₦airaland Forum

SmartProf:
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Lionel Messi expressed the importance of victory and not the performance after Argentinakicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador.
Messi was the hero again for Argentina in Buenos Aires on Thursday, converting a 13th-minute penalty in the country's first match since November last year.

Argentina were scheduled to begin their CONMEBOL qualifying campaign for Qatar2022 in March, but the coronavirus pandemic scuppered those plans.

*The South American giants finally returned to action in a lacklustre display and extended their unbeaten streak to eight games, dating back to the 2019 Copa America in July, thanks to superstar captain and six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi.

"We knew it was going to be complicated. but the most important thing is that we won and now we have to work to keep growing," Messi said post-match.

"It was important to start off with a win because we know how difficult the world cup qualifiers are.

"The matches are always tough. We hoped the level of play would be different but it's been almost a year since we played together, this was our first game back and the nervousness makes it complicated."

Messi and Argentina played at an empty La Bombonera – the iconic home of Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors – amid the Covid-19 crisis.

There have been more than 856,000 confirmed cases and over 22,700 deaths from coronavirus in Argentina.
"It was a complicated year for what we are living through," added Barcelona's Messi, whose Argentina meet Boliviaon Tuesday.

"Being able to go back and play with the Argentina national team and give happiness to people with the win, beyond the game, serves to decompress. Much strength to all Argentines."
Messi's goal on Thursday saw him equal a recordnow also held by Ronaldo and former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez.
Suarez left Camp Nou over the summer for a move to Atletico Madridwith the striker opening up on his controversial departureafter he scored in Uruguay's 2-1 win against Chile.

"When Atletico came looking for me, I didn't hesitate for a single moment," Suarez said. "Obviously I have to get used to various things, but I feel very happy at Atletico."

Sokratis has also been left out of the squad for the group stages by Gunners manager Mikel Arteta
Mesut Ozil has been left out of Arsenal’s 25-man squad for the Europa Leaguegroup stages.
The club’s highest earning player - who pockets £350,000 ($454,000) a week - is one of two senior players who has been cut by boss Mikel Arteta, whose 25-man squad for the competition is only allowed to include 17 ‘non locally trained players’.
With 19 to choose from, however, Arteta has had to decide which two he would not involve - and Ozil, along with defender Sokratis, has been left out.

*Given the German has not played a single minute since football’s restart in June following the coronavirus enforced suspension, it is perhaps no surprise to see him axed from the squad.
Yet the fact he is the club’s highest earner still makes his omission eye-catching, especially as Arteta is expected to use the group stages of the Europa League as an opportunity to give some game time to players who have not been featuring much in the Premier League.

The decision comes just a day after Ozil publicly stated he would be willing to pay the wages of Jerry Quy, the man who has played the role of Gunnersaurus - the Arsenal mascot - for the past 27 years. Ozil’s took to social media to make the offer after it emerged that Quy had been made redundant.

“I was so sad that Jerry Quy aka our famous and loyal mascot Gunnersaurus and integral part of our club was being made redundant after 27 years,” said the former Real Madridstar. “As such, I’m offering to reimburse Arsenal with the full salary of our big green guy as long as I will be an Arsenal player so Jerry can continue his job that he loves so much.”

Ozil’s last appearance for Arsenal came in the win against West Ham in March, the final match before football was suspended due to the pandemic.
He has not even made a matchday squad this season, even in the Carabao Cup when Arteta has rung the changes.
When quizzed on the playmaker’s absence after the 2-0 win at Leicester last month, the Arsenal boss said: “The team is evolving, you can see the level they are achieving. This is where we are at the moment. We want to evolve more and play better and compete better.

“You can see that the players we are changing, we are using, it's very difficult every week not just for Mesut but for some other players as well to make the squad. Every week we try to pick the right players.

“It's difficult for others as well that aren't involved in the Premier League and didn't play tonight either. We have a squad of 26, 27 players at the moment and we can't give playing time to all of them.

“I understand and I respect your questions but I have to try to do my job as fair as possible. I try to select the players that are, in my opinion, in better condition.”
UEFA are due to officially announce Arsenal's 25-man squad for the Europa League group stages on Thursday morning.

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Manchester Unitedforward Odion Ighalo has been named as ambassador of Nigeria’s leading hygiene brand Dettol.

The striker arrived from Chinese Super Leagueclub Shanghai Shenhua on a temporary loan deal on the final day of the January transfer window, to provide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with cover for the injured Marcus Rashford who was sidelined with a back issue.
Announcing the pact via his social media handle, the 31-year-old said that as a sportsman, he shares similar values with the Dettol Cool brand – which includes staying protected from germs as well as staying fit and healthy.

*“As a professional footballer, staying healthy and germ-free is a critical part of my life,” the former Watfordman said.
“I’m very excited about the new Dettol offering because nothing feels more refreshing after a game, than the minty freshness that comes after a bath with the new Dettol Cool Soap.”

The new Dettol Cool soap combines the trusted Dettol protection against 99.9% odor causing germs, with an extra burst of menthol freshness to protect and refresh Nigerians as they go through their daily activities.

General Manager of RB Nigeria Dayanand Sriram is pleased about the partnership which he described as a ‘winning combination’.

“Odion Ighalo is a great success on and off the field. He is a role model and inspiration to all Nigerians,” he said.

“We are very excited about the Dettol Cool partnership with him and we are confident that this would be a winning combination.”

After playing 35 matches and scoring 16 goals, which ranks him as the seventh all-time highest goalscorer in the Super Eagles history, the striker took the decision to bow out for younger ones to 'learn and grow'.
He was awarded the top scorer's prize at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nationsin Egyptafter scoring five goals in seven appearances for Gernot Rohr’s team.

Ighalo commenced his career as a youth player in the U20 team and later made his senior debut during an international friendly match against Ugandain March 2015.

Al Nassr’s Ahmed Musa and Genk’s Paul Onuachu have arrived in Nigeria’s camp ahead of this week’s international friendlies against Algeriaand Tunisia.
The duo are the last of the players to arrive at the team’s base in Austriaas Gernot Rohr now has his players available for training.
Onuachu was handed a late call-up after Victor Osimhen of Napoliwas excused from the Desert Foxes and Carthage Eagles’ games because of travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

*After seven seasons at FC Midtjylland, the gangling striker joined the Belgian elite division outfit in 2019. This season, he has been impressive for Jess Thorup’s men having scored seven goals in seven games in the 2020-21 campaign.
For Musa, who naturally takes over the mantle of leadership from John Obi Mikel, he is expected to add attacking bite to the squad in the games that will serve as build-up for November’s double-header Africa Cup of Nationsqualifier against Sierra Leone.

This term, he is yet to feature for Rui Vitoria's Najd’s Knight as speculation about him leaving the King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh became intense.

Four days after taking on the reigning African champions, Rohr’s team will face the Carthage Eagles at Jacques Lehmans Arena.

Since defeating Lesotho 4-2 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Maseru's Setsoto Stadium on November 17, 2019, Nigeria are yet to play a match in 2020 owing to the Covid-19 outbreak.

FULL SQUAD

*Goalkeepers: Dele Alampasu (FK Ventspils, Latvia); Matthew Yakubu (SKF Sered, Slovakia); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

*Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong ( UdineseFC, Italy); Olaoluwa Aina ( FulhamFC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Paderborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

*Midfielders: Mikel Agu (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal); Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, Netherlands); Frank Onyeka (FC Midtjylland, Denmark); Samson Tijani (TSV Hartberg, Austria)

*Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Alex Iwobi ( EvertonFC, England); Paul Onuachu (Genk, Belgium); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze ( VillarrealFC, Spain); Cyriel Dessers (KRC Genk, Belgium); Kelechi Iheanacho ( Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France); Chidera Ejuke ( CSKA Moscow, Russia)

Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick has confirmed Fifa’s approval of Kevin Akpoguma to switch allegiance to Nigeria.
The defender was born to a German mother and a Nigerian father and has represented Germanyat various youth levels.

Akpoguma is, however, still eligible to feature for the Super Eagles since he is yet to play for the European country’s senior team.

*The centre-back has been delivering consistent performances for Bundesligaside Hoffenheimsince joining the club in 2015.
Last season, he made 18 league appearances for the Kraichgauer to help his side finish sixth in the campaign.

Ahead of the West Africans’ friendlies against Algeriaand Tunisiaon October 9 and 13 respectively, Pinnick revealed the 25-year-old has been given the green light to play for Nigeria.

“I'm extremely happy to announce that Fifa has just granted Hoffenheim defender and former German U20 national team skipper Kevin Ufuoma Akpoguma permission to make his switch to Nigeria with immediate effect,” Pinnick tweeted.

Akpoguma has already linked up with Gernot Rohr’s men in Austria, who are preparing for their games against the Desert Foxes and the Carthage Eagles.
#SoarSuperEagles #Team9jaStrong pic.twitter.com/6DiVfd8Tzc— (@NGSuperEagles) October 5, 2020
Last month, Super Eagles coach Rohr explained how he convinced the defender to make his switch to the three-time African champions.

"It was not my job to convince [Kevin] Akpoguma to come and play for Nigeria. I had a good conversation with him and his family while watching several games in Hoffenheim,” Rohr said.
"After the matches, we met and could talk. I presented our projects and I could speak about the team, about this incredible period in the Super Eagles and my vision for the team.
"He was sold on this and would love to be a part of the team and play in big international competitions like the Africa Cup of Nationsor even the World Cup.
"We are very happy about the decision of Kevin Akpoguma to switch from Germany to Nigeria. Because he played for Germany at youth level, the process is not finished yet because Fifa must give the authorisation.

"He has fulfilled the written request to the switch and we only await the good news that he can finally play for us.”

Having been cleared by Fifa, Akpoguma could play a part in Super Eagles' friendlies in Austria

Manchester Unitedhave confirmed the signing of full-back Alex Telles on a four-year deal with the option for one in addition.
The 27-year-old underwent a medical at the club’s training ground on Monday after breakthrough in negotiations with Portoon Sunday.

Telles was ready to fly to Brazilfor international duty when the two sides came to an agreement on a fee

*United had been in talks with the Portuguese club over the full-back for a number of weeks but were apart on their valuation.

The Red Devils' initial bid was around €13.2 million (£12m/$15.6m) as the defender was in the final year of his contract but, there was an agreement reached on Sunday and it is understood United have paid €15m with an additional €2m in add ons. The club were first alerted to Telles' skills when he was playing for Galatasarayin 2014 and has been extensively watched by the club's scouting team over the last two years.

Telles’ arrival is to bring competition to Luke Shaw at left-back and should also bring a different dimension to United’s attack. The 27-year-old scored 13 goals and assisted 12 in 49 appearances across all competitions last season.

Upon joining the Red Devils, Telles said: "To join a club with the prestige of Manchester United is a huge honour.

"You have to work hard to get to this moment in your career and now I am coming to this club, I can promise that I will give everything in my heart to be a success here. I won many trophies at FC Porto and I want to continue that at United.
"The manager has a clear plan and direction for this team and I can’t wait to pull on the famous shirt.”

United boss Solskjaer added: “First and foremost I welcome Alex to United. He is a player we have been tracking for some time and his performances over the past few years are exactly what we are looking for.

“He is a fighter and a winner and will add real determination and competition to the squad. Alex has the qualities, both as a player and as a person, that we want here at Manchester United.”
The full-back is the club’s second signing of the summer following Donny van de Beek’s arrival in August, while Edinson Cavani is set to arrive to boost Solskjaer’s attacking line.

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