The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Super Eagles

  • FIFA RANKING: Super Eagles still 52nd

    • Friendly foes, Poland up to sixth

    Nigeria remain in 52nd place in the latest FIFA Rankings released yesterday, but fellow World Cup finalists Poland, who the Super Eagles will battle later this month in a friendly, have shot to sixth place in the ratings.

    Most countries have not been in action in the past month which has led to very little movement in the global rankings by FIFA.

    Consequently, Nigeria stays seventh in Africa, behind Tunisia, Senegal, Congo DR, Morocco, Egypt, and Cameroun.

    However, Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup Group D opponents Argentina, Croatia, and Iceland are among the top 20 as they sit 4th, 15th and 18th in the updated rankings.

    The Super Eagles next two opponents Poland and Serbia are ranked 6th and 34th respectively.

    There were no changes in the top five. Germany tops the rankings, with Brazil, Portugal, and Belgium completing the best five teams in the world.

    The next FIFA Coca-Cola rankings will be released on April 12, 2018.

    Poland are now just a spot shy of their best-ever position in the rankings. The Eagles will face Serbia four days after they take on Poland on March 23. The Serbians remain in 34th spot.

     

  • Nigeria retain 52nd position in latest FIFA rankings

    Nigeria retained her previous 52nd position in the world and seventh in Africa in the March FIFA/Coca Cola World rankings released on Thursday.

    Nigeria had 609 points, two points below Cameroon that is 51st in the world.

    The top five is unaltered, with Germany still on top, while Poland that will be up against the Super Eagles in a friendly are the only movers in the top 20, having climbed into joint-sixth position alongside Spain.

    Read Also: Paris Agreement: ’Nigeria moving in right direction’

    Tunisia remains the top African country on 23rd position, followed by Senegal on 27th and DR Congo on 39th.

    The Super Eagles World Cup Group D foes Argentina is on 4th place, Croatia on 15th and Iceland on 18th.

    The next edition of the rankings will be released on April 12.

    NAN

  • Eagles opponents swoop on World cup ticket

     

    *356,700 tickets allocated within 24 hours

    *FIFA warns against patronising illegal sources

    Less than 24 hours after World soccer ruling body FIFA opened the portal for second round of World cup tickets, a whooping 356,700 tickets were cleared with further increase expected in the next 24 hours.  Rush for the tickets being sold via FIFA.com/tickets appears to be slowing down the portal intermittently, even as FIFA encouraged fans to maintain the tempo and check the traffic light system on the site which gives an indication about ticket availability.

    While ticket purchase by Argentina continues to rise report from ESPN indicate that there have been over 55,232 seat applications received from Iceland, a country with a population of 334,252. Implying that nearly 17% of the country’s citizens already have their tickets secured for the championship billed for June 14-July 15 in 12 Russia cities.

    Most of the tickets dished out Tuesday have been allocated to Russian fans (197,036), followed by fans from USA (14,845), Argentina (14,564), Colombia (13,994), Mexico (13,505), Brazil (9,691), Peru (9,493), Australia (5,500), Germany (5,476), China (5,459)  and India (4,166).

    FIFA  has however warned that tickets purchased through any other source outside that approved by FIFA will be cancelled once identified and will not entitle the ticket holder to access to the stadium or to any refund or compensation

    Among match tickets selling like hot cake include Argentina versus Iceland June 16, Peru versus Denmark, Uruguay vs Russia June 25

    Super Eagles face Croatia in their opening campaign on June 16, tackle Iceland on June 22 before locking horns with perennial world cup group stage rivals Argentina on June 26.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Rohr calls for more grass pitch stadiums for NPFL matches

    Super Eagles’ coach Gernot Rohr on Sunday in Lagos expressed his preference for Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches to be played more on grass pitch stadiums.

    Rohr spoke with the News men after the NPFL Match Day 12 fixture between Lagos-based MFM FC and Heartland FC of Owerri at Agege Stadium.

    The coach said while he was impressed with the standard of the league he believed it would be improved more if games were played on grass as against synthetic pitches.

    “I am here to see MFM FC play once again after the CAF Champions League fixture which they won. I am also here to see the other team, Heartland FC.

    “What I also noticed is that the league is being played on synthetic pitches. That is old-fashioned because the sun is not favourable playing on such turf.

    “Synthetic pitches are hot during the sun and it is not the best for the players,’’ he said.

    Rohr said he would like to see other players outside the ones he had shortlisted for the upcoming Super Eagles’ matches, so as to see their level of commitment and play.

    Read Also: NIGERIA’S WORLD CUP SQUAD: Everyone must fight for a shirt – Rohr

    “I am not here to see those players on my list, but discovering more players and to see the level of the league, which is better for me.

    “I want to see those that are doing better and to discover other teams. This is where I can watch the team play because there are no NPFL clubs playing in Abuja.

    “The level of the league is interesting and I must commend the teams for their good spirit, though none of the players are in my list,’’ he said.

    The news men reports, MFM FC had defeated Heartland FC 3-0, with goals from Stanley Okorom (8th minute), Chuka Uwaga (88th minute) and Tchato Giscard (92nd minute).

    NAN

  • Poland unleash Lewandowski, 21 others on Super Eagles

    Poland unleash Lewandowski, 21 others on Super Eagles

    The Polish Football Association has announced a list of 22 foreign-based professionals for their home friendlies against Nigeria and South Korea this month.

    As exclusively reported by to allnigeriasoccer.com yesterday, Ipswich Town goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski has been handed a maiden call-up to the Poland’s senior team by manager Adam Nawalka and he will challenge former Arsenal stars Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski for a spot in the starting 11 vs Nigeria.

    The headline name on the list is Bayern Munich goal-machine Robert Lewandowski who will captain the team.

    Ola Aina’s teammate at Hull City Kamil Grosicki, Grzegorz Krychowiak of West Brom and Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik have made the cut.The domestic based players will be added to the roster next week.

    Poland will face Nigeria at the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw on March 23, before tackling South Korea four days later at Stadion Slaski (Chorzów).

     

    Poland Squad For Nigeria Friendly

    Goalkeepers (4): Bartosz Bialkowski (Ipswich Town FC, England), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City AFC, England), Lukasz Skorupski (AS Roma, Italy), Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus FC, Italy).

    Defenders (7): Bartosz Bereszynski (UC Sampdoria, Italy), Thiago Cionek (SPAL 2013, Italy), Kamil Glik (AS Monaco FC, France), Pawel Jaroszynski (AC Chievo Verona, Italy), Marcin Kaminski (VfB Stuttgart 1893, Germany), Tomasz Kedziora (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine), Lukasz Piszczek (BV Borussia 1909 Dortmund, Germany).

    Midfielders (6): Jacek Góralski (Ludogorec Razgrad, Bulgaria), Kamil Grosicki (Hull City AFC, England), Grzegorz Krychowiak (West Bromwich Albion FC, England), Karol Linetty (UC Sampdoria, Italy), Maciej Rybus (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Piotr Zielinski (SSC Napoli, Italy).

    Strikers (5): Dawid Kownacki (UC Sampdoria, Italy), Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München, Germany), Arkadiusz Milik (SSC Napoli, Italy), Jakub Swierczok (Ludogorec Razgrad, Bulgaria), Lukasz Teodorczyk (RSC Anderlecht, Belgium).

  • Weah to Buhari: Support Super Eagles to win World Cup

    Weah to Buhari: Support Super Eagles to win World Cup

    Liberian President, George Weah, on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians in general to give the Super Eagles all the necessary supports in other to win the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    He made the remark after closed doors meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “I think Nigerian team is a model, we all followed them. I have played with great Nigerian players, I played against them. Now you have a new generation, the fact that they qualified for the World Cup is a good thing for Nigeria.

    “But I hope that they will prepare very early because they are going to represent Africa and we will be there to watch them, for them to bring the trophy for the first time if it is possible. But I think the seriousness to go to World Cup is not to pay players to go, I want every African government to know, if you win the World Cup, it is a pride to Africa is not just to Nigeria. So we must do everything to ensure that the players are not stressed, make sure they concentrate and make sure their incentives are given to them to motivate them.

    “Some of the things you see at the World Cup, you will see an entire team go to represent a whole country and you will hear that one minister took the money, they did not pay these players and the players are causing problem. When players are going to camp is to relax and focus. And for them to be in camp they must have everything there for them not to worry.

    “Remember I played in the European setting, when we go to camp we have nothing to do. The only thing we have to do is to take a shower and prepare for the game, everything is laid down here and so you have no excuse.

    “So let the players not have excuse, support them and let them go and bring back that cup.”

    Noting that every government in Africa complains when it comes to sports, he thanked President Buhari for supporting the Super Eagles to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.

     

  • $2.8m will be ready for Eagles World Cup campaign – Pinnick

    $2.8m will be ready for Eagles World Cup campaign – Pinnick

    The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, said on Friday the sum of $2.8 million needed for the Super Eagles 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign would be available by end of April.

    He disclosed this at the inauguration of Odu’a Football Leagues at the Western Nigeria Football Forum office, Cocoa House, Ibadan.

    Pinnick said NFF been working round the clock to get the money ready, adding that it was necessary to ensure adequate preparation for the tournament.

    According to him, availability of fund and other things will boost the morale of the players, coaches, technical staff, supporters and other stakeholders in the tournament.

    Pinnick said his team was working tirelessly behind the scene to ensure Nigerian players plying their trade in foreign clubs featured regularly for their teams.

    He lauded promoters of the Western Nigeria Football Forum – Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, Mr. Seyi Akinwunmi, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde and other stakeholders for their roles in soccer development in the Southwest.

  • NFF partners travel agency to support Super Eagles World Cup campaign

    NFF partners travel agency to support Super Eagles World Cup campaign

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says Geo Travel and Tours is its official travel partner to support the Super Eagles for the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    The News men reports, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, made the disclosure in Lagos on Monday night.

    Pinnick said the travel agency would adopt a flexible payment plan for Nigerians hoping to book now and pay on a later date.

    The NFF president noted that the partnership was the first of its kind and was geared toward making travelling to the World Cup as easy as a “phone call’’.

    He said the partnership was to connect football-loving Nigerians to the Super Eagles when they face their counterparts in Russia.

    “It is important to make the Super Eagles feel the presence of home support by turning up massively in Russia,’’ Pinnick, who was represented by NFF 2nd Vice-President, Mr Shehu Dikko, said.

    Read AlsO: NFF announces names of coaches for five national teams

    According to him, the NFF and the travel agency will collaborate with the local football-loving community to give their full support to the Nigerian football national team.

    The Head of Business, Geo Travel and Tours, Mr Damilola Osikoya, said the partnership with the NFF was part of its commitment to redefine travel and tourism in Nigeria.

    Osikoya explained, Nigerians would have the option of choosing from its number of customised packages that would give them the flexibility of choosing to see the first, second and third game only.

    He added, Nigerians could also choose the combination of the first and second group games, first and third games, second and third, or all the three games.

    NAN

  • Musa named in 50 worst players in EPL history

    Musa named in 50 worst players in EPL history

     

    Do you believe it? Could the analysis be right? Is it not debatable? Could it be a case of analyst being entitled to their opinions?

    Well, the story is that Super Eagles forward Ahmed Musa has been named among 50 Worst players of in premier league history.

    The report dished out on Wednesday on Fourfourtwo.com simply titled “Fourfourtwo: 50 worst players in premier league

    History” listed the Nigerian international and Leicester city ace who recently returned to Russian club CSKA Moscow after a lull in playing time at the King Power Stadium as number 44 on the log.

    With a commentary on each player, the commentary on Musa begins with “Ouch. In the glow of their Premier League-winning season, Leicester broke their transfer record to bring Musa to England for £16.6m from CSKA Moscow. How they landed on the

    Nigerian forward is harder to explain, though, given that he has always been an unremarkable and patchy player who, most importantly, didn’t have a natural place in their side.

    Maybe he was part of a long-term plan that Claudio Ranieri was never given time to implement? Possibly, but at no point

    during his rotten 18 months at the King Power (33 games, five goals) did his transfer ever look likely to be remotely successful. Quietly, he was loaned back to CSKA in the January 2018 transfer window”

    Those listed in the first batch alongside Musa include Aston Villa’s jean Makoun on 42, Southampton’s Agustin Delgado on 43, Arsenal’s Sebastien Squillaci on 45, Aston Villa’s Aleksandar Tonev on 46, Nottingham Forests’Mikola Jerkan on 47, Leeds

    Roque Junior on 48, Liverpool’s Salif Diao on 49 and Manchester United’s Radamel Falcao

    The report further indicates however that other players on numbers 40 to 1 will be released next week.

    Musa who was superlative in his first stay with CSKA Moscow between 2012 -2016 making 125 appearances and scoring 42 goals for the side had what could pass for a nightmare following his transfer to Leicester as he struggled to have playing time.

    A worried Super Eagles coach at a time told the duo of Musa and equally embattled Kelechi Iheanacho to seek other clubs where they can get playing time ahead of the World Cup. Musa’s return to CSKA Moscow was held in sports circles as it was envisaged that his chances of playing regularly is high. He has not only blended back with ease but has already scored two goals in friendly matches for the side and indication that he might return to super form when the Russian league resumes off in March.

    CSKA currently 5th on the log with 35 points in 20 matches will open up the second stanza of the league on March 3rd when they host 9th placed Ural.

  • Ogu happy with contributions to Eagles so far

    Ogu happy with contributions to Eagles so far

     

    Super Eagles and Hapoel Be’er Sheva of Israel attacking Midfielder John Ogu is happy with outings he has made for the national team so far.

    The 29 year old who featured in the match against Algeria after the Eagles had already booked a place in Russia, described  every  opportunity to represent the country as a huge honour which every one privileged to have should celebrate.

    Apparently satisfied with his contribution so far the former Académica of Portugal ace said “Representing my Country is an honour that nobody can ever take away from me and something that I am so proud to have Achieved.. I so Grateful to God for all” he enthused Tuesday.

    Ogu was called up to the Nigerian national side for a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier. He debuted against Kenya in a 1–1 draw, where he was used as a substitute to replace an injured Victor Moses.

    He scored his first international goal against Mexico in a friendly game which took place at the Reliant Stadium in Houston. He was part of the 23 man team Confederation cup squad called up by late Stephen Keshi for the 2013 Confederation cup

    At a time when Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr is expecting the Nation’s players to be at the peak of their game, Ogu who joined the Israeli side On 7 September 2014 on a   four-year deal, scored his first goal for the team against Maccabi Netanya in a 4-0 win at the Vasermil Stadium and has reportedly been enjoying his career. He will now doubt be hoping to remain in top form as the Nigerian coach tinkers with players available especially with friendly matches lined up against Poland and England among others where players in top  shape stand a chance of being tested before the final list for Russia 2018 will be drawn.