Arsenal fans want Nwankwo Kanu to replace Olivier Giroud after 40-years-old Nwankwo Kanu scores hat-trick for Arsenal yesterday

Nwankwo Kanu was the standout on a pitch packed with football icons as the Nigerian striker scored a hat-trick for Arsenal legends against AC Milan Glorie.

At 40 years young, Kanu showed at the Emirates he is still in fine touch with both head and feet after coming off the bench.

Kanu was so keen to get his day underway that he stayed on the pitch for the start of the match, before realising he was actually due to start on the bench for Arsene Wenger's side.

Once he got on the pitch he delighted a sell-out crowd at The Arsenal Foundation fundraiser and some fans were so impressed they felt Kanu could still do a job for their first team.

His first-half header into the top corner got the Gunners side off the mark and he almost found another when he turned Dario Simic only to fire his shot wide.

A second emphatic header from Luis Boa Morte’s cross, which gunned in off the crossbar, in the 69th minute was rounded off with a comfortably taken penalty for his hat-trick.

Current striker Olivier Giroud was the man to cop the brunt of criticism with fans impressed by the former front man Kanu, whose last professional outings came for Portsmouth in 2012.

“Retired Kanu still has more pace and is still more clinical that Giroud," wrote one fan, who called for Arsene Wenger to sign him on a free.

Twitter user George said: "Kanu has gone for 12 years and has come and scored a hat Trick at the Emirates ahead of Giroud.”

Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg were similarly on song, with their performance capped off by Pires’ late goal.

Jens Lehmann, who started on the bench behind David Seaman, while former Italy and Milan star Christian Vieri scored a double for the visitors.

The Emirates crowd sang "Wenger, sign him up", 

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Leicester City signs Algerian Striker Islam Slimani on a 5 year deal till 2021

Leicester City have broken their transfer record for the third time this summer after sealing the signing of Algerian international striker Islam Slimani from Sporting CP in Lisbon for a fee believed to be around £30m.

The deal still remains subject to the formalities of Premier League approval and international clearance, but Slimani has signed a five-year contract that will keep him at the King Power Stadium until 2021.

"To join a team like Leicester City is a huge honour and I can't wait to get started," the 28-year-old told LCFC.com.

"I've always wanted to play my football in the Premier League and to get the opportunity to do that with the reigning champions was something I simply could not turn down," he added.

"I saw the amazing success of last season and the passion of the club's supporters. That's something that I’m so excited to be a part of," he added

Slimani scored an incredible 31 goals in all competitions for Sporting last season, having earlier risen to international prominence as the attacking spearhead of an Algerian team that reached the knockout rounds of the 2014 World Cup.

Foxes favourite Riyad Mahrez was also at that tournament, and Slimani says the influence of the 2016 PFA Players' Player of the Year was also key in his decision to sign.

"My friend Riyad Mahrez spoke to me about the club and about the atmosphere the Leicester fans create at King Power Stadium," he said.

"I will give absolutely everything I have on the pitch for them and for my team-mates and I hope that together we can achieve something special."

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Joe Hart joins Torino from Manchester City on a season-long loan

Joe Hart has delivered a heartfelt parting message to Manchester City fans as he begins a new chapter of his career in Italy after joining Torino on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day.

Hart saw his starting place at the Etihad Stadium go to Willy Caballero in the opening few weeks of the new campaign, followed by Claudio Bravo's £17m arrival from Barcelona.

But the 29-year-old, who first arrived in Manchester as a teenager from Shrewsbury Town, is keen to show his gratitude for the support he has received from fans over the years, and particularly in recent weeks when it became clear his time was drawing to a close.

"I just wanted to take this opportunity to address all the amazing Manchester City fans who have been so good to me," Hart said on Wednesday night as he took to Facebook.

"It's been a difficult few weeks but that will never cloud the amazing journey and experience your great club has given to me. From the moment I signed in 2006, the club and its fans have given me football and life experiences I could never have imagined and I am so thankful for that.

"Football is a crazy game and, due to circumstances, I am now moving on to another chapter of my career and I am very grateful that Torino has given me this opportunity to play for their great club.

"But the feelings I felt during the recent Steaua Bucharest game will live with me forever. You can't buy that and I will struggle to replicate them. So thank you for that and all the amazing memories.

"There are many great people at the club behind the scenes and the club is moving in the right direction, so I would like to wish Manchester City football club, all its staff and players and of course the fans, all the best for the coming season and beyond."

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Jack Wilshere joins Bournemouth on loan from Arsenal

Bournemouth have completed the signing of Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere on a season long loan deal, the ​club have confirmed.

Wilshere was offered out for loan by Arsenal in the last few days of the transfer window, and Bournemouth are rumoured to have beaten more than 20 clubs to his signature. Of the late runners, Crystal Palace, Roma and AC Milan ran the Cherries closest, but the decision was made earlier today and he's now been presented with the red and black shirt.

Chief Executive Neill Blake said on the move: "Jack is a fantastic addition to the club. He is a player that needs no introduction and one that, quite rightly, our supporters will be excited to see in a Bournemouth shirt.

"He will bring a wealth of international and Premier League experience, so we are delighted to be able to welcome a player of his calibre to the club."

Wilshere, who has been capped 34 times for England at senior level, becomes the club's highest profile signing of the summer. The likes of Jordon Ibe and Lewis Cook have also arrived at the club.

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Chelsea Officially Complete Stunning David Luiz Move as Defender Signs 3-Year Deal

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of centre-back David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain, just two years after the Brazilian moved to the French capital for £50m.

The Blues announced on Wednesday evening that the 29-year-old defender has signed a three-year deal at Stamford Bridge, with a fee believed to be in the region of €38.5m.

In a statement on the club's website, he said: "I'm delighted to return to Chelsea. We had a fantastic story during my first time at the club and I want to help the team and Antonio Conteachieve a lot of success. I always had a wonderful relationship with the fans and I am looking forward to wearing the blue shirt at Stamford Bridge once again."

Luiz started all three of Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 games at the start of the current campaign, but drew heavy criticism in last weekend's defeat to Monaco in which he was substituted off after an hour. He also gave away a crucial penalty on the brink of half-time. 

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Club-by-Club Guide to All the Completed 2016/17 Premier League Summer Transfers

Club-by-Club Guide to All the Completed 2016/17 Premier League Summer Transfers

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Four things I look out for when I scout a player

1. Football skills

Having a good technique is a must but often technique and control are mistaken for flashy dribbles and One of the most important aspects and qualities of a player is his first touch. It sets him up for his next move and it often proves crucial. It shows that a player thinks ahead and can give him time for a pass or a shot.

About the flashy moves, pulling of exquisite tricks shows a player is very capable and brave enough to do them but it all comes down to the end product. If it helps to beat an opponent and aid your team, tremendous, if it stalls your counter attack, well that’s unacceptable. So scouts look for players who are capable with the ball at their feet and can use their technical ability for their own and more importantly their team’s advantage.
 

2. Tactical awareness

Tactical awareness, some even call this football IQ, means how players move across the field and recognize different situations. It’s not just what they do with the ball that’s important, what they do without it means just as much. How they close down space and opponents in defence and how they move to draw defenders and open up spaces for their teammates in attack.

They have to be aware of their teammates and their position on the field and the same goes for their opponents. 

Most time during Nigeria Professional Football League matches You’ll rarely see me with my eyes on the ball during a match. I’ll be busy looking at things like players position on the pitch, and whether they’re prepared to get stuck in and help their team-mates out.”
 

3. Physique

Physical attributes such as speed and size are qualities that are given by nature and can hardly be trained. Although being tall and speedy are welcome attributes, they are not the most important. It depends on the position you play and your other traits. Look at Mathieu Valbuena for example he was cast aside as a youngster for his small stature but proved himself through the lower leagues and made it to the French national team and has already played for some big clubs.

While you can’t influence your growth you can work on your stamina and balance, or your ball control. Nowadays the bigger clubs test players at a young age to see how tall they will grow but this usually carries more significance if a player is a goalkeeper.
 

4. Temperament

Scouts look for a lot more in players than their football skills; they need to assess the mental makeup of a player. They need to see if a player is capable of playing under pressure and keep his emotions in check for the sake of their team.

They look for brave, enthusiastic players who have the drive to keep going and lead the team forward. Sometimes clubs invite player’s families for further insight in the player’s background and upbringing to easily assess their temperament. 

They look into the player from all angles  “The pitch doesn’t lie. When you see a guy 20 times … and when you see a kid warming up, you understand many things.”

My Advice

The most important thing to remember is to always give your best and assume there are scouts watching. “It’s hard to hide good players. If you’re a good player we’ll find you.”

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WEST HAM ANNOUNCES HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP DEAL WITH CAPITAL OIL AND GAS, FC IFEANYI UBAH

Oil giant, Capital Oil and Gas and Anambra based NPFL club side FC Ifeanyi Ubah have inked a long term partnership deal with West Ham United FC, one of the leading clubs in the English Premier League. The deal, which was officially signed today in London is set to be unveiled at the Olympic stadium on Sunday, 21st of August before West Ham United FC's first home league match against Bournemouth.

 

This was contained in a press release made by West Ham United FC via its website www.whufc.com

 

Read the Press release below

 

"West Ham United are delighted to announce the Club’s first ever official partnership in Africa, following the signing of a long-term agreement with Capital Oil and Gas Ind. Ltd, the principal investor in the Nigerian Professional Football League outfit, FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

 

Capital Oil and Gas, a company of strategic national importance in Nigeria stands out as a leading player in the downstream subsector of Nigeria's Petroleum industry and the fastest growing indigenous Oil and Gas company in the West African sub region with a vision to become Africa's first choice provider of energy solutions through innovation, strategic partnership and clientele value added service delivery.

 

The partnership will provide Capital Oil and Gas with a range of rights to promote the business through the football club, driving visibility and awareness as well as focussing on B2B interaction through the use of hospitality at the Hammers’ iconic new home.  

 

Based in Nnewi, Anambra State, and currently competing in the Nigerian Professional Football League, FC Ifeanyi Ubah are to become the Hammers’ Official Nigerian Football Club Partner. 

 

The long-term agreement will also see the two football clubs join forces on a number of football-related projects led by FC Ifeanyi Ubah, from best-practice coaching initiatives to establishing grass roots football programmes in Nigeria, all with a view to improving the standard of football across the region.  

 

West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: “This ground-breaking partnership serves to further emphasize our growing international profile, bringing the famous West Ham United name to Africa for the first time in a partnership context.  

 

“The popularity of Premier League football in West Africa has been well documented and it is testament to the Club’s success, on and off the pitch, that we are now considered one of the most high profile and attractive clubs in the region. 

 

“We are looking forward to working alongside FC Ifeanyi Ubah and building a strong legacy in Nigerian football inspired by West Ham United.”

 

Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, owner of FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas, added: “We are extremely excited to have signed a partnership with West Ham United and are excited by the prospect of what we can achieve together. This is going to be a massive turnaround for FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Nigerian football and African football by extension.

 

“West Ham were our first choice of all of the Premier League clubs given the club’s rich history, unrivalled reputation for developing talent which we strongly believe will help boost FC Ifeanyi Ubah academy and of course the fantastic new stadium in Stratford.

 

 

“Together with West Ham’s continued success on the field, this is a valuable proposition for our own club’s learning and evolution”.

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Four reasons why Nigeria lost to Germany yesterday

What Germany showed in the 2-0 win was that we (Africa in particular) still do not understand the real dynamics of football and team preparation. Our coaches think football is just about playing a certain formation that allows eleven players running around the pitch for 90 minutes. 

They fail to understand that football is like a political game or race. You need to plan ahead by looking for errors or loopholes to capitalize on to cause first class damage to your opponents. 

Horst Hrubesch (Germany's coach) knew that the Nigerian strength was attack and press so he planned and successfully negated these strengths. But how did he achieve it? Yesterday I Pointed out five things we can capitalize on to wreck havoc on the Germans.

They got an early goal

The only game that the Dream Team had gone behind before Wednesday’s loss to Germany was their third group game against Colombia, and they also lost 2-0.  So Hrubesch set out his players to get an goal, knowing that the Nigerians would be slow to respond. 

This worked based on the two major absentees. There was no Azubuike Okechukwu to pass the ball from defence into attack and there was no direct running from Oghenekaro Etebo.

They stopped Mikel From dictating play 

Hrubesch knew that the more time Mikel Obi had on the ball, the more influence he would have on the game so they set out to ensure that he did not have time on the ball.  Mikel was fouled nine times – the most by any of the players that started the match and not by the same player.

They used the one-two pass to great effect

They detected that the Nigerian team do not have great Chemistry and tactical coordination so they used their movement and tactical awareness to move the ball from one point to the other – making the players that should have been the offensive lynchpins to concentrate more on tracking back to help their team. One of such was the opening goal when Imoh Ezekiel switched off and his team was punished.

They fouled tactically not foolishly 

Anytime they saw that the Dream Team were about to get up a steam, they fouled and stopped the play, especially in the second half. They knew that they could not physically compete with the Nigerians so they ensured that their fouls were given away in the middle of the pitch. Check out Sven Bender’s foul on Mikel when there were acres of space in front of the Nigerian.

Many would conclude the loss of both Okechukwu and Etebo caused collateral damage to the team, which could be true but the other truth is that the Germans were tactically superior in all departments. And we still have a lot to learn!

We failed to use the wings

In my pre match post I said that the Germans are so good in the midfield that we cant take control in the midfield. I pointed out the major deficiency they had,which is a shaky right and left full backs.

If coach Siasia had instructed Aminu Umar and Imoh Ezekiel to force play from the wings, we would have seen numerous errors from them.

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Match Report: Rivers United exacerbate Heartland of Owerri tribulations

By Chinedu Laurel Okorodike 
Follow me on Twitter via @laureldpundit


Rivers United fielded a full strength team which included their star man Bernard Ovoke who just returned from trials with Lillestrom in Norway. The home side wasted no time in making their intentions known as they almost drew the first blood in the 6th minute as Obomate almost scored but the ball hit the side netting.

Guy Kumian almost gave Rivers United the lead as he attempted a spectacular volley but the went over the bar. moments later Chinonso Okonkwo struck from the edge of the box but Heartland goalkeeper Ebele Obi did well to tip the ball over the bar.

Heartland's Jika Abubakar almost gave Heartland the lead via a free kick as the ball deceived Rivers United goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi only for it to hit the upright bar.

The heavens opened as the rains started but that did not deter Rivers United from taking the lead via Christian Weli as he headed home a Guy Kuemian beautiful cross. 

Heartland almost responded with the equalizer but Rivers United goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi showed classed to deny Heartland's Gabriel Ebute

In the 41st minute returnee Bernard Ovoke was brought down as he went on his trademark run. He converted the free kick but missed it like a school boy.

Coach Ransom Madu of Heartland  made the first substitution of the game as he introduced former Rivers United player Emeka Atuloma for Roland Koffi and Emeka Ogbugh for Gabriel Ebute. 

Coach Stanley Eguma of Rivers United made his own substitution as Onyekachi Okafor came in For Returnee Bernard Ovoke.

It was a ding dong affair as the two side struggled to take the chances that came their way with Rivers United Onyekachi Okafor the highest culprit.

Coach Stanley Eguma threw in Ofem Inah for Fredrick Obomate with the hope to get that all important second goal.

Minutes later Onyekachi Okafor missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0 but he missed it despite having just the goalkeeper to beat.

Coach Eguma brought in Victor Alegbe for but he had little impart as Rivers United held on foe a win which catapulted them to top spot. As for Heartland players they left the field showing signs of despondency. 

Stats

Shots: 8-6
On Target: 3-2 
Fouls Won: 18-19
Corners: 5-2
Offside: 2-2
Yellow: 0-1
Red: 0-0
Possession: 51%-49%


Gallary

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Five things we must do to beat Germany tonight

By Chinedu laurel Okorodike (Aka Juanizy) 
Follow me on Twitter via @laureldpundit
and Instagram via @laureldpundit

Today's match between Nigeria and German will be a match between two high scoring side. Nigeria has pumped in 10 goals while Germany can boast of 19 goals 

Do not concede too many free kicks or corners

Against a ‘weak’ Denmark team, the Dream Team conceded eight corner kicks but even though the Germans have scored 19 goals [10 against Fiji], they have not scored any from a direct set piece. 

This does not mean that they would not start against Nigeria, because they are supposed to be technically suave and superior to their African opponents. The Germans are good in aerial balls, their players are physical and quite huge.  Also Max Meyer and Serge Gnabry (who has scored two free kick) can punish us at any time through free kicks

Play a double pivot in midfield

Azubuike Okechukwu is suspended for the semi-final and we have lost Oghenekaro Etebo to injury, so the advise to Siasia would be to play right back, Usman Mohammed in Azubuike’s place and ensure that Mikel stays more defensively-minded. The coaching crew should expect to have less time on the ball as it was against Denmark but they must ensure that there are no lone presses in midfield. When the team presses, all the players must press in unison, so as not to create gaps through which the Germans could exploit. 

If we fail to do this, the Bender Brothers (Especially Lars Bender can punish us).They have taken command of the German midfield all through their matches so far.  

Play with two central attackers

The Germans conceded five goals in their first two games and if not for late heroics from Serge Gnabry, they would not have made it into the second round. So, there is a weakness in the central defensive pairing of Niklas Suele and Matthias Ginter, who showed against Mexico and Korea that they do not enjoy playing against direct runners. Siasia should play Sadiq Umar and Aminu Umar with Imoh Ezekiel on the left flank to expose this weakness and to always have numbers in the box when the Nigerian team attacks.

Be hungry to win the ball after losing it and be Discipline without the ball

It is not only important that the Dream Team know what to do on the ball but more importantly that they do not daydream without the ball. Running off the ball to create space for another teammate is a distinct feature of the modern game, so whether in possession or out of possession, the players need to cover the miles. They must also ensure that they match the Germans for intensity throughout all 90 minutes and extra time if needed.

One thing that the U-23 have showed consistently in the four games played in Brazil is the propensity to drop off – to let their rhythm slacken or diminish. Against one of the super powers, Siasia has to ensure that the message to stay alert and concentrated resonates with all the players.

This are just pieces of advice for the technical team even though they definitely know more about managing the game than we do but as Nigerians, who want something to cheer, we could not stand aside and do nothing. We wish this team the best of luck.

Finally attack from the wing......

I don't think we can match these Germans in the midfield. So I suggest we attack from the wing. This is because they don't have good full backs. If Imoh Ezekiel and Aminu Umar can get their acts together, they can cause problems for the Germans via the wings, as we can boast of fast and pacy wingers who could pull beautiful crosses or square plays for Sadiq Umar to cause first class damage. 

Personally I have watched the full backs of the Germans that is led by Toljan and Sule they are not exceptional.We can over run them through the wings.

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Nigeria vs Germany: Can the Dream team determination crush the youthful German Machines tonight

By Chinedu laurel Okorodike (Aka Juanizy) 
Follow me on Twitter via @laureldpundit
and Instagram via @laureldpundit

When funding issues meant Nigeria’s men’s football team was stranded in Atlanta on the eve of the Olympics, even making it to its opening match appeared a tall order. The idea that the team could actually prosper in the event looked to have already been extinguish by the sort of administration woes that have hobbled the country’s progress on the football field for far too long. Yet, improbably, the Super Eagles now stand a win over Germany in Wednesday’s semifinals away from being guaranteed at least a silver medal.

It is quite the contrast. Off the field, the Nigerian team’s Olympics have been nothing short of a disaster. Its plane arrived in Manaus for its opening game against Japan only hours before kickoff, after the airline supposed to charter a flight from Atlanta failed to get paid by the country’s sports ministry.

Nigeria somehow won that game 5-4 and made its way through the group stage, but more problems arose ahead of its quarterfinal against Denmark when players refused to turn up for a training session after a pay dispute. Hearing of the financial woes, a Japanese plastic surgeon has even offered to pay each member of the squad $30,000 if they take home the gold medal.

Still, that promise did not prevent Nigeria from sending its two alternate players – Stanley Dimgba and Yusuf Mohammed – as well as three team officials home ahead of the semifinals in order to reduce costs. Yet, despite its country’s authorities seemingly doing everything possible to undermine its chances, Nigeria has continued to do the business on the pitch against far better prepared teams.

Twenty years after Nigeria’s greatest football moment, it is now eyeing further Olympic glory. Perhaps even the fact that the team’s plane was stranded in Atlanta of all places proved to be an omen for what has followed. It was, after all, the American city which hosted the 1996 Olympics and where Nigeria beat Brazil 4-3 in the semifinals in perhaps the greatest Olympic soccer match of recent times, before defeating Argentina in the final.

That side included a startling array of talent, including Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Daniel Amokachi, Taribo West and more. And it was that team that had a pivotal impact on the captain of the 2016 Olympic team, John Obi Mikel.

“Watching Nigeria beat Brazil in the semifinal and then Argentina in the final really inspired me,” the Chelsea midfielder told the London Evening Standard last month. “I was just kicking a football around for fun back then in the streets. But after seeing Nigeria win the gold medal, I changed.”

Mikel may have scored just one Premier League goal in 247 appearances, but he found the net as Nigeria beat Denmark 2-0 in the quarterfinals. And it is Mikel who is the undoubted star of a 2016 Olympic team that doesn’t have the star power of the 1996 version but has produced some thrilling play in Brazil.

But, in Germany, Nigeria will be going up against a team that has also provided plenty of entertainment. Germany has scored 19 goals in its four Olympic matches, a remarkable tally even if 10 of those did come against minnows Fiji.

Serge Gnabry, alone, is responsible for six of those and has been the outstanding player for Germany ever since coming off the bench in the team’s opening game to help salvage a draw against Mexico. And the 21-year-old was on target once again in the quarterfinals, opening the scoring as his side beat Portugal by a surprisingly emphatic 4-0 margin. 

Gnabry will hope that his form in the Olympics will earn him a first-team opportunity when he returns to his club, Arsenal. But before that he can endear himself to Arsenal supporters by getting once over Chelsea rival, Mikel.

Nigeria vs Germany: Key Facts

Nigeria will be facing a European team for the third time in this Olympics and they have defeated the previous two. They Super Eagles have also lost one of their four games in the competition, scored 8 and conceded 6.

Germany will be locking horns with an African side for the first time in the completion. In addition, the German are unbeaten in the competition and scored the the highest no of goals 19 goals in the tournament, with 14 coming from last two games.

Nigeria vs Germany: Head to Head

These two Nations will be facing each other for the first time in this competition. Germany and Nigeria national football team last met in an international friendly that took place in Koln.

However, Germany have had encounter with African sides in the football aspect of the Olympics. During their last appearance in Seoul 1988, the German met African side like Zambia, And Tunisia, and enjoyed a resounding victory over them.

On their way to the Semi-final of this on-going Olympics, Nigeria faced and defeated 2 European sides. In Addition, any Nigeria Olympic football team has never lost to an European side since the West African country scooped the gold medal in 1996.

Prediction

It promises to be a thrilling contest in Sao Paulo between the two most entertaining sides in the competition. Much could come down to which side is more clinical in front of goal.

This is going to be close game considering the quality in both sides, and their exploit on the way to the final.

Germany has only one shot off target out of their 20 shot goal in this game, netting 19 goals the highest in the competition so far. The German will however be facing a more tactical side, and a team that have failed to loss against any European side in any Olympics game.

In their last Olympic appearance (i.e. Beijing 2008), Nigeria faced an European in the same level of the competition, and produced a wide margin victory over the European side. Dream team V under the tutelage of Samson Siasia defeated Belgium with 4-1 score line and ease to the final of the 2008 edition of the Olympics.

In conclusion, both sides have produced great performances in Rio so far, and have had few historical advantages. This clash is going to produce the best football performance in Rio, and narrow line will separate the two sides. I however predict a win for the Nigerian side.

Predicted starting Eleven

Nigeria starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Daniel; Shehu, Troost-Ekong, Sincere, Amuzie; Okechukwu, Usman; Ezekiel, Obi Mikel, A. Umar; S. Umar

Germany starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Horn; Toljan, Ginter, Sule, Klostermann; S. Bender, L. Bender; Brandt, Meyer, Gnabry; Selke

Players to watch

Serge Gnabry

Germany’s Serge Gnabry is the leading goal scorer at the Olympics with six goals. He has scored in all four of Germany’s matches since he came on as a substitute in the team’s Olympic opener. 

Gnabry has been a consistent threat on the left side, cutting in to the middle of the field on his stronger right foot. He also has two goals from free kicks. 

This should be an exciting match with plenty of scoring chances for both sides.

Mikel Obi

Nigeria is led by captain John Obi Mikel. The Chelsea midfielder was selected as one of the team’s overage players. He plays behind Nigeria’s front line, which is loaded with talented players including Sadiq Umar, Imoh Ezekiel and Oghenekaro Etebo. 

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