Tag: FIFA World Cup

George hunts for Super Eagles’ victory against Benin  

Head Coach  Finidi George has admitted that the Super Eagles were condemned to win their 2026  FIFA World Cup Group C qualifier against Republic of  Benin today in Abidjan. 

“ We are going  to approach the game with all seriousness; the match against South Africa is gone, George said at his press briefing. “We have learnt from it and we just have to get ourselves to have that fantastic second half that we had (against South Africa) and if we can start that way, we would have a chance.” 

Lying in a strange fifth place in the six-team Group C after three rounds of matches, the Super Eagles know only a win against the Cheetahs this evening will keep them seriously in the hunt for a place at the World Cup finals to be jointly hosted by Canada, USA and Mexico in two years’ time.

 “We’re very much aware of why we are here and what we have to do,” George was quoted as saying as the Super Eagles contingent landed earlier  in Abidjan. “The players want to go to the World Cup and they have resolved to give their all in every game going forward. We had our opportunities against South Africa on Friday and should have won, but that is gone and we face another challenge now.

 “We have resolved not to look too far ahead in this race. The essence is to take it one match at a time. Benin Republic is in our front now, and we must deal with that squarely.”

Read Also: Hajj 2024: Pilgrimages to start returning to Nigeria June 22 – NAHCON

With only three points from their first three matches of the campaign, and going up against the Cheetahs who boast four points, the Eagles know they must fire on all cylinders and recreate the happy moments of the AFCON at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny – where they won all three matches played there during the Africa Cup of Nations finals earlier in the year.

Gabonese official Pierre Ghislain Atcho will be the referee for today’s encounter that commences at 4pm CIV time (5pm in Nigeria).

Ethiopian officials Temesgin Samuel Atango and Tigle Gizlaw Belachew will serve as assistant referees 1 and 2, while Cameroonian Antoine Max Effa Essouma will be fourth official.

Djamel Haimoudi from Algeria will be the referee assessor, with Burkinabe David Yameogo as commissioner and Ivorian Atte Claude Elloh as security officer.

The Super Eagles’ delegation to Abidjan  led by President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, included 23 players, technical and administrative officials, a few members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management, and a couple of media representatives. They flew aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft from the Obong Victor Attah Airport in Uyo and landed at the Aeroport Felix Houphouet-Boigny at noon on Sunday. 

Remo Stars  defender Ismaila Sodiq has vowed  to justify  his call up  to the Super Eagles  for  the 2026 FIFA World Cup double header against  South Africa  and  Republic of Benin.

Sodiq  is one of the three local-based players along with  Enugu Rangers’  Kenneth Igbokwe and Enyimba goalkeeper Ojo   Olorunleke  plucked  by coach  Finidi George from the StarTimes/Nigeria Professional Football League but the  20-year-old is confident  about what  he can do should he be handed  a  spot in the upcoming fixtures.

“It is new experience for me here and it will  a great privilege for me to learn one or two things from them (old Players), “ the  Remo Stars’ right back said in an interview with NFF TV. “Let me say, I didn’t actually expect  to be called to the national team but  now that I’m here ,  I have to  prove myself and make Nigerians proud .”

Read Also: Lagos is digitizing registration processes for hospitality sector, says commissioner

Regarded as one of the youngsters  with the  Sky Blue Stars, Sodiq  said  his  Super Eagles’ attracted elicited  so much  joy within the rank and file of the Ikenne-based outfit, adding he is at the ready to contribute towards  the success of the Super Eagles in the run up towards  the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

 “Everybody was so happy(about my invitation to the Super Eagles},” he revealed. “We were in Ilorin  for our game (against Kwara United) and there was celebration by everybody.”

On the assignment with the  Super Eagles, Sodiq  said  the coach George-led  understand the mission at hand  as Nigeria square up against  the visiting  Bafana Bafana of South Africa  at the Nest of Champions in Uyo on Friday  before heading to  Abidjan to face  neighbouring  Republic of Benin at the Felix Houphouet  Boigny  Stadium in Abidjan on Monday(June 10).

 “We  are not under any pressure ,” I’m always ready if they can give me the chance to play,” he affirmed. “ I will say we are going to the get the qualification for the World Cup.”

Republic of Benin’s German coach Gernot Rohr has enthused  about  the capability of his wards  to upstage  2026 FIFA World  Cup  African Zone Group C leaders Rwanda as The Cheetahs host the Amavubi on their adopted home ground  at the Felix Houphouet  Boigny  Stadium in Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire)  ahead  of their MatchDay 4 clash at the me venue  on Monday against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

After the opening  two matches of the qualifiers, Rwanda currently top the table on four points  and closely followed by three-point South Africa  while  Nigeria is third  with two points same as Lesotho  and Zimbabwe  with Benin occupying the rear of the group with just a point.

But Rohr who qualified  Nigeria to the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup  is yet again  dreaming  with the possibility of upstaging the apple cart  in  Group C with  The Cheetahs.    

Read Also: Toyin Abraham curses troll for asking about Tinubu’s ideas for Nigerians

“  We are already here in Abidjan  to prepare our game against Rwanda which is still the leader in our group with four points ,”  the vastly-travelled  Rohr who will be  71 on June 28, told NationSport from Abidjan. “Though we have one point , we would like to win this match of course so that we can be in front of them .

“ Sure we know it won’t be easy because  they have a good team  and we are going to miss one of our best  players, striker  Andreas Hountondji   but I think we are going to have a good team.”

The former Bayern Munich further  said The Cheetahs  would not be encumbered  with the  fact that they will be playing ‘home away from  home’ after  CAF rendered  their Cotonou ground unplayable.

“Though we are far away from Cotonou because our stadium has not been allowed to receive matches,  we  are trying to feel at home here  and we would have a good condition to play in this wonderful stadium,”  Rohr who had previously coached in Niger, Burkina Faso and Gabon equally said.

“ Our team is well motivated  and we still have a little chance to go to the World Cup  and this is also a dream for a country such as Benin. 

“ We need dreams  and we can then see what can happen in the second match .

“ But I will be happy to see my friends from Nigeria,“ added the former Bordeaux manager who had  a five-year stint  between  2016 and 2021 with the Super Eagles. 

Bassey, Onuachu, 3 others  swell camp

The atmosphere around the camp of African vice champions Nigeria has livened up even more as five players who were initially stranded in two different parts of the country as a result of the nationwide strike were ferried into Uyo yesterday.

Defenders Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Calvin Bassey, alongside midfielder Frank Onyeka and forward Paul Onuachu landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo just after noon aboard a private jet arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation, and were driven to the team’s Ibom Hotel and Resorts to meet up with team mates in time for lunch.

The arrival of the quintet who later trained  with the rest of the squad during the  closed-door training  in the evening,   brought the tally of players in camp to 20, three days to the Day 3 qualifying battle with the Bafana Bafana at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in the Akwa Ibom capital.

Read Also: Nigerian referee listed for 2024 WAFCON training

“ The Super Eagles moments  ago rounded off  their Tuesday’s evening training session  with 20 players. The five latest arrivals trained  extra,” Team Media Officer (TMO) Promise Efoghe  said .   

Nigeria and South Africa go toe-to-toe in a rematch of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations first semi-final, which the Super Eagles trumped 4-2 after penalty shootout at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.

Three-time African champions Nigeria, who have reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, missed out on the last house-party in Qatar, and after a sluggish start to the qualifiers, need all three points on offer to be in strong contention for the only ticket from Group C as the campaign drags on.

Rwanda are surprise leaders of the pool after two matchdays, on four points, with South Africa on three and Nigeria on two.

The 10-match series will end in October next year, with winners of the nine groups qualifying automatically for the finals in Canada, USA and Mexico.

The best four second-placed teams in all nine groups will contest a CAF Play-off Tournament, with the winner going ahead to contest a FIFA Play-off Tournament for another slot. 

World-governing body, FIFA has made changes to the officiating team of the 2026 World Cup qualifying match between Benin Republic and Nigeria which is scheduled for the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in the Ivorian capital on Monday, 10th June 2024.

The changes have sent packing Ethiopian official Bamlak Tessema Weyesa, who was originally designated as referee for the encounter scheduled to kick off at 4pm. In his place, Gabonese official Pierre Ghislain Atcho will now be the referee.

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 26: South Africa, Benin won’t  be easy for Super Eagles, says Rohr

Weyesa’s compatriots Temesgin Samuel Atango and Tigle Gizaw Belachew have been retained as assistant referee 1 and assistant referee 2 respectively. However, another Ethiopian, Tewodros Mitiku, earlier designated as fourth official, has been thrown out, replaced by Cameroonian Antoine Max Effa Essouma.

The originally-designated referee assessor, match commissioner and security officer retain their places in the Day 4 encounter that comes up only three days after the Super Eagles, Bafana Bafana clash at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo in a Day 3 battle.

Newly appointed  Head coach of the Super Eagles, Finidi George, is expected to release  his  squad for  next month’s FIFA World Cup 26 double header  against South Africa and Republic of Benin  next week.

Appointed   late last month  as  successor to the departed Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro  after serving briefly as the national team’s interim  coach in two friendly  against Ghana and Mali, George  has been  holding  crucial  meetings  over the last few days  in order to sort out the issue of  his assistants  as well as players  to prosecute  the upcoming  World Cup qualifiers.

Read Also:  FIFA World Cup 26: Finidi gets tips tor tricky upcoming ties

Nigeria have secured only  two points  from their opening two matches  following an identical 1-1  draw  at home against Lesotho  and away to Zimbabwe last November. With the Super Eagles trailing in third position behind  Rwanda (four points) and South Africa (three points),  the former Ajax Amsterdam winger is expected  to name a  strong squad  for next round of matches.

“Barring any last minute  changes, the Super Eagles for  the world Cup qualifiers  should be released next week,”  a reliable source at the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) told NationSports.

George’s  first set of call up as Super Eagles would certainly  include the usual suspects  including  the likes of  Victor Osimhen,  Lookman Ademola , Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Boniface , Alex Iwobi, Kenneth Omeruo, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali amongst others.

Already, the 52-year-old George has already proposed a  five-man technical crew  including  three  foreigners as well as  current goalkeeper  trainer Abideen Baruwa  and former international  Daniel Amokachi who is being touted as a second assistant.