Modzero Sports

Seeing genuinely young boys play football in an age grade competition in Nigeria gave me more joy than I can correctly express. Kudos to the NFF and Zenith bank. If these players are monitored and entered into a data base, age cheating will be a thing of the past in Nigerian football  

MFM football club of Lagos today played out a one all draw with Kano Pillars in the ongoing Nigerian Professional Football League invitational tournament to go through as to the final of the tournament. Ahead of the encounter, both teams were level on one point each, with MFM boasting of a better goal scored ratio(1).   MFM FC went ahead in the 3rd minute of the encounter through Adegboyega, with Pillars equalizing on the 15th minute mark through Alassan Ibrahim. With the game tied at one a piece, Pillars who needed a win to go through turned on the pressure in front of their home fans but MFM held on for all 3 points and a place in the final. Earlier in the day, the CHAN Eagles team defeated Enyimba FC of Aba by a lone goal courtesy a Faleye 55th minute strike that left Dauda helpless.   Both teams will face off in the final on sunday, with MFM looking to add to the South West preseason trophy they won last week, and the CHAN team looking to get enough wins

Nearing the twilight of the Jay Jay Okocha era, Nigerians began a frantic search for the perfect Jay Jay replacement. From Nosa Igiebor, to Rabiu Ibrahim, Nigerians have seen false messiahs who have failed to impress or hold down slots in the National teams and have struggled for game time at their various clubs.     Mikel Obi eventually stepped into the Nigerian creative hole, though a variation of the 2005 Mikel Nigerians hoped for(thanks to Mourinho). A slower and less flamboyant player than Jay Jay, Mikel exerts the same influence over the middle of the park and has a hand in every good thing the Super Eagles do up front. At 30, Mikel has refined his game to depend more on intelligence than pace, a move that reminds us that the mercurial midfielder will soon be nearing the end of his National team playing career and the search for Mikel's successor would soon commence.     Blessed with an abundance of talents in Kelechi, Iwobi, the Nwakali bro