The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Super Eagles

  • Jonathan congratulates Super Eagles

    President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the Super Eagles on their exhilarating come-back victory over their Moroccan counterparts.

    The Eagles won the quarter-final match 4-3 at the ongoing African Nations Championship in Cape Town.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said that President Jonathan applauded the indomitable spirit with which the Super Eagles fought back from being three goals down to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and won a most memorable victory with almost the last kick of the match.

    He commended the courage, patriotism, determination and dedication to national service exhibited by the Super Eagles during the match.

    The President urged the team to maintain their exemplary commitment to national duty until ultimate victory in the continental soccer championship for home-based players is achieved.

    Jonathan assured the team and its handlers that they will continue to receive the fullest possible support from the Federal Government and all Nigerians as they strive to add the African Nations Championship trophy to the African Nations Cup which Nigeria won last year.

    He joined all other patriotic and proud Nigerians in praying for the success of the team in the semi-finals and finals of the tournament.

  • Super Eagles promise to defeat Morocco

    Super Eagles promise to defeat Morocco

    Super Eagles Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, on Thursday said the team had promised to defeat Morocco in their quarter final match in the ongoing Africa Nations Championship (CHAN). The quarter final match to be staged at the Cape Town Stadium would hold on Jan. 25.

    Alaiya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Cape Town, South Africa, that the morale of the team was high as the players were eager to win in the encounter.

    “Very positive, very determined. The type of morale that you will like in a team that wants to win a championship. That is what you can see, everybody, I mean, even before we say we should leave the hotel by three–thirty, by three- twenty, everybody was in the bus.

    “Everybody is eagerly ready to come back after the day off that was given to them yesterday (Wednesday) just to relax and feel the city of Cape Town. Everybody is rearing to go because that is the reason why we are here in the first place.

    “So, I must say it’s very positive, the coaching crew is also enjoying the support of the federation and, of course, the players, most importantly.’’

    Alaiya said the fitness level of the team was encouraging as only two players were being watched by the team doctors. The players are midfielder, Ikenna Paul, and striker Barnabas Imenger, who had yet to be certified fit for the quarterfinal match against Morocco.

    “Apart from the red card issued to Solomon Kwambe everything is looking near perfect. We hope that before Saturday, Paul and Imenger will be certified fit,’’ he said.

  • NFF picks Houston for World Cup

    NFF picks Houston for World Cup

    African champions Nigeria will train in Houston, United States, for the 2014 World Cup, top officials have announced.

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has proposed the team train in either Miami or Houston for the World Cup, but top Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official, Chris Green, has now disclosed the country has settled for Houston.

    “Nigeria will train for the World Cup in Houston,” Green said.

    “We want to make a statement at our fifth World Cup and so we have to prepare adequately.”

    MTNFootball.com reports that Nigeria will open the training camp on May 25.

    Nigeria will also face Mexico in a World Cup warm-up in Houston on March 5.

    Green also said the team plans four other friendlies before playing Iran in the first match on June 16.

    Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina are the other teams in Group F.

     

  • Nigeria player ratings against Bafana Bafana

    KickOffNigeria.com

    Editor Colin Udoh rates the Super Eagles after their 3-1 win over South Africa on Sunday.

     

    8 Chigozie Agbim

    Drew flak for his performances in the first two games, but lived up to his promise to improve. Top saves at the end, two from point blank range to preserve Nigeria’s lead.

     

    6 Solomon Kwambe

    A big part of his game is bombing forward. And he did it to near perfection. Could have done better for the tackle that earned him a red card.

     

    8 Kunle Odunlami

    Looking more and more like another Godfrey Oboabona-style gem. Composed in his reading of the play and decisive in his tackling.

     

    8 Azubuike Egwuekwe

    For a big man, continues to show impressive ball skills. Won just about everything above shoulder level

     

    7 Erhun Obanor

    Looked shaky slotting in for the absent Benjamin Francis. To his credit, no calamitous error.

     

    9 Ejike Uzoenyi

    Quick of pace, slick of passing and lethal of finishing, Uzoenyi was everything South Africa feared about Nigeria.

    Denied a hat-trick only by the frame of the goal.

     

    7 Rabiu Ali

    Passed the ball intelligently and dictated the tempo. His free-kick was spilled by Moeneeb Josephs before the panicked keeper fouled Gbolahan salami for the penalty.

     

    7 Gbolahan Salami

    Could have been Emenike-lite. His brute strength and sheer force of personality bruised and battered Bafana defenders, and panicked Josephs into giving away a penalty

     

    7 Bright Esieme

    Shifted to holding midfield for the game, Esieme showed great play-breaking abilities. Yang to Ali’s Ying.

     

    7 Shehu Abdullahi

    Worked hard, marked with intelligence and passed the ball simply but effectively.

     

    8 Ifeanyi Ede

    Good hold-up and link-up play as he led the line. Set up the first goal, put away the penalty.

     

    SUBtitutes:

     

    6 Umar Zango

    Came on and helped shore things up as Keshi looked to protect his lead and provide support for a back line bracing for the last minute onslaught.

     

    5 Ugonna Uzochukwu

    Gave away the penalty with a mistimed challenge on his return from injury

     

    Barnabas Imenger

    Not enough time for a rating

     

  • CHAN: Nigeria deserved to win – South African coach

    CHAN: Nigeria deserved to win – South African coach

    South Africa head coach Gordon Igesund, has said that his men lost to a better side and have no excuse for losing comprehensively to the Super Eagles.

    Nigeria beat the hosts 3-1 to secure a ticket to the quarter finals of the African Nations Championship while the hosts crashed out, Goal reports.

    “The Nigerians deserved their victory, they were physically stronger, were hard running and fully capitalised on our glaring mistakes. I am going to offer no excuses; we were today beaten by a better side,” Goal quoted Igesund as saying to journalists after the game.

    “We however, missed some of our regular players especially at the back. But that is no excuse, I will repeat again. We were just not good on the day,” he added.

    The Bafana coach, however, insisted he would not quit as the handler of the national team unless his employers force him to do so.

    “I had no mandate going into the CHAN tournament. I think this Bafana team has improved greatly in the last few months. I will continue until my contract runs out in June.

    “But if SAFA think it is high time for me to go, that is fine with me. It is not in my hands. I would not say this was my lowest moment. We have to rise up and carry on,” he said.

    Nigeria and Mali qualified from Group A while Mozambique and South Africa crashed out.

     

  • CHAN: South Africa’s game massive – Keshi

    CHAN: South Africa’s game massive – Keshi

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has predicted a big battle between his team and hosts South Africa in Sunday’s final Group A clash at the CHAN.

    Nigeria currently lies in third position in the group with three points and needs to win to qualify for the quarterfinals, while South Africa only needs a draw to reach the knockout stage, MTNFootball.com reports.

    A draw will also be sufficient for second-placed Mali against bottom team Mozambique, also on Sunday.

    The teams last clashed in Durban last year in the Mandela Challenge with Nigeria 2-0 winners courtesy of a brace by Uche Nwofor.

    “I expect a great game. South Africa would be South Africa and Nigeria would be Nigeria. The fans will enjoy themselves,” promised Keshi ahead of the crunch game.

    Keshi disclosed that he may most likely start with the same team who began the Mozambique match, which Nigeria won after a disappointing loss to Mali in their opening game.

    “Hopefully, we should be seeing the same squad that started against Mozambique. But I would have to decide that my starting line up by Sunday morning,” he said.

     

     

  • CHAN: Experienced Bafana will be tough – Keshi

    CHAN: Experienced Bafana will be tough – Keshi

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi , has admitted his team’s last group game against CHAN hosts South Africa will be tough, describing the Bafana as a more experienced team.

    “If you look at some of their players like (Siphiwe) Tshabalala and goalkeeper (Itumeleng) Khune, they have lots of experience and this will matter a lot going into the decisive group game on Sunday,” MTNFootball.com quoted Keshi as saying ahead of the match.

    “It’s very difficult to handle these youngsters (in my team), but they are an intelligent group who have mastered things quickly.”

    South Africa leads Group A with four points ahead of Mali, who also had four points but an inferior goals difference.

    Nigeria lies in third position with three points, while the Mozambicans are bottom with zero point.

    The Super Eagles needs a win against Bafana to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament.

    “I hope we get better and better because with football I cannot say we shall beat South Africa,” said Keshi, while insisting that Nigeria’s favourable record against South Africa will count for nothing on Sunday.

    Kick-off is 6pm Nigerian time on Sunday.

     

  • CHAN: Eagles beat Mozambique 4-2

    The Super Eagles Wednesday redeemed their image at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN), as they defeated Mozambique 4-2 in the second fixtures in group A. The Nigerian side had earlier lost to Mali 1-2 in the opener to set up a must –win encounter against Mozambique. The Stephen Keshi –led team showed determination to continue their quest for a trophy in their debut appearance in the CHAN in the six goal thriller at the Cape Town Stadium in South African. Two goals from Kano Pillars’ player Rabiu Ali out of the four scored inspired the home lads to their first victory of the tournament.

  • World Cup: NFF asks Keshi to submit 40-man list

    World Cup: NFF asks Keshi to submit 40-man list

    The Nigeria Football Federation has demanded a 40-man list from Stephen Keshi preparatory to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
    MTNFootball.com gathered that the NFF technical committee asked Keshi to make available a list of players from which he will pick his final 23-man squad for the World Cup in June.
    “We expect the coach to send through this list at the latest after the CHAN,” a member of the committee informed MTNFootball.com
    It is expected that the core of this 40-man squad will come from the bulk of the players who featured at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and also qualified the country to a fifth World Cup.
    It is left to be seen if Keshi will recall skipper Joseph Yobo, who has seen limited action at Turkish club Fenerbache after he fell down the pecking order, and England-based striker Osaze Odemwingie.
    Osaze had a major fallout with Keshi after he was sensationally overlooked for the 2013 AFCON.
    It would also be interesting to see some of the other players Keshi is now considering for the tournament.
    Ukraine-based midfielder Lukman Haruna, Chinedu Obasi, Raheem Lawal and Joel Obi are believed to be among those that will be given a chance to fight for a place on the flight to Brazil.

  • CHAN defeat expected – Keshi

    CHAN defeat expected – Keshi

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has said he was not surprised his team of inexperienced players fell 2-1 to Mali in Saturday’s opening CHAN game.
    The Malians recorded their first-ever win against Nigeria at full international level, defeating their West African rivals 2-1 in Cape Town on Saturday.
    “I was expecting this kind of result because of the anxiety that comes with this kind of championship for players that have not been exposed to tournaments like this,”MTNFootball.com quoted Keshi as saying after the game.
    “Well what happened was that we did not play our game. We only started playing in the last 5 to 10 minutes and that was too late.
    “In the half time break, I asked them to feel free and express themselves and I don’t know if that worked because we still lost the game.”
    Keshi lamented that the Nigerian league has ended four months ago.
    “I think this is a perfect opportunity for home-based players to move forward and get exposure. If it’s about the league of each country, we have been out of action for like four months and we have had these players for only three weeks, but I don’t know if that was responsible for today,” he said.
    Mali coach Djibril Drame said he was delighted to edge past the African champions.
    “It’s a joy and pride we feel today because we have just beaten the Africa champions,” he said.
    “It was not an easy game. First matches are very important. Tactically, we were very well placed after watching tapes of how the Nigerians play, we ensured that our tactics changed and it worked for us.”
    He said his team will now focus on next game against group leaders South Africa, who beat Mozambique 3-1 also on Saturday.