International Football
Will SUPER EAGLES MAKE IT A PERFECT FINISH?
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Super Eagles of Nigeria’s encounter this Friday with Algeria may just hold greater importance than a mere formality fixture it paints. With qualification for the Russia 2018 World Cup ticket already secured, the team plays for pride and to maintain records.
It has been 4,891 days since Nigeria last lost a World Cup qualifying match. Avoiding a defeat this Friday will stretch the record by over 700 days when the qualifiers for Qatar 2022 will commence.
Not only that, the Super Eagles would have extended their record World Cup qualify unbeaten streak to 35 matches.
In a match that captain of the team, Mikel Obi will hit a milestone 80 international matches, a win, or worse still, avoiding a defeat will not only once again in three consecutive World Cup qualification series give Nigeria a clean sheet, a tradition of avoiding a defeat in Nigeria’s captain’s 80th match will be maintained.
Only three other players attained the 80-match mark. They are the late Muda Lawal, Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama, all at one time or the other, captains of Nigeria’s teams.
Muda Lawal ended his international career after 86 matches. His 80th match was a friendly match with Cote d’Ivoire on June 16, 1985. Nigeria pulled a goalless draw.
The next player to hit the 80-match mark was Joseph Yobo when Nigeria faced Madagascar in Antananarivo in an Africa Cup of Nations’ duel on September 3, 2011. Nigeria not only won the match 2-0, Joseph Yobo marked his 80th match with the opening goal of the game.
Next was Vincent Enyeama whose 80th cap was also an away match. A World Cup qualifying match in Nairobi in which he kept a clean sheet and Nigeria won the June 5, 2013 encounter 1-0.
Will Mikel’s 80th cap also be marked on a sweet note for Nigeria? The 100th cap matches had not been that sweet.
It was on the day that Yobo clocked 100th match that Nigeria crashed out of the World Cup just as Enyeama’s 100th cap celebration was spoilt in front of home crowd in Uyo when Uganda shocked Nigeria 0-1.
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
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.
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
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
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.”
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
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
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.
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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