The Nation Newspaper

Tag: team

  • US-based players eager to join U-23 team

    US-based players eager to join U-23 team

    • 2nd phase camping starts Wednesday in Abuja
    • Siasia to attend Glo’s African Awards Thursday

    U-23 national team coach Samson Siasia will hit Abuja tomorrow from his base in the United States where he celebrated the Yuletide with his family.

    Siasia, who confirmed his return to Abuja tomorrow from the United States, also told NationsSport that he was elated with the excitement of some Nigerian players  in the United States to play for the Dream Team VI.

    He said: “I hope to be back to Abuja on Tuesday unfailingly by the special grace of God. We are starting the crucial phase of our preparations for the African qualifiers for the All African Games against Gabon and next month is just around the corner.

    “I have been keeping in touch with my players and the foreign based ones. I can also tell you that there are many players here in the (United) States that have called and even met me to signify their interest in playing for the nation, which to me is a welcome development.

    “They have shown real interest in playing for the team and they are very eager too. But we will find a way around it to see if they can join us when we finally settle for a playing tour.” Siasia spoke yesterday to NationSport from the United States.

    NationSport gathered that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given the green light for a training tour for the U- 23 national team which has been tentatively fixed for Turkey.

    Siasia also told NationSport that the training tour in Turkey would give other Europe based professionals the opportunity of joining the team where their fitness level, techniques and skills would be determined by the Dream Team VI handlers to know if their inclusion in the team would add quality to the team he is moulding.

    Siasia has been invited by the Confederation of African Football, organisers of the CAF/Glo Awards for the ceremony in Lagos. The Coach will attend and hurry back to Abuja the following morning to continue his team’s  build-up to the Gabon match slated for February.

  • School team for U-15 football zonal finals

    Efforts of the management of Greensprings School to lift football at grassroots level have started yielding positive results, with the school team winning the Lagos qualifiers of the maiden Etisalat U-15 National Championship.

    The school, being a private school, competed against five public schools in the state.

    The giant stride made by the school within and outside the country prompted the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) to pick the school as the flag bearer of Education District III.

    The six districts in the state were represented by a team each while all the six teams were drawn into two groups of three teams in each group.

    Greensprings, inspired by its talisman, Musa Alli, were drawn in same group with Gbaja High School, Surulere and Kuje Junior High School, Ajegunle.

    In their first group match against Gbaja High School, Greensprings were merciless against the Surulere team as they walloped them 11-1 to send warning signal to Kuje boys.

    Just, they did in the first match, they were ruthless in the second group game against Kuje as they pounded them 18-0 to berth in the final.

    In the final match against Yewa High School, Agege, dignitaries from the Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development led by Permanent Secretary, Oluseyi Whenu, as well as the state director of sports, Kweku Tandoh, were at the Agege Stadium to witness the encounter.

    To the chagrin of the dignitaries, the match turned out to be one-sided as Greensprings dominated proceedings thrashing Yewa boys 10-0 to emerge as the state’s representative at the zonal final scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State capital this month.

    In the zonal finals, Greensprings as Lagos’ representative will compete against state champions from Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun to decide the eventual winner from the zone. The winner from the zone will compete in the national finals.

  • Team trains under floodlights for Cameroon

    Team trains under floodlights for Cameroon

    The Super Falcons of Nigeria trained under floodlights at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek yesterday as they rounded off preparations for the final game of the 9th African Women Championship which holds today.

    The training started at 7:15 pm which is almost the same time that the match against the Lionesses of Cameroon will hold with all the 21 players sweating it out under the watchful eyes of coach Godwin Okon and his three assistants which includes the goalkeepers’ trainer.

    On the eve of their semi final encounter against the Bayana Bayana of South Africa, the Nigerian side opted to train in the morning but the fact that the final will hold in the night after the third place game between South Africa and Cote d’Ivoire made it imperative for the team to get drilled under floodlights.

    Interestingly, out of the four matches the Falcons played en route to today’s final, only their first game against Cote d’Ivoire was played at night under floodlights.

    The matches against the She-Polopolo of Zambia, the Brave Warriors of Namibia and the Bayana Bayana of South Africa kicked off at 4 pm Nigerian time.

  • Golden moment for Team Nigeria as Wrestling accounts for two gold

    Golden moment for Team Nigeria as Wrestling accounts for two gold

    Odunayo Adekuoreye and Aminat Adeniyi gave Nigeria the perfect pick-up as they claimed two gold in wrestling- and then celebrated their achievement by singing round the venue with the green white green flag fluttering.

    It was a glorious day for Nigeria in Glasgow as the national anthem held everybody spell-bound with rapturous celebrations coming from other athletes and officials.

    Odunayo Adekuoreye started the Gold rush when she rushed India’s Lalita Lalita to submission winning 5-0.

    While the ovation and celebration was still on, Aminat Adeniyi did not give her Indonesian opponent, Shakishi any chance as she pilled up points after points romping into a 6-0 lead.

    The second round was swifter and the Nigerian still smiling while twisting and turning the Indonesian amassed more four points to gross 10 points and win gold for Nigeria in a night that solely belonged to Nigeria. Aminat also showed off her dancing prowess as she took time to dance to the admiration of the crowd. Later, Odunayo and Aminat covered by the Nigerian flag took a lap of honour savouring the praises.

    Team Nigerian officials were not left out of the celebration as Chef de mission, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye jumped and danced.

    Weightlifting Gold

    Superwoman Maryam Usman capped a remarkable performance yesterday lifting Nigeria to a Gold medal in a gritty test of power between her and Samoa’s Ele Opeloge.

    The two greats started their snatch lifts at 115kg. It was the Nigerian who lifted 120 and 125kg respectively while the Samoan could not lift the 125kg thereby allowing Usman to enter the Clean and Jerk with an edge.

    The two who stayed back while the little lifters tried their hands on smaller weights, they bounced back to finish their rivalry starting with 145kg. It was Maryam who led the way with 150 and 155kgs respectively.

    Aware that the Nigerian had gone further, the Samoan opted to lift 151kg and heightened the blood pressure of Nigerians when she lifted it. In her last lift, she called for 161kg to leap-frog the Nigerian but could not cross the rubicon after suceeding in the clean but failed woefully in the jerk.

    As her babel hit the ground, sporadic applause erupted from the Nigerian camp as Maryam slumped on her knee giving Allah all the glory.

     

  • Echiejile not guaranteed first team at Monaco

    Echiejile not guaranteed first team at Monaco

    Monaco new coach Leonardo Jardim has said Nigeria defender Elderson Echiejile will again have to fight for a first-team place in his team with France youngster Layvin Kurzawa.

    Last season, Italian coach Claudio Ranieri preferred France U-21 star Kurzawa at left back to the more experienced Elderson, who joined the French Ligue 1 side from Sporting Braga of Portugal in the winter.

    Jardim worked with Elderson at Braga, but he maintained his target is to have a squad of competitive players and not a starting XI if Monaco were to achieve their targets for the new season.

    “What is most important is to have a group of 17, 18, 19 competitive players, not just a team of 11,” answered Jardim when he was asked by France Football who would be his first-choice at left back between Elderson and Kurzawa.

    Both players have played in that position in pre-season in Colombia and Miami.

    Monaco, who open their French Ligue 1 campaign against Lorient on August 10, are now billed to feature in the Emirates Cup in London against Arsenal and Valencia next weekend.

  • Nigeria’s crusade team ignites revival in Burundi

    Nigeria’s crusade team ignites revival in Burundi

    •Over 500 accepted Christ 

    No fewer than 500 Burundians last week gave their lives to Christ at a three-day crusade organised by Lagos-based Abraham Evangelistic Ministry (AEM) in Bujumbura.

    The crusade with the theme God of all nations attracted thousands at the expansive ground of Zion Temple Church in the city.

    The President of AEM, Bishop Abraham Olaleye, who led the team from Nigeria, stated that Jesus remains the ultimate solution provider to all human problems.

    He charged Burundians to embrace Christ, assuring that the nation will witness spontaneous progress should Jesus become their master.

    According to him: “If Burundi embraces Jesus, if you would find Christ, every blessing hiding from you will find their way to you.”

    Olaleye added: “When Jesus shows up in Burundi, every great thing you cannot imagine will begin to spring forth.”

    Jesus, he said, does not just save from sins but also makes living worthwhile.

    Launching into the prophetic realm, the fiery evangelist said: “Foreign investors will begin to come to Burundi. Very soon, fewer than the fingers of my hands, Burundi will become the centre of development.

    “Burundi may be small but it will perform great feats in Africa.”

    Rev. Toyin Kehinde urged Burundians to shun sins and embrace the light of the gospel.

    He stated that God is looking for souls to save, saying Burundians stand the best chance to accomplish their destinies in Christ.

    Bishop Joseph Akintunde, who delivered a touching message on the finished works of Christ on the cross, challenged Burundians to turn their lives over to God.

    He assured that all the bitterness of sin as well as contending forces will give way when they succumb to the leadership of Jesus.

    President Pierre Nkurunziza, who attended the church’s service conducted by the team, held the congregation spell bound with testimony of his survival from a childhood sickness and years as a rebel leader in the bush.

    He attributed his rise to prominence to God despite a rocky background, urging Burundians to trust in Him.

    “I never asked to be president; I only told God that if he saved me from the war, I would serve Him. I am where I am today by the grace of God.

    “Since He bought me this far, He can do the same for you and much more,” he assured.

    He thanked the team for braving the odds to come to Burundi, stating that the country can never remain the same again.

  • Gero eyes first team role at Osters

    Gero eyes first team role at Osters

    John Chibuike has told AfricanFootball.com he will bring the creativity Nigeria have lacked in midfield since the exit of Austin ‘Jay Jay’ if given his long-awaited chance by the Super Eagles. The former Rosenborg and Enugu Rangers star, who was contacted by Sweden in 2011 to feature for them at full international level, said he hopes to get his chance in the Super Eagles during the AFCON 2015 qualifiers, which begin in September. He also spoke about his other expectations at new Turkish club Gaziantepsor and his time at top Norwegian club Rosenborg.

    How do you feel joining Turkish club Gaziantepsor?

    I am very happy that I am leaving Rosenborg for another team, I am so happy with this deal. I have stayed in Rosenborg for three years, so I deserve a change.

    What would you consider as your best moment at Rosenborg?

    All I can say is that I have had some very good moments in Rosenborg.

    Tell us a few of those moments?

    I was the top scorer for my club last season with 16 goals and the best player in my team same season.

    What are your targets with your new club Gaziantepspor?

    I want to achieve a lot with the team and will put in my best as I used to do at all clubs I have played for. May be we could win a trophy and play in Europe.

    What will you miss the most after he quit Rosenborg?

    The fans were so good to me, they showed me that they love me very much. I am going to miss their support. They are wonderful people.

    You have played as a midfielder and also as a striker, which role do you prefer?

    I prefer to play as a midfielder.

    How much do you want to play for Nigeria?

    I am a Nigerian and playing for the Super Eagles is the dream of every Nigerian player. I am still interested in playing for Nigeria. If that could come during the AFCON 2015 qualifiers and the competition, I will be fulfilled.

    What will you bring to the Eagles midfield?

    I will do my best and contribute my quota to make the team better. I can bring the needed creativity in the midfield to the team.

    Have you ever considered playing for another country after you were overlooked for several years by Nigeria?

    No, I never gave it a thought.

    But it was rumoured that Sweden wanted you to play for them?

    Yes, it is true, I was approached by Sweden in 2011 for a change of nationality so I could play for them. But no matter the disappointment, I have always wanted to play for Nigeria and I am optimistic that will soon come to pass.

  • Ekpolo snubbed by Barca first team

    Ekpolo snubbed by Barca first team

    Nigeria Barcelona B right full back, Elohor Godswill Ekpolo, was surprisingly omitted from the 12 youngsters from the B team, who were selected to participate in pre-season with the first team starting today.

    22 players have been called up for today’s session, 0 from the first team and 12 from Barça B.

    18-year-old Elohor, who captained the Barcelona juvenile team to the UEFA Youth League title last season, was snubbed while his fellow B team compatriots Patric, Bagnack, Diagne, Grimaldo, Samper, Halilovic, Munir, Sandro, Dani Nieto, Joan Roman, Dongou and Adama were called up.

    Last season Elohor trained with the Barcelona first team sparingly before signing a new three-year deal with the team.

    He recently returned from a surgery on his thigh and was only promoted last week to the B team who campaign in the Spanish second division, the Segunda.

  • FIVB U-17 Championships: Team Nigeria unsure of visas

    The national under-17 male and female beach volleyball teams have not secured entry visas to Mexico to participate in the forthcoming FIVB U-17 Beach Volleyball Championships, an official has disclosed.

    The Chairman of the Beach Volleyball Commission of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Musa Nimrod, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said the federation had been unable to secure the visas because of some hitches, but assured that the process of visa procurement was still on.

    “We were at the Mexican Embassy last week to start the visa procurement but our players were told to come with evidence of their declaration of age and birth certificates, because what they are going for are age-grade competitions.

    “So, this delayed us a little, as we could not start anything for them because our players stay in different locations. But we have just been able to assemble them again in Abuja yesterday (Tuesday).

    “This means that we will just be going to the embassy today (Wednesday) and see if we can get the visas for them between today and tomorrow Thursday (today).

    “But it is unfortunate that we have not yet gotten visa on July 9 for a championship starting on July 15,” Nimrod said.

    NAN reports that Nigeria’s under-17 male and female beach volleyball teams qualified for the inaugural edition of the FIVB Beach Volleyball U-17 World Championships in May.

    The championships are scheduled to hold in Acapulco, Mexico from July 15 to July 20.

    Nimrod said however that the inability of the NVBF to secure visas for the players had hindered their preparations as they could not start any camping programme.

    “We ought to have been in camp before now, but because we have not been able to get visas for the players, we had to put everything on hold.

    “This is because we cannot start camping when we are not sure of getting visas to travel, because of the past experience we had with some other embassies which denied us visas to attend previous competitions.

    “But, we are hoping that we will get the visa very soon so that our players can be together for some days before they jet out to Mexico,’’ the beach volleyball commission chairman said.

    Nimrod contended however that the late camping programme would not affect their performances because the players have been making the sacrifice of training on their own.

    “In as much as we have not called the players to an official camp, I am sure they have been training on their own as a sacrifice to their fatherland because they have seen our efforts too.

    “They all saw that we have not been sponsored by the government for the qualifiers or the championships proper. We are funding everything from our purse. `It is the members of the beach volleyball commission who are sponsoring these players and it has not been easy for us. But we are doing it for the passion we have for the game.

    “So, starting the camp late will not really affect the players because the major thing they need in playing beach volleyball is to be fit, which I am sure they are,’’ he said.

     

  • Godswill promoted to Barca B team

    Godswill promoted to Barca B team

    Godswill Ekpolo, who only recently put pen to paper on a three-year professional contract with Spanish giant Barcelona, has been promoted to the Barca B team and will partake in pre-season in preparation for their campaign in the second tier of Spanish league.

    The 19-year-old right full-back captained the Barcelona Juvenile team last season leading them to the UEFA Youth Champions League trophy, scoring four goals with four assists in what was an eventful season.

    In Spain, teams are allowed to field their B team in the lower leagues and Elohor will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of so many Barcelona first team players who made the step up from the B team in the 2nd division to the main team in the La-Liga.

    Last season he trained with the first team on a few occasions.

    He ended the season rather sadly due to an operation on his right thigh after an injury.

    Ekpolo was promoted to the Barcelona B team alongside Maxi Rolon, Munir El Haddadi, Jose Aurelio Suarez, Joel Huertas and Wilfred Kaptoum.

    Born in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, Ekpolo is yet to be capped by Nigeria or Spain at any level, however he has indicated his interest to play for Nigeria.