The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria vs Congo

  • NIGERIA VS CONGO Awoniyi, Saviour, Yahaya lead Dream Team’s attack

    NIGERIA VS CONGO Awoniyi, Saviour, Yahaya lead Dream Team’s attack

    •Siasia unveils 18-man team list

    Head Coach of the U-23 National Team, Samson Siasia, has selected 18 players for today’s African U-23 Championship final round, first leg qualifier against Congo, in Port Harcourt.

    The encounter comes up at the Adokiye Amiesieamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt today and will see the team parading old reliables like goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel, Oghenekaro Etebor, Taiwo Awoniyi, Azubuike Okechukwu, Erhun Obanor and Godwin Saviour, with new faces Umar Aminu and Musa Yahaya making the cut.

    Addressing the players, Siasia urged those who did not make the 18 -man list not to feel bad, but to see it as a challenge to up their game and make future lists.

    He told those who were selected to see their selection as a privilege and to show to the world that they were selected on merit.

    “I want to charge those of you selected to see this as a rare privilege knowing that millions of Nigerians are banking on you to put smiles on their faces come Sunday.

    “I have the confidence that you guys can beat Congo, but all that will depend on you guys showing that on the field of play.

    “The Nigeria Football Federation and the Rivers State Government have done so much for us to make us win, so it’s now left for us to let them know that we are true ambassadors of our country.”

    The final list is made up of two goalkeepers, six defenders, three midfielders and seven strikers:

    Daniel Emmanuel,  Chukwuebuka Iroha,  Stanley Amuzie,  Azubuike Okechukwu,  Segun Oduduwa,  Obanor Erhun, Godwin Saviour, Etebor Oghenekaro, Junior Ajayi, Usman Mohammed, Etor Daniel, Yusuf Mohammed, Sadiq Atanda, Chima Akas, Austin Oladapo, Taiwo Awoniyi, Aminu Umar and Musa Yahaya.

  • AFCON: Eagles must defeat South Africa – Akpoborie

    AFCON: Eagles must defeat South Africa – Akpoborie

    Former Nigeria international, Jonathan Akpoborie, has pointed out reasons why the Super Eagles bowed to Congo on Saturday.

    Claude LeRoy’s men came from a goal down to snatch a valuable 3-2 away victory against the African champions in Calabar, a result that hangs Stephen Keshi’s men chances of qualifying for Morocco 2015 African Cup of Nations in the balance.

    According to the former VFB Stuttgart star, the visitors were more composed as the Nigerians did not get their acts right while commending LeRoy for a job well done.

    “We saw an organised Congolese team not in a hurry and when they got the equaliser, it was like there was going to be trouble and truly there was indeed trouble for the Super Eagles,” Goal quoted Akpoborie as saying on Super sport.

    “From the build up to the back, they (Eagles) were only playing square balls and there was no enough of movement in the midfield for us to give the penetrative passes.

    “We could use Nwofor’s strength because he only had one shot at goal which was not enough for a team like Nigeria.

    “You have to give credit to Claude LeRoy because he has brought up these boys very well and for them coming to Nigeria without any fear is a big plus.

    “The playing, the positioning, the movement and everything, that was the mark of the coach,” he continued.

    Akpoborie also slammed the players for their needless cautions as he hopes they work on their manner in subsequent games.

    “Those things came with emotion. In most cases, the players were running to the referee asking him to give cards and so on, all of those things are not to be done.

    “Most of the cards we got were unnecessary. We need to change this attitude because in more important games, it would cost us.

    He concluded by saying that the Eagles must ensure victory in the next game against South Africa else Nigeria bows out of the 2015 AFCON.

  • AFCON: Eagles ready for Congo – Ejide

    AFCON: Eagles ready for Congo – Ejide

    Super Eagles stand-in captain, Austin Ejide, has said the African champions will not underrate Congo in Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier even as the players target a home win.

    Group A rivals South Africa got off to a winning start on Friday with a 3-0 victory over Sudan in Omdurman, africanFootball.com reports.

    And Nigeria begin the defence of its AFCON title at the UJ Esuene Stadium without captain Vincent Enyeama, which means the long-serving Ejide will be in goal and most likely lead out the Super Eagles against the East Africans.

    Ejide has also declared the Eagles will not underrate the Congolese.

    “We are focused and working really hard because there are no small teams again. Congo will be trying to prove a point, but we are ready,” Ejide told africanFootball.com.

    “It’s a team not just 11 players, and whoever is called upon I believe he’s capable to do the job.

    “We are on a good track. The coach has been working on our offensive and defensive game so we’ll see how it goes in the weekend.”

    On his role as captain, Ejide said, “It’s no big deal to lead the team. The most important thing is to remain focused and achieve our targets.”

  • AFCON: Congo will be dangerous – Emenike

    AFCON: Congo will be dangerous – Emenike

    Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike, has warned his team mates that Congo could be very dangerous on Saturday, saying the East Africans have nothing to lose against the African champions.

    Nigeria welcomes the Red Devils to Calabar for the opening qualifying match of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, africanFootball.com reports.

    In the last meeting between the two teams, the Congolese held Nigeria to a goalless draw at the 2000 AFCON co- hosted by Nigeria and Ghana.

    And the Fenerbahce star has warned his team mates that desperation and arrogance cannot bring results especially when playing against a team like Congo and other Africa teams tagged as underdogs.

    “Being the defending champions could make it tough for us and the Congolese have nothing to lose,” Emenike told africanFootball.com

    “Maximum three points is important and that’s what we are looking forward to in Saturday’s game, but we should expect a tough test from Congo.”

    He added: “Fans will be expecting a massacre, but we will be wrong if we think the Congolese will be an easy team to ride over.

    “I believe we will win, but we must show humility and respect for our opponents. I understand from experience that desperation does not work for us.”

    Emenike, for one, will hope to end his goal drought for the Super Eagles after he failed to score in four matches played by Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    “Everybody in camp is ready, it’s a collective battle and it will be a victorious one for us by God’s grace,” he assured.

  • Congo play hide-and- seek with Nigeria

    Congo play hide-and- seek with Nigeria

    Nigeria Football Federation has been compelled to report its Congolese counterpart to the Confederation of African Football following the East Africans refusal to disclose their travel plans for Saturday’s 2015 African Nations Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles in Calabar.

    On Tuesday, NFF head of international department, Bola Oyeyode, informed CAF about the strange silence of the Congolese, after which the Congolese Federation forwarded a terse message about its “advance party” arriving in Nigeria on Wednesday and in need of visa on arrival.

    “We are surprised at the attitude of the Congolese FA. Their officials have kept silence all along, refusing to give us details of their travel plans, only for them to request visa-on-arrival for their advance party which they stated would arrive in Nigeria on Wednesday,” africanFootball.com quoted Oyeyode as saying on the matter.

    “They gave no details of which persons constitute the advance party and no passport details. In any event, we have written to CAF to say we cannot arrange visa-on-arrival for them as we have no details, and moreover, there is an Embassy of Nigeria in Brazzaville. They should secure their visas before coming to Nigeria.”

    The Congolese, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon 42 years ago, were restored to the campaign after losing on penalty shoot –out to Rwanda following CAF’s disqualification of Rwanda for using an ineligible player.