The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CHAN

  • CHAN Fall out: League players measuring up – Anyansi

    By Julius Okorie

    Enyimba Chairman Felix Anyansi Agwu has given league players in the country a pat on the back for rising to the occasion despite constraints. He made his feelings known while assessing the player’s performance at the just ended African Nations Championship in South Africa.

    Anyansi, who described the home Eagles achievement in the championship as good enough, said the result achieved is an indication that the team has the potentials to perform better. He however expressed desire that the home based Eagles be handled by Nigerian league coach.

    “I would love to see a current league coach handle the home based Eagles so that the Chief Coach can focus on his job of handling the national team,” he noted.

    Just like Sunday Mba made a huge impact at the Nations Cup in South Africa last year, Ejike Uzoenyi also proved a point at the CHAN level with Stephen Keshi confirming his readiness to take him and three others to the World Cup in Brazil in June.

  • CHAN Eagles disbanded

    CHAN Eagles disbanded

    Players hopeful of Presidential largesse

    By Ejiro Femi-Babafemi

    After returning to the country with a bronze medal from the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) on Sunday evening, Nigeria’s home-based Eagles have been officially disbanded.

    A competent source, however, downplayed insinuations that the team has been shunned by the Presidency since it failed to lift the trophy.

    “Yes we have not heard anything from the Presidency but at the same time, it is wrong for people to think that the team has been forgotten. We all know that the president appreciates the team for its feat considering the fact that this was our first outing after failing to qualify for the last two editons. l am very sure that at the right time the team will be invited to the villa,” said our source.

    Jonathan it will be recalled congratulated the team after its 4-3 dramatic victory over Morocco in the quarter final.

    SportingLife gathered that with no further directive from Abuja several of the players traveled to their various bases through Lagos on Monday morning, some however left for Abuja with chief coach, Stephen Keshi and his assistants at the same time.

    Keshi is meeting with his employers this week to review the team’s performance.

    “Some of the players that left for Abuja are those who still have some of their personal belongings back at the team’s hotel. Besides, they do not have any other business there. It is the only the chief coach who is needed in Abuja to submit his report and discuss the upcoming friendly match against Mexico for next month,” added our source.

    Nigeria defeated Zimbabwe by a lone goal in the third place match.

  • Erico: Keshi has no business handling CHAN Eagles

    Erico: Keshi has no business handling CHAN Eagles

    By Julius Okorie

    Former Super Eagles goalie Joe Erico says Coach Stephen Keshi has no business handling the CHAN Eagles, insisting that one of his assistants should have been given the assignment.

    “Keshi has no business being there in the first place. He has assistants and indeed other coaches who should have been saddled with that job so that he should focus on grooming the senior national team,” he said in a chat with SportingLife on Monday.

    The former NEPA safehand, who downplayed Eagles inability to play in the finals of the championship which ended on Saturday in South Africa, opined that Nigeria cannot be said to have done badly considering that the Black Stars who have been part of all the editions equally failed to lift the trophy.

    He expressed hope that the lessons learnt in the championship would be put to good use ahead of the subsequent editions and the preparations for the World Cup in Brazil.

    He called on Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi to ensure that players who proved themselves in the championship are taken to the World Cup to serve as a morale booster and for career growth.

    “I am happy that a number of players gave a good account of themselves what the coach needs to do is to ensure that they make the World Cup so that they can learn more. There is no rule that says they must play, but they will surely learn one or two things by being in the World Cup squad,” he submitted.

  • CHAN Best XI:

    CHAN Best XI:

    • No Nigerian on substitutes’ bench

    Home-based Super Eagles’ trio of Odunlami Kunle, Most Valuable Player (MVP) Christantus Uzoenyi Ejike and Rabiu Ali made the list of players selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s techncial committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)’s best XI.

    Odunlami was listed among the best defenders for the competition while Rabiu Ali got the selectors’ nod in the CHAN best XI midfield, with the competition’s MVP Uzoenyi picked among the strikers. No Nigerian was picked for the substitutes’ bench.

    Three Black Stars – Joshua Tijani, Jordan Opoku and Siedu Bansey – made CAF’s best XI for the 2014 CHAN. Another set of three Ghana players – Stephen Adams, Yahaya Mohammed and Abeiku Ainooson – were named among the substitutes. Tijani, who played in all six matches as left-back, and captain Opoku was influential in midfield.

    Bansey featured in four matches and did not score a goal but made the cut to lead the attack alongside Nigeria’s Rabiu Ali.

    Winners Libya have three players in the all-star team with goalkeeper Mohamed Abdaula, defender Ali Salama and the talented Mohamed Elgadi in midfield.

    Zimbabwe duo Partson Jaure and Kudakwashe Mahachi were picked by the tournament’s Technical Study Group. Nigeria’s Odunlami Kunle, MVP Christantus Ejike and Rabiu Ali complete the list.

    CHAN best XI

    Goalkeeper:

    Mohamed Abdaula (Libya)

    Defenders:

    Ali Salama (Libya), Partson Jaure (Zimbabwe), Odunlami Kunle (Nigeria), Joshua Tijani (Ghana)

    Midfielders:

    Kudakwashe Mahachi (Zimbabwe), Mohamed Elgadi (Libya), Jordan Opoku (Ghana), Christantus Ejike (Nigeria)

    Forwards:

    Rabiu Ali (Nigeria), Seidu Bansey (Ghana)

    Substitutes:

    Stephen Adams (Ghana), Peter Moyo (Zimbabwe), Buhlebuyesa Mkhwanazi (South Africa), Mohsine Moutaouali (Morocco), Yahaya Mohammed (Ghana), Abdelsalam Omar (Libya), Ibourahima Sidibé (Mali), Hardy Binguila (Congo), Jean-Marc Makusu Mundele (DR Congo)

    Erwin Nguema (Gabon), Samuel Ainooson (Ghana).

  • CHAN: Eagles ‘happy’ with bronze medal

    CHAN: Eagles ‘happy’ with bronze medal

    Super Eagles players have said they will cherish the team third-place finish at the 2014 CHAN.

    Nigeria crashed out to rivals Ghana in Wednesday’s semi final decided on penalties.

    The team edged past Zimbabwe 1-0 in Saturday in Cape Town to finish third at the tournament.

    A cross section of the players told MTNFootball.com they were disappointed not to win the 2014 CHAN, but will be consoled with finishing third.

    Ugonna Uzochukwu told MTNFootball.com: “This was my first competition as a national team player and I feel so happy winning the bronze medal.

    “Though I am disappointed we couldn’t win the competition because that was my target, but God knows the best.”

    Left back Francis Benjamin said he was happy he did not leave South Africa empty handed.

    “It is a thing of joy for us to win the bronze, we give God all the glory. We aimed higher when we arrived here but we thank God for what he has done for us,” he reasoned.

    Warri Wolves forward Joshua Obaje said he was happy they have something to show for their efforts at the end of the day.

    “We just have to thank god for his mercy. It was great to end the tournament with a medal,” Obaje told MTNFootball.com.

     

  • CHAN Eagles have grown – Keshi

    CHAN Eagles have grown – Keshi

    From Rasaq Oboirien in Cape Town

     

    AFTER claiming the CHAN 2014 bronze medal, Stephen Keshi has expressed delight to his Home-Based players saying they have grown in leaps and bounds .

    A Christain Obiozor’s header in the closing minutes of the 3rd place game against the Brave Warriors of Zimbabwe was all what Nigeria needed to win the game.

    The Big Boss, while speaking in a post-match chat at the Cape Town Stadium venue of CHAN 2014 finals said: “I’m so happy with my kids in the past three weeks, they have grown, as they began to understand the things I wanted from them. Losing the semi-final is normal for anyone who had hoped to play in the final.

    “However, my major goal for me here (CHAN 2014) was to expose the players and get one or two players that could make the World Cup in Brazil. So am good.”

  • CHAN: Eagles will fight for bronze – Uzoenyi

    CHAN: Eagles will fight for bronze – Uzoenyi

    Ejike Uzoenyi has vowed that disappointed Nigeria will still fight to win the third-place at CHAN against Zimbabwe on Saturday.
    Uzoenyi, who said he was disappointed the Eagles lost to rivals Ghana on penalties in Wednesday’s semi-final, promised that the team will fight to win the bronze to make up for not reaching the final.
    “It’s the only thing we have to leave here with and we are determined to compensate Nigerians with a third-place finish,” MTNFootball.com quoted the Enugu Rangers winger as saying ahead of the classification match.
    Uzoenyi almost passed out when Ghanaian defender Kwabina Adusei, elbowed him around his neck leading to a minor concoction mid-way into the first half of the CHAN semi-final in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
    The medical staff described Uzoenyi’s condition at the time as Cortica Artery seizure, noting that it took quite a while to get his pulse back from the leg region.
    “It was scary but we thank God, it didn’t degenerate more than that and the player’s recovery rate was phenomenal,” one of the medical official attached to the team noted.
    He said: “That player wanted to kill me with that vicious elbow and I was blank and did not know where I was until I started hearing noises, but I was determined to continue that was why I was rushing back to the pitch.
    “But I think it was God that saved my life because some lesser cases have resulted in fatalities.”
    Meanwhile, Nigeria sports minister Bolaji Abdulahi has fulfilled his cash promise to the team by doling out the sum of $200,000 for their victory against Morocco and the loss to Ghana.

  • Teamwork will decide winner — Onigbinde

    Teamwork will decide winner — Onigbinde

    Former Nigeria manager, Adegboye Onigbinde has said teamwork will decide the outcome of the semifinals encounter between two West African foes, Ghana and Nigeria at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa.

    The two bitter rivals will clash in today’s grudge tie for a place in the final of the two yearly football showpiece at the Free State Stadium.

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles had the better of Morocco’s Atlas Lions same as Ghana’s Black Stars against the Leopards of DR Congo in the quarterfinals to pave the way for the titanic clash.

    Onigbinde said cooperation among the players instead of individual brilliance is the most potent force that wins modern matches.

    “Gone are the days of departmentalising football, right now every player on the field of play works together to achieve a result irrespective of speciality.

    “Of course, you know that only teams win or lose a match not individual players, so, I don’t assess a team by the individual members as well-blended individuals can rubbish a well-blended side.

    “So the key to the tie between Ghana and Nigeria is the players working for one another; teamwork will be a crucial factor on the side the pendulum will swing in the game,” said the CAF and FIFA technical instructor to supersport.com.

    Onigbinde said Ghana do not possess more invincibility than other fallen Nigeria opponents at the championship.

    “At this stage of the championship I don’t rate any team higher than others, what are Ghana that the hosts, South Africa, Mozambique or Morocco, among others, are not?

    “The yardstick that measures success is result and Nigeria has its fair share of positive results.

    “The encounter will be tough because of the existing rivalry between both countries which dates back to early 1940s.

    “Nigeria first defeated Ghana on their home soil in 1983 and followed it up in Bourke, Mali, a few years later, so, where is their invincibility?

    “The Eagles just have to give the encounter the seriousness it deserves, I’m not only expecting Nigeria to beat Ghana but to win the CHAN title,” Onigbinde said.

  • Inyang targets top scorer’s award

    Inyang targets top scorer’s award

    By Uchenna Ajah

     

    Gombe United forward, Inyang Bassey Eskor says winning the Glo Premier League top scorers award remains his ambition for the 2013/14 campaign.

    The former Nembe City forward, who joined the Savannah Scorpions last term, is happy with happening at the Gombe outfit and is eager for hostilities to resume in the Nigerian topflight.

    “We are currently preparing for the new season with a pre-season tournament here in Gombe tagged Unity Cup. However, my target is to end the campaign with the league’s top scorer award when actions finally resume.

    “With the new players joining our team like Hasan from Dolphin and Papa Idris from Kano Pillars I have no doubt that Gombe United will be gunning for the top when the season commences,” he said.

    Reacting on the performance of the Nigeria at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa, Bassey hailed the expoilts of the Stephen Keshi tutored-side insisting that the team are good for the trophy. “With the way the team played against Morocco, I’m confident the home-based Eagles will bring back the trophy because our boys are improving with every match. I rate them 80 percent to get the trophy,” Inyang submitted.

  • EAGLES’ EXPLOITS IN CHAN NO FLUKE – FESTUS ALLEN

    Former 3SC Coach, Festus Allen has described the exploits of the home-based Eagles in the ongoing Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) as no fluke but a true reflection of our League.

    Allen who has just been announced as new Technical Director of a Nationwide side, Juvenile FC of Ota Ogun State said Nigeria is in the class of Brazil that capable of producing three solid national teams considering the volume of talents abounds in the country.

    He however, urged the Stephen Keshi tutored side to rise up to the challenge by raising their game when facing Ghana in the semi-final cracker slated for this Wednesday.

    Meanwhile, the management of Juvenile FC, while unveiling Allen as their new Technical Director, expressed high optimism that the caliber of the coach would surely give them the much desired promotion at the end of the season.

    Allen, while reacting on his new mission, assured all teeming fans of the Ogun State side of good outing at the end of the season.

    The former ABS gaffer, however, thanked the management of the team for the huge confidence and faith they have in him, while praying God to crown the team’s efforts with a resounding success.

    Juvenile FC would be vying for one of the two promotion tickets up for grabs in group that has FC Ebiede, Gray FC, Ila FC, Ajiroba-Oni of Ife, Police Machine Lagos, Rising Stars Akure, Fountain FC Ado-Ekiti, Afijio and Atiba United both from Oyo.