The Nation Newspaper

Tag: World Cup playoff

  • I’m fit for Ethiopia’s clash – Ideye

    I’m fit for Ethiopia’s clash – Ideye

    Brown Ideye has said he is fit for next month’s World Cup playoff against Ethiopia.

    The Dynamo Kyiv striker dismissed report that he will miss the crucial encounter because of injury.

    Speaking in a special interview with MTNFootball.com from his Ukrainian base, Ideye said, “I am only serving my three-match suspension, I am not in any way ruled out. I am shocked at these reports back home.

    “I have not been in the team because I was also asked to rest after the muscle strain I suffered.”

    Brown, who was a second half substitute in Addis Ababa against Ethiopia in the first leg World Cup playoff, further stated:”I have resumed training and will join the full squad by next week and hopefully be available for selection in next weekend’s game.

    “I am fit and ready to go for the Eagles. There is no truth in the report that I am injured and ruled out.”

    The Eagles go into a November 16 return leg match in Calabar with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Ethiopia.

     

     

  • Mikel unfazed by Ethiopia’s ‘bumpy’ pitch

    Mikel unfazed by Ethiopia’s ‘bumpy’ pitch

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi has said he is unfazed by reports the Eagles will play on a “bumpy” pitch in Ethiopia in Sunday’s World Cup playoff.

    The Nigeria advance party to Ethiopia led by the Nigeria Football Federation technical committee chairman Chris Green has already warned the players that they will play on a bumpy pitch at the Addis Ababa National Stadium.

    However, Mikel has assured the Eagles will cope with the poor pitch.

    “We have heard about the poor pitch, but that should not stop us from qualifying for the World Cup because most of us started on such pitches,” Mikel told MTNFootball.com

    “Personally, I started my football on the streets of Jos, playing with stones and rocks, and I know the various injuries and problems we suffered doing that.

    “I don’t have a problem with such a pitch as long as it is not an artificial pitch.

    “Our focus is qualification for the World Cup and so we hope to win on Sunday.”

    Fellow Eagles star, Victor Obinna Nsofor, also told MTNFootball.com they are very much aware of the difficult local conditions in Ethiopia.

    The Lokomotiv Moscow striker, who was part of the team who played out a 2-2 draw with Ethiopia two years ago, insisted a sharp change in weather, bumpy pitch and a partisan home crowd will not affect them.

    “We are not taking the Ethiopians for granted, we are aware of what we are going there to face on Sunday. I played there in 2011 and I know how bad the pitch was, we expect same on Sunday,” Nsofor said.

    “The weather too wasn’t friendly and the fans will be there to support their team. But we know all these and they won’t affect us because they are not strange to us.

    “We have prepared well for the game. We believe in ourselves and God will crown our efforts.”

     

  • Brazil 2014 ticket our motivation – Ameobi

    Brazil 2014 ticket our motivation – Ameobi

    Nigeria striker Shola Ameobi has said that the pride of putting on the green and white jersey in Addis Ababa would fire up the players to victory in Sunday’s first leg play-off 2014 World Cup qualifier.

    Ameobi, who made his competitive debut in September’s game against Malawi, confessed that it took him long to finally get the opportunity to play for his fatherland, and he considers it a rare privilege and would risk anything to ensure the Super Eagles emerge victorious against the Walya Antelopes if he is fielded by coach Stephen Keshi.

    While reacting to President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval of funds to ferry 200 supporters of the team to Ethiopia, Ameobi said they will repay Nigerians’ faith by getting victory against Ethiopia.

    “We don’t need any extra motivation whatsoever to beat Ethiopia. Every player in this squad knows the importance of being at the World Cup and I think that is the motivation we need to do our country proud,” Goal.com quoted Ameobi as saying to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday.

    “Everybody has tipped us to win the game but we must remember that the Ethiopians are not pushovers. They topped their group like we topped ours and they want to be at the World Cup like we want. But we would go there and give our best for our country to ensure that the result is favourable.”

    Ameobi has also dismissed speculations regarding his fitness ahead of this showdown. “I worked really hard to ensure that I’m fit for this game and I can tell you that I’m fully fit for the encounter. I am happy to be here,” he said.

     

  • World Cup playoff: Eagles get October 8 deadline

    World Cup playoff: Eagles get October 8 deadline

    Nigeria expects all the 23 invited players for a 2014 World Cup playoff in Ethiopia to report to training camp in Abuja latest October 8.

    “We expect all the players to be here latest by noon on Tuesday, October 8, to begin the preparations for the match,” MTNFootball.com quoted Emmanuel Ikpeme, director of the technical department of the Nigeria Football Federation, as saying on Wednesday.

    “It’s very important that they arrive early because the coach needs all the time available to do the work ahead of the game. Give or take he would have four days to train with the players before we leave by noon on October 12.”

    Coach Stephen Keshi has called up 18 players based in Europe and five from the domestic league for the qualifier in Ethiopia on October 13.

    The squad is expected to fly out of Abuja on a chartered flight to Addis Ababa on the eve of the match.