The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Bafana coach in hospital

    Bafana coach in hospital

    Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund Tuesday admitted himself in hospital suffering from severe abdominal pains.

    Dr Ephraim Nematswerani, who is attending to coach Igesund, said so far he had detected that the national coach might be having appendicitis.

    “Thorough and further investigations are being carried out to confirm the diagnosis. We are however, confident that he will be back on his feet soon. It is nothing too serious,” added Dr Nematswerani.

    Igesund’s Bafana Bafana side were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the recent Africa Cup of Nations by Mali, but generally received positive reviews.

    There has even been talk of Igesund having his current deal extended to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His team’s next assignment is at home to Central African Republic in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier next month.

  • Supporters club gets N5m gift from Fed Govt

    Supporters club gets N5m gift from Fed Govt

    For playing a key role in the Super Eagles’ victory and

    winning of the trophy at the just concluded African Cup of Nations in South Africa, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday announced a N5m gift to the national team’s Supporters’ Club.

    Jonathan made the announcement at a special opening session of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja. The President had on Tuesday night announced national honors, cash and plots of land for the players and technical crew.

    Jonathan Tuesday said that he would have announced the donation during the dinner he organised in honor of the players.

    According to him, since the Super Eagles have gone this far, they must ensure that they did not only qualify for the next World Cup but also ensure that they qualify for the final match of the tournament.

    The President said: “I want to thank the Minister of Sports and of course the NFF which has always been associated with a lot of stories for this feat. If you had lost, you would have been humiliated. I know that it is challenging to manage a team. We will continue to praise and encourage the boys and charge them to ensure they qualify for the World Cup and get to the final.”

    He continued: “We also commend the supporters’ club. This really escaped me yesterday (on Tuesday) when we were announcing gifts for the players. Government will give the club N5m to encourage them. It is not easy supporting a team, be singing and dancing even when it seems the team is not winning. We need to encourage them.”

    Recalling making request for prayers when he made a presentation to FEC on the team’s preparation about three weeks ago, the Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi noted that President Jonathan gladly obliged.

    He said: “We can conveniently say that God has answered our prayers after 19 years of waiting. With the winning, the mood of the country has changed. God rewarded the President’s passion and commitment because before now, past administrations tried without success. God ordained it that this will happen during your (Jonathan’s) time.”

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, said that Nigeria has been re-branded among comity of nations with the Super Eagles’ victory.

    According to him, Nigeria does not need to spend money on external publicity since the match was watched worldwide.

    “With this victory, Nigeria has been rebranded. For the next six months, we do not need to spend money on external publicity because that match was watched all over the world,” he stated.

    On his part, Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku while stressing that football is very crucial to national development, noted that the nation stood still for the final match.

    He said: “When the match was being played, we were here and we watched it. The whole country stood still for the match. Even Boko Haram and kidnappers suspended actions during the match. Football has always been crucial to national development,”

    Agitation for the actualisation of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election and the civil war, he said, were stopped for a period of time because of football matches.

    The Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “It is a fantastic win. It signalled an opening up of the sports sector under your (the President’s) leadership where we can create jobs though it. For our young people, the spirit of negativisim that tends to prevail has been turned around. This is just the beginning,”

    Minister of Interior, Aba Moro, said that prayers and hardwork were responsible for the nation’s victory at the tournament.

    “A combination of patience as exemplified by the First Lady (Mrs. Patience Jonathan) and the resilience of the President gave us the goodluck we are celebrating. Those were the things that saw Nigeria through this crystal moment. Prayers and hardwork saw us through. The lesson for us is that if we are patient, committed and work hard, Nigeria will go places. We will continue to assist you to achieve greater things for the country,” he added.

  • Ejide returns to Israel today

    Ejide returns to Israel today

    Nigeria international Austin Ejide will return to Israel today to begin training with Hapoel Be’er Sheva ahead of Saturday’s fixture in the championship against Hapoel Ramat Gan.

    While Ejide was on national team duty with the Nigeria selection, coach Elisha Levy preferred Ben Senan in goal. The 30 – year – old kept three clean-sheets in five matches in the top division.

    Ejide, who sat on the bench throughout the duration of the African Cup of Nations, has started 17 games in Ligat ha’Al. At this point, it is unclear if he would replace Ben Senan in goal on Saturday.

    With 30 points from 22 matches, Hapoel Be’er Sheva occupy the 9th position on the table.

  • Lazio name Onazi in Europa squad

    Lazio name Onazi in Europa squad

    Lazio have named Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, in their squad to face Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Europa League, following his return to Italy after Nigeria’s Nations Cup success in South Africa

    The Biancocelesti travel to Germany for the first leg of their Round of 32 tie on Thursday. Onazi will be anxious to avoid the fate that befell Efe Ambrose, as his fellow Super Eagle struggled in the Champions League tie against Juventus on Tuesday.

    Coach Vladimir Petkovic is without Klose and Cristian Brocchi, but Ederson returns to the squad after a long injury lay-off.

    It is reported that Klose has been practising for a future as an assistant manager during his two-month spell on the sidelines. Having played against Borussia Mönchengladbach many times, he is outlining tactical tips and tricks to Coach Petkovic during their training sessions.

  • Super Eagles’ supporters club gets N5m gift from Fed Govt

    Super Eagles’ supporters club gets N5m gift from Fed Govt

    For playing a key role in the Super Eagles’ victory and winning of the trophy at the just concluded African Cup of Nations in South Africa, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday announced a N5m gift to the national team’s Supporters’ Club.

    Jonathan made the announcement at a special opening session of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.

    The President had on Tuesday night announced national honors, cash and plots of land for the players and technical crew.

    Jonathan yesterday said that he would have announced the donation during the dinner he organised in honor of the players.

    According to him, since the Super Eagles have gone this far, they must ensure that they did not only qualify for the next World Cup but also ensure that they qualify for the final match of the tournament.

    The President said: “I want to thank the Minister of Sports and of course the NFF which has always been associated with a lot of stories for this feat. If you had lost, you would have been humiliated.

    “I know that it is challenging to manage a team. We will continue to praise and encourage the boys and charge them to ensure they qualify for the World Cup and get to the final.

    He continued: “We also commend the supporters’ club. This really escaped me yesterday (on Tuesday) when we were announcing gifts for the players.

    “Government will give the club N5m to encourage them. It is not easy supporting a team, be singing and dancing even when it seems the team is not winning. We need to encourage them.”

    Recalling making request for prayers when he made a presentation to FEC on the team’s preparation about three weeks ago, the Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi noted that President Jonathan gladly obliged.

    He said: “We can conveniently say that God has answered our prayers after 19 years of waiting. With the winning, the mood of the country has changed. God rewarded the President’s passion and commitment because before now, past administrations tried without success. God ordained it that this will happen during your (Jonathan’s) time.”

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, said that Nigeria has been re-branded among comity of nations with the Super Eagles’ victory.

    According to him, Nigeria does not need to spend money on external publicity since the match was watched worldwide.

    “With this victory, Nigeria has been re branded  for the next six months, we do not need to spend money on external publicity because that match was watched all over the world,” he stated.

    On his part, Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku while stressing that football is very crucial to national development, noted that the nation stood still for the final match.

    He said: “When the match was being played, we were here and we watched it. The whole country stood still for the match. Even Boko Haram and kidnappers suspended actions during the match. Football has always been crucial to national development,”

    Agitation for the actualization of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election and the civil war, he said, were stopped for a period of time because of football matches.

    The Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “It is a fantastic win. It signaled an opening up of the sports sector under your (the President’s) leadership where we can create jobs though it. For our young people, the spirit of negativism that tends to prevail has been turned around. This is just the beginning,”

    Minister of Interior, Aba Moro, said that prayers and hard work were responsible for the nation’s victory at the tournament.

    “A combination of patience as exemplified by the First Lady (Mrs. Patience Jonathan) and the resilience of the President gave us the goodluck we are celebrating. Those were the things that saw Nigeria through this crystal moment. Prayers and hardwork saw us through. The lesson for us is that if we are patient, committed and work hard, Nigeria will go places. We will continue to assist you to achieve greater things for the country,” he added

  • Nigeria vs Kenya now June 6th

    Nigeria vs Kenya now June 6th

    Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has confirmed that the date for the 2014 World Cup qualifier pitting African champions Nigeria against Kenya has been changed.

    The development comes after Nigeria were crowned champions of the African Cup of Nations and will represent the continent in Brazil during the Confederations Cup.

    “The World Football Governing Body FIFA has communicated to Football Kenya Federation on the possibility of changing the dates for the Kenya, Nigeria Brazil World Cup qualifier.”

    “This has arisen due to Nigeria’s qualification to represent Africa in the FIFA confederations Cup to be played in Brazil from 15th to 23rd June 2013. The World Cup organising committee has therefore requested Kenya to reschedule the return leg at least two days before the 10th of June that means the match be played on 6th or 7th of June,” the statement read.

    FIFA is expected to hold an executive meeting on March 19th to decide on the exact dates.

    FKF have also revealed that they will hire a new coach before they face Super Eagles but were keen to state that he will not be high profile like the predecessor as the team is expected to pitch camp in two week’s time.

    “We are not going for a high profile coach this time round and the three have a good track record for working with African teams.”

  • Two Nigerian journalists brutalised by South African police

    Two Nigerian journalists brutalised by South African police

    Two Nigerian journalists covering the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) were kicked, dragged on the ground, threatened with cocked guns and forcibly detained for two hours by officers of the South African police in Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon.

    Debo Oshudun, Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) for Central and Southern Africa and John Joshua Akanji, a Deputy Editor of The Sun Newspapers were onboard a taxi on their way to cover the departure of the AFCON winners Super Eagles when shortly after they both alighted, they were surrounded by no less than 20 fully armed South African police officers who threatened to shoot them after they insisted they were Journalists.

    The duo, who narrated their story to SportingLife, were grateful to God for sparing their lives.

    “I thank God we are still alive because we could have been shot, knowing the type of (extra-) judicial killings in South Africa. I have never been in that situation in my life. I was dragged on the floor, kicked and brutalised. I and John Joshua-Akanji were disposed of our phones, my keys and we couldn’t contact anybody. We were detained for two hours and I was really traumatised throughout the time the police dealt with us and still imagining it up till now.

    “The police claimed that they stopped our car because the taxi we were in had a number plate with two different characters. Immediately they stopped us they removed the number plate. They lied that they had been trailing us,” Oshundun told SportingLife in Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon.

    Joshua-Akanji had to miss his South African Airways flight due to the torture he received from the South African Police.

    The Sun Newspaper Deputy Editor also narrated his ordeal to SportingLife in Johannesburg yesterday.

    “I was in a trance. I thought I was acting out a movie. I never thought it was for real. I have never seen a thing like this in all my life. But I am happy to be alive to tell the story”, the visibly shaken journalist disclosed. 20 policemen, who had already cocked their guns and pointed them to my head and my colleague Oshundun’s, were shouting ‘I will shoot you, I will shoot you. Who are you? Do you think you are special? I will blast your brains off’”, Joshua-Akanji revealed.

    Lieutenant Colonel M. F. Tshabalala station commander, Sandringham Command South African Police Service, SAPS, later apologised for the treatment meted out on the Nigeria Journalists.

    It took the intervention of the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg to secure the release of both men. There are no indications yet, if the Journalists will press charges against the South African Police.

    The two journalists however commended Hope, the South African taxi driver for daring his country’s police by rising to the defence of the Nigerians. “These men are responsible journalists that have come here to cover the AFCON. They are like brothers to me. I ate and dinned with them. They have been wonderful to me as a South African. Why are you treating them this way? It’s not fair! it’s not fair!”, Hope is said to have cried out while the policemen were brutalising the West Africans.

  • ‘Nigeria were beatable’

    ‘Nigeria were beatable’

    Burkina Faso hitman Aristide Bance told supersport.com, a day after they lost the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations final to Nigeria, that the Super Eagles did not exhibit the standard he expected during the clash at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

    The FC Augsburg striker said he was expecting a merciless showdown from the Vincent Enyeama-led squad but met a relatively assailable side that struggled against them despite the avalanche of supporters and favourable previews.

    “Although we lost, I don’t feel personally vanquished. I have to congratulate the Super Eagles for their victory but I can say Burkina Faso didn’t lose,” the 28-year-old said.

    “Nigeria were lucky to have scored first, otherwise it would have been difficult for them to equalise and carry the day. The encounter was quite balanced. For a team reaching the AFCON final for the first time and holding a two-time champion to a narrow one-goal win, I can say it’s a victory for us and great inspiration for the future of the team,” he said.

    Asked if Alain Traore’s presence would have made some difference in their favour, Bance cancelled out that possibility with the absence also of Nigeria’s rocket forward Emmanuel Emenike.

    “If you say we would have probably had an edge if Alain Traore had played then you can as well say Nigeria could have done much better had Emenike played.”

  • Orji extols Eagles for winning

    Orji extols Eagles for winning

    Abia State governor, Theodore Orji has congratulated the Super Eagles of Nigeria for winning the African Cup of Nations for the third term in far away South Africa after 19 years.

    The governor, who spoke through his chief press secretary, Ugochukwu Emezue after the epic clash, praised the Eagles for doing the nation proud in South Africa and bringing total unity which is unique only during football matches.

    According to the governor, the victory of the Super Eagles means a lot to the nation especially at this point of the nation’s march towards becoming a reference point in the continent especially in sports.

    The governor said that Nigeria must draw some lessons from the Eagles’ success and that is the fact that determination, team work and dedication are ingredients of success, adding that together the country can achieve any goal it set for itself.

    Orji maintained that though the Eagles missed many scoring chances, they still made the nation proud by scoring the only winning goal that came when it mattered most.

    The governor saluted the coach, Stephen Keshi, for making history by winning the Nations Cup as a coach having played for the Eagles as a captain when the country won the cup last in Tunisia, adding that with this feat that he has become the second player and later coach to achieve such in Africa.

    Orji said that this is the finest moment in the nation’s soccer history and urged authorities in the sporting world to build on the success of the Super Eagles to develop more sports.

  • Critics made us win —Ike Shorunmu

    Critics made us win —Ike Shorunmu

    Super Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu has praised Nigeria fans and critics for pushing the team to the limits with their criticisms which he said brought out the best in the team to win the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations held in South Africa.

    The gentle but amiable football coach told SportingLife that he was particularly happy for winning the competition having been so close to winning it in 2000 as a player in the team.

    “Today (Sunday) is my happiest day because it was not that easy winning this tournament. I am so excited because in 2000, I was at the goal post for the Super Eagles when we played in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations but we lost. Today (Sunday) we won it so this is my happiest day because it is not that easy. Nobody gave us a chance that we would get to this stage but thanks to God for everything.

    “Thanks to the critics too for making us stronger in the competition and I wish everything could continue like this. We are in celebration mood now, maybe in the next three days we will go back to our board room to plan for the next 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya slated for next month. We hope to continue from where we stopped and Nigerians should continue to believe in us and support us always”, Shorunmu pleaded.