The Nation Newspaper

Tag: friendly

  • Nigeria vs Italy international friendly: Ogbonna may start for the Azzurri

    Nigeria vs Italy international friendly: Ogbonna may start for the Azzurri

    Cesare Prandelli has opted to select an experimental Italian team for his side’s clash with Nigeria tonight.

    The Azzurri face Stephen Keshi’s men in an international friendly at Fulham’s Craven Cottage tonight and the 56-year-old Italian will look to use a host of relatively untried players for the game.

    Prandelli had named a 28-man strong squad ahead of matches with Germany and Nigeria, and after the 1-1 draw with Germany on Friday, he said he plans to use today’s game as a chance to rotate his squad.

    Among those likely to start are Italy-born Nigerian Angelo Ogbonna, reserve goalkeeper Federico Marchetti, Zenit Saint Petersburg defender Domenico Criscito and Parma’s Marco Parolo.

    Ogbonna replaced Barzagli against Germany, while Criscito played after a year’s absence in the same match. Parolo has made only one appearance for Italy.

    Italy won the only previous encounter between the two sides, when they beat the Super Eagles 2-1 in the second round of the 1994 World Cup.

  • International friendly: Oboabona doubtful

    International friendly: Oboabona doubtful

    • Barzagli out

    Super Eagles defender Godfrey Oboabona is an injury doubt for today’s international friendly clash against the Azzurri of Italy after leaving Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Ethiopia on a stretcher on Saturday.

    On the Italians’ side, Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli is out of the game and at risk for Livorno after an injury against Germany.

    The centre-back limped off after clutching his thigh during Saturday night’s 1-1 international friendly at the San Siro.

    He was sent back to Turin rather than make the trip to London with the rest of the Azzurri side for tonight’s game against Nigeria.

    “Andrea Barzagli, who left the field towards the end of last night’s Italy v Germany game due to muscular discomfort in his left thigh, has undergone an MRI scan this afternoon in Turin which has revealed a pectineus muscle strain.

    “The extent of the injury will be assessed over the coming days,” read a statement from the Juventus website.

    Both sides have secured their place at next year’s FIFA World Cup, with this match offering them an opportunity to set the tone for next year.

    The respective mangers will be free to tinker with their line-ups in London as they begin preparations for Brazil.

    Nigeria will have to consider a replacement for Oboabona, while Italy will look to cover for Barzagli.

    The Super Eagles were unbeaten in all eight matches of their World Cup qualifying campaign. They topped Group F to set up a contest against Ethiopia in the mandatory playoffs.

    The men from west Africa won with a 4-1 aggregate score, after beating Ethiopia 2-1 away in the first leg and 2-0 in the return leg played on home-soil on Saturday. Goals by Victor Moses and Victor Obinna cemented their place in the showpiece.

    While Nigeria played their CAF play-off, the Azzurri tested themselves against Germany at the San Siro.

    AC Milan right-back Ignazio Abate cancelled Mats Hummels’ goal to secure a 1-1 draw and maintain Italy’s record of having not lost to the Germans since 1995.

  • Burkina Faso friendly for Walya

    Ethiopia’s Walya Ibex are set to play an international friendly against Burkina Faso between November 4 and 5.

    The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) confirmed the friendly ahead of their return leg against African Champions Nigeria in Calabar where they will be hoping to overcome a 1-2 home loss.

    The EFF had been talking to Cameroon to try and organise a friendly but the same had not yet been confirmed by the normalisation committee.

    “It is true we are planning a top friendly against Burkina Faso away to enable the team to prepare against Nigeria”an official at the EFF told supersport.com

    Burkina Faso beat Algeria 3-2 in another World Cup 2014 play off and will be using the friendly to prepare ahead of the return match.

  • Egypt seek Nigeria friendly ahead Ghana clash

    The Pharaohs of Egypt are looking at the possibility of playing Nigeria’s Super Eagles in a friendly ahead of their World Cup qualifying playoff return leg against Ghana.

    Ghana have taken a 6-1 lead in the first leg played in Kumasi, and the North African country are seeking to turn the table around in the return leg scheduled for Cairo on November 19.

    Chief executive Tharwat Sweilam said the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) had also contacted several other national teams to arrange a friendly next month.

    “We also have an invitation from Zambia to play a friendly on November 14. We will consider the offer, he added.

    The Pharaohs are clinging to a slim hope of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1990, having been hammered by Ghana 6-1 in a first-leg in Kumasi.

    The lack of domestic football due to the Premier League’s cancellation for the second successive season has left Egypt coach Bob Bradley with no choice but to resort to some low-key friendly matches to prepare his side.

  • ITALY VS NIGERIA FRIENDLY: Eagles return for Gabriel Reuben, Sone Aluko

    ITALY VS NIGERIA FRIENDLY: Eagles return for Gabriel Reuben, Sone Aluko

    Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has hinted on a recall for Dynamo Kiev midfielder Lukman Haruna, Gabriel Reuben and Sone Aluko. The players are expected to return ahead of next month’s friendly against Italy in London.

    “In every department of the team, we need competition and we need players who can bring that competition. If Lukman is doing so well, we will bring him in,” Keshi disclosed.

    “We have people like (Gabriel) Rueben and Sone Aluko, who are doing well too, so why not, we will bring all of them in? They are all Nigerians and they want to play, so it’s a blessing for me and for the team.”

    Lukman, who has represented Nigeria at U-17, U-20 and Olympic team levels, has been in fine form this season, averaging a-goal-a-game for his Ukrainian club. His club mate, Brown Ideye, has already asked for his recall. He last featured for Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

    Defensive midfielder, Reuben has battled with long-term groin injury after he established himself in the core of the Eagles’ under Keshi. He is believed to be close to full fitness after his move to Scottish club Kilmarnock.

    Hull City forward Aluko was called up by Keshi at the start of his tenure as coach two years ago, but he has yet to enjoy regular invitations ever since.

  • Jordan Friendly: Keshi says no sentiments, praises NFF

    Jordan Friendly: Keshi says no sentiments, praises NFF

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has said there will be no sentiments in the selection process of the players who will make the final cut for the international friendly against the Jordanian national team between the old and the new invited players.

    Keshi, who spoke in Abuja, said the match to him is like a World Cup qualifier or even a final and it effectively kick-starts preparation for the CHAN 2014 championship that will be hosted in South Africa in January, thus praising the NFF for the vision of quick preparation. Keshi spoke through team scribe, Dayo Enebi Achor.

    Achor also advised all players that in the spirit of non-partisanship in selection, they should come to the Bolton White Apartment camp of the team in Abuja with their valid international passports as only the best will be picked for the Jordan trip. By the team’s programme, the Eagles are expected to stay in camp for the next ten days before jetting out by October 26 for the friendly against Jordan in the capital city of Amman.

    Keshi has listed 28 players for the 10-days camp but only 18 players will make it to Jordan and the Achor has said the team’s management is excited with the support that it is getting from the Nigeria Football Federation in the early days of preparation for the CHAN tourney.

    “We must to thank the NFF for this early call to start camping for the tournament because at the end of the day, this is what counts and the coaching crew and the entire staff of the Super Eagles are totally excited about the development”, Achor said.

  • Balotelli, Pirlo, Buffon battle Eagles in London

    Balotelli, Pirlo, Buffon battle Eagles in London

    • Nigeria, Italy friendly billed for Nov.18

    Mario Balotelli and the duo of Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon will be among the Azzurri stars that will battle African champions, Nigeria in an international friendly game to be held in London.

    The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) made this known Sunday after Emmanuel Emenike shot Nigeria a step ahead to next year’s World Cup in Brazil, after he scored a brace in the 2-1 victory over Ethiopia in a play-off game in Addis Ababa.

    The federation further revealed that the friendly against Nigeria has been fixed for November 18.

    However, the November 18 date will be two days after Nigeria’s 2nd leg play-off game against Ethiopia in Calabar.

    Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport announced: “We are pleased to confirm a top international friendly match, against world’s number four, Italy, on the 18th November, 2013 at Fulham’s Craven Cottage.

    The match will kick off at 7.45pm.

    “We are also happy to confirm a match for our Super Eagles home team against Jordan in Omman on October 28. This match will serve Jordan to prepare for their World Cup play off match against Uruguay and will also help Nigeria to prepare for next year’s African Nations Championship.”

  • 3SC smash FirstBank in friendly

    3SC smash FirstBank in friendly

    Shooting Stars of Ibadan were 3-1 better than Lagos lower league side, as the Oluyole Warriors round up their preparations for the new Nigeria Premier League season which will kick off early in March.

    The Ibadan side, who have been on a winning spree as the long Nigerian football close season stretched out, took a 15th minute lead through Seun Akinyemi.

    Moses Ogaga added a second five minutes later, and Olabisi Samuel completed a first half rout with a third on 31 minutes.

    The Oluyole Warriors then took their foots off the pedal, as coach Akeem Busari made a wholesale changes for the second stanza, in his continuing efforts to ensure that the whole team is ready for the new season.

    First Bank pulled a goal back in the second half, to bring a bit of respectability to the score line.

  • JANUARY 9 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Eagles, Cape Verde warm-up sealed

    JANUARY 9 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Eagles, Cape Verde warm-up sealed

    NIGERIA have finalised plans for an AFCON warm-up with surprise 2013 finalists Cape Verde on January 9 in Portugal, officials said.

    “The match will be played the same day coach Stephen Keshi will announce his final 23-man squad for the Nations Cup,” disclosed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) spokesman Ademola Olajire. It will be the first such clash between the two countries. Cape Verde shocked out mighty Cameroon to qualify for their first-ever AFCON. The Eagles other test game will be against Catalonia on January 2 in Spain.

    Following Keshi’s meeting with the NFF technical committee, chairman Chris Green said that nine players from the Nigeria Premier League will travel to Portugal to be joined by 10 overseas-based professionals for the clash with Catalonia.

    Officials said they are hopeful that the rest of foreign-based call-ups will join the squad latest January 4.

  • 2013 AFCON: Cape Verde friendly for Eagles

    2013 AFCON: Cape Verde friendly for Eagles

    Nigeria have opened discussions with shock 2013 AFCON finalists Cape Verde over a warm-up game before the tournament in South Africa.

    Officials told MTNFootball.com that this game would prepare both teams for the Nations Cup.

    “We have opened discussion with several countries with Cape Verde on top of the list,” the top official said.

    “We want the Eagles to play a top African opponent before the Nations Cup. You already are aware that Angola have indicated interest to play us before the tournament. The friendly is planned for Portugal as both countries would be camping in Faro.”

    Both Nigeria and Cape Verde have yet to clash at full international level.

    AFCON debutants Cape Verde, who sensationally eliminated four-time champions Cameroon, are in Group A along with hosts South Africa, Angola and Morocco. The West African islanders open the 2013 AFCON on January 19 in Johannesburg against Bafana.

    The Eagles, on the other hand, are in Group B with Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. This proposed game is expected to be the Eagles’ final warm up match for the Nations Cup.

    Nigeria’s Nations Cup training camp will open in the second week of December in Faro, Portugal.