The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CHAN

  • Oneya, Lulu urge Nigeria focus

    Oneya, Lulu urge Nigeria focus

    Two former chairmen of the Nigeria Football Association, Brig Gen. Dominic Oneya (rtd) and Sanni Lulu Abdulahi, have urged the Super Eagles’ CHAN team to remain focused ahead of the start of the championship on Saturday in South Africa.

    The duo were on the same flight with the Eagles from Lagos to Johannesburg and are presently in Cape Town as members of various committees organising the CHAN tourney.

    Oneya, who spoke first after exchanging greetings with players and officials of the team, said he has been impressed with what the NFF has been doing to prepare the team but added that focus and concentration is what will bring results.

    “Coach Keshi knows this and I can only wish the team the best of luck”, he said.

    Lulu, on his part said with what he has been reading in the media about the team, he is not in doubt about their abilities to excel but cautioned against over-confidence.

    “I wish you guys the best of luck as you strive once again to bring honour to our dear fatherland,” he said.

  • Eagles’ midfielder delays Libya transfer for CHAN

    Kano Pillars midfielder, Shehu Abdullahi, has put on hold a move to Libya so as to feature at CHAN.

    The former Nigeria U-20 star has a concrete offer from Libya, but he has insisted he will only look at it after the tournament in South Africa.

    A source close to the player informed MTNFootball.com: “Shehu has a serious interest from Libya and the money is good, but he has said he will not take it till after the CHAN, where he could even get a better offer.”

    Abdullahi, who played at right back for Nigeria at last year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey, was a late inclusion in the final squad to CHAN, which kicks off on Saturday in Cape Town.

    The player, who will be 21 in March, is behind Ikenna Paul of Sunshine Stars in the Eagles pecking order at CHAN.

     

     

     

  • Mohammed: Eagles are CHAN favourites

    Mohammed: Eagles are CHAN favourites

    Buoyed by the performance of Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Saturday’s friendly match against Ethiopia, NFF’s Director of Competitions, Sanusi Mohammed has tipped Nigeria as the team to beat in the upcoming African Nations Championship.

    Goals from Enyimba’s Ifeanyi Ede and Enugu Rangers’ Ugonna Uzochukwu helped the Home-based Super Eagles record a 2-1 win over Ethiopia, in an exciting game that was only soured by Chigozie Agbim’s own-goal in the second half.

    The Nigerian team are set to make their maiden appearance in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) this January, but Mohammed has already tagged them as favourites to win the competition.

    “Being the first time does not matter, because, Nigeria is going there to lift the trophy,” Mohammed declared.

    “We have the players that can do the country proud, and we are not going there as spectators neither are we going there to give people points to assist them in winning the competition.

  • We won’t judge Keshi by CHAN result — NFF

    We won’t judge Keshi by CHAN result — NFF

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that Super Eagles’ head coach, Stephen Keshi will lead the country to the Brazil 2014 World Cup, irrespective of Nigeria’s outing at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) slated for South Africa.

    Keshi qualified the Eagles to the World Cup in November last year with a 4-1 aggregate win over the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia, but calls for a foreign manager to work with the Big Boss have sometimes been made in the local media.

    Although the NFF has on many occasions denied that it has such intention, there is a lingering suspicion that the calls for an expatriate to assist Keshi might have official backing.

    The fate of Shaibu Amodu as Super Eagles manager is a case in point. Amodu qualified Nigeria for the 2002 World Cup finals but was axed after a third place finish at the African Cup of Nations in Mali, held earlier in the same year.

    Keshi also booked a World Cup ticket for then underdogs Togo to the 2006 World Cup but was unable to lead the team to Germany after the West Africans’ poor display at Egypt 2006, exiting the competition in the first round.

    Against this backdrop, SportingLife contacted NFF Technical and Development Committee chairman, Christopher Green, who confirmed that the Football House would not judge Keshi by the CHAN result, and that the Big Boss is a sure bet to lead the Eagles to the World Cup.

    “I believe this will put an end to the rumour making the rounds that the NFF is planning to hire a foreign coach. We don’t have such in our agenda at all.

    “We are supporting Keshi all the way. We won’t use the CHAN result to determine his fate regarding the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    “That is the reason why we have not given him any target at CHAN. It is our first outing and we know it may not be that easy.

    “We want the team to have a meaningful impact in South Africa. Even if they are unable to win the title they should ensure that Nigeria’s image is not soiled at all,” Barrister Green told SportingLife.

  • Keshi hails Eagles after defeating Ethiopia

    Keshi hails Eagles after defeating Ethiopia

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has saluted his CHAN-bound team after edging past Ethiopia 2-1 in a friendly on Saturday.

    First-half goals by Ifeanyi Ede and Ugonna Ozochukwu set the tone for an Eagles victory in Abuja, MTNFootball.com reports.

    And Keshi said he will take some satisfaction from the tactical play of his home-based team especially in the first half.

    “I am very impressed with the performance of the team especially on tactical play. If I get this kind of performance in all our games in CHAN, I will be satisfied,” MTNFootball.com quoted Keshi as saying after the match.

    “We played against a very good side. This is the first team of Ethiopia, very experienced team, the team had been together for a long time and my boys played under a little pressure, they wanted to impress the crowd, they wanted to impress the media.

    “The first half they played together and I think it should be like that, but in days to come they would improve.

    “We are not yet a team, we are still working. You cannot get a team under three weeks, it’s impossible, expect you are a magician.”

    Ethiopia coach Sewnet Bishaw said his team had learnt some lessons from the match.

    “The purpose for today’s game was to get experience for the younger players even though they have been together for long. So the purpose of this game is just for exposure and we have learnt a lot from the game,” he said.

    “We have never conceded a goal from a throw-in. Today we saw that goals can be scored from throw-ins, we have learnt from that and we will try to correct our mistakes,” he stated.

     

  • CHAN:Keshi regrets Iheanacho’s exclusion

    CHAN:Keshi regrets Iheanacho’s exclusion

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has said he would have picked U-17 star Kelechi Iheanacho for CHAN, but for the youngster’s “premature” move to Manchester City.

    “I would have loved to take him to CHAN, where he could get more exposure and experience, where he would grow more in confidence and take his game to next level, but he and his dad opted for something else,” MTNFootball.com quoted Keshi as saying on a Radio Nigeria interview.

    The Eagles coach has picked U-17 goalkeeper Dele Alampasu for the continental tournament, which kicks off in Cape Town on January 11.

    Keshi also faulted Iheanacho’s choice of Manchester City as his first club in Europe, arguing the 2013 U-17 World Cup MVP ought to have started with a much smaller overseas club.

    “We need to be realistic in our dealings, Iheanacho should have been taken to a smaller team, where he can mature quickly by getting play time,” he said.

    “Iheanacho can’t play in Manchester City in the next one year or so, it is not good for him.”

     

  • Keshi puts Etebo on stand-by for Chan

    Keshi puts Etebo on stand-by for Chan

    Warri Wolves attacking midfielder, Oghenekaro Etebo, has been placed on stand-by for the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

    It was initially believed that the teenage footballer was all together dropped from the pre-CHAN camp but supersport.com has been informed that he has been training with Stephen Keshi and his team.

    “He is still training with the team. Etebo was not dropped but he wasn’t named in the 23-man squad first released for the CHAN. There was a minor oversight in that list as he was named as a stand-by by coach Stephen Keshi. In case any player suffers a knock or injury, he will come in straight into the squad,” a backroom staff of the Super Eagles told supersport.com.

    Etebo’s exclusion from Nigeria’s 23-man roster on the eve of New Year’s Day came as a surprise to many after the withdrawals and injuries to key players, Sunday Mba, Gambo Muhammad and Yinka Adedeji.

    The Warri Wolves man is available to take part in today’s warm-up game against Ethiopia in Abuja.

    But by last night, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was expected to have submitted the Super Eagles’ squad to CAF for the CHAN.

    Etebo was named the 2013 Rookie of the Year by the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) after his impressive show in the Globacom Nigeria Premier League last season.

  • CHAN: Dropped Eagles vow to ‘fight back’

    CHAN: Dropped Eagles vow to ‘fight back’

    Gambo Mohammed, Yinka Adedeji and Mfon Udoh have vowed to fight their way back to the Eagles after they were dropped ahead of CHAN.

    Adedeji, who was axed following a hamstring injury, said he was disappointed to miss out but hopes to soon return to the team.

    “It’s sad that I have to drop out due to injury but I am happy that I never allowed the past to dwell in my heart and soon I will return,” he told MTNFootball.com.

    “I thank Coach Stephen Keshi and other members of the technical crew for giving me this opportunity and I assure them that when next I am called, I won’t fail the team and the nation.”

    Pillars striker Gambo also missed the final cut as a result of injury and said he has taken his exclusion in good faith.

    “These things do happen and I take it in good faith and I will soon be back. I wish my teammates the best of luck in CHAN,” the Kano Pillars forward declared.

    “I have taken my exclusion from CHAN final squad in good faith,” added Mfon Udoh.

    “I did my best, but maybe it is not yet my time to represent Nigeria at a tournament.”

    The other players dropped were Ikechukwu Azubuike, Ibrahim Pius and Eaglets striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

     

  • Keshi unveils CHAN squad

    Keshi unveils CHAN squad

    Super Eagles handlers have dropped injured Gambo Mohammed and Yinka Adedeji from the 2014 CHAN in South Africa.

    MTNFootball.com gathered that both players have since left the Eagles training camp.

    The highly-rated Pillars star Gambo, who featured for Nigeria at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, has been nursing a hamstring injury, which has kept him by the sidelines since the Eagles resumed training for CHAN earlier this month.

    Adedeji also suffered a hamstring injury at the weekend.

    Golden Eaglets goalkeeper Dele Alampasu is also set to be in South Africa as third-choice goalkeeper after FC Taraba goalkeeper Ibrahim Pius was axed, but his Eaglet teammate Taiwo Awoniyi did not make the final cut.

    Also dropped was new Enyimba signing Mfom Udoh, who was a late call-up to the Eagles after his goals for Akwa United last season.

    Nigeria plays Mali on January 11 in Cape Town.

     

    The final squad:

    Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers), Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland), Dele Alampasu (Abuja Football College)

    Defenders: Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Francis Benjamin (Heartland), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars), Ikechukwu Gabriel (Bayelsa United), Umar Zango (Kano Pillars), Bright Esieme (Enyimba), Erhun Obanor (Insurance FC)

    Midfielders: Ugonna Uzochukwu (Enugu Rangers), Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars), Christian Pyagbara (Sharks), Ikenna Hilary (Sunshine Stars), Abdullahi Shehu (Kano Pillars), Joshua Obaje (Warri Wolves)

    Forwards: Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers), Gbolahan Salami (Shooting Stars), Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars), Aliyu Ibrahim (Nasarawa United), Christian Obiozor (Enugu Rangers), Ifeanyi Ede (Enyimba)

     

  • Ghanaians tip Eagles, Black Stars for CHAN final

    Ghanaians tip Eagles, Black Stars for CHAN final

    •As Stars commences training in Namibia

    Despite the problem of moulding a strong Super Eagles team to represent Nigeria in the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in January 2014, by the Eagles’ handler, Stephen Keshi, Ghanaians have tipped Nigeria and Ghana to play in the final of the competition come February 1st, 2014.

    A cross section of holidaying Ghanaians that came to the Labadi Beach on Sunday unanimously agreed that both Ghana and Nigeria has the pedigree to win all their matches and move to the final to face each other for the CHAN Trophy at stake.

    “Well, I believe the Black Stars and Nigeria have quality players to leave up to their billings as a strong force to reckon with in African football. So I believe the two countries should play in the final of the competition in February 1st, 2014 at Cape Town Stadium”, David Homeku a young Pastor and football fan told SportingLife at Labadi, Accra on Sunday.

    Also George Ocloo, a Computer Engineer based in Teshie, Accra also supported Homeku. “Yes I agree with my friend David, if not for a small mistake we made in last Africa Nation Cup in South Africa in February, we (Black Stars) should have played against Nigeria in the final. So this time around our expectation here in Ghana is to meet Nigeria in the final of CHAN”.

    A holidaying Italy-based Civil Engineer; Frederick Nai did not hide his preference for the two teams to meet in the final. “You won’t believe it that this is what I and my friend Tayo discussed in Milan where we are based. I told him that I foresee Ghana and Nigeria playing in the final of CHAN but the Black Stars would eventually carry the day by emerging winner of the competition”, Freddy as he is fondly called boasted.

    According to our source, Ghana had been tripped as favourite to win the competition, while some football fans in Accra tipped Nigeria and Ghana to play in the finals of the competition.

    While the Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi continued to voice it loud and clear that he has no team in place for the Africa Nations Championship holding in South Africa from January 11, 2014, the West Africa neighbors and football rival, the Black Stars of Ghana have commenced final camping in Namibia for the same competition.

    SportingLife discovered in Accra yesterday that the team left the shores of Ghana on Friday for Namibia to put finishing touches to their preparations.

    A 27-Man local team left Accra for a training tour of Namibia as part of their preparations for the Africa Nations Championship in South Africa next month. The tournament kicks off on January 11th and ends on February 1st, 2014.

    The Stars, who were silver medalists in the 2009 edition face a tough Group (C) which include Ethiopia, Congo and Congo, while Nigeria will play in Group A against host team Bafana Bafana of South Africa, Mali and Mozambique.