The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Augustine Eguavoen

  • CHAN  Eagles: Veteran  Rabiu Ali headlines invitees  for Ghana  

    CHAN  Eagles: Veteran  Rabiu Ali headlines invitees  for Ghana  

    Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has invited a total of 30 players to camp as the Nigeria Football Federation activates its commitment to ensuring the qualification of the Super Eagles B for next year’s African Nations Championship finals.

    The 8th  edition of the continental championship – reserved exclusively for footballers plying their trade with clubs in their country’s domestic Leagues and possessing standard contracts – is scheduled to run the length of February 2025 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

    Kano Pillars’ evergreen midfielder, Rabiu Ali, who has scored eight goals this season, is among the players called, alongside Remo Stars’ goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Rivers United defender Steven Mayo, and Abia Warriors’ exciting forward Sunday Megwo.

    There are also Enyimba FC goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, Remo Stars’ wing-back Ismail Sadiq, Enugu Rangers’ midfield ace Kazeem Ogunleye and Nasarawa United forward Anas Yusuf.

    Read Also: NFF holds match commissioners’ seminar in Asaba

    Victor Collins, the Nasarawa United defender called up for last month’s 2025 AFCON qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda, and Plateau United’s Adamu Abubakar, are also called up.

    All the invited players have been instructed to arrive at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State tomorrow ( 4th  December 2024), where the team will train ahead of the first leg of the qualification fixture against Ghana’s Black Stars B, billed for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 22nd  December. The second leg will take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, 28th  December.

    Ghana stopped Nigeria from reaching the Africa Nations Championship finals in 2009 and 2023. In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition hosted by Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria took a 2-0 first-half lead in the opening leg in Accra, only to concede three goals in the second half. The return leg in Calabar ended 0-0. In the qualifiers for the last edition hosted by Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost 0-2 in Abuja, but prevailed after a penalty shootout at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.

    30 PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES B CAMPING

    Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United)

    Defenders: Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City); Imo Obot (Enyimba FC); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International); Steven Mayo (Rivers United)

    Midfielders: Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors); Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Kazeem Ogunleye (Rangers International)

    Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United); Osy Martins (Lobi Stars); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Samuel Ogunleye (3SC); Abiam Nelson (Kano Pillars); Meyiwa Oritseweyimi (Bendel Insurance); Ngbemena Ikechukwu (Heartland FC); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors); Umar Al-Amin Ibrahim (El-Kanemi Warriors); Adams Aminu Sani (Kano Pillars).

  • Eguavoen excuses Nwabali from Eagles camp

    Eguavoen excuses Nwabali from Eagles camp

    Eagles Coach Augustine Eguavoen has excused grieving first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali from the squad to confront the Amavubi of Rwanda in Monday’s final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Uyo.

    The 28-year old Chippa United goalie announced the demise of his father, Godspower Onyekam Abali, via his social media handle on Friday. Aged 61.

    Read Also: Super Eagles goalkeeper Nwabali loses father

    “He has been excused from the game. However, the player will come to watch the match and cheer his team mates on,” Team Administrator, Dayo Enebi Achor said.

    Nwabali’s absence means the battle for the number one jersey in Monday’s match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium will be a direct contest between Italy-based Maduka Okoye and Ethiopia-based Amas Obasogie.

  • Eguavoen defends red-hot Dessers’ omission for Libya  

    Eguavoen defends red-hot Dessers’ omission for Libya  

    Interim coach  Augustine Eguavoen has defended his decision to snub Rangers top scorer Cyriel Dessers for Super Eagles squad double-header  against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya.

    Dessers has scored seven goals for the Ibrox side this season, including doubles against Ross County and Dundee.

    But he continues to be overlooked for the Nigeria team and hasn’t been included in a squad since March this year where he won the latest of his six caps against Mali.

    He wasn’t included again for this week’s African Cup of Nations double-header qualifiers against Libya.

    Read Also: Nigerian fans berate NFF over Eagles’ coaching  job

    But Eguavoen insisted Dessers was in his plans looking ahead.

    He said: “I decided to include Kelechi Iheanacho of Seville when it became clear Victor Osimhen would not be fit in time.

    “I looked at both Cyriel Dessers and Tolu Arokodare, but opted for Kelechi this time because he is the more experienced striker.”

    But the Seville striker has yet to score a single goal for his club this season, although he has netted 15 international goals for his country.

  • AFCONQ: Osimhen out, Awoniyi returns as Eguavoen names squad for Libya clash

    AFCONQ: Osimhen out, Awoniyi returns as Eguavoen names squad for Libya clash

    Victor Boniface, Chidera Ejuke, and Ademola Lookman are some of the stars who have been called up by Augustine Eguavoen for Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers double-header against Lybia, Soccernet.ng reports.

    The Super Eagles will continue their fight for a 2025 AFCON ticket later this month when they take on Lybia in a double-header.

    Recall that the qualifiers kicked off in September, and Nigeria started on the front foot, picking a 3-0 win over Benin in Uyo before playing out a goalless against Rwanda in Kigali.

    Read Also: INKOSI BROU: I want to fence for Nigeria in LA2028 Olympics

    This time, the Super Eagles will be looking to affirm their prowess in group D by defeating Lybia. Ahead of the double-header, interim coach Eguavoen has named a 23-man shortlist to execute the games.

    Sevilla man Ejuke is one the notable additions to the team, as he returns to the Super Eagles fold after two years away from the team. He will be accompanied by his club teammate Kelechi Iheanacho, who has been a regular.

    Meanwhile, Victor Osimhen was not included due to his injury at Galatasaray, but in-form Boniface will be looking to fill that vacuum.

    There have been talks that Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo could be called up. However, there is no space for him, as the usual protagonists like Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, and Captain William Troost-Ekong keep their spots.

  • Eguavoen better than ex-S/Eagles foreign coaches – football manager

    Eguavoen better than ex-S/Eagles foreign coaches – football manager

    Uchendu Nwabara, President, Prestige Football Academy, says  Super Eagles interim Manager Augustine Eguavoen, has the capacity to lead the national team more than some of the team’s former foreign handlers.

    Nwabara said this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) following the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to extend Eguavoen’s interim job with the Super Eagles.

    He said that rather than extending Eguavoen’s job on an interim basis, NFF should give him a permanent contract to lead the Super Eagles, considering his achievements so far with the team.

    “NFF management should give Eguavoen a permanent job for making Nigerians to smile in the few matches he has so far handled,” he told NAN.

    Read Also: Eguavoen gives conditions for accepting full-time Super Eagles coaching job

    Nwabara, who is also a Sports and Football Managerial Analyst, noted that some of the foreign managers who handled the Super Eagles in the past lacked the technical ability to lead any clubside, talk more a national team.

    “Some of these foreign coaches can’t handle any club but they gave them Super Eagles to handle; we saw the results.

    “These coaches became popular with failure after coaching the Super Eagles, we have seen them and how their career ended.

    “If those foreign coaches can handle our national team and didn’t succeed, why can’t Eguavoen who is already succeeding, not be giving a permanent job?

    “We must learn to work with our local coaches and also give them what it takes to succeed,” Nwabara added.

    NAN reports that NFF had in September confirmed that Eguavoen will continue as Super Eagles handler after he led the team to a 3-0 defeat and a goalless draw again Benin Republic and Rwanda respectively in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

    His mandate will continue with the 2025 AFCON qualifying double header match against Libya on Oct. 11 and Oct. 15.

    (NAN)

  • Fans beg NFF not to retain Eguavoen for Super Eagles

    Fans beg NFF not to retain Eguavoen for Super Eagles

    • By Raphael Obiduba and Beyonce  Ekpeni

    Interim  Coach Augustine Eguavoen may have issued a volte face about his position with the Super Eagles after fulfilling his  two-match mandate against Republic of  Benin and Rwanda  in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, a section of  Nigerian  football fans  have dismissed his suitability  for the job on a permanent basis.

     Speaking on Brila FM, Eguavoen , yesterday said he was quoted  out of context over his purported ‘stepping down’ after the goalless draw against the Wasps in Kigali in Tuesday.

    “What I actually said was that I was going to sit down with the hierarchy of the federation   after these two games  and see how we are going to prosecute the next games,” he said.“ But  when I saw the story, I was kind of worried  and concerned.

    “ What people are saying out there is not correct;  I’m still in charge of  the Super Eagles  and I’m still the technical Director of  the Nigeria Football Federation  saddled with the responsibility of handling the Super Eagles at this moment and that is where we are.”

    Read Also: Eguavoen denies resignation rumours after Super Eagles’ draw with Rwanda

     Be that as it may, a cross section of  Nigerian football fans remain sceptical about  Eguavoen’s  suitability for the job, citing his past perennial failures  with the  super Eagles.

     “ As far as Eguavoen, I beg, make NFF  look  for a better coach,” a caller posited. “ Almost all  the journalists  who interviewed him yesterday (Tuesday) said ‘he don resigned’  but he has changed his words this morning (Wednesday) .

    “It’s okay o, but  I never forgot  the pains he (Eguavoen) gave us by not qualifying us for the last World Cup (Qatar 2022) and  what happened against Tunisia  even in the Nations Cup (AFCON 2021) after  we won the first three matches.

    “ I beg, make he(Eguavoen) go sit down for that his technical duties and make NFF go look for a better coach,” he added.

    Other fans ditto called for a more experienced and qualified hand  even as  the NFF  dilly-dally over the appointment of a substantive coach for the  national team.