Tag: Super Eagles - Page 8 - African News Today

Ahmed Musa Denies Sheffield Wednesday Links

26Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

English Premiership, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Ahmed Musa Denies Sheffield Wednesday Links

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has debunked reports linking him with a move to Sky Bet Championship club Sheffield Wednesday. Musa is currently a free agent after terminating his contract with Saudi Arabia Professional League club Al Nassr. The winger insists he wants a return to top-flight football and is not interested in a move to Sheffield Wednesday. “I don’t know where the story [potential move to Sheffield] is coming from because I don’t pay attention to rumours and gossip,” Musa told BBC Sport Africa. Musa also talked about his time with English Premier League club Leicester City. The 28-year-old scored five goals in 33 appearances for the Foxes. “For some reasons things didn’t actually work out there [at Leicester], but you can’t focus too much on the past,” h...

22Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

We Won’t Sack Rohr – Pinnick

President of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pelvin Pinnick has reiterated his support for Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr despite recent calls for the German's sack. Rohr has been a subject of major criticism after the Super Eagles failed to beat the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header. The Super Eagles were forced to a 4-4 draw by the Leone Stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City last Friday, while both sides battled to a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture on Tuesday at the Siaka Stevens Stadium, Freetown. Pinnick has however backed the former Gabon and Niger coach to continue on the job. “Rohr has done well as our coach, qualifying us for the World Cup and finishing third at the AFCON. It was the same coach...

Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa Linked with West Ham, Newcastle

20Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

English Premiership, Nigeria, Uncategorized, Youths

Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa Linked with West Ham, Newcastle

Reports making the rounds have it that Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa’s representatives are talking with a host of clubs in Europe, including some in the Premier League. Musa is hoping to secure a move back to English football in the coming weeks. Various sides in England’s top flight have been approached to see if they would like to acquire the player, including Newcastle, West Ham, Burnley and Sheffield United, as well as Palace – but it remains to be seen if they will make an offer. The Nigeria international is one of the higher profile free agents currently available having left his former club Al Nassr last month.

Super Eagles Play Out A Goalless Draw with Sierra Leone

17Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sports

Super Eagles Play Out A Goalless Draw with Sierra Leone

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Tuesday were unable to score as Sierra Leone held them to a goalless draw as both team jostle for a place in the Africa Cup of Nations competition in 2022. Four days earlier, the Sierra Leone team had come down from four goals down to clinch a draw in Benin-city against the Eagles. But after vowing to bounce back in Freetown with a victory, the Nigerian football team failed to do enough to breach their opponent’s goalnet. The result leaves Nigeria at the top of its qualifying group with eight points, just one point above Benin in second place with four games played. Sierra Leone remain third with three points. The Super Eagles, despite the two draws, remain favorites to finish first in the group and advance.

Christian Obodo Regains Freedom After Abduction By Gunmen

16Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Nigeria, Terrorism, Violence

Christian Obodo Regains Freedom After Abduction By Gunmen

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Christian Obodo, who was reported to have been kidnapped on Sunday evening by gunmen in a Delta community, has been freed by the abductors. It was gathered that the ex-international was abducted by gunmen along the Refinery Road in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State alongside a female friend when he stopped by to buy banana at about 5pm. It was learnt that both Obodo and the lady friend were released by their captors on Sunday night. It was also gathered that the footballer, who retired recently from a Greece Football Club, paid undisclosed ransom before he was freed around 10:30pm on Sunday. Confirming the release of Obodo to journalists in Warri on Monday, one of his longtime friends, Big Sam, said, “He has been released. He wa...

16Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Super Eagles Depart for Freetown Today

The Super Eagles squad and their officials will travel to Freetown, Sierra Leonean capital today (Monday) aboard a chartered flight for the Tuesday’s 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Leone Stars. The Eagles who played out a 4-4 draw on match day three against the Leone Stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium last Friday will be eager to redeem their battered pride when both teams rekindle hostilities at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown. Gernot Rohr’s side will be without their top marksman, Victor Osimhen for the encounter after the 21-year-old dislocated his shoulder in the reverse fixture in Benin City last Friday. Osimhen who has scored four goals in the AFCON qualifiers for the Eagles and has made four assists as well will be out for at least two weeks.

Eagles in a Humiliating 4-4 Draw With Sierra Leone

13Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sports, Youths

Eagles in a Humiliating 4-4 Draw With Sierra Leone

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Friday even were forced to to settle for a disappointing 4-4 draw after leading with a 3 goal deficit in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on Friday at the new Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State. The Super Eagles were leading their West African neighbours Sierra Leone with a 4-1 scoreline in the opening half-hour of Friday’s tie before they blew the lead and ended up with a 4-4 draw. It was Alex Iwobi that opened the flood gates of goals in the 4th minute before Victor Osimhen doubled the lead. The Everton midfielder made it 3-0 in the 27th minute and then Samuel Chukwueze increase the tally three minutes afterward. When Kwame Quee reduced the deficit to 4-1 late in the first half, many saw it just as a face-saving goal b...

12Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sports

We Won’t Underrate Leone Stars – Rohr

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has promised that the Leone Stars will not be underrated when both clash in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, on Friday. Nigeria will qualify for the next AFCON tournament should they win both games against Sierra Leone. The Eagles currently lead Group L with six points from their opening two games. “We do not in any way under-rate the Sierra Leoneans that we play over two legs within these four days, but we have our focus and objective for the matches,” Rohr said in a statement made available to The PUNCH from the Nigerian Football Federation media “We want to win both games so we can have the ticket and be able to be a little more relaxed for the final games. You know that next year, we also ha...

11Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

We Need To Be Tough – Etebo

Super Eagles midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo has stressed that they must be mentally and physically ready for the Friday 2021AFCON qualifying game with the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone slated for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City. The Galatasaray midfielder who breezed into the Eagles camp in Benin City yesterday, has therefore, enjoined his teammates to take the whole 90 minutes seriously so as to brighten their chances of qualifying for the 2021 AFCON fixed for Cameroon. “Nigeria and Sierra Leone, competitive wise we all know Nigeria is more ahead of them, but now it is football and anything can happen,” Etebo told NationSport. “But the most important thing is that we must be mentally and physically prepared. We should do what we know how to do best and hope for a better game. ...

COVID-19: No Fans for Eagles Vs Sierra Leone Clash – FG

4Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Covid-19, Nigeria, Safety, Sierra Leone, Sports

COVID-19: No Fans for Eagles Vs Sierra Leone Clash – FG

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 have advised the Edo State Government and the Nigeria Football Federation against allowing fans into the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, during the 2021 AFCON qualifier between the Super Eagles and Sierra Leone on November 13. Edo State Government had earlier announced that the gates would be thrown open for fans to watch the game at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. The ministry said admitting fans into the match venue would amount to a breach of the COVID-19 protocols. In a letter addressed to the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, the ministry stated that the game “will not have any audience and no gathering.” The letter read in part, “The ministry wishes to bring to your urg...