The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Marrakech

  • Coach: Sudan can shock Nigeria

    Coach: Sudan can shock Nigeria

    Sudan assistant coach Burhaneldin Tia has said that his team is better prepared and ready to beat Super Eagles of Nigeria in today’s Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) semi-final clash at the Marrakech Stadium in Morocco.

    Tia said his team has young players that are determined for success.

    He attributed his team’s success at the tournament to their adequate preparation for the competition.

    Read Also: CHAN: German coach plots Super Eagles fall against Sudan

    “We have intensified preparations for the semi final clash against Nigeria, right after Zambia at the quarter finals. We didn’t beat Zambia due to luck, but because we were better prepared and better team on the day. 

    “Nigeria is one of the Giants of African football and it is always a pleasure to play against such a team. It will be a different game from previous matches, but we will do our best to emerge victors and advance to the final.

    “All players are in good condition. The positive news is that we have a team of young players, who play collectively as a team and are prepared to go all out to achieve the expected result,” Tia said at a media briefing in Marrakech. 

  • Eagles will be in the final, says Salisu Yusuf

    Eagles will be in the final, says Salisu Yusuf

    Super Eagles head coach Salisu Yusuf has reiterated his team’s desire to play in the final of the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco.

    To achieve this feat, Nigeria need to surpass Sudan’s hurdle in the semi-final clash today at the Grand Stade de Marrakech by 8:30 pm (Nigerian time).

    In a chat with SportingLife, Salisu said his boys are ready and they will approach the game with full of determination.

    Read Here: Dayo Ojo cherishes Eagles’ victory over award

    “It has been a long journey, from qualifiers to semi-finals. We are in the semifinal and we are focused to face Sudan. We want to do a good job and be in the final. The feeling in the camp is very great. The mission of any team in the competition is to be the best and to be the best, you have to be ready to beat the best team,” Salisu said to SportingLife.

    He added: “We will respect the Sudan team because they are a good side. In their game against Morocco. Everybody thought they would be beaten easily but they held Morocco to a goalless draw. We won’t take anything for granted knowing full well that whoever wins on Wednesday will be in the final which is our target.”

  • We’ll defeat corruption fighting back – Buhari

    We’ll defeat corruption fighting back – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that the anti-corruption war of his administration will be won even though it is tough, grueling, and fighting vigorously back.

    He gave the assurance while meeting with American Secretary of State, John Kerry on Wednesday on the margins of conference on climate change, COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari said corrupt people had accumulated a formidable arsenal of illicit wealth, which they were now deploying against the government on diverse fronts.

    He said: “But it is a war we are determined to win, and which we will win,”

    “People of goodwill are behind us, countries like America and many others are with us, and we will surely win.”

    The President also updated Secretary Kerry on the war against insurgency in the North-east of Nigeria, efforts being made to tackle humanitarian problems caused by the insurgency, and stating that a presidential committee had been launched “under Gen T.Y Danjuma, a man of high integrity.”

    On the unrest in the Niger Delta area, which manifests in the sabotage of critical oil and power installations, President Buhari said the engagement process was proceeding apace, adding that it was rather difficult bringing the main protagonists of the insurgency under one umbrella.

    He said Nigeria was happy with American support on different fronts, assuring that the economic challenges facing the country were being “frontally tackled, and we will overcome them soon.”

    Secretary Kerry expressed delight at the many successes of the Buhari administration, pledging continued U.S support in the bid to overcome security, humanitarian, political, and economic challenges.

    As the Barrack Obama administration exits next January, Kerry said he would love to continue engaging with Nigeria, even in a private capacity.

    He described President Buhari as a strong international partner in the battle against violent extremism.

  • Osinbajo presides over scanty FEC meeting

    Osinbajo presides over scanty FEC meeting

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    President Muhammadu Buhari is in Marrakech, Morocco attending the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as COP-22.

    The FEC meeting was scantily attended by cabinet members.

    About ten ministers were in attendance when the meeting started on Wednesday.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.