The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OBINNA NSOFOR

  • Palermo chase Obinna Nsofor

    Palermo chase Obinna Nsofor

    The future of Victor Obinna Nsofor  could be in Italy, as reports have strongly linked him to Serie A teams since he was told he was not in the plans of Lokomotiv Moscow coach, Leonid Kuchuk, this season.

    Transfer market expert, Alfredo Pedulla, writing for Sportitalia, says Palermo are in the market for a striker, and the leadership of the Sicilian outfit has beamed its searchlight on Obinna.

    Lokomotiv Moscow chiefs will give green-light to the Nigeria international joining a team of his choice as he has not been registered for the Russian Premier League, though they have not officially stated his contract situation with the Railwaymen.

    Palermo will have to see off competition from Parma, Atalanta, Fenerbahce and Kayseri Erciyesspor to land the signature of the 27 – year – old.

    His Lokomotiv Moscow contract would have expired at the end of this season if both parties do not part company.

  • No emotions, sentiments in team selection – Keshi

    No emotions, sentiments in team selection – Keshi

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has revealed that he had to “take away emotions” before selecting his 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    Keshi dropped seven players from his final squad and revealed that it was not an easy decision.

    “It’s always tough when you have a relationship going on with your players. I had to take away emotions. You have been together with the players for several weeks and some have to go, it’s tough,” supersport.com quoted Keshi as saying to journalists in the team’s training camp in Pennsylvania.

    The Nigeria trainer eventually dropped Daniel Akpeyi, Sunday Mba, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Nosa Igiebor, Joel Obi, Obinna Nsofor and Ejike Uzoenyi from his World Cup squad and revealed that he “removed sentiments” before arriving at his decision.

    “You can’t bring emotions into this. I removed sentiments from this because I knew I had to be pure in my selection.

    “I was realistic and knew I had to do what I had to do. It’s not about me; it’s not even about Nigeria but about Africa because we are flying the flag of the continent in Brazil.

    “It’s a shame that I could not take the 30 of them (named in the provisional squad to Brazil) because if I could, I would have done it but some had to go,” he said.

    Nigeria begins its World Cup campaign against Iran at Arena da Baixada, Curitiba on June 16.

    The Super Eagles will then face Bosnia-Herzegovina at Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá on June 21 before rounding off the preliminary campaign against Argentina at Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre on June 25.

     

  • Injury cost Nsofor, Joel Obi World Cup places

    Injury cost Nsofor, Joel Obi World Cup places

    A knee injury cost Obinna Nsofor a place in Nigeria’s World Cup squad.

    Nsofor was one of seven players axed by Stephen Keshi when he named his final 23-man squad and team sources told KickOffNigeria.com that Nsofor would have been in the 23 but for his knee issues.

    “His knee swelled up after the first training session, and that’s why he missed out on the Scotland friendly.

    “The doctors worked on it and monitored it over the next few days, but in the end, a decision was taken not to risk it, because he could aggravate it at the World Cup and that could be bad for his career.”

    Joel Obi’s fate was also similar. Although he featured against Scotland, the midfielder was not at full tilt, and Keshi also decided to allow him time off to get fully fit.

     

  • NSOFOR’S LOKOMOTIV END 7-MATCH WINLESS STREAK

    NSOFOR’S LOKOMOTIV END 7-MATCH WINLESS STREAK

    OBINNA NSOFOR’S Lokomotiv stopped their seven-match winless streak with a 3-1 win over guests Rostov with the Nigerian international, Nsofor in action for 68 minutes.

    The railway-backed side started in lively style and clinched the lead in the 20th minute through their Senegalese striker Dame N’Doye, who scored with a header from Renat Yanbayev’s precise cross.

    Rostov levelled just eight minutes later through their half back Timofei Kalachev, who fired the ball into the top right corner from the edge of the area.

    However, Lokomotiv managed to move back in front through Equadorian striker Felipe Caicedo, who received Vitaly Denisov’s razor-sharp pass into the box and sent the ball into an unguarded net after he rounding Rostov ‘keeper Stipe Pletikosa.

    Dmitry Torbinsky scored Lokomotiv’s third with a minute to go to secure the hosts’ well-deserved win.

    In the other Saturday’s match Terek Grozny beat visitors Amkar Perm 2-1.

    The hosts’ Polish midfielder Maciej Rybus was the hero of the match with both goals, while forward Nikita Burmistrov netted a late consolation for Amkar.