The Nation Newspaper

Tag: AfCON qualifier

  • AFCON Qualifier: Eaglets will beat Ghana again, says Garba

    Ahead of the must-win clash against the Starlets of Ghana today, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets’ Coach, Manu Garba has posited that his wards are well charged for victory and will approach the final game with all seriousness, AOIFootball.com reports.

    Many, who spoke to AOIFootball.com ahead of Saturday’s WAFU final, stated that his lads are well focused on the clash and will ensure they pick the ticket to represent the zone in the Nations Cup in Tanzania.

    “We have come this far and won’t look back. I know so much about Ghana I’m confident we can beat them come Saturday (today),” Garba said.

    With a 2-1 head-to-head at this level, the Eaglets will hope to extend the run when both teams file out at the Stade General Seyni Kountche Stadium  today with the winner joining already qualified, Cameroon, Uganda, Angola, Morocco and hosts Tanzania for the next phase of qualifiers for the World Cup next year.

  • AFCON qualifiers: Rohr inspects Ahmadu Bello Stadium

    Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, on Wednesday inspected the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna as part of preparations for the team’s qualifiers for the 2019 AFCON, an official has said.

    Ademola Olajire, the Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said in a statement on Wednesday the inspection was an indication preparations have begun in earnest.

    The senior men’s national football team have five matches remaining in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying series.

    Nigeria play away to Seychelles in Victoria on Match Day 2 on Sept. 7 and then host Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in Nigeria on Match Day 3 on Oct. 10.

    “The Technical Adviser checked out the facilities at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in company of NFF’s Second Vice President Shehu Dikko and Super Eagles’ Team Administrator Dayo Achor,’’ Olajire said in the statement.

    Read Also: Rohr to inspect Stephen Keshi Stadium

    He added that the former Germany defender Rohr would on Friday release his list of invited players for the away clash with Seychelles.

    After hosting Libya, the Super Eagles will visit the Knights three days later, before heading to South Africa for the return tie against the Bafana Bafana on Nov. 17.

    The last match of the series will see the three-time African champions hosting Seychelles on March 22.

    The Eagles had, in their opening game of the qualifying series in June 2017, lost 0-2 to the Bafana Bafana in Uyo.

    The finals of the 2019 AFCON, which is the 32nd edition, are scheduled to be staged in Cameroon in June.

  • Three Players Absent as Super Eagles Land in Uyo

    Three Players Absent as Super Eagles Land in Uyo

    •  To Begin Training Tuesday

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles players have landed in Uyo on Monday ahead of this weekend’s 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

    Three players were however missing from the from the expected roster of 24 to hit the Uyo camp of the Super Eagles on Monday.

    The ‘missing’ trio are newly wedded Elderson Echiejile and the duo of Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo.

    There are expectation that the trio will hit the camp on Tuesday as the Eagles go full throttle in their preparations for Saturday’s game against the South Africans who are expected to land in Nigeria by Thursday.

    The Nigerian players briefly assembled in Abuja after their friendly with Hawks of Togo in Paris before jetting to Uyo on Monday afternoon and immediately lodged at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort.

    Speaking on arrival, FK Austria Wien striker, Olanrewaju Kayode and Israeli-based forward, John Ogu expressed their happiness and reradiness for the training.

    “Thank God for bringing us safely to Uyo….” Kayode wrote on Instagram. In his own reaction, Ogu is also thanking God for making the trip. “Just Arrived Uyo..Thank God for journey mercies !”

    Nigeria engages South Africa 5 pm on Saturday at the Godswill International Stadium in Uyo for the 2019 AFCON qualifiers group opener.

  • Home-based Eagles to play final AFCON qualifier

    Home-based Eagles to play final AFCON qualifier

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is seriously considering lining up the home-based Super Eagles for the final African Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifier against Tanzania in September.

    Nigeria has failed to qualify for the 2017 AFCON slated for Gabon and so the home game against Tanzania will be a mere formality, africanFootball.com reports.

    “Players from the domestic league are most likely to prosecute the Tanzania match because it will not only save the federation much-needed funds, but also give the players the opportunity to stake a claim in the main Eagles squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers,” a top official told africanFootball.com.

  • Nigeria’s winning mentality, a threat to Egypt – Cuper

    Egypt coach Hector Cuper is fascinated with the mentality of Nigerian players, and he admitted that this is a major threat to theier dream of making to the 2017 AFCON in Gabon.

    “Nigeria is a strong team with excellent players who have a winning mentality as they play for big European clubs,” Argentinean boss Cuper explained.

    The coach believes that the Pharaohs were lucky to snatch the late equaliser against Nigeria while vowing to ring changes ahead of tomorrow’s second test.

    “I can’t deny that we were lucky to score the equaliser against Nigeria, but it was a reward for our performance through the whole match,” Cuper told Egyptian reporters after the match.

    “We delivered an outstanding performance in the first half, but we had some faults in the second and we didn’t maintain the same level. We will work to amend these mistakes in the coming period.

    “Some players were exhausted due to the hot weather and bad pitch, and I admit that we were late in our substitutions.

    “The whole team should be thanked for their performance amid these hard circumstances,” the former Valencia and Inter Milan boss concluded.

  • Oliseh picks Salah as Egypt’s top star

    Oliseh picks Salah as Egypt’s top star

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has singled out Mohamed Salah as Egypt’s top star as the countdown for next month’s African Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifiers continues.

    Oliseh made the observations after watching match tapes of the seven-time African champions.

    “I have watched some tapes of Egypt. The North African side is a result-oriented team who foul a lot in defence and midfield and depend on the speed of (Mohamed) Salah,” africanFootball.com quoted Oliseh as saying on the Egyptians.

    “But we’re Nigeria, we’re playing at home and we have our own stars.

    “I saw the league match between Kano Pillars and Rangers and saw the capacity fans. If the Kaduna fans can be like that, they will be the 12th man to cheer the Eagles to victory. I’m optimistic.”

    Egypt leads the qualifying group for the AFCON with six points from two matches, two points ahead of Nigeria with only the group winners guaranteed automatic qualification to the final tournament in Gabon next year.

    Nigeria hosts the Pharaohs on Friday, March 25 in Kaduna with the return match taking place in Egypt two days later.

  • AFCON qualifier: Nigeria fined $5,000 for fans’ misconduct

    AFCON qualifier: Nigeria fined $5,000 for fans’ misconduct

    The Confederation of African Football has fined the Nigeria Football Federation $5,000 for fans’ misconduct during the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad in Kaduna.

    Nigeria defeated the Chadians 2-0 and fans later invaded the pitch at full time to celebrate Nigeria’s victory in the match played in June, Goal reports.

    According to a statement released on CAF website on Tuesday, the decision was one of the many actions taken during the body’s disciplinary committee meeting held on September 20.

     

     

  • Musa calls for patience after Tanzania draw

    Musa calls for patience after Tanzania draw

    Super Eagles winger, Ahmed Musa, is satisfied with the draw against Tanzania in Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier, but has intimated that there is still room for improvement.

    Musa, who was handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Vincent Enyeama, said that football dynamics had changed in Africa and although Nigeria is regarded as a big team, other nations like Tanzania were equally working hard to get good results.

    “We came to Tanzania hoping for a win. But let’s be realistic, the draw was not a bad result, considering we have new players on the team and that means we have to give them time to adjust.

    “The game against Tanzania was not easy as the East Africans were very determined. Football has changed and nowadays we have no small or big teams.

    “We only trained together for two days, that is why the result can be described as fair. However, we have vowed that we will come back better and stronger in subsequent matches,” Musa told supersport.com.

  • AFCON: Haruna, Ikeme, Moses in Eagles starting XI

    AFCON: Haruna, Ikeme, Moses in Eagles starting XI

    Super Eagles coach, has picked Russia- based Lukman Haruna, as his midfield arrow head for Saturday’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania, africanFootball.con reports.

    Haruna was picked ahead of Slovakia-based Rabiu Ibrahim and FC Taraba midfielder, Usman Mohammed, for the playmaking role.

    A top official told africanFootball.com that Mohammed will now start from the bench against Tanzania because he did not follow the tactics during the team’s last friendly.

    Haruna will play behind the team top striker, Emmanuel Emenike, in a 4-3-3 pattern to be employed by Eagles for the match.

    Warri Wolves ace, Solomon Kwambe, replaces the injured Germany-based Leon Balogun in the right full back position.

    Gent of Belgium winger, Moses Simon, will start from left side of attack with skipper Ahmed Musa on the right side.

    Wolves of England goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme, will make his debut in the absence of Vincent Enyeama alongside Russia-based defensive midfielder, Izunna Uzochukwu.

    Kick-off time is 2.30pm Nigerian time.

    Eagles starting XI vs Tanzania – Carl Ikeme – Kingsley Madu, Solomon Kwambe, William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, – Izunna Uzochukwu, Obiora Nwankwo, Lukman Haruna, Moses Simon, Ahmed Musa (skipper), Emmanuel Emenike.

     

  • AFCON qualifier: 21 players attend Eagles’ training

    AFCON qualifier: 21 players attend Eagles’ training

    21 Super Eagles players participated in the first full training session supervised by coach Sunday Oliseh on Tuesday morning.

    Only Captain Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa are yet arrive. But team coordinator, Patrick Pascal, confirmed that both players will arrive Abuja before the end of the day.

    The team arrived the Abuja National Stadium at 9:43am, with Oliseh ordering the security personnel at the stadium to walk out all journalists and fans that came to watch the training at expiration of the 15 minutes grace that had been granted.

    During the 15 minutes training the team Goalkeeper Coach, Aloy Agu concentrated on the two goalkeepers in camp – Carl Ikeme of Wolverhampton Wanderers of England and Ikechukwu Ezenwa of Sunshine stars, while Oliseh handled the 19 outfield players to ascertain their level of fitness.

    In Tuesday’s training session were – Leon Balogun, Kingsley Madu, Godfrey Oboabona, William Troost Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Solomon Kwambe, Mohammed Usman, Chima Akas, Austin Obarokpo, Prince Aggrey, Izunna Ernest Uzochukwu, Obiora Nwankwo, Lukman Haruna, Rabiu Ibrahim,  Emem Eduok, Emmanuel Emenike, Anthony Ujah, Sylvester Igboun and Moses Simon.