International Football
48 Hours to Picking Russia ‘18 Ticket; It’s Fight to Finish Says Mikel
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, Yaoundé.
Like it happened 20 years ago when the Super Eagles became the first qualifiers for France 1998 World Cup, Nigeria could again become the first African team to earn a slot in Russia 2018 by Tuesday if the Super Eagles defeat the Cameroon on Monday in Yaoundé and Algeria beat Zambia at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida on Tuesday.
That will earn Nigeria an unassailable 12 points in the group hitherto tagged “Group of Death”. That first pushed Cameroon out of contention. Then the maximum points obtainable by either Zambia or Algeria will be 10.
The Super Eagles who landed in Yaoundé and surprisingly to cheers from Cameroonians are aware of their date with destiny.
Skipper Mikel John Obi was in high spirit as the Super Eagles arrived Yaoundé on Sunday afternoon for Monday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
“We are just very keen to finish what we started. We started a job in Uyo and it is time to finish it. If we can pick the World Cup ticket by Monday, why wait any longer?
“We are all very confident, because we know our ability and what we are ready to bring to the party.”
Apart from the 4-1 and 4-0 defeat that Shooting Stars inflicted on a Roger Milla inspired Tonnerre Kalara in 1976 and 1984 respectively and also the 4-1 defeat Enugu Rangers handed Cano Sportive Yaoundé in 1977, Friday’s massive 4-0 defeat of Cameroon is the biggest win Nigeria achieved over Cameroon in 21 matches spread over 57 years.
The Nigerian side is aware that the Cameroonians will want to fight back like wounded Lions that they are. Hugo Broos, the Cameroon’s Belgian coach told a press conference on Monday that his side will fight to regain its pride, even if World Cup 2018 looks like a mirage.
“The African champions cannot be disgraced like that”, he was quoted by a local English radio station to have said.
Mikel and his fellow Lion-eating Eagles are aware of the situation. “We are as hungry as, perhaps even hungrier than they are. It will be a tough affair but we will give our very best to take the three points.”
The side had tactical training session Sunday evening at the Stade Omnisport Ahmadou Ahidjo.
Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has 23 very fit players to select from, with goalkeepers Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Dele Ajiboye and Dele Alampasu, defenders Uche Agbo, Abdullahi Shehu, Elderson Echiejile, Ola Aina, Leon Balogun, William Ekong, Tyronne Ebuehi and Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, John Ogu, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Mikel Agu, and forwards Ahmed Musa, Victor Moses, Odion Ighalo, Moses Simon, Anthony Nwakaeme and Kelechi Iheanacho making the trip.
At the Hilton Hotel on Sunday to receive the Nigerian team was Cameroon’s Minister of Sport, Bidoung Mpaktt, who chatted briefly with NFF President Amaju Pinnick.
FIFA has appointed respected Senegalese official Bakary Papa Gassama as the referee for Monday’s encounter, to be assisted by Jean Claude Birumushahu from Burundi (Assistant 1), Marwa Aden Range from Kenya (Assistant 2) and Maudo Jallow from Gambia (Reserve Referee). Osama Ataa Elmanan Hassan from Sudan will be match commissioner at the game kicking off 6pm.
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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