Rohr calls Mikel, Musa, 22 others for Algeria, Argentina

Rohr calls Mikel, Musa, 22 others for Algeria, Argentina

By Footyalert → Tuesday, 31 October 2017

Captain Mikel John Obi, forward Ahmed Musa and midfielder Ogenyi Onazi top the list of 24 players that Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has invited for next week’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Algeria, and the prestige friendly with Argentina in Russia four days later.



Goalkeepers Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi also made the cut, as well as defenders Abdullahi Shehu, Leon Balogun and William Ekong, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Oghenekaro Etebo and forwards Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Odion Ighalo.



There is a first call for impressive Deportivo La Coruna of Spain safe hands Francis Uzoho, as well as former U17 World Cup winner Chidiebere Nwakali. Russia -based Brian Idowu has been placed on standby only for the friendly with Argentina.



2013 AFCON winner Kenneth Omeruo is on standby for both matches, alongside former junior international Alhassan Ibrahim, who now plays in Austria.



All invited players are expected to arrive in a camp in Morocco on Monday, 6th November, before the delegation flies to Constantine on Thursday, 9th November.



On Saturday, 11th November, a 45 –seater chartered aircraft will fly the Super Eagles from Constantine to Krasnodar, the Russian city that will host the international friendly against Argentina on Tuesday, 14th November.



THE FULL LIST



Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah); Francis Uzoho (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain)



Defenders: William Ekong (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); 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); Chidiebere Nwakali (Sogndal FC, Norway)



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); Henry Onyekuru (RSC Anderlecht, Belgium); Anthony Nwakaeme (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel)



STANDBY: Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Alhassan Ibrahim (FK Austria Wien, Austria); Brian Idowu (FC Amkar Perm, Russia)

Messi, Aguero In Argentina Squad To Face Nigeria

Messi, Aguero In Argentina Squad To Face Nigeria

By Footyalert → Monday, 23 October 2017

Argentina's coach, Jorge Sampaoli has named a strong squad that includes Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero for November's friendly against three-time African champions, Nigeria in Russia.


La Albiceleste will take on 2018 FIFA World Cup host, Russia on November 10
at the Krasnodar Stadium and will face Nigeria at the same venue on November 14.

The Super Eagles lost 3-2 to the South Americans when both sides last met at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil


FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers:
 Sergio Romero, Nahuel Guzman, Agustín Marchesin.
Defenders: Gabriel Mercado, Federico Fazio, Javier Mascherano, German Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi.

Midfielders:
 Eduardo Salvio, Emiliano Rigoni, Lucas Biglia, Leandro Paredes, Matias Kranevitter, Ever Banega, Marcos Acuna, Alejandro Gomez, Diego Perotti

Forwards: 
Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di María, Mauro Icardi

Big Test! Nigeria, Argentina clash in glamour game in Russia

Big Test! Nigeria, Argentina clash in glamour game in Russia

By Footyalert → Sunday, 22 October 2017

Three –time African champions Nigeria and two –time world champions Argentina will square up in a high –profile international friendly in the Russian city of Krasnodar on Tuesday, 14th November 2017, thenff.com can confirm.



NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed at the weekend that nearly all arrangements have been concluded with regards to the big match, subject to approval by world football –ruling body, FIFA and agreeable flight arrangements.



“We have had long and fruitful talks, and we can say that we have an agreement. We await the approval by FIFA and also, we have to agree on the flight arrangements that would be comfortable for the players and crew.



“The match will come up on 14th November, four days after the Super Eagles’ final 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Algeria. We had offers from teams like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Morocco but we have opted for the Argentines,” Sanusi said.



The Eagles take on Algeria’s Fennecs in what is no more than an academic exercise, at the Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui in Constantine on Friday, 10th November.



Nigeria and Argentina played two high –profile friendly matches in 2011, the first in Abuja in June ending 4-1 in favour of the Super Eagles. The Albiceleste trumped the second encounter 3-1 in Dhaka, Bangladesh three months later.



NFF’s FIFA Match Agent Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport, who also organized the friendly matches with the Argentines in 2011 and has been working hard for various Nigerian National Teams in the areas of training camps and friendly games since 2009, told thenff.com: “We are very pleased to be able to deliver such a high –profile game to celebrate the Super Eagles’ 2018 World Cup qualification.



“It was a lot of work over the past week but we are happy this has become reality. We will, in due course, reveal the Nigerian sponsor of the match who will have the match rights in Nigeria.”



While Argentina qualified for Russia on the final day of the South American qualification campaign, the Super Eagles have reached Russia with a match to spare.



Nigeria have had to confront Argentina in four of its previous five FIFA World Cup appearances, starting with a 1-2 defeat in Boston, USA in the African team’s debut in 1994. Argentina won another group phase clash 1-0 in Ibaraki, Japan in 2002, won a similar encounter by the same margin in Johannesburg, South Africa eight years later and then edged the Eagles 3-2 in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2014.



Other famous encounters between both nations include two final matches of the Olympic Men’s Football Tournament – Nigeria edging it in 1996 in America and the Argies winning by the odd goal in China 12 years later.



Argentina will clash will take on World Cup hosts Russia in a friendly on 10th November while the Eagles are playing the Fennecs in Constantine.    

Rohr hails his ‘soldiers’ after ‘difficult game’

Rohr hails his ‘soldiers’ after ‘difficult game’

By Footyalert → Sunday, 8 October 2017

Super Eagles’ Franco-German Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr on Saturday praised his wards for fighting a great battle to overcome Zambia’s Chipolopolo and qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.

He said at the post –match conference: “It was a very difficult game, in fact the most difficult for us in the qualifying series because of what was at stake, because we knew a win would take us there and we were eager to finish it off.


“I commend the Zambians for their spirit. They fought very hard. This team was different from the one we defeated in Ndola last year; this was a much better and stronger team.


“I am very happy for the players and for this great nation, for us to qualify with a match in hand. It is a good feeling and after this night, we will begin to plan about how to prepare for the World Cup.


“But we have the final match in Algeria next month, and perhaps we can have a friendly within that window as well and begin the preparation for Russia 2018

Moses, Mikel, Iheanacho aim to increase goals’ tally

Moses, Mikel, Iheanacho aim to increase goals’ tally

By Footyalert → Saturday, 7 October 2017

A total of six players have scored Nigeria’s 10 goals so far in the qualifying race for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.

Chelsea FC of England’s Victor Moses has top –scored with three goals, two of them against Algeria’s Fennecs in Uyo in November 2016 (the first and third goals) and the other (the third goal) in the 4-0 whitewash of Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions also in Uyo last month.

Captain Mikel Obi has scored twice, also both at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium. He netted the second goal against Algeria in November 2016 and also the second against Cameroon last month.

Forward Kelechi Iheanacho has also scored two goals, the first being the second goal against Zambia in Ndola in October 2016 and the second being the final goal in the 4-0 defeat of Cameroon in Uyo last month.

Other scorers are Arsenal FC of England’s Alex Iwobi (who scored Nigeria’s first goal of the series, in the defeat of Zambia in Ndola in October 2016); Odion Ighalo who scored the opener against African champions Cameroon last month in Uyo and; Belgium –based Moses Simon whose goal shot the Eagles ahead against Cameroon in Yaounde last month.

All six players are available for selection against the Zambians on Saturday.

NIGERIA & ZAMBIA AT SENIOR LEVEL

15 July 1973: Zambia 5 Nigeria 1 – Lusaka (AFCON Qualifier)

29 July 1973: Nigeria 3 Zambia 2 – Lagos (AFCON Qualifier)

14 Feb 1976: Zambia 1 Nigeria 3 – Lusaka (Friendly)

10 Mar 1978: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 – Accra (AFCON)

25 July 1981: Zambia 3 Nigeria 0 – Lusaka (Friendly)

13 Mar 1982: Zambia 3 Nigeria 0 – Benghazi (AFCON)

10 Aug 1985: Nigeria 0 Zambia 0 – Lagos (AFCON Qualifier)

18 Aug 1985: Zambia 1 Nigeria 0 – Lusaka (AFCON Qualifier)

12 Mar 1990: Zambia 0 Nigeria 2 – Annaba (AFCON S-F)

10 Apr 1994: Zambia 1 Nigeria 2 – Tunis (AFCON Final)

15 Dec 1997: Zambia 2 Nigeria 0 – Lusaka (Friendly)

18 Dec 1997: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 – Kitwe (Friendly)

13 Jan 2001: Nigeria 1 Zambia 0 – Lagos (AFCON Qualifier)

24 Mar 2001: Zambia 1 Nigeria 1 – Chingola (AFCON Qualifier)

6 Jan 2010: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 – Durban (Friendly)

25 Jan 2010: Zambia 0 Nigeria 0 (4-5 penalties) – Lubango (AFCON)

15 Nov 2011: Nigeria 2 Zambia 0 – Kaduna (Friendly)

25 Jan 2013: Nigeria 1 Zambia 1 – Nelspruit (AFCON)

9 Oct 2016: Zambia 1 Nigeria 2 – Ndola (World Cup Qualifier

Mikel: Talk Is Cheap, Zambia Must Fall

Mikel: Talk Is Cheap, Zambia Must Fall

By Footyalert → Friday, 6 October 2017

Super Eagles’ captain Mikel John Obi has declared the players have no
need to say too much before Saturday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying
match against Zambia’s Chipolopolo.

The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations champions visit the 2013 winners in a
match of high importance at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium
in Uyo, which should determine the swing of Africa’s Group B ticket to
football’s biggest houseparty in Russia next year summer.

“We know how important the match is; that is enough motivation to go
all out and give our very best. There are several players in this team
who have not played at the FIFA World Cup. They want to be there in
Russia next year.

“The talking will be done on the pitch. I have no doubt we have the
quality to achieve victory, but we will not make the mistake of under
–rating the Zambians.”

The former Chelsea FC of England enforcertoldthenff.com that a good
run in the qualifying campaign has been down to focus, determination
and massive support of all Nigerians, and believes the same indices
are in place for Saturday.

“We have played four matches in the campaign so far, but this one is
the match. We are fully focused and ready. All we want is the usual
support and encouragement by everyone involved, including the fans who
will turn out at the match venue.”

Table –toppers Nigeria will qualify for a sixth FIFA World Cup
appearance with the minimum victory on Saturday. The match kicks off
at 5pm

2018 FIFA World Cup: it’s time we wrap this up- Mikel

2018 FIFA World Cup: it’s time we wrap this up- Mikel

By Footyalert → Monday, 2 October 2017

Super Eagles' Captain, Mikel John Obi has declared that though the three –time African champions have respect for 2012 AFCON winners Zambia, the total commitment to ensuring early qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals will see Nigeria wrap up the campaign next weekend.



Captain Mikel, who has had a marvelous run in the qualifying series, playing commendable leadership role, told thenff.com that he is fully dedicated to the assignment of leading his teammates out on the turf of Godswill Akpabio Stadium to secure the sole ticket in Group B on 7th October.



“I must admit that I applaud the resurgence of the Zambians this late in the qualifiers. Beating Algeria home and away is no mean feat. We will take them very serious on 7th October because they clearly have a new spirit. It is time we wrap this up.”



Speaking further on the relative smooth –run the Eagles have had in this campaign compared to earlier FIFA World Cup qualifying races, the former Chelsea FC of England midfielder pin –pointed professionalism, determination and ambition as the factors that have swung the pendulum Nigeria’s way, whilst also heaping praises on Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr.



“We have all shown professionalism, dedication and determination to be at the pole position in a group tagged 'Group of Death.'



"Commendations must go to the entire team and the Coach, but we must finish it up in Uyo and secure our ticket right there.”

LMC urge Super Eagles to build on gains of WAFU Experience

LMC urge Super Eagles to build on gains of WAFU Experience

By Footyalert → Wednesday, 27 September 2017

Players and officials of the Super Eagles squad to the just ended West African Football Union (WAFU) tournament in Ghana has received commendation from the League Management Company (LMC) which urged them to build on the lessons learnt 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 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”.

Nigeria were beaten 4-1 by hosts, Black Stars of Ghana in the final of the resuscitated regional football tournament for countries of West Africa under the umbrella body, WAFU. Other countries that reached the second round group fixtures after the knock-out series were Guinea, Niger, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast and Benin Republic.