The Year 2019 has been filled with ups and downs for Nigerian football and we hope you enjoy looking back on the year with us.



Despite the failures of the Super Falcons, Golden Eaglets, Flying Eagles and Olympic Eagles - the year still gave fans lots to savour.



Ademetan Abayomi has a lowdown on the seven unforgettable sporting moments in 2019.



7. Samuel Chukwueze's Kopa Trophy Nomination



Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze was nominated alongside Juventus' Matthijs de Ligt, Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix, Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz, Valencia's Kang-in Lee, Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Andriy Lunin, Dortmund star Jadon Sancho,​ Matteo Guendouzi and Moise Kean for the France Football's Kopa Trophy, the Ballon d'Or equivalent for the best performing player under the age of 21. de Ligt eventually emerged as the winner.



Chukwueze has scored three times and contributed two assists in 16 La Liga appearances for the Yellow Submarine this term, while he netted 10 goals in all competitions during the 2018-19 campaign.



6. Asisat Oshoala creates history in UEFA Women's Champions League



Super Falcons skipper Asisat Oshoala created her own history as she became the first African woman to score in the UEFA Women's Champions League final.



Although it ended in misery for her Barcelona women's side as they were thrashed 4-1 by Lyon, the Nigeria international scored the consolation for Barcelona in the 89th minute after coming on as a substitute in the second half.



Oshoala is also the first African and Nigerian player to feature in the final of the UEFA Women's Champions League.



The striker's senior career has seen her play for FC Robo Queens, Rivers Angels, Liverpool Ladies, Arsenal Ladies, Delian Quanijian FC and Barcelona Ladies.



5. Super Eagles win 'Golden' Bronze medal at AFCON 2019



Odion Ighalo's second-minute goal, his fifth of the tournament, handed Nigeria's Super Eagles the bronze medal at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a 1-0 victory over Tunisia in Cairo.





This was the eighth time Nigeria were playing an AFCON third-place playoff and they kept their record of winning the bronze medal match on each occasion with a tense win at the Al Salam Stadium.



4. Rugby on the rise in Nigeria



Nigeria U-19 Cricket Team gained promotion into the International Cricket Council U-19 Division1 after emerging winners of the ICC U-19 World Cup qualifier division 2.



They defeated Sierra Leone with a 137 runs victory in the much anticipated final to lift the trophy.



The Naija Invitation Sevens team finished in the top 8 at the Las Vegas Invitation Open Tournament. The Nigerian ladies lost their cup quarter finals 12-17 to Rocky Mountain.



The Nigerian team had previously defeated New Mexico U 42- 0, then lost to Phoenix 5-25, before losing to Chicago Lions 15-17 in a very close tie.



Nigeria Rugby Sevens Team, the Black Stallions missed qualification for Japan 2020 Olympics, but earned automatic qualification for next year’s Africa Cup Sevens by finishing eighth in Johannesburg.



3. Heroic Ese Brume makes athletics supporters smile



Cyprus-based Ese Brume won Nigeria's only medal at the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar following her third-place finish in women’s long jump which gave her a bronze medal.



Brume's win in Doha continues her impressive track record.



In the long jump, she has won three gold medals at the national level, two at the African Junior Championships, one in the African Championships, one in the African Games, another in the Commonwealth Games and the bronze from the 2019 IAAF Championships.



In Triple Long Jump, she has a silver and gold medal from the African Junior Championships while she won a bronze medal in the 100m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.



Brume also won two African Junior Championships’ gold medals in the 4x100m.



2. Double joy for D'Tigers and D'Tigress



Nigerians and basketball fans all over the world celebrated D'Tigers for securing the ticket to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.



D'Tigers defeated host China 86-73 in the classification match of the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Guangzhou to claim the sole ticket for Africa to the men's basketball event of the Olympiad.



Supporters of the women's basketball game weren't left out as Nigeria senior basketball team D'Tigress were champions of Africa for a second consecutive time following their 60-55 win over Senegal in the final of the 2019 Women's Afrobasket tournament.



D'Tigress beat host Senegal in a pulsating encounter played in a packed Dakar Arena on Sunday, August 18.



Having dominated and won all of their games of the 2019 Afrobasket tournament with wide margins, Senegal proved to be their toughest opponent.



1. Anthony Joshua shames critics by reclaiming heavyweight belts



Anthony Joshua produced the performance of his career to reclaim the IBF, WBA, IBO and WBO World Heavyweight titles with a unanimous win over Andy Ruiz Jnr.



The Nigerian-born boxer capped a magnificent display with a thundering performance and duly regained the belts he lost to Andy Ruiz Jnr in June.



AJ, once more the IBF, WBA, IBO and WBO World Heavyweight champion, is now a two-time champion, emulating the feat of Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield.



His response to victory was to put his hands by his side in a posture that suggested the world should never had doubted him.



Andy Ruiz Jnr had knocked out Anthony Joshua in seven rounds in front of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden, ironically with a stunning right hand of his own.



The newly-built Diriyah Arena had the eyes of the boxing world firmly locked on it, as the 'Clash On The Dunes' came to town.



The scorecards were read out and declared Anthony Joshua as the two-time unified heavyweight world champion: 118-110, 118-110, 119-109.





Source: NG news

Lalasticlala, mynd44

Anthony Joshua does not identify as a Nigerian though.


Nice article op.

czarina:
Anthony Joshua does not identify as a Nigerian though.


Nice article op.

For why

Days before he fought Andy Ruiz
He was live in Ogun state Nigeria

robosky02:


Days before he fought Andy Ruiz
He was live in Ogun state Nigeria

Officially, does he identify as a Nigerian?

czarina:
Officially, does he identify as a Nigerian?

Yes


Look at his tatoo on his hand its map of Nigeria
The ring side music before his fight was Fela music

Omo satin you want again

robosky02:


Yes


Look at his tatoo on his hand its map of Nigeria
The ring side music before his fight was Fela music

Omo satin you want again

Na by tattoo?
Watch skysport they will never mention "Nigerian" alongside Joshua's

emeijeh:

Na by tattoo?
Watch skysport they will never mention "Nigerian" alongside Joshua's

Forget sky sports

emeijeh:

Na by tattoo?
Watch skysport they will never mention "Nigerian" alongside Joshua's

Exactly! He's not getting it.


All those visits and plenty activities na to keep this side on 'lockdown' for endorsements/side gigs.

robosky02:


Forget sky sports

It's not entirely about Sky Sports or the British media.

The dude does not officially identify as a Nigerian.

Give it up for Azeezat.

That is a SUPERSTAR!!