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Tag: Swaziland

Ighalo will treat Swaziland like Arsenal

Odion Ighalo has insisted Nigeria cannot afford to take Swaziland lightly in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Lobambo and he will therefore prepare for the game as he would against Arsenal in the English Premier League.

The Watford striker, who has scored seven goals in the EPL, said there are no longer any minnows in world football.

“There are no small countries in football and so I will prepare to play against Swaziland as I would against Arsenal. I will give 101 per cent whenever I play for my country,” said the 26-year-old forward.

Former Nigeria U-20 skipper Ighalo has scored two goals for the Super Eagles.

November 12, 2015
2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Swaziland begin camp for Nigeria clash

The latest information filtering from Swaziland is that Isihlangu Somnikati are set to converge for camp on Wednesday to get ready for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Swaziland are scheduled to meet the Super Eagles of Nigeria this month and coach Harries Bulunga has already began preparing his side for the crucial tie.

According to the Swazi Observer, Swazi FA CEO Frederick Mngomezulu said the players are expected to report for camp.

“We were in a meeting yesterday and it was agreed that the squad should start camp today. We are sorting a few things here and there in as far as logistics of the camp and match preparations are concerned,” said the CEO.

“We have already relayed the message to the players’ teams and we expect all of them to come for camp this today. We are expecting them (Nigeria) anytime next week but we are not yet sure of the exact date.”

Swaziland beat Djibouti 8-1 on aggregate to get to this stage of the qualifiers and Bulunga’s men are scheduled to face off against Sunday Oliseh’s team in a two-legged clash.

The first match will take place at Somhlolo National Stadium on November 13 and the second leg will be staged at Port Harcourt in Nigeria.

November 5, 2015
Eagles’ll beat Swaziland – Shehu Abdullahi

Super Eagles midfielder Shehu Abdullahi is optimistic that Nigeria will beat Swaziland in the first leg of the 2018 FIFAWorld Cup qualifier on November 13.

The CF Uniao de Madeira player feels it’s important to get all the three points so that the second leg in Port-Harcourt will be much more easier for the Eagles.

Abdullahi, who moved to Portugal at the start of the current season from Kuwaiti side Al Qadsia, wants the Eagles to take the Swazi national side serious if Nigeria is to get anything from the game.

“We have to play to our optimal best if we want to win the first leg because there are no more minnows in football,”he told supersport.com.

“People might say it’s just Swaziland. They might look weak on paper but I can assure you it is nothing like that.

“We have to be at our best, respect them as we should but put in our very best. I believe we have the team to get a result in Swaziland but we need to put in our best.

“If we get a good result against them it will boost our confidence going into the second leg,”Abdullahi added.

The former Kano Pillars player also reiterated his desire to serve the Super Eagles in whatever capacity the coaches dim fit insisting the team comes first and not any player’s choice of position.

Abdullahi played in an unfamiliar role at right back when Nigeria played DR Congo and Cameroun in last month’s friendlies in Belgium.

A shortage of players forced coach Sunday Oliseh to deploy Abdullahi, who is primarily a defensive midfielder into the right back slot and the player did well to earn plaudits.

“It’s not about what I want or where I want to play,”Abdullahi explained.

“I will play anywhere for the Super Eagles if I’m called upon. Getting a win or winning trophies is most important for me.

“A lot of people know me as a defensive midfielder but I’ve played in different positions for the various club sides I’ve played for.

“I’ve played in midfield, attack and defence before so it’s nothing new to me. All I want is victory, that’s what matters most.”he added.

Nigeria will travel to Swaziland for the first leg, second round qualifier of the 2018 World Cup slated for November 13, with the second leg coming up four days later in Port-Harcourt.

November 4, 2015
2018 World Cup Qualifier: Eagles, Swaziland tango in Garden City

The Super Eagles will welcome the King’s Shield to the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium for the return leg of their 2018 World Cup qualifying second round match next month

Goal can reveal that the second leg, second round 2018 World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Swaziland will take place in Port Harcourt on November 17, four days after the first leg in Lobamba.

The Super Eagles would travel to southern Africa for the first leg on November 13 before aiming to seal passage into the third round with a win in the Rivers State capital.

“The first leg will be played on November 13 while the return leg will be played in Port Harcourt on November 17,” Dr Mohammed Sanusi, general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) told Goal.

Players from Europe are expected to arrive camp by November 9.

Earlier, the NFF announced via its website that the first leg game will take place under floodlight at the Somhlolo Stadium by 7pm. The 20,000-capacity arena is all standing.

The return leg will be in Port Harcourt, the city that is fast becoming the new home of the Super Eagles after it played host to September’s international friendly with Niger and October’s African Nations Championship qualifying game against Burkina Faso.

The NFF has not concluded plans about which city will host Egypt in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, a game which had previously been slated for Kaduna.

Dr Sanusi said that decision would be made after next month’s matches.

October 29, 2015
2018 World Cup qualifier Eagles to battle Swaziland

Swaziland has finally emerged as the opponents of the Super Eagles of Nigeria in next month’s second round of the 2018 World Cup qualifier.

The World’s football governing body, FIFA, had exempted 27 top ranked African countries including the Eagles from the first round of the qualifiers and after beating Djibouti 8-1 on aggregate yesterday, Swaziland cruised to the second round where they would face the Eagles.

Sandile Hlatjwako scored twice to help Swaziland beat Djibouti 2-1 in the second leg to wrap up an 8-1 win on aggregate.

Having secured a comprehensive victory over two legs, Swaziland could fancy their chances against Nigeria, with the winners progressing to the final group stage in the bid to reach Russia in 2018.

After romping to a 6-0 victory in the away first leg, only an unbelievable turnaround would have denied the home side a place in the next round and they made no mistake in Lobamba.

October 18, 2015
2018 World Cup qualifier: Swaziland favoured to face Eagles

Swaziland are inching closer to a clash with the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the next round of the 2018 World Cup qualifier following the Southern African nation’s 6-0 mauling of Djibouti yesterday.

The Eagles were drawn by in the preliminary rounds of the qualifiers by the world’s football governing body FIFA and were tipped to face the winners of the game between Swaziland and Djibouti.

After the emphatic victory at the El Hadj Hassan Goule Stadium in the first leg qualifier, Swaziland are likely to move into the next round where they would battle Nigeria for a place in the group stages.

Djibouti and Swaziland will now meet on Tuesday for their second leg at Lobamba and the winners will take on Nigeria in the next round.

Meanwhile, the Eagles will continue their preparations for the World Cup qualifier by playing the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon tomorrow in Brussels after losing to Congo DR 2-0 in the first of the two friendlies organised for them by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

October 10, 2015