Todsy, the Super Eagles of Nigeria play against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in one of the group qualification matches for the African Cup of Nations 2015.

The match will be played on home ground in Uyo, the only venue approved by FIFA as suitable for Nigeria’s Grade A international football matches. That speaks volumes.

Uyo is a venue with excellent facilities but that holds mixed fortunes for the national team. The beautiful modern city in the heart of Nigeria’s remaining rainforest area has hosted as many matches that have been lost as have also been won. It is a home ground that does not play out as one. Gone are the days when the home ground of the national team was described as ‘an abbatoir’ where visiting teams are ‘slaughtered’ on the hallowed turf of the ‘main-bowl’.

The Uyo Township Stadium is seen these days, particularly by visiting teams, as a neutral ground where they can come and stretch the patience of fanatical Nigerian fans. They do not fear coming there to play anymore. The myth of Nigeria’s invincibility at home has been broken, so, winning for the Super Eagles has become psychologically more difficult.

So, as they line out today, for the first time ever, Nigerians lack the usual confidence that their beloved Super Eagles will trounce the Cheetahs, a team that was Nigeria’s whipping boy for all the decades since football between both nations began. It used to be unthinkable that Nigeria could ever lose a football match to Benin Republic. If things were done correctly by Nigerian football administrators, both teams should never belong to the same planet of football. Haba.

Even today, the Cheetahs parade Nigerian players that fail to make the cut of the third-eleven of the Nigerian national team, yet they only have to stroll across the border at Seme, simply and easily change their nationality, and start to play for Benin Republic. These are some of the players that now constitute a real threat to the Super Eagles. This Saturday, they are coming, led by an aggrieved foreign coach, to attempt to terminate Nigeria’s shaky march to Morocco 2025.

The Cheetahs have become a real threat to Nigeria’s ambitions.

The Cheetahs are led by a man with an axe to grind with Nigeria. Gernot Rohr, a German, handled the Super Eagles longer than any coach since Clemens Westerhof in Nigeria’s football history.

At the end of his last contract, for not winning anything and for his team not being convincingly impressive. His contract was not renewed. He left angrily. A segment of the Nigerian media, particularly one suspiciously benefitting from his generosity or presence, somehow, supported and promoted his re-engagement by the Nigerian Football Federation and failed. Meanwhile, the NFF were under pressure from the people to win anything, even pako (wood), but they failed to do so. Reason prevailed, however, and Gernot Rohr was asked to leave. Since then, Rohr has been on a revenge mission.

The elements must have been enjoying the drama and stretched it further with the present plot where a once-rejected coach lies in the other path of Nigeria’s qualification.

He has won Round One on neutral ground in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire in a humiliating and convincing defeat of the former ‘giant’ of African football, a team that has diminished in stature and reputation and become vulnerable on home ground, threatened by all teams now, small or big, in African football.

Some analysts credit former minnows in Africa football with developing their football and earning their new place as worthy challengers on the continent. My truth, however, is that it is Nigeria’s decline at all levels of development (excluding female football), and a reflection of the state of the country itself.

The Super Eagles have lost the stronger feathers in their wings!

AFCON 2023, for a period of one month, showed glimpses of interesting possibilities and potential for greatness, but since then, the team has returned to their flightless nature of the past decade.

So, as the match today approaches, sadly, Nigerians are not brimming with their usual confidence. And that includes me. That’s why, also, the build-up to the match has been ‘humble’ and uninspiring. Expectations have been limited. This is reflected even in the team’s build up.

Without a coach until one week ago, the composition of the Super Eagles, as team of players, has not changed significantly from the team that inspired Nigerians at AFCON 2023, and dampened their spirit since then.

More or less, the same set of players are back in it. Captain William Troost-Ekong has fully recovered from a major injury and surgery, but has not played for the national team since February.

Africa’s current Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, did not play the last set of matches with the Super Eaglesincluding the one against Benin Republic. His state of mind will be a big factor in his performance. It may either weigh him down, or be a source of challenge to prove that his absence was a factor in Nigeria’s loss. He has also been embroiled in several controversies, all of them psychologically dampening. These include his spat with the last coach of the Super Eagles, Finidi George, issues with his coach at Napoli, and issues around his end-of-season transfer saga, a very poor advertisement for his management, and a huge distraction for any meaningful preparation for this match in Uyo.

Victor is the last player to arrive at the Uyo camp with only 24 hours to train with the team for the first time since February. To start him in the line-up will even be a big gamble for coach Eguavoen who is handling the team without earning the right to do so.

Until a few days ago, the team did not have a preferred coach. In fact the team has not had a permanent coach since the team’s relative success at AFCON in February. In the period after then till now, there have been 3 different unsuccessful coaches that handled the team, including the man now saddled once again to do so on a temporary basis for the next two matches over a period of one week.

I feel sorry for Augustine Eguavoen. He is making his 4th appearance at the helm. Yet, he fails till now to secure the people’s confidence. He could neither negotiate nor reject an assignment that is laden with ‘poison’.

Should he ‘fail’ again, he would surely carry the can of responsibility. Should he succeed, his employers are already searching for a foreign successor. So, he has little motivation beyond self to deliver victory.

Finally, he is saddled with assistants that are untested ‘rookies’ in international football. How will the megastars in Super Eagles relate with these local handlers without their level of exposure and experience in playing or even coaching?

That’s the setting for the match this weekend in Uyo.

For once, I shall join in the night vigil for the Super Eagles.

I hope that, somehow, they find the motivation, inspiration and good fortune to inject some rhythm into their game, play with patience, be clinical in front of goal when the rare chances come their way, and win this match for all Nigerians.

Victory will provide a launch pad for hope and better performances ahead for the rest of their campaigns for qualification for AFCON 2025, and the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

I wish the Super Eagles the best of luck today.

Flora Ugwunwa won silver for Nigeria in the women’s javelin F54 final at the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympics on Saturday.

This marks Ugwunwa’s third consecutive Paralympics medal, following gold medals in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.

The Nigerian athlete threw 19.26 meters to claim the second position on the podium and secure silver medal ahead of Salehi Elham of Iran.

She made her silver winning throw after the second attempt but could not improve on it despite four more attempts.

The medal is Nigeria’s first in Para-Athletics, and the country’s fourth medal overall at the ongoing Paralympic Games.

Nurkhon Kurbanova of Uzbekistan, Ugwunwa’s fierce rival, won gold medal with a 21.12 meters.

Kurbanova’s throw broke Ugwunwa’s former world record of 20.25 meters she had set at Rio 2016.

The Uzbek had lost the gold medal to Ugwunwa four years ago and had to settle for silver.

Kurbanova had dominated the six-athlete final, throwing beyond 20 meters on each attempt.

The 30-year-old broke Ugwunwa’s record on her third throw, registering 20.27 meters before breaking her own record in her fifth attempt.

Onyinyechi Mark won Nigeria’s first gold medal after outlifting her opponents in the powerlifting finals in Friday.

Her victory earned Team Nigeria their third medal at the Paris Paralympics.

On Wednesday, Esther Nworgu won the silver medal in the women’s up to 41kg para-powerlifting event.

Eniola Bolaji also won a bronze medal in the women’s singles SL3 badminton event a few days ago.

[TheCable]

Onyinyechi Mark from Nigeria has set a new Paralympic record in the women’s 61kg powerlifting division.

Mark lifted an impressive 150kg to make this extraordinary achievement, surpassing the former record established by fellow Nigerian athlete, Lucy Ejike.

Mark’s outstanding performance guaranteed Nigeria its third medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

She overcame the challenge from China’s Cui Jianjin, who won silver after lifting 140 kilograms.

Mexico’s Amelia Perez won bronze, falling 10 kilogrammes behind her Chinese rival after pulsating lift attempts.

Onyinyechi-Mark

Nigeria has a rich legacy in the Paralympics, particularly in powerlifting and athletics. During the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the nation earned a total of ten medals, including four golds.

The Nigerian team has consistently demonstrated its prowess in powerlifting, with athletes such as Lucy Ejike and Bose Omolayo achieving world records and securing numerous gold medals.

The ongoing success of Nigeria at the Paralympics underscores the country’s commitment to nurturing and advancing its para-athletes.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable achievement of scoring 900 career goals has garnered recognition from Guinness World Records, which celebrated his feat by joining the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate on social media, responding with a GOAT emoji.

This subtle gesture further cemented Ronaldo’s legendary status in the world of football.

Ronaldo’s milestone reinforces his dominance in both international and club football, placing him ahead of his long-time rival Lionel Messi and other prominent players.

In a post on X.com on Thursday, Guinness World Records quoted a BBC Sports tweet that hailed Ronaldo’s record-breaking accomplishment, saying, “900 career goals for Cristiano Ronaldo. Incredible. #BBCFootball.”

Ronaldo reached his 900th career goal during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League match against Croatia.

The historic goal came in the 34th minute when Ronaldo volleyed a cross from Nuno Mendes, securing Portugal’s 2-1 victory.

This achievement not only contributed to Portugal’s success but also marked a significant personal milestone for Ronaldo, who now stands as one of the top goal-scorers in football history.

Speaking after the match against Croatia, Cristiano Ronaldo said (via Fabrizio Romano): “900 goals seems like any other milestone, but only I know how hard it is to work every day to score your 900th goal.

“It’s a unique milestone in my career. I don’t break records…they haunt me!”

Lionel Messi is the only player closely trailing Ronaldo, with a current tally of 838 goals for both club and country.