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Tag: Paul Aigbogun

  • Games Final: Leave no room for mistakes Aigbogun warns F/Eagles

    Ahead of Friday’s battle for Gold against Burkina Faso at the ongoing  Africa Games in Rabat, Flying Eagles head Coach Paul Aigbogun has told his boys to resist the temptation to leave any room for mistakes that can be capitalised upon.

    He praised the boys for rising to the occasion so far by making it all the way to the finals, but added that everything must be done to end on a golden note.

    “You have done well so far but the battle is not finished.  We must all work very hard in this last game to carry the day,” he submitted.

    Aigbogun who led the team to unimpressive run at the recently held FIFA U-20 World cup in Poland insisted that emerging victorious in Rabat will be a bit of a consolation.

    F/ Eagles technical crew , full of expectations

    Friday opponents Burkina Faso created an upset by defeating defending champions Senegal in the second match on Tuesday, holding the young Teranga Lions 1-1 before emerging victorious on 5-4 penalty same margin with which Nigeria defeated Mali.

    Senegal and Mali will slug it out today (Thursday) in the third place or Bronze medal match.

    It is the second meeting between the two sides who had earlier clashed in the group stage in a goalless draw. Some analysts have predicted that today’s bronze match will be full of fireworks as both teams fight to avoid missing the medals podium.

    Interestingly Nigeria and Burkina Faso will settle for Gold and Silver respectively on Friday, had equally met in the group stage with the encounter ending 1-1.

    The duo of Ahmad Ghali and Kalifa Nikiema who scored for their sides in the encounter will be hoping to replicate their performance on Friday.

    The Nigeria versus Burkina Faso match will come up at 5pm.

  • Africa Games: Flying Eagles on track for gold — Aigbogun

    COACH Paul Aigbogun has said the Flying Eagles are on track for top honours at the Africa Games in Morocco.

    The Nigeria U-20s won their third test game on Friday when they beat Godoksky FC 2-1.

    “The time for the preparation is not very long, but we’re on track to where we wish to be,” Aigbogun told SCORENigeria.

    “This means that every day is very important for us. We’re giving the players more game time and learning about them and the team as a whole.”

    The Flying Eagles are drawn in Group A along with hosts Morocco, South Africa and Burkina Faso at the 2019 All Africa Games.

    Nigeria won the All Africa Games football Gold in 1973 when the country staged the continental sports fiesta. Two years ago they won bronze medal in Congo Brazzaville.

  • Niger 2019: Aigbogun names squad for Burundi kick off

     

    Coach of Nigeria’s Under 20 team Paul Aigbogun is finally set to begin campaign in the 2019 Under 20 Nations cup holding in Niger, after releasing his 21-man squad Wednesday.

    The squad includes captain Ikouwem Udo Utin, who won a silver medal at the African Nations Championship in Morocco last year, as well as highly-rated forwards Yahaya Nazifi and Effiom Maxwell. Also included are foreign base trio of

    Igoh Ogbu of Rosenborg, Afeez Aremu of IK Stat FC, and Nazifi, who recently signed contract with Danish club Sonderjyske.

    Nigeria has been drawn in Group A of the competition, which runs from February 2 to 17. The team will open hostilities   against Burundi on February 2, followed by games against hosts Niger and South Africa on February 5 and 8 respectively.

    Group B is made up of Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana.

    The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, as well as secure qualification for the U-20 World Cup to be held in Poland in May.

    Nigeria has won the U-20 AFCON a record seven times: 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011 and 2015.

    Full squad:

    Goalkeepers: Akpan Udoh (Unattached); Olawale Oremade (Oasis FC); Detan Ogundare (Kogi United).

    Defenders: Mike Zaruma (Plateau United); Ikouwem Utin (Enyimba International); Igoh Ogbu (Rosenburg FC, Norway); Solomon

    Ogberahwe (El-Kanemi Warriors); Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba International); Olasunkanmi Aliyu (Emmanuel Amuneke Academy).

    Midfielders: Peter Eletu (Prince Kazeem Academy); Quadri Liameed (36 Lions); Aniekeme Okon (Akwa United); Jamil Muhammad (Kano Pillars); Afeez Aremu (IK Stat, Norway).

    Forwards: Adamu Alhassan (Kano Pillars); Yahaya Nazifi (Sonderjyske FC, Denmark); Ibrahim Aliyu (Oasis FC); Adeshina Gata (Wikki Tourists); Ibrahim Abubakar (Plateau United); Okoh Victor (Real Sapphire FC); Maxwell Effiom (Enyimba International).

  • Paul Aigbogun targets Federation Cup title

    Paul Aigbogun targets Federation Cup title

    Coach Paul Aigbogun has admitted that Enyimba’s only chance of playing in the CAF Confederation Cup next year is by winning the country’s Federation Cup title.

    The Nigeria Professional Football League defending champions were defeated 3-1 by city rivals, Abia Warriors in one of the local derbies in the Nigerian top flight on Wednesday in a rescheduled fixture.

    “It’s all over for us in the league as we will not be playing in the continent through this platform come next season but we will now focus on the Federation Cup for any laurel this season,” Aigbogun said after the game.

  • Wolves were robbed in Akure — Aibogun

    Wolves were robbed in Akure — Aibogun

    The Technical Adivser of Warri Wolves, Paul Aigbogun has advised the League Management Company to pay more attention to officiating if they want football to grow in the country.

    Aigbogun who is not used to complaints said he has to speak out in view of the level of officiating in the game between Sunshine Stars and Warri Wolves at the Akure Township Stadium on Sunday which ended in favour of the Akure team.

    “The LMC said people should not condemn the league but with this type of officiating, one will be forced to speak out because Nigerian football will be worse for it” Aigbogun noted.

    The former Enyimba gaffer made reference to the red card given to Michael Egbeta who was only carrying out an instruction from the centre referee to wait for a change to be made before taking a corner kick, only for the referee to give him the marching order for time wasting.

    Apart from that, the first assistant referee ignored the rules and was basically the 12th player, aiding and did everything possible to help the Akure outfit.

    “Those who know me can attest to it that I don’t complain when my team loses but it has got to that stage when we need to cry out. If LMC says we should not talk, then, they have to do something because we cannot continue like this.

    “How can players put in everything in a game and have nothing to show for it. Our football will be worse if what we are seeing now continues.

    “This is pure rubbish and the Akure team knows that the referee assisted them to win. We played better, scored first and they equalised, scored the second goal and another which hit the inside net was ignored before he allowed two offside goals.

    “All stakeholders should rise up and condemn this type of officiating”he said.

    Meanwhile, Warri Wolves will today lock horns with Nembe city at Omoku in a re-rescheduled match and Aigbogun has urged his boys to work hard and put the defeat in Akure behind them.

  • Wolves coach backs Nigeria to beat Morocco

    • Hails Super Four contest

    Head coach of Warri Wolves FC, Paul Aigbogun, says Nigeria’s Super Eagles have what it takes to beat Morocco’s Atlas Lions in today’s CHAN quarterfinal cracker in South Africa.

    The former Gabros FC handler predicted a tough game against the north Africans but believes the Eagles will be able to surmount the challenge and scale through to the next round.

    “I expect a very tough game in the encounter but the Eagles with what they have shown in their last match should come out victorious,” he said.

    Speaking further, Aigbogun hailed the LMC for the ongoing Super Four contest in Abuja which is described as preparation for the 2013/2014 league season.

    “The Super Four is timely as this will prepare the clubs before going into their continential matches,” submitted Aigbogun who opined that the tourney will provide the four continental representatives the avenue to give their players a competitive test while also checking out what tactics to use before the commencement of continental assignments.