The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CHAN

  • Eagles get a feel of CHAN match venue

    Eagles get a feel of CHAN match venue

    Nigeria had a feel of the artificial pitch of the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali yesterday ahead of their  opening CHAN match against Niger this evening.

    The Eagles have trained outside the match venue since their arrival in Rwanda on Friday.

    The team watched the first half of the opening match between hosts Rwanda and Cote d’Ivoire on television before they had to leave for their accreditation.

    Today’s Group C match against Niger will kick off at 5pm (Nigerian time).

    Tunisia and Guinea will open the group by 2pm at the same venue.

  • Ibenegbu calls Niger CHAN tie crucial

    Ibenegbu calls Niger CHAN tie crucial

    Super Eagles attacking midfielder, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu has described as crucial the first match against the Menas of Niger at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Kigali, Rwanda.

    Eagles will open their title account against West African neighbours, Niger on Monday at the 22000 seats Stade Regional Nyamirambo, Kigali.

    Ibenegbu said Eagles will not treat any opponent as pushovers or walkovers but will strive to win each match as it comes.

    “We will treat every team as good as ours as we intend to give everything to ensure we kickoff our CHAN campaign against Niger on Monday on a winning note.

    “The first match is quite crucial in our determination to surpass past performances so we will give the Nigerien side all the respect they deserve off and on the pitch but we know victory will not be compromised.

    “Right now we are not thinking of the CHAN trophy but the first match then we move on to the next matches against Tunisia and Guinea.

    “Our game plan is to take each game as it comes never underrating or overrating any opponents.

    “We understand the expectations of Nigerians we will try our very best to ensure we meet their expectations at the end of the championship.

    “I believe we have prepared adequately well for the championship right now we need mother luck and prayers to excel on each match day,” said the Warri Wolves ace to supersport.com.

    Nigeria won bronze in the immediate past edition of the biennial championship in South Africa.

    Eagles will campaign in Group C together with the 2011 CHAN winners, Tunisia, Niger and Guinea.

  • CHAN: Eagles begin training in Kigali

    CHAN: Eagles begin training in Kigali

    Super Eagles will on Saturday have a second training session in Kigali as countdown to the team opening African Nations Championship clash against Niger continues.

    The team will meet the Nigeriens Menas on Monday, africanFootball.com reports.

    Super Eagles trained at 5:00pm on Friday, few hours after landing in Rwanda from Johannesburg.

    The matches at the 2016 CHAN will be played on artificial pitches.

    Officials also disclosed that weather conditions are excellent in Rwanda with the temperature estimated at 22 degrees.

    “The whole place is all green. It’s like it has been raining. The weather is like what we had in South Africa,” one team official told africanFootball.com.

  • Oliseh, 23 players arrive Kigali

    Oliseh, 23 players arrive Kigali

    The Super Eagles of Nigeria  team B arrived Kigali on Friday afternoon ahead of their 2015 African Nations Championship which commences on Saturday.

    Coach Sunday Oliseh including 23 player and back room staff departed Pretoria where they had 10-day preparation and played international friendlies against Angola and Cote d’Ivoire.

    Nigeria team B will confront Niger Republic in their opening game on January 18 at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo on the outskirts of Kigali . The team will later tackle Tunisia and Guinea in Group C.

     

  • Eagles CHAN foes Niger hold Ethiopia

    Eagles CHAN foes Niger hold Ethiopia

    Nigeria’s opening CHAN Group C opponents, Niger were only denied a victory against Ethiopia by a questionable late penalty in a friendly on  Saturday.

    Niger took an early lead through a stunning effort from outside the box by Idrissa Garba, before they were pegged back from the penalty spot after their defender was adjudged to have handled the ball inside his box in the 89th minute.

    St Georges midfield star, Panom Gatosh converted the spot kick to save the game for the home team.

    Both teams are getting set for the CHAN, which gets underway on Saturday in Kigali, Rwanda.

    Niger, who paraded experienced players like Issiaka Koudize and Yacouba Ali, will face Nigeria in an opening Group C match of the CHAN on Monday, January 18, in Kigali.

  • CHAN: Ibenegbu, Matthew dazzle in Eagles’ training

    CHAN: Ibenegbu, Matthew dazzle in Eagles’ training

    Established Nigeria league campaigner, Ikechukwu “Mosquito” Ibenegbu and emerging star Ifeanyi Matthew have been impressing in the Super Eagles training camp ahead of next weekend’s African Nations Championship in Rwanda.

    Officials told africanFootball.com that other players who have impressed in the Eagles training camp in Pretoria, South Africa, are Olympic Team midfielder, Usman Mohammed and little known Shooting Stars midfielder, Ibrahim Salawu.

    Ibenegbu scored the Eagles’ goal against Angola in Thursday’s friendly in Pretoria and his overall contribution in the midfield has won him the admiration of coach Sunday Oliseh.

     

  • Injury hits CHAN Eagles

    Injury hits CHAN Eagles

    Nigeria will likely to rest strikers Tunde Adeniji and Chisom Chikatara for Wednesday’s friendly against Angola after they suffered knocks in Tuesday’s test game against South Africa’s premier league side, University of Pretoria.

    The team liason officer, Tijjani Babangida, said Adeniji, who scored twice in a 3-0 win over University of Pretoria, pulled out of the game with a muscle complaint after he scored his second goal, while Chikatara suffered a hamstring injury.

    Adeniji scored 16 goals for Sunshine Stars last season, while Chikatara was a major player at Abia Warriors.

    “The boys are coming up from what we saw in this game, but two strikers Adeniji and Chisom suffered knocks during the game,” Babangida told africanFootball.com.

  • Nigeria will win CHAN – Akas

    Nigeria will win CHAN – Akas

    Super Eagles skipper to the 2016 CHAN, Chima Akas, has promised to lead Nigeria to victory in Rwanda.

    This year’s edition of CHAN, the tournament reserved for players featuring in their respective home leagues, begins on January 16 and Nigeria plays in Group C with Tunisia, Niger and Guinea, africanFootball.com reports.

    The team opens its campaign on January 18 against next-door neighbours Niger.

    Akas, who has been capped at full international level by Nigeria, has assumed the CHAN Eagles captaincy in the absence of Gbolahan Salami, who opted to stay out of the competition in order to finalise a move abroad.

    “We want to go to Rwanda and win the cup. We have worked hard and hope our efforts are so crowned,” africanFootball.com quoted the Sharks FC defender as saying on his team chances in Rwanda.

    “We finished third at the 2014 CHAN and we now hope to win it. That is what Nigerians expect,” added midfielder Bartholomew Ibenegbu.

  • Akas to captain Nigeria at CHAN

    Akas to captain Nigeria at CHAN

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has confirmed that Chima Akas will captain the side to the 2016 African Nations Championship which begins in Rwanda January 16.

    Gbolahan Salami, who was captain during the qualifying series, has been omitted from the squad because he is on the verge of signing for a club in Europe, Goal reports.

    Goal gathered that Paul Onobi, Ikechukwu Ezenwa or Austin Obaroakpo are in contention for the deputy skipper position.

    Nigeria begins its CHAN campaign against Niger Republic on January 18 at the Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali before facing Tunisia and Guinea in Group C.

     

     

  • CHAN: Eagles travel to Rwanda January 15

    CHAN: Eagles travel to Rwanda January 15

    Super Eagles will fly out to Kigali, Rwanda, for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) on January 15.

    The team arrived Pretoria, South Africa, for a training camp on Saturday to meet up with coach Sunday Oliseh, who joined up from his base in Europe, officials told africanFootball.com.

    Nigeria will play Angola in a friendly match in Pretoria Wednesday.

    The team will also tackle Cote d’Ivoire in another test game on January 11, also in South Africa.

    Nigeria, who finished third at the 2014 edition of CHAN, plays in Group C alongside Tunisia, Guinea and Niger.