Liverpool Draw Hearts In Europa League Play-Off Round

Liverpool have been drawn against Hearts, while Newcastle will face Greek side Atromitos in the Europa League play-off round.

Liverpool are due to travel to Hearts on 23 August, with Newcastle heading to Atromitos. The return legs are scheduled for 30 August.
The winners of the two-legged games will join Tottenham in the group stage.

Games to be played on 21/22 & 28/29 August

Meanwhile, Celtic have been drawn to face Swedish side Helsingborgs in the Champions League play-off.

Celtic are due to play the first leg in Sweden on 21/22 August, with the return in Glasgow on 28/29 of the month.
It is the first time Celtic have faced a Swedish club in European competition.
Liverpool beat FC Gomel 4-0 on aggregate to take their place in the final round of Europa League qualifying, while Newcastle are back in Europe for the first time since 2007, when they lost to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the last 16.
Newcastle's opponents Atromitos finished fourth in the Greek Super League last season 
Motherwell are also in the play-off round after crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers with a 5-0 aggregate defeat by Panathinaikos. They have been given a tough assignment against Spanish La Liga side Levante.

Vincent Kompany Doubtful For Sundays Community Shield

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is a major doubt for Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Chelsea as he continues to struggle with a calf problem.
The central defender joined the full squad in a training session on Thursday evening but had previously been working alone on rebuilding his fitness.
He is described as ‘touch and go’ for the Community Shield but City will take no risks with such an important player.
Kompany, 26, flew home early from City’s tour of Malaysia last month to deal with the injury but the Premier League champions fully expect him to be fit for their title defence opener against Southampton a week on Sunday.
With Micah Richards struggling with a back problem sustained during the Olympics, it means Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott are likely to start at the heart of City’s defence against Chelsea at Villa Park.
City manager Roberto Mancini is looking to bolster his defensive options before the transfer window closes, with Liverpool centre-back Daniel Agger the club’s top target. 

Xavi Rested For Spain Friendly

In his first selection since last month's European Championship triumph, Del Bosque also omitted Juan Mata, Jordi Alba and Javi Martinez, who took part in Spain's failed bid for a medal at the London Olympics after competing at Euro 2012 with the senior squad.

Carrick Included In England Squad To face Italy

England manager Roy Hodgson has named an experimental squad for their upcoming friendly against Italy, with Wayne Rooney and John Terry missing out, while Michael Carrick and Adam Johnson have both earned recalls to the team.
There are first senior call-ups for Tottenham dup Steven Caulker and Jake Livermore as well as Ryan Bertrand, while Tom Cleverley joins Manchester United team-mate Carrick in midfield.
There are two goalkeepers in the squad both hoping to earn their first senior caps, as John Ruddy is back in the team after breaking his finger in the pre-Euro 2012 training camp, while Jack Butland is included after impressive displays for Team GB at the Olympics.
Frank Lampard is back in the team after pulling out of Euro 2012 with injury, while up front Hodgson has chosen a mix of strikers including Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Theo Walcott and Daniel Sturridge, who was not picked for Euro 2012.
The squad is due to meet up on Sunday evening after the Community Shield between Chelsea and Manchester City at Villa Park, and will travel to Switzerland on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's match. 

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Birmingham City), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich City).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Steven Cauker (Tottenham Hotspur), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Jake Livermore (Tottenham Hotspur), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Ashley Young (Manchester United).

Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).

Federations Cup Semi-Finals Gets New Date

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced a new the date for semifinals of the 2012 Federation Cup.
August 15 had been scheduled as the date for the semifinal matches but the NFF has now opted for August 22 as the new date for the competition.
First vice president of the NFF, Mike Umeh explained that the move was informed by the desire to avoid a clash in dates for the semis and Nigeria's international friendly match with Niger Republic which holds on August 15.
"We (the NFF) had a meeting (on Wednesday) and decided that it was best we move the date for the Federation Cup to August 22 because we don't want a clash of dates as regards the Super Eagles' match and the Federation Cup semifinals," Umeh said.
Lobi Stars will face Kano Pillars, in the first semifinal in Calabar while Heartland and Prime FC will square off in the second in Ilorin.

Bellamy Set For Cardiff City Move

Craig Bellamy will complete a free transfer move from Liverpool to Cardiff City, after he passed a medical on Friday morning.

Netherland Name Squad For Belgium

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has announced his 24-man squad for the international friendly against Belgium on August 15.

USA Beat Japan To Secure Gold

The USA beat Japan 2-1 at Wembley to avenge their 2011 World Cup final defeat and claim their fourth Olympic gold in women's football.

Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the US, an early header and a powerful strike after the break.
Yuki Ogimi scored to reduce the deficit for Japan, who hit the opposition woodwork twice and their own once.
Japan had a chance to equalise late in the game but Hope Solo made an excellent save to deny Mana Iwabuchi.
It was enough for the USA to add to previous Olympic victories in 1996, 2004 and 2008. 

Champions League Play-Off Draw

Udinese will meet Braga in the 2012-13 Champions League play-offsfollowing Friday's draw in Nyon.
In the other four fixtures via the league route, Borussia Monchengladbach take on Dynamo Kiev, while Malaga face Panathinaikos.

Galatasaray Snap Up Melo On Loan

Galatasaray have announced that Felipe Melo has re-joined the club from Juventus on a season-long loan, with the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
The Turkish champions have paid the Turin giants a fee of €1,75 million to borrow the Brazil international for the coming season, and will have to shell out an additional €6.5m if they opt to buy him outright.
Gala have also confirmed via their official website that Melo will be earning an annual salary of €2.9m, plus a bonus of €25,000 per game.
The 29-year-old already spent the previous campaign on loan at the Istanbul giants, who were keen to sign him on a permanent basis this summer.
Nevertheless, they have now had to settle for another temporary deal after refusing to meet Juve's demands for a full transfer.
Melo, who has 22 Selecao caps to his name,  previously wore the jerseys of clubs such as Flamengo, Almeria and Fiorentina. 

Terry Out Of Italy Friendly

John Terry will be missing from the selection when Roy Hodgson's latest England squad is announced on Friday morning.

Conte Slammed 10 Months Ban

Juventus coach Antonio Conte has been banned for 10 months in relation to a match-fixing investigation.

The coach of the reigning Serie A champions had been accused of failing to report alleged match-fixing involving Siena when he managed them in the 2010-11 season in Serie B.
Conte failed to report attempts to influence the outcome of two Serie B matches against Novara and AlbinoLeffe.

Liverpool To Treble Allen`s Wages

Liverpool will treble Joe Allen's wages and pay him a £2 million signing-on fee when he completes his move from Swansea City.
Allen is poised to undergo a medical at Liverpool's training ground on Friday ahead of completing a £15m move from the Liberty Stadium.
The Welshman watched from the directors' box at Anfield on Thursday night as Brendan Rodgers' team sealed their place in the Europa League play-off draw by sweeping aside FC Gomel 3-0 to record a 4-0 aggregate win over the two legs.
It is understood that Liverpool have agreed to triple Allen's Swansea salary, which is worth £15,000-a-week, and supplement his new £45,000-a-week deal with a £2m signing-on fee.
He will become Rodgers' second major signing at Anfield following the capture of Fabio Borini, who joined from Roma earlier this summer in a deal worth up to £11.2m.
Liverpool triggered a release clause in Allen's contract by tabling a £15m bid and the deal became inevitable once the midfielder made it clear to Swansea officials that he wanted to have the chance to speak to the Merseysiders.
The transfer reunites Allen with Rodgers, his manager at Swansea until he took over at Liverpool on June 1.
Rodgers helped to nurture the Swansea academy graduate into an accomplished deep-lying playmaker and he is expected to be part of a three-man midfield at Anfield alongside Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard.
Swansea will now turn their attention to capturing a replacement for Allen. They have targeted Bolton Wanderers midfielder Mark Davies but are unwilling to pay more than the £5m they have offered for the 24-year-old.
Bolton are holding out for £6m for the former Wolves player but Swansea will turn their attention to other targets if the Championship club do not accept the bid on the table.
Curled From goal.com
 

Di Maria Extends Madrid Contract

Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Angel Di Maria to extend his contract for a further six years, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2017-18 season.
The 24-year-old’s new deal will run until June 30, 2018, according to an announcement on the club’s official website. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
This is the second major update to Di Maria’s contract in the past two months, after he was rewarded with a wage increase in June that took his salary from €2m to €3m per year.
The Argentine winger expressed his joy at the extension, telling Marca: "I am very happy because I know that the club extended the contract for the work I am doing. I feel very supported and loved by the club and the fans."
"Personally, I have greatly improved, thanks to Mourinho. I thank God for the work and sacrifice I made every day, and with every game, I managed to win the affections of the fans. I am delighted with them"
"I am fulfilling a dream that I had as a child. I am very happy here and this contract extension gives me the opportunity to remain here for many years and keep growing."
Di Maria joined Los Blancos from Benfica in June 2010 and has since gone on to make 83 appearances for the club, playing a vital role in their victorious 2011-12 Primera Division campaign.

Rooney Wants RVP At Old Traford

Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal forward Robin van Persie would be a great addition to the squad if he joins him at Manchester United.

United are the favourites to sign the Holland international after the 29-year-old stated his intention not to sign a new contract with the Gunners.
The prospect of last season's Premier League top scorer arriving at Old Trafford is already exciting supporters and Rooney echoes those sentiments.
"Of course he's a player that I admire," said Rooney.
"He's a fantastic player. He's been amazing for Arsenal over many years. Last season was probably his best season of all. He scored a lot of goals.
"If he does come here he would be a great addition to the squad."
Sir Alex Ferguson also has Danny Welbeck, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov as attacking options but it is the prospect of Rooney and Van Persie linking up that will concern their rivals.
Asked if he and the Dutchman could form a deadly partnership, Rooney added: "I'd like to think so - but you'd have to ask the manager about that.
"There's a lot of forwards here already with myself, Welbeck, Chicharito and Berbatov, who's still here.
"So there's a lot of forwards fighting for a place."

Kaka Up For Sale

When Brazilian superstar Kaka opted against a £100 million move to the Premier League back in January 2009, it appeared unlikely that the attacking midfielder would ever grace these shores.
The 30-year-old decided Real Madrid was a better fit than Manchester City, and decided to leave AC Milan for Spain instead of England.
Three-and-a-half years on, and the former Sao Paulo starlet appears to have reached a crossroads in La Liga, with manager Jose Mourinho willing to let the player leave his club – for the right price of course.

Mark Clattenburg To Officiate Men's Olympic Final

Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has been chosen to officiate the 2012 Olympic Games men's football final on Saturday, contested between Brazil and Mexico at Wembley Stadium.
The 37-year-old will be joined by fellow Englishmen Stephen Child and Simon Beck who will be his assistant referees.

Low Names Squad to Face Argentina

Germany coach Joachim Low has chosen to rest a number of high-profile players after naming his 19-man squad for the friendly against Argentina on August 15.
Captain Philipp Lahm misses out due to the impending birth of his child, while Arsenal pair Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker are omitted to help them prepare for Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Sunderland on August 18.

Parker Out Untill November after Surgery

Tottenham have confirmed that midfielder Scott Parker has undergone surgery to his right Achilles and will be out until mid-September.
The club have revealed that the 31-year-old will return to training after the international break and will miss England's friendly against Italy as well as the World Cup qualifiers with Moldova on September 7 and Ukraine four days later.
Parker missed Tottenham's final four Premier League matches with an Achilles injury but still played for his country at last summer's European Championship.

Chelsea Set To Seal Moses Deal

Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Wigan Athletic forward Victor Moses after talks between the clubs.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan met Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay on Tuesday as the clubs attempted to agree a deal for the 21-year-old.

It is understood Chelsea have been told to match Wigan's £8.5m valuation for Moses or walk away from the deal.
Chelsea remain hopeful of including Moses in their Community Shield squad to face Manchester City on Sunday.
Having started some way apart in their valuations of the former England Under-21 international, the clubs appear to be close to agreeing terms.
Wigan have dropped their asking price from an initial £10m to a figure Chelsea now consider more reasonable.
Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo is understood to be extremely keen to bring in Moses, who scored six Premier League goals last season, but owner Roman Abramovich will have the final say.
Whelan has said that. while reluctant to see Moses leave, the club will not stand in his way if he wants to play for a bigger club.

Canada Beat France To Pick Bronze

The female Canada team defeated there french counterparts as they nicked in a late goal. Diana Matheson late goal was enough for them to pick the bronze medal at the ongoing London 2012 Olympics.
 The United States will later take Japan in a crucial encounter to decide who picks the gold medal. Japan are the world champions after they defeated U.S.A in the final. While the United States are currently defending there title at the London 2012 Olympics. Who will carry the day? Lets see !!!!!

Deschamps Names Squad To Face Uroguay

New France coach Didier Deschamps has named his 22-man squad for the upcoming international friendly against Uruguay on August 15.
 The former Olympique de Marseille boss already stated that he was likely to make a number of changes to the team that went to Euro 2012, and has called up several players who did not travel to Poland and Ukraine this summer.

Almunia: I Have My Regrets Says Former Arsenal Keepper

The end could barely have been longer or more painful for Manuel Almunia at Arsenal, but finally the Spaniard is starting to feel loved again.

Goalkeeper Almunia last week joined Watford on a free transfer after eight years on the other side of the London Colney training ground fence at Arsenal.

During his time with the Gunners, Almunia collected an FA Cup ­winners’ medal, played in a ­Champions League final and ­produced man-of-the-match ­performances against Barcelona and Manchester United.

But, as is the case with most ­goalkeepers, Almunia will be remembered by many for the blunders and the moments of ­madness.

PSG Snap Moura From United

Paris St Germain have confirmed that they have agreed a deal with Sao Paulo for the transfer of midfielder Lucas Moura.
The 19-year-old will remain with the Brazilian side until January before linking up with Carlo Ancelotti's side on a four-and-a-half-year deal.

QPR Target Roma`s Heinze

QPR boss Mark Hughes is set to make a move for Roma defender Gabriel Heinze if he fails in his bid for Sunderland's Kieran Richardson.

Black Cats defender Richardson is thought to be his first choice but there is plenty of competition, especially from West Ham, for the defender rated at around the £2m mark.
Argentine defender Heinze has been told he can leave Roma for a nominal fee this summer by new coach Zdenek Zeman and his representatives have opened discussions with Hughes over a deal.
The 34-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid defender can also play at centre back and his experience would be a major benefit to Hughes' side.

Zapata Moves To Milan On Loan

Villarreal have announced that Cristian Zapata has left the club to join AC Milan on a season-long loan.
The former Udinese defender completed a medical in Milan on Tuesday and will put pen to paper on a one-year loan arrangement, with the option to make the deal permanent come the end of the 2012-13 campaign.

He joins former team-mates Borja Valero and Gonzalo Rodriguez in making the switch to Serie A.

Sky Sport Italia have also confirmed that Zapata will occupy the Rossoneri's last remaining non-EU spot in the team, meaning the likes of Edin Dzeko or Carlos Tevez will not be able to pitch up at San Siro this summer.
Milan have been on the hunt to find someone capable of replacing Thiago Silva, who departed the club earlier in the summer to sign for Paris Saint-Germain.
Links to Montpellier's Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Cagliari's Davide Astori have turned cold, prompting Milan CEO Adriano Galliani to turn his attention to Zapata, who is comfortable both in the centre or on the flanks.
The Colombia international made 28 appearances in La Liga last season, but was ultimately unable to keep Villarreal afloat.
Curled from Sky Sport.

Enugu Rangers Back On Top

Enugu Rangers stormed back to the top of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) after defeating Sunshine Stars 3-0 on Wednesday.
The Flying Antelopes were dominant in the game, as Sunshine Stars missed four of their key players - Moses Ocheje, Godfrey Oboabona, Izu Azuka and Solomon Kwambe - all on international duties.
It was Enugu Rangers that got in front through Chinedu Sunday, who opened score for the hosts inside ten minutes at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
Sunday's goal was the difference between both teams, as the first half ended 1-0.
Rangers showed intent in the restart as they raced into a two-goal lead through Ifeanyi Ede.
Sunshine Stars battled back but Rangers got that third goal when Chikeluba Ofoedu converted from the spot to score his 11th goal of the season with few minutes to round off the game.
Rangers are now tied on 61 points with Kano Pillars but are top due to their superior goals difference.
Ede told SuperSport.com: "It's good we won by 3-0, and I also scored. The win is good for us and it takes us back to the top of the league."
Okey Emordi's team will confront second-placed Lobi Stars in a potential title clash on Matchday 37 in Katsina-Ala and round off the season at home against Sharks.

Barcelona Will Not Disrespect Arsenal Over Song

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova has refused to comment on the Catalans' alleged interest in midfielder Alexandre Song, as he feels it would show a lack of respect towards Arsenal.
 Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta recently voiced their admiration for the Cameroon international when asked about his qualities, but the newly-appointed trainer chose to avoid being drawn in on discussing a rival team's player.
"I prefer to not talk about players that are not part of the Barca team. I think it is disrespectful to other teams if we talk about players that are not part of Barcelona," Vilanova told reporters.
"Whoever comes must be a good player, that is what is important. There is no rush."
Song, now 24, has developed into an important first-team member at the Gunners since joining them from Bastia in August 2005.
His contract with Arsenal runs until the summer of 2015

Akpala`s Club Brugge Out Of The UEFA Champions League

Nigeria striker, Joseph Akpala failed to score as Club Brugge lost 2-3 at home to Danish side FC Copenhagen to crash out of the UEFA Champions League.
The Belgian club thus fail to seal a playoff spot as the tie ended 3-2 in favour of the Danish club.
Akpala came on as an 81st minute substitute for Carl Hoefkens with the score tied at 2-2.
The forward’s efforts provided little reward as the Danish side scored the winner at the death through Cesar Santin.
Meanwhile there was joy for Nigeria captain, Joseph Yobo as his Turkish club, Fenerbahce qualified for the playoffs following a 4-1 success at Vaslui on Wednesday thanks to a Dirk Kuyt hat-trick.
Yobo was not listed as Fener powered to a 5-2 aggregate success.

Man United van Persie Deal Stalls

Sir Alex Ferguson remains hopeful of signing Robin van Persie but Manchester United are still struggling to make progress with Arsenal.

The Old Trafford boss in July confirmed he had made a bid for the Gunners striker, who does not want sign a new contract at Emirates Stadium.

Ranti Martins: The Nigerian Making History In India

The Indian I-League is not supposed to be the strongest in the world but the league does have its exciting moments brought on by some of the finest imported players from around the world.
Among the most important players in that league is Nigerian Ranti Martins who has led the goal scorers’ chart for the past two seasons as a striker for Goa-based Dempo Sports.

Ferguson Angry Over Failed Deals

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is thought to be disappointed at potentially missing out on transfer target Lucas Moura, especially having failed to land Eden Hazard earlier in the summer.

Madrid Gives Spurs Modrich Ultimatum

Real Madrid have handed Tottenham a €30 million 'take it or leave it' bid for Luka Modric, which has been rejected, according to ESPN sources.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has set the price for the Croatian midfielder at around £40 million, though £35 million (plus success-dependent add-on clauses) would be enough to clinch the deal.
But Real are refusing to bid that high, and have told Levy that their latest offer will be their last - meaning Spurs are now "stuck with" the unhappy Modric as there are no other clubs willing to meet the NorthAn ESPN source says: "A year ago Daniel Levy could have sold Modric to Chelsea for £40 million but turned it down, believing that in a year's time he would be worth £50 million.
"Well, the feeling was that he couldn't possibly have such a brilliant season as he had the year before, and his price has not gone up. Even if one of the big-spending clubs came in, they would be wasting their time as the player has made it clear he only wants to go to Real Madrid.
"Unless something gives, and it doesn't look that way at the moment, then Spurs are stuck with Modric."
Spurs fans might feel that Modric is a good player to be "stuck with", but new manager Andres Villa-Boas has his work cut out to motivate him if, as now looks likely, his dream move to Real collapses.

Iniesta Call On Arsenals Song To Join Fabregas At Nou Camp

Recent speculation has suggested that the Catalans could be interested in acquiring the defensive midfielder’s services, with Arsene Wenger reportedly considering selling and bringing in Real Madrid misfit Nuri Sahin as a replacement.

A fee of at least £15 million has been touted for the 24-year-old Cameroon international, and Iniesta believes any move will benefit Barcelona and Song.
"He's a prodigy," Iniesta is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
"I don't know how many years he's been playing but he isn't a discovery from yesterday.
"He's a good player and I've seen in a couple of publications that he could be joining our team.”
The Barcelona playmaker is unsure as to whether a move will materialise, but is confident Song has the ability to shine at Camp Nou.
Iniesta continued: "I don't know if that would be the case but if he comes here we'll welcome him the best we can.
"If he comes here it's because he has the ability to play here, no doubt."

Idehe Fires Kiev To Champions League Play Off

Brown Ideye scored the only goal in the 96th minute in the return leg of the third round Uefa Champions League qualifier for Dynamo Kiev against Feyenoord at the Feijenoord Stadion in Rotterdam on Tuesday.
The result means that the Ukrainian side go through to the playoffs 3-1 on aggregate, having won the first leg 2-1 last week Tuesday.

Suarez Extend Liverpool Stay

 Luis Suarez has committed his long-term future to Liverpool and is looking forward to working under new Reds boss Brendan Rodgers.

FIFA Investigated Nigeria vs Greece 2010 World Cup Match Over Match-Fixing

FIFA investigated the 2010 World Cup match between Nigeria and Greece over suspected match-fixing, the organisation's former head of security has claimed.

PSG Set To Hijack Moura From United

Big-spending Paris St Germain are in contact with Sao Paulo over the possible transfer of Lucas Moura – and ready to outbid Manchester United for the superteen.

It`s Japan vs United States Final

World champions Japan will face holders the United States in the women's Olympic soccer final after weathering a storming fightback from France to win 2-1 in an action-packed match at Wembley on Monday.

Yobo Completes Fenerbache Move

Joseph Yobo has completed his transfer from Everton to Fenerbahce.

The defender joins the Turkish side for an undisclosed fee having helped them to the league title and the Turkish Cup during a two-year loan spell.
The Nigerian international was David Moyes' first signing when he joined from Marseilles on loan in 2002, making the move permanent a year later.
"I would love to thank Everton and the management of Fenerbahce for reaching a deal," the 31-year-old said on Sunday.
"My family have settled well in Turkey and enjoy the life there, so I'm glad they will be reuniting with friends here."
Yobo made more than 250 appearances for Everton, helping them qualify for the Champions League in 2005 and playing in the side that lost the 2009 FA Cup final to Chelsea.

Villa Back For Barca After Lenghty Lay Off

Striker David Villa was included in the Barcelona squad on Tuesday for the first time since he broke his leg in December.
"He seems in very good shape after such a long and tough injury," teammate Andres Iniesta told a news

Ajayi Happy with Call Up

Crown FC's attacker, Festus Ajayi has received a surprise call-up to the Nigeria squad ahead of the August 15 international friendly against Niger Republic in Niamey.
Ajayi was drafted in as a late replacement for Heartland forward, Obinna Nwachukwu who has been ruled out of the game through injury.
The attacker was pleased with the call up stating that he would do his best against Niger's Mena.
"I have always wanted to represent my country and I was very happy to hear I have been invited. I will do my best against Niger," Ajayi told SuperSport.com

Arsenal CompleteCarzola Deal

Arsenal have signed Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla from Malaga on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee believed to be below £15m.
The 27-year-old has joined the club at a pre-season training camp in Germany.

Cazorla said: "I'm so excited to be joining one of the greatest teams in Europe and also in the Premier League."

Putin Set For Milan Takeover

Silvio Berlusconi and Vladimir Putin

Speculation is increasing in Italy that Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to invest in AC Milan via the partially state-owned utility company Gazprom.
Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian Prime Minister, told the club's own TV station he was willing to speak to potential investors, marking a distinct change in outlook from his previous stance.
Asked about foreign investors, he said: "The doors are open for anyone who wants to help our squad. We have Milan in our hearts and we are always thinking about what's best for Milan."
Following the sales of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint-Germain, Milan have cleared the majority of their debts and he added: "Our finances will now be in order for the next three to four years."
Berlusconi is a close friend of Putin and La Gazzetta dello Sport has reported that he travelled to Russia for four days on "non-political" business. Talks over Gazprom buying a stake in the seven-time European champions are believed to be the reason.
Gazprom already invests heavily in the sport and is the shirt sponsor of 1991 European Cup winners Red Star Belgrade, Russian side Zenit St Petersburg and Budesliga outfit Schalke. The Italian sports daily believes the company will purchase a 25% stake in return for a €180 million cash injection.

Photo of The Day

Chelsea Set To Complete Moses Deal.

European champions, Chelsea are expecting to wrap up a deal for Nigerian international, Victor Moses this week.
The Blues have been in the hunt for the 21-year-old attacking winger throughout this summer and appear to have struck an agreement with Wigan Athletic for a transfer fee of £8 million.
According to reports in England, the deal could still rise up to £10 million due to add-ons in the agreement.
The Latics value Moses at £10 million and have had to reject previous bids from Chelsea, which fell below the valuation for their striker.
Chelsea are now expected to wrap up the deal for Moses before this Sunday's Community Shield against English champions, Manchester City.

Yak In My Plans. Says Keshi

Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi has declared that Guangzhou R&F striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni still has a future with his team.
"No I've never said Yakubu will not be part of my team anymore," began Keshi. "I think people are just imagining or speculating that because he's gone to play in China that ends his chance of being part of this team."
Keshi, 50, points to Didier Drogba and Seydou Keita, who both joined Chinese clubs, Shanghai Shenhua and Dalian Aerbin respectively, as players still regarded by their nations in spite of their moves to Far East Asia.
"I think we should be fair to every player capable of playing for this country. The Chinese league has recruited a lot of quality players recently and that will make it competitive. Didier Drogba and Seydou Keita, who play for Cote d'Ivoire and Mali respective, are there (in China) and they're still with their national teams.
"If Yakubu is doing well out there and he comes here and proves that he's good enough then he is welcomed. Nobody is talking of any player getting an automatic place and they all know this," said Keshi.
Yakubu, 29, got off his Chinese adventure to a scoring start by grabbing the winner in the Super League derby against Guangzhou Evergrande on July 15.

Seedorf Shows The Younger Ones How To Do It Right

The Dutchman completed his move to Brazil at the end of June and he found the net for the first time this weekend in his fourth appearance for the Fogao.
Seedorf's unerringly accurate free kick, which had the goalkeeper rooted to the spot, levelled the game against the relegation candidates in the 65th minute, before Fellype Gabriel bagged a vital winner to take the game 2-1.
After the game, the four-time Champions League winner declared his delight at opening his account for the Alvinegro, but insisted he took more pleasure from securing the three points.
"It was nice to see the fans today [in Goiana], but I feel at home in Brazil. The reaction to my first goal has been great," Seedorf said to reporters.
"I am happier with the victory than the goal. The team was balanced. It was difficult, but we responded well.
"We pressed and quietened them down in the second half. We deserved the three points. We have more confidence now."
Botafogo currently sit sixth in the league table, three points adrift of a Copa Libertadores qualification spot after 14 games.

Affelay Set To Go On Loan

A host of Europe's leading clubs have been alerted by an admission from Ibrahim Afellay's agent that the Barcelona midfielder could be available on a season-loan deal.

Ifeanyi Ede Hopes To End The League On A High

Striker Ifeanyi Ede has not ruled out Enugu Rangers' chance of winning a first Nigerian league title in 28 years.
Ede told SuperSport.com that having watched his team slip from top spot to third place in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) standings, Rangers now have a fight on their hands.
The 21-year-old forward knows that the race for the Premier League title will go down to the wire.
"We have not lost out in the title race for the league. The FA (Federation) Cup was just a setback for us but we are still in the league to win it. Yes it will be very difficult now because we are now third but we have a game in hand (against Sunshine Stars). Once we win, we will be back on top.
"Right now, we have played ourselves into a tight spot and we are the ones who can also lift ourselves up. We have had some difficult times in between our fine run this season but we want to win this title so badly. Definitely from the look of things the title race will be decided on the last day and I can't think of any other team winning it other than Rangers," Ede, who admires Cameroonian forward, Samuel Eto'o, said to SuperSport.com.
The Flying Antelopes play hosts to Caf Champions League campaigners, Sunshine Stars this Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
Rangers will travel to Katsina-Ala on Matchday 37 to face Lobi Stars in a potential title-deciding game.
Okey Emordi's team return to Enugu to round off their season on the final day when they come up against Sharks.
The Enugu-based side have 58 points and three behind leaders, Kano Pillars.