With a few days left for the All Nigeria/Cross River Championships, top Nigerian athletes are keeping a tight rein on their schedule in a bid to come up with a big performance.

Embittered president of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari has berated the Super Eagles players for rejecting a lash in their match bonus at a time the federation is battling to keep afloat over its lean resources.

The Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporters Club on Friday said that more than 100 of its members would fly to Brazil on Sunday to cheer the Super Eagles.

Some 200 homeless activists on Friday burned tires and blocked access to Brasilia’s Mane Garrincha, one of the six host stadiums for the upcoming Confederations Cup, police said.

LAGOS (AFP) – African champions Nigeria, who stayed in Namibia after their World Cup qualifier in a row over bonus payments, have delayed their departure for the Confederations Cup in Brazil, officials said on Friday.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) – Mighty Italy believe they can repeat their surprise run to the Euro 2012 final by going all the way at the Confederations Cup.

BRASÍLIA (AFP) – Brazil and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari cannot help but have one eye on next year’s World Cup on home soil, but if the acid test is 12 months away the countdown starts Saturday when the Selecao take on Japan in their Confederations Cup opener.

The onus row between the Super Eagles players and the Nigeria Football Federation was amicably resolved after both parties agreed to bury the hatchet and let sleeping dogs lie till after the Confederations Cup hostilities.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the Super Eagles will qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.

Few African-born players have decided to make a go of it in Brazil, but as Richard Owubokiri has shown, it can be a perfectly logical and successful career move.