The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) is mourning the loss of Heartland FC coach Christian Obi, who died in a road accident on Friday.

Obi’s bus collided with a parked truck while en route to Abakaliki for a pre-season tournament.

Obi, a former U-20 goalkeeper, sustained a leg injury and was rushed to the hospital, where he later passed away. The NFF described his death as “shocking and sad”.

“We are still stunned and saddened by the report,” said NFF President Ibrahim Gusau.

Heartland FC paid tribute to their late coach, who guided them back to the top flight last season. “His name would continue to remain etched in the history of the club,” they said.

Obi was a member of Nigeria’s U-20 team that won bronze at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship. He also represented Nigeria at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

Manchester City showcased their strength with a 4-1 win over Ipswich at the Etihad Stadium.

The defending champions demonstrated the challenges of life in the Premier League for newly promoted teams.

Ipswich had a dream start with Sammie Szmodics scoring on his full debut, but Manchester City quickly responded with three goals in four minutes. Haaland equalized with a well-taken penalty, followed by goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Haaland again.

The second half saw the return of Ilkay Gundogan, who marked his comeback with a warm reception from the crowd. Haaland completed his hat-trick with a low drive from distance, securing Manchester City’s dominant win.