The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Taye Taiwo loving life in Kiev

    Taye Taiwo loving life in Kiev

    Taye Taiwo has described his adaptation at his new club Dynamo Kiev as fantastic and hailed his team mates for their team spirit!

    ”We have a wonderful team. We have a collection of very skilled players from all over the world. Atmosphere in the team is great, we hit it off.

    ”On the field, we are also beginning to understand each other better and better. Together we train, spend time together, joking and laughing.”

    The Tornado has also hailed the competitiveness of the Ukrainian top flight: ”The games are very difficult because we are expected to win no matter the situation.”

  • Omeruo faults Eagles squad

    Omeruo faults Eagles squad

    Nigeria and Chelsea defender, Kenneth Omeruo says the entire team and not the Joseph Yobo-led Super Eagles defence should be blamed for the late goal that drew Liberia 2-2 level with Nigeria in last weekend’s African Cup of Nations qualifier in Monrovia.

    Speaking with BrilaFM on Thursday, the Nigeria youth international that is currently in the second of his two years loan spell at Dutch Eredivisie club ADO Den Haag, maintains that the stalemate leaves Nigeria in a vantage position to qualify for next year’s final in South Africa.

    “I wouldn’t blame the defence for the late goal that bedded the game 2-2, but the entire team because they played as a unit. Despite that, I see Nigeria winning the second leg convincingly to qualify for the finals, which is the ultimate goal,” says Omeruo.

    Onmeruo, who continues to string up sterling performances in the colours of ADO Den Haag, says he is primed to fight for a place at Chelsea’s backline, adding the Blues have made quality summer signings

    He said: “I have a year left in my two-year loan stint with Den Haag, after which I hope to return to Chelsea and fight for a place at the backline. I think I have garnered enough experience to become a mainstay at the Blues.

    “I am also pleased with the club’s summer signings like Eden Hazard, Oscar. Things are changing at the club and I know these players will help their transition.”

    It could be recalled that Nigeria gave up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with the Lone Star at the Samuel Doe Stadium in Monrovia on September 8.

    The hosts’ early opener was cancelled out by Real Betis new signings Nosa Igiebor, while Ikechukwu Uche put Nigeria 2-1 up from the spot after Victor Moses had been hacked down by a Lone Star defender.

     

  • Freed Raheem Lawal debuts Sunday

    Freed Raheem Lawal debuts Sunday

    Eagles star Raheem Lawal will make his Turkish second division debut for new club Adana Demirspor on Sunday.

    Raheem Lawal told MTNFootball.com that he is excited he will finally get his career back on track with Adana Demirspor after a temporary delay.

    “I am happy that I’m free to play football again. On Sunday, I will play my first game for my new club Adana Demirspor away at Denilspor,” he disclosed.

    “I will do my best to see that we come out victorious at the end of the game.”

    The central midfielder signed a lucrative two-year deal with Adana Demirspor, but his Spanish team Atletico Beleares refused to release him only for him to get a respite from world football governing body FIFA.

  • Eaglets vs Rwanda in doubt

    Eaglets vs Rwanda in doubt

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says the proposed return leg tie of the international friendly between the Golden Eaglets and the Junior Wasps of Rwanda will not take place before the second leg tie of the CAN U-17 qualifier against the Junior Menas of Niger Republic slated for September 22nd in Calabar.

    The Eaglets ran way 4-1 winners in the first leg played in Niamey last week and as they prepare to face Niger Republic next weekend, the Chairman of the NFF Technical Sub-Committee, Barrister Christopher Green has hinted that the tie against Rwanda billed for Kigali before the qualifier in Nigeria will only derail the country’s build-up to match.

    Making this known to SportingLife recently, the former Secretary, Sharks FC of Port Harcourt reiterated the NFF’s confidence in the Eaglets adding that quality friendlies will be organised for the team after the qualifier against Niger.

    “It may not be possible for the Eaglets to travel out of the country to play a friendly match before their tie against Niger Republic.

    “We are ready to play and we are already in advance talks with Rwanda but we all know the gimmicks and all that is put into play in prosecuting an international game. If you can remember, they played a double header against same Rwanda before they left for Niamey and they may go back there to play similar matches. But the time left between now and September 22nd is too short and we don’t want to risk anything at all for their safety and well being are very crucial to us.

    “The truth of the matter is that they are on course and after they have seen off Niger then we can now look at the brighter side,” Green noted.

  • Keshi, Okocha, Eguavoen return

    Keshi, Okocha, Eguavoen return

    Sunday, 16th September 2012 all roads will lead to the Warri Township Stadium, Delta State, where ex-internationals and football stars from Edo and Delta State will file out to play a novelty/commemorative match in honour of Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia who turns 80 on Monday 17th September 2012.

    Briefing pressmen in Benin City yesterday, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, former minister of state for works, who is also the chairman project 80 planning committee to honour the general, said the likes of Steven Keshi, the Super Eagles coach, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, Austin Eguavoen, Thomson Oliha, Baldwin Bazuaye, Friday Elahor, Friday Eboigbe, Anthony Emuodefo Aka Poropo and the likes of others will be on parade that day.

    Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, was one time the chairman of the national sports commission, serve as a military administrator for the defunct Midwestern and Bendel state now Edo and Delta state.

    Also, Edo academicals and other youth clubs in the state will on Saturday 15th September 2012 at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin City play a competitive match in honour of the general that have done so much in terms of sports and other infrastructural development in his time.

    Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia that will turn octogenarian on Monday 17th established the famous College of Physical Education Afuze, will be honoured by his boss the then head of states, General Yakubu Gowon who is expected to be the chairman.

  • Eagles on Ground Zero —Kalu

    Eagles on Ground Zero —Kalu

    Expect so much from the Super Eagles, at your own peril. Former Abia State governor Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu highlighted this Thursday as he cautioned compatriots against building castles in the air.

    Kalu explained that the Golden Years of Nigerian soccer when a Segun Odegbami could be hero worshiped in Accra or a Petit Sory would salute Emma Okalla from Conakry were gone.

    He said: “You cannot give what you do not have. The present Eagles are not in anyway Super. I cannot find even the shadow of Nwankwo Kanu, or the cleats of Rashidi Yekini in the squad. It is so bad that an Austin Okocha will not make any difference. Green may have defined the Eagles of Christian Chukwu, Odegbami and Okalla. The present bunch cannot do better than greenhorns.”

    The ex-governor refused to blame Coach Stephen Keshi for the drab results so far recorded by the senior national team in the South Africa 2013 Nations’ Cup qualifiers.

    “Those who want to crucify Keshi are not followers of the team. Maybe they are Liberians. Fact is, the players do not have what it takes to rule Africa. Clemens Westerhof did well here because we had boys willing to die. Jo Bonfrere’s success came through the quality of stars. When they left Nigeria, the Dutchmen never won anything,” Kalu added.

    Kalu advised Nigerians to shift support to the women and special sports instead of concentrating on the Eagles.

    “Eagles are on Ground Zero today. Tomorrow may bring a change.We need not worry. I can go watch the Falconets or wine and dine with the paralympians. Afterall, they are Nigerians. Let us switch our support until the Eagles begin to fly again,” he summed up.

  • Flying Eagles get South Africa match tapes

    Flying Eagles get South Africa match tapes

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has secured recent match tapes of the Amajitas of South Africa for the Flying Eagles as the qualifier for the first leg of the second round of the African Youth Championship (AYC) gathers momentum, a top official has disclosed.

    The Flying Eagles will battle their South Africa U-20 counterparts first in Johannesburg on the weekend of September 21-23, and the Chairman of the NFF Technical Sub-Committee Department, Barrister Christopher Green has informed SportingLife that though the Amajitas are no strangers to the Flying Eagles, the NFF deemed it necessary to get their recent match tapes including their AYC qualifiers against Congo so as to keep Nigeria’s U-20 side abreast of their opponents before the encounter.

    The barrister said: “The Flying Eagles are preparing hard and, of course, you see them playing against clubs in the country as the date for the first leg draws nearer. If it is preparation, no one can fault the current board of the NFF.

    “We know a little of the team like you have said based on the experience we had during the invitational tourney, but we have also gotten some tapes of the matches they played recently including their matches against Congo during the qualifier.

    “We have the tapes and the coaches are currently studying it and we expect to have a decent outing in South Africa before completing the job here in Nigeria a fortnight later,” he emphasised.

    The Flying Eagles are the defending champions of the AYC after beating the Cubs of Cameroon 3-2 in the final in South Africa last year but the John Obuh-tutored lads must see off the Amajitas over the legs after losing 0-1 to the same side earlier.

  • Pompey youngsters set for Eko Football Festival

    Pompey youngsters set for Eko Football Festival

    HE BLUES are to take an Academy team to Nigeria later this month to compete in a new six-a-side tournament.

    Andy Awford’s youngsters have been invited by the Sodje Sports Foundation to take part in the Eko Football FestAival in Lagos.

    Pompey, who will be the only representatives from Europe, will leave on September 24 for six days in a move Awford is convinced will benefit the teenagers’ development.

    The Academy manager and physio Sean Duggan will accompany six second-year apprentices to the event.

    What’s more, it won’t cost Pompey a penny, with Soccerex, the Lagos authorities and Arik Air footing the bill in its entirety. The event falls on a blank fixture weekend for the youngsters, making it a timely trip in Awford’s eyes.

    And he believes those Pompey players invited to attend will be able to reap the benefits. He said: ‘If we win the cup then great but I am not going for that reason.

    ‘This is about our lads being given the opportunity to experience another culture and another country and all the benefits that go with that.

    ‘There are affluent areas in that part of the world and we will see some underprivileged ones as well, so it will be a great experience for us all.

    ‘We haven’t got a match on the Saturday so are not going to miss any games. It comes at a good time for our second-year apprentices.

    ‘We have nine in that year, of which one is injured and another is Adam Webster – who won’t go – so it will be a case of selecting a team of six.

    ‘I would also like to stress that this club is not spending a penny – it is entirely funded by the hosts. ‘For that we owe them a massive thanks, firstly for inviting us and then making it a possibility through funding.

    ‘The Lagos State government has our thanks, along with others who have helped make this possible.’

  • Scouts hunt for talent at Rivers Governor’s Cup

    Scouts hunt for talent at Rivers Governor’s Cup

    The 2012 edition of the Shell-sponsored Rivers Governor’s Cup has attracted international scouts who have landed in the Garden City to seek talents at the annual tournament that will kick off on Tuesday, the 18th of September.

    The project manager of Vandyke, Amadike Enyadike told the press that this year’s tournament would be much more unique as the discovered talents would be engaged immediately for exposure in both international and local competitions.

    According to him, both local and international scouts are already in the city waiting for the kick-off of the event.

    He noted that five best players between the ages of 18-20 would be taken by South African scouts for further development.

    He stated further that twenty-two best players from the tournament would be selected to form an academy that would play in an international competition and another twenty-two to be selected to play in the Rivers State Challenge Cup for this year.

    In the same vein, the Rivers FA secretary, Ibigoni Benjamin-Akobo lauded the programme saying that their three years partnership with Shell has been a good one. He did not fail to state that the Governor’s Cup is a developmental programme designated for those in the LGAs and has no age limit.

    The competition starts on Tuesday hosting about four matches a day.

    It goes with a total cash prize of one million naira.

    Other awards include best player, best goal keeper, fair play for team behaviour and highest goal scorer. These rewards are not coming in cash form but are said to have values that the receivers would appreciate.

    Other non-financial sponsors of the tournament include: NNPC, ENI, TOTAL, AIRTEL, 1Game, Indomie, Deportivo Vandyke, Phones Gadgets Ltd and Pabod Breweries.

     

  • PHCN admits to fire that razed Okunowo’s house

    PHCN admits to fire that razed Okunowo’s house

    More than 7 weeks after a fire from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)’s office at Capital Building, Ring-road, Ibadan gutted and razed the multi-million naira duplex of ex-Super Eagles player, Gbenga Okunowo, PHCN seems to be adamant on the matter.

    The incident that occurred on 22nd July 2012 rendered the former Barcelona defender homeless and has forced him to be staying in hotels or with friends.

    Counsels to Okunowo, Rotimi Alli and Ibadan-based popular legal practitioner, Jibril Mohammed, who is also the lawyer to the late Rashidi Yekini, disclosed to newsmen in Ibadan that officials of PHCN admitted during interrogation by officers of the Oyo State CID that the fire actually emanated from their compound before spreading to Okunowo’s duplex. Okunowo was their next door neighbour.

    Mohammed also hinted that they have made all necessary efforts to get adequate compensation for Okunowo but PHCN that is responsible for the damage is not showing good concern over the matter.

    Okunowo, while speaking with the press at the Obafemi Awolowo training ground of All-stars FC, the team that he trains with to keep fit, lamented the hardship he is going through as the fire destroyed virtually all he had labored for in his entire career.

    “I’m only going to beg the PHCN to be prompt with whatever they want to do on the incident, as words cannot quantify the hardship I’m going through since Sunday July 22 that the ugly incident happened.

    “Since then I have been spending the little resources I have on hotel accommodation or I managed to stay in friends’ houses which was highly embarrassing and agonising; all I have worked for has been lost to the fire,” Okunowo lamented.

    Speaking in the same vein, Dimeji Lawal, who is coordinating All-stars FC, was dejected over the plight of the ex-football star, saying, “I’m not happy with the system we operate here in Nigeria, especially the people running our sports; would you believe that nobody has come out to assist Gbenga Okunowo since fire burned down his property? Not even the NFF.”