AFCON
Awoniyi, Olayinka dazzle in Super Eagles’ training ahead of Guinea Bissau clash
BY SUNDAY AGUNBIADE, training pitch side, GAROUA
The spate of upsets recorded at the weekend means that there is no room for complacency.
That is already being reflected at the training session of the Super Eagles here in Garoua.
Ahead of Nigeria’s clash against Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau, two Super Eagles forwards have shown message of intents in readiness to ambush their opponents.
Union Berlin forward, Taiwo Awoniyi in an exclusive interview said he was extremely delighted to open his goal scoring account for the senior national team against the hard fighting Sudanese and ready to consolidate on the performance .
“It’s a dream come true playing at the senior national team and my first goal for the Super Eagles is another impetus to boost my confidence”, the former Liverpool striker submitted
Also speaking shortly after the training session, Slava Prague goal poacher, Peter Olayinka who was everywhere on the ball said he was ready to make his presence count.
He then heaped praises to Austin Eguavoen led crew for the opportunity given to him at the senior national team .
“I’m ready to optimize every opportunity given to me and ensure we are victorious in this tournament. In fact, our mission is to make Nigeria victorious in this championship .
The former 36 Lion FC said “I’m much delighted to be in the senior national team and I’m ready to help Nigeria win this tournament for the fourth time.
“I sincerely appreciate the ingenuity of the coach and he is a that knows his onions . Let me say that the whole team is ready to make Nigeria proud” .The Ibadan born football prodigy enthused
Super Eagles have picked six points in the Africa Cup of Nations 2021 competition beaten Pharaohs of Egypt 1-0 and humbled Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane 3-1 and atop of group D
On Wednesday, the Super Eagles will be up against Guinea-Bissau.
AFCON
Libya sacks coach ahead of AFCON qualifying back-to-back matches with Nigeria
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has sacked its Serbian coach, Milutin Sredojević who is popularly known as Micho.
This is coming ahead of Libya’s back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations clashes with Nigeria next month.
Paradoxically, Sports Village Square gathered that the coach’s contract was only recently renewed for six months before the axe fell on the Serbian.
His sack was precipitated by the results obtained in their teo matches of the AFCON qualifiers.
Libya drew 1-1 with Rwanda at home and lost 2-1 away to Benin Republic despite beig a goal up at half time.
The Libyan side, Mediterranean Knights are due to play against the Nigeria Super Eagles in Uyo on 6 October while the return leg holds on 14 October at the 11 July Stadium in Tripoli.
According to information Sports Village Square gathered from Tripoli, the Mediterranean Knights’ coach, Micho led the Libyan national team to win nine matches since taking over in October of last year, he failed to build a strong team due to his poor choices.
He also took a risk with the footballers chosen in the AFCON qualifiers, and the result was shocking to the Libyan sports audience.
According to sources close to the Libyan Football Federation, there is a strong tendency to sign a national coach to lead the Libyan team during the remaining qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.
AFCON
CAF president blasts Ghana, others over stadium ban
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has lashed out at Ghana and some other African countries whose home grounds were recently banned from hosting CAF matches owing to inadequate facilities. He made the remarks in Nairobi, Kenya during a press conference,
After the MatchDay 2 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, CAF ruled Ghana’s Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi as being inadequate to host international matches. Being the only approved ground in the country, Ghana will now look towards either Cote d’Ivoire or Togo for their remaining home matches of the Afcon qualifiers.
Other African countries without approved home grounds are: Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Eritrea, Gabon, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, São Tomé and Burundi.
Motsepe voiced his frustration over the recurring issue of nations being unable to host home games.
“Nothing frustrates me more than a national team or club side having to play home matches outside,” he stated.
He stressed the significance of playing in front of home fans, adding, “You can’t grow football if the national teams or club sides aren’t playing in front of their home fans.”
Motsepe reiterated CAF’s commitment to working with countries to ensure they have at least one suitable stadium to host international fixtures.
“Our conversations in every country are to make sure there is at least one stadium capable of hosting a CAF category C game,” he emphasized.
AFCON
Present and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen
The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.
Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.
Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.
Peseiro left his position after the Africa Cup of Nations
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