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“No More Permutations” — Efe Ambrose Warns Super Eagles Ahead of Tricky AFCON 2027 Qualification Race

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Former Super Eagles defender Efe Ambrose has urged Nigeria to take control of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign from the opening whistle and avoid another nerve-racking race dependent on permutations and results elsewhere.

With the qualifiers approaching, Ambrose wants the Super Eagles to treat every opponent seriously and accumulate the points required to secure their ticket as early and seamlessly as possible.

His warning carries added significance because Nigeria face an unusual qualification equation in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania.

Tanzania are already guaranteed a place at AFCON 2027 as one of the three co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda.

Under CAF’s qualification format, only the highest-placed team apart from Tanzania in Group L will qualify for the finals.

That effectively leaves Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau competing for the group’s available qualification ticket, regardless of where Tanzania finish in the standings.

For Ambrose, that makes a strong start imperative.

The former Celtic defender believes the Super Eagles must move away from qualification campaigns that descend into calculations over points, goal difference and results involving other countries.

His message is that Nigeria should determine their own fate.

Ambrose warned that the traditional gap between Africa’s established football nations and supposedly smaller teams has narrowed significantly, meaning reputation alone can no longer guarantee results.

He therefore wants every fixture approached with maximum seriousness rather than waiting until the latter stages of the campaign before responding to pressure.

Nigeria will begin their qualification campaign at home against Madagascar on Friday, September 25, with kick-off scheduled for 4pm GMT.

Four days later, the Super Eagles travel to face Guinea-Bissau on September 29, another potentially significant fixture in the battle for the sole non-host qualification position.

The opening two matches could consequently have an immediate influence on the shape of Group L.

CAF has scheduled the qualifiers across six matchdays, with the opening two rounds running from September into early October. Matchdays three and four will follow during the November international window before the qualification series concludes in March 2027.

The eventual tournament will be staged across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking the first Africa Cup of Nations jointly hosted by three countries.

Nigeria’s immediate concern, however, is making sure they are there.

Recent African qualifying campaigns have repeatedly demonstrated the danger of underestimating opponents, and Ambrose believes the Super Eagles must recognise that reality from their first game.

For the former Nigeria international, qualification should not become another late mathematical exercise in which supporters are calculating what another country must win, lose or draw.

The post “No More Permutations” — Efe Ambrose Warns Super Eagles Ahead of Tricky AFCON 2027 Qualification Race appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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Oshoala Scores as Al Hilal Cruise to 4-0 Away Victory Over NEOM

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Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala was on target as Al Hilal produced an impressive 4-0 away victory over NEOM, with fellow Nigerian international Christy Ucheibe also featuring in the convincing performance.

Sports247 reports that Oshoala continued her contribution to Al Hilal’s attacking campaign by finding the back of the net in the 65th minute, helping the visitors strengthen their advantage in a dominant display.

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The Nigerian forward’s goal came during an impressive second-half performance from Al Hilal, who added three goals after the interval to complete a comprehensive victory.

Moroccan forward Ibtissam Jraidi opened the scoring in the 11th minute, giving Al Hilal an early advantage before the teams went into the break.

Oshoala doubled the visitors’ lead in the 65th minute before Manar Al-Anzi made it 3-0 just four minutes later.

Jraidi then completed her brace in the 88th minute, sealing the emphatic 4-0 result for Al Hilal.

Christy Ucheibe, Oshoala’s Super Falcons teammate, also played a part in the victory as the Nigerian duo continued to make their contributions to the Saudi Arabian club.

The result represents another important outing for Al Hilal, with the team’s attacking quality evident in the performance against NEOM.

For Oshoala, the goal provides another opportunity to demonstrate her goalscoring ability and importance at club level. The six-time African Women’s Player of the Year remains one of Nigeria’s most recognisable football exports, and her performances continue to attract attention.

The presence of both Oshoala and Ucheibe in Al Hilal’s squad also highlights the growing influence of Nigerian players in women’s football outside the country.

With the emphatic away victory secured, Al Hilal will look to build on the performance in their subsequent fixtures.

The post Oshoala Scores as Al Hilal Cruise to 4-0 Away Victory Over NEOM appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Final: Japan Will Fall Same Way North Korea Crumbled Against Us – Busari

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Nigeria’s female cadet national team, Flamingos’ coach, Akeem Busari has come out with a daring declaration that his squad will defeat Japan on Saturday in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup final, Sports247 reports.

Busari made the declaration after his side pulled off a huge feat by defeating Brazil 3-1 in the competition’s second semi-final on Wednesday and he is now thinking of lifting the global trophy this Saturday in Rabat, Morocco.

Although it’s the first time Nigeria will get to this stage, while Japan are back in the ultimate game after previously making there in 2016, Busari believes his side will emerge victorious at the end of the day.

He is already banking on a repeat performance from his lasses as they had in their last group match; when they trounced back-to-back defending champions, North Korea 3-1 to pull off the first major upset of this year’s championship.

After seeing Japan struggle to hold the Koreans in the first semi-final, then scored a last-minute equaliser before winning on penalties, Busari is of a very strong view that the Asians will fall on Saturday in the same manner their neighbours crumbled during their last match of Group B.

The former head coach at DUFA Football Academy of Lagos and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan acknowledged Japan’s strengths and style of play, then declared that his players will give the very best they can, because they want to return to Nigeria with the trophy this weekend.

Busari theorised, “It’s just about showing the same character and playing the same way we played with North Korea, because they play with the same philosophy. They want to build the ball; they look at the high line of passes.

“They want their full backs to support, so we really want to look at all of that. I’m excited and I’m happy and the class were happy, but we just really want to pick up the trophy. That would be the icing on the cake.”

The post FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Final: Japan Will Fall Same Way North Korea Crumbled Against Us – Busari appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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Grassroots Sports Summit: SSA Adeboye Eyes Stronger Nigeria–Morocco Partnership as November 18 Countdown Continues

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As preparations intensify for the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, has expressed optimism that Nigeria’s growing sporting relationship with Morocco will open new opportunities for grassroots athletes and strengthen international cooperation.

Adeboye, who recently visited the Moroccan Embassy in Abuja for discussions with the Moroccan Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Moha Ou Ali Tagma, said the engagement forms part of ongoing efforts to build strategic partnerships capable of transforming grassroots sports development in Nigeria.

Read Also: “Brazil Must Be Ready for Nigeria” — SSA Adeboye Hails Flamingos, Backs Girls for Historic World Cup Final

The Presidential aide, who also travelled to Morocco during the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to support Nigeria’s Flamingos, described the North African country’s sporting environment as an important example of how sustained investment, infrastructure development and international collaboration can contribute to sporting excellence.

According to him, discussions surrounding potential cooperation between Nigeria and Morocco are encouraging, with high-ranking Moroccan sports officials, including the country’s sports minister and other key stakeholders, among those expected to feature in further engagements.

“Our recent meeting with the Moroccan Ambassador to Nigeria was very productive, and my visit to Morocco has further strengthened my belief in what we can achieve through international sporting partnerships. We are looking forward to engagements involving top Moroccan sports officials, including the sports minister, as we explore opportunities that will benefit young Nigerian athletes,” Adeboye stated.

He explained that the forthcoming summit, themed “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” will provide a platform for translating such relationships into practical opportunities in talent identification, coaching exchanges, sports infrastructure, youth competitions and international exposure.

“We do not want international relationships that end with courtesy visits and photographs. Our focus is on partnerships that will create real opportunities for talented boys and girls across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas,” he added.

Adeboye emphasised that the summit, taking place at the Banquet Hall, State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, will bring together government representatives, sports administrators, development partners, private-sector stakeholders and other key players to chart a sustainable pathway for grassroots sports.

He noted that the summit’s five pillars — Participation, Talent Development, Infrastructure, Sports Economy and International Pathways — reflect the administration’s determination to establish a more inclusive and economically viable sporting system.

“November 18 and 19 are important dates for the future of Nigerian sports. We are bringing stakeholders together not merely to discuss challenges, but to develop practical solutions and establish partnerships that can produce lasting results,” Adeboye said.

The SSA reaffirmed his commitment to advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of creating greater opportunities for Nigerian youths through sports, while urging stakeholders to support the summit and its objectives.

The post Grassroots Sports Summit: SSA Adeboye Eyes Stronger Nigeria–Morocco Partnership as November 18 Countdown Continues appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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