The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FIFA World Cup

  • Brazil 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP: Nigeria train in Houston

    Brazil 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP: Nigeria train in Houston

    •March 5 Mexico friendly confirmed 

    african champions Nigeria will train in Houston, USA, for the 2014 World Cup, top officials have announced.

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has proposed the team train in either Miami or Houston for the World Cup, but top Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official, Chris Green, has now disclosed the country has settled for Houston.

    “Nigeria will train for the World Cup in Houston. We want to make a statement at our fifth World Cup and so we have to prepare adequately,” Green said.

    Nigeria will open the training camp on May 25. Nigeria will also face Mexico in a World Cup warm-up in Houston on March 5.

    Green also said the team plan four other friendlies before their first match against Iran. Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina are the other teams in Group F along with the Eagles.

  • FIFA 2014 WORLD CUP: Maradona boasts; Argentina’ll be too strong for Nigeria

    FIFA 2014 WORLD CUP: Maradona boasts; Argentina’ll be too strong for Nigeria

    • Bosnia, Iran too

    Argentine’s football legend, Diego Armando Maradona believes the will be too strong for Nigeria’s Super Eagles in next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    The South American giants are expected to parade the likes of Lionel Messi, Aguero, Di Maria amongst other top players and the 53-year-old former Argentina international has no doubts that Messi and company will beat the Eagles, and other group F opponents – Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran.

    “I do not see any team in Group F beating us. We are too strong for them.

    “We are going to win our third World Cup. It is going to happen again in Brazil. Argentina will be champions of the world, but they are going to have to fight against the ‘Morochos’ (Brazil). “They (Brazil) are very tough. The success of 1986 will be repeated and it will be in Brazil,” he said.

    Speaking further, Maradona considers host Brazil alongside Germany and the Netherlands to be difficult opponents.

    “Germany and Holland are in good shape, Italy not so much and Spain are getting bored of their own tactics. They go forward and forward, but cannot convert,” Maradona was quoted as saying by tycsports.com.

    Argentina won all previous three matches against Nigeria at World Cup.

    The Eagles will clash with Argentina in one of the final matches of Group F on June 25.

  • 2014 FIFA World Cup: NFF confirms semi-final target

    2014 FIFA World Cup: NFF confirms semi-final target

    With proper preparations for the 2014 World Cup set to start in March, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reiterated that the semi final target for the Super Eagles remains.

    Director of competitions at the NFF, Mohamed Sanusi (Ph.D) added that negotiating the group stage shouldn’t be a problem for the Eagles.

    “If we are to go back to history, one will notice that the odds are on our side because the last time we played Argentina in our opening game at the World Cup resulted in a loss and we did not eventually qualify out of the group. But the two times that we did not play them in our opening game and won, we made it out of the preliminary stages.

    “As it is now, we will beat Iran and Bosnia to qualify from the group stage and get to the semi-final,” Sanusi maintained.

  • Brazil 2014: Nigeria to meet Argentina again

    Brazil 2014: Nigeria to meet Argentina again

    … Ghana lands in tricky group

    … Brazil meets Croatia in opening match

     Nigeria and Argentina will square up again at next year FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    The African champions were paired in group F alongside the South American giants at a colourful ceremony held at Costa Do Sauipe Bahia, Salvador, Brazil, on Friday evening.

    Nigeria had confronted Argentina at three previous editions of the FIFA World Cup. The two countries met in 1994, 2002 and 2010 with the South Americans prevailing on each occasion.

    Other countries in the group are Iran and debutants Bosnia Herzegovina.

    Brazil and Croatia will play the opening match of the tournament on June 12 in Sao Paolo.

    The draw in full:

    Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

    Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

    Group C: Colombia, Greece, Cote d’Ivoire, Japan

    Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

    Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

    Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

    Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA

    Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic

     

     

  • 2014 FIFA World Cup: Tambuwal wants early preparations

    2014 FIFA World Cup: Tambuwal wants early preparations

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has has charged soccer administrators in the country to ensure that the Super Eagles team prepares for the 2014 FIFA World Cup early.

    In a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Imam Imam, Tambuwal, while congratulating the players and handlers of the Super Eagles of Nigeria for securing a ticket to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, said an early preparation would ensure the necessary impact in the global tournament.

    According to the Speaker, with the experience of the team, they can go all the way and lift the trophy for the first time.

    “It is time an African side lifts the trophy, and I am confident that we can be the first African side to win the trophy for the continent,” Tambuwal said.

  • Turkish club hooks F/Eagles star Aminu

    Turkish club hooks F/Eagles star Aminu

    Nigeria U-20 star Umar Aminu has joined Turkish second division team Samsunspor.

    A reliable source in Turkey told MTNFootball.com that the striker agreed to play for Samsunspor despite various other interests.

    “Aminu has agreed to join Samsunspor. They will finalise the deal soonest,” the source told MTNFootball.com

    Aminu, who was top scorer at the 2013 AYC and scored two goals at the FIFA World Cup in Turkey, was on the verge of joining Denilzspor, but decided to join Samsunspor.

    Samsunspor President Snow said, “Nigeria U-20 player Umar Aminu has agreed on everything.

    “The major problem was to get three foreign players. We have sealed the deal with the Nigeria U-20 striker Umar Aminu, we are still negotiating with Joseph Attamah, Ghana U-20 star. And we are also talking with Poland striker Marcin Robak. This is in agreement with the players to fill the quota for foreign players.”

    The Samsunspor hierarchy sees the Wikki Tourists star as the new Daniel Amokachi.

    A representative of the player further told MTNFootball.com: “That is where the player says he wishes to play. He has made his decision.”

    Aminu is expected to sign the dotted lines this week after passing a medical.

     

  • I’ll be ready for Malawi’s match- Joel Obi

    I’ll be ready for Malawi’s match- Joel Obi

    Super Eagles and Inter Milan attacking midfielder, Joel Obi, has assured Nigerian soccer fans that he would be ready for September 5 World Cup qualifying game against the Flames of Malawi in Abuja.

    Speaking with The NationSport in an exclusive chat from his base in Italy on Thursday, former Ebedei United starlet, said he has passed through all the necessary steps for recovery and would rejoin Inter for pre-season training on July 10.

    The player is particularly happy that he has a brighter chance of getting involved in Nigeria’s quest to secure one Africa’s tickets for next year’s mundial in Brazil.

    “Firstly I want to thank God Almighty for helping me to see through the recovery process. The injury has stopped me from playing for my club and country for some time now.

    “I want to tell you especially that I would be rejoining my teammates for full training sessions in July 10. So that means I would be back fully on that day and I am really happy about this. It is not easy to pass through the process of recovery from injury but as a professional football player that is one of the things we must pass through. But the joy of rejoining my teammates in Inter really makes me happy,” he told our correspondent.

     

  • FIFA World Cup in Turkey Selection headache for Obuh

    FIFA World Cup in Turkey Selection headache for Obuh

    John Obuh and his assistant coaches of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will most likely face a selection headache as a result of fierce competition for places in the squad.

    Obuh is to announce a final 21-man squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup in Turkey on June 7.

    On Saturday, the 30-man provisional squad was divided into two for a thrilling two-a-side game, which ended 5-4 in favour of Team B led by skipper Abduljaleel Ajagun.

    Team B showed their intention to win this challenge match as early as the fourth minute, when goalkeeper Samuel Okani saved off striker Umar Aminu after he was set up by Ajagun.

    However, a minute later Okani was beaten when Croatia-based left back Jamilu Collins threaded a fine pass, from which Aminu found Ajagun to make hay.

    Olympiacos of Greece midfielder Michael Olaitan showed class and vision in the 10th minute, when his pass released Edafe Egbedi to slot past goalkeeper John Felegha for the equalising goal for Team A.

    Daddy Moses regained the lead for Team B on 25 minutes with a powerful shot that beat Okani hollow.

    But to underline the competitiveness of this encounter, Team A had a chance to draw level in the 37th minute, when Abubakar Hassan fouled goal-bound Olanrewaju Kayode for a penalty.

    However, striker Samuel Eduok’s penalty was saved by Felegha.

    Team B then increased their lead in first half stoppage time, when defender Ikechukwu Okorie put the ball into his own net after sustained pressure by the other team.

    Team A pulled a goal back two minutes after the restart through the forceful Edouk off a goalmouth scramble.

    But five minutes later, Ajagun headed home a fourth goal for his side.

    Substitute Christian Pyagbara extended this lead in the 57th minute, when his powerful shot from outside the box beat goalkeeper Sebastian Osigwe.

    Team A rallied back to bring scores to 5-3 when Samuel Matthias netted off a rebound from a Daddy Moses shot.

    Both teams lost scoring chances thereafter before Eduok made up for his misses to score for Team A in stoppage time.