The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MARTINS

  • Keshi dislikes me – Obafemi Martins

    Keshi dislikes me – Obafemi Martins

    Seattle Sounders star striker, Obafemi Martins, has said out-of-contact Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi, has overlooked him because he does not like him.

    “I don’t think he likes me, that’s all,” africanFootball.com quoted Martins as saying on Monday.

    “I don’t have any issues with him. I respect him as a coach, but I think Keshi doesn’t like me.”

    The former Inter Milan and Birmingham City striker, who scored 17 goals Seattle Sounders, was one of three nominees for MLS Most Valuable Player for 2014 and helped lead the Sounders to its most successful MLS season yet.

    But despite Martins ’recent exploits, Keshi preferred to work with several other strikers of lower standard.

  • Martins, others draw capacity crowd to Campos Stadium

    Martins, others draw capacity crowd to Campos Stadium

    Out of favour Super Eagles’ striker, Obafemi Martins scored the lone goal that propelled the Super Eagles to victory over BRF and Friends in the Football for Hope game meant to draw awareness to the plight of the less-privileged in the society.

    The goal was scored in the first half and the introduction of Governor Babatunde Fashola in the second half of the game failed to inspire his team. The match, played at the Campos Stadium, Lagos, witnessed a capacity crowd with the fans trooping to the stadium to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars.

    Other Super Eagles players in the game were Nnamdi Oduamadi, Haruna Lukman and Babatunde Micheal. Super Falcons duo, Azizat Oshoala and Onome Ebi also featured. Former international, Waidi Akanni also played for the Eagles while the team was handled by Coach Tunde Disu. Fashola’s team had former internationals like Jonathan Akpoborie, Victor Agali and Teslim Fatusi

    The moves of the Super Eagles’ players drew applause from the crowd with fans calling for their inclusion in the Coach Stephen Keshi-led team as Nigeria begins afresh after the Eagles failed to make it to this year’s Africa Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea.

    The initiator of the event, Anthony Adeboye, the special assistant to the governor on football matters, stated that the event was meant to encourage the football stars to adopt some of the less-privileged homes in the state.

    He commended the players for showing up for the game and said efforts were on to make the event an annual one.

    “The players have really done well by showing up for the games and showing the needy that they are with them. I must also thank the governor for finding time out of his tight schedule to lead his friends to the game,“ said Adeboye.

  • Seattle hold on fast to Oba-Goal

    Seattle hold on fast to Oba-Goal

    Seattle Sounders have ensured they will not lose Obafemi Martins in the expansion draft scheduled for Wednesday, as he has been included in the list of protected players.

    The expansion draft will allow Orlando City and New York City FC, the two new MLS franchises, to select players from the teams already in the league.

    The two teams will alternate 20 picks, but each MLS club is allowed to protect 11 players, and while homegrown guys are exempted, designated players are not.

    And on Monday afternoon, each team revealed their protected list.

    Unsurprisingly, star forwards Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins are on Seattle  Sounders list.

    Here’s the full Sounders list:

    Protected: Osvaldo Alonso, Chad Barrett, Clint Dempsey, Brad Evans, Stefan Frei, Chad Marshall, Obafemi Martins, Lamar Neagle, Marco Pappa, Gonzalo Pineda, Andy Rose.

    Exempted: Aaron Kovar, Damion Lowe, Sean Okoli, DeAndre Yedlin.

    Available: Jalil Anibaba, Micheal Azira, Tristan Bowen, Kenny Cooper, Josh Ford, Leo Gonzalez, Aaron Long, Jimmy Ockford, Kevin Parsemain, Dylan Remick, Zach Scott, Cam Weaver.

  • Martins retires from international football

    Martins retires from international football

    SaettleSounders  marksman Obafemi Martins has announced his retirement from international football, a decade after making his debut against Republic of Ireland.

    The former Inter Milan and Newcastle United player has lifted the lid, saying he was forced to make this decision because he does not have a good relationship with his teammates in the Super Eagles setup.

    “No, I am done with my national team, I will not go there any more. I do not have good relationships with some companions, ” Obafemi Martins said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

    “If they do not want me anymore, patience. I love my country, I have given so much. But there are problems and although I am called up, I do not go.”

    Obafemi Martins scored 18 goals for the Super Eagles internationally, and has not been officially summoned to the national team for the past 21 months.

  • Martins in Goal of the Year award

    Martins in Goal of the Year award

    Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins has one of his goals this season nominated for goal of the year award in the Major League Soccer(MLS).

     ‘Obagoal’, as the former Inter Milan and Levante forward is known by the fans, scored a club-record 17 goals during the regular season of 2014. His match winner against San Jose Earthquake was picked among the four goals to battle for the Goal of the Year award.

    It has been viewed by more than half a million people on YouTube and is still being talked about six months later. The remarkable chip that beat goalkeeper Jon Busch is a finalist for 2014 AT&T Goal of the Year in MLS.

    Goals by Will Johnson, Lee Nguyen, and Thierry Henry are the other finalists.

  • Martins named MLS player of September

    Martins named MLS player of September

    Seattle Sounders and Nigeria striker, Obafemi Martins, beat off competition from Landon Donovan to win the Major League Soccer (MLS) player of the month of September.

    A red-hot run of five goals and one assist in five games has powered Sounders star Obafemi to the award sponsored by Etihad Airways.

    In the fan vote, Obagoal’s 58.43 percent comfortably out-polled LA Galaxy icon, Landon Donovan, August’s Player of the Month winner, who finished with 13.56 percent.

    Martins’ honour marks the second time a Sounder has taken home this award in 2014, with his strike partner Clint Dempsey having claimed the April edition.

    Seattle presently sit top of both the MLS Western Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings, level with Donovan’s Galaxy.

    Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league representing the sport’s highest level in both the United States and Canada.

  • Sounders FC 1-1 San Jose: Martins completes 90 mins

    Sounders FC 1-1 San Jose: Martins completes 90 mins

    Obafemi Martins played for 90 minutes as Seattle Sounders battled to a 1-1 draw against San jose Earthquakes in a Major League game yesterday.

    The first chance of the game fell to the visitors in the 12th minute when Atiba Harris forced Stefan Frei to make an impressive save with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.

    Seattle took charge of the match following a sluggish start, but they were left frustrated in the first half as Jon Busch made stops to deny both Kenny Cooper and Obafemi Martins.

    It proved to be a different story just after the break as the Sounders broke the deadlock in the opening minute of the second half thanks to Chad Barrett, who benefited from a clever pass from Martins on his way to sliding the ball past Busch.

    Seattle could have extended their advantage, but were guilty of wasting good opportunities as Marco Pappa and Barrett missed chances from the edge of the box.

    San Jose made the hosts pay for their misses in the 65th minute when Cordell Cato eased past a couple of defenders before picking out Chris Wondolowski, who tapped home the equaliser from close range.

    Neither side were happy to settle for a point in the closing stages, but a lack of clear opportunities ensured there was no winner at CenturyLink Field.

  • Martins set to floor Defoe

    Martins set to floor Defoe

    Seattle Sounders striker, Obafemi Martins’ wonder strike against San Jose Earthquakes will likely be named Goal of the Week for the third time, following massive voting in its favour.

    In an update of the voting posted by mlssoccer.com,the publication wrote:

    Martins floored observers across the league with his masterful, instinctive chip over Jon Busch last Saturday,and since then his finish has done much the same to the rest of the Week 11 AT&T MLS Goal of the Week field.

    Seattle’s Nigerian marksman has garnered more than 78 per cent of GOTW votes cast as of Thursday morning, while none of the other four contenders have broken double figures.

    Toronto FC star Jermain Defoe’s blast sits in a very distant second place with 8.79 per cent, followed by Federico Higuaín at 6.36 per cent, Vincent Nogueira at 3.3 percent and Chris Tierney with 3.18 per cent.

  • Sounders want Martins in Eagles

    Sounders want Martins in Eagles

    The Seattle Sounders seem to want Obafemi Martins  in the Super Eagles team to the 2014 World Cup, as  the coach revealed he is worried the striker is being ignored.

    Schmidt, told reporters in Seattle that Stephen Keshi has not contacted Martins, and he is wondering why.

    He told reporters there is no doubting Clint Dempsey‘s standing with the U.S. national team, but that another producing Sounders FC star apparently isn’t garnering much interest from his national team.

    Schmid said as of Tuesday he hadn’t heard from the Nigerian federation regarding a future call-up of forward Obafemi Martins, who has three goals and four assists so far in this campaign.

    Oba and I talked about it the other day, and there really hasn’t been any contact.

    I’m sure their coach has his ideas, but as of yet, there’s been no talk on Oba.

    It is not yet clear who Keshi is taking to the World Cup, as the players list is currently mired in controversy.

  • Martins can’t stop scoring for Sounders

    Martins can’t stop scoring for Sounders

    Nigerian striker, Obafemi Martins has scored his third pre-season goal, as he was again on the score sheet in Seattle Sounders 1-1 draw at Houston Dynamo.

    Both teams were playing in the Carolina Challenge Cup.

    Seattle have now won five and drawn two games in preseason, and have won one and drawn one in the tournament ahead of Saturday’s finale against D.C. United.

    The Dynamo opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Brad Davis, as the Sounders faced their first preseason deficit (believe it or not).

    Martins equalised in the 44th minute off a cross from Lamar Neagle, who played at forward.

    Martins is the highest scorer for the team with three goals in just 240 minutes, mostly against what you would deem strong squads from MLS opponents.