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Tag: Victor Osimhen

  • Osimhen, Oshoala emerge Winners at 8th Nigeria Pitch Awards

    Osimhen, Oshoala emerge Winners at 8th Nigeria Pitch Awards

    Super Eagles and Napoli FC’s sensation, Victor Osimhen, emerged the biggest winner of the 8th edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards. The Nigerian striker, who was confirmed Player of the Month for March in the Serie A, emerged the Striker of the Year and the King of the Pitch making him Nigeria’s Most Valuable Player for 2021.

    Super Falcons and FC Barcelona Femení goal scorer, Asisat Oshoala continued her dominance of the women’s award category as she named the Queen of the Pitch for the fourth time.

    The 8th Award Ceremony which started three hours after the World Cup Qualifier encounter between Nigeria and Ghana lasted until the early hours of the 30th March 2022. The gathering observed a minute’s silence in honour of those who lost their lives during the attack on the ill-fated Kaduna bound train on Monday 28.

    Welcoming guests to the annual show, Shina Philips, President of the awards, encouraged Nigerians to put the disappointment of the inability of the country to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier in Qatar behind them and look forward to a better future with the Super Eagles.

    ‘Nigerians love football and always expect to win in every game, Philips said. Continuing, he noted, ‘the reality however is that every football match can end in a win, a draw or a loss. We will move on and become stronger in future. We have been champions before and will be champions again in future.’

    Philips stated that organizers were not oblivious of the mood of the nation. ‘We understand that many Nigerians are disappointed but we wish to remind Nigerians that the nation has won many football matches and competitions and we ought to continue to encourage the players by rewarding them for their commitment, industry and display of talent in 2021’, Philips concluded.

    The ceremony which was anchored by legendary Nollywood actor, Segun Arinze lived up the expectations of guests, players, nominees and voters. In the Goalkeeper of the year category, Maduka Emilio Okoye emerged winner while Super Eagles Captain, William Troost-Ekong beat fello compatriots, Olisa Ndah and Lean Balogun to win the Defender of the year award for the third time.

    Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester City FC was named the Midfielder of the Year and Victor Osimhen starved off competition from Genk FC’s Paul Onuachu and Leicester City FC’s Kelechi Iheanacho to lift the Striker of the Year award.

    In other categories, 2021 League winners, Akwa United and Coach Kennedy Boboye were voted the Team of the Year and Coach of the Year respectively.

    Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, NFF First Vice President emerged the winner of the Sam Okwaraji Award for commitment to Nigerian football. Continuing in her dominance, Lagos State again won the Award for the State with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme as His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of the state was voted the Football Friendly Governor of the Year.

    In the media category, Punch Newspapers’ Johnny Edwards and Brila 88.9 FM’s Tony Bekederemo emerged winners in the Football Journalist of the Year (Print) and Football Journalist of the Year (Radio) respectively. Cecilia Omorogbe of Channels TV and Shina Oludare of Goal.com charted home the Football Journalist of the Year awards in the TV and Online categories’ respectively.

    Major highlights of the night was the presentation of the Sportsmanship Award to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba for his tactical use of peace overtures in fighting crime across the nation. Receiving the award on his behalf, AIG Hafiz Inuwa, the Force Secretary of the Nigeria Police said the IGP would like to encourage Nigerians to shake-off the disappointment of the nation’s loss of a World Cup ticket and focus on what the future holds.

    Another interesting highlight was the presentation of the Achievement in Sport Award to business mogul, Sir Kesington Adebukola Adebutu also popularly known as ‘Baba Ijebu’. He was honoured for his contributions to the development of grassroots football through his sponsorship of the annual Sir Kesington Adebukola Adebutu Competition for boys and girls. The competition has been going on for 11 years.

  • Real Madrid target Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen

    Real Madrid target Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen

    Real Madrid will be tabling a bid for Nigeria and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer. The Nigerian marksman is Madrid’s alternative if they can’t sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

    Osimhen, a Nigerian international, is valued at €80m by Napoli. He’s scored ten goals in the 21 games he’s played for the Southern Italian club so far this season. Osimhen’s career began at Wolfsburg before spells with Charleroi and Lille, who Napoli signed him from. They want to keep him but they are preparing for the eventuality should he leave.

    Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain is Madrid’s number one target this summer but they’d like to bring in another centre-forward as well as the Frenchman. Their current number nine is Karim Benzema, but he isn’t getting any younger and there isn’t really a viable alternative at the Santiago Bernabeu at the moment. Osimhen would be an asset.

    According to reports from Italy, to avoid any vacuum should Osimhen eventually join Real Madrid, Napoli have already started shopping for potential replacements for the Nigerian, with Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca their preferred replacement.

    Mbappé continues to be the priority for Real Madrid though, even if in recent days the news has leaked that Barcelona have also signified an interest in the French striker. It is for this reason, according to AS, that Los Blancos continue to closely monitor Osimhen.

  • I’ll be 100 per cent available for AFCON excerpt… – Victor Osimhen

    I’ll be 100 per cent available for AFCON excerpt… – Victor Osimhen

    Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, has confirmed his availability for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    Osimhen, who was injured after a clash of heads during Napoli’s defeat at Inter Milan in November, was initially ruled out of action for three months.

    But in a statement on social media, the U-17 World Cup winner said he will be available for the tournament billed for next month in Cameroon.

    “I will be available for AFCON 100% unless I’m not among the players picked to represent Nigeria,” he wrote.

     

    Earlier, the former Lille forward underwent surgery after suffering multiple facial fractures during the collision

    “Victor Osimhen was operated on this morning by Prof. Tartaro, assisted by dr. Mario Santagata and in the presence of dr. Canonical, for a reduction and restraint operation of multi-fragmentary and displaced fractures of the malar bone, of the zygomatic arch and pommel, of the floor and lateral wall of the orbit, and of the diastasis of the frontal-zygomatic suture;” the club said in a statement.

    “The prognosis is estimated to be around 90 days.”

    Osimhen’s comment will be a major booster to the Super Eagles fans and interim coach, Austine Eguavoen, as they prepare for the continental showpiece.

    Nigeria, in Group D alongside Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea Bissau, will begin the quest for a fourth AFCON title against the Pharaohs on January 11th.

  • Super Eagles striker makes me lose sleep – Italy legend

    Super Eagles striker makes me lose sleep – Italy legend

    Former Inter Milan striker Sandro Mazzola has confessed he “loses sleep” whenever Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen touches the ball.

    The Napoli frontman has been in great form for the Parthenopeans in Serie A this campaign, managing to score five goals from 10 appearances.

    On Sunday, Napoli will look to extend their 12-match unbeaten run when they take on Inter Milan in a top-flight fixture at San Siro Stadium.

    According to the Italian legend Mazzola, Inter should be wary of the threat posed by the former Lille forward.

    “There is that centre-forward there, Victor [Osimhen], who is really strong. It makes me lose sleep. Every time he touches the ball he manages to amaze me; it’s surprising,” Mazzola told Kiss Kiss Napoli as quoted by notizie-inter.it.

  • I’ve always rated Super Eagles striker ahead of Mbappe – Spalletti

    I’ve always rated Super Eagles striker ahead of Mbappe – Spalletti

    Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti admits he rates Victor Osimhen ahead of PSG star Kylian Mbappe.

    When former Lazio sports chief Walter Sabatini was asked to choose between Osimhen and Mbappé, he opted for the Napoli centre-forward.

    “If I were to pick one of them, I’d go for Osimhen. He is unstoppable, because he can run onto seemingly impossible balls and make them count,” Sabatini told the Corriere dello Sport.

    “Right now, I would choose Osimhen.”

    Spalletti was asked the same question ahead of Sunday’s clash with Roma.

    “I agree with what he said and I have always thought that,” smiled Spalletti.

  • Victor Osimhen not yet world-class striker – Rohr

    Victor Osimhen not yet world-class striker – Rohr

    Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr believes Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has made tremendous progress in his game, but not yet a world-class player.

    Osimhen opened his account for the season with a brace against Leicester City in a Europa League group stage match in England on Thursday night.

    “Victor is currently one of the best strikers in Europe, but not yet in the world,” Rohr told Tuttomercatoweb.com. “Osimhen is young, ambitious and very motivated.”

    “I think he has what it takes to become a great striker, one of the best ever. But he still has to grow.” Rohr added.

     

  • Super Eagles striker scores sixth Serie A goal

    Super Eagles striker scores sixth Serie A goal

    Victor Osimhen scored his sixth Serie A goal of the season in Napoli’s 5-2 hammering of Lazio last night.

    After he failed to find the back of the net in the Blues’ 1-1 draw with Inter Milan on Sunday, the Super Eagles forward came off the bench to seal his team’s big victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

    The strike was Osimhen’s third goal in his last five league appearances and he appears to have rediscovered his goalscoring touch after enduring a nine-match goal drought earlier this year.

    The 22-year-old has now scored six goals after 18 appearances in his debut Serie A campaign following his big-money move from French Ligue 1 club Lille last August.

  • Victor Osimhen to retake COVID-19 test

    Victor Osimhen to retake COVID-19 test

    Serie A outfit Napoli have confirmed Victor Osimhen will retake a Covid-19 test as he is yet to overcome the virus.

    The Super Eagles star tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from Nigeria where he had gone to celebrate the yuletide season.

    Details of how Osimhen contracted the virus was revealed on social media as the forward did not follow Covid-19 rules when he celebrated his birthday on December 29, which he has apologized for.

    The 22-year-old was subsequently isolated for 14 days but after he was retested, the result showed the forward is still suffering from the virus.

    “The molecular nasopharyngeal swab carried out this morning to the footballer Victor Osimhen, resulted in a positive result in Covid-19. The player will repeat the test this week,” read a tweet from the club.

  • Gattuso to meet Osimhen after attending Lagos party

    Gattuso to meet Osimhen after attending Lagos party

    Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso said he will be meeting with Victor Osimhen after the striker apologised for breaching COVID-19 rules at a party organised in Lagos.

    The Super Eagles star is yet to return to action since he dislocated his shoulder during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Sierra Leone on November 13.

    Osimhen is still recovering from the injury but he was granted permission to travel to Nigeria for the winter break where he attended a party to celebrate his 22nd birthday on December 29.

    After Napoli’s 4-1 win over Cagliari on Sunday, Gattuso gave his opinion on the situation.

    “He’s a young lad who gives his all in training,” the Italian manager told the club website. “He knows he’s made a mistake and he’s apologised.

    “I’ll speak to him. I know how much he wants to get back onto the right track and get back playing.”

  • Europa: Victor Osimhen sees first career red in Napoli win

    Europa: Victor Osimhen sees first career red in Napoli win

    Victor Osimhen was shown a red card after two bookable offences in Napoli’s 1-0 triumph over Real Sociedad in Thursday’s Europa League clash.

    The Super Eagles striker received a first red in his footballing career in the third minute of added time.

    He had initially picked his first yellow in the 81st minute.

    He then picked another ten minutes later, after elbowing Robin Le Normand while trying to control David Ospina’s goal kick.

    The 21-year-old record signing came on as a second-half substitute for Gennaro Gattuso’s side, as a Matteo Politano lone goal sealed the win for the Partenopei.

    Osimhen will now miss next week’s clash with Rijeka.

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