Attacking midfielder, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu has described as not career threatening the right ankle injury he picked in the clash against Nasarawa United.
“Yes, the injury is a fresh one on my right ankle picked in the clash against Nasarawa United in Calabar. It happened in the first half as I was unable to continue with the game . I feared the worst injury as I was not able to move without 100% support but now I move around as it was not as serious as early feared.
“The wound is being treated first while I will later undergo a scan test to crosscheck the bones. I feel quite strong on the leg right now not to entertain any fear of fracture. I’m not sure that I will stay off the pitch beyond two weeks, my response to treatment is heart-warming.
“Besides, I do not want any form of injury in the on-going top-flight, I want to play regularly. I’m eager to come back to the pitch to contribute my quota to the success of Enyimba,” said the former Heartland and Warri Wolves goal poacher to supersport.com.
The Nigerian star was a second half substitute in his side’s 2-1 win against the Solid Miners in top-flight matchday 5 clash at adopted ground, UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.
Ibenegbu will be a sore miss in the side’s top-flight matchday 6 clash at El Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri on Sunday.
Tag: Ikechukwu Ibenegbu
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Ikechukwu Ibenegbu:Injury not career threatening
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Ibenegbu to miss Copa Lagos, Beach Soccer AFCON
Super Sand Eagles star, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu will not be available for this year’s edition of the annual global beach soccer tournament, Copa Lagos and the 2016 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations.
Organised by Kinetic Sports, the Copa Lagos will hold on the 11th December at Eko Atlantic City, while the Beach Soccer Nations Cup, a championship of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will hold in Lagos at the same venue from 13-18 December.
Head coach of the Nigeria’s beach soccer team, Coach Audu Adamu informed NationSport that Ibenegbu is not fully recovered from the injury he sustained during the just concluded Nigeria Professional Football League, while two players have been called up to the team’s Lagos training camp in Badagry..
“We have been in camp for two weeks now and we are having a good preparation here in Badagry. It is not like those times we had 8-10 days preparations before the national team go for competitions. So we are physically and mentally fit as we are here. The only thing we need is encouragement.
“Everybody is in camp now, only Ibenegbu is not here because he got injured during the league. Maybe he will join us when we qualify. I have called Victor Tale from Kogi Confluence Beach Soccer and Lukman Ibrahim from KADA Beach Soccer Kaduna,” Adamu informed NationSport.
The Super Sand Eagles will battle the National beach soccer team of Switzerland in the final game of the Copa Lagos before facing Egypt, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in Group A of the Beach AFCON. Defending champions Madagascar will battle Libya, Morocco and Senegal in Group B.
The Beach AFCON will serve as Africa’s qualifying event for the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup taking place in The Bahamas. -
Ikechukwu Ibenegbu: Beating Zamalek crucial for Enyimba
Enyimba attacking midfielder, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu has said victory is crucial against Egyptian giants, Zamalek SC.
Ibenegbu said though the Egyptian opposition will be tough, his side are determined to commence their group campaign on a winning note.
“I think three points are crucial notwithstanding the goal margin though one will not overlook the chance to win convincingly. If you win your matches the number of goals picked up in the race will be meaningless, so our match plan is to win our matches starting with the clash against Zamalek on Sunday.
“The quality of Zamalek is not in doubt to football followers on the continent, they are experienced and tough. Already we have it at the back of our minds that no match will be cheap at this stage of the competition.
“We are not minnows or newcomers to the terrain, we will take the match to them to ensure we grab the maximum points. We have done our homework and hope that everything will turn out well on matchday,” said the former Heartland and Warri Wolves ace to supersport.com.
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CHAN: Ibenegbu, Matthew dazzle in Eagles’ training
Established Nigeria league campaigner, Ikechukwu “Mosquito” Ibenegbu and emerging star Ifeanyi Matthew have been impressing in the Super Eagles training camp ahead of next weekend’s African Nations Championship in Rwanda.
Officials told africanFootball.com that other players who have impressed in the Eagles training camp in Pretoria, South Africa, are Olympic Team midfielder, Usman Mohammed and little known Shooting Stars midfielder, Ibrahim Salawu.
Ibenegbu scored the Eagles’ goal against Angola in Thursday’s friendly in Pretoria and his overall contribution in the midfield has won him the admiration of coach Sunday Oliseh.
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Ibenegbu unfazed by Super Six defeats
Warri Wolves midfielder, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu has said his side are not disappointed following two successive defeats at the ongoing Super Six tournament in Abuja.
The Seasiders were caged 1-2 by the Dream Team V1 on match day one while they further conceded 0-1 defeat to Federation Cup winners, Enyimba on Monday at the main bowl of Abuja National Stadium.
Ifeanyi George scored from the penalty spot to hand the People’s Elephant their first win of the tournament.
Ibenegbu said the focus for his side is not to win the pre-season tournament but to cash in on the event to prepare for the continental assignment against Burkinabe side, Racing Club de Bobo-Dioullasso.
“We just resumed for the season barely four days prior to the commencement of the Super Six tournament, so our match fitness is not yet 100%. However, we don’t consider the tournament a do-or-die affair, rather it’s a platform that will enable us prepare for our continental assignment.
“We’ve new and old players in our midst so if the tournament helps us to blend and understand ourselves the event would be considered a huge success even though we end up not winning it.
“I think we improved against Enyimba compared with our performance against the Under-23 team. So we’re not disappointed with our performances so far in the tournament, I know we’ll achieve our aim as the tournament progresses,” said the Nigerian playmaker to supersport.com.
Ibenegbu is however optimistic his side will perform better against the Under-20 team on Wednesday.
“We’re quite hopeful that Wednesday’s clash against the Under-20 side will be a far better match. Winning is okay but that won’t be our priority when we line up to engage the side.
“We have our own agenda and vision for participating in the tournament and I’m positive it’ll be reality at the end of the day,” said the former Heartland star.
The ongoing tournament is put together by the League Management Company (LMC) to prepare the sides for their respective African assignments.
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Wolves get Ibenegbu boost
Glo Premier League side Warri Wolves received a boost during the week as attacking midfielder Ikechukwu Ibenegbu returned from a long injury layoff he sustained in Bizerte, Tunisia, in the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup and will be available for selection at Lobi Stars in today’s match day 12 duel at the Emmanuel Atongo Stadium in Katsina-Ala.
Ibenegbu, popularly known as Mosquito, will thus feature for the first time for the Seasiders in the domestic league and this will help the team in no small way as they look forward to consolidate their position in the league.
Wolves departed for Katsina-Ala on Monday and Ibenegbu, who is a member of the national beach soccer team, expressed his joy that he is back in action to help his team.
The former Heartland midfielder, who switched to Warri Wolves at the beginning of the ongoing season, said he is also happy to return to Warri Wolves just a few days before the side will play hosts to two-time Federation Cup winners Heartland on Sunday at the Warri Township Stadium.
“I’m happy to be back to play in the league. Football is what I know and to be on the sideline nursing an injury is something one cannot stand, but I thank God that I’m back to help my team.
“I’m also aware that we’re playing Heartland on Sunday and for me it’s going to be an interesting match.
“I spent quite some time with that team and to play against them will be fantastic,” said the Nigerian playmaker.
Ibenegbu also praised his teammates for all their good work as the team currently occupies the sixth place in the Nigerian top flight on 17 points.
He believes the team can do even more: “I’m happy that they were able to get where they are in the league. They’ve done well and I know we can still do more. If the coach picks me I will do my best to lift the team,” said Ibenegbu.
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Heartland players extend stay
Most of the players of Heartland of Owerri have shown their readiness to remain with the Naze Millionaires after close to 22 that were retained from last season’s purge committed their future to the club for another season.
Heartland Chairman, Fan Ndubuoke told SportingLife that 20 players were asked to seek jobs elsewhere from the 43 players on their payroll last season.
Ndubuoke hinted that most of the players that featured for Heartland last season and have been linked with other clubs are those dropped from the team for various offences.
He hinted that with the exemption of Ikechukwu Ibenegbu who has asked to leave the Owerri side and Chinedu Efugh who is yet to sign a new deal, all the others have all complied and extended their stay with the Naze Millionaires.
Ndubuoke noted that players of the clubs that are owed signing on fees and other emoluments have been told they would be settled based on the arrangements they have with the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.
The former Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)’s national president said that with the abolition of the signing on fees for an enhanced salary structure, the incessant strike actions will cease.
Heartland ended last Premier League season in 11th spot with 52 points from 38 matches. They also surrendered their back-to-back Federation Cup success at the quarter finals stage to Akwa United in Kaduna.