Connect with us

Nigerian Football

ROHR WORRIED OVER NFF CRISIS AND POTENTIAL PLAYERS’ INJURY

blank

Published

on

BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA.

 

As the clock ticks down to the kick-off of Russia 2018, Nigeria’s national team coach seems enveloped in major concerns. According to his chief scout, Victor Agali, the legal noose around his employers have become a major concern just as injuries sustained by some players also give him worries.

The Super Eagles will play for the first time on home soil since picking the World Cup ticket last October. Yet, the trial match with DR Congo, which also serves as World Cup farewell game may largely be prosecuted  by fringe players as the bulk of the Super Eagles will need to rest after hectic seasons in Europe and Asia and would also like to conserve their energies for the more prestigious friendly duel with England early next month.

Reportedly on the injury list are Leicester City defensive midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, Torino of Italy play maker, Joel Obi, Arsenal forward, Alex Iwobi and Leon Balogun. The unfolding legal tangle is also a matter of concern as it is feared that it may cause diversion for those expected to plan a possible good outing for the Super Eagles at the World Cup and also prepare for the September matches of the qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Advertisement

Nigeria had missed two editions in a row and stand the risk of missing a third one. “There is no doubt, Rohr is not happy with all these recent happenings. We just have few weeks left for the FIFA World Cup in Russia”, Agali remarked to www.sportsvillagesquare.com.

“This is not the right time for all these. We have injury problems with some of our key players and Rohr’s employers are entangled in legal issues.

“I met Rohr some days ago and he was looking worried. We just hope some of our injured players regain their fitness.

“All qualified teams are busy preparing hard, including our group rivals. I am also busy scouting for new faces who can bring more positive impact to the team.

“I am very sure things will get organized before our next warm-up game against DR Congo. I have advised Rohr to keep calm about the recent happenings”.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Nigerian Football

Season’s first win for Akwa United and Ikorodu City

blank

Published

on

blank

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.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Nigerian Football

Behold! Nigeria Football’s October 8 Magic

blank

Published

on

blank
Nigeria’s Godwin Iwelumo terrorising Egypt’s goalmouth 47 years ago in an October 8 match. Nigeria won 4-0 inflicting the worst ever defeat on Egypt in a World Cup qualifier.

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.

Advertisement

 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!

Advertisement

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.
Continue Reading

Nigerian Football

 Rivers flow to the top!

blank

Published

on

aed55841-rivers-united.png

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

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Most Viewed