Nigerian Football
Pinnick Excited by GeneratioNext
The Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick has spoken glowingly of the youthfulness of the new Nigeria senior squad, with a clutch of new faces joining a few experienced and still –combative performers to take Nigeria pretty close to a 2018 FIFA World Cup ticket.
“This team has not only shown capacity to go very far, but the youthfulness gives you the assurance that it can even go farther. You look at the players and you are happy that there is a future for Nigerian Football.
“You take a first look at the team and you see players like William Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Leon Balogun, Alex Iwobi, Chidozie Awaziem, Tyronne Ebuehi, Kelechi Iheanacho and now we have Ola Aina as well. We are working on getting Tammy Abraham. There are others like Henry Onyekuru and Olanrewaju Kayode. I believe we are so blessed and that this team will cause a big stir in Russia, and if not in Russia, in Qatar in five years time.”
In July last year, the NFF appointed Franco-German tactician Gernort Rohr into the position of Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles, invoking mixed reactions from a vibrant football –passionate citizenry. In 14 months however, Rohr, who coached in Burkina Faso, Gabon and Niger Republic and took charge of Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia previously, has crashed the average age of the Super Eagles and engendered such spirit in camp that the players feel they are one big family.
“I am very happy to be part of this squad. We look out for one another and everyone is ready to cover up for the other. It is a family, such a united family,” goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa told thenff.com.
Ezenwa, a former junior international, got his first big chances against the Lions and proved his ability and capacity, leaving no one in doubt. He was huge for the team as the African champions started the first match in Uyo like a chimney, and took the same confidence to Yaounde’s Stade Omnisports Ahmadou Ahidjo on Monday.
The FC IfeanyiUbah number one stopper arrived at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Canada 10 years ago as third choice behind Olufemi Thomas and Moses Ocheje. The technical crew was uncomfortable with the fact that Thomas was prone to jitters, and Ocheje got injured in the second match, paving way for Ezenwa to dazzle in goal as the Flying Eagles reached the quarter –finals.
The truth is that even those who are seen as veterans, as a result of activity and consistency over the years, are relatively young. Left back Elderson Echiejile was at Canada 2007 with Ezenwa, while Abdullahi Shehu played U20 World Cup in Turkey only four years ago, alongside Olanrewaju Kayode, Uche Agbo and Wilfred Ndidi.
Dele Ajiboye was goalkeeper of the U17 team that won the FIFA World Cup in Korea Republic 10 years ago, Alampasu was number one for the U17 team that won the same trophy in the UAE four years ago and; Ahmed Musa played for the U20 team in Colombia in 2011.
Oghenekaro Etebo shone for the U23 team at the Olympics in Brazil last year; Victor Moses has age on his side, just as Moses Simon, Anthony Nwakaeme, John Ogu and Mikel Agu.
Eight years ago, deputy captain Ogenyi Onazi was in the U17 team that won silver at the World Cup for Nigeria. Odion Ighalo was in the U20 team at the World Cup in Egypt eight years ago.
Team captain Mikel Obi, at 30, is the oldest of the pack, and yet has a special motivation to lead the team to the World Cup and excel, just as he did in carrying the U23 team at the Olympics last year.
In truth, the former Chelsea star feels he needs to prove something at the FIFA World Cup. Germany 2006 was a painful miss for him and the team, as Angola finished ahead of Nigeria in the somewhat odd head-to-head principle (it would have been his first World Cup), and four years later, he played a yeoman’s role as the Eagles qualified on the last day in Nairobi, only to miss the finals in South Africa through injury.
Four years ago in Brazil, Mikel would himself admit, he was not at his best. “Russia 2018 will be special for me and this squad. We will do everything to get there and do well for Nigeria and Africa,” he said at the post match conference in Yaoundé.
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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