The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CAF

  • CAF Competitions: Dikko charges Nigerian clubs to be good ambassadors

    CAF Competitions: Dikko charges Nigerian clubs to be good ambassadors

    Chairman of the League Management Company, Shehu Dikko has charged the four teams representing Nigeria in continental club competitions to be good ambassadors of the league even as he expressed satisfaction with their preparations for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Club championships starting this weekend.

    Dikko spoke shortly after presenting the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Super 4 Pre-season tournament trophy to winners, Akwa United at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo and described the two rounds of the Super 4 tournament in Kaduna and Uyo as a competitive build-up to the continental race.

    “The Super 4 is part of an obligation of the League Management Company (LMC) in the contract with the then league sponsor but we went a step further in view of the kick-off date for the 2015/16 season to make it a tow round tournament which will provide the needed competitive match fitness for the clubs going into the continent.

    “The performance in Uyo showed a remarkable improvement to what was witnessed in Kaduna and while preparations cannot at any time be described as perfect, we are happy with the progress made so far and with the season starting in two weeks, the players will definitely be properly primed before their second leg matches”, Dikko remarked.

    Akwa United finished on 9 points to win their maiden Super 4 trophy at first try ahead of Enyimba International and Nasarawa United, both on 8 points while Warri Wolves finished on 7 points.

    “Nigerians are repossessing their league by coming out in numbers to watch our clubs play, following the league on media platforms and the clubs can only reciprocate by improving on our previous outings in continental club competitions. You all have to be good ambassadors of the league”, the LMC Chairman charged.

    Dikko also said the close finish by the four teams shows how competitive the tournament was, adding, “just like in our regular season, it has been a photo finish which goes to show the competitiveness of our league and the point that none of our teams is a push-over”.

    The LMC Chairman wished all the clubs a successful outing in their first leg matches urging them to win well and make the second leg a formality. “The LMC and of course the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will support all the clubs in whichever way necessary to ensure they improved on previous outings. We wish them success beginning this weekend”.

  • CAF backs Sheikh Salman for FIFA presidency

    CAF backs Sheikh Salman for FIFA presidency

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has publicly offered its support to Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa in the FIFA presidential race, casting doubt on the campaign of South African Tokyo Sexwale.

    CAF issued a statement on Friday to confirm that the president of the Asian Football Confederation was its preferred candidate to succeed Sepp Blatter.

    “I am humbled by the support of CAF’s Executive Committee and tremendously encouraged by the unanimous decision to support my bid,” Goal quoted al-Khalifa as saying in a statement.

    “I am deeply honoured to have earned the trust of many of our African friends at this crucial stage of the campaigning effort.”

    While the news comes as a major boost to the 50-year-old’s campaign, it could represent a damaging blow to the hopes of Sexwale, who had hoped to gain the backing of a confederation which will contribute 54 of the 209 votes in the election.

     

  • CAF Champions League: Wolves beg Salami to play against Sporting Praia

    CAF Champions League: Wolves beg Salami to play against Sporting Praia

    Gbolahan Salami has told supersport.com that Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club Warri Wolves do not hold ownership of his playing rights.

    The striker reacted angrily to claims by the Warri club that he is still in contract with them, urging the NPFL side to show proof of their declaration.

    However, he claimed that the officials of the club have contacted him to feature for them in the CAF Champions League game against Sao Tome and Principe’s Sporting Praia Cruz on the weekend of February 12-14.

    “Most of the players who left the club were not paid the match bonuses that were recently paid. Is that fair? So if they didn’t pay me match bonuses, how come they say I am still their player when I played on loan with them last season? Even the loan fee they have not paid up.

    “Meanwhile they have been pleading with me to play for them in the Champions League, but I have told them that if they want me to play for them then they must pay the money they owe me. I have told them to talk to my manager,” Salami told supersport.com.

  • CAF 2016: Tunisia, Nigeria play draw

    CAF 2016: Tunisia, Nigeria play draw

    The Nigerian home base Super Eagles on Friday played draw with their Tunisian counterpart at the group C match of the ongoing Confederation of African Football (CAF) 2016 Championship in Kigali, Rwanda.

    Nigeria’s Chisom Chikatara scored the first goal in the match early in the second half before Tusinia’s Ahmed Akaichi equalized at about 70th minute of the game, leaving the scoreline at Tunisia 1 : 1 Nigeria.

    With the result of the game, Nigeria remains on top of the group with 4 Points, Tunisia second with 2 Points, Guinea 1 Point while Niger struggles to record points later today against Guinea.

    Osas Okoro was awarded the CAF Orange man of the match.

  • CAF Club competitions:Club Owners task Nasarawa Utd, others

    CAF Club competitions:Club Owners task Nasarawa Utd, others

    Nigeria Clubs  playing in the CAF Club championships have been asked to be good ambassadors of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) success story by ensuring that they perform brilliantly in the CAF tournaments which kicks off mid February.

     Enyimba, Warri Wolves, Nasarawa Utd and Akwa Utd will fly Nigeria flags as the country’s representatives in the continental soccer events.

    Addressing players and officials of Nasarawa utd at their Bovina Hotel lodge in Ilorin on Wednesday, Ag. Secretary of the NPFL Club Owners Association Alloy Chukwuemeka urged Nasarawa United and the other clubs in the continental championships to be part of the NPFL success story by exhibiting high standard of play and to be discipline on and off the pitch.

    He said that the LMC was working closely with the Clubs to ensure that they have enough preparation towards the CAF matches by introducing the first ever double versions of the Super 4 league.

    Chukwuemeka, on behalf of his club ABS FC, presented some training gadgets to the Nasarawa team for use during their camping exercise and assured them of the supports of the entire Club owners Association as they campaign in CAF to represent Nigeria.

    Responding on behalf of Nasarawa Utd, the club boss and chairman of the club Owners Association Barr. Isaac Danladi thanked Mr Chukwuemeka and other football stakeholders in Kwara sate for receiving his club in Ilorin and also for the use of their facilities.

  • Ebola: CAF lifts ban on Guinea

    Ebola: CAF lifts ban on Guinea

    The Confederation of African Football on Monday cleared Guinea to host international matches again after being declared free of the Ebola virus.

    “CAF has learned with joy and relief the announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 29, 2015, officially confirming that Guinea is now declared Ebola free. CAF thereby confirms lifting the ban on the organization of continental matches in Guinea, and for all competitions organized by CAF,” africanFootball.com quoted CAF General Secretary, Hicham El Amrani, as saying in a letter addressed to the president of the Guinean Football Federation, Salifou Camara.

     

  • CAF Champions League: Enyimba stadium will be ready

    CAF Champions League: Enyimba stadium will be ready

    Monimichelle,the contractor handling the upgrading of the Enyimba International Stadium  has assured fans of the club that the home ground of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) champions will be ready for the 2015/16 CAF Champions League.

    NaijaSportsXtra in a chat with the sports facility boss, Ebi Egbe revealed that: “Work has commenced as scheduled as we intend to meet up with the completion date. Excavation work has started on the old turf, to now fill it with granite, and drainage system.”The 100% natural GEO technology pitch is what we are installing for Enyimba. It has the same characteristics as a properly manicured natural turf pitch with zero abrasion, 100 % foot stability, natural ball behaviour and it also increases energy resistitution of the players.

    “The Infill Pro GEO was developed 2004 with the collaboration with the University of Pisa and C.o.R.T.E.S (Centro Ricerco Tappeti erbosib Sportivi) in Italy.

    “It’s also a unique natural infill, composed by selected organic fibres that guarantee better technical and sporting performances, provide better conditions for athletes, the environment and safety with official certification already granted by the appropriate agencies.”

    “Another unique feature of GEO technology, the pitch does not overheat during high temperature period. It has the characteristics to keep the temperature of the pitch lower than a rubber infill. It’s also odour free too.”

    “The new Eyimba pitch is bigger than the Santiago Bernabeau is 110 X 72 metres and Emirate stadium is 105 X 68 metres play area. It is the biggest in the world measuring 110 X 74 metres same size as FC IFEANYI UBA GEO technology pitch in Nnewi.”

    The Peoples Elephants, who are two times winner of the champions league, host Vipers FC of Uganda in a second leg preliminary round fixture in March in Aba.

  • Ebola: Sierra Lone cleared to host matches

    Ebola: Sierra Lone cleared to host matches

    Sierra Leone can again host international matches now that the country is free of Ebola.

    The Confederation of African Football had banned Sierra Leone from hosting matches following the recommendations of the World Health Organisation.

    But the ban, which took effect in August 2014, has now been lifted following the end of the Ebola epidemic in the West African country, the BBC reports.

    CAF told the Sierra Leone Football Association in a letter dated December 6.

    Guinea and Liberia were also banned from hosting matches because of the threat of Ebola in their countries.

    While Liberia has been given the go-ahead to resume internationals, Guinea had not yet been cleared Ebola-free by the WHO and so the CAF suspension remains in place.

    Guinea currently host games in Mali and Morocco, while Sierra Leone fulfilled home 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ivory Coast at the grounds of their opponents and collected only one point.

    Ebola in Sierra Leone killed almost 4,000 people before the nation was declared free of transmission last month.

  • CAF U-23: Nigeria 2 : 2 Egypt

    Nigeria’s Dream Team VI is currently leading the Pharaohs of Egypt by 2 goals to nil in the ongoing second group match of CAF African Cup of Nations in Senegal.

    The first goal came by a penalty wrongly awarded to Nigeria at the 19th minute of the match which was carefully converted by Etebo Oghenekaro.

    Interestingly, at the 30th minutes of the match, Nigeria was awarded another penalty and was also taken by Etebo Oghenekaro.

    At the end of the first half of the match, the scoreline remains Nigeria 2 : 0 Egypt, while the Egypt returned one goal at the 46th minute of the second half and equalising at the 50th minute.

  • Nasarawa pick CAF Confederation Cup ticket

    Nasarawa pick CAF Confederation Cup ticket

    •Jubilation in Lafia
    •Giwa FC abandons game

    Nasarawa United have qualified for CAF Confederation Cup following a 2-0 win over ten-man Giwa FC in the final match of the Glo Premier League match played at the Lafia Township Stadium on Sunday.

    Nasarawa United thus secured the ticket ahead of Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi who also defeated Kano Pillars 2-0 on superior goals deference.

    Nasarawa United ended the season with 63 points with (+11) while Wikki Tourists secured 63 points with (+9).

    Nasarawa United qualification was made possible due to Sunshine Stars’ failure to beat Enyimba FC in the final game on Sunday. Sunshine Stars were held to a scoreless draw at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Sunday.

    The Akure Gunners needed to win the match to stand any chance of securing CAF Confederation Cup slot.

    This is the second time the Nasarawa United will play in a continental tournament. The Lafia-based side played in the lucrative CAF Champions League in 2007 and almost got to the group stages of the competition.

    Ugochukwu Leonard shot Nasarawa United into the lead in the 9th minute due to goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo’s error. Phillip Auta compounded Giwa FC woes when he netted the second goal in what looks like a goal rush knowing full well that they needed more goals to achieve their dream.

    Giwa FC player, Amos Gyang was sent off for slapping a ball boy while goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo got his marching order for dissent.  Ojo was sent off for protesting Gyang’s card.

    A ball boy was carried away from stadium in an ambulance after he was attacked by Amos Gyang .

    The game was abandoned when Giwa FC staged a walk out after protesting the two red cards.

    In a chat with SportingLife,Nasarawa United’s chairman, Isaac Danladi was full of praise for his players and technical crew as well as supporters of the club.

    He said the club will wait for state government to announce the reward for the team’s qualification for continental football for the second time.

    “This is exactly what happened in our game against Sharks. I hope LMC will give us our points like they did in the case of Sharks FC. It is too early to speculate what government will give the team. We are waiting for government.I congratulate our fans for their loyalty. I also thank our State Governor Umaru Al-Makura and Deputy Governor Silas Agara for their support to the team,” Danladi told SportingLife.

    It was gathered that Nasarawa United supporters in their numbers in Lafia celebrated their team’s qualification for continental football into the wee hours of the day.