The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dream Team

  • Dream Team targets Olympics ticket, AAG crown – Amoo

    Dream Team targets Olympics ticket, AAG crown – Amoo

    First Assistant Coach of Dream Team VI, Fatai Amoo has said  that Nigeria’s U- 23 national team now has  eyes on winning the All Africa Games (AAG) and 2016 Olympics ticket having gotten to the qualifying series stage.

    “We are grateful to God and football loving Nigerians that have supported us all the way till today. We are very happy as a team that we scaled the first hurdle of qualifying for this year’s AAG and African U- 23 Championship.

    We know Nigerians are happy that we have also qualified for the African U-23 Championship that we hope to work hard to pick one of the three automatic tickets for the 2016 Olympics Football Tournament.

    “We need the full support of Nigerians as they have been supporting Chief Coach Samson Siasia and the team. With their support we will surely achieve all our aims and ambitions for this team.

    “So I would say so far so good. We are not doing badly at all and I am using this opportunity to praise the boys for playing so well to take us this far. But there is still much work to be done and they all know this.

    “The players are aware of the tough task ahead and they know that they need to work hard for us to win this year’s AAG and also to pick the 2016 Olympics ticket. It would be very nice to go to the Olympics as African Champions. This is what we are praying for and what we are also working hard to achieve.

    As regards the grey areas that the Samson Siasia led crew would like to work on, the former Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles said that Siasia would do a post mortem of the matches played so far to get the team to reach this stage. After that the technical crew would then know what area or areas to work on.

    ” Siasia will decide what next to do as regards the team. But I am very sure that we will come out with a programme that will make the team stronger and better at the end of the day”, Amoo disclosed.

    He aso showered encomiums on the National Sports Commission (NSC) and most especially the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for supporting the team to get to where it has reached presently.

  • Dream Team lands in Pointe-Noire

    Dream Team lands in Pointe-Noire

    The U-23 National Team, Dream Team, Friday afternoon landed in the economic capital of Congo, Pointe-Noire.

    The Nigerian delegation led by the Chairman of NFF Technical and Development Committee, Felix Anyansi-Agwu landed at the Augustino Nero International Airport, Pointe-Noire at about 12.25pm local time (same time with Nigeria) on board an Ethiopian Airline flight.

    On arrival, the Nigerian delegation were received by the Consul-General of the Embassy of Nigeria, Brazzaville, Mr. Adamu Shuaibu Hamza, accompanied by Mr. Adebayo Iyaomiye and the president of the Nigeria community in Pointe-Noire, Mr Ezenwabasili Egbuna.

    With the assistance of the Embassy officials took the team to Hotel De Fez where they are accommodated .

    The Nigerian community in Congo were seen wearing T-shirts they have produced specially for the ‘battle’

    Nigeria is currently on the edge of securing a place for the continental event  after failing to utilise home advantage  two weeks ago, when they could only narrowly beat Congo 2-1 in Port Harcourt.

    Meanwhile, Junior Ajayi is hoping for a repeat of his heroics on Sunday in their quest to reach the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

    The Dream team won the first leg 2-1 in Port Harcourt on July 19 but Ajayi who scored both goals on the day says it was not a good result.

    “It was not a good result because an away goal counts for two. However, we managed to win so there is something to defend in the second leg,” the attacker told supersport.com.

    On his brace, the forward said he felt relieved as the pressure kept building after a stoic first half performance by the visitors.

    “I felt relieved after scoring because the first half ended goalless and the pressure was building.

    “Every striker wants to score goals so I was very happy to have scored two in the first leg,” he said.

    He rounded off by voicing his sentiments on the second leg which comes up on Sunday at the Stade Monumental, Pointe-Noire.

    “I know we will crush Congo in the second leg because they will play differently (as opposed to how they played in the first leg). In the first leg, they concentrated on defending and stopping us from playing.

    “They have to score so they will come out and attack against us. That will give us the space to attack them and play our normal game. They have an experienced coach-one of the best on the continent (Claude Leroy) but I am sure we will crush Congo,” he said.

  • 2016 Olympics : Stay focused – Glo urges Dream Team, Falcons

    2016 Olympics : Stay focused – Glo urges Dream Team, Falcons

    National telecoms operator, Globacom  has urged the national U-23 team and Super Falcons to make Nigeria proud in their respective assignments as they compete for the tickets to two key international tournaments this weekend. Globacom is   Africa’s biggest corporate supporter of football.

    Dream Team will be in Pointe-Noire to face their Congolese counterparts in the second leg of the final round of the 2016 Olympics African Championship qualifier after defeating their hosts 2-1 in Port-Harcourt on July 19.

    The Falcons also have a mountain to climb in Malabo where they will meet Equatorial Guinea in an Olympics 2016 second round second leg game after the first leg in Abuja on July 18 ended 1-1.

    “We believe that the national U-23 team will sustain the tempo and hold their nerves against the Congolese in Pointe-Noire to win the ticket to the African Championship which will be held in Senegal in December,” Globacom said in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.

    “We also believe in the ability of the Super Falcons to turn the table against the Guineans in their true fashion as the reigning African champions,” the statement added.

    “We appreciate the support given to both teams by Nigerians and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in particular.  We enjoin all not to waver at this time when more support is needed.

    “Essentially, we all have to sustain the belief we have in both teams to excel,” Globacom added, while urging the technical crew of both teams to remain focused as they intensify efforts to qualify for the next Olympics.

    “The tasks are surmountable; instances abound in the past and even as recent as last month when the U-23 team overcame Zambia in Lusaka to win the All Africa Games 2015 ticket, the statement concluded.

    Globacom is the major partner of the Nigeria Football Federation and official sponsor of the Nigerian national football teams.

  • Rwanda to face Dream Team

    Rwanda to face Dream Team

    Rwanda will face the Nigeria U-23 national football side on July 25 in Kigali ahead of the latter’s return leg fixture against Congo Brazzaville in the Rio 2016 Olympic qualifier.

    Amavubi coach Johnny McKinstry has named locally based players for the friendly game.

    McKinstry is using this friendly as part of Rwanda’s continued preparation for CHAN 2016 that will be hosted in Kigali from January 16 to February 7. The 26-man squad entered camp on Sunday afternoon and had commenced training at Amahoro Stadium.

    Amahoro Stadium is the venue for the friendly against the Dream Team, who will make a stop-over in Kigali before heading to Brazzaville.

    McKinstry named a side with no APR player except for goalkeeper Olivier Kwizera and right winger Bertrand Iradukunda.

    The two were not included in the army side’s 20-man squad that is featuring at the ongoing Cecafa Kagame Cup in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which will go on till August 2.

    The Irish tactician said: “The clash of dates with Cecafa obviously means that we will assess a further set of players given those who are with APR are not be available,” explained McKinstry.

    “This will be very worthwhile as it will help us to expand our national team player pool with players that we have been able to assess fully in the international environment through this game.”

    Ernest Sugira, who scored the lone strike against Mozambique in the AFCON 2017 opening qualifier, as well as Jacques Tuyisenge, who provided the assist have been included in the provisional squad. Teenagers Kevin Muhire, Dominique Savio Nshuti and Danny Usengimana also made the cut.

    Rwanda’s provisional squad:

    Goalkeepers: Marcel Nzarora (Police), Eric Ndayishimiye (Rayon Sport), Emery Mvuyekure (Police), Olivier Kwizera (APR)

    Defenders: Celestin Ndayishimiye (Mukura), Janvier Mutijima (AS Kigali), Fitina Omborenga (SC Kiyovu), Jean Marie Rukundo (Rayon Sports), Faustin Usengimana (Rayon Sports), James Tubane (Rayon Sports), Fabrice Twagizimana (Police), Amani Uwiringiyimana (Police)

    Midfilders: Tumaine Ntamuhanga (Police), Mohamed Mushimiyimana (Police), Imran Nshimiyimana (Police), Kevin Muhire (Isonga) and Amin Muzerwa (AS Kigali)

    Strikers: Dominique Savio Nshuti (Isonga), Innocent Habyarimana (Police), Kevin Ishimwe (Rayon Sports), Jacques Tuyisenge (Police), Bertrand Iradukunda (APR), Ernest Sugira (AS Kigali), Isaie Songa (AS Kigali), Jean d’Amour Bonane (Sunrise) and Danny Usengimana (Isonga).

  • Wike to Dream Team IV – Beat Congo, get $100,000

    Wike to Dream Team IV – Beat Congo, get $100,000

    Rivers state Governor, Barrister Wike  Nyesom has promised the U-23 Coaching crew and the players $100,000 if they beat the Congolese team on Sunday.

    The Governor stated this while addressing the technical crew and the players immediately after their training at Adokiye Amiesemaka stadium last night.

    He said: “We want to tell you that we need this match against the Congolese,  and we want to win convincingly , we want to win by you playing good football , and therefore , we will give you $30,000 par goal , two goals $60,000, and three goals $100,000.

    “We will give you all the support you need to be successful in this match. I want to thank you my brother , my friend , coach Samson Siasia for the good job you are doing. I thank you for being here for the past one week preparing your team for Sunday match against the Congolese team, I decided to come and talk to the players and to let you know that we are fully in support of you people .

    “Its been long Porthartcourt hosted any international match, and am sure this is your first time of coming to this Adokiye Amiesemaka stadium, we have the facilities to host international matches , we believe that from now on NFF will allow us to host other international matches, especially Super Eagles .

    “I hope you people realise that it is important you defend your country , you need to make your country proud and we will give you the support .

    “We want to tell you that we need this match against the Congolese,  and we want to win convincingly , we want to win by you playing good football.

    “The president will be happy that you win this match against the Congolese on Sunday.”

     

  • Nigeria draws Ghana, Egypt in All Africa Games

    Nigeria draws Ghana, Egypt in All Africa Games

    Nigeria will renew its perennial rivalry with Ghana in the men’s event of the 2015 All Africa Games after both countries were drawn in the same first round group on Thursday, africanFootball.com reports.

    The tournament reserved for U23s will be staged in Congo Brazzaville in September.

    The Ghanaians, who are the defending champions, are drawn in a tough-looking Group B along with arch-rivals Nigeria, Senegal and Egypt.

    For Samson Siasia’s Dream Team VI this will be an ideal dress rehearsal should the former Olympic champions qualify for the CAF U23 Championship in Senegal, which will serve as a qualifying tournament for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    The team will battle Congo over two legs for a place at the U23 Championship in Senegal.

    Group A is relatively lightweight as it has hosts Congo, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso.

    The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semi-finals of the competition, which runs from September 4 to 19.

  • Olympic Qualifier Dream Team to train in Port Harcourt for one week

    Olympic Qualifier Dream Team to train in Port Harcourt for one week

    The Nigeria National U-23 men’s football team, the Dream Team VI will have at least one week of training in Port Harcourt, ahead of their CAF U23 championship qualifier against Congo.

    The team is currently camped and training in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, but will travel to Port Harcourt to train for at least a week, in order to ‘get used to the city and Stadium’.

    “They will travel and train in Port Harcourt at least for one week before the game,” General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Sanusi Mohamed told News24.

    “We want them to get used to the city and the Stadium ahead of the game because it is a very important game for us.

    “They have been training in Abuja and it will be wise for them to acclimatise themselves with the match venue well ahead of time so it doesn’t seem strange to them,” Sanusi said.

    Coach of the team, Samson Siasia had earlier asked for his team to have some time in Port Harcourt before the game, so as to help them get used to the Stadium.

    The team that triumphs over two legs will qualify for the second CAF U-23 championship, holding in Senegal and which serves as qualifiers for the Olympic Games.

    Recall that the maiden edition was held in 2011 in Morocco, but Nigeria failed to make it to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

    Former international, Austin Eguavoen was in charge of that team.

  • Dream Team VI hits Port-Harcourt Monday

    Dream Team VI hits Port-Harcourt Monday

    • To lodge at Presidential Hotel 

    U-23 national team will hit Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital on Monday as against the Sunday initially circulated as the team step up preparation for the CAF U23 Championship qualifier against Congo slated for July 19 at the Liberation Stadium.

    The team started training in Abuja where they played some friendly matches against premier league and lower league clubs but they have perfected plans to shift to Port Harcourt on Monday ahead of the July 19 tie.

    The Media Officer of the team, Timi Ebikagboro told NationSport that the U23 side would arrive Port Harcourt on Monday and that they would be lodged at the Hotel de Presidential in the heart of the city.

    The Dream Team VI are striving to stage a return to the Olympic Games after they missed out on the 2012 London edition after they lost the ticket in the CAF U23 Championship held in Algeria in 2011.

     

  • Siasia invites Norway-based defender

    Siasia invites Norway-based defender

    Olympic Team coach, Samson Siasia, has invited Norway-based central defender, Sola Akinyemi, ahead of next month’s crucial CAF Championship qualifier against Congo.

    The Dream Team as the team is affectionately called hosts Congo to Abuja on July 18 in a first leg qualifier for the Olympic qualifier to be staged in Senegal in November, africanFootball.com reports.

    The 22-year-old Akinyemi has previously tried out with Flying Eagles prior to the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.

    He is expected to shore the Olympic team defence which Siasia has admitted could be a lot better.

    Akinyemi is due in the team’s training camp in Abuja later this week.

    Dream

  • Siasia invites Iheanacho, Yahaya to Dream Team

    Siasia invites Iheanacho, Yahaya to Dream Team

    Sani Faisal, Lukmon Gilmore, Emmanuel Ammana, Tonbara Tiongoli, Freedom Omofonma, Uche Okeke and Gabriel Sunday were axed after Nigeria’s Under-23 national team forced Wikki Tourists to a 3 – 3 draw at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi on Saturday.

    Eight Flying Eagles stars will now beef up the squad, with Musa Mohammed, Taiwo Awoniyi, Kingsley Sokari, Saviour Godwin and Dele Alampasu expected to report to camp today.  The foreign – based contingent, Musa Yahaya, Kelechi Iheanacho and Moses Simon have been told to join the team two weeks before a first leg All Africa Games Qualifier against Congo.

    Siasia has also invited Sharks FC defender Chima Akas and Warri Wolves defender Semiu Laidi for the Under-23s’ get – together in Abuja.