The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Jordan

  • Intl friendly: Jordan pips Nigeria

    Intl friendly: Jordan pips Nigeria

    Nigeria lost 0-1 to Jordan in a lack luster friendly played on Monday in Amman, supersport.com reports.

    The Super Eagles fielded an all domestic team and hoped to use this as a tune up for the 2014 CHAN in South Africa.

    Jordan meanwhile used the game as preparation for the World Cup qualifier against Uruguay.

    The game was a ding dong affair that mostly unfolded in the midfield with each team occasionally breaking away to test the goal keepers.

    A rather questionable penalty called on Kano Pillars Ali finally broke the dead lock in the 42nd minute when captain Hatem sent  Chigozie Agbim the wrong way.

    The second half was more of the same with both teams looking sluggish and uncoordinated and though the Nigerians had ample chances they failed to convert even with the African Nations Cup hero Sunday Mba on the field.

     

     

  • Jordan re-jig squad for Eagles

    Jordan re-jig squad for Eagles

    Jordan national team coach Hossam Hassan has re-jigged his squad for today’s friendly match against the Super Eagles.

    The duo of Ahmad Hail and Udai Al Saifi who were previously part of the 25 players invited for the high profile friendly have since pulled out and have now been replaced with Udai Khader and Rakan Al Khaldi who have since reported to camp to join in last-minute preparations for the test match.

    Coach Hassan told the Jordanian Football Federation website that he is not surprised with the last-minute pull outs as he reckons that these kinds of situations are bound to happen for friendly matches outside the FIFA calendar.

    He added that the team is going through hard times because many players are missing through injury and suspension but they are still hopeful to compete for the ticket to reach the World Cup finals.

    The Jordanians rounded off training at the Petra Stadium yesterday.

  • JORDAN VS NIGERIA (4pm): No injury worries for Eagles

    JORDAN VS NIGERIA (4pm): No injury worries for Eagles

    • Team to play under floodlights

    • Players to wear all green

    There are no injury worries among the home-based Super Eagles players as they strive to beat Jordan tonight in an international friendly scheduled to begin at 6pm local but 4pm Nigeria time inside the sixty thousand capacity Amman International Stadium.

    SportingLife checks at the team’s camp in Jordan on Sunday night revealed that the players trained for 40 minutes on Sunday morning at their Regency Palace Hotel on Queen Aiya Street in Amman. The training session was handled by assistant coach Daniel Amokachi, with Stephen Keshi and other officials on the sidelines observing how the players responded.

    The players however trained again at 7pm yesterday at the match venue. The session saw the players doing more of slight jogging and stretching exercises to relax their tense muscles, with the team’s psychologist Robsinson Okosun taking them through some relaxation techniques geared towards conditioning them for the task ahead tonight in Amman.

    Disclosing this exclusively on telephone from Amman on Sunday, one of the officials stated: “We finally arrived at the team’s Regency Palace Hotel on Queen Aiya street, Amman by 7.55pm. We slept over in Dubai Friday night and connected another Emirates flight Saturday afternoon for Jordan which is two hours ahead of Nigeria.

    “Our evening training for yesterday (Saturday) had to be cancelled because of our late arrival. The boys headed straight for dinner after which the coach addressed the players about the change in programme. The players and officials retired early so as to recover from the long trip,” he said.

    “Match time is 6pm local time, 4pm Nigerian time. Nigeria will wear all green and Jordan all white. The Jordanians are happy that we are not parading our ‘A’ team.”

     

  • Jordan vs Nigeria: Keshi expects tough battle

    Jordan vs Nigeria: Keshi expects tough battle

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has said he expects Jordan to give his team of local league players a tough match tonight.

    Jordan will use today’s friendly to prepare for a 2014 World Cup final playoff against Uruguay.

    “Jordan have been together for a while and they play Uruguay in the World Cup playoff, so we are playing a very strong team and it would be a difficult game,” Keshi warned ahead of the first-ever clash between the two countries at this level.

    Nigeria will use this match to begin preparations for next year’s Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in South Africa.

    Keshi has handed a chance to several newcomers like central midfielder Olayinka Oyeleke of promoted Crown FC to stake a claim for places in his CHAN squad. He said he has been satisfied with the fitness level of the players.

    “The performance is okay. They are really pushing hard to be there. It’s not easy, some of them are new and it’s their first time, so I expect the early panic I have seen from them,” he said.

    “But in all, I am impressed at their fitness level. We will continue to do our best but it’s just that the time is too short for us to do anything before the Jordan game.”

    Nigeria are expected to open training camp for CHAN in December.

    They are drawn against hosts South Africa, Mali and Mozambique in the first round of the tournament strictly for players featuring in their various local leagues in Africa.

  • Jordan vs Nigeria friendly: Uncapped Esieme wants Eagles win

    Jordan vs Nigeria friendly: Uncapped Esieme wants Eagles win

    Uncapped Bright Esieme has said he looks forward to Nigeria beating Jordan in a friendly tonight in Amman.

    Esieme has impressed for league runners-up Enyimba this season to earn a call-up to the Eagles ‘B’ team.

    And the promising right back told MTNFootball.com he will be at his best if he is to debut today.

    “Getting a call up to the Super Eagles is a dream come true for me,” Esieme said.

    “We are here in Jordan for business and victory is what I am looking forward to, we have had a good camping and I am upbeat we will beat Jordan. Though it is a friendly game, I take all games seriously.”

    Sunshine Stars right back Solomon Kwambe was equally confident of victory in Jordan.

    “We are here to fight like warriors for victory and by his grace we will achieve that. The weather will be good for us because it is hot in the day time but cold in the night which is good for us as the match will be played in the night. We are coping well,” Kwambe told MTNFootball.com

    He further admitted he expects a difficult game in Amman.

    “We are expecting a very difficult game against Jordan because they are also preparing for a World Cup play-off against Uruguay,” he said.

    “We will however give them a run for their money as we are here to play for national pride. All we ask Nigerians to do for us is to continue to pray for us.”

    The Eagles arrived Amman late on Saturday and have had one training session in the Jordanian capital ahead of today’s clash.

  • Nigeria faces Jordan October 26

    Nigeria faces Jordan October 26

    Nigeria will face Jordan on October 26 in a friendly as part of the country’s build-up to next year’s CHAN in South Africa.

    It will be the first meeting between the two countries.

    A top official of the Nigeria Football Federation informed MTNFootball.com that the match will be played by players from the domestic league and a list of call-ups will be announced this week.

    The squad will train in Abuja before flying out to Amman.

    MTNFootball.com reports that Nigeria makes its debut at the 2014 CHAN after two failed attempts.

    The Super Eagles will meet hosts South Africa, Mali and Mozambique in the first round of the tournament reserved for players featuring in their domestic leagues.

     

  • Official: Jordan Obita returns to reading

    Official: Jordan Obita returns to reading

    Nigerian winger Jordan Obita has returned to Reading after his two – month loan deal with Oldham Athletic.

    The 19 – year – old decided not to extend his collaboration with Oldham Athletic following a change of manager at Reading.

    Manager Lee Johnson told the official website: “I have spoken to Jordan and he has enjoyed his time here.

    “Reading have a new manager (Nigel Adkins) and Jordan is keen to go back and impress him.

    “I would like to thank Jordan for his service and also to his parent club for allowing him to join us.”

    Jordan Obita, who is eligible to play for Nigeria, made 10 appearances for Oldham Athletic. He previously had loan spells with Barnet, Gillingham and Portsmouth.