Sports
WCQ: Madueke leads England demolition of Serbia 5-0
It was the night when Thomas Tuchel located the ignition point for his England tenure, when all of the grumbling that had followed him to Belgrade seemed to float away. The head coach needed a result to allow his team to take control of this World Cup qualifying group – and a performance, too, after the flatness of much of what had gone before.
Tuchel got both. From the first whistle his players were a class apart, Serbia left to look dishevelled, their problems everywhere. It is a troubling moment for the country, anti‑government protests gaining in intensity and there were chants here against the ruling party. The head coach, Dragan Stojkovic, is under heavy fire and there was more heat for him. What for him after this?
Serbia offered next to nothing, they finished with 10 men after Nikola Milenkovic’s last-man hack on Harry Kane in the 72nd minute and the truth was that the scoreline could have been heavier. England’s game management cut through the sideshows; what a pleasure it was for the travelling fans to see only smoothness, zero worry lines.
The stars were Morgan Rogers and Noni Madueke, the former providing the moment of the match with his assist for the latter to make it 2-0. Rogers, whom Tuchel had preferred to Eberechi Eze in the No 10 role, brought the X factor.
Kane scored first with his 74th international goal, while the central defenders Ezri Konsa and Marc Guéhi both got their first at this level. Both were excellent, especially Guéhi. His one-on-one defending was taken from the door-bolted-shut school. There was even time for Marcus Rashford, on as a late substitute, to add a fifth from the penalty spot.
England’s 100% record in qualification under Tuchel endures; it is five wins out of five, with no goals conceded. What made this even sweeter was the assurance. Tuchel had radiated confidence in the build‑ up; his team walked the walk. The job to reach the finals looks done.
There was so much going on, beginning with how the announcement of Stojkovic’s name was whistled by the home fans; they do not like his support of the government. By half‑time those fans were calling for his head. The chant of “Serbia, Kosovo” was first audible in the seventh minute from the home seats, referencing Serbia’s refusal to recognise the latter’s independence.
There was somebody in the stands who repeatedly blew a whistle, impersonating the referee. Which was disorientating. And there was someone else who shone a laser in the eyes of the England players. The individual was ordered to desist in the 42nd minute by the person on the PA system. Serbia played this tie with 15% of the stadium closed after the bad behaviour of their supporters during the Andorra game in June. They can expect more fines, more sanctions.
England were well grooved in possession, full of personality. Their moves clicked. They heeded Tuchel’s demands to move the ball quickly, to be a little more direct. The reality of this Serbia team is that only a handful of them are playing regularly for clubs in top-five European leagues. Local expectations had been low and England were in charge by the 36th minute.
Much had been made of how England would feel on the famously long walk through the tunnel beforehand. It takes about 90 seconds and it is not just the graffiti on the curved roof and the presence of riot police that sets the scene. The banging noises from the fans above provides the most notorious of welcomes. The fervour, though, that greeted the kick-off did not last. England subdued the crowd quickly.
The second goal was the show-stopper. It was all about the skill and vision of Rogers and the cut and thrust of Madueke. Rogers saw the run of his teammate and, when Elliott Anderson fizzed a low pass up to him, his first-time flick added up to the most eye-catching of through‑balls. Madueke turned on the afterburners to get away from his marker and the dinked finish was true.
Kane’s opener was a precision header from Declan Rice’s outswinging corner and it had been advertised. Rice shot at Djordje Petrovic early on after a nice move while the lively Anthony Gordon twice worked the goalkeeper. There was also the moment when Rogers turned sharply to release Madueke and he almost made something happen for Kane.
England maintained their focus after the interval. Serbia looked broken. Rice had dragged a shot off target – his shooting was an isolated blot – and the third followed a low Gordon blast which Petrovic could only parry. Guéhi reacted to smuggle the ball across goal and if Kane could not quite get there Konsa could.
It was the prompt for more anti-Stojkovic chants from the Serbia supporters and it was not long before they had some venomous anti-government rhetoric. Shortly afterwards, on 65 minutes, it threatened to turn nasty in the stands, a fight breaking out in a Serbia area and the riot police moving in to restore order. To repeat: a lot going on.
Milenkovic had to go for his lunge at Kane and in the closing stages Tuchel got Djed Spence on for his debut, Guéhi converted from a Rice free-kick as the Serbia defence switched off, and Rashford scored after Strahinja Erakovic had upended another substitute, Ollie Watkins.
Tuchel has talked a good deal about wanting to transfer the positive things he sees on the training pitch into matches. This was the breakthrough.
National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko says FIFA has endorsed Nigeria’s plan to comprehensively reform the country’s football administration following the mass resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board and General Secretary.
Shehu Dikko disclosed this in an interview with Arise News on Friday, September 25, after meeting FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) officials in Switzerland.
Dikko said the resignations created a leadership vacuum because the NFF statutes did not provide a clear process for a situation in which the federation had no legally constituted leadership.
“After the resignation of the entire board of the NFF and the General Secretary, naturally we have a lacuna, because there was no provision in the rulebook for situations like that, where we have nobody now to run the NFF legally within the rulebook,” he said.
The NSC chairman said the government presented its reform proposals to FIFA, with the plans covering the wider structure and administration of Nigerian football.
“We told them, this is our position as a government. The government wants to undertake a comprehensive reform of the football structures in Nigeria, which is something that even FIFA knew has been on the cards for decades in Nigeria,” he noted.
“So we discussed comprehensive proposals from the government, which are the issues that we think should be reformed, based on the concerns of the stakeholders, and we all agreed on that.”
He added that FIFA endorsed the resignations and reform plans but insisted that the process must comply with the relevant statutes and regulations.
Dikko said FIFA could establish an independent normalisation committee to oversee the reform process, with the committee expected to operate for between six months and one year depending on the scope of the reforms.
“That committee is not appointed by the Nigerian government alone. No, the committee is normally called a normalisation committee. It’s a FIFA committee,” he explained.
“It’s FIFA that looks at what is on the ground, and they appoint the committee with clear timelines, clear terms of reference and everything, and what they should deliver.”
He said members of the committee would have to remain independent and would not be allowed to contest future NFF elections for a specified period.
“The committee will be independent. That’s why it doesn’t have to be anybody who is involved within the system, or who has an interest in contesting the election.
“In fact, once you participate in that committee, you are barred from contesting the election or being part of the NFF for a certain amount of time, so that you can be neutral and just do the work that is supposed to be done.”
Dikko said the committee would report directly to FIFA while consulting with the Nigerian government, with FIFA responsible for funding its work.
“The committee is reporting directly to FIFA, in consultation with the government. And the committee is even being paid by FIFA when they are doing the work. That is how it is done,” Dikko said.
The NSC chairman said consultations with NFF Congress members had already begun ahead of a planned FIFA visit to Nigeria.
“The first thing is, let’s have some conversation with some of the stakeholders to discuss the blueprint of the comprehensive reform, which we started even yesterday [Thursday, September 24].
“I held a meeting with some of the Congress members. We have shared the document with them for them to provide input. And then FIFA will eventually come here to have an on-site visit, where we can eventually invite other stakeholders to come and have a conversation, so that we have perfected the document.”
Dikko said reforming the NFF electoral system would also form part of the process, with the government considering a system that would require presidential candidates to declare their teams before elections.
“Part of the reforms is also to rebuild the electoral code, to rebuild the electoral system and make it very transparent,” he noted.
He explained that candidates could be required to present their proposed vice-president, secretary and other officials as part of their election bid.
“So it’s a whole team that will contest the election. The other candidate will declare his own candidate. By the time people are voting, they know this is the person they are voting for, these are the people they are voting for, and they are all aligned in the same vision,” he noted.
Dikko said the reforms would be divided into immediate, medium-term and long-term measures because some changes could extend beyond the tenure of a normalisation committee.
“The reform we want to do is very, very comprehensive. It might not be able to be done within the framework of the NFF.
“So the NFF will divide the reforms into the immediate, medium and long term. We can see what we can be able to achieve during the normalisation committee’s engagement, and then what can be passed to the next NFF committee.”
State chairmen of the Nigeria Democratic Congress have insisted on the supremacy of the party’s structures amid disagreements over the operations of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While some of the chairmen accused the movement of sidelining existing party structures, others said there was no dispute in their states and that efforts were being made to accommodate the various support groups.
The NDC leaders, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH across 10 states, maintained that the Obidient and Kwankwasiyyah movements were support groups and could not establish parallel campaign structures or conduct activities without party approval.
The crisis
Their positions followed concerns over the relationship between the NDC’s formal structures and the support groups mobilising for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The NDC had, on September 19, disowned the 59-member Presidential Campaign Council announced by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, for Obi and Kwankwaso.
The party also warned that no individual, candidate or support group was authorised to constitute or announce any campaign council or structure in its name without approval from its National Working Committee.
Supporting the party’s position, the NDC National Leader, Seriake Dickson, criticised the activities of the OK Movement, warning political support groups affiliated with the party against operating as parallel structures or competing with the party for control.
However, the Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, rejected the NDC and Dickson’s position, stating that the group would not collapse or surrender its structure to the NDC.
State chairmen draw battle lines
But some NDC state chairmen rejected the OK Movement’s stance, declaring that the group could not override the supremacy of the party.
Some of the chairmen alleged that the movement had sidelined or taken over existing party structures.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the NDC Chairman in Osun State, Charles Omidiji, said no movement or group was superior to the party.
He noted that there was nothing wrong with candidates having separate campaigns, provided they obtained the party’s approval and carried the party structure along.
The chairman said it was inappropriate for any candidate to organise a campaign without involving the party, arguing that the party would be held responsible if any crisis arose during such activities.
He maintained that the party was supreme and that the composition of the campaign structure was the responsibility of the party.
“They are just groups and we have said that the groups cannot do their campaign in isolation. They may have one-on-one campaigns because you cannot tell a candidate not to campaign on his own. They can campaign on their own, but they will refer back to the party to carry them along.
“It is illegal for any candidate to go for a campaign in a particular place and there is a crisis. It is the party people will hold responsible.
“Authorities cannot give a candidate permission to campaign except the party gives a nod. It is just like an agent; candidates cannot have their agents without the party. It is the party that owns agents. The party supervises the election. So, the party is supreme over any individual group. There is no controversy over that and they have resolved it. We have made it clear to them,” Omidiji stated.
The chairman added that candidates who went ahead with separate campaigns in the name of their movements would be doing so independently of the party structure.
He said, “If they went ahead to have their separate campaign in the name of their movements, it means they will do the election on their own. The party will leave them to their fate because there won’t be anybody to monitor the election for them if they decide to campaign in isolation. Who will monitor; who will be their agent? It is the party that will take care of all these. Nobody to blame if they do it in isolation. They have to abide by the party constitution.”
Speaking on the mechanism put in place by the party for the campaign, he disclosed that the party was working with all support and interest groups to organise a robust campaign.
No movement can campaign without approval – Ogun NDC
Similarly, the Ogun State NDC Chairman, Femi Alao, said no movement could campaign without the approval of the party, stressing that the party was supreme.
He said, “There is nothing like disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement. What we are saying is that the party is supreme and we should all come together to have a common front.
“You cannot have a campaign without the approval of the party. We have put in place a mechanism to accommodate all interest groups.”
OK Movement must obey party rules – Kano NDC chair
Also, the Kano State NDC Chairman, Hussaini Meriga, said the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement must abide by the party’s rules and regulations, stressing that the movement operated under the party.
“The party is supreme over any other movement. Though Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso had their separate movements before coming into the same platform to contest, their movements are under the party. They must obey the party’s rules and regulations,” he stated.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the NDC Chairman in Anambra State, David Chukwudifu, stated that the Obidient Movement had sidelined him and the 326 ward chairmen in the state.
He said the party was waiting for the intervention of the national headquarters to resolve the matter between it and the Obidient Movement.
He also accused Obi of not responding to his calls to intervene in the crisis.
“I am the founder and chairman of the NDC in the state. I brought the party to Anambra State from Abuja. But there are no political activities in the state because of the way the Obidients are doing things. They have sidelined every one of us, including me and the 326 ward chairmen in the state. All the existing structures in the state have been sidelined and this is affecting us.
“This crisis won’t only affect the party but also the coming election. We are only looking up to the national leadership of the party to resolve this issue.
“Since the Obidient Movement came to the party on May 3, 2026, they have sidelined everybody. We have called on Peter Obi himself, but he is not responding to our calls. If we continue this way, the party will have issues in the coming election.”
In his contribution, the Edo State NDC Chairman, David Olukoga, described the OK Movement as a support group under the party, alongside other interest groups.
“Both Obi and Kwankwaso movements are support groups and we have various support groups within the party, just as we have the students’ movement, traders’ movement and traditional movement. Very soon, we are going to inaugurate our campaign, and everybody will be included to have a robust campaign.”
NDC South-East vice-chair urges common front
Meanwhile, the NDC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Teddy Obey, called on party stakeholders and the OK Movement to work together for the party’s victory in the 2027 election.
He said it would not be in the party’s interest for any candidate or support group to operate in isolation.
Obey, however, noted that the party was working with both movements to establish a common front ahead of campaign activities.
He also reiterated the supremacy of the party over the movements, describing them as support groups.
“They cannot have a separate platform for the campaign. We must have a common front. It won’t augur well for us to have a different platform for campaign activities. However, the party has been working together with both movements to make sure we have a common ground.
“The party has put a mechanism in place to accommodate everyone because the party is supreme. I am also an Obidient. Peter Obi is my principal. We are doing everything possible to make sure we deliver the South-East for him.”
OK Movement not operating in isolation – Convener
However, the National Convener of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, Jackie Wayas, denied the chairmen’s allegations, stating that the group was not operating independently of the party structure.
Wayas, speaking with Sunday PUNCH, said, “There is no way the movement can work in isolation. The party is our party, and our principal is in the party. I don’t think the goal of the movement is to work in isolation.
“We are trying to fly the flag of the party. That is where our principal is contesting. Whatever the party is doing, we will support it and continue to push the party forward.”
No division among us – Adamawa NDC chairman
This came as the NDC Chairman in Adamawa State, Ibrahim Bebetu, debunked reports of a dispute between the party and the OK Movement.
Bebetu said the campaign list to be released by the national headquarters would accommodate all interest groups.
“We are working together. There is nothing like division among us. We will still have another campaign list to accommodate every interest group.
“The mechanism we have put in place is showing the record of our candidates. I believe everyone contesting has their own records. We have every resource to go out to campaign for our candidate, Peter Obi.”
Also, the NDC Chairman in the Federal Capital Territory, Haruna Pai, said the matter had been resolved.
He said he met with the leaders of the OK Movement in Abuja on Tuesday, where the matter was resolved.
“That has been resolved. I had a meeting with the chairman of the Kwankwasiyyah Movement in the FCT and the Obidient Movement chairman in the FCT, Daniel Dumije. We are waiting for the national office of the party to release the campaign list, and I believe all the chairmen across the 36 states will be included. What happened earlier between the three parties was just misinformation,” he stated.
To avoid conflict, the NDC in Plateau State said it created a directorate to oversee the affairs of support groups and foster a common front.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the NDC Chairman in the state, Ndam Solomon, said, “What I have done is to create a Directorate of Support Groups and appoint the Obidient Movement Coordinator in the state, Dr Jerry Bako, to head it.
“We have put all the support groups under this directorate to screen and register them so that we can have a common front.”
Similarly, the NDC Chairman in Enugu State said the party and the Obidient Movement were working harmoniously in the state.
He said, “Politically, we are doing our best. The Obidient Movement and the NDC are working together harmoniously.”
The Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the NDC, Dr Willie Bassey, also maintained that there was no disagreement between the state chapter of the NDC and the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, stressing that both groups were working together in unity.
“There is nothing like a dispute between us and the OK Movement. We are working together in Akwa Ibom,” he stated.
The Niger State NDC Secretary, Joseph Mamman, also said the party had a cordial relationship with the Obidient Movement in the state.
Credit: PUNCH
Renowned FIFA licensed football agent and sportspreneur, Dr. Drew Uyi has joined millions of football loving Nigerians to celebrate Super Eagles star winger, Moses Simon for achieving 100 caps with the national team.
Uyi, who is also a sports marketing and brand strategist, was particularly happy with the FC Paris star player, as he stated that it is not a mean feat.
“It’s not easy to get 50 caps with the Super Eagles. And for a player to reach the 100 caps milestone, is awesome. Without a doubt, Moses Simon deserves all the encomiums and accolades, he has received, so far.
“He is an exemplary player and a wonderful personality. He would remain a positive influence and a shinning light for the younger footballers.
“Once again, I join millions of Nigerians to say, congratulations to this incredibly gifted footballer and patriot,” Uyi added.
Decoupling Sovereignty Index (1): The Anatomy of Becoming Nobody
We should not relent in building educational root that raised us, for the sake of our kids- IGSOSA President, Adidi (Photos)
10m beneficiaries of cash transfers don’t have phones, not on social media – APC Chairman
-
News19 hours agoTinubu’s tough decisions are already yielding fruits, Yari will deliver on assignment -TSTA
-
News19 hours agoPDP group slams Zamfara Governor for attacking Wike, hails FCT Minister’s nationalistic position
-
Politics19 hours agoBefore dreaming of Aso Villa, APM should first find its feet-Ali Campaign Organization
-
News19 hours agoEFCC nabs City Boy Movement woman leader
-
News18 hours agoSAD: Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s mother is dead
-
News13 hours agoHouse of Assembly Candidate, Sanni Urges Unity Among Ekiti ADC Members
You must be logged in to post a comment Login