The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2018 World cup

  • 2018 W/Cup: NFF eyes quarter finals for Super Eagles

    2018 W/Cup: NFF eyes quarter finals for Super Eagles

  • Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification, independence gift to Nigerians – Buhari

    Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification, independence gift to Nigerians – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday congratulated the Super Eagles on the team’s victory over the hard fighting Chipolopolo of Zambia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

    Nigeria defeated Zambia 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, to qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President described the victory as “very sweet, soothing and a 57th Independence Anniversary gift to the nation.”

    He applauded the Super Eagles for making Nigeria the first African country to qualify for Russia 2018 with a match left to play.

    The statement reads: “As he joined millions of football-loving Nigerians in rejoicing with the players and their coaching crew, President Buhari called on all Nigerians to apply the values of perseverance, resilience, discipline, hard work and team-spirit which propelled the footballers to excel since the beginning of the qualifying matches, to all sectors of national life.

    “The President promised that the Federal Government will continue to support the team within available resources so that the nation will maximise the unifying potentials of sports in general and football in particular.

    “He enjoined the entire team and Nigerian Football Federation officials to remain steadfast and focused when they begin preparations for the global football fiesta in order to make Nigeria proud.

    “President Buhari urged public, private organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to continue to assist the Super Eagles as the team heads for a sixth appearance at the summit of football competition.

    “The President also appreciated the government of Akwa Ibom State for the invaluable support it has been rendering to the football team, describing it as worthy of emulation.”

  • Nigeria qualifies for 2018 World Cup

    Nigeria qualifies for 2018 World Cup

    Super Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday qualified for next year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    The three-time African champions defeated hard fighting Chipolopolo of Zambia 1-0 inside the magnificent Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

    Arsenal youngster, Alex Iwobi, was the hero for Nigeria, scoring the decisive goal in the 73rd minute of the encounter.

    Russia 2018 will be Nigeria’s sixth appearance in FIFA’s premier soccer tournament.

    The country participated in the 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014 editions of the tournament.

  • Japan qualify for 2018 World Cup

    Japan qualify for 2018 World Cup

    Japan on Thursday qualified for its sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup after defeating Australia 2-0 in Saitama.

    Takuma Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi were on target for the 2002 World Cup co-host.

    Asano steered home a left-foot volley four minutes before half-time and Ideguchi sealed the victory with a stunning long-range strike after 82 minutes as Japan joined hosts Russia, Brazil and Iran as qualified teams for next year’s FIFA premier soccer tournament.

     

  • Dalung promises to deliver 2018 World Cup ticket

    Dalung promises to deliver 2018 World Cup ticket

    Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, says the Super Eagles will deliver the 2018 World Cup ticket to Nigerians.

    Dalung told newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja that the team was well prepared for the world cup qualifier against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon coming up on Friday in Uyo.

    “We have prepared very well and the team is in high spirit, ready to do their best.

    “We want to assure Nigerians that we will definitely make good our promise of delivering the ticket for the 2018 World Cup in Russia,” said the minister.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Eagles will aim to achieve a 12 time triumph over the Lions of Cameroon when both teams meet at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

    Nigeria has won 11 of the 19 previous encounters with Cameroon and secured four draws, while Cameroon had beaten the Eagles only four times.

    The two teams last clashed at the Edmond Machtens Stadium in Brussels in October 2015 when the Eagles won by 3-0 through goals by Efe Ambrose, Moses Simon, and Odion Ighalo.

  • How Nigeria can win 2018 World Cup — Kalu 

    How Nigeria can win 2018 World Cup — Kalu 

    Former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu  yesterday advised Nigeria on how she can win the 2018 World Cup, advising the Federal Government to invest in Super Eagles.

    He said that Enyimba winning the African Champions League back to back when in charge in Abia state was not a magic but an outcome of good strategies.

    He said the motivation of players and the entire team must be key,  stressing that players would give the best if they are well handled.

    Kalu popularly known as African pillar of sports said “People don’t know that the coach you see when you are watching football is not the same coach you will see after 90 minutes. When they are on the pitch, they are no longer human beings,  they are thinking about consequences of loosing, their salaries, benefits, where else to get a job and so forth”.

    Kalu who was responding to  journalists in a conference call from Washington DC,  tipped the Super Eagles to lift lift the 2018 World Cup holding in Russia.

    According to him football is a big business insisting  that if the  Super Eagles  are in good shape , Nigeria can make history in 2018.

    The former Governor said “If we are given the opportunity we can bring the cup back to Nigeria. We have the material,  we have everything to do it. We have the people, we have the resources.  it is just applying it at the right place .

    “We can do it if President Muhammadu Buhari sets his mind on it. Nigeria can come back with the World Cup, this is not the first time I am saying it, we can do anything in soccer. It might sound impossible but it is very possible. I am sure most Nigerians will be very happy to see Nigeria coming back with the World Cup”.

    Asked why  Enyimba still lack structure and stadium  of their own despite winning the Champions League back to back he  described football as an expensive venture.

    He said “The issue of running football can be expensive. We ceded the stadia we built to Enyimba. I don’t know why  my successor reverted that decision. We were trying to set Enyimba back to stock market. We even called the BGL at that time to access how we can go to stock market. We were at the edge of sealing it before I left the government and I thought my successor would complete it but it was abandoned. But it is still possible.

    “Now, Enyimba is playing away from home and I am advising Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to do everything possible to return Enyimba to their ground. They need to be in Aba. Aba is their base and I don’t see reasons why  they should not play from there”.

  • Minister to Chipolopolo: You must defeat Super Eagles

    Minister to Chipolopolo: You must defeat Super Eagles

    Zambia’s Chipolopolo is doing everything possible to kick-start their campaign in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers on a good note.

    In the view of this, players and coaches have been spitting fire on their readiness to beat Nigeria’s Super Eagles this weekend., the Zambian sports minister, Moses Mawere believes beating Eagles remains a must for the team.

    Similarly, the Zambian sports minister, Moses Mawere believes beating Eagles remains a must for the team.

    According to the Post of Zambia, the minister believes qualifying for the 2018 World Cup is the only hope for Zambian football, saying there were high expectations from football fans.

    He charged the country’s national team to raise their game when they confront the star-studded Eagles at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on October 9.

    “The country’s expectation is high, the only hope is the World Cup after failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. I challenge the players and coaches to step up and perform better. We need to beat Nigeria, we can do it,” Mawere said.

    However, he said the match against Nigeria would help the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to convince the government on the need to engage an expatriate coach.

    “The engagement of the coach is not ours, it is up to the FAZ. Let them convince us that yes we need an expatriate coach or we can do with a local coach. Ours is just to support them,” the minister insisted.

  • Blame Eagles’ stars for AFCON failure – Yusuf

    Blame Eagles’ stars for AFCON failure – Yusuf

    Super Eagles coach, Salisu Yusuf, has said the country’s stars were to blame for Nigeria’s failure to qualify for next year’s African Nations Cup (AFCON) in Gabon.

    However, the coach believes the players will push themselves more to qualify Nigeria for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    “The players did not give what they were supposed to give and so we failed to qualify again for the AFCON,” Yusuf told africanFootball.com.

    “The players fought like home-based players in the friendly against Mali and I believe that with better self-motivation, they will be at the World Cup.

    “They are already producing high performances at their various European clubs and we expect them to give more to be at the World Cup.”

    He charged the country’s Europe-based stars to adapt to whatever conditions they will come across in their bid to qualify for a sixth World Cup.

    The pitch at Ndola, Zambia, where the Super Eagles will begin its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign is presently not in top shape.

    But Yusuf believes that should not be a drawback.

    “We must adapt to the African environment. With players with strong character, a bad pitch won’t make any difference after about 15 minutes, when you would have familiarize yourself with it,” he added.

  • W/Cup: Underrate Zambia at your own peril, Mweene warns Nigeria, others  

    W/Cup: Underrate Zambia at your own peril, Mweene warns Nigeria, others  

    One of the members of the 2012 AFCON winning Zambian team, Kennedy Mweene believes Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon would underrate Chipolopolo at the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers at own peril.

    According to The Post of Zambia, the Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa goalkeeper says that the underdog tag would spur Zambia on when they battle Nigeria and others in the qualifiers.

    “We will prove people wrong in the World Cup qualifiers because we perform well when we are written off. It won’t be easy, yes, we are in a tricky group but I think Zambia does well when written off but I can tell you our opponents know that it will not be easy. And I think going into these qualifiers as underdogs gives us that motivation to want to prove people wrong. 

    “All we need is determination; we can overcome and we have got a lot of players coming up in Zambia today. That’s why all of us need to understand that there are no personal to hold positions in the national team, we need to work very hard,” Mweene said.

    Also, Zambian veteran tactician, Jericho Shinde says Chipolopolo players need commitment to rekindle the ‘spirit of 2012’ as they embark on the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

    Shinde, who played for Chipolopolo in the 1980s, said a lot of dedication was needed from the players. “The draws are okay, the boys need to be patriotic enough and apply themselves. We need a lot of dedication from the players. We want players that are committed to the cause,” Shinde said.

    He added: “We need the players to exhibit the spirit that they exhibited in 2012. That team that won the AfCON was not the best team, but because of the spirit they exhibited, they won. If only we can rekindle that spirit as we play the World Cup qualifiers.”

    Zambia will begin its quest for a maiden appearance at the World Cup next month as the team have a tricky tie against the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria on October 3.

    The former African champion is in the same group with Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria, all of whom have featured at the World Cup.

  • Nigeria will qualify for 2018 World Cup – Pinnick

    Nigeria will qualify for 2018 World Cup – Pinnick

    Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has expressed optimism that the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    Pinnick disclosed this after meeting the NFF technical committee on the choice of Frenchman Paul Le Guen as new Eagles’ technical adviser.

    “By God’s grace we are going to qualify. We have worked round and have done everything possible. We have discussed with the players. There are a lot of things we have done. There is a level you can go in terms of providing everything,” Goal quoted Pinnick as saying on Nigeria World Cup aspiration on Tuesday.

    “All what they need is mental character, we have to psyche them up. You have to give them the sense of patriotism.

    “If you see what Ronaldo did, he was injured and he was crying when he was being taken out of the field. That is the kind of mentality we want our players to put up when they are playing for the team.

    “Like I said, the 20 teams that qualified for the last round are all capable. I would rather play Algeria than to play Gabon.

    “Gabon has never been to the World Cup and the players would want to go to the World Cup. I can assure you.”