The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Juventus test for Ambrose

    Juventus test for Ambrose

    Super Eagles defender Efe Ambrose and his Celtic mates have been handed yet another tough test in the UEFA Champions League as Celtic face Italian giants Juventus in the UCL round of 16.

    Both players have been instrumental to Celtic’s qualification to the knockout phase of the European competition and they will hope to replicate their group stage performance in order to get past the Italians.

    The Scottish champions were drawn against Serie A champions Juventus at the Champions League last 16 draw in Nyon, Switzerland on Thursday.

    Celtic qualified as second in group G having garnered 10 points from six games to qualify for the knock out phase behind Barcelona while Juventus emerged unbeaten from Group E with wins over Chelsea and Shakhtar. The Old Lady of Italian football, seeded in the draw, top Serie A this season having clinched the Scudetto last term without losing a match.

    The other teams Celtic could have faced were Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Malaga, Manchester United, Paris St-Germain or Schalke 04.

    The first leg in Glasgow will be played on either February 12/13 or 19/20, with the return game on March 5/6 or 12/13.

  • I have my first team ready — Keshi

    I have my first team ready — Keshi

    Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has told all doubting Thomases to calm down as he already had his players at heart and could field his first team even if the Africa Cup of Nations commences tomorrow.

    The former Togo national team coach told sports journalists in Abuja on Wednesday that if he was asked of his players he could not only name all but the starting line-up. “If you ask me of my team now to go and play tomorrow I will tell you right here,” he said.

    He confessed that his only worry now “is for all the picked players to be injury free and continue to improve in their performances on the road to the Africa Cup of Nations”.

    The Big Boss also showered encomiums on Valerenga FC of Norway midfielder, Vengor Ogude for showing commitment and readiness to help the team.

    “Vengor Ogude in the training session is good, calm and focused. I just appreciate him for choosing to join us while on holiday. It is wonderful, I would have been very nice if only I can have all my players on holidays in camp. He is doing great.

    “Vengor came from Europe and if he may have decided not to come but he came despite the fact that his wife just gave birth yesterday (Tuesday). This is commitment, this is what we are looking for (as regards the players). So I am happy with him,” Keshi told SportingLife.

  • Only committed players should go to South Africa

    Only committed players should go to South Africa

    Ex-international, Felix Owolabi (MON) has urged Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi to jettison sentiment in selecting players for the 2013 African Cup of Nation slated for January 19 in South Africa.

    22 home-based players had already been called for camping in Abuja in preparation for the African showpiece while Big Boss is expected to name the foreign-based players that will be invited for the team’s camp in Faro, Portugal next week Tuesday.

    Owolabi, who was part of the squad that won the first Nation Cup for the country in 1980, stressed that only devoted players should make the final list.

    “Keshi would do Nigeria a good job if he picks players who are ready to don out a green white jersey to represent this nation very well at the next African Cup of Nations in South Africa,” he said.

    The former IICC FC of Ibadan left back, has therefore called on Nigerians to pray for the team’s success and back any players pick by Keshi at the end of the day.

    “It is my prayer that anybody picked at the end of the day to represent Nigeria should be our collective resolve to pray that Nigeria does well and these boys represent us well and we pray for them,” he added.

  • Osaze: Teams wary of Baggies

    Osaze: Teams wary of Baggies

    SUPER Eagles West Brom forward, Osaze Peter Odemwingie feels other teams have become more cautious when playing the Baggies after their impressive start to the season.

    Albion were third in the Premier League after their 4-2 victory at Sunderland, but are winless in four games since.

    “They’ve seen we have quality and pace. I’ve noticed people play more careful against us now,” he told BBC WM.

    “It becomes a bit more difficult but that’s when you need to show character and belief that we are growing.”

    The Nigeria international added: “We have been doing well this season, and we’ve had a bad three weeks, but hopefully we can score goals again.”

    West Brom’s slight dip in form has seen them slip to seventh in the table, but despite faltering they still remain only two points off third-placed Chelsea.

    However next month they face the prospect of being be without Odemwingie, who could travel to South Africa for the Africa Cup of Nations.

    But the 31-year-old believes that the West Brom squad can push on in his absence.

    “I want to be going there in the new year with West Brom high in the table which would help me emotionally,” Odemwingie said.

    “Of course I will miss a couple of weeks of action here, but I believe we have a squad that can hold on to the good start we have had.”

  • Champions League: Man U draws Real Madrid

    Champions League: Man U draws Real Madrid

    Manchester United has been drawn against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

    The match will see Cristiano Ronaldo return to Old Trafford for the first time since his £80m move from United to Real in June 2009, BBC reports.

    Celtic will play Italian side Juventus, while Arsenal take on last year’s beaten finalists Bayern Munich.

    Barcelona takes on AC Milan, while Borussia Dortmund faces Shakhtar Donetsk.

    Valencia will square up against Paris Saint-Germain and Porto take on Malaga, while Galatasaray will play Schalke.

    But the undoubted tie of the round sees Real take on United for the first time in nine years.

    The sides last met in the 2002-03 quarter final with the Spaniards triumphing 6-5 on aggregate.

     

    The pairings

    Galatasaray vs FC Schalke

    Celtic vs Juventus

    Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

    Shakhtar Donetsk vs Borussia Dortmund

    AC Milan vs Barcelona

    Real Madrid vs Manchester United

    Valencia vs Paris Saint-Germain

    Porto vs Malaga

     

  • CAF PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AWARD: Drogba, Toure in final three

    CAF PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AWARD: Drogba, Toure in final three

    Barcelona’s defensive midfielder Alex Song, Manchester City star Yaya Toure and former Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba have been named the final three men standing for the CAF African Footballer of the Year award.

    Dede Ayew, Demba Ba, Didier Drogba, Alex Song and Yaya Toure were the initial final five in the running for the prestigious award, before CAF further shortened the list to three.

    CAF initially named 34 players who they were considering for the award before cutting that down to 10 names.

    The final three nominees were decided by votes from the head coaches and technical directors of the football associations affiliated to CAF.

    The 2012 CAF African Footballer of the Year will be crowned at an awards ceremony in the Ghana capital, Accra, on 20 December.

    Song’s first nomination for the award comes alongside former Barca man and last year’s winner Yaya Toure and this year’s favourite Didier Drogba, who already has two previous Football of the Year wins to his name.

     

  • ‘Supporters Club plans innovations to lure fans to NPL’

    ‘Supporters Club plans innovations to lure fans to NPL’

    Rafiu Ladipo, President-General, Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporters Club said on Wednesday that the body was making efforts to lure fans back to match venues of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL).

    Ladipo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the nation’s football league had suffered enough neglect over the years due to inadequate facilities.

    “We have innovations which we want to introduce to our premier league, to attract fans to our stadia and encourage our players to work for victory. But I do not want to let it out now for it not to be stolen, but by the time we do it, you will see that our stadia will be packed full at each match,” he said.

    The president-general said the club would, however, not discourage Nigerians from watching European league matches, but would also encourage them to be ardent followers of the NPL.

    “We will encourage Nigerians to watch Nigerian games just as we will not discourage them from watching European leagues either,” he said.

    Ladipo added that the club had the mandate to give adequate support to all sports, as well as to promote the ideals of the country.

  • Eagles under no pressure to win —Abdullahi

    Eagles under no pressure to win —Abdullahi

    Nigeria’s sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi believes the Super Eagles could benefit from having no expectations on them heading into the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

    The team failed to qualify for the last tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea but the two-time winners are still rated as one of the favourites in South Africa.

    Prospects have in the past been high for Nigeria heading into international tournaments.

    However, in the build-up to the Nations Cup, these have since lowered with many believing that reaching the knockout stage of the competition will be considered a success.

    “We have to be realistic, this is a new team and we have to be very careful,” Abudallahi told reporters.

    “It will not be easy for the team under coach Stephen Keshi to be building and contesting at the same time.

    “We [the government] do not expect much from the team because it is still a new team.

    “I hope they will benefit from this and give their best as expected without any pressure whatsoever.”

    Interestingly, when Keshi was appointed by the Nigerian Football Federation in November 2011, the ex-defender was handed the mandate of steering the side to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and 2014 World Cup.

    Abdullahi distanced himself from those targets and insists that the government’s expectations are next to nothing – even thought the government funds the team.

    “They are not under any target from us so that’s very clear,” he said.

    “The coach and players need support from every Nigerian, and as government we will give them the necessary support they need.

    “So let’s hope that everybody will put their hands together for the team to do well.”

    Regarded as continental giants, Nigeria have won the Nations Cup only twice, on home soil in 1980 and in 1994 in Tunisia. The Super Eagles have finished as runners-up on four occasions (1984, 1988, 1990 and 2000) and they have emerged as second runners-up a record seven times.

    Meanwhile, Nigeria are expected to announce their 17 foreign-based players for their Nations Cup training camp in Faro, Portugal.

    They will join a 24-man locally-based squad in Portugal for the friendlies against Catalonia and Angola in Spain and Portugal respectively in January.

    Nigeria begin their Nations Cup campaign against Burkina Faso on 21 January and then face Zambia and Ethiopia in Group C.

  • Keshi sacks late comer Ezekiel

    Keshi sacks late comer Ezekiel

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi showed his tough side on Wednesday after he threw out Bassey Ezekiel for reporting late to training camp. Keshi sent off the Lobi Stars central defender who was a late replacement for injured Heartland Orji Kalu.

    “We don’t condone indiscipline here. Players are looking for opportunity and you have one and you throw it away. No player is allowed to come late to this camp, you had until Tuesday to arrive to camp and you are just showing up this morning (Wednesday),” an angry Eagles coach blasted.

    Ezekiel thus became first casualty from the Eagles camp because of lateness.

    The big defender had been rewarded with an Eagles call-up after he helped Lobi reach this year’s cup final and also finish third in the Nigeria Premier League against pre-season predictions they would struggle.

  • super EAGLES SQUAD: Ameobi, Onazi, Dike sure bets

    super EAGLES SQUAD: Ameobi, Onazi, Dike sure bets

    Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has revealed some notable players that are in strong contention for a place in the Eagles squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations holding in South Africa next January.

    Among the players that SportingLife got confirmation from the Eagles gaffer included Newcastle United gangling striker Shola Ameobi, Bright Dike, Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike, Brown Ideye and Ogenyi Onazi. They have been confirmed by Keshi to arrive Faro, Portugal Camp December 29th on time to make the Catalonia friendly that would be played on January 2nd, 2013.

    “Shola Ameobi and Bright Dike have been very impressive. Ameobi and Bright Dike came into the fold as if they have been in the national team for the past ten years. He (Ameobi) has got a lot of experience. His communication level has been outstanding. In the Venezuela match he was motivating the other players even when he was on the bench. Ameobi is awesome.

    “Dike came in few hours before the Venezuela game and also played like he has been here (with the Eagles) for a long time. I believe his contribution would be good to the team if he eventually makes the team. Ogenyi Onazi’s commitment to the team is great and awesome. If he continues that way he would be a great asset to Nigeria. Baring any injuries he will do just great for the Eagles,” Keshi told SportingLife.

    The Eagles handler, however, confirmed the non inclusion of Inter Milan talented midfielder, Joel Obi. “I spoke with Joel Obi three days ago, the guy is still injured. He went to his club doctor to get his opinion on the injury but the report wasn’t good so he has to stay back. His absence in the team (Eagles) is not good for us because he is a key player for us. I will miss him a lot. I thought I had him for the Africa Cup of Nations next year but unfortunately the injury blow has halted that,” the former Mali Coach disclosed.

    There are strong indications that Levante of Spain back to form striker, Obafemi Martins may not make the final list of the Eagles that would prosecute the Africa Cup of Nations come January.

    Keshi said: “Martins is a Nigerian and has the right to play for his country like any other Nigerian player.”

    SportingLife, however, scooped that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has not sent any letter of invitation to Martins like others who have even started confirming the receipt of such invitation.