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FIFA BEACH SOCCER: Nigeria out of Bahamas 2017

Super Sand Eagles were gallant losers Tuesday morning as they crashed out of this year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2-1 on penalties to Iran after full-time scores stood at 4-4.

Nigeria head coach Audu Adamu opted to stick with same five players who started in the previous game against Mexico in which they needed a last gasp Abu Azeez to win 5-4.

It was an even contest with Nigeria’s goals coming from four different players – Victor Tale, Emmanuel Ohwoferia, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu and Godspower Igudia.

Iran showed why they are Asian champions and also ranked number five in beach soccer in the World when Nigeria stopper Danjuma Paul went down quick to stop Mohammad Ahmadzadeh’s shot just three seconds into the match.

Six minutes the Iranian forward Mohammad Mokhtari’s effort came off the crossbar while Ikechukwu Ibenegbu’s shot for Nigeria was saved by Peyman Hosseini.

Iran captain Ahmadzadeh put his team in the lead with an overhead kick with just over four minutes to the end of the first period.

Attempts by Victor Tale and Ogodo could not draw Nigeria level before the first period finished.

Three minutes into the second period, it was Tale who evened the score for Nigeria with a fierce shot but the Sand Eagles celebration lasted less than a minute as Mokhtari’s brilliant overhead kick restored Iran’s slim lead.

Abu Azeez who had a quiet game then peeled off his marker and his shot on the turn was blocked by Hosseini.

With less than six minutes to end the second period, Abu turned provider with a ball over the top which Emmanuel Ohwoferia side footed against the post and then made no error in tapping in the ball into unguarded net with Hosseini well-beaten to level the score at 2-2.

Again, Iran went in front. Ahmadzadeh spinned away from Tale and drove the ball left footed beyond Paul to put the Asians in the lead for the third time in the game.

The Sand Eagles refused to roll over and Godspower Igudia’s pile driver levelled matters at 3-3 with less than three minutes to the end of the second period.

There was time for Iran’s second goalkeeper Hamid Behzadpour to watch his effort crash against the upright.

The two teams approached the third period with utmost caution until Ikechukwu Ibenegbu smashed in Ogodo’s pass to give Nigeria the lead for the first time in the match.

Two minutes to the end of the third period, Mokhtari’s acrobatic finish put Iran back in the contest at 4-4 and stretched the match into extra time.

The extra time produced no goals as it went into spot kicks.

Ali Nazem and Amir Akbari scored their spot kicks for Iran while Ibenegbu was the only Nigerian who converted his penalty with Victor Tale and Ogodo missing theirs as the Asians progress to the quarterfinals.

Nigeria finished third in Group B behind Italy and Iran.

May 2, 2017
FIFA BEACH SOCCER: Sand Eagles wins Mexico, to play Iran Monday
- Nigeria fight back to defeat Mexico in extra time
- Mexico next game: vs Italy, Nigeria next game: vs Iran, both on 1 May
Nigeria staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Mexico 5-4 in extra time of their Group B clash at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017.

It was the Mexicans that initially took control of the contest after goals from Abdiel Villa, Angel Rodriguez and Ramon Maldonado.

However, the West Africans responded with a pair of goals from Emeka Ogbonna and Azeez Abu before a late Victor Tale penalty resulted in the first regulation-time draw at Bahamas 2017.

Nigeria outlasted Mexico in the extra-time period, with Abu scoring the winner just seconds from the end to claim the two points on offer.
The win meant the Super Sand Eagles have revived hopes of a quarter-final qualification.

After a 6-12 loss to Italy in their opening game, the Nigerian side needed a win to come back into the competition.

They now need to win against Iran in their final Group B game on Monday.
April 30, 2017
FIFA Soccer Beach World Cup: Nigeria vs Italy starts 11:30pm

Nigeria’s first game in the ongoing 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will start by 11:30 pm later today.

The Sand Eagles’ which departed Nigeria last Tuesday for Nassau, venue of the competition, will face the Italy in a group B fixture as they seek to start the tournament on a good note.

Eight players made the trip to the Bahamas and were later joined by the four remaining squad members this week to prepare for the competition.

The team will be led by team captain Isiaka Olawale, while a great deal will be expected of the likes of Victor Tale, top scorer Abu Azeez, Bartholomew Igbenegbu and veteran defender Ogbonnaya Okemmiri

Hosts, the Bahamas, will play the opening game of the competition against European powerhouse Switzerland in Nassau. Nigeria is in group B alongside Italy, Iran and Mexico.

Nigeria last participated in the Beach Soccer World Cup at the 2011 edition in Ravenna, Italy where the Sand Eagles placed seventh.

Sand Eagles squad for the 2017 Beach Soccer World Cup

Godwin Anyalogu (GK); Emmanuel Owhoferia; Ogbonnaya Okemiri; Taiwo Adams; Godspower Igudia; Victor Tale; Isiaka Olawale; Abu Azeez; Emeka Ogbonna; Bartholomew Ibenegbu; Suleiman Mohammed; Paul Danjuma (GK)Nigeria is in Group B alongside Italy, Iran and Mexico.

April 27, 2017
COPA LAGOS BEACH SOCCER: Sand Eagles begin title quest against Cote d’Ivoire

Nigeria’s national beach soccer team, Super Sand Eagles will begin their quest for title at this year’s edition of the Copa Lagos Beach Soccer tournament against Cote d’Ivoire on December 18 by 4.30pm at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island.

According to the fixtures made available by Kinetic Sports Management, organisers of the annual Copa Lagos beach soccer tournament which ends on December 20, the coach Audu Adamu led team will hope to reclaim back the title they lost last year to the Ivorians in one of the opening fixtures.

In the events schedule, on December 16, there would be kids clinic involving 100-150 children with FC Barcelona team by 10 am.

Official training session for the participating teams will hold on December 17.

On the 18th, there would be FC Barcelona Club Challenge which will see Pepsi Academy taking on Kano Pillars by 12:45 pm, while FC Barcelona will face Shooting Stars by 2 pm.

At 3:15pm, Lebanon will also file out against England before the Nigerian game against Cote d’Ivoire.

After the Day 1 games, VIP lounge, Beer village officially open by 5:30pm.

The events will start on the 19th by 11:30am with Shooting Stars taking on Pepsi FA, while Kano Pillars will face FC Barcelona by 12:45pm in the Club Challenge.

Cote d’Ivoire will slug it out with Lebanon by 2pm, while there will be a celebrity match by 3:15pm.

Sand Eagles will return to action against England by 4:30pm

Fashion Show starts by 5:30pm while After Party begins by 7pm.

On December 20, the last day of the event, Kano Pillars game against Shooting Stars will set the ball rolling by 12:45 pm before FC Barcelona and Pepsi FA slug it out by 2pm in the Club Challenge.

Cote d’Ivoire will face England by 3:15pm, while Nigeria play Lebanon by 4:30pm. The award ceremony will hold immediately after the game with a concert scheduled to begin by 6pm.

December 14, 2015
NFF praises Sand Eagles

NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has praised the efforts of Supersand Eagles in claiming bronze at the 2015 African Beach Soccer Championship in Seychelles.

A narrow defeat in overtime (3-4) by Senegal in last Saturday’s semi finals meant the two-time African champions missed the cut for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Portugal, but Audu Adamu Ejo’s wards fired from all cylinders to pound Cote d’Ivoire 9-1 on Sunday and finish in third place.

“We refuse to condemn the team. They put in their best effort each time they went on the beach and they certainly wore the green-white-green with passion and pride.

“Yes, they narrowly missed qualification for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. But we have to commend them for their effort and the fact that they gave it their all. I believe that their performance has done much to boost the efforts we are making to start a Beach Soccer League in Nigeria,” Sanusi said in Abuja on Monday.

The Nigeria delegation to the championship is expected back in the country tomorrow.

April 21, 2015
Sand Eagles seek revenge

Super Sand Eagles skipper, Isiaka Olawale, has posited that their CAF Beach Soccer semi-final game against rivals Senegal, will be a revenge mission for them.

The Nigerian beach soccer team, otherwise known as the Super Sand Eagles, won all three of their group games, against hosts Seychelles, Egypt and Cote d’ Ivoire, and now face Senegal in a semi-final match that will determine Nigeria’s fate in the competition.

And Olawale says it will be payback time for the Senegalese.

“They have given us so much trouble in the past and they stopped us from qualifying for the last World Cup, and this is our time to avenge that loss,” he said.

“They always give us trouble whenever we meet and the fact that they stopped us from qualifying for the last World Cup is still fresh in our minds.

“This time we won’t allow them do that to us again. The expectation we had before coming for this championship was to qualify for the World Cup and that is exactly what we still hope to achieve,” he posited.

The Senegalese beach soccer team have been a thorn in the flesh for their Nigeria counterparts, beating them 7-4 in the final in Casablanca, Morocco, in 2011.

April 18, 2015
African Beach Soccer tourney: Sand Eagles coach sure of World Cup ticket

After picking 12 players to feature in the 2015 African Beach Soccer Championship starting in the Seychelles next week, coach of Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles, Adamu Ejor has come out with confidence and believes his team is more than ready to beat all comers when hostilities begin.

”We are confident of topping the group and I know we’ll win the title. The last time we had this type of training was in 2009, the Captain Isiaka Olawale is back and better, Barthelomew Ogbenagbu ‘Mosquito ‘ and Abu Aziz are all in camp and the intensity of our preparation lasting 3 weeks.”

The team left for the Mediterranean nation on Saturday and there’s high expectations among the players and Coach Ejor insists their title ambition is realistic.

”Back when we used to prepare for competitions spending barely a week in camp, it was a rude joke and nobody would expect us to do much. But we have really prepared for the World Cup qualifiers and the title is a realistic target now,” the coach said.

April 12, 2015
Sand Eagles to play Seychelles, Egypt, CIV

Nigeria’s Supersand Eagles will play host nation Seychelles, Egypt and Cote d’Ivoire in Group A of the 2015 African Beach Soccer Championship in Seychelles this month. The competition takes place April 14-19.

At the Draw Ceremony inside the CAF headquarters, 6th October City, Egypt on Sunday, CAF General Secretary Hicham El Amrani was assisted by Member of CAF Executive Committee and chairman of the Organising Committee for the African Beach Soccer Championship, Ahmad, from Madagascar. Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Madagascar, will play in Group B.

It means that Nigeria will play the host nation in the opening match of the tournament – as happened to the U-17 team at the African U-17 Championship in Niger Republic and the U-20 team at the African Youth Championship in Senegal earlier this year.

The Audu Adamu Ejo wards will be to glad to avoid bogey team Senegal in the group phase, but Cote d’Ivoire have improved tremendously over the years and Egypt qualified after a 16-6 aggregate hammering of Tanzania in the only qualifying round. The Ivorians turned back Mauritius 18-6 on aggregate.

Supersand Eagles finished third at the Power Horse Invitational Tournament in Durban last month, beating Ghana and South Africa but losing to Senegal, and then reached the African finals after Libya withdrew from the race.

Ghana reached the finals with a 22-8 aggregate trouncing of Uganda; Morocco bombed Djibouti 16-1 in an only leg played in Casablanca; Madagascar steam-rolled South Africa 9-3 in two matches in Durban and; Senegal sailed into the finals after Mali withdrew.

The Nigerian team is presently at a training camp in Badagry and will depart for Seychelles on Friday.

April 6, 2015
Senegal beat Sand Eagles 1-0

The Supersand Eagles put up a spirited performance but lost 5-6 to Senegal in the first semi final of the ongoing Power Horse Invitational Beach Soccer Tournament in Durban, South Africa on Saturday.

It was a keenly-contested affair as the Senegalese, who edged Mozambique 4-2 on Friday, challenged the Nigerians every inch of the beach, and the first third ended 1-1.

Victor Talle scored a brace for the Supersand Eagles but then, unfortunately, scored an own goal. Warri Wolves’ ace Abu Azeez was also among the scorers for Nigeria, as bogey team Senegal ran away 6-5 winners, with a last minute winner.

Nigeria had spanked Ghana 5-2 on Friday and looked quite good for a place in the final. Sunday’s final will now be between Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire, who mauled host nation South Africa 9-1 in the other semi final.

NFF 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi praised the players for their doggedness, but said they should now imbibe a winning spirit. He charged them to go all out and claim something in Sunday’s classification match against South Africa.

March 8, 2015
Sand Eagles’ boss seeks recognition for Beach Soccer

•Says other nations are catching up with Nigeria

The head coach of Nigeria’s Beach Eagles, Audu Adamu has reiterated the need for the country to take the game more seriously because other emerging nations are fast catching up with the established countries.

Adamu guided Nigeria to a third successive COPA Beach Soccer Championship title after beating Senegal 4-2 for their third victory of the three-day tournament in Lagos last Sunday and the Kogi State-born coach told SportingLife that there is more to do if Nigeria is to maintain her hold on the competition outside the country.

He confessed that all the three games his wards played were very difficult including the wide margin win over Germany.

Adamu hinted that the start of a virile Beach League and the accordance of the due respect to beach soccer players would go a long way in developing the game.

“I am happy that we won the competition yet again but there is still more to do to ensure that Beach Soccer comes to stay in Nigeria. Other countries are not relaxing at all and if we do not do what we have to do on time, they will overtake us and leave us behind.

“We must act fast on our own and make sure that we are not caught unawares. We need to start a Beach Soccer League and also pay attention to Beach Soccer Players like we do to sports people in other sports. They should not be treated with inferiority complex,” Coach Adamu told SportingLife.

Nigeria’s Supersand Eagles won the 2013 COPA Lagos Beach Soccer Championship beating debutants, Senegal 4-2 in the final on Sunday.

The Eagles had earlier threatened to boycott the encounter due to unpaid allowances, but after hours of talks, they went on and emerged champions.

This will be the third consecutive time that the Supersand Eagles will triumph in Copa Lagos after winning the previous two editions.

A superb strike from Badmus Babatunde and further goals from Abu Azeez, Victor Tale and Emeka Ogbonna put the game beyond the reach of Senegal, who only equalised momentarily during the first period through Kapakuki.

December 17, 2013