The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Nwosu plays down pre-Afcon game

    Nwosu plays down pre-Afcon game

    Former Golden Eaglets’ coach, Henry Nwosu has cautioned Nigerians not to be carried away by Super Eagles 5-0 thumping of Portuguese side, Farense in Faro, Portugal.

    Tuesday’s pre-Afcon 2013 build-up game stood out as the biggest win in the Eagles pre-Africa Cup of Nations. The Eagles had earlier drawn 1-1 against the Catalonian selected and goalless against Afcon debutants, Cape Verde.

    Nwosu said the massive win may count as nothing when the team square up against their Afcon foes in South Africa starting against Burkina Faso next Monday in Nelspruit.

    “That result was recorded between a national team and second division club side, we shouldn’t overrate the encounter as to make prediction on how far the team will go in South Africa 2013.

    “I won’t judge the Eagles with the result against Farense rather the team is improving gradually.

    “Of course, in football you don’t stop trying until you get it right. We’ve not seen other teams in competitive games and not until they square up every prediction may come to nothing,” said the former Nigerian player to supersport.com.

    Nwosu believes the Eagles will start off well against Burkina Faso and take it up from there.

    “Burkina Faso is a good side and Nigeria is a big name in African football.

    “No team are in South Africa for sight-seeing rather as potential winners, so if we get our act together we’ll overcome the Burkinabes. And I think after the encounter one can properly assess the team’s chances at the Afcon,” he said.

    Nigeria will start their title campaign against Burkina Faso on Monday in Nelspruit before tackling Cup holders, Zambia at same venue and Ethiopia in Rustenburg.

  • Nigeria Mission in SA satisfied with Eagles’ abode

    Nigeria Mission in SA satisfied with Eagles’ abode

    The Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Amb. Sonni Yusuf, has expressed satisfaction with the facilities at the disposal of Super Eagles for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    Yusuf told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent in South Africa on Wednesday that the team were giving the best hotel.

    “I must say that of the four teams in Group C, Super Eagles, have the best facilities; the hotel has two standard training pitches located within its precincts. We also intend to meet with the LOC on the issue of accreditation for key government officials to have access to the team and to discuss other logistics required for the team. The hotel that the team will be staying in was used for the 2010 World Cup and is still in very good shape; it is located in a secluded area of the town, with heavy security,’’ Yusuf said.

    He added that the mission had notified the Nigerian community in South Africa to come out en masse to support the Super Eagles.

    “In the area of support for our team, there will be no problem at all. Nigeria has one of the largest immigrant populations in South Africa. The proximity of Mbombela to Mozambique, where we also have a largeNigerian community is another advantage for us. So starting from Thursday when the team will arrive in South Africa, the huge support of the Nigerian community in South Africa will be felt,’’ Yusuf said.

  • Ike Uche tips Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana

    Ike Uche tips Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana

    Readers of celebrated Spanish sports daily Marca have questioned Nigeria international Ikechukwu Uche on his participation at the African Cup of Nations.

    The Villarreal forward , who bagged a hat-trick on Tuesday against Farense, dismissed suggestions by readers that Nigeria does not have a competitive team and will find it difficult winning the tourney.

    ”Some time ago when we were not getting good results, it was expected. The team is new but working fine. We will reach the desired level with patience and hard-work. Obi Mikel and Joseph Yobo are the key players in the team. There is always pressure. You get to the final and want to win it,” said Uche.

    Ikechukwu Uche has tipped a country from West Africa to cart home the African Cup of Nations trophy when the final is played on February 10.

    He said: ”There are few favorites to win the cup. Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria are well positioned. In theory, Ivory Coast because of the quality of their players. Reigning champions Zambia also have a chance.”

    In conclusion, Uche says international teammate Nosa Igiebor has the qualities to succeed in Spain with Real Betis.

    ”Nosa is a good player whose football is improving, playing good games. Certainly, he’ll give what is expected of him in Betis.”

  • Ambassador warns Nigeria Football Supporters Club

    Ambassador warns Nigeria Football Supporters Club

    Ambassador. Sonni Yusuf, the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa has told members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club in Mbombela, who accompanied him on the inspection of facilities to be good ambassadors of the country.

    “ I want to express the pleasure of the mission at the enthusiasm your group has been displaying towards our national team. But I must say that this is not a do or die situation; football and sports as a whole is to foster good relationships between people, in this case the purpose is to promote unity among African nations.

    “So I must appeal to you all to be good ambassadors of Nigeria; there must not be any act of violence in and outside the stadium during any of our matches,’’ Yusuf added.

    He appealed to the Supporters’ Club members and other fans to stay away from the team’s hotel, so as not to distract them.

    The spokesman of the supporters club, Adeboboye Adekunle, said that their support for the Super Eagles was a display of their loyalty to the country.

    “We want to assure your Excellency on behalf of over 300 members of the club in Mbombela that we will be of good behaviour and give our national team full support during the tournament,’’ Adekunle said.

    Yusuf was accompanied on the visit by the Consul-General, Okey Emuchay and Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Director of Elite Athletes at the National Sports Commission. He promised to provide Nigerian flags to fans during the Super Eagles’ matches.

    NAN reports that the Super Eagles will be staying at the Ingwenyama Conference and Sports Resort, Mbombela.

     

  • Queens Park Rangers move: Osaze set to hand in transfer request

    Queens Park Rangers move: Osaze set to hand in transfer request

    Sky Sports sources understands that Peter Odemwingie could hand in a formal transfer request as a last resort.

    Queens Park Rangers have lodged an offer for the West Bromwich Albion striker – who insist they do not want to sell the Nigerian international.

    But QPR remain keen on sealing a deal for the 31-year-old striker and the player is believed to feel that the offer made for him is ‘adequate’ for his services.

    If nothing else materialises then it is understood that, as a ‘last resort’, Odemwingie is prepared to hand in a formal transfer request to try and push through a move to Loftus Road.

    Meanwhile, QPR boss Harry Redknapp remains keen on a raid on FA Cup opponents West Bromwich Albion.

    Redknapp has not ruled out renewing his interest in West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie.

    The Nigerian did not start in Albion’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of QPR in an FA Cup third round replay at the Hawthorns yesterday evening.

     

  • Keshi vows to risk NPL stars

    Keshi vows to risk NPL stars

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has said he is willing to take a chance on players from the Nigeria league at the Africa Cup of Nations saying it is worth it.

    Keshi has picked six players from the NPL, a clear departure from the 2008 and 2010 tournaments when no player from the domestic league was selected.

    Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, midfielder Gabriel Reuben as well as forwards Sunday Mba and Ejike Uzoenyi have the oppportunity of proving themselves in South Africa.

    “Football is a game of risks. At the 1990 Nations Cup when the likes of (Daniel) Amokachi came in, about 80% of the players were from the home front. It’s a risk worth taking,” declared Keshi, who has worked with these players since December 2011.

    The former international skipper will not promise Nigeria a third Nations Cup trophy but said the team is confident and will give their best.

    “I don’t want to promise Nigerians anything, I am not going to give any assurance but I will do my best with the team in South Africa,” he said.

    “The level of discipline is great, good atmosphere and l hope the confidence will be sustained If there is any pressure on me to perform at the Nations Cup, it is pressure from me not from any other quarters. We are not under any pressure to win.”

    Keshi also stated that he hopes to again work with Portland Timber striker Bright Dike who he dropped from the AFCON final squad. “Dike will be a good goal getter for Nigeria in the future. I dropped him because the time was short for me to impact on him as I wanted. It was difficult for me to name the 23-man squad,” Keshi admitted.

  • Oboabona wins Eagles’ first-team spot

    Oboabona wins Eagles’ first-team spot

    Godfrey Oboabona is most likely to be the only starter from the Nigeria Premier League for the Eagles opening game against Burkina Faso.

    Nigeria open their AFCON campaign on Monday evening against Burkina Faso in Nelspruit. The Sunshine Stars skipper is now being preferred to Azubuike Egwuekwe to pair captain Joseph Yobo in the Eagles back four as the battle for first-team places intensifies.

    A top team official informed MTNFootball.com Oboabona is top of the pecking order at centre-back ahead of both Egwuekwe and youngster Kenneth Omeruo.

    “Keshi has worked with Azubuike from December 2011 but recently he has settled for Oboabona in the heart of the defence along with Yobo,” the official disclosed.

    In the final 2013 AFCON qualifier against Liberia in October, Oboabona played alongside Egwuekwe when Yobo was injured and not available for selection. And in the team’s recent warm-ups against Catalonia and Cape Verde, he was also considered ahead of the other players. Oboabona has been moved from the problematic right back after he was badly exposed by Liberia in that position in September.

    Celtic defender Efe Ambrose struggled at right back against Cape Verde, but Keshi will insist on him ahead of Omeruo, while Fegor Ogude is ahead of Kano Pillars star Gabriel Reuben as the defensive midfielder to assist Chelsea star Mikel Obi.

    Reuben has not recovered fully from a long-term groin injury and so barely made the final cut to South Africa.

    Spartak Moscow striker Emmanuel Emenike will lead the attack even though he has not been as prolific in an Eagles shirt as he has been with his clubs.

    Keshi has already likened Emenike to Nigeria most prolific international Rashidi Yekini.

    “In Emenike, I see a player who can be like the great Yekini,” remarked the Eagles coach.

  • Aluko faces two months out

    Aluko faces two months out

    Hull City boss Steve Bruce fears forward Sone Aluko could be out for two months with an Achilles injury.

    The 23-year-old Nigeria international has scored eight goals in 24 appearances this season.

    Bruce told BBC Radio Humberside: “It looks as if he has a small tear in his Achilles and he’s going to be in a boot for the best part of four weeks.

    “It is going to be the best part of six to eight weeks before he is back and it is a major concern to us.”

    He added: “He has been paramount to the way we have played so it is a horrible blow.

    “We’ll be trying our utmost to try and bring someone in now.”

    The Tigers boss also revealed the club have submitted a bid to bring Fulham keeper David Stockdale back to the KC Stadium on loan. Stockdale, 27, made five appearances for the Championship promotion chasers before being recalled by the Cottagers in December.

  • KESHI CELEBRATES: My kids’ confidence high

    KESHI CELEBRATES: My kids’ confidence high

    Super Eagles chief coach Stephen Keshi is banking on his players’ infectious confidence during trial matches to serve as the fillip for better performances during the Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria will play Burkina Faso on January 21 in its opening match.

    Disclosing this on Channels Television’s Sports This Morning programme monitored in Lagos on Wednesday, Keshi argued that the players have begun to understand what he wants from them adding that with what he has seen during the friendly matches, he was quite optimistic that they will deliver on their promise to lift the trophy.

    Asked why he has adopted several match formations in the friendly ties played so far, Keshi stressed that such observations were inaccurate adding : “I don’t think you have watched our matches. I have adopted the 4-4-2 formation which we interchange into 4-3-3 during our games. I have stuck to these formations religiusly so, I wonder which of the matches you saw.

    “From the matches that we have played, I can say that we are ready. But you never know with these kids. So, we won’t stop telling them what to do as we use the warm-up games to get them in tip-top shape. What I can say is that they are giving me hope. Their high level of confidence, is the key to winning matches.

    Asked why he dropped Bright Dike who shone in the two friendly games that he played, Keshi said: “He is a good kid. Dike fights for the ball, has the right attitude and the zeal to win matches through his performance. But, I have looked at him and think that with the time that I have to train the team, he won’t be ready. He is a kid for the future. He will need a year to be ripe to play for the Super Eagles. I will call him for subsequent competitions, if he is still interested to play for Nigeria.”

  • Bayern appoints Guardiola

    Bayern appoints Guardiola

    Former Barcelona boss, Pep Guardiola, has been appointed to take over at the Allianz Arena, ending months of speculation over his future, Goal.com reports.

    The 41-year-old left Camp Nou in 2012 having won 14 trophies with the Liga side during his four seasons in charge and has signed a deal with the Bundesliga club until 2016.

    Guardiola, who has signed a three-year deal with the German side, had been linked with several top-flight clubs across Europe, but Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in a statement he was delighted to have captured the Spaniard.

    “We are very pleased that we have succeeded [in appointing] the football expert Pep Guardiola, who was courted by many famous clubs and contacts,” Rummenigge said.

    “Guardiola is one of the most successful coaches in the world and we are sure that he can [help] not just Bayern, but German football, shine,” he added.