The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FIFA World Cup qualifying match

  • Ideye: Eagles need World Cup slot more

    Ideye: Eagles need World Cup slot more

    Super Eagles forward, Brown Ideye insists the Stephen Keshi tutored-side needs the 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket more than their Malawian opponent in today’s cracker at the U.J. Esuene, Calabar.

    The Dynamo Kiev forward ace told SportingLife that he was looking forward to a great game even as he noted that football fans in the country are right to demand more from him.

    “It is the dream of every player to go to the World Cup. We are doing our best to realise the dream by qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil. I know by the grace of God we will achieve that. We will do our best to qualify Nigeria as we need it more than Malawi.

    “As for the fans and media criticism, I think they have been fair, they are doing their job like I am doing my job too.

    “I am doing my best for the team anytime I am on the field of play. I think the most important thing is the team not about me or anybody out there.

    “I have taken the criticisms as they come; I am not bothered about that. My concentration is for the team and how to give my best to the team which I have vowed to do every time I get the chance to play.

    Speaking further, the former Ocean Boys and Sochaux ace revealed that the Eagles are one happy family.

    “I will say yes, since the Africa Cup of Nations, we’ve been together as one family; we’ve been like brothers and the relationship in the team is very cordial. We worked together to achieve what we are planning to achieve. God on our side, we will do great for the national team,” Ideye said.

  • Kanu calls for prayers

    Kanu calls for prayers

    • Insists on outright victory against Flames
    • Fans hail Imoke over slashed ticket fee

    Former captain Nwankwo Kanu has urged Nigerians to pray for the Super Eagles as the team file out against the Flames of Malawi today at the U. J Esuene stadium Calabar.

    The former Arsenal, Portsmouth and West Brom ace, who is among the cream de la cream of the society who have temporarily relocated to Calabar to give the Stephen Keshi tutored side massive support, expressed delight at the high spirit in camp which he noted is the needed ingredient as the team attempts to seal qualification for Brazil 2014

    Papilo, who made 404 career appearance scoring 98 goals in the course of playing for Iwuanyanwu Nationale now Heartland of Owerri, Ajax, Internationale, Arsenal West Brom and Portsmouth respectively emphasized the need for the nation to support the players spiritually while they play their role on the pitch.

    “The spirit is high in the team and they can’t wait to do the job. Calabar is hot. the Eagles are ready to fly. I am here to support and encourage and motivate them. Lets pray for them,three points no stopping,” he submitted on twitter Friday.

    Meanwhile, Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke has received ovation from soccer fans following his decision to slash the fee for the N1,000 popular side to N500.

    Fans, who bared their minds shortly after the governor made the announcement, said it is enough motivation to troop out in large numbers to support the team which they noted has now adopted Calabar as their ground. While the fans deferred on the number of goals that will be scored today, they nonetheless were unanimous that the Eagles will come out victorious.

     

     

  • Enyeama confesses: Eagles know what is at stake

    Enyeama confesses: Eagles know what is at stake

    Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama insists the Stephen Keshi tutored-side will play with their hearts to get a deserving victory against the Flames of Malawi in today’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the U.J.Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

    The Lille of France shot-stopper told Sportinglife at the team’s Transcorp Hotel base that squad members are aware of the importance of the game and will not take anything for granted.

    ‘For me, everybody in the team knows what is at stake for the match. We are not praying to lose the game. We will go there to win the game. My prediction of the match is that Nigeria will win and Malawi will lose,’ Enyeama said.

    The former Enyimba FC of Aba goal tender, who has don 80 caps for the national team, hinted that he feels honoured to stand in for Joseph Yobo as the Eagles’ captain.

    ‘It is a big honour for me to stand in for Joseph Yobo. He is a good friend and wonderful person. It is a prestige for me to step into his shoes.’

     

  • Oduamadi ready to strike

    Oduamadi ready to strike

    Brescia winger, Nnamdi Oduamadi wants a chance to play as a striker for Nigeria in today’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Malawi in Calabar.

    Oduamadi made his name playing as a winger for Nigeria’s under 23 team and was also drafted in the same position at his former club in Italy, Varese.

    The 23-year-old, however, seems to have added a new dimension to his game as he scored a hattrick in Nigeria’s opening game at the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil against minnows, Tahiti. He was drafted to play as a striker in the Super Eagles’ first full training session on Thursday and the attacker says he will like to be saddled with similar responsibilities today.

    “After the Confederations Cup in Brazil, the coach (Stephen Keshi) saw something in me. He asked me to play just behind the top striker. He told me I am doing very well. Usually, I operate from the left but if the coach wants me to play from the middle, I will gladly do it,” Oduamadi exclusively told supersport.com on Friday.

    Oduamadi who scored in Nigeria’s last game in Calabar; a 1-1 draw against Kenya’s Harambee Stars will want a repeat against Malawi’s Flames today.

    “I still remember that match against Kenya. The tension was unbelievable and I had to come in as a second half substitute. The emotions that went through my body after I scored were just unbelievable.

    “I want to score again but this time, I pray the game does not end in a draw,” he said.

    Oduamadi has scored four goals in seven appearances for Nigeria.

  • Emenike vows goal rush

    Emenike vows goal rush

    Emmanuel Emenike has told MTNFootball.com he cannot wait to explode in today’s World Cup qualifier against Malawi.

    Emenike, who has not featured for the Eagles since the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, said: “I cannot wait to explode in tomorrow’s game.

    “I’m really looking forward to the game because I have missed the Super Eagles, my colleagues, the team and the fans.

    “We are in high spirit as you can see with the players in camp and we are battle ready. We know what is at stake, we need only a draw to qualify but we will be going for all three points.

    “We have respect for the Malawians, but we know what we want. I just appeal to the fans to come out in numbers and paint the stadium green and white and I assure you they would not be disappointed,” Emenike added.

    The Fenerbache striker last played for Nigeria in the semi-finals of the AFCON against Mali in Durban, where he picked up a long-term hamstring injury.

    He also missed the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil after he suffered a long-term knee injury at Russian club Spartak Moscow.

  • Amuneke to Eagles: Don’t disappoint Nigerians

    Amuneke to Eagles: Don’t disappoint Nigerians

    • Says players should count  themselves lucky to represent nation

    Ex-international Emmanuel Amuneke has urged the Super Eagles to make Nigerians proud with empathic victory against Malawi in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the U.J.Esuene Stadium, Calabar, today.

    Amuneke, who was part of the ’94 squad that got the first ever World Cup tickets for the nation at the USA 94, advised the Eagles not to underrate their opponents.

    ‘For Malawi to be at this stage, it means they are as good as the Eagles too. We should not neglect them. We should respect them and be prepared for the game. The most important thing is to get the draw or win the game. Qualifying to the next stage of the competition is very important.

    ‘’At this stage of our football, the boys must be more serious in what they are doing. They must know why they are here. They must count themselves lucky to wear the Green and White jersey. Out of over 150 million Nigerians, you are called to represent your count; it is a pride and they should honour that pride and make people proud. A lot of people will come to the stadium on Saturday and they should not disappoint them.’’

    The Golden Eaglets assistant coach also admonished the team not to drag themselves with mind games with the Malawians.

    ‘For me, Eagles should not drag themselves in the mind games with Malawi. Malawi are trying to unsettle the Eagles with their mind game. Every coach, every team always come up with mind games to distract their opponents. It now depends on how prepared the team is ahead of the game. The Eagles should be ready for the game.

    ‘There have been lots of words between Keshi and the Malawi coach. It is Saturday’s results that will determine the best side.’’

  • ‘Eagles ‘ll play as a team’

    ‘Eagles ‘ll play as a team’

    SC Heerenveen of Holland forward, Uche Nwofor has said today’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against the Flames of Malawi will be collective efforts.

    The Super Eagles new-kid on the block, who scored a brace in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in last month’s Mandela Challenge friendly, told SportingLife that Eagles victory today won’t be on individual basis.

    ‘We will play like a team against Malawi today. We hope to get victory as a team. The game is not about individual players but the entire team. It is important to play as a team and win the game together as a team. I know it is not going to be an easy game because every nation now wants to play the African champions. I know Malawi will come out fighting but we will get the victory by God’s grace.”

  • Enyeama, Mikel lead Eagles

    Enyeama, Mikel lead Eagles

    • Igiebor starts, Oduamadi, Ogu starts from the bench
    • Egwueke is only home based in the starting eleven

    Super Eagles stand-in Captain Vincent Enyeama will today lead his team against the Flames of Malawi while influential midfield generalismo Mikel Obi will take full charge of proceedings from the midfield, this much SportingLife gathered from the Eagles camp sources.

    In-form Real Betis midfielder, Nosa Igiebor SportingLife gathered is a hot contender to start ahead of Portugal based midfielder John Ogu.

    Also, Ogu and Nnamdi Oduamadi have not helped their case of starting ahead Igiebor since both of them arrived on Thursday and have not had enough training sessions with the other players in the team.

    Also, unlike Moses who hit Calabar camp early, Oduamadi did not, a reason why he would have to be on the bench while the newly recruited Liverpool wing attacker Moses starts today against the Flames of Malawi.

    Unlike before when the Super Eagles presented at least three to four home based players in the starting eleven, only Warri Wolves Captain, Azubuike Egwueke is expected to start the match while Sunday Mba would be introduced later.

    Fenerbahce striker, Emmanuel Emenike as expected will lead the attack of the Eagles while supplies would come from the wings from CSK Moscow pacy attacker Ahmed Musa and Liverpool new recruit Victor Moses.

  • Echeijele screams: We’ll answer Malawi on the pitch

    Echeijele screams: We’ll answer Malawi on the pitch

    •Urges Nigerians to cheer the team

    Sporting Braga of Portugal defender, Elderson Echeijele has told Nigerians to expect good game from the Super Eagles when they face Flames of Malawi in a World Cup qualifying match at the U.J.Esuene Stadium, Calabar on Saturday.

    Echeijele told SportingLife the team will give their best during the match while calling on Nigerians to come en mass to the stadium to cheer the team on Saturday.

    “Nigeria should expect good game from us on Saturday. We are going to do our best in the game and get good results. We need Nigerians support on Saturday. They should come and cheer us to victory and pray for us too. We will do what they expected from us and by the grace of God we will get good results.

    “It is normal for Malawians to be talking tough ahead of the game. I think they are doing that to psyche themselves up for the game. We will keep our focus and not be distracted with what they are saying. We will talk to them on the pitch on Saturday. What is important to us is the victory not what they are saying about the game,’’ Echeijele said.

    Echeijele missed two Eagles training session before he joined the team on Wednesday evening but he said it won’t affect team’s preparation.

    “It depends on the kind of games we want to play. We’ve been playing together before today. We planned to arrive in the camp early too but due to some difficulty we missed some training session. I don’t think this will have negative effect on the team. We are all professional and we know what we are doing. And the coaching crew know what the best for the team is.”

  • Eagles will triumph, TomTom brags

    Eagles will triumph, TomTom brags

    •Offers $5,000 for MVP

    TomTom, the Official Candy of the Nigeria’s football teams, has assured Nigerians that the Super Eagles will fly over the Flames of Malawi in their crucial FIFA Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifier in Calabar on Saturday.

    In a statement by Vincent Emokpaire, Category Brand Manager, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, TomTom expressed confidence in the ability of the African Champions to qualify for the next round of the World Cup qualifiers at the expense of the Malawians and ultimately pick one of the five available tickets for Africa to the World Cup.

    “The Super Eagles have all it takes to overrun their Malawian counterparts in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday. Their performance so far and the zeal with which they have approached their matches in their quest to hoist the country’s flag at the World Cup leave no one in doubt that they will not disappoint their teeming fans by picking the three points at stake to progress to the next stage and finally clinching the World Cup ticket,” Emokpaire said.

    He advised the players not to underrate Malawi but play as a team and work hard to get the desired result that would put smiles on the faces of Nigerians. He urged Nigerians to troop out to the stadium on Saturday to give maximum support to the team, maintaining that on its part, TomTom, the number one fan of the national teams, is ever ready to provide support that would make them achieve results that bring soothing relief to millions of soccer loving Nigerians.

    Emokpaire announced that TomTom is offering $5,000 for the Most-Valuable-Player of the match to motivate the players to put in their best to win the game.

    He said: “As a True Fan of the national teams, TomTom introduced the Most Valuable Player Award, among other initiatives, to promote healthy competition among the players and stimulate them to put in their best to ensure success in all their games.”

    TomTom has been at the forefront of providing support for the various Nigerian teams through different initiatives. In addition to the Most Valuable Player Award, TomTom introduced Shots-on-Target award to spur the squads to produce goals and win matches during competitions.