The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CHAN

  • Eaglets star Alampasu for Belgian club, Genk

    Eaglets star Alampasu for Belgian club, Genk

    Best goalkeeper at the 2013 U17 World Cup Dele Alampasu is set to complete a move to Belgian side Genk.

    Alampasu, who helped Nigeria to win the U17 World Cup, has been invited to the home-based Eagles preparing for the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) billed for next month in South Africa.

    The agent who brokered the deal for Alampasu, Goke Oshotoba, told MTNFootball.com: “Everything has been concluded with the club but the player won’t join the team until after CHAN.

    “The good thing about this deal is that Genk came after the player on their own after watching him at the U17 World Cup. So, they have agreed to have him go get more experience at CHAN if he eventually makes the final squad to the Championship.”

    However, Oshotoba will not divulge the financial details of Alampasu’s contract.

    “It would not be right to give you details of the contract. When the time is right we will let all that out but now all I can confirm to you is that Dele Alampasu has agreed to join the Belgian side Genk.”

  • Iheanacho, Awoniyi make CHAN list

    Iheanacho, Awoniyi make CHAN list

    •Alampasu too

    Nigeria U-17 stars Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and Dele Alampasu have been picked for a training camp ahead of next year’s CHAN.

    Coach Stephen Keshi has called up 30 players, while putting six on standby in preparations for the 3rd African Nations Championship in South Africa. Keshi said he is looking forward to a good outing on the country’s CHAN debut.

    “We are going to the CHAN for the first time, but we want to be the best at our very first outing,” he said in Salvador on Thursday morning.

    Nigeria are in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, Mali and Mozambique. First-choice goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agbim and ace midfielder Sunday Mba top the list, with Shooting Stars forward Gbolahan Salami handed a recall.

    The training camp will open in Abuja on Monday. Players on the standby list will have opportunity to join the team only if a player on the main list gets injured.

     

    THE FULL LIST

    Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC); Isah Danladi (Sharks FC); Sunday Alampasu (Abuja Football College)

    Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Ebenezer Odunlami (Sunshine Stars); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Bright Esieme (Enyimba FC); Yinka Adedeji (Sharks FC); Reuben Ogbonnaya (El-Kanemi Warriors); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars); Chibuzor Madu (Enugu Rangers)

    Midfielders: Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers); Etebo Oghenekaro (Warri Wolves); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Ogonna Osuchukwu (Enugu Rangers); Achiv Douglas (Lobi Stars); Kelechi Iheanacho (Taiye Academy, Owerri); Mohammed Ajia (Bayelsa United); Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC)

    Forwards: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba FC); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers); Ezekiel Mbah (Akwa United); Obiozor Christian (Enugu Rangers); Abubakar Aliyu (Nasarawa United); Gbolahan Salami (3SC); Taiwo Awoniyi (Imperial Academy, Ilorin)

    Standby: Happy Okuoka (Heartland FC); Bello Ikeleji (Insurance FC); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland FC); Izuegbu Abonima (Enugu Rangers); Paul Ikenna (Sunshine Stars); John Austin Igenepo

  • CHAN: Keshi picks Iheanacho, Awoniyi, 28 others

    CHAN: Keshi picks Iheanacho, Awoniyi, 28 others

    Golden Eaglets stars Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and Dele Alampasu have been picked for a training camp ahead of next year’s CHAN, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Coach Stephen Keshi has called up 30 players, while putting six on standby in preparations for the 3rd African Nations Championship in South Africa.

    Keshi said he is looking forward to a good outing on the country’s CHAN debut.

    “We are going to the CHAN for the first time, but we want to be the best at our very first outing,” he said in Salvador on Thursday morning.

    Nigeria would play in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, Mali and Mozambique.

    First-choice goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agbim and ace midfielder Sunday Mba top the list, with Shooting Stars forward Gbolahan Salami handed a recall.

    The training camp will open in Abuja on Monday.

    Players on the standby list would join the team only if a player on the main list gets injured.

    THE FULL LIST

    Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC); Isah Danladi (Sharks FC); Sunday Alampasu (Abuja Football College)

    Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Ebenezer Odunlami (Sunshine Stars); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Bright Esieme (Enyimba FC); Yinka Adedeji (Sharks FC); Reuben Ogbonnaya (El-Kanemi Warriors); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars); Chibuzor Madu (Enugu Rangers)

    Midfielders: Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers); Etebo Oghenekaro (Warri Wolves); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Ogonna Osuchukwu (Enugu Rangers); Achiv Douglas (Lobi Stars); Kelechi Iheanacho (Taiye Academy, Owerri); Mohammed Ajia (Bayelsa United); Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC)

    Forwards: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba FC); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers); Ezekiel Mbah (Akwa United); Obiozor Christian (Enugu Rangers); Abubakar Aliyu (Nasarawa United); Gbolahan Salami (3SC); Taiwo Awoniyi (Imperial Academy, Ilorin)

    Standby: Happy Okuoka (Heartland FC); Bello Ikeleji (Insurance FC); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland FC); Izuegbu Abonima (Enugu Rangers); Paul Ikenna (Sunshine Stars); John Austin Igenepo.

     

  • NFF sets CHAN win target

    T HE Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) has set a target of starting the new year with another silverware as the home based Super Eagles play at the African Nations Championship(CHAN) in January.

    The outgoing year has been very fruitful for the country after the Super Eagles opened the 2013 with the AFCON crown and the Golden Eaglets with the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) among other accolades in the year about to pass by.

    Speaking with SportingLife on telephone, the NFF’s Chairman, Technical Sub Committee, Christopher Green said that the Football House has not given the Super Eagles’ boss any ultimatum with which to perform at the competition meant for domestic league players.

    Green affirmed that it was the duty of the NFF to set goals of what the body intends to achieve at the start of the year so as to keep pace with the expectations of Nigerians.

  • Keshi to submit players list this week

    Keshi to submit players list this week

    From Tunde Liadi,Owerri NIGERIA’S preparation for the African Nations Championship(CHAN) will kick start any moment from this week after the Super Eagles’ head coach makes public the list of players he intends calling to camp.

    The home based Super Eagles qualified for their historic debut appearance when they pipped Cote d’ Ivoire 4-3 on aggregate to the ticket.

    The NFF’s Chairman, Technical Sub Committee , Chris Green informed SportingLife that Keshi would submit his list of invited players for the CHAN competition this week ahead of the players closed camping exercise.

    “We expect Keshi to submit the list of invited players for the CHAN competition this week. CHAN and the World Cup preparations are paramount on our agenda,” Green told SportingLife.

  • No CHAN regrets says Rangers’ Nzigamasabo

    Enugu Rangers’ Burundi midfielder, Styve Nzigamasabo, has said he does not regret being ineligible to feature in next year’s African Nations Championship in South Africa after he moved to Nigeria.

    Nzigamasabo played a pivotal role for Burundi to qualify for the 2014 CHAN, but he will not be eligible for the tournament as he no longer features in his country’s local league.

    The former Dedebits FC of Ethiopia, Rayon Sport of Rwanda and Vital’O FC of Burundi midfielder maintains that his move to Rangers is a step in the right direction for his fledging career.

    “No, I can’t regret my coming to play for Rangers in the Nigerian league. Rangers are a great club who will appeal to any talented player and I am very happy to lace my boots for the club,” he said.

    “Surely, I would have loved to be in South Africa next year for the CHAN after helping my country qualify for the competition, but that is in the past, now, as I look forward to taking my career to another level.”

    The stylish Burundi star, who joined Rangers from Vital’O after impressing in two 2013 CAF Champions League matches against the Nigerian club, further said, “I trust the team we have for CHAN and I believe the coaches have capable replacements for me. All I need to do now is to help Rangers regain the glory they once had.”

    Styve’s older brother, Ntibazonkiza Saidi, features for Polish top side Cracovia Krakow, and he said he also dreams of plying his trade in Europe soon.

    “Yes, I want to play in Europe like my brother and coming to Rangers is a step in the right direction. With three matches and a Man-Of-The-Match Award in one of those games, I believe I’m on my way to greatness,” he said.

  • Nigeria faces Jordan October 26

    Nigeria faces Jordan October 26

    Nigeria will face Jordan on October 26 in a friendly as part of the country’s build-up to next year’s CHAN in South Africa.

    It will be the first meeting between the two countries.

    A top official of the Nigeria Football Federation informed MTNFootball.com that the match will be played by players from the domestic league and a list of call-ups will be announced this week.

    The squad will train in Abuja before flying out to Amman.

    MTNFootball.com reports that Nigeria makes its debut at the 2014 CHAN after two failed attempts.

    The Super Eagles will meet hosts South Africa, Mali and Mozambique in the first round of the tournament reserved for players featuring in their domestic leagues.

     

  • World Cup playoffs: Keshi wants longer training camp

    World Cup playoffs: Keshi wants longer training camp

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has asked for a longer training camp ahead of next month’s 2014 World Cup decider in Ethiopia.

    MTNFootball.com gathered that the coach wishes to set up a training camp for players from the local league at least two weeks to the Ethiopia match.

    “He wants to use this training camp to start preparing for next year’s CHAN as well as keeping an eye on the Ethiopia match,” a source close to the coach informed MTNFootball.com

    A broke Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had jettisoned this arrangement before the final group game against Malawi, citing cash constraints.

    The Eagles only had one full training before the Malawi match.

    In the meantime, Keshi has hailed the performance of his players, who were action in the UEFA Champions league and the Europa League.

    Keshi told MTNFootball.com from his United States base:”I am very impressed at their showing. I watch John Obi Mikel in the Champions league, it was unfortunate they lost, but I am happy he was in action and gave a good account of himself.

    “Ogenyi Onazi was in action for Lazio and Nosa (Igiebor) played 90 minutes for Betis. I am impressed because that is what I want, to see our players in action week in, week out.”

    The Eagles coach said ahead of the first leg of the World Cup qualifier in Ethiopia, “We are ever ready. I already know my list and have my programme once I return it would be business as usual.”

    Keshi is back in U.S to take care of his sick wife and said “she is a lot better now.”

    He is expected to make public his list for the Ethiopia decider in the first week of next month.

     

  • 2014 CHAN: Nigeria draws Mali

    2014 CHAN: Nigeria draws Mali

    Nigeria has been drawn alongside Mali, South Africa and Mozambique in the Orange African Nations Championship billed for South Africa in January 2014.
    The draw held in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday also pitched Zimbabwe, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Morocco together in group B.
    South Africa and Mozambique will play the first match of the three-week soccer fiesta on January 11 in Cape Town.
    The pairings:
    Group A
    South Africa
    Mali
    Nigeria
    Mozambique
    Group B
    Zimbabwe
    Uganda,
    Bukina faso
    Morocco
    Group C
    Ghana
    Congo Brazaville,
    Ethiopia
    Libya
    Group D
    DR Congo
    Mauritania
    Burundi
    Gabon
    CHAN will take place between 11 January  and 1 February next year.
  • CHAN: LOC ready for Eagles, others

    CHAN: LOC ready for Eagles, others

    Members of the Local Organising Committee for the third African Nations Championship (CHAN) said they are excited and ready to welcome Nigeria and the other participating Member Associations to South Africa.

    An elated LOC Chairperson, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyane was full of praise in congratulating the teams that have made it into the Final 16.

    “On behalf of the LOC board, SAFA and the rest of South Africa, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the 15 teams that have made it through the stiff competition of the qualifying rounds.

    “The strong determination and tenacity displayed during the gruelling qualifying stages of the tournament guarantees us that we will without a doubt experience a mouth-watering and historical CHAN 2014.

    “We also want to give special congratulations to Mauritania who for the first time in the country’s history, has qualified for a continental cup competition, “futaa.com Nonkonyane was quoted as saying on caflonline.com.