The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • 2013 Africa Cup of Nations: Benitez hunts for Mikel’s, Moses’ back up

    2013 Africa Cup of Nations: Benitez hunts for Mikel’s, Moses’ back up

    With 17 days to the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa, Chelsea interm manager, Rafa Benitez has admitted that Super Eagles duo of Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel will be missed by the Stamford Bridge dwellers.

    Moses and Mikel will be heading forNigeria’s African Nations Cup training camp in Faro, Portugal after last night’s EPL clash with QPR at Stamford Bridge, and Benitez declared he needs reinforcements.

    He asaid: “You can always improve things, especially when you have injuries, and we lose two players (Victor, Mikel) to international duty.

    “Obviously we need bodies but I am really pleased with the squad. They train well, the commitment is there and they are keen to learn.

    “I think we will do our job in the window — and hopefully it will be a good job.”

  • Rabiu Ibrahim quits Celtic

    Rabiu Ibrahim quits Celtic

    … Joins Kilmarnock

    Kilmarnock has completed the signing of Nigeria midfielder Rabiu Ibrahim from Celtic on a permanent basis.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the 21-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with the Rugby Park club after Celtic allowed him to move on in search of regular first-team football.

    Ibrahim had an offer from abroad and was also believed to be a loan target for other Scottish sides.

    “He’s signed a two year deal with us,” Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels told STV.

    “I believe it’s quite a coup for Kilmarnock and we are a good fit for him.

    “Rabiu had an offer from a club in Russia but he and his advisors thought it would be better for his career development to stay in Scotland and they were equally as keen as we were for the deal to go through.

    “We signed him on a free transfer.”

    Ibrahim will not join up with his new team-mates immediately as he is currently with the Super Eagles ahead of the team’s friendly with Catalonia on Wednesday night.

    The player, who has been capped at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels by his country, has also been included in Nigeria’s preliminary squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

    “He’s away with the Nigeria squad for the AFCON at the moment,” Shiels said.

    “I believe January 9 is the deadline for them to name their final squad. I would quite like him to be name in the squad for his confidence.

    “If he is named then as soon as they go out of the competition he will join up with us,” the Kilmarnock boss added.

     

  • Igiebor, Uche join Eagles in Barcelona

    Igiebor, Uche join Eagles in Barcelona

    • Bianca Ojukwu urges team to win

    Real Betis of Spain midfielder, Nosa Igiebor and Villareal striker, Ikechukwu Uche, on Tuesday joined the Super Eagles fold ahead of the international friendly against Catalonia selected tonight.

    Celtic’s Rabiu Ibrahim was also part of the party that joined the Eagles for the only training session that the team will have on Tuesday evening before the match.

    The fears that Igiebor, would not make the team, when he failed to arrive in Faro, Portugal as arranged with Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, immediately evaporated when he appeared in camp on Tuesday afternoon, as the team landed in Barcelona.

    The team departed their Browns Resort and Sports Centre camp on schedule at 4am, Portuguese time, which is 5am, Nigerian time, but experienced a little delay at the Faro Airport. They eventually arrived Lisbon at some minutes after 9am. The flight took just 35minutes. After immigration formalities the team set out for Barcelona and arrived in the city at about 11:20am Nigeria and Spanish time. The flight lasted 1 hour 30 minutes

    Officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Spain led by Head of Chancery, Mr Safiu Olaniyan, Deputy Consul General, Mr. Nze Nnadi, Curtis Aghedo, who is President Nigerian Union in Barcelona, Kingsley Lawal, President Nigerians in Valles and Gbenga Adegoke Scribe of Nigerians in Valles, were on hand to receive the team at the magnificent Barcelona International Airport. There were also about 20 Nigerian football supporters who were at the airport to bid the team welcome.

    The team was immediately moved to the equally eye-popping Hotel Fira Palace in the heart of Barcelona, where they were addressed by Mr Olaniyan on behalf of the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Amb. Bianca Olivia Odimegwu Ojukwu, who was unavoidably absent due to other engagements.

    In her speech, Ambassador Ojukwu described the national team as the higher grade of ambassadors of Nigeria and urged the players to go all out and do the country proud in the friendly against Catalonia and at the upcoming Nations Cup in South Africa.

    She said she was aware that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan was solidly behind the team to achieve success at the AFCON tourney as football is a major unifying force in Nigeria.

    Head Coach Stephen Keshi, said he was humbled by the kind words of the ambassador and assured that the Super Eagles would do all within their powers to defend the green-white-green colours of the nation. “We promise never to let the confidence and trust of the nation down at all times”, he said.

     

  • ‘Keshi’s policy will make Eagles stronger’

    ‘Keshi’s policy will make Eagles stronger’

    Former Nigeria defender Bright Omokaro believes Stephen Keshi’s decision to mix his team with a blend of local and foreign-based professionals will help Nigeria to a memorable outing at the forthcoming 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa.

    Nigeria’s 32-man list is almost balanced by players from the domestic league and their counterparts overseas and Omokaro, who won silver with Nigeria in 1988, said the fighting spirits of both sets of players will be at premium which will give the nation the best set of players in order for Nigeria to make a massive impact in South Africa.

    “Before now, any coach that comes here will want to work with players that are overseas even if such players are flops in their clubs. But with the kind of approach by Keshi, you see that there is more fighting spirit in the team because the local players want to see how they can make it to become professionals abroad and in turn the overseas players don’t want to lose their shirts.”

    Nigeria is billed to confront Catalonia in a friendly game tonight and will face Cape Verde in another test game a week later.

  • Nigerians in South Africa mobilise support for Eagles

    Nigerians in South Africa mobilise support for Eagles

    Members of the Nigerian community in South Africa have started moblising to support the Super Eagles during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The event has been scheduled to run from Jan. 19 to Feb. 10, 2013.

    Frank Anagu, leader of the Nigerian community in South Africa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Johannesburg on Monday that 200 tickets for each of the matches had been purchased for distribution to Nigerians, to watch the Eagles’ group games.

    Anagu said Nigerians living in South Africa and Mozambique were being moblised to support the national team.

    “We have done a lot of mobilisation through the various Nigerian unions in South Africa and Mozambique for them to come out in their numbers to support the team. The Nigerian union is making arrangements to rent 46-seater buses to take us to Nelspruit, apart from individuals that will be travelling to watch Nigerian matches. Our plan is to travel a day before any of our matches, to have a `one on one’ encounter with our national team, to motivate and support them,’’ Anagu said.

    He said Nigerians in Mozambique were making their own arrangements to give their full support to the national team.

    “As we are making our own arrangements here in South Africa, members of the Nigerian community in Mozambique are also making their own arrangements. Mozambique is not too far from Nelspruit. It is even closer to the venue than Johannesburg, so we are expecting many Nigerians to come from Mozambique to support our national team,’’ Anagu said.

    He said members of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club in South Africa will join those coming from home to motivate the players

  • CUP OF NATIONS SHOCKER Finally, Newcastle stop Ameobi

    CUP OF NATIONS SHOCKER Finally, Newcastle stop Ameobi

    Sportinglife can reveal exclusively that Super Eagles will be without the services of Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi during the country’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations matches beginning with the tie against Burkina Faso on January 21.

    SportingLife’s checks on Newcastle’s portal on Sunday showed that: “Now Sky Sports are claiming a final conclusion, reporting that Alan Pardew has announced that Shola definitely won’t be going.

    “Whether Nigeria will try and do anything through FIFA is another matter but hopefully this has put an end to a saga which could have seen Newcastle deprived of their supersub for what could be a very tricky 4-6 weeks, with Cheick Tiote probably playing his last match on Wednesday before he heads off for the tournament.

    “We all wait to see what the outcome of the transfer window will be and while I’d love to see Newcastle retain Demba Ba AND bring in another quality striker, it would take a brave man to bet on Shola not being third choice striker at the very least, when the window eventually closes,” the report on Newcastle’s website read on Sunday.

  • Mikel’s knee injury not serious

    Mikel’s knee injury not serious

    • Chelsea manager Benitez considering Nigerian for QPR’s tie

    Nigeria’s senior team manager Stephen Keshi can today pop champagne as he has been given the best New Year gift he can imagine following the declaration by Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez that John Mikel Obi’s knee injury is not as serious as he had thought.

    SportingLife confirmed this cheery news on Sunday night while browsing through the Barclays English Premier League side’s website that: “Midfielder John Obi Mikel missed the Goodison Park victory with a knee injury but it is not deemed serious by manager Rafael Benitez. The Czech Republic international Petr Cech was forced off at half-time with an adductor problem and his replacement Ross Turnbull will deputise at Stamford Bridge.”

    Indeed, further checks on the Blues’ website indicated that Mikel could be given a look-in by Benitez in tonight’s game against Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge but as a substitute if the medical crew give the Nigerian a last-minute fitness clearance today.

    Other pre-match reviews on Chelsea’s website showed that; ” QPR boss Harry Redknapp has admitted he will be without three or four players for the short trip to face Chelsea. Redknapp says a number of his squad picked up knocks during Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool but refused to give away any names.

    “Park Ji-sung returned to training on Monday but remains a major doubt as he recovers from a knee problem, while strikers Andrew Johnson (knee) and Bobby Zamora (hip) are sidelined with long-term injuries,” Redknapp concluded.

  • ZAMBIA VS NIGERIA Eagles/Chipolopolo tie records highest ticket sales

    ZAMBIA VS NIGERIA Eagles/Chipolopolo tie records highest ticket sales

    Sipho Gama, General Manager of the province’s Culture, Sports and Recreation Department has revealed that the match between Nigeria and Zambia has so far recorded the highest number of ticket sales.

    “We are very concerned about the slow tickets sales, we have to come out with strategies to create awareness and encourage people to buy tickets. People are not just buying tickets except group tickets purchased by teams playing at the centre. The match between Nigeria and Zambia has so far recorded the highest number of ticket sales. But sales of tickets are generally slow,’’ Gama said.

    “You know, where we have stated which countries will be playing in Mbombela and people are excited about it, they have got the flags of the nations playing here and the national flags of South Africa. We have given them vuvuzelas and we are saying to them go and buy tickets, so that you can be at the stadium. So, I think the campaign is working for us,’’ Gama added.

    Meanwhile, Mpumalanga provincial government is working round the clock to woo members of the public to purchase tickets for games.

    Sipho Gama, General Manager of the province’s Culture, Sports and Recreation Department, said they had embarked on road shows to encourage members of the public to purchase tickets for the tournament.

    Mbombela Stadium will host group C matches with teams – Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Zambia, the defending champions, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.

    The LOC had raised concerns at the slow tickets sales. He said the awareness campaign would continue until the tournament’s kick off on Jan. 19.

  • AFCON friendly: 10 Barca, seven Espanyol stars listed

    AFCON friendly: 10 Barca, seven Espanyol stars listed

    • 7pm is kick-off time 

    Head Coach of Catalonia side, Johan Cryuff, has listed 10 players from Spanish La Liga leaders Barcelona for the international friendly against Nigeria’s Super Eagles this evening. He has also picked seven players from Espanyol FC, whose ground will host the encounter.

    The list made available to the Nigerian delegation on arrival in Barcelona has Barcelona first choice in goal, Victor Valdes, Xavi Hernandez, Carlos Puyol, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Martin Montoya, Sergio Roberto, Christian Tello and Marc Bartra all listed from the Catalan giants.

    From Espanyol, there will be Joan Verdi, Joan Capdevilla, Sergio Garcia, Kiko Casilas, Raul Rodriguez, Victor Sanchez, and Sergio Tejera. Others in the team list are AC Milan’s Bojan Rkic, Getafe’s Alvaro Vazquez, Jordi Amat and Francesco Medina ‘Piti’ both of Rayo Vallecano and Red Bulls Zalburg’s Jonathan Soriaro.

    “These are big names no doubt but our players know that names don’t play football these days, we will just go out there and give our best against them”, Head Coach Stephen Keshi said.

    The match time has also been brought forward, as it would now be played at 7pm, Nigerian and Spanish time from 9pm that it was earlier slated but the venue remains Espanyol FC home ground in the Catalan city.

  • Agbim, Akpeyi to stop Barca stars

    Agbim, Akpeyi to stop Barca stars

    WITH NONE of the foreign based goalkeepers not expected to hit camp early enough for the Catalonia friendly on January 2nd, NPL stars, Chigozie Agbim and Daniel Akpeyi have the tough task of stopping Barcelona’s Carlos Puyol and the gang in the friendly.

    It is expected that at least one of the two goalkeepers will make the final cut to South Africa with the Israeli duo of Vincent Enyema and Austin Ejide appearing home and dry.

    Expectedly, a good performance by any of the duo chosen to be between the sticks in Wednesday’s friendly could help boost their chances in making a debut appearance at the Nations Cup.