Gilbert Nshuti, Jean Ruboneka
    Forwards: Didier Mugisha, Hakim Sahabo, Innocent Nshuti

    Nigeria (4-3-3)
    Goalkeeper: Stanley Nwabali
    Defenders: Ola Aina, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi
    Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi
    Forwards: Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface

    Nigeria will be boosted by the return of Victor Osimhen, who missed the first four qualifiers. The Galatasaray striker has been in fine form and is expected to lead the attack.

    Match Analysis

    Newly appointed coach Eric Chelle faces a tough task as he looks to steer Nigeria back on track. Anything less than a win could severely dent the Super Eagles’ qualification chances.

    Rwanda, on the other hand, has relied on a solid defensive setup, conceding just one goal in four matches. With Nigeria struggling for consistency and Amavubi proving resilient at home, this encounter is set to be a tight contest.

    Head-to-Head Record

    Total Meetings: 7
    Nigeria Wins: 2
    Draws: 4
    Rwanda Wins: 1
    Prediction

    Given Rwanda’s defensive solidity and Nigeria’s recent struggles in attack, this is likely to be a low-scoring affair. The Super Eagles have kept five clean sheets in their last seven meetings with Rwanda, while six of those games saw under 2.5 goals.

    Prediction: Rwanda 0-1 Nigeria

    Will the Super Eagles bounce back, or will Rwanda extend their unbeaten streak in Group C? All eyes will be on Kigali as these teams battle for crucial points.

  • 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Vinicius fires stoppage time winner for Brazil

    2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Vinicius fires stoppage time winner for Brazil

    Vinicius Junior struck a dramatic winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 win over Colombia in their South American World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

    The five-time world champions had taken a sixth-minute lead in Brasilia through a Raphinha penalty only for Luis Diaz’s fine 41st-minute strike for Colombia to level the game.

    Colombia enjoyed the most pressure in the second half but were ultimately sunk by the Real Madrid winger’s dramatic winner.

    The victory leaves Brazil well-positioned in second place in the 10-team CONMEBOL qualifying group, four points behind leaders Argentina who travel to Uruguay on Friday.

    A foul from Daniel Munoz on Vinicius resulted in the early penalty for Brazil and Raphinha, taking a short run-up, confidently slotted home the spot-kick to give the home side an early lead.

    But four minutes before the break, James Rodriguez found Liverpool’s Diaz on the left and the winger moved inside before driving it home into the far, bottom corner of the net.

    Rodriguez had an opening in the 68th minute, after a smart move from Colombia, but the playmaker’s shot was comfortably dealt with by Alisson Becker.

    Diaz’s Liverpool team-mate Becker had to go off injured in the 78th minute, with an apparent concussion, after a collision with Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez which resulted in the defender being stretchered off.

    While Colombia enjoyed the bulk of attacking possession, Brazil remained a threat and Guilherme Arana flashed a shot wide in the 82nd minute.

    The Alisson injury had created the lengthy stoppage time and Vinicius took advantage with his fiercely struck effort taking a slight deflection off a defender’s head and flying in.

    “Today’s goal is a bit of relief, a bit of happiness. Playing for the national team is something you can’t explain,” said Vinicius.

    “Every time we come here, it’s like it’s the first time”.

    Brazil face old rivals Argentina on Tuesday.

    It was a bitter ending for a Colombia side who sit in sixth place still with work to do in qualifying.

    “We kept Brazil in their half, I think we deserved more again, but that’s the way it is. I have a lot of doubts about the refereeing decisions, which I’m not going to comment on,” said Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo.

    “We played a great game and came away with nothing again. We conceded a very early goal again,” he lamented.

    In other South American qualifiers on Thursday, Paraguay beat bottom-placed Chile 1-0 in Asuncion, a result that left La Roja rooted to the bottom of the table.

    Veteran 41-year-old striker Paolo Guerrero was on target as Peru beat Bolivia 3-1 to move off the bottom.

    Andy Polo opened the scoring in the 37th minute before Guerrero found the target on the stroke of half-time.

    Bolivia pulled one back with a Miguel Terceros penalty in the 58th minute before Edison Flores restored the two-goal cushion in the 82nd minute.

    On Friday, Ecuador host Venezuela and Uruguay are at home to leaders Argentina.

  • Barcelona, Osasuna appeals over rearranged match date rejected

    Barcelona, Osasuna appeals over rearranged match date rejected

    Barcelona and Osasuna’s appeals against the rescheduled date of their postponed La Liga match were rejected Thursday by the Spanish Football Federation’s appeals committee.

    The La Liga leaders will host Osasuna on March 27 after the game was cancelled when a Barcelona club doctor died on the original date, March 8.

    Barcelona appealed against the new date because it allowed some of their players “insufficient time to rest” following international duty.

    “Precedent… establishes that national team call-ups are not sufficient grounds for rescheduling a match… when the team affected has enough players to play the match,” said the federation’s appeals committee.

    Winger Raphinha is part of Brazil’s squad for a World Cup qualifier at Argentina set to kick off at 0000 GMT on March 26, while defender Ronald Araujo travels with Uruguay to visit Bolivia on March 25 at 2000 GMT.

    Osasuna also appealed against the new date because they would be left with less than 72 hours of rest before their next match, which was scheduled for March 28 at Athletic Bilbao.

    The committee said the Bilbao match would be moved to March 30 to allow Osasuna recovery time.

  • Japan becomes first to seal 2026 World Cup spot

    Japan becomes first to seal 2026 World Cup spot

    Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday as South Korea were held but still inched closer along with a rampant Australia.

    Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored in the second half to give Japan a 2-0 home win over Bahrain and take their place alongside hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico at next year’s finals.

    The runaway Asian Group C leaders failed to sparkle on a chilly night in Saitama until substitute Kamada pounced for the opener in the 66th minute.

    In front of nearly 60,000 fans, Kubo added another in the 87th minute as Japan sealed their berth in style.

    It will be their eighth straight World Cup appearance.

    “I’m relieved that we could qualify at home in front of our supporters,” said Kubo, before he and his team-mates doused coach Hajime Moriyasu with water.

    “This here is not our goal — we want to compete against strong teams at the World Cup.”

    Australia are in pole position to qualify out of Group C with Japan.

    Two goals in two minutes helped the Socceroos secure a 5-1 thrashing of Indonesia as Dutch legend Patrick Kluivert was well beaten in his first game in charge.

    Japan lead on 19 points. Australia are second on 10 points, four clear of the chasing pack of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Bahrain and China.

    Australia have three games left to play, starting with a crunch away fixture against China on Tuesday.

    The top two go straight to North America, with teams finishing third and fourth in the three Asian groups going into a further round of qualifying.

    Indonesia missed an early penalty before a Martin Boyle spot-kick and a Nishan Velupillay strike inside a frantic opening 20 minutes did the damage at Sydney Football Stadium.

    A brace from Jackson Irvine and another by Lewis Miller sealed a big win, but Australian skipper Mat Ryan was not entirely satisfied.

    “I think the scoreline flatters us a little bit to be honest,” the goalkeeper said.

    “At the start of the game they had two big chances, and if they put one of them away, it could have been a different game.”

    – Oman late leveller –

    South Korea are still on course for 2026 but conceded a goal with 10 minutes left as Oman snatched a precious 1-1 away draw.

    The hosts looked set for all three points after Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan put them ahead in the first half with a clinical finish after Lee Kang-in’s superb threaded-through ball.

    But Ali Al Busaidi struck from just outside the box to stun most of the crowd at Goyang Stadium.

    South Korea still lead Asian qualifying Group B with 15 points and three matches left to play, starting at home to Jordan on Tuesday.

    Iraq are second in the group on 11 but have played a game less.

    Jordan are third on nine with Oman fourth on seven.

  • 2026 WCQ: I love the energy of Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles – Wizkid

    2026 WCQ: I love the energy of Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles – Wizkid

    Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid has expressed his satisfaction with the Super Eagles’ preparation ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali.

    The team, now under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Eric Chelle, held its first training session on Tuesday afternoon.

    Reacting to the squad’s energy under Chelle, Wizkid took to his X handle on Wednesday, stating, “New Super Eagles team! [I] love the energy,” he tweeted.

    The crucial qualifier is set to take place at the Amahoro Stadium in Rwanda on Friday, March 21, with kickoff scheduled for 5 PM Nigerian time.

    Following the match, Nigeria will return home to face Zimbabwe in Uyo on Tuesday.

    The Super Eagles must secure maximum points from both fixtures to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

    TodayPriceNG News

  • Conditions hurt Arsenal as Wright says pitch a ‘disgrace’

    Conditions hurt Arsenal as Wright says pitch a ‘disgrace’

    Arsenal boss Renee Slegers says the “next step for women’s football” is to have better pitches after Gunners legend Ian Wright described Real Madrid’s playing surface as a “disgrace”.

    Wright made his feelings known during Arsenal’s 2-0 Women’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano.

    Playing conditions at the home of Real Madrid men’s reserves deteriorated at a rapid rate, making free-flowing football difficult for both sides.

    Wright’s criticism on social media came after complaints from Chelsea players and pundits about the pitch for the Women’s League Cup final at Derby County’s Pride Park last Saturday.

    Former Netherlands midfielder Slegers admitted the wet and muddy conditions against Real Madrid played their part in her side’s defeat on Tuesday.

    The return leg will be played at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on 26 March.

    Asked whether Real Madrid’s main Bernabeu stadium should have been used for the first leg, Slegers added: “It’s not on me to criticise.

    “It’s obviously a club decision and I’m sure that Uefa is trying to create the best conditions for the tournament. Of course, the weather is not always in our control.

    “But I think we’ve seen a couple of games lately where the pitch conditions haven’t been great and I think that’s the next step for women’s football to take.”

    Slegers, who was appointed permanent Arsenal head coach in January after an impressive interim spell, added: “We knew the condition of the pitch. We spoke about it with the players before the game.

    “So we had a plan for it, but then it’s always hard because over a season and over time you work on things and you have an identity, the way you want to do things.

    “So then reality comes and these conditions come and all of a sudden you need to do things differently so that’s hard.”

    What did Wright say?

    Former England striker Wright, who scored 185 goals in 288 appearances for Arsenal between 1991 and 1998, posted a video on social media during the women’s team’s game on Tuesday.

    The conditions in Madrid were not helped by heavy rain that caused the pitch to easily cut up.

    “Watching the Champions League quarter-final. Real Madrid’s pitch – this is worse than Derby’s pitch the other day in the Conti Cup final,” added Wright.

    “This is a disgrace the pitches these girls have to play on.”

    Former Leeds striker Lucy Ward, who was working on the match for TNT Sports, was also critical.

    “I’m watching players who usually deal with the ball well, struggle to come to terms with it in these first 10 minutes,” she said.

    “This pitch is awful.”

    Last Saturday Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert said Derby’s Pride Park pitch was “not fit for a final” after her side beat Manchester City 2-1.

    Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor added: “I’m not sure if it was a men’s final game it would be the same. We just need to make sure we have the best facilities and grass to play the games.”

    ‘It needs to be better’

    Former England striker Ellen White says it is important for women’s football that the standard of pitches improves – to help both the product and for the safety of the players.

    Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Women’s Football Weekly podcast, White said: “We’ve seen the men’s League Cup final at Wembley, and I’m not saying it has to be at Wembley, but I just think to keep growing our game and the standards you know [we need to] keep hammering that home that I think it needs to be better, it needs to be looked at.”

    Unlike the men’s League Cup final, which is played at Wembley, the women’s has no permanent home, with organisers wanting to bring the event to different areas of the country.

    Former Arsenal defender Jen Beattie, speaking on the same programme, said the state of the pitch for Saturday’s cup final overshadowed the match.

    “Ultimately, we’re trying to get the best product of football, it’s a huge game, two great footballing teams and you want it to be a good spectacle to watch,” Beattie said.

    “I still enjoyed watching it, don’t get me wrong, but it’s hard when the conversation after the game is about the pitch, and not about the players and highlighting the performances and how good they are as players, that was the frustration for me.”

  • ‘Incredible’ Tuchel helped Gibbs-White over England upset

    ‘Incredible’ Tuchel helped Gibbs-White over England upset

    Morgan Gibbs-White says Thomas Tuchel has been “incredible” with England’s players – even though the midfielder was upset when the new head coach initially left him on the sidelines.

    Nottingham Forest’s Gibbs-White was told by Tuchel he would not be selected for England’s opening 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

    But following an injury to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer on Sunday, Tuchel contacted Gibbs-White and he was called up for the games against Albania and Latvia.

    “He phoned me up and said ‘Are you still upset with me, or do you want to join us, and fancy training with us tomorrow?’” Gibbs-White told BBC Radio 5 Live.

    “There was no question there. I was smiling from ear-to-ear. I am delighted.”

    That is a stark contrast to how Gibbs-White felt when the 25-year-old initially missed out.

    He has helped Forest to third place in the Premier League table and believed he had done enough to earn England recognition.

    “I was upset, a little bit disappointed, but at the same time you always have to look at the quality of players England have,” Gibbs-White said.

    “I took that into consideration, but when he told me, I respected his decision.

    “I said to him ‘I think I have done enough to get the call-up considering the club form that we are in, but you are the manager, you make the decisions, and I will respect that’.”

    Tuchel reached out to several England players before they came together for the games at Wembley on 21 and 24 March.

    They included Gibbs-White, who was hoping to earn a recall after winning his first two caps under interim boss Lee Carsley last September and November.

    “To be fair, [Tuchel] has been incredible,” Gibbs-White said. “I think he has done [that] with most of the players.

    “I think as soon as he got the job he has been in contact with the majority of the players. He is a really easy-going sort of guy, nice to speak to.

    “I felt it was top from him, really good starting that relationship with us before even meeting us.”

    Gibbs-White was part of Tuchel’s first training session on Monday, in which the former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain manager spelled out want he wants from his players.

    “He is really intense and that is the first thing I took from it,” said Gibbs-White.

    “I believe when you know someone knows what he wants, you believe in it as well.

    “That intensity to show that he is not just here for a jolly, he is here to win, that was really nice to see.”

    ‘Champions League? I’d have snapped your hand off’

    Tuesday marked exactly 12 months since Nottingham Forest were deducted four points for a breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

    That dropped them into the relegation zone, but they finished 17th, one place and six points above the bottom three.

    Now they are just four points behind second-placed Arsenal and on course to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

    “When you put it like that, it’s a remarkable year,” said Gibbs-White. “Just to see where we have come from, from this time last year, is incredible.

    “I think the Forest fans deserve that the most. Getting back into the Premier League was one thing.

    “Scrambling in relegation for the two years we were in the Premier League obviously wasn’t nice. It wasn’t enjoyable, but now we have given the fans something to cheer about.”

    Gibbs-White has been Forest’s captain for most of the season, claiming five league goals and seven assists, and feels he is in “the best form I have ever been in”.

    “Coming here [with England] with that confidence, that level of football at the minute, I feel as though I am in a really good place,” he said.

    “[I’m] really proud. Walking out at the City Ground every week, I do get goosebumps.”

    To float the idea of Forest flying so high would have been hard to believe 12 months ago.

    “I would have snapped your hand off. I’d have thought you were talking rubbish,” Gibbs-White said.

    “Funny thing is, in pre-season we had that belief that we could do something this season. Did we think to this level? Probably not, but we felt that we could achieve something decent this season.

    “With the pre-season we had under the manager [Nuno Espirito Santo], because he really implemented his ideas, and his man management and his belief into the players, he really got to know everyone individually and I think that is what has helped us massively.

    “We work so hard, day in and day out, to achieve these sorts of goals and you know everyone is just in a good place at the minute.

    “The morale is high and the vibe is very high.”

  • Henderson England recall a great move – Pickford

    Henderson England recall a great move – Pickford

    Jordan Henderson’s England recall is a “great move” and the 34-year-old brings a “winning mentality” to the squad, says goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

    Ajax midfielder Henderson was called up for the first time since November 2023 when new manager Thomas Tuchel named him in his first England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

    Henderson won the first of his 81 caps in 2010 under Fabio Capello, and Tuchel has said the former Liverpool skipper “embodies everything we try to build”.

    Pickford knows Henderson well as they were both at Sunderland in the early stage of their careers, as well as being part of the England sides that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 final and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    And Pickford thinks the call-up of Henderson and Newcastle defender Dan Burn will help the squad as they prepare to try to win the World Cup in 2026.

    “We’ve been knocking on the door for a while now. We’ve been to two finals, a semi-final and a quarter final,” the goalkeeper said.

    “It’s about that next step now. We know what it takes to get there. It’s about what it takes to lift the trophy, and that is what the manager has come in to do,” Pickford said.

    “We have got Dan Burn’s first call-up which is a great achievement for him. We have got Hendo with how many caps he has got. He has got that winning mentality, what he has won at Liverpool as a player and a captain.

    “To have those leaders around the place, the more leaders you have in the team I think the more success they will bring.

    “They will drive training standards, they will drive standards around the place and make it a better camp for everybody.”

    Henderson joined Ajax in January 2024 after spending less than six months at Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League.

    He has made 38 appearances this season and Ajax are six points clear at the top of the Eredivisie.

    “His desire to want to win and what he has won and achieved is driven by himself,” Pickford said.

    “He’s a winner and a big leader. I think bringing Hendo back in is great for the squad.

    “He was vice-captain for numerous years. He didn’t come to the last Euros but he was vice-captain in 2018 to Harry [Kane].

    “I think someone like Hendo, it’s great. Having leaders in your group, the teams that have won have always had that experience in the side as well.

    “I think it’s a great move for us to have someone like him in the squad. What he has done, how he is still driven – whether he plays or not he is going to be the leader on the training pitch,” Pickford added.

    England reached the final of Euro 2024 under previous manager Gareth Southgate where they lost to Spain, and Pickford says it is hard to know if Henderson could have helped England win their first men’s trophy since 1966.

    “We got to a final and didn’t win it,” Pickford said.

    “Jords is a great lad and respected by all the players and the staff.

    “I don’t think we will ever know if he was a miss as we got to the final. This manager has brought Hendo in and I know how much of a leader he is, and how respected he is, so I think it’s only a good thing.”

  • Osaka wants to ‘play with the big dogs’ after Miami win

    Osaka wants to ‘play with the big dogs’ after Miami win

    Former world number one Naomi Osaka wants to “play with the big dogs” again after battling to a three-set win against Yuliia Starodubtseva in the first round of the Miami Open.

    Osaka came from a set down to beat Ukraine’s Starodubtseva 3-6 6-4 6-3 and claim her first victory since the Australian Open second round in January.

    It comes after the Japanese player described her first-round loss against Camila Osorio at Indian Wells two weeks ago as the “worst match I’ve ever played in my life”.

    “I want to play with the big dogs so bad and I just see everyone playing so well and I want to do the same,” she said after her two-and-a-half-hour epic against Starodubtseva.

    “But I have to remember it’s a process.”

    The four-time Grand Slam winner has had several breaks from playing to prioritise her mental health as well as a maternity break.

    She has not progressed past the third round of a major since her most recent triumph at the 2021 Australian Open.

    “I knew that I wasn’t playing too well, but I thought, ‘let me try to stay on the court as long as possible’, because I consider Miami my home,” Osaka added.

    “At Indian Wells I was just over-hitting a lot, so I tried to use my legs.

    “I was going to run into every corner if I had to, and we were going to have to play for three hours if she was going to beat me.”