England

Wilfred Ndidi missed one of Leicester City’s better chances as the Foxes stumbled to a 3-0 defeat to Manchester United in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s final match as the boss at Old Trafford.

Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi both featured as Nottingham Forest threw away their early advantage to lose 3-1 against visiting Newcastle United.

In the Championship, Josh Maja headed home his 9th league goal of the campaign as West Brom returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Hull City.

Italy

Ademola Lookman had a goal disallowed while Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye failed to keep a clean sheet as Atalanta carved out a fine 2-1 Serie A victory over Udinese.

Germany

There was no victor, no vanquished between the Super Eagles duo of Frank Onyeka and Kevin Akpoguma as Augsburg and Hoffenheim settled for a goalless draw in the Bundesliga.

In the Regionalliga, Obed Ugondu netted the winning strike – his third goal of the season – that powered Rot-Weiß Erfurt to a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Luckenwalde.

Belgium

In the Belgian Jupiler League, Promise Akinpelu David stole the limelight from Tolu Arokodare as he scored twice to lift Union Saint-Gilloise to a convincing 4-0 victory against KRC Genk.

Jordan Torunarigha was excellent in defence for KAA Gent to inspire the club to a clean sheet and a 5-0 win over visiting Standard Liège.

Czech Republic

Quadri Adediran impressed as he scored two goals in a Czech Liga match for the first time but it was not enough to save České Budějovice from suffering a disappointing 5-2 defeat at Teplice.

Marvis Amadin Ogiomade, 24, assisted Adediran’s second goal in the encounter.

Following his strike in the 2-1 loss to Brest in the Champions League in midweek, Victor Olatunji opened the scoring for Sparta Prague in their 2-2 draw with Mladá Boleslav.

Igoh Ogbu shone in defence as Slavia Prague extended their lead at the top of the Czech Liga to eight points with a commanding 5-1 win at home to Karviná.

Denmark

In the Danish Kvindeliga, Joy Omewa delivered a woman-of-the-match display netting a hattrick as Fortuna Hjørring showed their superiority with a 5-2 win away to Kolding.

Omewa’s haul takes her tally for the season to 10 goals in 11 games, sending her top of the league’s goalscorer chart.

Hungary

Tosin Kehinde was the hero for Ferencváros as the former Man United starlet came off the bench to net an 85th-minute winner in a 1-0 triumph over Kecskemét.

Scotland

Cyriel Dessers’ sixth-minute strike was all Rangers needed to claim a slim 1-0 win over Hearts at the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow.

Leon Balogun also made his eighth league appearance for Rangers in the encounter, helping Philippe Clement’s men to their first clean sheet in five games.

Turkey

Victor Osimhen scored two fine headers to help Galatasaray edge to a thrilling 3-2 win over Samsunspor inside the RAMS Park in İstanbul.

Only Besiktas striker Ciro Immobile (8 goals) and Fenerbahce’s Edin Džeko (7) have scored more goals than Osimhen in the Super Lig this season.

Elsewhere, Bright Osayi-Samuel was in his top element as Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce strolled to a 4-0 victory against Sivasspor to retain their second spot on the league table behind Galatasaray.

In Lig 1, Olanrewaju Kayode continued his excellent form as he smashed two crucial goals for Şanlıurfaspor in their 3-1 win over Gençlerbirliği.

Gençlerbirliği paraded Nigerian midfielder Oggenekaro Etebo but their cause was not helped by the dismissal of Mikail Okyar in the 56th minute when they were leading one-nil.

Kayode now boasts seven league goals in the Turkish second division, three fewer than top goalscorer Fatih Karagümrük’s Wesley.

United States

Asisat Oshoala and Bay FC have crashed out of the NWSL Championship playoffs in the quarterfinals after a 2-1 extra-time defeat to Washington Spirit.

Oshoala thought she had won the game for Bay FC when she broke the deadlock in the 85th minute but Spirit equalised four minutes later before Caprice Dydasco’s own goal in extra time proved decisive.

The 29-year-old forward was a part of the Nigerian female football team that featured at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with Randy Waldrum’s team crashing out at the group stage after falling to three defeats and scoring just one goal.

The ex-Liverpool player returned to her club side in San Jose, California, in the United States of America, and featured in an off-season friendly against FC Barcelona Femeni.

The game was Bay FC’s second-ever match against an international opponent, and they got off to a flying start in the 17th minute.

The 2023 Female CAF Player of the Year intercepted a pass from the Barcelona goalkeeper, Gemma Font, near the edge of the box and fired a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Nothing like scoring against your old club Just ask @AsisatOshoala #BayFC #BAYvBARÇA pic.twitter.com/KRHHxXoV6U

— Bay Football Club (@wearebayfc) August 28, 2024

The Spanish side levelled the game four minutes later. Ewa Pajor dribbled down the right side of the field and slotted a pass to Kika Nazareth, who delivered a strike from the edge of the box that snuck inside the left post. The first half ended 2-2, but the American side had no response to Barca’s lethal attack in the second half.

After the game, Oshoala took to her X page to appreciate her former club and teammates, with a post translated – Forever My Family.

Siempre mi familia ❤️ https://t.co/6vAqt2C6rM

— ASISAT M.O.N (@AsisatOshoala) August 28, 2024

Bay FC resume their NWSL season on Friday, as they travel to Portland, Oregon to take on Portland Thorns at Providence Park.

Nico Willams, the younger brother to Ghana’s Iñaki Williams, has been one of the brightest talents of the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, creating a formidable trio for Spain alongside Alvaro Morata and Lamine Yamal.

The 21-year-old fleet-footed winger was given the man of the match award in Spain’s group stage victory against Italy before finding the back of the net and providing an assist against Georgia to send Spain to the EURO 2024 quarter-finals against Germany.

Nico has been linked with a move to Barcelona as they look to start afresh under Hansi Flick, and Oshoala took to her X page to endorse the move.

Nico to Barca ….HERE WE GO !!! #EURO2024

— ASISAT M.O.N (@AsisatOshoala) June 30, 2024

The Williams brothers won the Copa Del Rey with Athletic Club in the just-concluded season, but they play for different countries. They were born in Spain to Ghanaian parents.

Inaki made his full debut for the Spain national team in 2016 but opted to represent Ghana on the international stage in 2022, making the Black Stars 2022 World Cup squad and their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations team. Nico, however, is cap-tied to Spain and cannot play for any other country apart from the 2010 FIFA World Cup winners.

Asisat Oshoala will be hoping to be a part of the Super Falcons team that will be participating in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 29-year-old has been a mainstay in the Super Falcons team since making her debut against Japan in 2013, but will be attending her first-ever Olympics game in France this summer.

Pumped with belief and anticipation, Oshoala believes Nigeria can come away with a huge result despite being drawn in the same group as Spain, Brazil, and Japan.

“This will be a special event. I’ve never been to the Olympics before, but I’ve heard a lot about it. I look forward to it so much – if I make the team! People said the same thing at the World Cup last year. They said we were in the Group of Death [with Australia, Canada and the Republic of Ireland] and could not qualify, but we did. I have a lot of confidence in this team. We have many young players, and we can make things difficult for our opponents. We don’t just think about getting out of the group. I think we can actually walk away with a medal,” the two-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winner said in an interview with FIFA.

Popularly dubbed agba-baller by Nigerians, Oshoala mentioned another reason she wants to make the Olympics to play against her ex-Barcelona teammates.

“It’s gonna be fun! Before the World Cup, we had this chat within ourselves on the team. We all wanted to play each other, but we didn’t get drawn into the same group. We all still keep in touch. It will be a cool experience,” the Bay FC striker said.

Oshoala featured from the bench in Nigeria’s Olympic qualifying games against Cameroon and South Africa, but she is still confident she has much to offer Randy Waldrum’s team.

“I know what I can do. I know what I offer on and off the pitch. Even when I was in the best team in the world, I knew what I could contribute. I always encourage the younger ones and help them understand they can give even more. I work hard for the team and try to make sure I do my part of the business – and that way everyone takes care of their business as well. Our team won’t stop running until we hear the whistle. That’s difficult for the opposition teams because they can’t break us,” the six-time CAF Player of the Year award recipient concluded.

The Paris 2024 Olympics kicks off on the 26th of July and will run through till August 11. After 16 years, Nigeria has finally qualified for women’s Olympic football again.

Oshoala is known for her football prowess, but she has never hidden her love for other sports like tennis and basketball. In fact, after she left Barcelona for US-based side Bay FC she shared pictures of herself at NBA games.

Oshoala also shared pictures of herself with Milwaukee Bucks brothers Giannis and Thanasis Antetokoumpo. The 29-year-old has also frequently shared pictures of Carlos Alcaraz, indicating that she is a fan of the Spaniard tennis star.

In a recent development, Oshoala has revealed that she loves LeBron James. However, it is not just because of his legendary status. It is due to his impact outside basketball.

“I love LeBron James. I like to see people have an impact outside their sport, and that’s what I see in LeBron,” Oshoala told FIFA.com.

“He has a foundation, he’s built a school. These are things that are even bigger than basketball. That’s why he’s my favourite player.”

LeBron is widely regarded as the greatest-ever basketball player. He has won four NBA rings and has made the all-star team 20 times. He is the all-time leading scorer in the NBA and is fourth on the all-time assists charts.

The 29-year-old Oshoala committed to a new chapter in her career, signing with the San Francisco Bay Area club until 2026, with an option to extend her stay through the 2027 season.

Her move comes as a surprise, given her outstanding career with the Catalan giants, where she earned six African Player of the Year titles, four Liga F championships, two UEFA Women’s Champions Leagues, and three Copas de la Reina.

Speaking to FIFA.com, the Nigerian international admitted the tough decision she made and revealed the reasons behind her move to another club.

“I was very comfortable at Barcelona, but I wanted to experience being at the start of something new,” Oshoala said. “As soon as I heard about the project at Bay FC, I was very excited. I love what I do, and I make decisions based on what makes me happy. It’s been pretty amazing here so far.”

Oshoala, who joined Barcelona from China’s Dalian Quanjian in 2019, now plays for Bay FC. Her career also includes stints in England’s Women’s Super League with Liverpool and Arsenal.

Randy Waldrum’s squad has been seeded in the same group as 2023 Women’s World Cup Champions Spain, as well as Brazil and Japan, who have strong football histories.

However, the Bay FC forward pointed out that Nigeria previously faced a similarly tough group in the last World Cup and excelled.

She believes the 11-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions can also perform well in this group given the quality of the Nigerian side.

“At the World Cup last year, people said the same thing,” she told FIFA.com. “They said we were in the Group of Death [with Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland] and could not qualify. But we did. I have a lot of confidence in this team. We have many young players and we can make things difficult for our opponents. We don’t just think about getting out of the group; I think we can actually walk away with a medal.”

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking their first appearance in the prestigious event in 16 years.

The team clinched their spot after a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate victory over South Africa’s Bayana Bayana in a tense two-legged encounter.

The women’s football tournament is set to kick off on July 25, a day before the Olympic Games’ opening ceremony, and will culminate with the final in Paris on August 10.

In the group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, joined by the two best third-placed teams, making every match critical.

The defending champions took the lead on 63 minutes courtesy of Aitana Bonmati’s clever run and finish before teammate Alexia Putellas sealed victory from close range in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala probably watched the match from her TV screen 9,000km away in California, having left Barcelona in January to join Bay FC in the United States.

Oshoala was part of Barcelona’s first two title-winning campaigns in the Champions League from start to finish.

The Nigeria international scored four goals as Barca lifted the club’s maiden Champions League trophy in 2021 after beating Chelsea 4-0 in the final.

After failing to retain their title in 2022, Barcelona returned the following year to secure their second honours, by defeating VfL Wolfsburg 3-2 inside the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven.

Oshoala contributed five goals to that Barcelona campaign, with her haul bettered only by the nine goals netted by Wolfsburg’s Ewa Pajor.

The 29-year-old started the 2023/24 season with Barcelona, netting six goals in nine league games and once in two Champions League appearances before she left for Bay FC in January.

https://twitter.com/AsisatOshoala/status/1794431552916717624

Despite her departure, Barcelona still had enough resources to go all the way and claim a memorable third Champions League triumph.

There were concerns that despite her involvement in part to Barcelona’s success, Oshoala may not be entitled to a winners medal.

https://twitter.com/AsisatOshoala/status/1794429845109350570

But the Super Falcons forward out those worries to bed when she made it clear via her social media account that Barcelona would ship her third Champions League medal to her in the coming days.

https://twitter.com/AsisatOshoala/status/1794429633410289977

The former Arsenal attacker becomes the first African footballer – male or female – to claim three Champions League gold medals.

Oshoala won 14 titles including four Primera División honours during her successful five-year stint at Barcelona.

Oshoala, who also plays for NWSL club Bay FC, has been making impressive strides with her US based team in the ongoing season of the National Women’s Soccer League. The Nigerian football star scored the first goal in the team’s NWSL debut.

Meanwhile, the Super Falcons striker has just secured a partnership with popular smartphone brand, Google Pixel. Google Pixel made this announcement via it’s social media platform, welcoming Oshoala and other NWSL stars to “Team Pixel”.

The partnership will have the Bay FC star share moments from the ongoing NWSL season, through the lens of the Google Pixel phone.

The 29-year-old athlete joins a list of celebrities and public figures who have partnered with Google Pixel, including Grammy award-winning singer Victoria Monet.

In other news, Bay FC has dropped in the League standings after losing in two consecutive games. Oshoala scored a goal in the most recent match against San Diego. This was however not enough to secure a win, as Bay FC conceded a second goal in the 78th minute.

Bay FC currently stands at 10th position on the NWSL table.

Here’s the cream of the crop:

Armenia

Yusuf Otubanjo made it 15 goals in 25 Premier League games as he found the net in Pyunik’s 5 – 0 triumph over Urartu.

Austria

Moses Usor was a delight to watch in attack for LASK as they took the lights out of the heart of Rapid Vienna with a 5-0 Bundesliga win inside the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz.

Belarus

In the 1. Division, Abdulaziz Lawal scored a 78th-minute winner for Molodechno in their 2 – 1 victory over Dinamo Minsk II.

Belgium

Raphael Onyedika led Club Brugge to a triumphant [3-0] victory over Tolu Arokodare’s KRC Genk, edging closer to Belgian Pro League glory.

Alhassan Yusuf, Chidera Ejuke, and Victor Udoh faced European heartbreak as Royal Antwerp FC suffered a devastating 4-1 loss against Union Saint-Gilloise, denting their hopes of continental qualification.

Cyprus

In his ninth league appearance of the season, Super Eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho kept a clean sheet to help Omonia Nicosia to a slim 1-0 win at home to APOEL.

Czech Republic

Igoh Ogbu impressed in defence to power Slavia Prague to a crucial 2-1 win over Hradec Králové, keeping the Liga title chase alive.

England

Ola Aina showcased his mettle for Nottingham Forest despite a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League.

France

In Ligue 1, Terem Moffi made a second-half appearance for OGC Nice as they tore apart the expectations of Strasbourg following a 3-1 win away from home.

Italy

Victor Osimhen’s fourteenth goal of the season was not enough as Napoli settled for a thrilling 2-2 draw against Roma, with Tammy Abraham’s late header leveling the score.

Meanwhile, Ademola Lookman continued his hot scoring streak, sealing Atalanta’s 2-0 victory over Empoli with another stellar performance.

Maduka Okoye manned the goal for Udinese Calcio in a gripping 1-1 draw against Bologna FC.

Latvia

Joseph Ede scored twice – his first goals for the club – as FS Jelgava secured an exciting 2-1 Virsliga win against Grobiņas/LFS.

Moldova

In the Moldovan Super Liga, Rasheed Akanbi scored a late consolation goal for Sheriff in the 2-1 defeat at Petrocub.

Romania

Imoh Ezekiel stole the show for AFC UTA Arad, netting a goal and an assist in their 2-0 Liga I triumph over ACSM Politehnica Iași.

Russia

Victor Moses made an appearance from the bench as Spartak Moscow secured a thrilling 3-2 Premier League win against city rivals Lokomotiv Moscow.

A step down to the First League, 20-year-old Jonathan Okoronkwo was among the goals for Arsenal Tula as they played out an entertaining 3 – 3 draw with Alaniya Vladikavkaz.

Scotland

Cyriel Dessers notched his 20th goal of the season as Rangers FC secured a narrow 2-1 Premiership win against St Mirren, with Leon Balogun anchoring the defense.

Spain

Rasheedat Ajibade continued her scoring spree, propelling Atletico de Madrid Fem to a commanding 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad in LigaF.

Turkey

Paul Onuachu stole the spotlight with an electrifying 18-minute hat-trick, spearheading Trabzonspor to a sensational 4-2 comeback win over Gaziantep FK in the Turkish Super Lig.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Olawoyin dazzled with a goal and an assist in Çaykur Rizespor Kulübü’s 2-2 draw against Ankaragücü SK at the Çaykur Didi Stadyumu in Rize.

United States

Asisat Oshoala scored her second goal in the NWSL, but it ended as mere consolation following Bay FC’s 2-1 loss to San Diego Wave.

In the MLS, Tani Oluwaseyi banged the winning goal for Minnesota United as they clinched a 2-1 victory against Sporting KC.

It is Oluwaseyi’s fourth goal in nine games for Minnesota United, with only two of those as a starter.

NB: Which performance impressed you the most among the lot? Leave your comments below, please.