The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • NFF: Eagles’ll show Lone Star no mercy

    NFF: Eagles’ll show Lone Star no mercy

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) declared on Wednesday that the Senior National Team, Super Eagles will pull no punches when hostilities begin against the Lone Star of Liberia in a 2013 African Cup of Nations decider in Calabar next week.

    Saturday’s duel in Canaan City qualifies as Nigeria’s most important football match of the past two years, but the NFF says the Super Eagles have the capacity to take the game by the scruff and turn back the visitors with plenty of goals.

    “The match in Calabar is a huge one, very important one, and we are treating it as such. It doesn’t get bigger than what we have on our hands. But the NFF has no fear at all. The Super Eagles will work very hard and deal decisively with the Liberians.

    “The NFF is providing and will continue to provide everything that the team needs to emerge victorious on the day. The Super Eagles will take no prisoners.

    “In history, Liberia has never come to Nigeria to beat us, at any level. It will not happen on 13th October, ” said High Emeka Inyama, Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee.

    A total of 23 home-based players have been training in Abuja for the encounter, to be joined by 15 foreign-based stars on Sunday as the squad heads to Calabar.

    The first international match between Nigeria and Liberia was played in Monrovia on 8th October, 1963. The friendly match ended 2-2, with Albert Onyeawuna scoring both Nigerian goals.

    Since then, there have been 13 encounters between both countries at senior level, with Nigeria winning nine of those, Liberia winning two and two drawn.

    In a World Cup qualifying match in Lagos on 20th October 1984, the Eagles spanked the Lone Star 3-0 with a double from Humphrey Edobor and one from Ademola Adeshina.

    In an Olympic Games qualifying match in Monrovia on 28th June 1987, Liberia defeated Nigeria 2-1, but was crushed 4-1 in the return leg in Lagos. Liberia also won a 2002 World Cup qualifying match in Monrovia 2-1 on 9th July 2000, only for the Eagles to thrash their visitors 2-0 in the return in Port Harcourt on 5th May 2001.

    That win paved the way to Nigeria’s qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals, as the Super Eagles went ahead to defeat Sudan in Khartoum and also spanked Ghana in Port Harcourt on the final day of the qualifiers.

    The first leg of this final qualifying fixture ended 2-2 in Monrovia on 8th September, but Inyama says nothing will stop a deluge of goals raining in the Liberian net from supercharged Super Eagles’ strikers in Calabar next weekend.

    “It is a battle the NFF and the Super Eagles are working assiduously hard towards conquering on all fronts. The only possible outcome is victory for Nigeria,” he said.

  • Abdullahi charges Flamingoes for victory

    Abdullahi charges Flamingoes for victory

    The Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has charged Nigeria’s Under-17 Women’s football team Flamingos to go all out for victory in their quarter-final match against France today.

    The Minister urged the team to remain consistent and maintain the form, which saw them defeat their last two opponents in the preliminary round by wide goal margins. The girls had beaten host Azerbaijan by 11 goals to nil and Colombia by 3-0.

    “They have been very impressive so far; very fast, good dribbling skills and decisive in front of goal. If they maintain that form and do not make careless mistakes, I’m sure they are going to come out of the game victorious.

    “I urge the girls to remain focus. And confident of the fact that Nigerians everywhere support the team and are wishing them well,” Abdullahi said.

  • 22 Home Eagles battle for shirts

    The arrival of Sharks’ Stanley Okoronkwo and Kalu Orji of Heartland FC of Owerri, has changed the complexion of the battle for shirts among the 22 home-based players in camp for the duel against the Lone Star of Liberia come October 13 in Calabar.

    The duo who replaced Kano Pillars’ Papa Idris and Gabriel Reuben along with the 20 players that arrived camp earlier have been undergoing what can best be described as Spartan drilling from the coaching crew led by Stephen Keshi. Keshi was to explain that he had to apply the tough training method because the Nigerian league has recently gone on break and there was need to rejig the players to the reality of qualifying for the Nations Cup in South Africa next year.

    “The end of the league season means we have to make sure all the players are super fit, we don’t have that worry with the European based players whom we see play week after week, the response of the players I must say has been wonderful and I commend them for their commitment to qualifying for the Nations Cup,” he said.

    Keshi has again told the players that they should prove themselves well at training sessions and leave the rest to him, adding that they should not be intimidated because 15 players will be coming from Europe. “I invited 15 players from Europe to block any loophole that may arise but we know the talents we also have at home and if they prove they are ready many of them will start against Liberia,” he noted.

  • Ex-team mate chides Adepoju over 3SC

    Former teammate to the Team Manager of Shooting Stars, Mutiu Adepoju has expressed dismay at the slow pace of progress at 3SC attributing blames to the ex-Super Eagle midfielder for not doing enough to lift the club.

    Sesan Odukoya, who played along with Adepoju at Ogun-Osun River basin FC and Femo Scorpion FC in the 1984-86, was of the opinion, while chatting with newsmen in Ibadan, that the experience of Adepoju has not been seen on the Shooting Stars since his four years’ stay at the helms of the club.

    “We all happy and applauded the appointment of Mutiu Adepoju when we learnt he’s coming to manage Shooting, but we have not seen any difference from or any improvement recorded by the team under him.

    “If you ask me, I will say Mutiu Adepoju has not done enough for Shooting Stars, you know I also played for Shooting Stars in year 2000 and I know how thick was the team event then, so Mutiu that played for more than a decade in Spain where good football is being played, we expect to see this flair in the club.

    “If his contract that expires this month is renewed I will urge him to do more for Shooting, the club we all revered as our heritage,” Odukoya who played for 3SC in 2000 along players like Sina Shobayo, Segun Abiodun, Sunday Ilevbare, Najeem Lukman Ijaya after his sojourns in west African coast in clubs such as PWD FC of Cameroon, USM FC of Gabon, A.S Linguere of Senegal and Stade ‘De Abidjan FC.

  • Arsenal beats Olympiakos 3-1

    Arsenal maintained its perfect start to the Champions League on Wednesday, with Gervinho, Lukas Podolski and Aaron Ramsey scoring in a 3-1 victory over Olympiakos.

    Gervinho’s 43rd minute-opener was quickly canceled out as Kostas Mitroglou headed the Greek champions level before halftime, but Arsenal was back in control after the break to ensure it stayed top of Group B.

    Gervinho turned provider in the 56th, picking out Podolski in the penalty area and the German’s shot went straight through the legs of goalkeeper Balazs Megyeri into the net.

    Ramsey made sure of the victory in stoppage time, dinking the ball over Megyeri as Arsenal made a lightning attack.

    Arsenal beat Montpellier 2-1 in the Group B opener two weeks ago.

  • NFF plans women academies

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is considering a plan to set up women football academies across the country to further develop the game.

    SportingLife gathered that the federation’s chiefs are inspired following the performances of the U-20 Women National Team and that of its U-17 counterparts at the ongoing FIFA Women Championship in Azerbiajian.

    They believe with the establishment of the academies more girls would be encouraged to take up the sport and an avenue to discover future talents.

    “We cannot deny the fact that our girls have done better than our boys given the records which is in the public domain. Besides the London Olympics which our national teams both the boys and girls failed to qualify for, they have always qualified for every World Cup, Olympics and the Africa Women Championship,” our source said.

    “Therefore there is that need to further encourage and make them feel appreciated. Just two weeks ago, Mr. President hosted the Falconets at a reception in Abuja for their hardwork at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan. That has never happened before that a sitting president would recognize a national team that was not within the medals bracket,” he added.

    On when the project would commence, our source replied: “It is a project that could happen very soon. The modalities would need to be worked out for its realization. I guess the board would have to meet to approve.”

  • Amajita arrive Nigeria today

    South Africa U20s will arrive Nigeria tonight and fly out to Ilorin the following day for a 2013 AYC return leg qualifier on Sunday.

    The first leg qualifier ended in a 1-1 draw in Nelspruit, South Africa, about a fortnight ago.

    The Amajita delegation will be made up of 18 players and 11 officials to be led by Gerald Don.

    South Africa danger man Keagan Dolly will miss this decisive clash after his club Ajax Cape Town refused to release him.

    His fellow Ajax teammate Abbubaker Mobara has been ruled out of the Ilorin match as a result of a groin injury.

    However, the diminutive Snethemba Ngidi, who shone against the Flying Eagles at the recent Cape Town Invitational Challenge, will return to the team after he missed out on the first leg because he was sitting for some exams.

    Four other new players have made the final cut for the trip to Nigeria. They are Brandon Joshua, Maselaelo Seanego, Kaylan More and Cebo Meyiwa.

    Goal scorer from the first leg Thabani Mthembu and skipper Mbongeni Gumede also make the trip.

  • Ronaldo’s hat-trick sinks Ajax

    Ronaldo’s hat-trick sinks Ajax

    Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick and a wonder-goal from Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid their mandatory Champions League win at Ajax, triumphing 4-1 at the Amsterdam ArenA.

    The visitors controlled the match from the start and strikes either side of half-time gave them a commanding 2-0 lead that was not flattering in the least, with the second goal a marvellous team effort capped by an exquisite finish from Benzema.

    They almost contrived to throw it all away, with Ajax pulling one back on 56 minutes after Iker Casillas flapped at a Christian Eriksen corner and Niklas Moisander headed between his legs.

    Buoyed by that, Ajax should have equalised when young substitute Danny Hoesen blasted high and wide of an empty net after the ball landed invitingly at the far post.

    But the hosts could not find a second and, with gaps opening up on their defence, Ronaldo added two more fine finishes as Real made it two wins from two in Group D.

  • We are ready to face France – Flamingoes’ Coach

    We are ready to face France – Flamingoes’ Coach

    Flamingoes’ Coach Peter Dedevbo said his team was battle ready to face France in the FIFA  U-17 Women’s World Cup quarter-final match at the 8 MK Stadium in Baku on Thursday.

    Speaking exclusively to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during their training at the Baku Football Club in Azerbaijan on Tuesday, Dedevbo said the Flamingoes were favourites for the cup.

    “We thank God for qualifying us for the quarter-final stage of this competition. My team is very ready and well prepared to face France on Thursday.

    `We are putting everything into this very match, so that at the end, we will win”.

    He sounded rather philosophical that only God knows who will win Thursday’s match.

    The Coach said: “We want to take every game as it comes. We’ll do our best and leave the rest to God. Only God knows who will win”.

    But he quickly added that,“ the Flamingoes of Nigeria were the favourites for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Nigeria is favourite. We are favourites.

    “Thank God, there is no injury in my team. Everybody is okay”, the Coach said.

    On discipline, he said his team did not record any offence during the group stage of the competition because; discipline and fair play have been drummed into the ears of the girls.

    “We are bringing these young players up and preparing them for Nigeria’s U-20 (Falconets) and the Super Falcons’ squads. So, we always preach morals to them. We inculcate discipline into them.

    “We tell them always that players don’t just get booked for carded offences, anyhow. We make them to understand that it is too early for them to start having yellow and red cards’’

    “We just wish they will grow up in their football careers with this idea of fair play”.

    The coach said that his team was well motivated by the Nigeria Football Federation to perform well and “above all, we motivate ourselves.” (NAN)

  • Eagles now train twice a day

    Eagles now train twice a day

    Head Coach Stephen Keshi has upped the team’s training schedule from once a day to twice, starting from Tuesday.

    He said on Tuesday that he had been very impressed with the response of his players in training. “The attitude is good and professional and if we maintain it, we will get the result we want against Liberia”, he said.