International Football
SUPER EAGLES BEGIN BUILD-UP FOR CHAN WITH SUPER SIX
The home –based Super Eagles contingent arrived the ancient city of Kano on Saturday afternoon as Head Coach Salisu Yusuf and his crew countenance the beginning of preparations for the 5th African Nations Championship scheduled for Morocco 13th January – 4th February 2018.
Yusuf, also Chief Coach of the Russia-bound A squad, has called up 30 players for the first phase of the preparations, in which the 2014 CHAN bronze medallists would test strength with the nation’s leading domestic clubs in the annual Super Six Tournament.
Super Eagles A team’s goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Stephen Eze, Osas Okoro and Adeleye Olamilekan, midfielders Afeez Aremu, Rabiu Ali and Ifeanyi Ifeanyi as well as forwards Kingsley Eduwo, Sikiru Olatubosun and Anthony Okpotu are among those who will battle for shirts.
The glamour Super Six Tournament, traditionally organized to set Nigeria’s flag-bearers in continental competitions in battle mood after the lull and inactivity of the post –season break, will this year welcome NPFL reigning champions Plateau United, MFM FC, Akwa United FC, homers Kano Pillars and Enyimba FC, as well as the Super Eagles B.
The first matches are slated for Monday at the Sani Abacha Stadium, where the Eagles overpowered their counterparts from Benin Republic 2-0 on 19th August to qualify for the 5th African Nations Championship.
Nigeria will tackle 2014 champions Libya, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea in the group stage at the 5th African Nations Championship. The matches of Group C will be played in Tangier.
Libya shocked the African football family by winning the 2014 edition in South Africa at the expense of Ghana, despite the North African nation being embroiled in political turmoil at the time.
Rwanda was the last team to qualify for the finals, after edging Ethiopia 3-2 on aggregate in a play –off that was necessitated by Egypt’s decision to forfeit her slot at the championship. Equatorial Guinea qualified for the finals following the withdrawal of Gabon.
Hosts Morocco, Guinea, Sudan and Mauritania are in Group A, in the event pitting the Atlas Lions against Mauritania in the opening match of the competition, at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca on January 13.
Hosts of the inaugural edition of the competition in 2009, Cote d’Ivoire head Group B that will be based in Marrakech, and have Zambia, Uganda and Namibia as group mates.
Group D, based in Agadir, has 2011 runners-up Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Burkina Faso.
GROUP A (CASABLANCA)
Morocco
Guinea
Sudan
Mauritania
GROUP B (MARRAKECH)
Cote d’Ivoire
Zambia
Uganda
Namibia
GROUP C (TANGIER)
Libya
Nigeria
Rwanda
Equatorial Guinea
GROUP D (AGADIR)
Angola
Cameroon
Congo
Burkina Faso
30 CHAN EAGLES FOR SUPER SIX
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa; Dele Ajiboye; Theophilus Afelokhai
Defenders: Stephen Eze; Osas Okoro; Daniel Itodo; Adeleye Olamilekan; Kalu Orji Okogbue; Ifeanyi Nweke; Nasiru Sani; Timothy Danladi
Midfielders: Afeez Aremu; Raphael Ayagwa; Ifeanyi Ifeanyi; Rabiu Ali; Destiny Ashadi; Dayo Ojo; Emeka Atuloma; Douglas Achiv; Austine Oladapo; Abdulkadir Zango
Forwards: Sikiru Olatubosun; Kingsley Eduwo; Peter Eneji; Anthony Okpotu; Joseph Osadiaye; Sunday Faleye; Victor Mbaoma; Mustapha Ibrahim; Gabriel Okechukwu
International Football
Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
International Football
Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach
After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.
But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.
Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.
He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.
“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.
FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.
The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.
Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.
He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.
He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.
The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.
International Football
Why FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o
Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.
He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.
According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.
The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and female, across all age groups.
“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.
This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.
During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.
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