The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • We are ready for Eagles’ call — Heartland’s duo tell Keshi

    We are ready for Eagles’ call — Heartland’s duo tell Keshi

    Heartland of Owerri duo of Kingsley Udoh and Brendan Ogbu have declared their readiness to storm the Super Eagles’ camp slated to commence on September 30th with high spirits.

    Udoh was the assistant captain when the Golden Eaglets won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea in 2007 and was an integral part of the Austin Eguavoen led Dream Team V that crashed out in Morocco during the CAF U-23 Championships meant for the Olympic Games but has stepped up his game in the colours of the Naze Millionaires despite injury concerns.

    On his part, Brendan Ogbu was in superb form for Enugu Rangers last season and this fetched him a lucrative deal with Heartland. Ogbu though didn’t live up to his standard in terms of goals ratio owing to injuries but few occasions he donned the Naze Millionaires attire he helped the team with crucial eye-catching goals including the last minute header that handed the 2012 Federation Cup to his club against Lobi Stars.

    While reacting to their call ups to the Eagles, both expressed their joy and their mindset to battle it out with others to get among those to be considered for selection for the few available slots to the Liberia tie.

    Udoh said: “I am thrilled with this invitation and I hope to make best use of it to cement my place in the Eagles. I am not actually new to the Eagles because I had been in and out under Eguavoen as caretaker coach then but under Keshi I am hoping to do my best and prove that I still have the potential to make it big for the senior national team.”

    “I am short of words to react to this invitation now presently but I am overwhelmed with emotions and will be going to the camp with so much motivation to grab one of the shirts,” Ogbu said.

    “I didn’t play too many games this past season owing to injuries but I am fully fit now and ready for this new phase of my career.”

    Udoh and Ogbu will battle it out with other 21 players from NPL and 15 foreign based.

  • Salami seeks 3SC return

    Salami seeks 3SC return

    Gbolahan Salami has said he wishes to return to Shooting Stars after he quit Enyimba.

    The former Sunshine Stars forward said he is presently a free player and he would want to return to Nigeria Premier League after a long break and the only club he would join is Shooting Stars.

    “I want to return to 3SC because of my love for the team and the fans as well.

    “Whenever I receive a call, it would be from Ibadan fans and all they want to know is when I was coming to rejoin their darling team,” he told MTNFootball.com.

    “My answer now is yes, I wish to return to Shooting Stars. I want to return to the team because it is my dream team and I’ll be happy to rejoin them.”

    Last season, Salami was eased out of ‘The Oluyole Warriors’ for what was termed “gross insubordination”.

    And some top officials have said they are against Salami’s return, blaming the former Olympic team star for some of the team’s problems last season.

  • Real Betis 2 – 4 Atletico Madrid: Igiebor missing in defeat

    Real Betis 2 – 4 Atletico Madrid: Igiebor missing in defeat

    Super Eagles midfielder, Nosa Igiebor was missing from a nine-man Real Betis squad in last night 2-4 defeat at their Estadio Benito Villamarín (Sevilla) home ground.

    The Nigeria international was not even listed among the subs as Atletico Madrid continued their unbeaten start to the season with Falcao hitting a brace.

    The hosts took the lead after 26 minutes when Salvador Agra’s strike found its way past Sergio Asenjo.

    Madrid responded immediately, however, as Raul Garcia’s pass found Falcao, who made no mistake to level the sides just two minutes later.

    Betis regained the lead right on the stroke of half time when Juanfran diverted the ball into his own net, but it was all downhill for the home side in the second period.

    Just two minutes into the second half they were reduced to ten men when Damien Perquis was sent off. Just a minute later the visitors were awarded a penlaty, which was duly dispatched by Falcao.

    Madrid completed the comeback 10 minutes after the restart when Diego Costa gave them a 3-2 lead.

    Betis’ hopes of drawing level again took a hit with a little over 10 minutes left when Joel Campbell was given his marching orders for a second yellow.

  • 5 reasons why Eagles snubbed Osaze

    5 reasons why Eagles snubbed Osaze

    Osaze Odemwingie was again overlooked by Nigeria for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. MTNFootball.com compiles reasons why the West Bromwich Albion striker is not about to return to the Eagles nest soon.

    1. ‘Osas’ has refused to maintain a cordial relationship with the coach Stephen Keshi-led technical crew. ‘The Big Boss’ admitted he has tried to reach the outspoken striker on phone, but with very little success that he has since declared that the former Lille star is not ready to return to the national team.

    2. Many fans have still not forgiven him for the Eagles failure to qualify for the 2012 AFCON. He was so dismal in front of goal against Guinea in Abuja last October so much so that Eagles then coach Samson Siasia would later say that on hind sight he should not have played the striker especially after he had previously fallen out with him.

    3. He is no longer on fire in the English Premier League as he has scored only two goals in four matches thus far. And the form of Victor Moses on the right wing and the effectiveness of the likes of Brown Ideye and Emmanuel Emenike as top strikers now mean he is no longer missed.

    4. He is currently serving out a three-match ban after he kicked a Fulham player during last weekend’s EPL fixture. Team officials reason that he will not be match fit in time for the Liberia match on October 13 in Calabar.

    5. Besides his bust-ups with several Eagles coaches, from Amodu to Lars Lagerback, Osaze has also “slugged it out” with several of the Eagles key men including skipper Joseph Yobo. This cannot be good for any team’s dressing room.

  • NFF to Nigerians: Pray for Flamingoes

    The Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) has tasked Nigerians to put the Women’s U-17 team in their prayers as they prepare for tougher matches at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Azerbaijan.

    Speaking against the backdrop of their 11-0 white wash and record equalling defeat of hosts, Azerbaijan, the NFF’s Director of Competitions, Dr Mohammed Sanusi said the ladies have made their compatriots happy with their displays against their hapless European nation but urged against lowering their guard against Colombia owing to the feat achieved in their first two matches.

    Dr Sanusi noted that with Nigerians’ support through their prayers, the Flamingoes would be more clinical in front of goals and would not be hitting the cross bar or the woodwork as witnessed in their first match where loads of chances were frittered away.

    “The Flamingoes have raised the flag of Nigeria very well and are a more improved side to the one that played Canada in the first match. We are proud of them and are sure they will be in the final by the grace of God.

    “What we want from Nigerians is their prayers. We lost many scoring chances in the match against Canada and those chances are as good as goals under ideal settings.

    “This is because when you play the ball and it hit the bar is as good as the one that has gone in. It is here we beckon on Nigerians for their prayers to ask for God’s favour so that they can be more clinical and fortunate in front of goal as they march toward the final,” Sanusi appeals to Nigerians.

    With the 11-0 victory over Azerbaijan Flamingoes are top of Group A with 4 points and a massive +11 goals difference ahead of Canada who are on +1 goal difference.

    Colombia (3 points) and Azerbaijan(none) are 3rd and 4th respectively.

    Flamingoes wide margin win also equalled the record of the most goals scored in a FIFA U-17 match set few days earlier in the match between North Korea and Gambia which ended 11-0 also in favour of the Asian giants.

    The Nigerians have their last group match against Colombia on Saturday in Baku.

     

  • Keshi squad will beat Liberia — Adepoju

    Shooting Stars Club boss, Mutiu Adepoju, has tipped the Super Eagles squad picked by Team Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi as capable of beating Liberia when two teams battle it out for the 2013 Africa Nations Cup come October 13th in Calabar.

    In a chat with SportingLife yesterday, the former Eagles Captain disclosed, “I am happy with the calibre of players invited by Keshi for the Nations Cup qualifier in Calabar. The blend of the foreign based and home based should provide the needed strong team that is capable of beating Liberia hands down here (Nigeria).”

    He, however, warned that “the team that would do the battle for Nigeria should be fighters, dedicated, resilient and ready to shed blood on the field of play for their father land because it won’t augur well for Nigeria to miss out of the Nations Cup party for the second consecutive time”.

    The former Racing Satander of Spain midfielder while welcoming the inclusion of Mikel Obi and the other returnees in the team, he, however, charged them to put in their 100 percent if fielded to help Eagles achieve the desired victory.

    “It’s a welcome development that Mikel is back in the team and I believe the coach had invited him as well as others that are currently doing well for their various clubs. But my advice to them is to put in everything they have got to help Eagles beat Liberia and thereby qualify for the Nations Cup in South Africa,” he added.

  • FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup: ‘Flamingoes’ strength too much for us’

    FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup: ‘Flamingoes’ strength too much for us’

    24 hours after Azerbaijan’s 11-0 bashing by Nigeria’s Flamingoes at the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, skipper of the side Amina Heydarova has confessed that the Peter Devebo girls were the superior side.

    Speaking with FIFA official website on Wednesday, Heydarova congratulated the Flamingoes for their different brand of soccer.

    “Their (Flamingoes) physical strength was too much for us.That was the great difference between the first and the second game, Nigeria were more powerful than the Colombians. But as you saw in both our previous games we fight until the end,” she said.

    Their swansong at Azerbaijan 2012 will see them face a Canada side that will be looking for at least a point to be certain of qualification for the quarter-finals. While Heydarova still thinks they can beat the Canadians when they meet at Dalga Arena, it is clear her confidence has been knocked.

    Though she never forgets the pride she feel by representing her country as captain, there have been happier times during the two years since the Azeribaijan U-17 women’s team was born for Heydarova. One particular occasion was during a friendly series against Latvia.

    “We played with them twice, winning both times – it was part of our warm-up for the World Cup. Seing Sissy’s joy, cheer and happiness was fantastic. I’ll never forget it.”

    Ultimately she is still driven to push on and represent her country for years to come and remains filled with the fire to succeed. “Of course [I want to play on as a senior]. I’m not working like a Trojan to stop it at the end of the tournament! I’m working hard to become a more talented, experienced player and hopefully I’ll become one,” she added.

  • POST-WESTERHOF LAMENTATION: Fears over standard of Kwara Football Academy

    There are fears among stakeholders, coaches and aspiring footballers alike that the standard of hitherto prestigious Kwara Football Academy has fallen.

    Problem of the institution which has strong backing of Kwara State government, according to those interviewed, started with the departure of former Super Eagles coach and pioneer Director of the academy Clemence Westerhof.

    Four years after leaving KFA, Westerhof still has much to celebrate about the initiative introduced by Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, as the current Technical Director, Paul Ashworth is still struggling to justify the huge investment on him to make the Academy produce quality players for both local and international use.

    Ashworth replaces Westerhof as the Technical Director of the institution, and is in charge of football and everything that concerns the players, but the Englishman has not added any outstanding and quality players to the one discovered by the Dutch coach after almost three years in charge.

    Ashworhth is on a huge pay of 9,000 dollars and N50,000 monthly allowance, with four return tickets per annum to Europe.

    Asides the fact that he has not got any concrete offer for any of the players, various screening exercises organized by the school was badly handled, culminating in the admission of over-aged and poor quality players.

    Finding revealed that no player in the Academy is fit to play outside the country, except those groomed by Westerhof, and some of them are gaining exposure with Kwara United and Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC, both of Ilorin.

  • Nwofor sad at Venlo’s exit

    Super sub Uchenna Innocent Nwofor has expressed his distraught at the inability of his Dutch club VVV Venlo to progress to the next round of the Dutch Cup despite scoring two goals including a last gasp goal equaliser that forced the tie into penalty shootout at Go Ahead Eagles on Tuesday night.

    Nwofor who played for Enugu Rangers before his dream move to Europe last year told SportingLife on Wednesday that his two goals never brought him eternal joy after his club was eliminated 4-3 in the ensuing penalty kicks to bid farewell to the KNVB Beker.

    He reckoned that though he was put among the substitutes again for the umpteenth time did not demoralise him but fired him up to come to the rescue of his teammates when a game they seemed to be coasting to an easy win suddenly turned bizarre after they allowed the home team to score two late goals to put the tie to extra time.

    During the extra time, Nwofor netted his side’s third goal in the 95th minute but Mamix Kolder’s equaliser for Go Ahead Eagles five minutes later made Venlo’s joy short-lived and were even on the back foot for the first time in the match in the 118th minute after Joey Suk’s sucker but Nwofor saved his best for last when he found space to get his team’s much needed equaliser in the 120th minute.

    Nwofor told SportingLife: “We are not happy with the result at all and despite putting all we had to it we still lost. We have to put the result behind us and think of our next match.

    “Yes I scored two goals but it is of no use now after we lost. I never believed in penalty kicks and so wanted us to kill the game during the regulation time but it was not to be.

    “I was not considered to start the game again on Tuesday but I don’t have power on when to play and when not to. It is the coach that decides and mine is to oblige.”

  • Turkish club hail Uche Kalu

    Turkish club hail Uche Kalu

    Caykur Rizespor manager Giray Bulak has saluted the displays of Nigeria striker Uche Kalu, who has thus far scored four goals.

    The Turkish club coach exclusively told MTNFootball.com that the Nigeria striker is a great buy for his team and has even rated him a better player than the striker Bikoko who he replaced.

    “Uche Kalu is a very good striker and I am happy I brought him here. He is a great striker and has shown that since his arrival,” said coach Bulak.

    “We thought we won’t get a replacement for Bikoko, but Kalu has shown that he is better than Bikoko. Bikoko is a good player no doubt, but Kalu is ahead of him. He uses both legs well and can play anywhere in the attack, a top man, supporting striker and as a winger. We have done good business during the transfer, Uche (Kalu) is a good buy.”

    Kalu is on loan from Enyimba to the Turkish Lig 1 side till the end of the season.

    He has got off to a great start by scoring four goals in his first three games and thus leading the scorers’ chart in the Turkish second division.