The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Shehu Abdullahi

  • Eagles’ll beat Swaziland – Shehu Abdullahi

    Eagles’ll beat Swaziland – Shehu Abdullahi

    Super Eagles midfielder Shehu Abdullahi is optimistic that Nigeria will beat Swaziland in the first leg of the 2018 FIFAWorld Cup qualifier on November 13.

    The CF Uniao de Madeira player feels it’s important to get all the three points so that the second leg in Port-Harcourt will be much more easier for the Eagles.

    Abdullahi, who moved to Portugal at the start of the current season from Kuwaiti side Al Qadsia, wants the Eagles to take the Swazi national side serious if Nigeria is to get anything from the game.

    “We have to play to our optimal best if we want to win the first leg because there are no more minnows in football,”he told supersport.com.

    “People might say it’s just Swaziland. They might look weak on paper but I can assure you it is nothing like that.

    “We have to be at our best, respect them as we should but put in our very best. I believe we have the team to get a result in Swaziland but we need to put in our best.

    “If we get a good result against them it will boost our confidence going into the second leg,”Abdullahi added.

    The former Kano Pillars player also reiterated his desire to serve the Super Eagles in whatever capacity the coaches dim fit insisting the team comes first and not any player’s choice of position.

    Abdullahi played in an unfamiliar role at right back when Nigeria played DR Congo and Cameroun in last month’s friendlies in Belgium.

    A shortage of players forced coach Sunday Oliseh to deploy Abdullahi, who is primarily a defensive midfielder into the right back slot and the player did well to earn plaudits.

    “It’s not about what I want or where I want to play,”Abdullahi explained.

    “I will play anywhere for the Super Eagles if I’m called upon. Getting a win or winning trophies is most important for me.

    “A lot of people know me as a defensive midfielder but I’ve played in different positions for the various club sides I’ve played for.

    “I’ve played in midfield, attack and defence before so it’s nothing new to me. All I want is victory, that’s what matters most.”he added.

    Nigeria will travel to Swaziland for the first leg, second round qualifier of the 2018 World Cup slated for November 13, with the second leg coming up four days later in Port-Harcourt.

  • Injured Abdullahi out of Dream Team’s Congo clash

    Injured Abdullahi out of Dream Team’s Congo clash

    Dream Team VI midfielder, Shehu Abdullahi , has been ruled out of Nigeria’s all-important CAF U-23 Championship second leg qualifier against Congo on account of injury, africanFootball.com reports.

    The defensive midfielder or right fullback was expected to join the team training camp in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    The Uniao da Maderia of Portugal midfielder told africanFootball.com he suffered the injury while in action for his Portuguese club in a pre-season game in Porto on Sunday night.

    “I am out of the U-23 game because I am injured. I suffered a hamstring injury today (Sunday) while in action for my team in the final game of the pre-season, which we lost 1-2 to Boavista,” Abdullahi told africanFootball.com.

    “I am disappointed with the injury because my mind was on the game, I have no choice but to pull out.

    “I will communicate to the coach and another official of the U-23 team to tell them about the situation.”

  • Libya move on hold —Abdullahi

    Libya move on hold —Abdullahi

    Kano Pillars midfielder Shehu Abdullahi has put on hold a move to Libya so as to feature at CHAN.

    The former Nigeria U20 star has a concrete offer from Libya, but he has insisted he will only look at it after the CHAN in South Africa.

    A source close to the player informed MTNFootball.com: “Shehu has seen interests from Libya and the money is good, but he has said he will not take it till after the CHAN, where he could even get a better offer.”

    Abdullahi, who played at right back for Nigeria at last year’s FIFA U20 World Cup in Turkey, was a late inclusion on the final squad to CHAN, which kicks off on Saturday in Cape Town.

    The player who will be 21 in March, is behind Ikenna Paul of Sunshine Stars in the Eagles pecking order at CHAN.

    Recently many Nigerian players have moved to Libya with former Heartland forward, Abdul Haruna the latest export to the North African country.

  • Eagles’ midfielder delays Libya transfer for CHAN

    Kano Pillars midfielder, Shehu Abdullahi, has put on hold a move to Libya so as to feature at CHAN.

    The former Nigeria U-20 star has a concrete offer from Libya, but he has insisted he will only look at it after the tournament in South Africa.

    A source close to the player informed MTNFootball.com: “Shehu has a serious interest from Libya and the money is good, but he has said he will not take it till after the CHAN, where he could even get a better offer.”

    Abdullahi, who played at right back for Nigeria at last year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey, was a late inclusion in the final squad to CHAN, which kicks off on Saturday in Cape Town.

    The player, who will be 21 in March, is behind Ikenna Paul of Sunshine Stars in the Eagles pecking order at CHAN.

     

     

     

  • Omeruo out of AYC

    Omeruo out of AYC

    Flying Eagles officials have left out Kenneth Omeruo from a 30-man provisional squad for the 2013 African Youth Championship.

    The biennial championship, which kicks off in Algeria from March 16, will produce four African representatives for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey later this year, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Omeruo featured for the Flying Eagles in the AYC qualifier in October against South Africa, but he has since made the big jump to the full international side where he shone as the Super Eagles emerged African champions in South Africa last weekend.

    The John Obuh- led technical crew picked four overseas-based players in the provisional squad for the tournament,.

    The final 21-man list will be submitted to the Confederation of African Football not later than March 6.

    The foreign-based players are Mikel Agu (FC Porto), Saliu Sodiq (FC Metz, France), Bright Osagie (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria) and Edafe Egbedi (AGF Aarhus, Denmark).

    26 other players are drawn from the Nigeria domestic league.

    The squad will depart Abuja on Monday afternoon for two warm-up matches in Cairo against their Egyptian counterparts and later fly out to Tunisia for a three-week training camp ahead of the tournament.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has tasked the team to retain the trophy the country won in South Africa two years ago and qualify for the U20 World Cup in Turkey.

    NFF technical director, Emmanuel Ikpeme, addressed the players before their departure to Cairo.

    “We expect you to successfully defend your title and qualify for the World Cup,” Ikpeme urged the Flying Eagles.

    “You should fight to make a name for yourselves in Algeria and we will support you fully.”

     

    The squad:

     

    Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel, Jonah Usman, Samuel Okani

    Defenders: Chizoba Amaefule, Shehu Abdullahi, Ikechukwu Okorie, Kingsley Madu, Hassan Abubakar, Ekoh Favour Oke, Aliyu Mohammed Goyi, Aigbe Oliha

    Midfielders: Chidi Osuchukwu, Abduljeleel Ajagun,Uche Agbo, Ibrahim Abubakar Aliyu, Nzube Anaezemba, Moses Orkuma, Ovbokha Agboyi, Oluwaseun Taro, Okechukwu Azubuike, Saliu Sodiq, Mikel Agu

    Strikers: Alhaji Gero, Umar Aminu, Christian Pyagbara, Harrison Egbune, Bright Ejike, Edafe Egbedi, Yahaya Adamu, Bright Osagie.