The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Champions League.

  • Amapakabo, Rangers board meet on CAF Champions League preparations

    Amapakabo, Rangers board meet on CAF Champions League preparations

    •League, Federation Cup too

    Enugu Rangers’ head  coach, Imama Amapakabo has met with the Board of the Flying Antelopes and some officials of the club to intimate them about his programme for next season in the league and CAF Champions League.

    The meeting was not concluded on Friday but Amapakabo was told to come back on Monday so that the Board could finalise his programme and for the Enugu side to proceed on a training camp to Benin, the Edo State capital on Friday.

    Rangers secured their first league title in 32 years last season and the team had their build up to the last season in Benin same place they are trying to visit once more to get the proper shape for the next soccer season.

    Rangers’ Director of Media and Publicity, Foster Chime told SportingLife that Imama was with the Board on Friday where some far reaching decisions were taken including looking through the programme submitted by the head coach ahead of next season.

    He said Imama is expected back with the Enugu Board today to finalise the club’s programme ahead of the new campaign.

  • Rangers target Zambia World Cup stars for Champions League – Imama

    Rangers target Zambia World Cup stars for Champions League – Imama

    Nigeria champions, Rangers have listed two Zambia World Cup stars as well as players from Cote d’Ivoire and Benin Republic ahead of next year’s CAF Champions League.

    Coach Imama Amapakabo  disclosed that Rangers are already in contact with two Zambians, who played against Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier earlier this month as well as two Ivorians, whose experience on the continent will be needed.

    “We are also targeting a Benin Republic international whose name I don’t want to disclose yet to boost the squad we have on ground,” Imama added.

    “We are equally working relentlessly to ensure that we keep our best players.

    “As I speak, I am on my way to Enugu to submit my contract papers and discuss with the management on how we can start negotiating with clubs about the players needed for the CAF Champions League.

    “We will give it our best to represent the country and prove that Rangers are worthy champions of Nigeria.”

  • Mikel says Olympic bronze equals Champions League, AFCON trophy

    Mikel says Olympic bronze equals Champions League, AFCON trophy

    Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi has rated his Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medal equal with his UEFA Champions League and Africa Cup of Nations trophy achievements.

    Mikel who was part of the Chelsea team that won the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League trophy and also played a key role as Nigeria  claim the 2013 AFCON trophy, said he is very proud to captain Nigeria in Rio after missing out of the Beijing 2008 Games while the country failed to qualify for the London 2012 edition .

    Mikel returned to Cobham at the end of the Games, only to then go on full international duty and featured in Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Tanzania in a dead rubber 2017 AFCON qualifier at the Nest of Champions in Uyo.

    Mikel who preparing with the London club ahead of the Premier League clash with Swansea City said it was a great experience to represent Nigeria in Rio.

    “It ranks up there. Obviously the Champions League is the Champions League and winning the African Nations and Premier League are massive, but this is up there with those trophies. I can’t express how proud and happy I am to have achieved this.

    “The reception at home was great. The Nigerian people were very happy, it was the only medal we won and they were very proud,” he told the club’s official website.

    “As a footballer you probably only get one opportunity to play in the Olympics, it was a great experience and the Brazilian fans were amazing too. They supported us all the way and wanted us to do well, to make the final. It was one of the best tournaments I’ve had”

    Mikel however said he was glad to assist the team financially after witnessing problems in the build-up to the Games.

    “It wasn’t a great experience in the build-up in Atlanta. There was no food for the guys, no bus to go to training, no pitch to train on.

    “Coming into the team I tried to help as much as I can. The boys had suffered for two years, working very hard trying to play in Rio. I wanted to help as much as I could and they all say they owe me. It’s a great achievement that we managed to go there and win a medal.”

  • Messi wins UEFA goal of the season

    Messi wins UEFA goal of the season

    Barcelona Lionel Messi has won UEFA’s 2015-16 Goal of the Season prize for strike in Champions League vs. Roma in November

    Leo beats off competition from the likes of Marek Hamsik, Gonzalo Higuain and Saul Niguez to win the UEFA goal of the season.

    The goal came in group stage last season when he finished off an excellent team move which the fans themselves voted for him as the best goal of the season.

     

  • Enyimba host Sundowns for Champions League dead rubber

    Enyimba host Sundowns for Champions League dead rubber

    Nigeria’s Enyimba will look to at least salvage their first point in Group B of the CAF Champions League when they host South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Port Harcourt today.

    Enyimba have lost all three of their matches in the three-team group thus far, with their most recent result a 1-0 defeat away to Egyptian giants Zamalek earlier in the month which confirmed their elimination from the competition.

    Sundowns, on the other hand, come into the game with a 100 percent record in the group and top spot assured regardless of their result in Port Harcourt. It’s an ideal situation for coach Pitso Mosimane and his side, who will be able to rest key players ahead of what will be a busy schedule in the coming weeks.

    An influential player who is definitely going to miss the trip to Nigeria is South African international Keagan Dolly, who is injured after his exertions at the Olympic Games.

    Enyimba may be out of the running for the semifinals, but they have still issued a way cry on their official website ahead of the match: “Our campaign may be over but we have one final shot to exit with a bang. We host Sundowns on Tuesday and you can be the difference…”

    The teams’ earlier group meeting in Tshwane saw ‘Downs claim a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Leonardo Castro and Wayne Arendse. Moses Ojo scored Enyimba’s consolation.

  • CAF Champions League: Enyimba target Wikki’s, El Kanemi’s strikers

    CAF Champions League: Enyimba target Wikki’s, El Kanemi’s strikers

    Nigeria champions Enyimba have penciled down Wikki Tourists striker Godwin Obaje and Ibrahim Mustapha of El Kanemi to complete their squad for the CAF Champions League.

    AfricanFootball.com specially learnt that Enyimba still have two spots open for this year’s Champions League and they have already identified Obaje and Ibrahim to complete particularly as striker Christian Obiozor is still to recover from a long-term knee injury.

    “Obaje and Ibrahim (Mustapha) are the two top targets as Enyimba aim to win a third Champions League this year,” a top official informed AfricanFootball.com.

    Kaduna-born Obaje shot to prominence last season after his goals helped Wikki push for the league title. He will subsequently join Slovak champions AS Trencin, before the deal fell through.

    The big striker has scored six goals this season, while Ibrahim has seven goals.

    Two-time African champions Enyimba scraped past Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia on penalties to qualify for the money-spinning group phase of the Champions League.

    The draw for this stage of the competition will be staged on May 24 in Cairo, Egypt.

  • Aigbogun reveals Champions League target

    Aigbogun reveals Champions League target

    Enyimba FC coach, Paul Aigbogun has told footballlive.ng that his side will be out to give their 100 per cent on Friday when they take on Ugandan side, Vipers SC in the Preliminary round of the CAF champions league.

    Aigbogun told footballlive.ng one of the season’s objective is to ensure the club returns to the group stage of the Champions league.

  • Aigbogun: Champions League is Enyimba’s target

    Aigbogun: Champions League is Enyimba’s target

    Enyimba head coach, Paul Aigbogun has disclosed that he is looking beyond the Glo Premier League Super Four as the People’s Elephants fine-tune preparations for the CAF Champions League preliminary round duel against Vipers of Uganda.

    Aigbogun, who marshalled his boys to a 1-0 win over Warri Wolves on Monday in the Match Day Four fixture of the pre season Super Four, told SportingLife that he won’t be bothered about the club’s performance in the current tournament but is focusing his attention on the Champions League.

    Aigbogun told SportingLife: “I can’t say that we will win the Super Four because I don’t have a magic wand to look at it. My main aim is not to come here and win the Super Four. My target is to come here and get us ready for the Champions League but if along the way we get to win it, it will be great.”

    Enyimba rose to the top of the Super Four on goals difference with seven points from four matches same as second placed Akwa United.

  • Super 4 ‘ll prepare us for Champions League-Okpodu

    Super 4 ‘ll prepare us for Champions League-Okpodu

    Warri Wolves handler, Sam Okpodu has described the ongoing 2015/2016 Glo Premier League Super 4 as a preparatory tournament for his team which didn’t have the benefit of any pre-season friendly games. He said aside preparing the team for the CAF Champions League, the players are also being primed for the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League season.

    Addressing the post-match press conference after losing 1-0 to Nasarawa United FC, Okpodu said that the tournament should not be considered a yardstick to measure the capacity of the 2015/2016 Glo Premier League runners-up. Okpodu said the tournament is offering the team an opportunity to appraise how ready they are for the coming season.

    Okpodu, whose captain Goodluck Onamandu bagged red card in the game for two card offenses, noted that his team needed to double their effort and work harder to be in top shape ahead of the coming season.

    “This Glo Super 4- is a good pre-season test for us, it is a good opportunity for us to further prepare for the coming season for the fact that we will be playing this preseason here in Kaduna and another one in Uyo. The tournament is good but it not a yardstick to measure how good we are but how ready we are for the coming season.”

    Speaking about their loss to Nasarawa United, Okpodu lamented the team’s inability to convert their chances. He said that the team played well against Nasarawa United but failed to make good use of their opportunities.

    “The opportunities we had we didn’t capitalise. If we scored our goals there would be no challenge for us. It showed that our team still need work, we would develop and work hard. We would go back sleep over the performance and prepare for our last match.

    “This is the preparation for us going into the continent. This is only a week and half since resumed from the Christmas break and I am confident that by next week we would be much ready. These boys will play anybody, anytime because physical or not our opponents would have to play football.”

    Warri Wolves are tied on three points with Akwa United after two matches and would play League defending champions, Enyimba FC of Aba in their last match of the pre-season tournament today.

  • Ahmed Musa’s CSKA clinch Champions League spot

    Ahmed Musa’s CSKA clinch Champions League spot

    Ahmed Musa will play in the UEFA Champions League next season after his Russian Premier League club CSKA Moscow sealed the ticket on the last day of the season after they finished runners-up in the league.

    The army team drew 1-1 at Rostov to end the season with 60 points from 30 games, same as third-placed Kransnodar, who also drew 1-1 at Dinamo Moscow, but CSKA Moscow have a superior goals difference of +40 to Kransnodar’s +25.

    The Jos-born star had earlier told AfricanFootball.com  that his club were playing to secure a Champions League spot after they failed to successfully defend their league title.

    This season, Ahmed Musa scored 10 goals in the league for CSKA Moscow.