The Nation Newspaper

Tag: WCQ

  • Emenike promises Eagles $50,000 for World Cup qualification

    Emenike promises Eagles $50,000 for World Cup qualification

    partak Moscow striker, Emmanuel Emenike, has promised a $50,000 reward to the Super Eagles if the team qualifies for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Nigeria leads a qualifying group that includes Malawi, Kenya and Namibia with five points from three matches.

    Emenike, who is out of next month’s World Cup qualifiers in Kenya and Namibia due to recent injury to his knee, said he has been a Super Eagles fan long before he debuted for Nigeria against Sierra Leone in 2011.

    “I promise the whole team $50,000 if we qualify for the World Cup in Brazil,” Emenike told MTNFootball.com

    “Like I said before that we have a team that can make this country proud, and I am doing this from the bottom of my heart just to motivate the team. I am not doing this to intimidate anybody but just to show my total support to the team because I grew up supporting the Super Eagles.”

    He added: “I am really behind the team. I don’t want them to miss me because there are other players who can get them the goals.

    “Before I decided to play for Nigeria, even before I dreamt of becoming a professional footballer, which I am today by God’s grace, I have been a passionate fan of the Super Eagles.

    “I could remember when I used to watch the team way back at the 1994 Nations Cup and World Cup, and I am speaking today as a Super Eagles player, it is a great honour. So the team means a lot to me and that is why I deem it fit to support the team in my little way.

    “I never knew I will play for Nigeria. This is a reward for what I have done in Europe and it is time I supported my country even more.”

     

  • Kenyan coach promises Eagles ‘hell’ in Nairobi

    Kenyan coach promises Eagles ‘hell’ in Nairobi

    Kenya’s coach Adel Amrouche has broken his silence on being expelled from Saturday’s World Cup qualifying game against Nigeria as well as on his team’s amazing result.

    The Harambee Stars stretched the African Champion to their fullest, conceding a goal in stoppage time to earn a 1-1 draw.

    In the last minutes of the game coach Adel Amrouche was expelled by the Referee from Botswana on advise of the Fourth official and he is still livid saying : “My team played the last 10 minutes without me; it is tough for any team playing like that. I was asked to leave at the time they needed me most. My absence caused us a lot,” he told Suoersport.com.

    “I was talking to my players and didn’t infringe on any other person’s territory. Or is there any rule that says a coach cannot stand at the lines and talk to his players all through the game? It was a funny decision.”

    The pitch in Calabar was not marked properly and I was understandably excited coaching my first game. If I strayed onto the actual field it was not intentional nor was for more than a few seconds. In addition to this I was never warned. To make matters worse during the game, the same official came to warn me on how to give my players water, insisting they should be the ones coming out for it.”

    Amrouche thinks that his unavailability on the sideline at the end clearly cost his team the maximum points. Nevertheless he is quite happy with the score and his team’s performance telling Supersport.com that the return game in Kenya is going to be “very tough” and a “virtual hell” for Nigeria.

     

  • WCQ: A loss would have been disastrous – Enyeama

    WCQ: A loss would have been disastrous – Enyeama

    Nigeria stand-in skipper Vincent Enyeama has said it would have been a disaster had the Super Eagles lost at home to Kenya in a World Cup qualifier.

    “I am happy we drew this match. Had we lost, it would have been a disaster,” said the Israel-based goalkeeper who deputised for Joseph Yobo who was not called up for this match.

    “We did not play like champions, we played as a team who want to qualify (for the World Cup).”

    MTNFootball.com reports that Enyeama would not discuss the Eagles chances against the Harambee Stars in the reverse fixture on June 5 in Nairobi.

    “I cannot talk of the second leg now, it is three months away,” he insisted.

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi was devastated by the shock outcome of this Group F clash, like millions of other Nigerians.

    He could not utter a word after the referee from Botswana Joshua Bondo blasted the final whistle.

    The former Hawks of Togo handler was rooted to the substitute bench for several minutes after the game before he made his way to the dressing room.

    ‘Big Boss’, who was up on his feet for almost the entire duration of this encounter, said he expected to win the match.

    “This was not what I expected. I expected to get the maximum three points. But it was better that it ended in a draw than if we had lost the game,” he said.

    “The team will get better in subsequent matches.”

  • WCQ: Nigeria has no advantage – Keshi

    WCQ: Nigeria has no advantage – Keshi

    Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi, does not believe the late arrival of the Harambee Stars to Calabar will give his charges any notable advantage when the two sides clash in Saturday’s 2014 FIFA world cup qualifier.

    Logistic difficulties meant the Harambee Stars only arrived in Calabar, venue for the game, around 1pm on Thursday but Keshi expects the visitors to be up for the challenge on Saturday.

    “I don’t think this gives us any added advantage. They Kenyans came in on Thursday afternoon. They have Friday to train and have a feel of the stadium so I don’t think we have an advantage in that regard,” Keshi told Supersport.com.

    Keshi also revealed that the toga of African champions will not hamper his side on Saturday.

    “Pressure is always there whether you win the AFCON title or the world cup, pressure is always there but I am sure we can handle it,” he explained.

    Saturday’s game at the UJ Esuene stadium kicks off at 4pm.

  • WCQ: We’ll do our talking on the pitch – Mikel

    WCQ: We’ll do our talking on the pitch – Mikel

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi has said the team will do the business against Kenya on the pitch on Saturday and not on the pages of newspapers.

    African champions Nigeria lead Group F on four points from two matches, while the East Africans are bottom of the standings on a point.

    “We have decided not to do too much talking but we have the capacity to beat any team in the world and we heard what our opponents have been saying, but by Saturday we will know who is the better side,” MTNFootball.com quoted Mikel as saying on Wednesday.

    Striker Obafemi Martins said the players are confident going into this match.

    “There is no small team anywhere in the world, but we will give our best against Kenya and hopefully we can win”, Martins said.

    While Mikel trained with the rest of the squad on Tuesday, Martins started training with rest of the squad on Wednesday and his impact was immediate, going by his quickness on the ball and general concentration throughout.

    The team had to shift its training schedule to 4:15pm following the hosting of the team by Governor Liyel Imoke on Wednesday afternoon.

    Earlier on Wednesday, the Super Eagles players and officials also held a special Thanksgiving session at the Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel in the Canaan City.

    Supervised by Pastor Divine, the session was specially organised to thank God for the team’s victory at South Africa 2013 and to also pray to God for more victories in the years to come.

     

  • Moses, Ogu promise good outing against Kenya

    Moses, Ogu promise good outing against Kenya

    Chelsea star Victor Moses and new invitee John Ogu have said they are ready for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Kenya.

    Moses was a late arrival in training camp in Calabar because of flight connection problems, but he expressed confidence of a good outing against the Harambee Stars.

    “Training camp in Calabar getting ready for big game this weekend in Nigeria,” Moses tweeted.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the former Crystal Palace and Wigan winger saw action on Sunday in Chelsea 2-0 win over West Ham United.

    He was an impact player at South Africa 2013, where Nigeria won the African Cup of Nation after a 19-year wait.

    Academica de Coimbra of Portugal midfielder John Ogu, on the other hand, told MTNFootball.com that he was excited to undergo his first training with the Eagles on Tuesday in Calabar.

    Ogu, who arrived the training camp Tuesday to beat Coach Stephen Keshi’s deadline, told MTNFootball.com that he is delighted to be in company of great players.

    “‎Having my first training with the Super Eagles was a nice experience for me. Everything in camp is okay. Honestly, I feel good to be among these chosen ones. I will do my best in the game come Saturday if I get the coach’s nod,” said the former Almeria of Spain player, who was a surprise call-up for the Kenya game.

     

     

  • WCQ: Mba ready for Kenya tie

    WCQ: Mba ready for Kenya tie

    Super Eagles midfielder, Sunday Mba, is pleased to have made the 24-man list of the Super Eagles for Saturday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars of Kenya.

    Mba, a subject of an intense transfer battle between two Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sides, Enugu Rangers and Warri Wolves, had risked been dropped from the squad following declarations by the national team head coach, Stephen Keshi.

    Keshi had threatened to drop the player as he had not yet resumed playing competitively despite the domestic season already in full bloom.

    However, Mba has now been included in Keshi’s final squad alongside eight other stars from the NPFL and 15 overseas-based players.

    “I am pleased and relieved to have made the list. As always I will give 200 percent. Now the next step is to work hard in training and hope I get selected by the coach to play on Saturday,” Mba told Supersport.com.

     

    Nigeria’s 24-man squad for Kenya

     

    Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel), Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves).

    Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Elderson Echiejile (FC Braga, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars); Benjamin Francis (Heartland); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars).

    Midfielders: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); Gabriel Reuben (Kano Pillars); Sunday Mba (unattached); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal).

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv,Ukraine); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Babatunde Michael (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine); Nnamdi Oduamadi (A.S Varese 1910 FC, Italy); Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders, USA); Gambo Mohammed (Kano Pillars); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland).

     

  • Mba inspired NPL stars – Ayo Saka

    Mba inspired NPL stars – Ayo Saka

    Super Eagles invitee, Ayo Saka, has said Sunday Mba’s African Nations Cup heroics have given “fresh hopes” to players in the domestic league.

    Mba from the Nigeria league scored championship-defining goals including the championship winner against Burkina Faso.

    “What Mba achieved in South Africa has given players in the local league fresh hope,” Saka told MTNFootball.com

    “’Big Boss’ Stephen Keshi has given us a chance in his team and we will not disappoint him.”

    Enyimba midfielder Saka has already been capped at full international and Olympic levels and he said he will make the squad for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya on March 23.

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