The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eagles

  • I’m in Eagles to learn-Awoniyi

    I’m in Eagles to learn-Awoniyi

    Super Eagles invitee Taiwo Awoniyi has told SportingLife that he is in the senior national team to learn from the more established players.

    The FIFA 2013 Under 17 World Cup gold medalist, who is one of the three junior players invited to the senior national team by Coach Stephen Keshi for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) holding in South Africa next year, said he and his ex-U-17 mates have the potential to make the team to the CHAN.

    He was full of appreciation to Coach Keshi for giving him the opportunity to exhibit his skills at senior level.

    “We have what it takes to make maximum impact in the team. We have been told by our youth coaches that football at every levels is the same, but the approach and stage is different. That at whatever point, we should develop the right mentality and be in a good frame of mind, that we would excel. That is exactly what will propel us at this level.”

    He maintained that his ability to learn fast would be the basis for him being in the Super Eagles’ camp.

  • Eagles pound Prisons for four

    Eagles pound Prisons for four

     ‘It’s work in progress’

    The Super Eagles’ preparations for the 2014 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament in South Africa next month continued in Abuja on Friday with their first pratice match against newly promoted NNL side, Prisons FC of Abuja.

    The match which was played at the FIFA Goal Project site of the National Stadium in Abuja, had in attendance, Head Coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, who was returning to the squad after theWorld Cup draws in Brazil. At the end of the match, the national team was 4-1 better than the Prisons team.

    The game started at exactly 7:35am and was watched by a sizable crowd, who took time off activities at the National Youth Games to catch a glimpse of their soccer stars. The players started the game by observing a minute’s silence in honour of departed South African icon, Nelson Mandela.

    The Eagles went into business as soon as referee Aniete Ukoh signalled the start of action, with the technical crew preferring to start with newly invited players like Isah Danladi in goal, Bright Esieme, Aliyu Abubakar, Gbolahan Salami, Ezekiel Mba and Kelechi Iheanacho among others. Within only five minutes of play, the Eagles had forced three corner kicks.

    In the seventh minute, Iheanacho’s clever chip for goal was handled by a Prisons player inside the 18-yard box and Salami promptly dispatched it for Eagles’ first goal. Three minutes later it could have been two or more, but Abubakar and Ezekiel wasted the chances.

    Salami had to be pulled out, in the 25th minute after a crunchy tackle from the rugged defence line of the Prisons team. Barnabas Imenger took over and acquited himself well. But by now the opposing team had started to gain some confidence leading to a firece shot that beat Danladi flat but was helped out by the woodworks before Chibuzor Madu hurriedly cleared off the line.

    Then in a moment of magical inter-play, Imenger and Mohammed Ajia, startled the defence of Prisons for an onrushing Abubakar to smash home from about 30 yards. It was indeed a television goal in the 33rd minute. The Eagles led 2-0 at the interval.

    Keshi and his crew changed the entire team for the second half, bringing in more experienced stars like goalie, Dan Akpeyi, Azubuike Egwueke, Sunday Mba, Benjamin Francis, Rabiu Ali and Eaglets’ Taiwo Awoniyi. Suprisingly, it was the Prisons side that took the initiative in the half by scoring from close range after a defence mix-up. Inuwa Ahmed was the goal scorer, as their midfield anchor, Stanley Emesi seemed to have seized that area from the Eagles with crisp passes and dribbles.

    The goal seemed to have been the tonic the Eagles needed as a corner kick taken by Kwambe was headed in by Ewguekwe, blocked by the goalkeeper, only for the same Egwuekwe to slot in with his left midway into the second half for Eagles’ third goal. Oghenekavro Etebor put the icing on the cake in the 83rd minute when a fine run from Kwambe found Awoniyi, who side-stepped a defender, before laying it perfectly for Etebor to hit home in the 85th minute.

    Keshi said after the game that there was still a lot of work to be done and the technical crew would do its best to mould the team into a fearsome unit.

  • 2014 WORLD CUP: EAGLES GET NEW HOME KIT

    2014 WORLD CUP: EAGLES GET NEW HOME KIT

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be donning a new home kit during next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, SportingLife can authoritatively reveal.

    According to latest leaks, the Stephen Keshi-tutored side will still be playing with present kits sponsors, Adidas for the 2014 Mundial.

    The Eagles’ new home kit for the World Cup will be in light green with dark green pinstripes.

    “Nigeria 2014 World Cup Home Shirt is based on the new Adidas Condivo 14 Kit template, which is also used for several other national teams. The new Nigeria 2014 World Cup Home Kit comes with a lighter new green colour compared to recent kits made by Adidas, making the kit color similar to the bright green colour used in the 1990s.

    “On the front of the new Nigeria 2014 World Cup Kit feature small darker green pinstripes, while the sleeves are divided in one light green and one dark green part.

    “The Adidas stripes on the sleeves are white, while on the back under the collar features the lettering Nigeria. The V-collar features both green colours, similar to the sleeve cuffs,” the report on footyheadlines.com read in part.

    The Eagles are expected to play with green shorts and socks while the team’s Away Shirt will be white with a similar design as the home kit. It will include light green and dark green applications.

    In a related development, Nigeria’s Group F opponents, Argentina are also keeping faith with Adidas for the 2014 World Cup. The South Americans will be sporting a new Home Shirt that comes with black Adidas stripes while the shorts are white. Their Away Kit, on the other hand, features a unique design in dark blue.

    Eagles’ first group foes, Iran will still be playing with kits made by Uhlsport while Bosnia and Herzegovina are in talks with Nike, Adidas and Legea for their World Cup kits. They are expected to sign a new contract before the June 12 kick-off date but are presently playing in Legea kits.

  • Eagles will emerge CHAN Champions —Mba

    Eagles will emerge CHAN Champions —Mba

    • Says Afcon is more attractive than CHAN
    • As malaria stops him from training

    Super Eagles midfielder, Sunday Mba has said the team would emerge winners of the Africa Nations Championship tagged CHAN.

    Mba, a member of the victorious Eagles 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) told SportingLife that with the quality of the home based players jostling to make the final 23 players for the 2014 CHAN holding in South Africa, Nigeria is good to emerge African Champions again.

    “We are targeting the CHAN trophy in South Africa next year. Our victorious outing in Afcon this February is still very fresh in our memory and we want to repeat this again to prove to the whole world that the Afcon victory was not a fluke”, Mba declared.

    He still has fond memories about the 2013 Afcon.

    “I thank God that I had a good outing in the 2013 Afcon and now another opportunity is here in CHAN to prove again that the Super Eagles is the best team in Africa and I am ready to team up with my colleagues to make Nigeria proud again.

    “I personally want to live up to my reputation and continue to make my fans proud. Everybody is looking up to me to help this team achieve success and good outing in CHAN and I have re-doubled my efforts and training hard to live up to the expectations of all the people that believe in my contribution to the team. I cannot do it alone so we will be working together to be able to achieve our target and mission”, Mba told SportingLife in Abuja yesterday.

    He also cherished the South African fans support to him and his team and is ready to dazzle them again with good performance during CHAN.

    “I am anxiously looking forward to playing in the front of South African fans again because my name will be on their lips because of my exploits in the competition. So, I need to work hard with my team-mates to repeat the feat of Afcon 2013 in South Africa”, he disclosed.

    He is, however, down with malaria and couldn’t train with the rest of the players in Tuesday’s morning training session.

  • What threat do Bosnia, Iran pose to Eagles?

    What threat do Bosnia, Iran pose to Eagles?

    Argentina are no strangers to Nigeria, but very little could readily be said of the threat Bosnia and Iran pose for the Eagles in Group F of the 2014 World Cup.

    Bosnia, for one, will be making their World Cup debut at Brazil 2014. Their qualifying tournament record is intimidating as they won eight, drew one and lost only once. They scored 30 goals and conceded only six goals.

    Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic scored between them 18 of those goals with an 8-1 victory over Liechtenstein their biggest win. They pipped Greece on goals’ difference to qualify automatically for Brazil 2014. They are currently ranked 16th in the world by FIFA, 20 spots above Nigeria.

    AS Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic has picked Argentina to win Group F with Bosnia and Nigeria battling for the second place.

    “Reasonably happy with the draw. Argentina are favourites. I think we will compete with Nigeri for second place. We hope to do it,” Pjanic said.

    Iran, on the other hand, are staging their fourth World Cup appearance having featured at the 1978, 1998 and 2006 editions. Team Melli have failed to go past the opening round in all three appearances.

    To qualify for Brazil 2014, they won 10 matches, drew four and lost two matches. They are ranked 49th in the world by FIFA with their best-ever ranking being 15th in July/August 2005.

    Former Portugal and Manchester United manager Carlos Queiroz said it was a big opportunity for the Asian country to return to the World Cup stage.

    “It was difficult qualifying but it is an opportunity to play at the World Cup. Argentina will be the top team (in our group), but we will come with the ambition to get to second round. Nigeria are strong, playing well and with confidence, they are playing well now,” he said.

     

    Nigeria’s first round fixtures:

    • June 16 vs Iran in Curtiba

    • June 21 vs Bosnia- Herzegovina in Curtiba

    • June 25 vs Argentina in Porto Alegre

  • Eagles’ stars celebrate fair draw

    Eagles’ stars celebrate fair draw

    Nigeria have described as fair a first round World Cup group that pits them against Argentina, Bosnia and Iran.

    It will be the fourth time that Nigeria will draw Argentina at the World Cup finals and the African champions will open their campaign against Iran.

    Brescia midfielder Nnamdi Oduamadi rated Argentina as the only serious threat to the ambitions of Nigeria.

    “I am happy with this group and we are in the second round already as far as I am concerned. Argentina look the toughest, but we are good enough to beat them,” Oduamadi told MTNFootball.com.

    Celtic defender Efe Ambrose equally said the draw was favourable, but all the same they cannot afford to take any game or team lightly.

    “This is a fair group. It won’t be an easy ride for us because every team in the group have a chance to qualify, we will take all games with all seriousness needed,” Ambrose disclosed.

    Ahmed Musa told MTNFootball.com that Nigeria could not have asked for an easier group.

    “This is a very nice group for us, we can’t ask for anything better. Though we are not afraid of facing any team in the world, we will prepare well for them,” said Musa.

    Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer Ike Shorunmu insisted there are no easy teams in the world, but all the same Group F is a good one for Nigeria.

    “It is a good group. Every team at the World Cup is capable of doing well, so we are not looking down on any team in our group. We will just go ahead and prepare adequately for the tournament,” said Shorunmu, who incidentally was in goal when Argentina pipped Nigeria 1-0 at the 2002 World Cup.

  • Can Eagles stop Argentina this time?

    Can Eagles stop Argentina this time?

    Argentina again! That was the general exclamation when the FIFA World Cup draw was held yesterday in Brazil. The other two countries in Group F, Iran and Bosnia Herzegovina did not really elicite any emotional reactions because there is little or no footballing history linking these countries and the Super Eagles.

    The history between Nigeria and Argentina favours the South American country as both teams have met six times in the past with the Eagles barely able to grind out two draws while losing the remaining four games.

    In 1994, Nigeria reached the World Cup for the first time managed by Clemens Westerhof. Though the Eagles topped their group which included Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece, it was the same Argentina, inspired by the legendary Diego Maradona, that inflicted the first ever defeat that the Eagles suffered in a World Cup finals. Argentina won 2-1 with Claudio Cannigia scoring both goals while Samson Siasia got Nigeria’s consolation goal.

    In 2002, with a new squad and a new coach in Adegboye Onigbinde, Nigeria were drawn into group F with Sweden, Argentina, and England. The first game against Argentina started with a strong defence that kept the first half scoreless. In the 61st minute, however, Gabriel Batistuta breached the Nigerian defence to secure a 1-0 victory for Argentina.

    Four years ago in South Africa, Nigeria again lost their opening match against Argentina 1–0 at Ellis Park Stadium following a Gabriel Heinze header in the 6th minute.

    For the Brazil 2014 World Cup finals, the Nigerian national team appears to be experiencing a gradual but steady renassaice under Stephen Keshi who took over the team about two years ago.

    He led the Eagles to glory at the last African Cup of Nations against all odds and now, most Africans believe that if any nation has the potential to make it to the semi finals, Nigeria could be one of them.

    In all age groups, the Argentine national team is never lacking a regular supply of world-class players, however, this era, the quality of the squad is rather phenomenal.

    They have in their fold, arguably the best player to ever grace the round-leather-game in Lionel Messi. But he is not alone. The likes of Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Mascherano and Segio Aguero could wreck any team in the world.

    However, the criticism against this team is that their world-class players have not been able to replicate their individual brilliance at club levels in the national team in almost a decade.

    The Eagles played at the last FIFA Confederation Cup against world champions, Spain, South American champions, Uruguay and these are experiences that they need as they try to reverse their fortunes against Argentina.

    With players like Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Mikel Obi and Vincent Enyeama, who has already kept 13 clean sheets for Lille in France, the Eagles should not be bereft of quality and depth to break the Argentine jinx.

  • Eagles are lucky —Ogunjobi

    Former board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Taiwo Ogunjobi has described Nigeria’s group for next year’s FIFA World Cup finals as fair.

    “Eagles are fortunate and we should be thankful to God,” he said.

    Friday’s draw saw Nigeria once again pitched with familiar opponents, Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzogovinia.

    In his estimation, Ogunjobi said the African champions and Argentina should qualify for the round of 16.

    “At the end of the group matches, I tip Eagles and Argentina to qualify for the next stage,” he said.

    “We have close to six months to prepare so we must make good use of it,” he said.

  • MOCK WORLD CUP DRAW: Eagles get Uruguay, Croatia

    MOCK WORLD CUP DRAW: Eagles get Uruguay, Croatia

    •Grab USA too in Group B

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles were handed an ‘easy’ draw with Luiz Suarez inspired Uruguay in Group B for the World Cup 2014 group stages…but don’t worry – it was just a rehearsal.

    The African champions came out in a group with the former world and South American champions, as well as USA and Croatia.

    However, England’s Three Lions were handed a nightmare draw with Spain alongside African powerhouse Cote d’ Ívoire and South Korea.

    Hosts Brazil on the other hand were also handed a daunting task, as they were thrown in a pool with Italy, France, and Australia.

    The ‘group of death’ as manny football pundits believe was a result of France being draw as the unlucky team from Pot 4, who will be moved to Pot 2, and can therefore face a top South American seed from Pot 1 as well as European heavyweights from Pot 4.

    Meanwhile, the proper draw will hold today in Brazilian city of Salvador after which they will know the task ahead at next summer’s Brazilian festival.

  • 2014 World Cup: Chukwu tips Eagles for 2nd round

    2014 World Cup: Chukwu tips Eagles for 2nd round

    •Says Nigeria will be difficult to beat

    Former Super Eagles Chief Coach and Captain, Christian Chukwu has tipped the Eagles to scale through the group stage hurdle and at least get to the second round of the 2014 World Cup slated for Brazil.

    Chukwu who is also a member of Nigeria Football Federation Technical Committee told SportingLife that the Super Eagles team is strong enough to make the second round of the competition no matter the group the Nigerian team found itself in today’s draws.

    “One thing about the present Super Eagles team under the leadership of Coach Stephen Keshi is that they are bunch of devoted, patriotic and glory-seeking players that can wreck any highly rated team on their good day. So no matter where the Eagles are drawn I am confident that they will at least get to the second round of the 2014 World Cup holding in Brazil,” Chukwu disclosed.

    The former Rangers strongman stressed that in as much as he would prefer the Eagles avoid the big football nations like Brazil, Spain, Germany and the rest, he still believes that the Nigerian team could stand to be counted when pitched against these teams in the group stage. He, however, warned that there are no minnows in world football again. He said that the so-called small football nations are the ones that normally pose as threats to other big football nations.

    “I always laugh if I hear people saying they prefer the Eagles meet a small team. What do they mean by a small team? There are no more minnows in world football. All the countries that qualified for the finals of the 2014 World Cup passed through strenuous, rigorous and energy-sapping qualifying series and worth their qualification for the 2014 World Cup. So to me all the 32 teams going to Brazil for the Mundial worth being there and are threats to other opponents,” Chukwu called ‘The Chairman’ during his playing days for being a tough and dependable defender told SportingLife.

    He, however, urged the Nigeria Football Federation not to relent in their efforts of preparing the team well for the task ahead in June 2014.

    “I am urging the NFF to as a matter of importance and urgency use the opportunity of attending the World Cup draws that is holding tomorrow (today) to discuss with the representatives of other countries coming for the draws to arrange friendly matches in other to toughen the Eagles for the World Cup.

    “The Eagles need at least three to five friendly matches between now and June date of the World Cup to knock the team to shape and be ready for the competition,” he added.