The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Super Eagles

  • WCQ: NFF defends Eagles travel plans

    WCQ: NFF defends Eagles travel plans

    The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the travel plans for the Super Eagles to Kenya ahead of Wednesday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars.

    Supersport.com reports that the Nigerian contingent will only arrive in Nairobi on Tuesday following long flights from Houston to Nairobi via Frankfurt and Addis Ababa.

    Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi has since come down hard on the federation’s travel plans for the team insisting that it would be impossible for him to conduct any training session before Wednesday’s game.

    The NFF, through executive committee member, Barr. Chris Green, has now taken the time to explain the contingent’s itinerary.

    “A lot of people do not have the facts. Misinformation is a very bad thing. What we (the NFF) did was painstakingly planned. The weather conditions in Kenya make it impossible for non-locals to acclimatise until after five days.

    “Even if the team had flown straight to Nairobi from Houston (where Nigeria played a friendly against Mexico on Saturday), it would have given the boys just three days to acclimatise and that would not have been enough.

    “That would have been disastrous and we never wanted that to happen” Green said to Supersport.com on Monday.

    The NFF chief then added that the federation drew from a precedent set by the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) for a recent international against Ethiopia.

    “We studied carefully what SAFA did just before they played against Ethiopia, a country which has similar weather conditions as Kenya.

    “SAFA made it such that the Bafana Bafana team arrived in Addis Ababa on the day of the match and also left immediately after the match.

    “Getting to Kenya just before the game will act in our favour as we would not have to battle to acclimatise with the weather conditions.

    “It is more expensive to embark on the arrangement we currently have on ground. We will incur more costs and expend more on logistics spending days in Germany and Ethiopia but we have vowed to spare to no cost as a federation to see that Nigeria’s flag is hoisted at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil,” he said.

    Green then spoke about the gaffer’s constraints on not having adequate time to train with his wards before the game on Wednesday.

    “Keshi is a master of the mind games. He’s not an AFCON-winning coach for nothing.”

     

  • Intl friendly: Nwosu commends Eagles performance

    Intl friendly: Nwosu commends Eagles performance

    Former Nigerian player, Henry Nwosu, has said the high profile international friendly between Mexico and Nigeria in Houston, Texas in the United States, lived up to its billing as a top flight game.

    Supersport.com reports that the Mexicans forced the African champions to a 2-2 draw at the Reliant Stadium, Houston in the early hours of Saturday.

    Nwosu said the score line was inconsequential but the opportunity it afforded the Eagles’ manager, Stephen Keshi to assess his charges especially the new ones ahead of the two crucial 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kenya next Wednesday and Namibia on June 12.

    “Winning or losing has never come up as the main criteria for assessing the match but the performance of the players against their Mexican opponents and a 2-2 draw wasn’t a bad result more so as their performance met my assessment of a friendly game.

    “The coach must have picked some lessons from the game and those lessons will help him tremendously when he is doing correction for the next World Cup matches against Kenya and Namibia.

    “The new replacements would have registered their impressions on his mind and I’m sure those among them who proved their worth will form part of his planning for future games.

    “I’m satisfied with the outcome of the match as well as the performance of the players. It could only get better as we count down days to the Kenya and Namibia games,” said the former Golden Eaglets’ coach to Supersport.com.

     

  • MEXICO 2 – 2 NIGERIA: We played to instruction – Oduamadi

    MEXICO 2 – 2 NIGERIA: We played to instruction – Oduamadi

    Super Eagles forward Namdi Oduamadi says the team played according to instructions from the coaching led by Stephen Keshi in the international friendly with Mexico.

    The South Americans came from behind to pull a 2-2 draw after the intervals on Friday night in Houston, United States after the Nigerians had taken a 2-1 lead in the first half.

    Javier Hernández put the North Americans ahead as Brown Ideye drew level few minutes later. John Ogu scored the second for Nigeria in the first half, before Hernández completed his brace way into the second half.

    Oduamadi, whose penalty call was ignored by the central referee, said after the game that the style of play was as a result of the instruction from the coach.

    “We played according to instruction, we did everything the coach asked us to do,” he told Brila FM.

    Mexico dominated the early stage of the game, but the Varese striker is concerned with the end result on the night.

    “We did not start well as the first 15 minutes did not go in our favour, but we bounced back and got an equaliser, and then took the lead in the first half.

    “The second half was better off, and it was a good game for us.”

    Nigeria will be hosted by Kenya in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

  • 2014 World Cup qualifiers: Kenya vs Nigeria gets 2pm kick-off

    2014 World Cup qualifiers: Kenya vs Nigeria gets 2pm kick-off

    •Eagles hit Nairobi Tuesday

    The second leg 2014 World Cup qualifier between the Harambee Stars of Kenya and the Super Eagles of Nigeria will kick off 4pm local time, which is 2pm Nigerian time on Wednesday June 5, 2013.

    The game will be played at the Kasarani stadium in Nairobi.

    Kenya drew 1-1 with Nigeria in the first leg played at the U.J. Esuene stadium in Calabar, Nigeria.

    The Eagles are expected to arrive Nairobi on Tuesday June 4, which is 24 hours before the crunch tie.

    Nigeria will also be hosted by Namibia on June 12 in another World Cup qualifier.

  • Super Eagles draw 2-2 with Mexico

    Super Eagles draw 2-2 with Mexico

    Super Eagles early Saturday morning played a 2-2 draw with the Mexican national team at Reliant Stadium in Houston at an international friendly match .

    El Tri started off hot in the contest, but an early straight red card evened out the match.

    To start the scoring, it was an early goal by Manchester United striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez who was able to put away a cross from Pablo Barrera.

    Unfortunately for the Mexicans, it was just a little time later that Barrera was shown the red card, which resulted in an equalizing goal from the Super Eagles. It was Ideye Brown who was able to sneak the ball past Jose de Jesus Corona on the penalty.

    Just before the half, Nigeria was able to charge after a big save from keeper Austin Ejide, which led to John Ogu scoring and putting Nigeria ahead 2-1.

    In the second-half, it was Chicharito’s heroics that evened up the game for Mexico just twenty minutes before the final whistle. In a stunning state, four of the five goals Mexico has scored in 2013 have come from the foot of Hernandez. The Mexican offense will need to find more attackers in order to stand out during World Cup qualifiers.

    Mexico and Nigeria will now prepare for some tough upcoming matches next week in World Cup qualifying. Mexico will take on Jamaica, Panama and Costa Rica next month, while Nigeria has a match against Kenya.

  • Ogu in starting XI for Mexico tie

    Ogu in starting XI for Mexico tie

    Portugal-based ace John Ogu is expected to start for Nigeria in a friendly against Mexico in Houston, Texas, in the early hours of Saturday.

    The high-profile match, designed to prepare both teams for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, will kick off 8pm on Friday in Houston, which is 2am on Saturday in Nigeria, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The Academica de Coimbra midfielder managed only seven minutes on his Eagles debut against Kenya in Calabar in March.

    He is to play alongside Lazio ace Ogenyi Onazi and Sunday Mba in the Eagles midfield in a 4-3-3 formation.

    The attack will be led by Dynamo Kiev striker Brown Ideye and Nnamdi Oduamadi alongside Joseph Akpala, who was a late replacement for injured Emmanuel Emenike.

    Despite several withdrawals, stand-in skipper Vincent Enyeama will have the defence for the recent Africa cup of Nations – Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echiejile, Godfrey Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo.

     

    The Eagles starting XI vs Mexico

     

    Vincent Enyeama – Efe Ambrose, Elderson, Godfrey Oboabona, Omeruo – John Ogu, Ogenyi Onazi, Sunday Mba – Nnamdi Oduamadi, Brown ideye, Joseph Akpala

     

  • Moses ‘sad’ to miss Eagles matches

    Moses ‘sad’ to miss Eagles matches

    Chelsea winger Victor Moses has said he is devastated that injury has ruled him out of upcoming matches for Nigeria.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the Super Eagles take on Mexico in a friendly in Houston, Texas, on Friday. The team then travel to Kenya on June 5 and a week later move to Namibia for World Cup qualifiers before jetting out to Brazil for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

    Moses has pulled out of all these games and his club has announced he will only be fit again by July 6 after undergoing treatment.

    The player said on his Tweeter handle Wednesday @VictorMoses: “Devastated not to be able to represent my country this summer but have to respect medical advice on injury. I’ll be supporting though #nigeria.”

    Moses represented England at various age-group levels, but made his Eagles debut against Rwanda in a Nations Cup qualifier two years ago and went on to shine as Nigeria won a third Nations Cup in South Africa earlier this year.

    Injury-hit Spartak Moscow striker Emmanuel Emenike and Kalu Uche from Turkish club Kasimpasa have also pulled out of the Nigeria squad ahead of a hectic summer schedule.

     

  • Eagles, Adidas XI match off

    Eagles, Adidas XI match off

    Inclement weather in Nuremberg, Germany, on Monday forced the handlers of the senior national team, Super Eagles to call off the much publicized friendly match with the Adidas XI.

    According to the Head Coach of the team Stephen Keshi, the match had to be called off in order not to endanger the boys.

    This, he said would not affect their programmes which has also been hampered by the chilling weather in the European country.

    The “Big boss” said the players would train on Monday afternoon before jetting out to Houston, United States, on Tuesday to round training for Friday’s friendly match against Mexico.

     

  • Mikel ‘ready’ for Eagles games

    Mikel ‘ready’ for Eagles games

    Super Eagles midfielder, John Mikel , Obi has confirmed his availability for Nigeria’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Kenya and Namibia as well as the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil next month, Supersport.com reports.

    The Chelsea ace, who was influential in Super Eagles triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in February, said he has an appointment with the Brazilian Embassy in London on Monday.

    “I always love to turn out for my country. I wish to confirm that I’ll be in Kenya and Namibia for the World Cup qualifying games and will also be in Brazil for the Confederations Cup.

    “It’s also true that I would have loved to play in the friendly match against Mexico in Houston, United States of America but circumstances and logistics have made this impossible. I love to represent my country,” Supersport.com quoted the midfield maestro as saying in a chat with Eagles’ Team Secretary, Enebi Achor.

    Mikel will join the Eagles in Frankfurt, Germany on their return from U.S and fly with the contingent to Nairobi aboard a Lufthansa Airline flight in the early hours of Tuesday, June 4.

     

  • Mikel ‘may feature’ in Kenya, Namibia ties

    Mikel ‘may feature’ in Kenya, Namibia ties

    There is a possibility that Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, will feature in next month World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia.

    The African champions will confront their group B opponents in crucial 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Nairobi and Windhoek next month. The team will play the Kenyan Harambee Stars on June 5 in Nairobi, before squaring up with the Brave Warriors of Namibia on June 12 in Windhoek.

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, had earlier in the week expressed doubt over the availability of the Chelsea midfielder for the team busy schedule in June.

    “Our agreement before with Chelsea was for them to drop off both Mikel and Victor Moses after their own game. But now he is pursuing a visa to Brazil. We’re also not sure about his condition, if he is fit or not. And so, Mikel might not be there with us,” Keshi was quoted as saying from the Eagles training camp in Germany.

    However, Mikel played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea 4-3 defeat to their Premier League rivals Manchester City in United States on Thursday.

    The match was his first appearance for the Europa League Cup winners since he cropped a hip injury during the closing stages of 2012/2013 season.

    He was paired in central midfield by Chelsea U-18 player, Ruben Loftus-Cheek.