The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • ENGLISH FA Cup replay: Moses, Mikel back for Chelsea

    ENGLISH FA Cup replay: Moses, Mikel back for Chelsea

    Super Eagles duo of Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel will be available for Chelsea’s FA Cup fourth-round replay with Brentford on Sunday.

    Moses and Mikel missed Thursday’s Europa League win at Sparta Prague. They were rested, after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria. The pair were an integral part of the Coach Stephen Keshi-led side at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.

    David Luiz and Demba Ba will also make their return into the Chelsea line up after missing the Europa League win in midweek

    Luiz was suspended, Ba ineligible, while John Terry and Ashley Cole were unused substitutes.

    Cole had a cold and Terry was not risked after a setback in his recovery from a knee injury, but the captain is in line to return in defence against the Bees. Oriol Romeu (knee) is a long-term absentee.

    Provisional squad: Cech, Turnbull, Hilario, Ivanovic, Cole, Luiz, Ramires, Lampard, Torres, Mata, Oscar, Mikel, Hazard, Ba, Ferreira, Marin, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Benayoun, Bertrand, Ake, Moses.

    Meanwhile Bees manager Uwe Rosler has no new injury problems ahead of the replay at Stamford Bridge.

    Midfielder Kevin O’Connor is still out with an ankle problem and striker Farid El-Alagui remains sidelined with a knee injury.

    Rosler though is worried his side’s best chance of victory has already gone.

    He told the Fulham Chronicle: “The surprise factor has gone. We had the chance to beat them because they underestimated us the first time around, but they won’t do that again. They will take us more seriously this time around.”

  • GOAL OF THE WEEK: Mba stuns Ronaldo, Del Piero to top the charts

    GOAL OF THE WEEK: Mba stuns Ronaldo, Del Piero to top the charts

    Super Eagles hero Sunday Mba not only sealed Africa Cup of Nations glory for Nigeria last week, he has also has fired his way to the Goal of the Week (GOTW0 title following his wonderful effort against Burkina Faso.

    Mba claimed an impressive 41.15 per cent of fans votes, finishing ahead of GOTW veteran Alessandro Del Piero, and the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid star is left in second place as the AFCON winner steals the show, while the Italian veteran finishes in third.

    Meanwhile, the only keeper proud to feature in this week’s poll, Rogerio Ceni, finishes in fifth place following his free kick against Guarani. A little harshly, GOTW feels.

    1ST Sunday Mba NIGERIA V BURKINA FASO 41.15%

    2ND Cristiano Ronaldo PORTUGAL V ECUADOR 33.38%

    3RD Alessandro Del Piero SYDNEY V BRISBANE 16.62%

    4TH Rasmus Elm SWEDEN V ARGENTINA 4.48%

    5TH Rogerio Ceni Guarani V SAO PAOLO 4.37%

  • Asaba Stadium named after Keshi

    Asaba Stadium named after Keshi

    Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has named the Asaba Stadium after Stephen Keshi, who led Nigeria to win a third African Cup of Nations title last weekend.

    At a reception held at the Asaba International Event Centre, Uduaghan also rewarded Keshi with a sum of 8 million Naira as well as a duplex in the state capital.

    Keshi’s assistants, Daniel Amokachi, Sylavnus Okpalla, and Ike Shorunmu got 4m Naira each, while each player got 2.5m naira.

    Members of the team who were old and present players of Warri Wolves got N5million. They are AFCON final hero Sunday Mba, Chigozie Agbim, Azuibike Egwekwe, and Nosa Igiebor.

    MTNFootball.com reports that more state governments are in line to fete the team.

     

  • Ex-Olympian urges FG to fulfill 2002 promise

    Ex-Olympian urges FG to fulfill 2002 promise

    A 2004 Athens Olympic Games bronze medalist, Uchenna Emedolu, on Friday appealed to the Federal Government to fulfill the promise made to him by former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Emedolu said in Lagos that Obasanjo had promised him a plot of land and naming a street after him for winning the 9th IAAF World Cup in Spain in 2002.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the appeal had become necessary because the promises made to the Super Eagles for winning the 29th Africa Cup of Nations were fulfilled.

    “The promise was made by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, after I won the 9th IAAF World Cup in Madrid, Spain in 2002.

    “I was told that a street will be named after me and that a piece of land will be given to me.

    “And up till now, I have not received anything. I use this medium to ask the Federal Government to look into the promise of the former president in 2002,” he said.

    The Olympic bronze medalist said that he was glad that some of the promises made to the Super Eagles were being fulfilled and hoped that something similar should be extended to him.

    Emedolu added that other sportsmen and women should also be encouraged like the Super Eagles.

     

  • Botched transfer fallout: Osaze sacks agents

    Botched transfer fallout: Osaze sacks agents

    Nigeria striker, Osaze Odemwingie, has sacked his agents, he said on his Twitter account.

    The 31-year-old striker was the centre of attention on transfer deadline day when mixed messages saw him drive to London believing he was due to sign for Queens Park Rangers, MTNFootball.com reports.

    West Bromwich Albion denied a deal had been struck and manager Steve Clarke said just two weeks ago that the Nigerian international should seek new representatives.

    “I have sacked my agents. They are at my gate begging for permission to negotiate a comeback. I told them to seek permission from authorities,” Odemwingie tweeted.

    Odemwingie, who was reportedly fined two weeks’ wages over the transfer deadline saga, traveled with the WBA squad on Monday as they beat Liverpool in an English Premier League fixture, but watched the game from the stands.

     

     

     

  • Echiejile: AFCON ‘ll lift Eagles for World Cup

    Echiejile: AFCON ‘ll lift Eagles for World Cup

    Nigeria defender Elderson Echiejile has said the recent AFCON triumph will boost team confidence in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

    The Super Eagles were crowned African champions for a third time at the weekend in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    They are currently top of a qualifying group for the World Cup that has Malawi, Namibia and Kenya with four points.

    They host Kenya next month in continuation of the qualifying series.

    “What we achieved in South Africa has boosted our confidence as a team and as players and we hope this will rub off on the World Cup qualifiers as well because we want to not just qualify for Brazil 2014, but also set a record there,” he said.

    The Sporting Braga star is equally excited the Eagles will feature in the FIFA Confederations Cup, where they are drawn against world champions Spain, Tahiti and Uruguay.

    “It will be a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, but on its own it’s also a special event as not many teams get the chance to feature in this competition reserved for continental champions,” he said.

    Nigeria featured at the 1995 version of the competition when it was then known as the King Fahd Cup.

    The Eagles beat Japan 3-0, drew 0-0 with Argentina before they lost on penalties to Mexico in a third-place playoff.

  • Benitez: Why I left out Mikel, Moses

    Benitez: Why I left out Mikel, Moses

    Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez has explained the reasons why he left out Nigerian duo of John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses from the squad that took on Sparta Prague in a UEFA Europa cup fixture on Thursday.

    Mikel and Moses were on duty for over three weeks with Nigeria, and Benitez has ruled out rushing the duo into action after winning the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria on Sunday in South Africa.

    “Flying from South Africa and then Nigeria would be too much so we have left them in London,” Benitez told tribalfootball.com.

    “I’ve had experience in the UEFA Cup with Valencia and Liverpool and when you see the names of teams involved you realise that it is a massive competition.”

    Mikel and Moses were among Super Eagles players that were rewarded with cash and national honours, among other gifts for helping Nigeria to her third AFCON success.

     

  • Bright Dike out of Confederations Cup

    Bright Dike out of Confederations Cup

    : To be sidelined for six months

    Nigeria striker Bright Dike, who missed the 2013 AFCON cut, will be out for six months due to a knee injury, his club announced.

    This has therefore dashed the player’s hope of returning to the Super Eagles in time for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil in June.

    Dike is expected to be out of action till August. He sustained the injury in the Timbers’ pre-season match against Seattle Sounders FC on February 5.

    His manager at the MLS side, Caleb Porter, expressed disappointment with the striker’s injury setback.

    “It’s too bad,” Porter lamented. “We feel for Bright. He was going to be a key piece for us this year. But that’s football, it happens and guys get injured. He’s a tough kid, he’s a great kid, and he’s a good kid. We’ll miss him, but he’ll overcome this.”

    Deon McCaulay, a Belize international forward, is being evaluated as a possible replacement for Bright Dike.

    “We need to look at our options,” Porter said. “Losing Bright, he was a guy who was going to push for a starting spot. We’re certainly looking at what options are out there. We want to see how [McCaulay] does, Mwanga.”

    Bright Dike underwent successful surgery of his left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in addition to undergoing a successful lateral meniscectomy.

    The procedures were performed by Timbers Director of Medicine Dr. Richard Edelson at Sports Medicine Oregon in Tigard. Dike, 26, was one of the Timbers’ leading scorers in 2012, recording five goals in 12 games over the final half of the campaign.

  • AHEAD African Youth Championship

    : Benin Rep. arrive for Flying Eagles test

    A 29-man squad from Republic of Benin have arrived in Abuja ahead of a friendly this weekend against Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles.

    Both teams are using the match to prepare for next month’s African Youth Championship in Algeria.

    Defending champions Nigeria are seeded in Group B along with DR Congo, Gabon and Mali, while Benin are in Group A with hosts Algeria, Egypt and Ghana.

    Both teams played out a 1-1 draw in another friendly played in Cotonou in September.

    Incidentally, Benin took on Nigeria’s 2013 AYC foes Gabon in two tune-up matches recently.

    They lost 1-0 in the first match before they drew 1-1 with their hosts in the second game.

    Benin will host the Gabon U20s in another warm-up game on February 20 in Cotonou.

  • CAF CL: Rangers in top shape ahead S/Principe tie

    CAF CL: Rangers in top shape ahead S/Principe tie

    Enugu Rangers football club have said they are in top shape, and prepared for the CAF Champions League fixture against Sporting Príncipe on Sunday, February 17, 2013.

    The Nigerian side will host their counterpart from Sao Tome and Principle inside the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium in Enugu.

    Coach Okey Emordi will only face the problem of choice, as all the players are fit for the game except for Ejike Uzoenyi who just returned with the Super Eagles from South Africa, where they won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

    Emordi will puzzle in defense whether to start Uche Oguchi or Haliru Umar in the right back, Chinedu Justice or Nnamdi Anyasodo in the left back, with Cyril Oriaku and Ousmane Sane option for the central defense.

    “The players have been in good shape. They have been in camp for some time,” media officer Foster Chime told futaa.com.

    “We defeated national U20 side (Flying Eagles) in a friendly, so I can tell you the team is fully prepared for the game come Sunday.”

    Rangers FC board has promised to reward the players handsomely if they beat

    their counterpart from Sao Tome and Principle.

    Sporting Príncipe was due in Nigeria last night.