The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bright Dike

  • Eagles return excites Dike

    Eagles return excites Dike

    Toronto FC striker Bright Dike has expressed happiness with his return to the Super Eagles after a long absence.

    Dike, who missed the final cut to the 2013 AFCON and then suffered a long-term knee injury, was a late replacement for injured Heerenveen striker Uche Nwofor.

    The powerfully built striker said he missed the Eagles and was like been away from his family.

    “I am excited to be back in the Eagles. It’s like when someone is away from his family and then comes back to them, it is always a great feeling. Whenever I put on the green and white jersey, I do it with pride,” Dike told MTNFootball.com

    “I have had the first training (Tuesday evening) and it went well.”

    He added: “I will give 100 per cent to ensure Nigeria qualifies for the World Cup in Brazil.”

    The former Portland Timbers striker made his debut on November 14, 2012, in a 3-1 victory over Venezuela in a friendly at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida, United States.

    Dike scored his first goal for Nigeria in a 1-1 draw in another friendly against Catalonia shortly before the Nations Cup.

     

  • Dike opens goals account for new club

    Dike opens goals account for new club

    Bright Dike finally opened his goals account at new club, Toronto fc, when he scored the second goal in a 4-1 rout of fellow strugglers, DC United in an MLS game on Saturday.

    Dike was named as one of the starters, despite DC United’s revelation that they have made special plans to stop him.

    But it started rather badly for Toronto, as Jared Jeffrey opened scoring with a goal for the visiting DC United after just 11minutes.

    That lead lasted all of 10 minutes before Darel Russell fired the home side level.

    It was all square at half time, and remained so till the 67th minute, when Dike scored to make it 2-1.

    It got much worse for the visitors, as one of their own, Conor Shanosky, scored an own goal with 71 minutes played, to make it 3-1 to the home side.

    Then, with the clock ticking down, Álvaro Rey made it 4-1 in the 87 minute, to seal a comfortable win for Toronto fc.

    The win is the first for Toronto in nine matches, as they last tasted victory on August 5 in an away tie against New England.

  • Bright Dike out for six months

    Bright Dike out for six months

    Nigeria striker, Bright Dike, who missed the recently concluded African Cup of Nations in South Africa, will be out for six months due to a knee injury, his club announced.

    This has therefore dashed the player’s hope of returning to the Super Eagles in time for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil in June.

    MTNFootball.com reports that Dike is expected to be out of action till August.

    He sustained the injury in the Timbers’ pre-season match against Seattle Sounders FC on February 5.

    His manager at the MLS side, Caleb Porter, expressed disappointment with the striker’s injury setback.

    “It’s too bad,” Porter lamented.

    “We feel for Bright. He was going to be a key piece for us this year. But that’s football, it happens and guys get injured. He’s a tough kid, he’s a great kid, and he’s a good kid. We’ll miss him, but he’ll overcome this.”

    Deon McCaulay, a Belize international forward, is being evaluated as a possible replacement for Dike.

    “We need to look at our options,” Porter said. “Losing Bright, he was a guy who was going to push for a starting spot. We’re certainly looking at what options are out there. We want to see how [McCaulay] does, Mwanga.”