The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Super Eagles

  • WCQ: We’ll do our talking on the pitch – Mikel

    WCQ: We’ll do our talking on the pitch – Mikel

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi has said the team will do the business against Kenya on the pitch on Saturday and not on the pages of newspapers.

    African champions Nigeria lead Group F on four points from two matches, while the East Africans are bottom of the standings on a point.

    “We have decided not to do too much talking but we have the capacity to beat any team in the world and we heard what our opponents have been saying, but by Saturday we will know who is the better side,” MTNFootball.com quoted Mikel as saying on Wednesday.

    Striker Obafemi Martins said the players are confident going into this match.

    “There is no small team anywhere in the world, but we will give our best against Kenya and hopefully we can win”, Martins said.

    While Mikel trained with the rest of the squad on Tuesday, Martins started training with rest of the squad on Wednesday and his impact was immediate, going by his quickness on the ball and general concentration throughout.

    The team had to shift its training schedule to 4:15pm following the hosting of the team by Governor Liyel Imoke on Wednesday afternoon.

    Earlier on Wednesday, the Super Eagles players and officials also held a special Thanksgiving session at the Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel in the Canaan City.

    Supervised by Pastor Divine, the session was specially organised to thank God for the team’s victory at South Africa 2013 and to also pray to God for more victories in the years to come.

     

  • Moses, Ogu promise good outing against Kenya

    Moses, Ogu promise good outing against Kenya

    Chelsea star Victor Moses and new invitee John Ogu have said they are ready for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Kenya.

    Moses was a late arrival in training camp in Calabar because of flight connection problems, but he expressed confidence of a good outing against the Harambee Stars.

    “Training camp in Calabar getting ready for big game this weekend in Nigeria,” Moses tweeted.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the former Crystal Palace and Wigan winger saw action on Sunday in Chelsea 2-0 win over West Ham United.

    He was an impact player at South Africa 2013, where Nigeria won the African Cup of Nation after a 19-year wait.

    Academica de Coimbra of Portugal midfielder John Ogu, on the other hand, told MTNFootball.com that he was excited to undergo his first training with the Eagles on Tuesday in Calabar.

    Ogu, who arrived the training camp Tuesday to beat Coach Stephen Keshi’s deadline, told MTNFootball.com that he is delighted to be in company of great players.

    “‎Having my first training with the Super Eagles was a nice experience for me. Everything in camp is okay. Honestly, I feel good to be among these chosen ones. I will do my best in the game come Saturday if I get the coach’s nod,” said the former Almeria of Spain player, who was a surprise call-up for the Kenya game.

     

     

  • WCQ: Mba ready for Kenya tie

    WCQ: Mba ready for Kenya tie

    Super Eagles midfielder, Sunday Mba, is pleased to have made the 24-man list of the Super Eagles for Saturday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars of Kenya.

    Mba, a subject of an intense transfer battle between two Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sides, Enugu Rangers and Warri Wolves, had risked been dropped from the squad following declarations by the national team head coach, Stephen Keshi.

    Keshi had threatened to drop the player as he had not yet resumed playing competitively despite the domestic season already in full bloom.

    However, Mba has now been included in Keshi’s final squad alongside eight other stars from the NPFL and 15 overseas-based players.

    “I am pleased and relieved to have made the list. As always I will give 200 percent. Now the next step is to work hard in training and hope I get selected by the coach to play on Saturday,” Mba told Supersport.com.

     

    Nigeria’s 24-man squad for Kenya

     

    Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel), Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves).

    Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Elderson Echiejile (FC Braga, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars); Benjamin Francis (Heartland); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars).

    Midfielders: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); Gabriel Reuben (Kano Pillars); Sunday Mba (unattached); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal).

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv,Ukraine); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Babatunde Michael (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine); Nnamdi Oduamadi (A.S Varese 1910 FC, Italy); Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders, USA); Gambo Mohammed (Kano Pillars); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland).

     

  • AYC: Keshi, Eaglets charge F/Eagles

    AYC: Keshi, Eaglets charge F/Eagles

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi and the country’s U-17 team have backed the Flying Eagles to shine at the 2013 African Youth Championship in Algeria, MTNGFootball.com reports.

    Keshi told skipper Abduljaleel Ajagun Saturday he believes in the team, while the Golden Eaglets players said they are behind the Nigeria U-20s as the team files out against Mali in Oran on Sunday.

    Ajagun said: “Coach Keshi asked us to go and do Nigeria proud. He said we should play for our country with pride and confidence.

    “He also said he believes is us and he will be watching us on Sunday.”

    ‘Big Boss’ also spoke to coach Yakubu Maidaji, who was his teammate in the Flying Eagles in the late 70s, as well as goalkeeper trainer Aloy Agu, who played with the former Eagles skipper for the country in the 90s.

    Keshi has fully supported the country’s quest to successfully defend the AYC trophy the team won two years ago in South Africa.

    He has been closely monitoring the team since they moved into a training camp in Tunisia prior to the championship.

    From the Eaglets’ training camp at the Aspire Centre in Doha, coach Manu Garba expressed confidence the Flying Eagles will again stop Malian opposition.

    The Golden Eaglets as well as the Super Eagles have battered their Malian counterparts in recent fixtures and Manu believes the Flying Eagles can take a cue from these wins.

    He said, “We have absolute confidence in the ability of the Flying Eagles to defend their title,” said Garba, 2007 Under-17 World Cup winner.

    “This is going to be an interesting match because of recent results between the two countries.

    “The Super Eagles beat the Eagles of Mali 4-1 in the semi final of the African Cup of Nations and don’t forget that the Golden Eaglets stopped Mali from qualifying for the CAN Under-17 Championship in Morocco when we beat them on a 4-0 aggregate.”

     

  • WCQ: Eagles hold first session for Kenya

    WCQ: Eagles hold first session for Kenya

    The Super Eagles on Tuesday morning got down to business with the first training session ahead of this month’s World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars of Kenya.

    Futaa.com reports that 23 players took part in the maiden session under the watchful eyes of the technical crew led by Stephen Keshi.

    The Media Officer to the Eagles, Ben Alaiya, in a chat with futaa.com confirmed that things are already looking up in the camp as battle for shirts effectively begins.

    “23 players took part in the first session on Tuesday morning and things are looking good already,” Alaiya told futaa.com

    The Super Eagles resumed camping in Abuja on Sunday evening for the first time after winning the African Nations Cup in South Africa.

    The team will play Kenya in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar, in a fortnight.

     

  • Eagles target world’s top 10 spot – Maigari

    Eagles target world’s top 10 spot – Maigari

    The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, has said the Super Eagles will aim to be in the FIFA top 10 this year.

    Nigeria is currently ranked 30th in the world after the Super Eagles won a third African Nations Cup crown in South Africa last month.

    Nigeria’s best FIFA ranking was fifth in April 1994.

    “Like you know we have secured a friendly with the CONCACAF champions Mexico. It is part of our drive to ensure that we finish the year among the best 10 footballing nations in the world,” Maigari told MTNFootball.com.

    “We are in talks with the other soccer powers in the world and we hope to utilise every FIFA free window.”

    The Eagles will on May 31 in Houston, Texas, take on Mexico in a friendly preparatory to the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

    In the meantime, the Nigerian government has thrown its weight behind Maigari ahead of his Confederation of African Football Zone 2 executive committee elections holding this weekend in Morocco.

    Maigari is up against his Benin and Niger Republic counterpart for the position vacated by Nigeria’s Amos Adamu.

    “I have been meeting with Aminu Maigari on the CAF elections. We know the importance of having a Nigerian on the executive committee of CAF and as such the Federal government is giving him all the backing he needs to win this election,” the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, told MTNFootball.com.

     

  • Mba inspired NPL stars – Ayo Saka

    Mba inspired NPL stars – Ayo Saka

    Super Eagles invitee, Ayo Saka, has said Sunday Mba’s African Nations Cup heroics have given “fresh hopes” to players in the domestic league.

    Mba from the Nigeria league scored championship-defining goals including the championship winner against Burkina Faso.

    “What Mba achieved in South Africa has given players in the local league fresh hope,” Saka told MTNFootball.com

    “’Big Boss’ Stephen Keshi has given us a chance in his team and we will not disappoint him.”

    Enyimba midfielder Saka has already been capped at full international and Olympic levels and he said he will make the squad for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya on March 23.

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  • WCQ: Keshi shifts focus to Kenya tie

    WCQ: Keshi shifts focus to Kenya tie

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi , has shifted his attention to this month World Cup qualifier against Kenya, describing the match as serious as every other game.

    Nigeria will take on Kenya on March 23 in Calabar and Keshi has vowed not to depend on old glory.

    “We have to take it (Kenya) seriously, he said on Super Sports TV.

    “Any team that plays Nigeria will want to prove a point because they know we are now the African champions.”

    Futaa.com reports that two more players have been called up to the Kenyan squad for the match against Nigeria.

    Kenyan coach, Adel Amrouche, called up AFC Leopards keeper Martin Musalia and Tusker’s defender Mark Odhiambo to the Harambee Stars team that will soon go to camp to prepare for the match.

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  • Emenike fit again, returns to action

    Emenike fit again, returns to action

     

    Nigeria striker, Emmanuel Emenike has returned to action after suffering a hamstring injury at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    Supersport.com reports that the attacker hobbled off injured in the Super Eagles’ 4-1 semifinal win over Mali on February 6 and was expected to be out of action for two months.

    It now appears that he has recovered quicker than anticipated and is now set to make a return to competitive action.

    The burly attacker took to the social networking site via his Facebook account to share the good news.

    “Am (I am) fine and back playing now. Thank you for all your prayers and wishes,” he wrote.

    The attacker is now expected to make a swift return to the first team of Russian club, Spartak Moscow following the latest development.

    Emenike finished as top scorer at the 2013 AFCON with four goals.

     

  • WCQ: Keshi unveils squad next week

    WCQ: Keshi unveils squad next week

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi , has said invitees for a World Cup clash against Kenya will be known next week with no new player from the Nigerian Premier League.

    Nigeria hosts the Kenyan Harambee Stars in Calabar on March 23, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The African champions currently top of Group F with four points, while Kenya is bottom of the standings with one point after both teams played two games each.

    Nambia and Malawi are the other teams in this group.

    “The list for the Super Eagles for the game against Kenya will be released next week on or before the March 9. We already know the players but we are weighing up some options,” Keshi said.

    Keshi is expected to keep faith with the squad who won the African Nations Cup in South Africa with Spartak Moscow striker Emmanuel Emenike a notable absentee because of a long-term hamstring injury he suffered at the tournament.

    Keshi’s assistant Sylvanus Okpala has already hinted there will be no fresh call-up from the domestic league because it has yet to kick off.