The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Victor Moses

  • Moses, Uche opt out of Eagles’ June schedule

    Moses, Uche opt out of Eagles’ June schedule

    Chelsea ace Victor Moses will miss next month’s World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup due to injury, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Nigeria travel to Kenya and Namibia in June in continuation of the qualifying series for Brazil 2014 and will also be in Brazil next month for the Confederations Cup.

    Chelsea has informed the Nigeria Football Federation that Moses, one of the best players of the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, has withdrawn from the Super Eagles matches so as to treat a recurring injury.

    He will therefore not be fit in time for the World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup in Brazil next month.

    However, the London club said he will be with the team during the pre-season tour of United States to be monitored closely by doctors, but would not participate in the tour.

    Also opting out of the squad due to injury is Turkey-based Kalu Uche.

    In a message to coach Stephen Keshi, Uche claimed to have been playing with injury for some time now in the Turkish League, and on the advice of his doctor, will be using the opportunity of the off-season to undergo treatment.

    Keshi said he was disappointed both players did not inform him earlier about this development, but maintained on Monday night: “We have the players to deliver the World Cup ticket and to make Nigerians proud in Brazil.”

     

  • 2013 FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP: Injury threatens Mikel, Moses lChelsea stars go on rehab lMay miss out Wednesday’s Europa League final

    2013 FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP: Injury threatens Mikel, Moses lChelsea stars go on rehab lMay miss out Wednesday’s Europa League final

    Super Eagles duo of John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses are a major doubt for Chelsea and Nigeria’s campaign in the forthcoming 2014 World Cup qualifying matches and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil due to injury concerns.

    Moses returned to action in the 2-1 away win over Aston Villa on Saturday after overcoming a leg injury last week, but was substituted in the 46th minute by Brazil’s David Luiz over another injury while his compatriot, John Obi Mikel did not make the squad for Aston Villa.

    SportingLife’s checks on the Stamford Bridge outfit last night revealed that Moses removal was tactical but will still undergo more test today over fitness issues. However, Mikel is still undergoing rehab from the hip injury he cropped up training before the games against Sunderland. The duo are now in fitness race ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final against Benfica at the Amsterdam Arena.

    It would be recalled that Nigeria will be facing a busy schedule in the coming weeks. The Stephen Keshi-tutored side will be facing Mexico late May in an international friendly in the United States of America before June’s World cup qualifying matches against Kenya and Namibia alongside the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

  • Nigeria ‘limps’ to AFCON last eight

    Nigeria on Tuesday qualified for the last eight of the ongoing African Nations Cup in South Africa.

    Two penalty goals scored by Chelsea’s Victor Moses in the second half spared the Super Eagles blushes.

    It was a generally poor performance by a Nigerian team that failed to muster one single shot on target throughout the first 45 minutes.

    Nigeria which finished second in group C will meet group D winners in one of the quarter final matches next week.

     

  • We lost our chances, says Victor Moses

    We lost our chances, says Victor Moses

    • Delighted at making his Chelsea debut

    Super Eagles midfielder, Victor Moses’ delight at making his Chelsea debut was tempered by the lack of three points taken against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

    The 21-year-old made his Blues bow as a replacement for Ryan Bertrand in the 58th minute, and while Chelsea’s performance as an attacking unit improved following his introduction, they were unable to make the breakthrough which would have maintained a perfect start to the league season.

    ‘I played around 25 minutes, we did very well when I came on and I just tried to help the team as best as I could,’ Moses told Chelsea TV. ‘Unfortunately we only ended up with a point, but it’s still a good result away from home, it was a battled point.

    ‘Everyone expected us to win, but that’s football. It’s a derby game as well, they were playing at home, they gave it 100 per cent and wanted to win the game, but we came out with our own tactics and tried to win the game, now we’ll just look forward to the next match.

    ‘We had a lot of chances, we didn’t take them but hopefully in the next game we’ll be able to capitalise on that.’

    With the team set up in Roberto Di Matteo’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, Moses started out playing wide on the left-hand side, but with a tactical switch soon after seeing the Blues revert back to a shape which has served the London club well in past years, the former Wigan Athletic man moved out to the right.

    It was a change which almost brought instant reward, as Moses forced a smart stop from the impressive Julio Cesar, while shortly after it was his cross which created a wonderful opportunity for Eden Hazard, who was unable to convert.

    ‘When I came on we were playing 4-2-3-1, but the manager pulled me back and said we were switching to 4-3-3,’ Moses explained. ‘I moved out to the right and Ramires went back into the middle with Hazard on the left.

    ‘The first chance I had, I just wanted to take the defender on. There was a bit of a deflection but the goalkeeper made a great save. After that, I set up another chance for Hazard, but he wasn’t able to connect with it properly. We should be happy with the point we took.’

  • Moses: I’ll take my chances

    Moses: I’ll take my chances

    Victor Moses is ready to grab his chance as he prepares to make his Chelsea debut against QPR on today.
    Moses switched to Roberto Di Matteo’s Blues in a £9million summer transfer from Wigan.
    The 21-year-old, who was born in Nigeria but moved to London at the age of 11, joined Wigan from Crystal Palace in January 2010 and feels he is ready to make an impact back in the capital after learning under Latics boss Roberto Martinez.
    He told the Daily Mirror: “I feel like I am back home – I feel excited to be here again – but it has been good being away.
    “Playing at Wigan developed my character. Roberto Martinez is a great manager and he loves to play football. Having a manager like him encourages you to play the football in the right way and carry yourself in a more professional way. It was great working with him.
    “Even last month, Roberto (Martinez) was always talking to me to get the transfer speculation out of my head. He just wanted me to concentrate on the football.
    “Now Di Matteo likes to play football the same way. They are similar. I think that will make it easier for me to adapt at Chelsea.”
    Another summer signing, Eden Hazard, has already made a big impact at Stamford Bridge and Moses wants to emulate the Belgium international when he gets his chance on the pitch.
    “He is pretty impressive,” said Moses. “He has still got loads to prove but you can see what he has done in the three games he has played in the Premier League. He is a great player and he can make it even bigger than he has so far.
    “I have played in the Premier League before – it is not my first time. When I do get my chance, I have just got to go out there and grab it.
    “It depends on where the manager is going to play me. I am comfortable playing anywhere up front. I just want to enjoy myself and play football.”
  • Moses buys 6-room mansion

    Moses buys 6-room mansion

    Victor Moses has said he is proud of the six-bedroom mansion he has bought in London, which he says has always been home for him.

    “I’ve settled in (since his transfer from Wigan to Chelsea). I just bought a house around my new club. I am proud of it and I feel at home, I’m comfortable,” Moses told MTNFootball.com in a special interview.

    “It’s a six-bedroom mansion with a private cinema among other things.

    “This is really home as I grew up in South London and everyone has been nice to be, it’s home to be honest.”

    The Nigeria international winger was an unused substitute in the recent UEFA Super Cup against Atletico Madrid.

    Madrid battered the European champions but Moses said it was a great experience being part of the squad and hopes to help his new club win trophies.

    “It was great to be part of the team and being on the bench and getting a medal even though I didn’t play,” he said. Now I just want to help them win more trophies.”

    He has been assigned the jersey number 13. Will it be unlucky 13 for him at Stamford Bridge?

    “I feel good in the jersey No. 13. I don’t feel anything like bad luck, a number is a number,” he maintained.