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TODAY IN HISTORY: NIGERIA DEBUT IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

 

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The Nigeria ‘Red Devils’ in August 1960

It is 60 years today since the Nigeria football team made its debut appearance at the FIFA World Cup qualifying series.

 

The Nigerian side, then simply known as the Red Devils were part of the six African sides that entered for the Chile ’62 World Cup.

 

The others were Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Republic, a short-lived union of Egypt and Syria.

 

The six African teams were divided into three groups of two teams and were to play on home and away basis. The three group winners were to go on a triangular league also on home and away basis.

 

The winner then advanced for a play-off for a final place with a European team. Nigeria parading a galaxy of stars like Godwin Achebe, Fabian Duru, Amusa Shittu, Dejo Fayemi, Asuqu Ekpe and Dan Anyiam were drawn against traditional rivals, Ghana.

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So, on this date, 28 August 1960, in Accra, Nigeria lost their maiden World Cup qualifiers 4-1 to Ghana. 

 

The Black Stars were truly at home, opening scoring in the 18th minute through Edward Acquah.

 

They doubled the lead in the 44th minute through Edward Boateng. Dejo Fayemi enters the record books as Nigeria’s first scorer in a World Cup qualifying match when he scored in the 50th minute to reduce the tally to 2-1.

 

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Dejo Fayemi, Nigeria’s first scorer in a World Cup qualifying match.

Since Fayemi’s curtain raiser, there have been 176 other World Cup qualifying goals by Nigeria, taking the total haul to 177 as at the end of Russia 2018 qualifying series.

 

The milestone 100th goal was scored by Victor Agali in the 67th minute of Nigeria’s defeat of Sudan on 27 January 2001 in Port Harcourt.

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Nwankwo Kanu celebrates with Victor Agali after scoring in the 67th minute, the second of his goals in the 3-0 defeat of Sudan in the 2002 World Cup qualifier played on 27 January 2001 in Port Harcourt. It was Nigeria’s 100th World Cup qualifying goal.

 

In the Nigeria’s debut in the World Cup qualifying series, after Fayemi pulled a goal back, Ghana went ahead with two quick goals from Edward Aggrey Fynn in the 54th minute and Mohammed Salisu in the 55th minute brought the score line to 4-1.

 

When Nigeria beat Algeria 3-1 in one of the qualifying matches for Russia 2018, it was another milestone game as it was Nigeria’s 100th World Cup qualifying match.

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As at the end of the qualifiers for Russia 2018, no African side has racked up as many qualifying victories as Nigeria, whose overall record of 58 wins from 104 games equates to a win rate of 55.76 per cent.

 

 

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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German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England

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 - Bayern Munich v VfL Wolfsburg - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - May 12, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel looks on before the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.

The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.

Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

-Reuters

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Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel

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Champions League - Bayern Munich Training - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 7, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on the pitch during a walk around REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo

German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.

Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.

PLAYING CAREER

* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.

* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.

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* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.

* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.

COACHING CAREER

* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.

* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.

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* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.

* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.

* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.

* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.

* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.

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* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.

* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.

* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.

* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.

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* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.

* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.

* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

-Reuters

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Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

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.

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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

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