The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Cape Verde

  • Nigeria now 30th in FIFA rankings

    Nigeria now 30th in FIFA rankings

    Nigeria leapt 22 places up the FIFA rankings on Thursday following Super Eagles victory at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations but the continent remained without a team in the top ten.

    The Super Eagles, who edged Burkina Faso 1-0 in Sunday’s final in South Africa to win the competition for the first time in 19 years, rose to 30th place in the table, the team’s best position for three years.

    The Burkinabes, who exceeded expectations by reaching the final, stayed outside the top 50 but had jumped 37 places to 55th, Supersport.com reports.

    Ivory Coast, beaten by Nigeria in the quarterfinals, remained Africa’s highest-ranked side in 12th, followed by Ghana seven places below.

    Surprise package Cape Verde, who reached the quarterfinals in South Africa, moved up 13 places to 63rd.

    CONCACAF’s highest-ranked team is Mexico in 15th while the best Asia could muster was Japan, who is ranked 28th.

    Five-times World Cup winners and 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil remained in 18th spot, the team’s lowest-ever ranking, after losing 2-1 to England in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s first game back as coach last week.

    The win took England up two places to fourth.

    The South Americans showed their strength-in-depth as Venezuela climbed 10 places to 45th, leaving all of the continent’s 10 teams in the top 50.

    There was no change in the top three where world and European champions Spain lead, followed by Germany and Argentina.

    The Turks and Caicos Islands, Bhutan and San Marino were tied in 207th and last place.

     

  • Cape Verde joins South Africa in AFCON last eight

    Cape Verde joined hosts South Africa in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations after a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Angola at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Sunday evening.

    A first half own-goal from Cape Verde captain Nando had put the Sable Antelopes in charge, but late strikes from Fernando Varela and Heldon saw the Blue Sharks to their first victory in the tournament and secured a place in the next round, as Bafana Bafana drew 2-2 with Morocco in a concurrent game in Durban, Supersport.com reports.

    The Angolans were the first to threaten a goal, as captain and star striker Manucho headed just wide of the far post from a 12th minute free kick. The Sable Antelopes dominated the opening 20 minutes, but it was soon the turn of the Islanders to begin to find a foothold in the game and pose some tough questions for their opponent’s defence.

    On 33 minutes Angola took the lead. Gilberto whipped in a low cross from the left flank that was sliced into his own net by Cape Verde defender Nando.

    The Blue Sharks almost came up with an immediate reply, as Babanco’s free kick was flicked just wide of the target by Julio Tavares in the 36th minute. A short while later Angola goalkeeper Lama had to palm away a well-hit drive from Platini.

    Cape Verde introduced both Heldon and Djaniny at the start of the second half and nearly forced an equaliser soon after the restart, with Julio Tavares seeing a goal-bound header cleared off the line by Manucho Dinis.

    On 66 minutes Heldon almost forced a goal for the Blue Sharks with a well-struck free kick, but Lama pushed the ball away to keep his side in the ascendancy.

    Finally, with just under 10 minutes to play, Fernando Varela was able to force home a header from a rebound at a corner kick, making it 1-1 and giving the Islanders genuine hope that they could progress.

    In the final minute of regulation time the Cape Verde’s dream came true when Heldon latched onto a rebound off goalkeeper Lama and fired home a left-footed shot to make it 2-1 and secure a famous victory.

    South Africa finished top of Group A with five points. Cape Verde had the same tally, but finished second due to an inferior goal difference (the teams played to a 0-0 draw in their head-to-head match).

     

  • We won’t underrate Cape Verde – Musa

    We won’t underrate Cape Verde – Musa

    Super Eagles striker, Ahmed Musa has said they will not underrate giant killers Cape Verde in Wednesday’s African Cup of Nations warm-up in Portugal.

    Cape Verde will make their AFCON debut in South Africa after they eliminated four-time winners Cameroon in the qualifying tournament.

    MTNFootball.com reports that Nigeria and Cape Verde will be meeting for the first time on Wednesday in Faro, Portugal, and the West African islanders will rely on a 10-man Portugal-based contingent led by Heldon, Ze Luis and Djaniny to put to sword another big-name scalp.

    Cape Verde is ranked 69th in the world, while Nigeria is seven places ahead.

    The Blue Shark will play in Group A along with hosts South Africa, Angola and Morocco, while the Eagles will slug it out with Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia in group D.

    However, CSKA Moscow forward Musa has told MTNFootball.com the Eagles are fully prepared for Cape Verde, who remains largely a closed book.

    “We are ready for the game. I can’t say whether the game will be easy or tough because we know little or nothing about Cape Verde, but we are aware they stopped Cameroon from reaching AFCON 2013 but they should know we are the Super Eagles of Nigeria and not Cameroon,” Musa warned.

    “It is going to be a good test for us as Cape Verde will also play at the AFCON,” added Portland Timbers of USA striker Bright Dike, who scored Nigeria’s goal in last Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Catalonia.

    “I am looking forward to a good game and victory for the team, but getting another goal in this will be great for me, but I want victory,” he added.

     

  • NIGERIA VS CAPE VERDE: Judgment day for Yobo

    NIGERIA VS CAPE VERDE: Judgment day for Yobo

    • Eagles’captain must perform or…

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that the Super Eagles’ AFCON list will be released today in Faro, Portugal.

    The list will, however, only be made public after the Nigeria versus Cape Verde friendly later tonight, which is the last game that the Stephen Keshi-led technical crew will use to make up its mind on the fitness level of some players.

    One such player who is under close scrutiny is Joseph Yobo.

    Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo recently suffered a knee injury which kept him out of Nigeria’s final 2013 Africa Cup of Nation’s qualifier against Liberia on October 13, 2012.

    Executive committee member of the NFF, Barrister Chris Green revealed that Keshi would be closely monitoring the fitness of the Fenerbahce defender in the game against the Blue Sharks on Wednesday.

    “I can confirm to you that Joseph Yobo will play in Wednesday’s game against Cape Verde and the coach (Keshi) will use that game to ascertain his (Yobo’s) fitness level as well as the other hopefuls in the list. The good news is that so far, there are no injury worries in the team,” he stated.

    Three players, Rabiu Ibrahim, Henry Uche and Papa Idris were dropped by Keshi on Monday while striker, Kalu Uche pulled out of the squad after failing to recover from a groin injury.

    Keshi will drop four more players when he announces the final 23-man list today. The deadline for the submission of team sheets of participating teams for the 2013 AFCON is today.

    The NFF also had to clarify the situation about the final 23-man list of the national team, the Super Eagles, for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    Media chief of the Super Eagles, Ben Alaiya had announced this week that the final list would be released yesterday by head coach, Stephen Keshi.

    Green explained that the date was chosen “so as to make clarifications about several issues.”

    “We need to make clarifications about several issues. The Super Eagles have a game against Cape Verde on Wednesday and it is only after that game that the list will be announced,” Green exclusively told supersport.com.

    The competition gets underway on January 19.

  • JANUARY 9 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Eagles, Cape Verde warm-up sealed

    JANUARY 9 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Eagles, Cape Verde warm-up sealed

    NIGERIA have finalised plans for an AFCON warm-up with surprise 2013 finalists Cape Verde on January 9 in Portugal, officials said.

    “The match will be played the same day coach Stephen Keshi will announce his final 23-man squad for the Nations Cup,” disclosed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) spokesman Ademola Olajire. It will be the first such clash between the two countries. Cape Verde shocked out mighty Cameroon to qualify for their first-ever AFCON. The Eagles other test game will be against Catalonia on January 2 in Spain.

    Following Keshi’s meeting with the NFF technical committee, chairman Chris Green said that nine players from the Nigeria Premier League will travel to Portugal to be joined by 10 overseas-based professionals for the clash with Catalonia.

    Officials said they are hopeful that the rest of foreign-based call-ups will join the squad latest January 4.