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FORTALEZA (AFP) – Starting line-ups for the Confederations Cup Group B match between Nigeria and Spain at Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza on Sunday: Nigeria Vincent Enyeama (capt); Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Kenneth Omeruo, Uwa Echiejile; John Mikel Obi, Fegor Ogude, Sunday Mba; Ahmed Musa, Joseph Akpala, Brown Ideye Coach: Stephen Keshi Spain Victor Valdes; Alvaro Arbeloa, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Xavi (capt); Pedro Rodriguez, Cesc Fabregas, Roberto Soldado Coach: Vicente del Bosque Referee: Joel Aguilar (ESA) I hope Brazil are supporting us against Spain because Nigerians are the largest buyers of Brazilian hair

LINEUP, BOOKINGS (0) & SUBSTITUTIONS (0) MATCH STATS Nigeria could be without forward Nnamdi Oduamadi for their final Group B match against Spain. He was substituted at half-time against Uruguay after being injured by a heavy tackle. Spain may recall the key squad members who were rested for their 10-0 win against Tahiti. Valencia striker Roberto Soldado could lead the line despite Fernando Torres and David Villa netting a total of seven times against Tahiti. MATCH PREVIEW Eddy Etaeta, the coach of Spain's last victims Tahiti, described facing the world and European champions as "mission impossible". While Nigeria clearly boast more pedigree than the Oceania minnows, it is at best a case of "mission improbable" as the Super Eagles try to salvage a semi-final place. All four teams in Group B have a mathematical chance of progressing, but realistically Stephen Keshi's men must beat the Spanish. Confederations Cup: Spain fire 10 past Tah

Former Chelsea midfielder Alexei Smertin says Jose Mourinho has returned to Stamford Bridge to win the Champions League which eluded him during his first spell in charge of the Blues. Mourinho led Chelsea to the Premier League title twice from 2004-07 as well as two League Cups and one FA Cup. The 50-year-old, who won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan, is back at Chelsea on a four-year deal. "His target will be to win this trophy," Smertin told BBC Radio 5 live. It will be tougher for Mourinho this time. Manchester United are hugely strong, even with David Moyes coming in as he will have a few quid to spend on an already fearsome squad, while Manchester City will be stronger again. Even winning the domestic title will be tough, but he will not worry about that - he will back his own ability. Mourinho twice steered Chelsea to the Champions League semi-finals during his first stint in charge, only to lose to Liverpool on both occasions in 2005 an

  Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, has started calling the players that will play vital roles, ahead of the new season. The Portuguese has already spoken with Ramires and Kevin de Bruyne, assuring them of their roles, as he seeks to make similar impact like he did in 2005. Ramires said Mourinho told him he tried to sign him while he was manager at Inter Milan and Real Madrid. “I am eager to start working with Mourinho, my phone rang recently and it was Mourinho,” he told Globo Esporte. “It surprised me. We talked a lot and he said nice things. “He said that he requested Inter Milan and Real Madrid sign me when he was coaching those teams, he said that he is happy that I am in Chelsea’s squad. “That made me very happy, and I told him that he can count on me, that I’ll do what I can to help him be a winner at his new spell at the club. “I was already eager to work with him and I am now even more motivated after finding out that he wants to work with me. I am feeling we will

  The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have insisted that they will not back down, in their decision to reduce thee winning bonus of the Super Eagles. The national team arrived late in Brazil for the Confederations Cup, after delays due to protests over slashed bonuses and subsequently, missed flights. The NFF now pays the squad members $5,000 – half of what they used to recieve and the general secretary Musa Amadu, says there won’t be any going back, because of their financial situation. “Even at $5,000, the Super Eagles remain among the best-paid national teams in Africa,” he said. “It is a decision of the NFF executive committee, taken after thorough deliberation, and we cannot go back on it no matter the amount of blackmail. “The NFF have gone to great lengths to explain the situation that we have found ourselves and we expect those who should have an understanding of this matter to give dispassionate opinion.”

Former Super Eagles defender, Bright Omokaro has said that the Eagles made appreciable improve-ment in their match against Uruguay on Thursday in the on-going Confederations Cup compared to their first outing against Oceanian champions, Tahiti. “There was a commendable approach, which the boys took this time around; they improved a lot upon the previous game against Tahiti. “Football is a game of luck, and it dangles. It can swing in your favour and at other times, can favour the other side. I’m happy they are showing improvement,” Omokaro, nicknamed 10-10 during the 1990 Africa Nations Cup in Algeria, said Also contributing, Harrison Okagbue, a former coach of Uganda, said the Eagles were not left a slim chance to qualify and that Keshi should work on their mind set. “Right now, we are in a tight corner. For us to prevail, we have to defeat Spain. “It will sound strange though, but we can still come out victorious if only the boys can play their best and learn how to pass ba

  Who is Manuel Pellegrini? A defender, Pellegrini spent his entire playing career at Universidad Chile, making more than 450 appearances Retired in 1986 and took his first managerial role the following year at Palestino Has taken charge of 10 teams in total including Villarreal (2004-09), Real Madrid (2009-10) and Malaga Won league titles in Ecuador and Argentina and the Intertoto Cup with Villarreal in 2004

Jason Ferguson is masterminding father Sir Alex’s hugely lucrative post-management options nine years after the Manchester United board pledged never to do business again with his football agency. Jason’s disbanded Elite Sport ceased to act on United transfers following an internal inquiry into the 99 questions posed by United’s then major shareholders, John Magnier and JP McManus, which put Sir Alex’s transfer dealings under unprecedented scrutiny. But the wheel has turned to the extent that Fergie’s reported £2million-a-year United ambassador deal was negotiated by Jason. The contract is for 20 appearances per year that value Sir Alex’s time at a whopping £100,000 a day. And that day rate is what Fergie, whose retirement was front-page news in the Financial Times, could expect to earn on the business management speaking circuit around the world. Certainly United understand Fergie’s immense value as a global figure in terms of their ever-expanding commercial operation. Jason is also

There's nothing like spending other people's money and the Portuguese is hoping Abramovich is about to splash £100m Go way Jose: Mourinho is leaving Real Madrid and expected to return to Stamford Bridge Jose Mourinho has drawn up his summer wish list to turn Chelsea back into champions. And Mourinho's rebuilding plans will not come cheap as he has insisted they will need a minimum of SIX players to reinforce the first team squad.

  Contrary to reports in the media that Super Eagles star and Orduspor midfielder, Yusuf Ayila, abandoned his wife and kids in Ukraine and eloped with a girlfriend, latest information reaching us has it that there may be more to it. We were actually able to get Ayila’s reaction through his media rep during the week and his revelation was rather shocking as the footballer accused his wife, Gbemisola of allegedly wanting to kill him and inherit his properties. Hear how he narrates to EMAG: ‘Firstly, I’ll like to state categorically that Gbemisola is not my legal wife as widely reported. She is the mother of my two kids. We met years back and started a casual date. The trouble started when I asked her to bring my children for holiday in Ukraine. One day, while I lived with her, I opened Gbemi’s wardrobe in Ukraine and found different charms, including a snake inside a bottle filled with gin. It was a confirmation of the feelers I got from family and friends that she is fetish and had

A 93rd-minute header from Branislav Ivanovic gave Chelsea a stunning 2-1 victory over Benfica in the Europa League final on Wednesday as the London club claimed the trophy for the first time in heart-stopping fashion. The game in Amsterdam seemed destined for extra time after Fernando Torres’ superb 60th-minute opener for Chelsea was cancelled out by an Oscar Cardozo penalty, only for Ivanovic to net a dramatic winner with a looping header in stoppage time. Moments later, Chelsea’s players greeted the final whistle with a jubilant mass embrace, as they became the first team to simultaneously hold the Champions League and Europa League titles. They will relinquish their Champions League crown in 10 days, but more lasting is the statistic that they are only the fourth club to have claimed Europe’s three major trophies — including the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup — after Ajax, Bayern Munich and Juventus. Chelsea’s interim manager Rafael Benitez, meanwhile, joins Giovanni Trapattoni as on

Chelsea defender John Terry has spoken of his affection for Jose Mourinho amid suggestions the Portuguese is set to return to the club. Mourinho previously enjoyed a successful three-year stint at the helm of the London side, winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups before an acrimonious departure in 2007. Following Real Madrid’s recent exit from the UEFA Champions League, Mourinho hit out at the Spanish press and claimed he is keen to join a club where he is “loved” at the end of the season. And Terry believes the 50-year-old would be welcomed with open arms were that to mean a return to Chelsea, having maintained contact with several key members of the squad. He told Marca: “Mourinho has a great relationship with our fans because we won the Premier League and several other titles with him. Real Madrid must be respected, as he is under contract. “The fans have clearly shown that he is the man they want after everything he won. He’s still the ‘Special One’. “

Juan Mata’s decisive strike at Manchester United at the weekend means Chelsea can all but guarantee Champions League qualification by beating fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur at home on Wednesday. The Stamford Bridge showdown looked destined to be a straight shootout for a top-four place until Mata struck with three minutes remaining at Old Trafford on Sunday to give Chelsea a precious 1-0 victory. The Spaniard’s goal, via a telling deflection off Phil Jones, lifted Chelsea three points above Spurs and means they will be virtually guaranteed a place in next season’s Champions League if they defeat their London rivals. The win over United was Chelsea’s 65th game of the season, but with Champions League qualification at stake and a Europa League final against Benfica still to come, Mata says there is simply not enough time for mental fatigue to creep in.

  Chelsea's Frank Lampard celebrates after winning against FC Basel in their Europa League semi-final second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge in London May 2, 2013. (Reuters) - Chelsea's rollercoaster of a season could yet end with another night of European glory after they knocked FC Basel out of the semi-finals on Thursday to set up a Europa League final against Benfica. Goals from Fernando Torres, Victor Moses and David Luiz in a nine-minute spell early in the second half gave Chelsea a 3-1 second-leg win over the Swiss champions at Stamford Bridge for a 5-2 aggregate success.