The Nigeria Football Federation has stoutly denied a report that five football fans died during stampede at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium before Saturday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Zambia.
The final of the Men’s Aiteo Cup will be played in Lagos at the Agege Stadium on October 15 the organizers have revealed.
The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed shock and sorrow at the death on Friday morning of Nigeria U23 team’s Media Officer, Timi Ebikagboro.
Tammy Abraham has been included in the England Under-21 squad just a week after denying he was considering switching allegiances to Nigeria.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has revealed the Super Eagles squad that will lock horns with Zambia next month.
The two nations will square off in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Group B match at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Nigeria on Saturday, 7 October.
England-based forward Alex Iwobi, who did not feature in Nigeria’s two Group B matches against Cameroon earlier this month, has been called up.
Nigeria senior players such as John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, and Ahmed Musa have all been named in the 23-man squad.
Ifeanyi Ifeanyi and Afeez Aremu are the two home-based players, who were called up by Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr ahead of the crucial clash.
If the Super Eagles defeat Zambia’s Chipolopolo, they will qualify for next year’s finals which are scheduled to be hosted by Russia.
THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC Ifeanyi Ubah); Ayodele Ajiboye (Plateau United FC)
Defenders: William Ekong (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); Elderson Echiejile (Sivasspor FC, Turkey); Uche Agbo (Standard Liege, Belgium); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Olaoluwa Aina (Hull City, England)
Midfielders: Mikel John Obi (Tianjin Teda, China); Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Odion Ighalo (Chang Chun-Yatai, China); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Anthony Nwakaeme (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel)
STANDBY: Dele Alampasu (Cesarense FC, Portugal); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Aaron Samuel (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Afeez Aremu (Akwa United); Ifeanyi Ifeanyi (Akwa United).
Nigeria Super Eagles guffer Gernot Rohr has called up 23 players for next week’s all-important 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying showdown against the Chipolopolo of Zambia in Uyo.
Nigeria’s National U-20 Women’s Football Team, Falconets are set for the battle of Dar es Salaam for Sunday’s second leg match between Nigeria and Tanzania.
A23-man list with 5 on standby for Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Cameroon was released earlier today and the only major talking point in there was Gernot Rohr’s sticking to his winning team.
Despite being beaten 4-1 in Sunday’s West African Football Union (WAFU) Cup of Nations final by the eternal rival, Ghana, the home-based Super Eagles pocketed $65,000 (about N24 million) as runners-up of the sub-regional tournament.
Although Ghana’s Black Stars walked away from the Cape Coast Stadium with the ultimate star prize of $100,000 (about N36million) offered by FOX Sports, sponsors of the two-week WAFU Cup tournament, the home-based Eagles were consoled knowing they were not returning to Abuja empty-handed.
A breakdown of the prize money outlay showed that the first place prize was $100,000 while the runners-up prize was $50,000. The Niger Republic that defeated the Benin Republic 2-1 got the third-place prize of $25,000. The Squirrels of Benin got $10,000 as the fourth place finished team.
In addition to the prizes for the final and the losers’ final, they all got participation fees of $15,000 each.
The four semifinal losing teams got $10,000 each while the four second-round losers were consoled with $5,000 each.
Ghana defeated Nigeria 4-1 to avenge an earlier group stage 2-0 defeat they suffered in the hands of the Super Eagles who needed the win to qualify for the semifinals.
Goals from Stephen Sarfo (brace), Winnful Cobbina and Vincent Atingah set the Black Stars on a rollercoaster ride until Rabiu Ali’s late strike from a free-kick proved to be only a consolation.
Eagles Chief Coach, Salisu Yusuf admitted Nigeria lost to a better Ghanaian team. He hoped that his wards have learned a lesson from the tournament ahead of the African Nations Championships.
“We lost to a good team and they (Ghana) deserved to win because they took their chances and it was a good lesson for us,” the former Kano Pillars coach said in his post-match reaction to reporters.
Meanwhile, Players and officials of the home-based Super Eagles to the just ended WAFU tournament in Ghana have received commendations from the League Management Company (LMC).
The topflight league body urged them to build on the lessons learned from the sub-continental championship for the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The players were drawn from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) organized by the LMC.
LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko who was at the finals on Sunday, said he was impressed by the fight in the players that saw them come from the brink of ouster at the group stage to reach the finals.
“Winning the trophy would no doubt have been delightful, but the LMC is happy for the exposure the players have gained from playing in an international tournament of this nature and more importantly, it is a learning curve for them ahead of the 2018 CHAN”, stated Dikko.
The LMC described the tournament as a ‘win-win’ for domestic football in Nigeria and the entire West Africa, noting that the strength of West African football can be seen in the dominance of West African teams to recent World Cup tournaments.
Dikko also noted that the tournament has offered the players and coaches more time to bond and understand each other as compared to when they were just invited to camp to play for the CHAN qualifiers, adding, “It is our belief that a lot has been learnt on the side of the coaches and on the side of the players.
Whatever gaps were observed at the WAFU tournament will be the tool to improve the team going forward”.