The Nation Newspaper

Tag: WCQ

  • Eagles will deliver in Ndola – Rohr

    Eagles will deliver in Ndola – Rohr

    Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has expressed optimism that the team would deliver in Sunday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Zambia in Ndola.

    Rohr said during the team’s interactive session with journalists on Friday in Abuja that Nigeria would get an outright victory over the Chipolopolo in the encounter.

    He said Nigeria was blessed with abundant talents and assured that the players presently in camp were capable of defeating any team.

    The German tactician revealed that Arsenal forward, Alex Iwobi, would lead the Eagles’ attack against the Zambians on Sunday.

    He assured that as professionals, the players would adapt to the bad playing pitch in Ndola.

    “We have six new players and three will perhaps start the game,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Rohr as saying to journalists on Friday.

    “You know that a player like Iwobi was injured last time but we all know that he is a good player and I hope his integration in the team will produce result in Ndola.

    “The training has been good and we try to help and bring him into the team, he knows how we played in Uyo and we cannot change tactically because the time is short.

    “We have other strategies but similar to what we did in Uyo, and I count on Iwobi to help us win the game in Ndola.

    “We must avoid the mistake in Uyo where we had 27 shots on goal but converted only one and this means that we must have a good attack and players who can score.”

    He also said the technical crew had watched the latest video of the Zambian national team.

  • Buhari approves funds for Eagles World Cup qualifier

    Buhari approves funds for Eagles World Cup qualifier

    The Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari has approved funds needed for the Super Eagles to prosecute Sunday’s World Cup qualifier in Zambia.

    Dalung, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the ministry and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were having financial challenges.

    “This situation brought about the need to approach President Buhari for financial assistance,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the minister as saying on the issue.

    Nigerian meets Zambia in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Ndola, Zambia, on Sunday.

    Dalung assured that  Super Eagles is ready for the Zambian challenge despite the financial difficulties.

    “We are prepared for the Zambia game. I will be travelling with the team to give the players moral and physical support as they kick-start their campaign,” he said.

  • WCQ: FIFA picks Egyptian officials for Zambia-Nigeria clash

    WCQ: FIFA picks Egyptian officials for Zambia-Nigeria clash

    Egyptian referees led by Ghead Grisha will handle World Cup qualifier between Zambia and Nigeria slated for October 9 in Ndola.

    Grisha was also in charge of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations group phase clash between the Super Eagles and the Chipolopolo, at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa, africanFootball.com reports.

    Grisha, who has been a FIFA referee since 2008, will be assisted by fellow Egyptians Tahssen Abo El Sadat Bedyer (assistant referee 1), Ahmed Hossameldin Taha (assistant referee 2) and Ibrahim Noureldin (fourth official).

    Former FIFA referee, Zeli Sinko, from Cote d’Ivoire, will serve as referee assessor, while former Ghana FA president, Mahamadu Nuru Deen Jawula, will be the match commissioner.

  • Rohr picks Kalaba, Sunzu as Zambia key players

    Rohr picks Kalaba, Sunzu as Zambia key players

    Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, has picked skipper Rainford Kalaba and France-based Stoppila Sunzu as the players to watch when Nigeria visits Zambia for next month’s World Cup qualifier.

    Nigeria opens its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign on October 3 in Zambia.

    Rohr said he has good information on the former African Nations Cup (AFCON) champions.

    “They (Zambia) have some really good players – Kalaba is the best. He scores goals always for the team and I also know Sunzu very well because he plays in France,” africanFootball.com quoted Rohr as saying during a visit to the Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mohammed Sanusi, in Abuja.

    He assured that Super Eagles will prepare very well for the World Cup qualifiers because “we have to be in Russia.”

    “We will need all our best players to be at their very best,” he said.

    “We had a good list for the Tanzania match but a couple of players were injured and we will like to look at those ones as well.

    “The focus is to strengthen the spine of the team and ensure we can beat any team.

    “The confidence has not been there because the team failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. But when results start to come, the confidence will return.”

    Sanusi pledged full support for the coach and his backroom staff.

    “We have immense confidence in you and your staff. We will not dabble into your technical area,” he said.

    “Our responsibility is to provide the right atmosphere to make you succeed. We see that you are a gentleman but will not take your simplicity for granted.”

     

  • We must retain present Eagles for Zambia clash – Green

    We must retain present Eagles for Zambia clash – Green

    The Chairman of the Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, Chris Green, has called for the retention of present crop of Super Eagles for next month’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zambia.

    Nigeria defeated Taifa Stars of Tanzania in last Saturday’s inconsequential Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

    Green, who told supersport.com that he was satisfied with the Eagles’ performance, lamented the state of the pitch which impeded the team during the encounter.

    “It was a good game generally. I saw the resilience of our team as usual. These days it’s not easy keeping on the pressure and bagging the three points. The Tanzanians came with a game plan to see how they can check us and catch us on the counter, but our boys were on top of their game,” Green told supersport.com.

    “Unfortunately the playing turf did not really help matters because it was stunted and very heavy to play on. We would have put the game to bed in the first half but for the poor state of the field, which robbed us of a minimum of three goals coming from the likes of Victor Moses, (Kelechi) Iheanacho and the rest of them.

    “It took the brilliance of one Kelechi Iheanacho, who we can say has been one of the successes from the U-17 to the U-20 and now playing at the ‘A’ level. That’s the national team A (the Super Eagles).

    “Generally the team played very well despite the fact we played on a field that was stunted, undulating and heavy to play on. These are all technical matters, but I was satisfied with their play and I believe if Super Eagles continue that way, we would go a long way.”

  • Oliseh praises gusty Swaziland

    Oliseh praises gusty Swaziland

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has praised Swaziland for giving his team a fight in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Port Harcourt.

    The three-time African champions scored two goals in the second half to edge out a Swaziland side, ranked 130th in the world by FIFA and advance to the final round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers on 2-0 aggregate.

    “For a fact, Swaziland’s FIFA ranking is totally not justified. We should congratulate the team. The Swazis caused us a several problems, they were always compact and resilient. They played with their hearts over the two legs and made things pretty difficult for us,” africanFootball.com quoted Oliseh as saying at the post-match press conference.

    “If I get a chance to play a friendly in the future I will invite Swaziland.”

    Nigeria, who had featured at five FIFA World Cup tournaments, joined 19 other countries which included Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Algeria in the final stage of the qualifiers.

  • WCQ: FIFA rejects Nigeria’s bid to change match venue

    WCQ: FIFA rejects Nigeria’s bid to change match venue

    Football’s world football governing body, FIFA, has turned down Nigeria’s request for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Swaziland to be moved from Port Harcourt to Abuja.

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), according to africanFootball.com, demanded the match be moved to Abuja for “logistical reasons,” but FIFA said the application was not received within the mandatory 10 days allowed for such a request.

    “The request failed because it was not done within the 10-day window allowed for such a request,” an official told africanFootball.com.

    The southern Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt has hosted Nigeria’s home games this year thanks to the generosity of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, but his election has now been nullified by a tribunal which ordered a new vote.

    Swaziland held star-studded Nigeria to a goalless draw in the first leg of the 2018 World Cup qualifier in Lobambo and the return clash is slated for Tuesday afternoon in Port Harcourt.

    The overall winners of this match-up will advance to the group stage of the qualifying series for Russia 2018.

  • WCQ: Swaziland will be difficult – Oliseh

    WCQ: Swaziland will be difficult – Oliseh

    Nigeria coach, Sunday Oliseh, has warned Swaziland will be a tough nut to crack when both teams meet in Friday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Lobambo.

    “It won’t be easy playing against the Swazis especially on their artificial pitch,” africanFootball.com quoted Oliseh as saying on the Super Eagles’ opponent in Friday’s match.

    The ex-Eagles captain also admitted he has not fully recovered from a viral infection which kept him away from his post for several weeks.

    “They shocked Guinea and we got our wake-up call with Tanzania during the AFCON qualifier in Dar es Salaam,” he added.

    Oliseh has also had to grapple with the delayed arrival of his overseas-based players due to flight hitches, but he said the team’s recent friendlies against DR Congo and Cameroon should stand the team in good stead in Swaziland.

    “Our recent tour in Belgium should be good enough preparation for us,” he said.

  • WCQ: Nigeria beat Ethiopia 1-2

    WCQ: Nigeria beat Ethiopia 1-2

    Super Eagles of Nigeria secured an away win on Sunday against their Ethiopian counterparts in the first leg of the of FIFA 2014 World Cup Play-Off.

    The African Champions came back from a goal down in Addis Ababa to snatch three points from the determined Ethiopians ahead of the second-leg billed for November.

    Behalu Assefa put his side up in the 56th minute  through a cross from the left flank. His effort was adjudged a goal for crossing the line even though it was caught by the Nigerian goalie, Vincent Enyeama.

    Emenike found the back of the net in the 67th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the box sending the stadium quiet.

    The CSKA Moscow forward was dragged down in the box for a clear penalty — he calmly dispatched the penalty to give  Eagles the victory and a leg in Brazil.

     

     

     

     

  • Brazil 2014 ticket in our hands – B’ Faso coach

    Burkina Faso coach, Paul Put, said his team will do everything to beat Algeria to the 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket.

    The 2013 Africa Cup runners-up host Algeria in one of the 2014 FIFA World Cup play-off first leg qualifying ties next month before flying to Algiers for the decisive second leg in November, MTNFottball.com reports.

    “It’s a balanced draw, facing a big football nation as Algeria,” Put said.

    Burkina Faso face three-time World Cup finalist Algeria who is hoping to qualify for a second successive finals after taking part in the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

    “We have to do our homework in preparing for the big game,” Put said.

    “Our players have been active in preparations and we hope to take it from there.”

    The Burkinabes are unbeaten in 2014 World Cup qualifying action in 2013 and enjoy a one hundred percent winning run both at home and away from the last four games.

    “We have a good opportunity to qualify for the World Cup for the first time,” Put said as Burkina Faso prepares to face Algeria for the first time in a World cup qualifier.