Tag: Sports - Page 30 - African News Today

Onuachu Seals Super Eagles AFCON Qualification with Sublime Finish

28Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

AFCON, News, Nigeria, Sports

Onuachu Seals Super Eagles AFCON Qualification with Sublime Finish

The Super Eagles of Nigeria left it late to claim a 1-0 victory over Benin at the Stade Charles de Gaulle Stadium on Saturday through a Paul Onuachu strike in the 93rd minute. The victory ensured the Super Eagles will top the group irrespective of the result of the final group match. Onuachu who inflicted a first home loss on Benin in eight years nodded home from a goalmouth scramble. Nigeria had their chance to open the scoresheet in the first half when Henry Onyekuru was denied by the goalkeeper, Saturnin Allagbe. Victor Osimhen who plays for Italian side, Napoli also came close to scoring with a fine effort. Benin had their chances though Steve Mounie who registered two attempts in the space of one minute but Super Eagles goalie, Maduka Okoye was equal to the task to keep...

Rohr Undecided Over Super Eagles First Choice Goalie For AFCON Qualifiers

26Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Rohr Undecided Over Super Eagles First Choice Goalie For AFCON Qualifiers

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has said that he has not made a decision on his first-choice goalkeeper between Francis Uzoho and Maduka Okoye for the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Okoye was given the nod against Sierra Leone when the Super Eagles were disappointingly pegged back after taking a four-goal lead in November. However, he kept a clean sheet during the reverse fixture which ended in a stalemate. Uzoho on the other hand manned the post during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where the team crashed out in the Group Stages. However, injury kept him out of action for many months, thereby paving way for Okoye and some other goalkeepers. Speaking on the goalkeeping decision ahead of the matches, Rohr said that either o the two goalies will start against the Squirrel...

Egypt, Gabon, Ghana Qualify for AFCON 2021

26Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, News, Sports, Youths

Egypt, Gabon, Ghana Qualify for AFCON 2021

Egypt and Ghana have both qualified for the African Cup of Nations on Thursday and were joined by Comoros and Gambia, who will make surprising debuts at next year’s tournament. Egypt drew 1-1 in Kenya, enough to see the record seven-time champion clinch one of the two qualifying places in Group G. That result also helped Comoros take the other spot. Comoros had earlier drawn 0-0 at home against Togo but Kenya needed to win in order to maintain its hopes of qualifying in the last round of matches next week. Comoros, an archipelago of volcanic islands off the east coast of Africa, is one of the continent’s smallest countries and has a population of less than a million. But it had some memorable results in the qualifying campaign, including victories over Togo and Kenya and a 1-1 dra...

Super Eagles to Relish Boat Trip to Benin – Rohr

25Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

AFCON, News, Nigeria, Sports

Super Eagles to Relish Boat Trip to Benin – Rohr

The Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr has said his players will relish the boat trip to Cotonou for Saturday’s vital 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Benin. The gaffer allayed fears raised over the trip to the neighbouring country, assuring it was the best means to make the trip. Rohr expressed optimism it is the best way to travel to Cotonou for the game. He said, “It will be the best way to go there. Last Saturday, I made the trip and we were flying on the water. “It was so quick and calm.” The team will leave for Cotonou on Saturday morning.

Akpeyi Breaks Silence After Missing Out Of AFCON Qualifiers

25Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Akpeyi Breaks Silence After Missing Out Of AFCON Qualifiers

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi has stated that the senior national team is open to every player adding that he will always wait for his time despite his noninclusion on the list for the Benin and Lesotho 2021 AFCON qualifiers. The Kaizer Chiefs goaltender disclosed this in a chat with a Lagos based Radio station, where he said that nothing surprises him in the Super Eagles Akpeyi also said that he will continue to support the team in their quest to qualifying for the bi-annual tournament. “The truth is that is I keep my thoughts open and as far as I’m concerned, nothing surprises me in football anymore, because I’ve been in the game for long to understand what it’s all about,” Akpeyi said. “All I just need to do is to focus on my club because I’m not contracted to th...

Rohr Certifies Teslim Balogun Stadium Turf

24Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports, WAFCON

Rohr Certifies Teslim Balogun Stadium Turf

Super Eagles German tactician, Gernot Rohr has expressed satisfaction with the playing surface of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos State. The pitch will host next week’s 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifying fixture between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Crocodiles of Lesotho. The Nigerian team had a training exercise on the turf for the first time on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Crunch battle against the Benin Republic. Rohr in an interview with newsmen after the training on Tuesday said the surface is good for preparation work ahead of the matches. He said, “The pitch is very good for football. “The boys like it and the surface is wonderful and green. I said it before when I came here, they have worked on the grass and it is very good.”

Why Onuachu was Placed on standby – Rohr

24Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Sports, Youths

Why Onuachu was Placed on standby – Rohr

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr during a media parley in Lagos clarified several issues in the national team, ahead of their AFCON qualifiers versus Benin and Lesotho. On the Super Eagles vs Benin Republic match, he said: Everyone wants to beat Nigeria, it is normal. We also want to win there (Porto Novo), so it’s a big challenge because they’ve not lost a match at home in eight years. You should expect a team (Eagles) that wants to play good football first, who are going to show Nigerians that they are fighting for their country and are able to do well in Porto Novo against the team who haven’t lost a game at home, since losing 3-1 to Algeria in a World Cup qualifier in 2013. It’s a huge challenge for us to go and try to win, knowing a point will earn us qualification. We’ve had a go...

19 Super Eagles Players Arrive Camp For AFCON Qualifiers, Begin Training Tuesday

23Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, News, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

19 Super Eagles Players Arrive Camp For AFCON Qualifiers, Begin Training Tuesday

Over 19 Super Eagles players have arrived at camp for the remaining two 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Benin Republic and Lesotho. According to the team’s media officer, Babafemi Raji, the players were already in camp late Monday night. The players in camp are captain Ahmed Musa, William Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Henry Onyekuru, Oghenekaro Etebo, Adekunle Adeleke, Chidozie Awaziem, Abdullahi Shehu, Anayo Iwuala, John Noble, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun, Joe Aribo, Tyrone Ebuehi, Maduka Okoye, Jamilu Collins, Francis Uzoho and Paul Onuachu. “Update! 18 players now in camp. Musa, Troost-Ekong, Aina, Ajayi, Onyekuru, Etebor, Adeleke, Awaziem, Shehu, Iwuala, Noble, Iwobi, Balogun, Aribo, Ebuehi, Maduka, Collins, Onuachu,” Raji tweeted. “Update! Francis Uzoho ...

AFCON Qualifiers: Rohr Must Pick Fit Players to Battle Benin – Chukwu

23Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

AFCON, News, Nigeria, Sports

AFCON Qualifiers: Rohr Must Pick Fit Players to Battle Benin – Chukwu

Former Nigeria international Christian Chukwu has tasked Super Eagles German tactician, Gernot Rohr to prioritise the selection of fit players for the crucial 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin in Port-Novo. The Super Eagles presently lead Group L on eight points, while Benin trail on seven points with both teams set to lock horns on March 27 in a decisive encounter that could decide the fate of the two West African nations. Chukwu who won the 1980 AFCON in an interview with Guardian said that Rohr has the players to beat and pick the maximum point against the Squirrel of Benin. He said, “I don’t think there is anything to fear ahead of the AFCON qualifier against the Benin Republic. “Nigeria has players that can beat Benin, and all that is needed is for Rohr to...

CAF Approves 10,000 Spectators to Watch Nigeria vs Lesotho Game

19Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

AFCON, Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Sports

CAF Approves 10,000 Spectators to Watch Nigeria vs Lesotho Game

The Confederation of Africa Football, CAF, has rectified an appeal for about 10,000 spectators to watch the crucial AFCON qualifying match between Nigeria and Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos. CAF approved the request after the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, had appealed to allow fans to be allowed to watch the match in Lagos on March 30. It, however, warned that strict COVID-19 guideline will be implemented at the stadium. CompleteSports quotes an NFF source to have said, “We are returning the Super Eagles to Lagos for the first time in 20 years and we felt it would not be fair to play in an empty stadium hence we applied to CAF to allow us to admit fans into the Teslim Balogun stadium for our game against Lesotho later this month. “Fortunately for us, CAF obl...