Tag: Super Eagles

Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has urged  stakeholders and all Nigerians to rally behind  George Finidi, the newly appointed  Head Coach of the Senior National Team, Super Eagles. 

Speaking at the unveiling of George at the Media Centre of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja yesterday, Senator Enoh  who said  the  appointment of Finidi George was well received by Nigerians, expressed  confidence in the  ability of the former Ajax Amsterdam winger  to take the Super Eagles to a new height. 

According to the Minister, with his appointment,  George has the responsibility to bring back the liveliness and excitement of the Nigerian Football. 

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He further  stated that the administration of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’ started with so much support for Nigerian Football adding that, we can’t afford to let him down. 

Earlier in his remarks the President of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji  Ibrahim Musa Gusau, stated that the appointment of Finidi George signalled a new dawn in the history of Nigerian Football. He said that his appointment was in line with the clamour of Nigerians for the appointment of an indigenous coach to handle the Super Eagles. 

He explained that it was in deference to this yearning that the federation directed the technical team saddled with the responsibility of picking the coach to look inwards and choose an indigenous coach for the national team. Now that the choice of the coach has been made, he called on all Nigerians to support him to succeed in his new role especially with the World Cup and AFCON qualifiers in sight.

He assured that as a policy, the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF gave Finidi George the freehand to choose his technical staff. Ibrahim Gusau stressed that the assistants will be paid on game-by-game basis to avoid crisis in the payment of their allowances that had bedevilled the process in the past. He also assured that they will be entitled to bonuses and entitlements enjoyed by players and coaches. 

Leverkusen extend unbeaten run to 49

Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman will clash with his compatriots, Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella in the final of the UEFA Europa League following the qualification of  both Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen  for the grand finale.

Lookman who started the second leg semi-final fixture in Atalanta shot his club into the lead in the 30^th  minute before further goals from Matteo Ruggeri and El Bilal Toure in the 52^nd  and 95^th  minute steered them to a 4-1 win over French side, Marseille.

Lookman who had a good performance was replaced in the 76^th minute by Bilal Toure

Though Tella and Boniface were unused substitutes yesterday, Bayer Leverkusen were able to dig deep and get a 2-2 draw at home to AS Roma in the return leg of the semi-final clash.

Read Also: GTI lauds George ‘s appointment for Super Eagles

 The German side were up 2-0 from the first leg played in Italy last week but they went 2-0 behind after Video Assistant Referee intervened to hand Roma scoring opportunities from the penalty spot which Leandro Paredes coolly converted in the 43rd and 66th minutes.

Xabi Alonso led Leverkusen turned the tide in the second half and were on level terms through Mancini own goal and Substitute Josip Stanisic strikes in the 82^nd  and 97^th  minute.

The win extended Bayer Leverkusen unbeaten run to 49 matches and they have broken Benfica’s unbeaten streak which was the most but was equalled in their last weekend’s league tie with Eintracht Frankfurt before their latest feat.

Both teams will meet on Wednesday May 22^nd  in the UEFA Europa League final.

Determined to  kick the  ground running  with the Super Eagles, newly appointed coach Finidi George is said to bed brainstorming  with the egg heads of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) in order to draw up a formidable list  for next month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and  Benin Republic.

The former Nigeria International  winger has reportedly been in  Abuja over the last few days to fine tune details of his contract as well as choice of assistants as well as all the important  list of players for the  decisive  double header  in June.

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“ Finidi has been for some days,” a decent NFF source told NationSport.“ I suspect he’s putting  finishing touches  to the list  for South Africa and Benin Republic;  and peharps his assistants.”

The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam’s winger who was appointed the national team coach after Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro departed  after  the expiration of his contract post  silver medal win at  the AFCON 2023 in Cote d’Ivoire, already has his work cut out with the June fixtures.

“ The World Cup qualification matches against South Africa  and Benin Republic are a collective responsibility for all Nigerians,” George hinted in an interview on Monday.

“ I know I’m in charge now and the heavy responsibility is on me to win the two World Cup matches .

“ I am also in touch with the players and they are ready and willing to give their all  having missed out in the last edition held in Qatar.

The ties against the Bafana Bafana  in Uyo  and against The Cheetahs  in Abidjan are must-win encounters with the Super Eagles lagging behind in third place in Group C of the African  Zone qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup behind Rwanda and South Africa.

Foremost financial investment firm, GTI Group,  has  congratulated  the newly appointed Super Eagles Head Coach, Finidi George.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) recently announced the former Super Eagles winger as substantive head coach of the senior national football team, Super Eagles, following the expiration of Jose Peseiro’s contract in March 2024.

As strategic partners to the NFF on the President Federation Cup and the Nigeria Premier Football League respectively, GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited will continue to play a vital role in helping to reposition and restructure Nigeria’s football ecosystem using international best practices.

Read Also: Super Eagles : Patrons, mates unite behind Finidi George

 “The recent appointment of George is a golden opportunity for another indigenous coach to prove his mettle with our senior national team after Stephen Keshi of blessed memory successfully guided the Super Eagles to the 2013 AFCON triumph in South Africa. Therefore, we call on all stakeholders of Nigerian football to rally round George to ensure his tenure is successful,” said GTI Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba.

It could be recalled that George assisted former coach Peseiro for 20 months during which the Eagles reached the final of the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire, but the team lost narrowly to the hosts by 2-1 in the final game.

Renowned for his attacking prowess and deft touches at the wings during his playing days, George began his club football from the local scene, featuring prominently for Calabar Rovers FC of Calabar and Sharks FC of Port Harcourt before heading to Europe. He won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals.

George also won gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.

Prior to his appointment, Finito as he is fondly called by football fans was in charge of two friendly matches in the March 2024 FIFA window where the Super Eagles edged Ghana 2-1 in the first match, ending an 18-year winless streak against the Black Stars, but then lost 2-0 to Mali in the second game.

His first official game will be Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bafana Bafana of South Africa in June and will be followed by the second game against Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan respectively. These are must-win ties for the Super Eagles who are lagging in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.

Rivers State Governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara, has congratulated Rivers-born ex-international winger, Finidi George, on his appointment by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the Head Coach of the National Football Team, the Super Eagles.

Fubara, in a congratulatory message said, the approval by the board of NFF to appoint George, following the recommendations of its Technical and Development Committee, was  a testament of his hard work, commitment, perseverance and patriotism over the years.

The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nelson Chukwudi, cited George’s sterling performances at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, as well as contributions to Super Eagles winning of gold, silver and bronze medals in the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments, among other exploits.

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He expressed confidence that the 52-year old George, who won 62 caps for Nigeria, and coached many teams to victory, including his record during the 20-month stint as assistant to Jose Peseiro would bring his wealth of experience in leading the senior national team to laurels in the coming months and years.

He said: “George’s years of experience as a national and international footballer, particularly his mesmerising displays in Calabar Rovers, Sharks FC in Nigeria; and Ajax Amsterdam and Real Betis, among others in Europe, and as a coach will come handy in his new job”.

Urging him to be a good ambassador of Rivers, the governor wished  George a successful coaching career.

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has pledged his support to the Super Eagles Supporters Club, even as he  described them as a permanent feature in Nigeria’s football firmament.

Governor Adeleke said as much while hosting the Founder and National President of the club, Prince Vincent Okumagba recently at the Osun State’s  Government House where he  was decorated as the club.

While  congratulating Hon. Rufai Omotayo Bashiru, the Chairman of the newly inaugurated Osun State’s chapter of the Super Eagles Supporters Club, Governor Adeleke  said he was ready to support the activities of SESC.

Read Also: NFF, Sports Minister divided over new Super Eagles coach

Speaking earlier, Okumagba commended Gov. Adeleke for his passion for the Super Eagles which ‘you showed during the last AFCON hosted in Cote D’Ivoire when the world saw a viral video of  how you watched Super Eagles defeating South Africa during the semifinals match in your office and how you watched the AFCON final match with many football lovers in a public viewing centre’.

He added: “I am glad to inform you that this is the first time that a Supporters’ club would be having its branch in Osun and it’s happening during his tenure. It is our desires to see Osun State hosting Super Eagles matches here in Osogbo during your tenure as we have seen your administration’s determination to drive sports development in the state through public-private partnerships,” said the SESC boss.

Super  Eagles duo of Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey played the game of their lives for Fulham but were beaten 3-1 at the Craven Cottage by Liverpool. The Cottagers are in 12^th  spot with 42 points and untroubled by relegation.

Iwobi played his 26th EPL game of the season with five goals against the Reds while Bassey featured in his 25th game. He has a goal to his credit.

In another game, Ola Aina was available for 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 away loss to Everton at the Goodison Park. The Reds are still hovering over the drop zone. They are 17th with 26 points from 34 games.

The other Nigerian at the club, Taiwo Awoniyi is still out injured but he is expected to return before the end of the month.

In Germany, Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella were both in thick of action for Bayer Leverkusen who needed a stoppage time goal to keep their unbeaten streak intact at Borussia Dortmund.

It was as if the end was near for Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen unbeaten run when Dortmund’s Niclas Fullkrug struck in the 81^st  minute but Josip Stanisic equalised in the eighth minute of the additional time to extend their unbeaten streak to 45 games.

Tella who started the game was yellow carded in the 28th minute while Boniface needed a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to overturn the red card given him in the 88th minute barely five minutes after his introduction.

In France, Akor Adams was available for 88 minutes but he is still unable to end his goal drought for Montpellier who beat Reims away 2-1. Montpellier are 12th with 36 points. Adams has seven goals from 28 games.

In Turkey, Ibrahim Olawoyin featured for Rizespor in their 2-0 loss at Istanbul Basaksehir. David Akintola was also in action for the same club. Olawoyin bagged his 31st game of the season. He has six goals.

Akintola got his ninth game of the season too. He has scored a goal while Azubuike Okechukwu who is the third Nigerian at the club is yet to play this season. He copped an ankle injury since July last year and yet to recover.

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Rizespor are sixth on the log with 48 points from 33 games and are still in the reckoning for European club competition chase.

In Belgium, Chidera Ejuke scored for Royal Antwerp who pipped Cercle Brugge 1-0 away.

It was Ejuke’s fourth goal of the season in 25 games for Royal Antwerp who are fifth on the log with 29 points. The win has rekindled his club’s faint hope for continental football next season.

George Ilenikhena, Alhassan Yusuf and Victor Udoh are the three other Nigerians at Royal Antwerp. Yusuf was introduced in the 83rd minute but Ilenikhena and Udoh were unused substitutes.