Nine-time Nigerian league champions, Enyimba International FC of Aba, has signed former Super Eagles’ striker and 2013 AFCON winner Brown Ideye.

Biztellers reports that Ideye signed till the end of the 2024/25 season.

The Sporting Director of the ‘Nzogbu-Nzogbu Boys’ and ex-international, Ifeanyi Ekwueme, made the disclosure on Tuesday.

Ekwueme said, “The talks have been going on for a while and we completed it yesterday.

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“He will be with us until the end of the season and we believe he will bolster our team’s attack as we compete in the league and the continent.”

It was gathered that Ideye, 36, has been without a club since leaving Kuwaiti side Al Yarmouk in 2022 but he is now set to stage a return to Nigeria’s top flight, taking after former international teammates Ahmed Musa and Abdullahi Shehu who are currently playing for Kano Pillars.

The move will also mark the return of Ideye to the domestic scene 17 years after he left Ocean Boys in 2006.

Ideye was on the verge of joining former league champions Rivers United in October but the move collapsed.
Enyimba have two matches crucial to their domestic and continental aspirations in the next five days as they play Sunshine Stars on Wednesday in a rescheduled NPFL game before travelling to Maputo, Mozambique for their third group game in the CAF Confederation Cup against Black Bulls.

Eight-time and reigning NPFL champions, Rangers International FC, on Sunday, December 8, 2024, in a match day 16, NPFL 2024/2025 fixture, stopped the high riding Rivers United F.C courtesy of a lone strike off a headed effort by skipper of the side, Chinemerem Ugwueze.

Chief-coach of the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu handed starts to the trio of Agu Kenechukwu, Ikenna Stephen and Hillary Ekawu in the absence of the Super Eagles B team invitees while keeping faith with the other team members that secured a valuable draw in Aba, midweek, and the squad never disappointed.

The visitors under coach Finidi George took the fight to the home side after taking the kickoff but met very stiff resistance from the backline of the home side ably marshalled by Austin Opara, Kenneth Igboke, Effimi Nsi and Ikenna Stephen.

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A long-throw from Hillary Ekawu at the quarter-hour was nodded home by captain of the ‘Flying Antelopes, Chinemerem Ugwueze as the large fans that turned up for the top-of-the-table fixture rose to celebrate in unison.

On 35 minutes, Rangers would have extended its lead when Godwin Obaje set up Hillary Ekawu but the attacking-midfielder’s left-footed effort missed the target by a few inches as the home side’s dugout rued the opportunity gone begging while the visitors heaved a sigh of relief.

In the second period, coach George made three substitutions which helped in pushing back the home side into its defensive shells but despite having a larger percentage of possession of the ball, failed to break through the resolute backline of the home side just as it was the visitor’s goalkeeper that was the busier of the two shot stoppers as he did well to stop several attempts made by the attacking trio of Frank Uwumiro, Godwin Obaje and substitute, Daniel Onyia.

With the win, Rangers now occupy the 3rd spot of the twenty team log with 27 points from sixteen matches and extend its unbeaten run to nine matches and will next trade tackles with Katsina United on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at the Muhammad Dikko Stadium, Katsina, Katsina state.

The manager of Arsenal FC, Mikel Arteta is looking forward to the English Premiership League (EPL) side dominating all aspects of football.

This came to the fore after the London side defeated their EPL rival, Manchester United with two set-piece goals in their clash on December 4.

The defeat despite marking the first time the Gunners would defeat the Red Devils in four consecutive EPL ties sparked reactions with many dubbing the London side set-piece kings. The Red Devils conceded 13 corner-kicks in the game.

Biztellers reports that other teams in Europe now fear that the Gunners have turned the corner-kick into a penalty, having used the same to great effects in Europe and domestic cup ties.

When the media took on Arteta on the matter after the encounter, he maintained that his objective has always been to see his side dominate on every aspect of football.

Arteta said, “Well we want to be the kings of everything.

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“On set-pieces we want to be the best in the world. High press, the best in the world. Attacking open spaces, the best in the world. Best atmosphere. The best at everything.

“Before it was we weren’t scoring enough goals. We were soft when defending. We didn’t have mentality. We weren’t physical enough. We could not challenge the top teams, 22 years, 17 years without winning away from home in big matches.

“We want to be the best at everything now. The best academy. The best individual development for players. The best recruitments. The best coaches. The best players. The best of the best. That’s the aim.

“If that’s not the objective then we should be working somewhere else.”

The Arteta-tutored side would be squaring up with London rivals, Fulham FC in an epic EPL tie on Saturday afternoon. The derby would see Fulham line up at least three former Arsenal stars with a view to upsetting the more illustrious neighbours.

Those likely to feature for Fulham in the encounter, include Nigerian-born Alex Iwobi, who netted twice to lift his side to victory in their midweek encounter. Others include, their former first-team goalkeeper, Bernd Leno. Reiss Nelson is ineligible to play because of the terms of his loan move but he, Emile Smith Rowe.

The three outfield players are Arsenal academy graduates.