AFCON

Mali To Test Might Against Born-again Cotê D’Ivoire –

Published

7 months ago

February 3, 2024

CAF’s Sledge Hammer Falls On Afcon Players And Teams -

Hosts Côte d’Ivoire will clash with the Eagles of Mali in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 for a place in the last four.

Cotê d’Ivoire made a quick turnaround in their campaign by knocking out defending champions, Senegal in the round of 16 on penalties.

Despite knocking out Senegal, they are winless in their last three games and yet to score from open play in the process.

Cotê d’Ivoire have had some decent and historic results at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake including a 5-0 win over Madagascar in 2008.

Mali will depend heavily on forward Lassine Sinayoko, who has scored three goals in the AFCON Côte d’lvoire 2023.

Emerse Fae’s team have conceded six goals in their last three games, and will have a lot of work to do to stop the silky Malian attack, who have scored 5 goals in the AFCON Côte d’lvoire 2023.

Emerse Fae – Cotê d’Ivoire head coach

After the qualification against Senegal, we were able to take up our colors which was very complicated for us from the very beginning but to be able to win especially when we went to penalties, it was actually touching.

The Malian team is a good. They have good midfielders and we know it will be very tough and from our side, we are tough also.

I am not a magician and I have never been one in any way. I’m also a young coach who knows this group very well. I have been with them for about a year and a half. After the drama we had against Equatorial Guinea, I had lot of confidence in the squad and I was able to give them adequate and appropriate words.

We are going to prepare a team that is going to play against Mali. We will prepare in terms of the quality. We have our strength and what is important is we concentrate on our team.

Yahia Fofana – Côte d’Ivoire player

We are going to approach the game more positively. It is going to be a more difficult game against Mali on Saturday, and we are not going to underestimate them because they are good.

Éric Sékou Chelle

Mali head coach

We are happy to be here. We have had sometime to recover and to also prepare ourselves for this game and this also an eliminating game and is very symbolical for us and we are expecting a lot from this game.

We are going to play against the host country, the country organizing this tournament

There is one thing that is important for me, Cotê d’Ivoire is part of the favorite like I said from the beginning, they are the host country they are the organizers and are more like the favorite.

We are actually working before each game especially the defence and we are progressing everyday. The strikers are also working and it is always about teamwork

We have players who are not here but are always supporting us

This is a high level and we are going to give a good account of ourselves

We are working very hard and we all know what needs to be done, I need to give my players the right mentality. We need to move together and make sure we work in humility.

This game is going to vs an emotional game, it is going to be a match between two brothers and I have my take on the cotê d’Ivoire team as well. There are players in vote divide with connection from Mali so it is going to be an emotional game.

Lassine Sinayoko – Mali player

We are in a good state of mind. We are all in shape, the team is doing well for this game, we are concentrated and focused for this game.

-CAF

AFCON

Hurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!

Published

6 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

What a turn-around! After four previous competitive matches without a win, the Super Eagles have regained their winning mentality after a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic in their opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.

The win also put the Super Eagles at the top of the Group D after both Libya and Rwanda played 1-1 draw last Thursday.

It is also the biggest win by the Super Eagles since their 2023 6-0 win over Sao Tome & Principe last year September.

Great man Ademola Lookman, he put in two goals straightening the possibility of his emerging as 2024 African Footballer of the Year.

The current title holder, Victor Osimhen proved his mettle coming off the bench in the second half to double Nigeria’s lead after Lookman’s late first half goal.

The Super Eagles will now honour their next fixture against Rwanda on Tuesday with the hope of consolidating their lead.

Benin Republic with no points and a deficit of three goals are rooted at the bottom of the log.

AFCON

‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful!’, Rev Ikpea calls on football fans to rally round Super Eagles

Published

13 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU

The National Chairman of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Rev. Samuel Ikpea has called on all Nigerians to rally round and pray for the Super Eagles ahead of Saturday’s Morocco 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Uyo.

Ikpea who is mobilizing support for the Super Eagles ahead of the clash in Uyo said that whatever Benin Republic come with both spiritually and physically in the game, we will surely overcome them.

“In the NFSC we have Christians, Muslims as well as those who believe in traditional worship and we respect the rights of freedom of worship of every member and all Nigerians.

“When we are faced with this kind of crucial game, we call on everyone to pray through their various believes because we foresee that Benin Republic are most likely coming to fall back on ‘black magic’ to enable them perfect a back-to-back victory over our Super Eagles after beating us 2-1 in our last meeting in a World Cup qualifier”

“We cannot underestimate the efficacy of the black magic” Ikpea further stressed, “but we believe that when we come together we can neutralize it’s efficacy.

“This is no time to sleep, we all have to rally round and do our best to support our Super Eagles because they cannot do it alone without the prayers and support of all Nigerians.

“While charging Nigerians to be positive with the team, we at the NFSC have done everything positive to overturn whatever plans they are coming with and we enjoin everyone to toe that path through prayers”.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles camp is bubbling with training in Uyo, as team Coach Austin Eguavoen, has been working hard to perfect tactics with the boys and ensure the Super Eagles soar on Saturday.

AFCON

Will Super Eagles regain their winning mentality?

Published

15 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The Super Eagles have not won a qualifying match for any competition since their 6-0 defeat of Principe & Sao Tome on 10^th September 2023 in Uyo. That was their last qualifying match for Cote d’Ivoire 2023 played in 2024.

Since then, they have played four World Cup qualifying matches without a win despite being the overwhelming favourites at those matches.

A forensic analysis of their World Cup qualifying since that of Qatar 2022 will reveal they had played seven consecutive matches without a win starting from their 1-1 home draw with Cape Verde in Lagos which qualified them for the play off. In the play off with Ghana, the Super Eagles drew the two matches.

In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, they have gone four matches, getting three draws and a loss. The prospect of their getting a straight qualification from the group is doubtful as they have a mountain to climb by winning the remaining six matches, three of which are away duels of which are most likely to be played in South Africa, the home ground of their main rivals.

Zimbabwe and Lesotho play their home matches in South Africa and Nigeria also still have an away duel with Bafana Bafana.

The qualification series of AFCON 2025 presents the Super Eagles a new beginning. Starting from the semi-finals of the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, the team has won none of their four competitive matches in regulation time. The players have a date with destiny in Uyo this Saturday to wipe off the sagging image they have had in recent time.

A win will give the team the confidence expected in anticipation for future fixtures.