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MIKEL OBI GOES FOR 80TH INTERNATIONAL CAP

Published

7 years ago

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Super Eagles’ skipper, Mikel Obi is on the threshold of getting into the prestigious FIFA Century Club, an exclusive assembly of players who have made at least 100 international appearances.

With strong indications that Mikel will be featured in Friday’s game with Algeria, Sports Village Square can declare that he will be making his 80th appearance in proper grade A match for Nigeria.

Twenty more matches including the scheduled one with Argentina next week, other pre World Cup friendly matches and at least the three group games at Russia 2018, Mikel Obi may just clock 100 caps.

If fielded in Friday’s match with Algeria, Mikel will be, the fourth most capped Nigerian international after those of Vincent Enyeama (101 caps), Joseph Yobo (100) and the late Muda Lawal (86).

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Incidentally, all those with over 80 international appearances have been captains of the Nigerian team.

Mikel made his international debut when he came in as a substitute for Chris Obodo in an August 17, 2005 friendly match with Libya in Tripoli. It was a trial match ahead of a 2006 World Cup qualifying match with Algeria, in Oran.

He also came in as a substitute for Wilson Oruma in Nigeria’s second group game with Zimbabwe in the Africa Cup of Nation duel in Port Said, Egypt on January 27, 2006.

His introduction was impactful as he almost immediately doubled Nigeria’s lead, scoring his first international goal. Apart from featuring in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations quarter finals duel with Tunisia in Port Said, Mikel continued to make cameo appearances in the Super Eagles until disastrous 1-4 loss to Ghana in a friendly match on February 6, 2007 in London.

That was the last match for Austin Eguavoen as the team manager. He stepped aside for Germany’s Berti Vogts who watched from the side lines and signed his contract two days later.

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In his 79 matches so far, he played as substitute or was substituted 18 times.

To his credit, Mikel has played all tiers of national team football for Nigeria and participated in all FIFA final competitions. Staring with 2003 Under 17 World Cup in Finland, the U-20 in the Netherlands in 2005, the Under 23 football tournament of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016, the FIFA Confederation Cup in Brazil 2013, the FIFA World Cup in Brazil 2014 as well as featuring for Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2012.

Though a midfielder, he scored six goals for Nigeria in the 79 matches he has played so far.

 

 ALL MATCHES MIKEL OBI PLAYED FOR SUPER EAGLES

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  1. August 17, 2005 (F-Tripoli) LIBYA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 27, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) ZIMBABWE 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (sub) 1 goal

 

  1. February 4, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) TUNISIA 1 – 1  NIGERIA  * 5-6 pens

 

  1. February 7, 2006 (AFCON-Alexandria) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. September 2, 2006 (AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 NIGER. (sub)

 

  1. February 6, 2007 (F-London) GHANA 4 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. March 24, 2007 (AFCONq-Abeokuta) NIGERIA 1 – 0 UGANDA.

 

  1. September 8, 2007 (AFCONq- Warri) NIGERIA 2 – 0 LESOTHO.

 

  1. October 14, 2007 (F- Mexico City) MEXICO 2 – 2 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 21, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 25, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) MALI 0 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 29, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) BENIN 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (1 goal)

 

  1. February 3, 2008 (AFCON- Accra) GHANA 2 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. May 27, 2008 (F- Graz) AUSTRIA 1 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. June 1, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 SOUTH AFRICA.

 

  1. June 7, 2008 (WCq-Freetown) SIERRA LEONE 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. June 21, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 EQUATORIAL GUINEA. (sub)

 

  1. February 11, 2009 (F-London) JAMAICA 0 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. March 29, 2009 (WCq-Maputo) MOZAMBIQUE 0 -0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. June 20, 2009 (WCq-Rades) TUNISIA 0 -0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2009 (WCq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 2  TUNISIA

 

  1. November 14, 2009 (WCq-Nairobi) KENYA 2 – 3 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 6, 2010 (F- Durban) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 12, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) EGYPT 3 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 16, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) BENIN 0 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 20, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) MOZAMBIQUE 0 – 3 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 25, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA (aet) 4-5 pens

 

  1. January 28. 2010 (AFCON- Luanda) GHANA 1 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 30, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) ALGERIA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. September 5, 2010 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2- 0 MADAGASCAR (sub)

 

  1. March 29, 2011 (F- Abuja) NIGERIA 3- 0 KENYA

 

  1. June 1, 2011 ( F- Abuja) NIGERIA 4- 1 ARGENTINA

 

  1. June 5, 2011 ( AFCONq- Addis Ababa)  ETHIOPIA 2-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 3, 2011 (AFCONq- Antananarivo) MADAGASCAR 0-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2011 ( F- Dhaka) ARGENTINA 3-1 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. October 8, 2011 ( AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2-2 GUINEA

 

  1. October 11, 2011 (F-London) NIGERIA 0-0 GHANA (sub)

 

  1. October 13, 2012 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 6-1 LIBERIA (1 goal pen)

 

  1. January 9, 2013 (F – Faro) CAPE VERDE 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 21, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) BURKINA FASO 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 25, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) ZAMBIA 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 29, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) ETHIOPIA 0-2 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. February 3, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) COTE D’IVOIRE 1-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. February 6, 2013 (AFCON – Durban) MALI 1-4 NIGERIA

 

 

  1. February 10, 2013 (AFCON –  J’burg) BURKINA FASO 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. March 23, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 1-1 KENYA

 

  1. June 5, 2013 (WCq – Nairobi) KENYA 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 12, 2013 (WCq- Windhoek) NAMIBIA 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 17, 2013 (Confed – Belo Horizonte) TAHITI 1-6 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 20, 2013 (Confed – Salvador) URUGUAY 2-1 NIGERIA (1 goal)

 

  1. June 23, 2013 (Confed – Fortaleza) SPAIN 3-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 7, 2013 (WCq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 MALAWI

 

  1. October 13, 2013 (WCq- Addis Ababa) ETHIOPIA 1-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. November 16, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 ETHIOPIA

 

  1. November 18, 2013 (F- London) ITALY 2-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. March 6, 2014(F- Georgia) MEXICO 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 4, 2014 (F- Pennsylvania) GREECE 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 7, 2014 (F- Florida) USA 2-1 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. n June 16, 2014 (WC- Curitiba) IRAN 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 21. 2014 (WC- Cuiaba) BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 25, 2014 (WC-Porto Alegre) ARGENTINA 3-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 30, 2014 (WC- Brasilia) FRANCE 2-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2014 (AFCONq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-3 CONGO

 

  1. September 10, 2014 (AFCONq- Cape Town) SOUTH AFRICA 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 11, 2014 (AFCONq – Khartoum) SUDAN 1-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 15. 2014 (AFCONq – Abuja) NIGERIA 3-1 SUDAN

 

  1. November 15, 2014 (AFCONq- Pointe Noire) CONGO 0-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. November 19, 2014 (AFCONq- Uyo) NIGERIA 2-2 SOUTH AFRICA

 

  1. October 8, 2015 (F- Vise, Belgium) DR CONGO 2-0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. October 11, 2015 (F-Vise, Belgium) CAMEROON 0-3 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. November 13, 2015 (WCq- Lobamba) SWAZILAND 0-0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. March 25, 2016 (AFCONq- Kaduna) NIGERIA 1-1 EGYPT.

 

  1. March 29, 2016 (AFCONq- Alexandria) EGYPT 1-0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. September 3, 2016 (AFCONq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 TANZANIA. (sub)

 

  1. October 9, 2016 (WCq -Ndola) ZAMBIA 1-2 NIGERIA.

 

  1. November 12, 2016 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 3-1 ALGERIA. (sub, 1 goal)

 

  1. September 1, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 4-0 CAMEROON (sub, 1 goal)

 

  1. September 4, 2017 (WCq -Yaoundé) CAMEROON 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 7, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 ZAMBIA

 

 

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official

Published

3 weeks ago

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July 8, 2024

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Abdellatif Akhrif, IRT player reported missing off the coast of M'diq this Saturday, July 6, 2024. © COPYRIGHT: IRT

Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.

They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.

“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.

The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.

While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.

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Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.

-Reuters

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International Football

FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money

Published

4 weeks ago

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June 27, 2024

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FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development and former soccer manager Arsene Wenger speaks during the 74th FIFA Congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, in Bangkok, Thailand, May 17, 2024. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.

FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.

Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.

“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.

“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”

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FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.

Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.

-Reuters

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International Football

Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint

Published

1 month ago

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June 21, 2024

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Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.

Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.

“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.

Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.

After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.

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Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.

-Reuters

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