The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Odion Ighalo

  • Ighalo enjoys pool time with Ideye, Omeruo

    Ighalo enjoys pool time with Ideye, Omeruo

    Super Eagles trio of Odion Ighalo, Brown Ideye and Kenneth Omeruo enjoyed a great time as they relaxed in the pool at the Bolton White Hotels & Apartments, Zone 7 in Abuja on Tuesday ahead of this weekend’s World Cup qualifier against Algeria.

    Nigeria will take on the Fennec Foxes in the match-day two of the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday and the trio who are best of friends in the national team camp showed no sign on being under any pressure ahead the important encounter.

    Ighalo uploaded a picture of the trio in a relaxed mood on his Instagram page while joking that he is teaching his national team mates how to swim.

    “Teaching @omeruo and @ideyebrown how to swim????”, he said via @ighalojude

    Ideye, who also uploaded the same picture on his Twitter account, @OfficialIdeye simply wrote, “Recovery!! #supereagles #camp #Thankful #Believe”.

    The 28 year old scored his 7th goal in the Greek Super League for Olympiacos in a 3-0 victory over Panathinaikos in an Athens derby last Sunday, Ighalo featured for Watford in 6-1 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League, while Omeruo had a mixed emotion as he scored an own goal as his Turkish side Alanyaspor defeated Gaziantepspor 4-3 last Saturday.

    Ideye who is said to be nursing minor knocks engaged in light ball work, while Ighalo and Omeruo took part in Tuesday morning’s training with other players at the National Stadium, Abuja under the watchful eyes of Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr and Coach Salisu Yusuf.

  • Watford extend Ighalo’s deal to 2021

    Watford extend Ighalo’s deal to 2021

    English Premier League club, Watford on Thursday announced that Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has signed a new contract until 2021.

    The 27-year-old extended his stay at Vicarage Road after scoring 17 goals in the English topflight last season, Goal reports.

    Watford turned down a £38m offer from Chinese side, Shanghai SIPG for the ex- Granada striker in June.

     

  • Odion Ighalo stars in DStv Live Your Dream campaign

    Odion Ighalo stars in DStv Live Your Dream campaign

    Nigerian professional footballer Odion Jude Ighalo is set to star in Live Your Dream, a new campaign for DStv Compact by MultiChoice Nigeria.

    The Live Your Dream campaign celebrates the passion, perseverance and determination of Nigerians to achieve their dreams against all odds with Ighalo’s story as a perfect backdrop. Twenty seven year old Ighalo who plays for Watford Football Club is also a MultiChoice ambassador.

    “Ighalo’s journey to football stardom has been a source of inspiration for many,” said the General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice, Martin Mabutho.

    “His passion and performance in the game have made him well respected both home and abroad. As a brand, we are going down memory lane with Ighalo and will discover how he was able to live his dream from the streets of Ajegunle to the tables of the Premier League.”

    The campaign that includes TV, Out-of-home, digital, radio and press adverts have officially been launched as a build up to the upcoming 2016/17 Premier League season.

    “Subscribers on DStv Compact will have a chance to live their dream as well by watching all the Premier League games on the Compact bouquet for only N6,000”, said Mabutho while highlighting the benefits of the campaign to subscribers.

    He also disclosed MultiChoice Nigeria has added “two new SuperSport channels SuperSport 11 (DStv channel 231) and SuperSport 12 (DStv channel 232) dedicated to showcasing the Premier League and La Liga respectively, as well as the broadcast of the recently concluded Euro 2016 matches at no extra cost. We believe that Ighalo’s endorsement will consolidate the expansion of our football offering on Compact while also heightening expectation of the upcoming Premier League season.”

  • Olympics: Mikel, Ighalo, Iwobi in Nigeria provisional squad

    Olympics: Mikel, Ighalo, Iwobi in Nigeria provisional squad

    Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel and Watford striker Odion Ighalo have been named in the 35-man Nigeria Olympic squad put together by Samson Siasia.

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) released the list submitted by Siasia ending speculation about the identity of the over-23 players in the team as allowed by FIFA.

    Defender Godfrey Oboabona and goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi are the other over-age players that will compete for three slots in the team, Goal reports.

    Despite the ongoing speculation on their availability for the Games, Manchester City and Arsenal starlets Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi were also included in the squad.

    The full list:

     

    Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa FC, South Africa), Yusuf Bala (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers), Taiwo Abdulrahman (Kwara United), Ndubuisi Agu (FC Porto, Portugal), Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia), Stanley Amuzie (Olhanense FC, Portugal), Taiwo Awoniyi (Frankfurt FC, Germany), Okechukwu Azubuike (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey), Etor Daniel (Enyimba FC), Augustine Dimgba (Sunshine Stars), William Ekong (Haugesund FC, Norway), Saturday Erimuya (Kayseri Erciyespor, Turkey), Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense FC, Portugal), Imoh Ezekiel (Anderlecht, Belgium), Saviour Godwin (Ostende, Belgium), Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England), Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England), Emiloju Julius (MFM FC), Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovakia), John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England), Musa Muhammed (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey), Usman Muhammed (CF Uniao, Portugal), Wilfred Ndidi (KRC Genk, Belgium), Erhun Obanor (MFM FC), Godfrey Oboabona (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey), Kenneth Omeruo (Chelsea FC, England), Sodiq Saliu (Seraing FC, Belgium), Abdullahi Shehu (CF Uniao, Portugal), Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium), Seth Sincere (Rhapsody FC), Ndifreke Udo (Abia Warriors), Aminu Umar (Osmalispor, Turkey), Sadiq Umar (AS Roma, Italy).

  • ‎ Nigeria defeats Luxembourg in friendly

    ‎ Nigeria defeats Luxembourg in friendly

    Nigeria on Tuesday evening defeated Luxembourg 3-1 in an international friendly played at the Stade Josy Barthel in Luxembourg City.

    Olympiakos striker, Brown Ideye, opened the scoring for the Super Eagles in the 36th minute, before Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho, doubled the advantage for the three-time African champions mid- way into the second half.

    Substitute Odion Ighalo scored Nigeria’s third goal in the 89th minute.

    Vincent Thill’s late goal was not enough for the European side who struggled to match the superior West Africans throughout the encounter.

  • Ighalo lands in France for Eagles’ friendlies

    Ighalo lands in France for Eagles’ friendlies

    Watford striker, Odion Ighalo, has arrived the Super Eagles’ camp ahead of friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg, making him the first player to hit the team’s hotel in Rouen, France.

    Ighalo, who travelled to the French city from London, arrived in the evening and was received by the Super Eagles Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi, africanFootball.com reports.

    Other members of the team led by interim head coach, Salisu Yusuf, left Nigeria on Tuesday night.

    The team included Ogenyi Onazi, Etebo Oghenekaro, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Elderson Echiejile, Umar Aminu, Shehu Abdullahi, Kingsley Madu, Musa Mohammed and Brown Ideye.

  • Watford boss tips Success to shine in England

    Watford boss tips Success to shine in England

    Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has tipped Granada forward, Isaac Success, to shine in the English Premier League after he admitted his admiration for the Nigeria U-20 striker.

    Success has been linked with a move to Watford, who like Granada is owned by the Pozzo family who also own Italian Serie A side, Udinese.

    “Success is a very good player, he has power, he has the physical characteristics to play in England, but he’s younger and we need to think about the future of this player, or if we have the possibility of this player in the future,” africanFootball.com quoted Flores as saying on the player.

    Fellow Nigerian star, Odion Ighalo, has already made a successful transition from Granada in La Liga to the EPL and many see the younger Success as a direct replacement should Ighalo leave Watford in the summer.

    However, the Watford manager said he remains positive his club could still hold on to Ighalo.

  • Ighalo picks Koscielny as toughest opponent

    Ighalo picks Koscielny as toughest opponent

    Watford striker Odion Ighalo has picked Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny as the toughest opponent he has come up against this season.

    Arsenal defeated Watford 3-0 when both teams clashed in October last year and Ighalo remembered getting very little out of the game due to Koscielny’s presence.

    “I think I have faced a lot of difficult defenders this season,” africanFootball.com quoted Ighalo as saying to journalists.

    “But I would say against Arsenal, Koscielny did not give me enough space to do what I wanted and this match was really difficult.

    “Koscielny is the best defender I’ve faced this season.”

    Watford will face Leeds United in the next round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

  • Watford to replace Ighalo with Isaac Success

    Watford to replace Ighalo with Isaac Success

    Officials of English Premier League side, Watford, are preparing a summer move for former Flying Eagles striker, Isaac Success.

    The EPL side has started planning for life without its prolific striker, Odion Ighalo ahead of next season and has beamed its searchlight on the highly-rated Granada starlet as his replacement, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

    Watford, Udinese and Granada are owned by the Pozzo family and it is envisaged that negotiations over Success’s transfer to Vicarage Road will be fruitful.

    The ex-Golden Eaglets star has expressed his desire to join Watford if his wages are increased and he is paid a hefty signing on fee.

     

  • Ighalo hails Emenike’s arrival to England

    Ighalo hails Emenike’s arrival to England

    Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has celebrated Emmanuel Emenike’s loan move to English Premier League side, West Ham.

    The Fenerbahce striker joined West Ham on loan till the end of the season, africanFootball.com reports.

    The retired Super Eagles striker cost West Ham £750,000 and the EPL side has an option to buy him for £8.1 million in the summer.

    “Congrats bro, good to have another Nigerian in the EPL,” africanFootball.com quoted Ighalo as saying on his Twitter handle.