Tag: Win

Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye has rated the Super Eagles technical crew high, saying that the team has no option than to win the World Cup ticket for Nigerians as a way of compensating them for all the past support. Speaking exclusively to SportingLife in Abuja, the former Ocean Boys of Yenagoa player said: “We have no option than to ensure that we qualify Nigeria for the World Cup. Everyone is turn up for the game in Ethiopia, we are all motivated, and will play for each other and go for the goals. Any antics that the Ethiopians are bringing forward is for the two teams, because whatever we pass through on the pitch, it is also applicable to them also. So it is not the issue of our team alone, their own team would also pass through it. So, such, should not bother Nigerians at all. We are 100 percent prepared to be at the World Cup, I have been there before, and I know what it looks like playing among the best in the world.

“We have the right caliber of Coaches, who are also well motivated for the games ahead. Stephen Keshi is equal to the task, and God’s willing he would take us to the promise land. I will give my best in Ethiopia, and I believe that would make the team soar high on that day.”

On his new hair cut, the Ukraine based striker said: “I have to cut my hair to look a little different , and that is my personal decision, and I would have to abide by it, hoping that it would bring me more luck.”

Pillars defender Ikechukwu Gabriel said they hope to again beat hosts Olympique Real de Bangui in a CAF Champions League clash this weekend.

Pillars overran the Central African champions 5-1 in the preliminary round, first leg clash in Kano a fortnight ago.

The Nigerian champions are not taking for granted the return match on Sunday and have chartered an IRS flight to take a 58-strong party to Bagui to ensure they reach the next stage of the competition.

Pillars coach Mohammed Babaganaru told MTNFootball.com they have put behind them the big home win.

“We are at advantage to progress with the wide-margin victory we had in the first leg, but we are not thinking about that, our mind set is now to beat them in Bangui. We are not going to take it easy,” Babaganaru said.

In the same vein, the team’s striker Kabiru Umar told MTNFootball.com that there won’t be a hiding place for Olympique even in front of their home fans.

The former Heartland star said: “The game is important to us, and we are taking it serious as if we lost the first leg, so we plan for total victory. I will do my best to see that we win and getting goals will be great for me.”

However, Super Eagles midfielder Gabriel Reuben will not travel with Kano Pillars to Bangui.

MTNFootball.com gathered that Reuben did not resume with Kano team in time on his return from the 2013 AFCON.

Other Pillars absentees are former Nigeria youth international Mohammed Shagari, who is bereaved and has been granted compassionate leave, while Shehu Abdullahi is away with the Nigeria U20s in Tunisia.

Striker Manir Ubale has regained full fitness after a thigh injury and big central defender Ado Ali formerly of Sunshine Stars has made the squad to Bangui.

DESPITE losing 2-1 to Nigeria on Sunday in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-finals, Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba hailed the Super Eagles for their inspiring outing at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium and said the team could win the tournament if they perform against others like they did against them.

“I was very impressed with the Super Eagles’ performance against us (Ivory Coast). It’s proof of hard work, relentlessness and the sign of a world-class team in preparation,” he said, after the game that shattered the AFCON dream of the highly-rated Ivorian side.

“I don’t really see any team that can withstand Nigeria for the rest of the tournament. They keep improving by each game and level of the competition. That shows it’s a hardworking and resilient outfit. If they must take the trophy home they have to keep working, be creative and challenge any side like they engaged us.

“Wishing for and seeing victory is not enough. I feel this is Nigeria’s time but they must deserve it by proving it more on the pitch. The fact that the team arrived with a number of home-based players means we have to give them praise because that tells us there is football even within the continent,” he said.

The former Chelsea striker also sent comforting words to his home fans, a number of whom are holding him responsible for the team’s debacle at the tournament.

“Fans ought to know that football is sometimes funny and bizarre. Sometimes you play well and you lose and others time you don’t put up a good game but you win. We did our best, it didn’t work out. We’re taking responsibility and also thanking fans and asking them to bear with the team that better days are definitely ahead.”

With less than 21 days to Nigeria’s opening Group C fixture against Burkina Faso’s Stallions at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, Super Eagles ace Victor Moses continues to show signs of a promising outing at the tournament when he played for 17 minutes for Chelsea on Sunday.

Moses, who replaced Hazard in the 73rd minute, failed to add to his last EPL goal tally which he scored in the 1-1 draw against Swansea City in November.

However, Frank Lampard scored twice as Chelsea rallied from conceding an early goal to beating Everton 2-1 at Goodison Park.

Steven Pienaar fired the home side into the lead inside two minutes as he fired a rebound home after Victor Anichebe had headed against the post.

The Toffees nearly doubled their lead shortly afterwards when Nikica Jelavic curled a free-kick against the post as David Moyes’ side continued to press.

But Lampard levelled matters for the visitors three minutes before the break as he headed into the bottom corner from a right-wing Ramires cross.

Jelavic struck the crossbar in the second half with a header but Rafael Benitez’s side showed plenty of resolve and took the lead on 72 as Lampard shovelled home from close range after Tim Howard foiled Juan Mata.

Everton threw everything at Chelsea in the latter stages in a desperate attempt to force an equaliser and maintain their unbeaten home record but the visitors defended brilliantly to see out the win and go third in the table.

A third AFCON triumph in South Africa would restore the fans confidence in the Super Eagles, according to defender Elderson Echiejile.

Nigeria have won the Nations Cup twice, in 1980 and 1994. And the Sporting Braga star said another continental conquest after a long wait would get the country fully behind the team.

“The fans lost faith in the team after we failed to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup. But to clinch the trophy would get the entire country back behind us, so our target is to win in South Africa. We are very positive and ready to give our best,” Elderson told FIFA.com.

The Eagles are drawn in the first round against defending champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia in Group C based in the north-eastern South African city of Nelspruit. The Braga star picked out the Chipolopolo as the biggest threat in the group, while insisting the other two teams will also not be pushovers.

“Obviously, our main group rivals would be Zambia. They keep the ball very well and their confidence is now sky high after what they achieved at the last competition. We know we will have to work for everything we will get in this match, but we have the quality to beat any African team on the day,” Elderson admitted.

He added: “Zambia remain the biggest threat, but the other teams cannot just be wished away. They earned the right to be in the competition and we just have to beat them to go past the group stage.

“For the past four tournaments, Côte d’Ivoire have reached at least the semi-finals. They have some great individuals like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure. Many will again fancy them to win it, while Ghana have also been very consistent since 2008.”

Despite been booed by his former fans during last weekend’s Tel Aviv derby, Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama is optimistic that Maccabi Tel Aviv still have the chance to win the Israeli Ligat Ha’al title.

The Nigerian while giving his analysis on the game said: “We are happy with our performance; we tried as we played with just nine players. On the other hand, Hapoel did not pose any real threats to us beyond the penalty kick they got the winner from. Despite the score, we have a long way to go, there are many more games to play for before the season ends, but we have to get back into shape after this one.”

Recall that Enyeama’s club tops the Ligat Ha’al table with 21pts from nine matches played this season.

The derby proved its billing as the ref awarded two penalty kicks and two red cards. Eliran Atar missed from the spot for Maccabi while Omer Damari converted his to give Hapoel its 6th victory of the season.