SPORTS
Born in the Netherlands and educated in England, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has not looked back at the international level since opting to represent Nigeria.
Part of the team that lost to Lionel Messi and Argentina at the 2018 World Cup, Troost-Ekong is currently taking part in his third Africa Cup of Nations and he kept a remarkably cool head to score the decisive penalty in the 1-0 win over hosts Ivory Coast on Thursday.
That result left the three-time continental champions primed to clinch a spot in the last 16 when they play Guinea-Bissau in their last group game in Abidjan on Monday.
“It is so early still, but my belief in the team has stayed the same,” the 30-year-old centre-back, who won his first cap in 2015, told AFP.
“If I look at the players we have now, I think it might be the best team I have played in for Nigeria. That is with all due respect to some of the legends that have been there.”
Amid all the talk of Nigeria’s fearsome attack, spearheaded by African footballer of the year Victor Osimhen, it was Nigeria’s defence that perhaps surprisingly stood out against the Ivorians, with Troost-Ekong marshalling a five-man backline.
“I think we have the most exciting attack in Africa. We have the best player in Africa who is our number nine. But I was not surprised, I think I know what the defenders can do as well and I believe so much in this group,” he said.
“I think we have maybe been underrated a little bit defensively.”
Troost-Ekong, who is wearing boots at the AFCON made from bamboo and other sustainable materials, was born just outside Amsterdam to a Nigerian father and Dutch mother, and was capped at youth level by the Netherlands.
‘Haven’t looked back’
He admits he dreamed of representing the Oranje senior team before a call from Stephen Keshi, then the Super Eagles coach, convinced him to pull on a Nigerian shirt.
“I watched a lot of football with my Dad. He was always watching the Super Eagles, but growing up in Holland, I also dreamt about playing for the Dutch national team,” said the defender, who moved to the UK aged 12 to attend boarding school.
“But when I got the phone call from Stephen Keshi at the time, who was a player and a legend who I watched growing up as a kid, especially as a central defender, I was kind of taken aback, and for him to ask me to play for Nigeria, I didn’t have to think twice.
“I think I said yes before I even had to think about anything or ask anyone because it just felt right, and I haven’t looked back since.
“Something really feels right about playing for Nigeria.”
Troost-Ekong, who has family in the southern city of Uyo as well as in Lagos, spent several months on holiday in Nigeria every year while growing up and says the country “felt very much like home and still does”.
He has turned out for clubs all over Europe, notably playing in Serie A for Udinese and in the English Premier League for Watford.
However, he recently joined leading Greek side PAOK – and opted to offset the carbon from the travel required to complete his transfer in another nod to the environment.
As he settles in Thessaloniki, he is now hoping this year to add some winners medals to the Olympic bronze he won with Nigeria in 2016.
“I have played in Serie A and in England, which are considered probably the top leagues, but for teams that are trying to stay in the league or to survive,” said the player who is so heavily tattooed he claims to have lost count of how many he has.
“Now playing at PAOK it is different because the ambition there is to win the league, win the cup, and win the Europa Conference League.
“I am really enjoying it and I am hopeful that I can add some silverware to my career, here as well as back home.”
[NaijaTimes]
FIFA president Gianni Infantino called for worldwide stadium bans for fans and “automatic forfeits” for teams whose supporters hurl “abhorrent” abuse, following racist incidents in Italy and England on Saturday.
The head of football’s world governing body said there was no place for discrimination of any kind in the sport or wider society.
“The events that took place in Udine and Sheffield on Saturday are totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable,” he said in a statement.
“The players affected by Saturday’s events have my undivided support.”
Fans aimed monkey chants at AC Milan and France goalkeeper Mike Maignan during Milan’s dramatic 3-2 win at Udinese, with the game temporarily halted.
– Support from Mbappe –
In a strongly worded statement on X, formerly Twitter, the France team said: “You have all our support Mike Maignan. The FFF (French federation) totally condemns all racist acts.”
France captain Kylian Mbappe also offered his backing to his international teammate.
“You are very far from being alone Mike Maignan, we are all with you,” wrote the Paris Saint-Germain star.
“Still the same problems and still NO solution. Enough is enough!!!!! NO TO RACISM” he posted on X.
Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer accused Sheffield Wednesday fans of doing the same to him during their English Championship clash, which his team won 2-1 on Saturday.
“We need all the relevant stakeholders to take action, starting with education in schools so that future generations understand that this is not part of football or society,” Infantino said.
“As well as the three-step process (match stopped, match re-stopped, match abandoned), we have to implement an automatic forfeit for the team whose fans have committed racism and caused the match to be abandoned as well as worldwide stadium bans and criminal charges for racists.
“FIFA and football shows full solidarity to victims of racism and any form of discrimination. Once and for all: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!”
At Udinese, referee Fabio Maresca stopped play during the first half and a livid Maignan stormed down the tunnel with his teammates.
“They’re ignorant people…. You can be booed or whistled when you’re away from home, that’s normal, but what happened today has no place in football,” Maignan told Sky Sports.
Play resumed after about five minutes.
Italy, a country governed by a coalition led by the far-right Brothers of Italy party, is rife with fascist football fan groups, in particular among the hardcore “ultras” who make most of the atmosphere at stadiums.
Last week Lazio were hit with a one-match stand closure after supporters directed monkey chants at Romelu Lukaku during their team’s Italian Cup win over local rivals Roma.
In Sheffield, Palmer labelled the abuse “abhorrent and wholly unacceptable”, with the match paused as the referee spoke to both managers on the touchline.
In a statement, Sheffield Wednesday said they were “shocked and saddened by the racist gesture from the stands” reported by Palmer.
“Both clubs roundly condemn any form of discrimination and abuse, and underline that there is no place for this kind of behaviour in football or our wider society,” it added.
“We will work together with the relevant authorities and anyone proven to be culpable will face the strictest possible sanctions from both Sheffield Wednesday and the law.”
[Vanguard]
The manager of the Senegalese national team, Aliou Cisse, was reportedly admitted to a hospital in Ivory Coast last Friday.
Reports obtained by Naija News revealed that Cisse fell ill following Senegal’s 3-1 victory over Cameroon in the second group match of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The 47-year-old coach was taken to Yamoussoukro hospital, as reported by Canal+ Sport.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) released a statement stating that Cisse received treatment for a “benign infection.”
However, no specific information regarding the nature of the former Portsmouth FC defender’s medical condition was provided in the statement.
The statement reads: “The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) informs the public that coach Aliou Cisse was taken care of by the medical staff and care services of the Yamoussoukro hospital for a benign infectious pathology on Friday, January 19, 2024 in the evening after the Senegal-Cameroun match.”
At the time of this report, Cisse, who had undergone overnight tests, had been discharged from the hospital.
The FSF further stated that Abdallah Sima, a player from their team, has withdrawn from the tournament and rejoined his Scottish club side, Glasgow Rangers, due to an injury.
“In addition, the FSF informs that player Abdallah Sima left the den today after passing exams following an injury contracted during training on Wednesday,” it said.
“Seeing an injury to the long adductor of the left thigh resulting in a long unavailability of the player, the medical staff of the selection and his club, Glasgow Rangers decided to return to the club for optimal management of his injury.”
It was only one match, but it moved Nigeria several notches up the rung of victory at AFCON 2023.
The match against Cote D’Ivoire confirmed the often-held notion that a potential Champion can be identified when a team can win a crucial match even when it does not play brilliantly. That’s what happened on Thursday night.
The Super Eagles played with the attitude of potential champions – winning a most difficult match against the host team by deploying with very disciplined style of play, and, with a bit of luck, curtailed an anxious and determined Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire.
The Super Eagles definitely earned their victory! What most people have refused to consider here is to credit Jose Paseiro for any part of that victory. The man has gone too far down the bad books of Nigerians that more of the credit seems to be going to a player-William Troost-Ekong. He was the ‘coach’ on the field of play that the team lacked outside it.
Troost – A new leader of the Super Eagles?
A new leader of the Super Eagles may be finally emerging from the shadows. His individual performance on this night reminded Nigerians about ‘Gentle Giant’ Uche Okechukwu, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, and ‘Big Boss’ Stephen Keshi.
The three were excellent Liberos, organisers of their defense from the centre-half position, clearing all loose balls that resulted from the close-marking and hard-tackling of their co-defenders, and taking on the responsibility of unofficially ‘coaching’ the team ON the field of play.
William Troost-Ekong may have joined that special class when he stepped forward and took responsibility to nail the Ivoriens by taking a very ‘dangerous’ penalty kick that was heavily laden with pressure and tension! It was a very thin line to cross for him – between becoming a hero and new leader in the team, or becoming a ‘villain’ for the rest of his career (had he missed the kick).
Troost-Ekong’s individual performance made a big difference in that match. He was a deserving ‘Man of the Match’. He played with his heart and head, stabilising the defense, in particular, and rest of the team, generally.
Uncharacteristically, the Nigerian defense line was cool, calm, confident, well-organised and impregnable.Thanks to Captain Ekong!
Are the Super Eagles back to their best?
No, not yet. It is a team in progress, coming up slowly but steadily.
Should the Eagles win the last match against Guinea Bissau very well, they will remain in Abidjan to play their round-of-16 match. That will be a huge advantage for them that they can use as launch pad to get to the top of the pyramid.
Against all the odds, the Super Eagles looked better and more organised in their defensive play. When Osimhen, somehow eventually finds his feet and his rhythm, the team will become better and stronger. Stopping them will now become a huge mountain to climb for any team at AFCON 2023.
The AFCON 2023 Roadshow — Report
Last Thursday evening, 30 minutes before the end of the Eagles/Elephant clash, my crew and I finally landed in Abidjan. It was too late to go watch my first LIVE match at the stadium.
I immediately converted the ‘disappointment’ into an opportunity to catch up with Ivoriens and watch them react to seeing their team is slowly and steadily asphyxiated by the Eagles.
We drove to Treichville, downtown Abidjan metropolis. The streets were quiet and traffic was light. Many shops had become temporary viewing centres. People massed around big and small TV sets, anxiety written on their faces as the minutes ticked on to record Nigeria’s first victory at AFCON 2023.
Anxious faces concocted into mournful looks, frustrated by the impregnable wall of defense put up by the Eagles.
According to commentators, as the match moved towards the closing moments, both the town and the stadium terraces went into silent mode, like a graveyard.
Into this mood and mourful environment we drove in a very colourful branded van, with the logos of some Nigerian products and services, into the Treichville neighbourhood, downtown Abidjan, attracting a lot of public attention.
Then, out stepped some Nigerians in their customary Green and White Tee shirts and face caps, branded ‘Peculiar Ultimate Concerns’, proud ambassadors of their country and of the beautiful game.
That neoghbourhood immediately became the unofficial centre of celebration for some Nigerians in a few bars in that part of Abidjan that remained open for business after the pain of their country’s loss.
Some Ivoriens took the punch on the chin well, and remained in some good spirit. Some coolly accepted their fate and went on with their lives in painful submission and silence.
Travelling to Abidjan
I shall surely produce a documentary of my experience travelling on the single existing road linking the countries along the coastline of West Africa.
The dream of an East to West superhighway connecting the cities was birthed in the late 1950s, and construction work must have started shortly after on the Dakar to Lagos road. 70 years later, the dream remains largely unfulfilled.
All the way, from Seme to Abidjan, there is not a single dual-carriageway.
The distance that we covered through 4 countries to get to Abidjan are on single lane, face-me-I-face-you, roads.
There is potential danger every inch of the way. No room for any careless driving throughout that long route. It demands the utmost care and concentration by drivers.
In Nigeria and most of Ghana, the roads are bad (worse in Nigeria), littered with patches and small irritating potholes.
Speed breakers, bumps and security checkpoints are endless on the roads in Ghana, and easily double travel time.
Although reassuring for safety purposes, the checkpoints are at 2 or 4-kilometre intervals through most of our travel inside Ghana. We were stopped at every one of those check points because of our unique van and colourful branding. The security officers were mostly very friendly but still created delays. Night travel, which we did only once, going to Cape Coast in Ghana, was worse.
Generally, the roads through Togo are better, smoother, and with less check points.
In Cote D’Ivoire, we found a delightful surprise – the best roads, but single lanes until you get to 14 kilometers to Abidjan. To enter Abidjan is like entering a new world – the road opens into the most beautiful dual carriageway in this part of the world.
Gbenga, our driver from Lagos, for the first time on this journey tested the speed of our 8-cylinder Chevrolet Van. He put his foot down on the throttle for an experience that I have not had since I was 25, driving my new Mercedes 280E on the freshly completed but yet-to-be-opened Ibadan/Lagos expressway. I covered the 120 or so kilometres to Lagos in 45 minutes.
By the way, on this trip, in the past 4 days, we have driven and covered a distance of 1100 kilometres, the single, longest but slowest journey I have ever undertaken. At the same time, it has been a unique and incredible experience.
Ivory Coast legend, Didier Drogba, says the Super Eagles of Nigeria can progress as far as winning the African Cup of Nations AFCON 2023 currently holding in his native country Ivory Coast.
The former Chelsea striker’s comments comes days after Nigeria humbled the hosts 1-0 thanks to William Troost-Ekong’s penalty in a match few gave Jose Peseiro’s men any chance.
Drogba has, however, admitted that the Nigerian national team can aim for the finals of the tournament despite not being among the favourites to win the competition in an interview monitored by Official54fx.
“They can go far,” Drogba started. “But we [Ivory Coast] have to sill finish in front of them,” the former Olympic Marseille player quipped.
“Of course, I want Ivory Coast to win but the best team has to win, and if it is Nigeria- whichever team- fair to them and well done to them.
“But we are going to fight till the end because we play at home and we want to show that not only can we host the competition [but can also win it].”
Nigeria is currently second ingroup A with four points from two matches, two points behind surprise leaders Equatorial Guinea who have qualified for the knockout stage.
Ivory Coast are in third place with three points and must not lose to Equatorial Guinea to have a chance of qualification to the next round.
Super Eagles star, Ola Aina, has revealed how Jose Peseiro’s side will approach their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, final Group A tie against Guinea-Bissau on Monday.
The Super Eagles won 1-0 against Ivory Coast in their last AFCON tie on Thursday.
The outcome of the Ivory Coast game moved Nigeria to second place in Group A with four points, having drawn 1-1 against Equatorial Guinea in their first game.
Speaking to reporters after Nigeria’s victory against the host nation, Aina said, “I’m just happy the team got the win. It was a tough game, I am still feeling a little bit tired but everything is worth it when you win.”
The former Chelsea star added: “We are going there [against Guinea-Bissau] with the same mentality that we had [against Ivory Coast].
“We need to get the job done and hopefully we can get another big result there.”
Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has assured Nigerian fans that the team will do their very best to make it to the final of the 2023 African Cup Of Nations(AFCON) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Musa made this known while speaking with newsmen at the team’s hotel after their victory against the host, Ivory Coast, on Thursday evening.
He also thanked the fans and supporters for their enormous support with prayers both in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Abroad.
Despite being the most capped Super Eagles player to date with 109 appearances, Musa was an unused substitute in the first two matches against Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast and is yet to make his debut in the ongoing 2023 AFCON.
Speaking on their victory, he said, “Thank you very much! Like I said earlier, we don’t have much to say. We are going to do the talking on the pitch, as you can see yesterday we did one of the talking on the pitch insha’Allah, and we’ll continue doing that till the final on February 11 so that we go back to Nigeria very happy.
“We’ll keep on doing our best to make Nigeria proud and once again, we are sending all our support to Nigeria, the way they supported us for their prayers.”
He, however, said he will be hoping to make his first appearance of the tournament when the Super Eagles play their final match of Group A at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny stadium against a Guinea-Bissau side who has recorded two lost against Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast.
Media
Football star, Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up about his likely retirement from football when asked about his future plans.
The Al-Nassr forward was asked about when he planned to hang up his boots in Dubai, where he is attending the Globe Soccer Awards and the 38-year-old delivered a funny response.
Ronaldo initially claimed he will retire ‘soon’ before he suggested he can remain at the top of the game for a while yet.
'The moment I finish, I don't know to be honest,' Ronaldo said.
'Of course, it will be soon, soon I mean 10 years more.
'No I am joking, I don't know, let's see.'
Ronaldo, who turns 39 next month, currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
The Portugal star joined the club in a deal worth a reported £175million-a-year last January, following the cancellation of his contract at Man United.
He is the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League this season with 20 goals, three ahead of nearest rival Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Tanzanian Football Federation has sacked the country’s head coach, Adel Amrouche just after a game in the ongoing 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
Coach Adel Amrouche was in charge of the Tanzania national team when they took on Morocco in the opening Group F game at the tournament on January 17.
In the 70th minute of the game, Novatus Miroshi was shown a red card making it impossible for Tanzania to stage a comeback from a goal down.
After the exit of Miroshi, Morocco found it easier to score two more goals as they defeated Tanzania 3-0 to top Group F with three points, two points above second-placed DR Congo and third-placed Zambia.
While reacting to the outcome of the game, Coach Adel Amrouche accused Morocco of dictating for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and selecting their match officials.
“Morocco determines everything in African football, they also choose their referees. We remain spectators because they determine everything,” he said
This statement didn’t go down well with CAF as they decided to suspend Adel Amrouche for eight matches and fined him $10,000.
Due to the lengthy suspension of the Algerian tactician, Tanzania FA decided to sack him and replace him with his assistant coach, Hemed Morocco for their next group stage game which is against Zambia at 6 p.m. on Sunday, January 21.
“In another step, the Executive Committee of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has suspended Coach Adel Amrouche”, a statement from Tanzania FA read.
“As a result of that decision, Hemed Morocco has been appointed as Acting Coach, and he will be assisted by Juma Mgunda.”
[NaijaNews]
Cape Verde became the first country to qualify for the knockout stages of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The tiny island nation crushed Mozambique 3-0 on Friday evening to book their spot.
The result all but confirms them as Group B winners, a group that has traditional powerhouses like Egypt and Ghana.
Cape Verde defeated the Black Stars 2-1 in their opening fixture at the tournament – a clear warning sign that was not heeded.
“I see a lot of people are surprised. But Cape Verde has been doing this. I think it was three tournaments ago when they smashed Cameroon and got to the quarter-finals, where they lost to bad officiating if I remember well.
“They have not been able to go far in AFCON tournaments. But maybe they could do it this time.
“Look at the game against Ghana, the way they dominated the game and their tactical awareness. It was a flawless performance,” Wale Agbede, the Head of Sports at Plus TV tells DAILY POST.
In their final group game, Cape Verde will face an Egyptian side without talisman Mohammed Salah, who picked up a hamstring problem in their 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday night.
Already, most football fans and pundits have dubbed the 2023 AFCON as the ‘tournament of the underdogs’.
Agbede disagrees.
“I think that it is hard to call it a tournament of the underdogs. We have seen a couple of tournaments that produced similar results from underdogs.
“African football is one that is very peculiar. There are countries that though they don’t have high-profile players in top leagues in Europe, it could be an advantage.
“Because they get to play in the same league. Like Cape Verde for instance. Small country, small population. There is a lot of synergy. They play the same style and their ideology is the same. A lot of the time, this tends to bear fortune sometimes, not all the time.
“I’m not surprised. Some of the big guns that we expected to win have won.
“First games in competitions can be very tricky. We have seen it in Europe and the World Cup with teams that have slow starts.
“Some of the big players come from different leagues around the world. For instance, some come instantly from winter in the UK with the Premier League and come directly to play in West Africa, where there is temperature difference.
“What it means is that there has to be acclimatization. There will also be a change in style because they are playing under a different manager and set up.
“The hypotheticals surrounding first matches in football tournaments are enormous.
“Maybe it’s too soon. Maybe if two or three of the underdogs make a deep run in the tournament, then we can have this conversation.
“But will I call this a tournament of the underdogs at this point? I wouldn’t. Anybody who does is jumping the gun in my opinion,” Agbede said.
However, Agbede holds a personal theory that cup competitions don’t always favour the best team.
He adds: “It doesn’t mean the best team can’t win. But it doesn’t always mean the best team won.
“I think as some of the big boys get into the groove and spend more days together, when it gets to the business end of the competition, an extra layer of talent and experience begin to come to the fore. And it is no longer about 22 players kicking the ball around. Some of these x-factor players for the big teams could show their quality and be the difference.
“Can a less fancied country win the competition? Of course, they can. But is it going to happen? Right now, I don’t think so.”
[DailyPost]
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Stanley Nwabali is cementing his place as the Super Eagles’ number one goalkeeper following commanding performances for Nigeria at the ongoing African Cup of Nations, and the Chippa United of South Africa goalkeeper told our correspondent that his journey to the pinnacle of his career wouldn’t have been possible if his coach at Go Round Football Club, Port Harcourt, had not converted him from an outfield player to a goalkeeper.
The River State-born goalkeeper revealed that, as a young boy growing up on the streets of Port Harcourt, he preferred a glamorous role as an out-field player, and on the strength of that, he joined Go Round FC as a defender. He was later moved upfield as a striker until a coach tried him at the goalpost.
Historically, the Super Eagles have been a dominant force in African football, but the recent unreliable performances of the goalkeepers have put a question mark on the team’s ability to compete at the highest levels.
Goalkeeping errors have become increasingly common, causing concerns that Nigeria’s aspirations in the prestigious tournament could be jeopardized by the potential consequences of these mishaps. Nigeria’s footballing history has seen some exceptional goalkeepers who have become legends in their own right.
From Sam Henshaw Ibiam, also known as “The Black Magnet,” who was the goalkeeper for the historic “1949 UK Tourists” national team, to Inua Lawal Rigogo, Peter Fregene, Joe Erico, Emmanuel Okala, Best Ogedegbe, Peter Rufai, Wilfred Agbonavbare, Ike Shorunmu, Alloy Agu, and Vincent Enyeama, all of these custodians have left an indelible mark on Nigerian football folklore.
The moniker “The Flying Cat” given to Rigogo by former Ghanaian President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah exemplifies the awe-inspiring acrobatics and flawless goalkeeping that left opponents stunned in the 1960s and early ’70s. The ’80s witnessed a resurgence in Nigerian goalkeeping prowess, with talents like Emmanuel Okala and Best Ogedegbe achieving success both domestically and internationally.
The torch passed to Peter Rufai, celebrated for his role in Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON victory, and Enyeama, who brought stability and confidence to the defence during his tenure, continuing the tradition of excellence. However, the departure of Enyeama in 2015 marked a turning point, initiating a goalkeeping crisis for Nigeria.
The fleeting hope sparked by Carl Ikeme was cruelly extinguished when he was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2017, robbing him of the chance to participate in the 2018 World Cup. Subsequent attempts to address the issue have been inconsistent and plagued by errors.
Blunders from goalkeepers have caused severe setbacks for Nigeria in recent tournaments, leading to genuine concerns among fans that the talented 2023 squad might see their dreams of AFCON triumph eroded by the lack of reliable goalkeeping. In the 2019 AFCON, Daniel Akpeyi’s positioning blunder proved costly, allowing a crucial goal against Algeria in the semi-finals.
The 2022 AFCON witnessed Maduka Okoye’s lapse of concentration, contributing to Nigeria’s untimely exit at the hands of a seemingly weakened Tunisian side.
The most recent blow came in the form of Francis Uzoho’s costly mistake during a pivotal World Cup qualifier against Ghana. His failure to prevent Thomas Partey’s early goal ultimately shattered Nigeria’s World Cup dreams.
Furthermore, Uzoho’s blunders in the World Cup qualifiers added another layer of anxiety ahead of the upcoming AFCON. For a country in search of a new super goalie, Nwabali appears to be a beacon of hope. Cementing his place as the Super Eagles’ number one goalkeeper, his commanding performances at the AFCON underscore the importance of a reliable shot-stopper in the team.
He expresses joy in realizing his dream of wearing his country’s jersey again and emphasizes that the call-up was not solely based on individual performance but on a collective acknowledgement of the team’s overall talent.
“I feel so excited; I feel happy being among this amazing team. It’s a thing of joy to me; it’s like something l didn’t believe was going to come. This is a big dream for me, and I am happy I am living it. What this requires is for me to keep working hard.
“Honestly, I prayed to get a call-up; it was not by my performance alone because everyone is doing well in different clubs; other goalkeepers have been doing well in their clubs. If you are called up to your national team, I sincerely wanted to represent my own country. I had wished to wear my country’s jersey again, and I am happy my dream came to pass,” he said.
“Playing for Nigeria comes with responsibility, which I know very well. Our fans want us to keep our good performance all the time, and as a goalkeeper, I know that I need to be strong mentally every time to be able to keep smile on the faces of Nigerians.”
Just like many talents, Nwabali has an idol, and it is no surprise that he chose Enyeama as his role model even though their playing styles are not the same. “I watched Vincent Enyeama a lot, although I didn’t have the opportunity to watch him live at the stadium.
“I watched him play in France and our national team, and what I really loved about this man was his composure and the command of his area. “Enyeama was someone I always looked up to, despite having different styles, but I always looked up to him I think I have a similar style to Germany and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
I have learned most things from him too, like the way he organizes his defence and how he goes up front to sweep. “I also learned from many of my coaches at the clubs that, as a goal- keeper, I cannot just remain between the sticks but should also make forays up front to help the team.”,” he said
Marseille striker, Ismaila Sarr starred as defending 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions Senegal eased their way into the last 16 with a 3-1 win over Cameroon.
Sarr’s deflected strike gave Senegal a 16th-minute lead and it was he who set up fellow frontman Habib Diallo after the break before Sadio Mane cemented victory at Stade Charles Konan Banny in stoppage time to guarantee his side’s progression from Group C.
Cameroon responded belatedly when Jean-Charles Castelletto powered home a header from Olivier Ntcham’s 83rd-minute cross and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou was guilty of a glaring miss before Mane scored, but Rigobert Song’s men will head into Tuesday’s final group fixture against Gambia with just a single point to their name.
Senegal went ahead after the Cameroon defence failed to deal with Pape Sarr’s 16th-minute corner.
The ball was fed back into Sarr after goalkeeper Andre Onana had punched it to the edge of the box and he drilled in a low right-footed shot which took a slight deflection off Frank Anguissa and flew into the net.
The Indomitable Lions did not muster a single attempt on goal in the opening 45 minutes and might have fallen further behind six minutes before the break but for Enzo Tchato’s block after Lamine Camara had put Mane in on goal.
Aliou Cisse’s men continued to make the running after the break, but Olivier Kemen got a sight of goal at the other end, only to loop his 55th-minute header from a deep free-kick high over.
Cameroon’s fortunes took a further turn for the worse with 19 minutes remaining when Sarr turned provider with a low cross for Habib Diallo to make it 2-0 from close range.
Castelletto gave Song’s side hope with seven minutes remaining and they should have been level when Nkoudou headed inexplicably wide in injury time before Mane wrapped up the points.
GUINEA-BISSAU coach Baciro Cande believes his side can still end their AFCON 2023 Africa Cup of Nations journey with victory over the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The Djurtus are bottom of Group A after losing their first two games to hosts Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, and have been eliminated from the tournament.
However, Cande is not giving up hope of at least taking the big scalp of the three-time African champions when they face each other on Monday.
Guinea-Bissau are not totally helpless against Nigeria, having beaten the Super Eagles in recent times, a shock 1-0 win incidentally in a qualifying match for AFCON 2023 in Abuja last March.
Cande was also the Djurtus head coach for that match and he fancies a repeat against Jose Peseiro’s Super Eagles.
“We have one game left (against Nigeria) to close the group stage and we hope to win,” Cande said after his side’s 4-2 defeat to Equatorial Guinea yesterday.
The Super Eagles are second in the group with four points, behind leaders Equatorial Guinea on goal difference, and a draw would seal a top two spot and a place in the round of 16.
Guinea-Bissau have never won an AFCON game in their history and this is the fourth edition they are attending, although Cande thought they should have done better against Equatorial Guinea.
“I feel sad. We wanted to win this match but we did not succeed,” he told reporters after the game.
“Before their first goal, we had four chances to score plus the penalty that was refused.
“We worked hard to be ready for this game. Football is sometimes like that.”
[NaijaTimes]
In their Group A clash at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire head coach, Jean -Louis Gasset, expressed that Nigeria’s heavily defensive approach made it challenging for his team.
The Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, chose a 3-4-3 formation to stifle the hosts’ attacking threat, limiting the Elephants to only two scoring chances in the first half. However, they were clearly outplayed after the break.
Gasset acknowledged his team’s struggle with the physicality of the Nigerians in the game, noting, “It was a very physical match; Nigeria chose to play very low with a five-man defense to exploit counterattacks with their star striker. It was a tightly contested match.”
Commenting further on the game, Gasset added, “We didn’t give the impression of being able to compete physically.”
With the focus now shifting to their final group game against the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea next Monday, the hosts are regrouping for the upcoming challenge.