Nigerian Football
CHELSEA SET TO HALT VICTOR MOSES’ AT INTER MILAN
The future of former Nigerian International, Victor Moses at Inter Milan is under threat following the directive from his parent club, FC Chelsea that the player should return home at the end of the Serie A season that will end next month.
Dialy Star reports that although the former Nigerian star had made it clear his intention to remain at Inter for the long time and win laurels with coach Antonio Conte and the fans at San Siro stadium of the club.
While speaking to Inter’s Matchday programme on Tuesday before the game against Sassuolo, the former Nigerian star was emotional when he said his reason for living was football.
“I love football, it’s been my passion since I was a child,” he explained.
“It’s in my blood and what I love doing. The turning point of my career came when I made my debut with Crystal Palace when I was 16.
“I entered the pitch and the atmosphere was incredible. It made me think that football was my reason for living, something where I could give everything with 100 percent commitment,” he expressed.
But according to Sky Sport Italia, the Serie A giant look set to lose the Nigerian and Alexis Sanchez before the end of their season because aside FC Chelsea, Manchester United also yet to sanction the extended stay in Italy.
Both players have been on loan at the San Siro this term and have agreed deals with their respective Premier League clubs to allow them to complete the Serie A campaign.
It was gathered, the agreement does not include playing in the Europa League, which is set to be played to its conclusion in August.
Inter are set to play Getafe in the last-16 of the competition, which will commence when the Italian league season has finished.
Moses is also set to return to his club, with the Chelsea man’s loan agreement coming to an end after the Serie A season.
Antonio Conte is understood to be desperate to reach an agreement with both United and the Blues to allow the two players to feature in European competition as he looks to secure the trophy.
It has been reported that Inter’s CEO Beppe Marotta is working hard behind the scenes to form an agreement with the two English clubs, which would involve giving them further compensation for the use of their players.
Inter are also still in with a shout of winning Serie A, although they must make up a nine pint gap to leaders Juventus, although they do still have a game in hand over them.
They welcome Sassuolo to the San Siro on Wednesday, while second-placed Lazio are also in action at Atalanta.
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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