The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Algeria

  • Akpeyi replaces Ikeme in Eagles squad

    Akpeyi replaces Ikeme in Eagles squad

    Chippa United goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has been invited as replacement for injured Wolves star Carl Ikeme by Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr ahead of next week’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Algeria in Uyo.

    The 30-year-old was in the Nigeria U20 squad that finished as runners –up at the 2005 FIFA U20 World Cup in the Netherlands, and was also in the bronze –winning U23 team at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Brazil in August this year.

    The former junior international is a direct replacement for Super Eagles number one, Carl Ikeme, whose English club Wolverhampton Wanderers wrote to the Nigeria Football Federation that he would be unavailable as a result of injury.

    The Super Eagles take on the Fennecs of Algeria in Uyo on Saturday, 12th November, in a Match day 2 clash of the African race for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

  • It’ll be tough to beat Nigeria – Algeria coach

    It’ll be tough to beat Nigeria – Algeria coach

    After naming his 18-man team for the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers against Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Algeria’s coach, Georges Leekens has admitted in his maiden press briefing that the Eagles would a tough nut to crack.

    Despite acknowledging the quality of his team, Leekens confessed, “Being good will not be enough there, we have to be 200% and most effective. Nigeria will be a very difficult match, I supervised and I analysed their game, we still have a lot of work because our opponents have grown enormously. I can tell you that we shall be 200% for the fight; it must be really tough out there, because being good is not enough, believe me. We must be efficient, if we want to achieve a result. “

      “I discussed with my staff about the trust that must exist between us, we will work in full cooperation, I know time is short to prepare for a match like this, but I have been here since Wednesday and I am ready for my responsibilities in Nigeria,” he added.

      The former Tunisia coach further said: “The technique is not enough, only a good state of mind makes you win a match. The coach of Nigeria has a list of 23 professional players who play abroad, you can check the list. At the highest level, sometimes football is played on the mental level. It is not only the technique and individual class but the most important is the spirit. “

      He, however, urged his team, “Do not be afraid of this team, it is for us to raise doubts. I know we still have work hard to do it, but we should have complex against the big nations. I want us to erase the doubt about our opponents and not to give them too much respect in the way in which we play and our temperament.

      “This is how Nigeria will attack against us. Nigeria will play in the back of our defense, we know how they attack. They also seek to play between the lines, so we must be sturdy. We have already started to dissect their game. I’m finding out about this team because it is my duty,” the coach said.

      He refused to reveal his game plans for the encounter. “I will not reveal my plans, otherwise Nigerians will know everything about us and we will not reveal all, if not in two minutes, the Nigerian coach will know all about our plans. As a team, we must be smart and cleverer. Although, sometimes it is not always the smartest that win and that’s what I want to introduce into the spirit of this team.”

  • Algeria name solid squad for Nigeria

    Algeria name solid squad for Nigeria

  • Chukwu warns Eagles: Algeria will be tougher than Zambia

    Chukwu warns Eagles: Algeria will be tougher than Zambia

    Former Super Eagles’ Chief Coach Christian Chukwu has urged the Eagles tutored by Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr to be wary of dreaded Algerian senior national team when the team confronts Nigeria in a second match of the ongoing 2018 World Cup qualifier next month.

    “Firstly I am very happy that the Eagles won a precious three points away in Ndola against highly rated Zambia. It is not an easy place to go and win such points. More grease to their elbows.

    “I want to warn that we don’t have a team yet but we have crop of talented youg players who are desperate to impress and make name for themselves and also enhance their positions in their various clubs abroad as a national yeam players.

    “The present Eagles comprised of talented young players that can play for this country for the next 10 years. That is the beauty and joy of having this new team led by Mikel Obi.”So winning the three points away to Zambia is a big morale. But let me warn seriously that playing the Algerian team will be another scenario. Algeria is the most ranked team in Africa and playing against them even at home here in Nigeria will be very tough. It will be tougher than playing against Zambia but I am very confident the boys won’t disappoint. I expect the Eagles to leave up to expectation”, Chukwu told SportingLife yesterday.

  • OPEC members seal deal on oil production cut

    OPEC members seal deal on oil production cut

    …Kachikwu’s diplomacy yields dividends

    After about forty eight (48) hours of a grueling meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) held in Algiers, Algeria, the oil cartel on 28th September, 2016, agreed to a landmark deal that will effectively cut production to 32.5 million barrels per day from around 33.24 million, with levels of output for each member country to be determined in November 2016.

    The Director, Press, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Idang Alibi said this will be the first time in eight years that OPEC would be reaching such an agreement. This could be loosely tied to the role that has been played by member countries, including Nigeria, in refocusing OPEC to work harmoniously in identifying needs and challenges that are peculiar to the body and surmounting them, a key challenge being the low price of oil in the international market which has affected the global economy with most OPEC member countries feeling the heat.

    OPEC member countries reached a consensus in the agreement where three countries are exempted from the production cuts and they include, Iran, which just had its economic sanctions lifted earlier in the year, Libya and Nigeria who have had some of their oil facilities damaged by terrorist attacks in recent months.

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, who led Nigeria’s delegation at the meeting argued for the exemption of Nigeria from the production cut. The concession was given considering the recent challenges the country has been through due to vandalism of oil and gas infrastructure, which has negatively impacted the country’s ability to produce oil optimally in the recent past

    This deal will obviously enhance the prospects for the energy industry with the impacts already being felt as oil price jumped more than five per cent in New York after the agreement was reached. A steady increase in oil price, one of the advantages the deal will produce, would most likely contribute positively to the revival of the economies of member countries presently undergoing challenges which Nigeria is a part of.  However, many of the details of the production cut deal are still being worked out by member countries and the group won’t decide on targets for each country until its next meeting at the end of November 2016. Kachikwu would be representing Nigeria and her interest at the November meeting.

    The landmark deal is coming at a time when Kachikwu played a key role to clinch the top job at the OPEC for Nigeria with the appointment of Dr. Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo as the Secretary-General of the Organization. This meeting was the first official meeting of OPEC to be organized by the new Secretary General since his official resumption on 1st August, 2016, he added.

  • Africa unites over Quadri’s feat at Olympics

    Africa unites over Quadri’s feat at Olympics

    The heroic feat of Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games has united African teams in Brazil as the success of the table tennis star continues to dominate global media.

    Quadri was in superb form when he edged out former world number one and tournament’s number 10 seed, Germany’s Timo Boll 4-2 in the fourth rou8nd match played late on Monday.

    From Egypt, Mauritius, Algeria, Djibouti, South Africa, Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria, Quadri’s feat as the first African to qualify for the quarterfinal round of the table tennis event at the Olympic Games has become the talk of the town across the continent.

    From the President of the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Khaled El-Salhy to the Vice President of the South Africa Olympic Committee (SAOC), Hajera Kajee as well as the former President of Djibouti Table Tennis Association and Executive member of ATTF, Farah Hassan Farah, Quadri has now put the continent on the global map with all eyes on Africa now at ITTF.

    Excited ATTF boss said: “I am so happy with Quadri Aruna of Nigeria flies high in the prospect of Rio Olympic Games by qualifying to the quarter-final of the Men’s Single as the first precedent for African Table Tennis players in Olympics. Congratulation to Africa, ATTF, NTTF and all Table Tennis fans in our continent and I am still hungry for much more tomorrow Inshallah.”

    “It is indeed a great moment for Nigeria and our Continent Africa. Viva Africa,” said Kajee.

    Well done!! Kudos to Aruna Quadri and his team, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation and of course the continent should celebrate this outstanding performance,” said Farah.

    For the Vice President of ATTF, Olabanji Oladapo, the feat achieved by the Nigerian is a plus to Africa. I join millions of African all over the world in congratulating Aruna Quadri, Nigeria and President of African Table Tennis Federation. I believe we are gradually moving closer to our goal of breaking into the medal table in any ITTF competition. It will be sooner than later. African will be on the podium. Best of luck to all the African players at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil.”

    Even some of the upcoming players in Africa were not left out of the celebration as Africa’s U-21 champion; Shady Magdy praised the achievement of Quadri, whom he said has opened doors for African players at global level.

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  • RUSSIA 2018 WORLD CUP: Eagles, Algeria to tango in Port Harcourt

    The November 2016 World Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and their Algerian counterparts will hold inside the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, according to decent sources at the Glasshouse on Friday night.

    Nationsport was exclusively informed that Super Eagles players are rooting for the game to be played at the Garden City on grounds that the town has been a lucky ground for them, especially during  the World Cup and Africa Nations Cup qualification series.

    Indeed, the players argued that the fans in Port Harcourt and the surrounding states always cheer them ceaselssly whenever they are playing in the Garden City, stressing that they need such intimdating settings and vociferous support to beat the Algerians.

    Interestingly, the chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have decided to test run the place by playing the last Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Tanzania inside the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium later in September.

  • Algeria qualify for 2017 AFCON

    Algeria qualify for 2017 AFCON

    Algeria on Thursday qualified for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon after defeating Seychelles 2-0 in the penultimate Group J match in Victoria.

    In the team’s first competitive game since parting ways with coach Christian Gourcuff, the Fennec Foxes picked up a fine victory at Stade Linite to secure top spot in the group with 13 points from five matches, africanFootball.com reports.

    The North Africans claimed the lead late in the first half through Yassine Benzia, who netted in the 41st minute to break the hosts’ stern resistance.

    Just past the hour mark, striker Hillel Soudani made it 2-0 to effectively end the Pirates’ challenge.

    Hosts Gabon and Morocco are the only two countries that had confirmed their ticket to the biennial soccer tournament.

     

  • Update: Egyptair crashed in Mediterranean- officials

    Update: Egyptair crashed in Mediterranean- officials

    Officials in the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday confirmed that the missing Egyptair Flight 804 crashed in the Mediterranean Sea.

    The officials said in Cairo that initial findings showed that that the Airbus A320 has not landed at any nearby airports.

    The Egyptair said the Egyptian military search teams received a distress call from the emergency mechanisms of the missing aircraft at 4:26 am (0226 GMT) almost two hours after it disappeared from radar.

    According to the airline, the flight from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar at 2:30 am local time (0030 GMT), some 45 minutes before it was expected at Cairo airport.

    It said 30 Egyptians and 15 French nationals were among the passengers on the plane before it disappeared from radar.

    It said the other passengers include two Iraqis, and one person each from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Chad, Kuwait, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

  • Nasarawa United to leave for Algeria today

    Nasarawa United to leave for Algeria today

    Nasarawa United will leave for Algeria by Turkish Airline today ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup first round, second leg tie against CS Constantine slated for Saturday.

    32 persons are expected to make the trip comprising the players, coaches and other officials and the Solid Miners will strive to protect their 1-0 home win recorded at Abuja National Stadium last Sunday in Constantine where the return leg is expected to be played.

    The chairman of the Lafia side, Isaac Danladi told SportingLife that the club would be going to Algeria with high hope knowing fully well that they have a goal to protect.

    He said the players have been told that they need to forget about the 1-0 advantage and strive to start on a clean slate in Algeria to ensure that they scale through the hurdle called CS Constantine.

    Danladi however said that the club is still sweating over the availability of striker, Tayo Fabiyi who was ruled out of the first leg tie on the account of ailment.

    He confirmed that Fabiyi must pass a late fitness test before it can be ascertained if he will make the trip or not.