Category: Sports

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama has described the late minute penalty awarded to the Chipolopolo of Zambia in their 1-1 draw second group C game in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations at as the worst penalty call he had ever seen his football career.

Zambia Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene salvaged a draw for defending champions Zambia with a late penalty to leave Group C wide open.An angry Enyeama said in the post match interview after the game that the Egyptian referee Grisha Ghead denied Nigeria a good three points in the match.

He cautioned that if the referees failed to handle the game in a manner that every football lovers will enjoy, it will bring the game of football into disrepute. “It was not a penalty and that was a worst penalty call I have ever see in my live. It was a penalty.

“It was one of the worst have seen in the history of football. It doesn’t belong to football if we want to develop a football in Africa. You don’t give that kind of penalty in a great match like that in a game between Nigeria and Zambia. You don’t give that a call that was how we missed a good three points in our first match againt Burkina Faso when the referee officiated against us. I am really mad about the officiating. We got a red card. It was one of the worst I have seen in live,” Enyeama said.

Zambia coach Herve Renard, has said that he and his boys were prepared to secure victory in their game against Nigeria yesterday.

The French coach, who admitted that his boys made a huge mistake to have conceded against Nigeria, commended his boys for their fighting spirit to secured the equaliser. “We prepared well for the game. Nigeria is not a push over and we have to fight back when we conceded a goal. We made a mistake when we conceded that goal. You don’t have to make such mistake when you are playing in such a bad pitch like that. It was a good come back against a team like Nigeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene said they were alaways prepared for penalty. “during the training the coach alaways asked us who among of us that can take the spot kich.

“Actually it is two of us and the second player had been removed which means i was the only player remainning on the pitch to take the spot. it was not easy concedering the fact that i have to come back from my post to came and take the kick. But it is something i have prepared for,” he said.

Nigeria were again pegged back by the defending African Cup of Nations champions Zambia in a 1-1 draw on Friday in a Group C match at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelpruit.

Both teams will now have to wait till their final group games to determine their fate in this competition as they are both on two points each, while Ethiopia and Burkina Faso will slug it out in the second game of the day.

This was the classic game of two halves – Zambia dominated the first period, but Nigeria stepped up after the interval. Emmanuel Emenike gave Nigeria the lead in the 57th minute, when he was set up by Mikel Obi after he stole the ball from Chisamba Lungu.

Kennedy Mweene drew Zambia level in the 85th minute when he slotted past Enyeama after Ogenyi Onazi was adjudged to have brought down Emmanuel Mayuka. Zambia were the livelier of the two teams in a goalless first half and created the better chances.

They enjoyed more of the possession with Southampton striker Emmanuel Mayuka’s header missing the target very early on, before Kalaba fired at the Eagles goal on 16 minutes off a Chisamba Lungu cross.

Six minutes later, playmaker Kalaba’s shot-cum-cross was clutched by Nigeria goalkeeper Enyeama.

Nigeria elected to play the long ball thereby cutting off the Zambia midfield to get quicker to goal.

Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi failed to score from the penalty spot in the 26th minute after David Nkausu brought down Ahmed Musa inside the box. Obi’s effort beat a diving Kennedy Mweene, but came off the foot of the post.

On 29 minutes, skipper Enyeama was again called to duty when he had to dive full stretch to hold firmly to a Chisamba free-kick from outside the box.

In the 36th minute, big defender Stopilla Sunzu’s header off another free-kick screamed across the Eagles goal, before Chris Katongo then scoffed his shot at goal no thanks to the sandy Mbombela Stadium pitch.

Enyeama again came up big in first half stoppage time when he went down to deal superbly with a dangerous-looking Chisamba effort from the right flank.

Nigeria got off to a flying start immediately after the break as Emenike troubled the Zambia defence severally and it was not long before he would score his second goal of the tournament.

Emenike gave Nigeria the lead in the 57th minute, when he was set up by Mikel Obi after he stole the ball from Chisamba Lungu.

On 72 minutes, Enyeama saved off the feet of the exciting Kalaba as the Chipolopolo poured forward in search of an equalising goal. Kalaba again set up substitute Collins Mbesuma on 81st minute right inside the box, but the big striker’s shot was too weak to trouble Enyeama.

Mweene drew Zambia level in the 85th minute when he slotted past Enyeama after Ogenyi Onazi was adjudged to have brought down Emmanuel Mayuka to see the game end 1-1.

Ex- Super Eagles Captain, Sunday Oliseh has faulted fans all over the world castigating Chelsea FC of London midfielder for missing a penalty against Zambia in yesterday’s second group C match at the on-going Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Nigeria drew 1-1 with Zambia at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit with both teams having two points and still not sure of qualification chances to the quarter-final. The final group matches would determine.

Egyptian referee, Grisha Ghead gave Nigeria a penalty in the first half after attacker Ahmed Musa was fouled in the 18-yard box by a Zambia defender.

Mikel’s antecedents as a good penalty taker for Nigeria made him step out.

Surprisingly he failed to convert his kick. “Those criticizing Mikel on Twitter are not fair because anybody can miss a penalty. Instead what people should be taking about is what did the players do after missing the penalty? He said.

Oliseh who is a guest analyst on cable sports station Supersport also criticized the referee for the penalty awarded to Zambia. “That was not a penalty because both players were going for the ball and the Zambia player was not inside the 18-yard box.

“We can see that officiating in this tournament has not been good,” he said.

On his thoughts about Keshi not leading a team beyond the first round in a Cup of Nations tournament, Oliseh said the situation now is different.

“I’m looking beyond Keshi because Nigeria as a country is bigger than Keshi. We are talking of our national identity which is at stake. I know questions would be asked as to why we cannot win our matches. Why we are making the same error, but that we have to put aside and think ahead” he said.

However, Oliseh still has firm confidence in Nigeria of winning its next and final group match against Ethiopia on Tuesday.

According to French media, Montpellier have received an offer of 850,000 euros for the acquisition of Nigeria international John Utaka.

Le10sport.com says the leaders of Montpellier are discussing with Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan.

John Utaka’s contract with MHSC expires at the end of the 2012 – 2013 season. He is being persuaded by his brother Peter, second highest goalscorer in the CSL last term, to join him in China.

The 31 – year – old attacker has been linked with Besiktas (Turkey), Al-Gharafa and Al-Khor (Qatar) in the January transfer window.