Connect with us

International Football

WILL ARGENTINA SPOIL MIKEL OBI’S 80TH INTERNATIONAL CAP?

blank

Published

7 years ago

on

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Super Eagles’ skipper, Mikel Obi may this Tuesday get the opportunity of  playing his 80th  international game when Nigeria face Argentina for the eighth time.

With that, Mikel will become the fifth most capped Nigerian international. Incidentally, all those before him were also skippers of the Nigerian national teams.

Those that attained the 80th match milestone before now were Muda Lawal on June 16, 1985; Nwankwo Kanu on June 20, 2009; Joseph Yobo on September 3, 2011 and Vincent Enyeama on June 5, 2013.

Nigeria did not lose the matches in which those players made their 80th appearance. That is the burden Mikel Obi possibly carry as he is expected to lead Nigeria against a strong opposition like Argentina and also under an inclement weather condition which is expected to drop to almost freezing point.

Advertisement

When Muda Lawal had his 80th cap, Nigeria played a goalless draw with Cote d’Ivoire on June 16, 1985.

The result was the same for Nwankwo Kanu as he came off the bench to replace Kalu Uche in a World Cup qualifying match with Tunisia to earn his 80th cap.

The match played in Rades, Tunisia ended goalless. It was even more remarkable for Joseph Yobo when he earned his 80th cap in Antananarivo, Madagascar, the home country of the current CAF President who was his nation’s FA president at the time.

In the September 3, 2011 Africa Cup of Nations duel, Nigeria did not just have a 2-0 away win, Yobo, a defender opened scoring! When on June 5, 2013 Vincent Enyeama made his 80th appearance for Nigeria in Nairobi, Kenya, he had a clean sheet and Nigeria won the away World Cup qualifier 1-0.

Will Mikel’s 80th cap also be marked on a sweet note for Nigeria?  Sports Village Square recalls that the record books are replete with tales of broken dreams in milestone games.

Advertisement

While the likes of Diego Forlan had victories to tell on their milestones as his Uruguay’s 2-1 defeat of Nigeria in the 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup tie at Salvador, Brazil marked his 100th international appearance, that of  Yobo was soiled.

It was on the day that Yobo clocked 100th match that Nigeria crashed out of the World Cup just as Enyeama’s 100th cap celebration was spoilt in front of home crowd in Uyo when Uganda shocked Nigeria 0-1.

Only last Thursday, Northern Ireland’s captain, Steven Davis had the marking of his 100th cap spoilt by a home defeat to Switzerland in a European play-off match for Russia 2018. On Sunday, his team eventually crashed out.

 

 

Advertisement

 MIKEL OBI’S PREVIOUS 79 MATCHES

  1. August 17, 2005 (F-Tripoli) LIBYA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 27, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) ZIMBABWE 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (sub) 1 goal

 

  1. February 4, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) TUNISIA 1 – 1  NIGERIA* 5-6 pens

 

  1. February 7, 2006 (AFCON-Alexandria) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. September 2, 2006 (AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 NIGER. (sub)

 

  1. February 6, 2007 (F-London) GHANA 4 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. March 24, 2007 (AFCONq-Abeokuta) NIGERIA 1 – 0 UGANDA.

 

  1. September 8, 2007 (AFCONq- Warri) NIGERIA 2 – 0 LESOTHO.

 

  1. October 14, 2007 (F- Mexico City) MEXICO 2 – 2 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 21, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 25, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) MALI 0 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 29, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) BENIN 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (1 goal)

 

  1. February 3, 2008 (AFCON- Accra) GHANA 2 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. May 27, 2008 (F- Graz) AUSTRIA 1 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. June 1, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 SOUTH AFRICA.

 

  1. June 7, 2008 (WCq-Freetown) SIERRA LEONE 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. June 21, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 EQUATORIAL GUINEA. (sub)

 

  1. February 11, 2009 (F-London) JAMAICA 0 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. March 29, 2009 (WCq-Maputo) MOZAMBIQUE 0 -0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. June 20, 2009 (WCq-Rades) TUNISIA 0 -0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2009 (WCq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 2  TUNISIA

 

  1. November 14, 2009 (WCq-Nairobi) KENYA 2 – 3 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 6, 2010 (F- Durban) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 12, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) EGYPT 3 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. January 16, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) BENIN 0 – 1 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 20, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) MOZAMBIQUE 0 – 3 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 25, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA (aet) 4-5 pens

 

  1. January 28. 2010 (AFCON- Luanda) GHANA 1 – 0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. January 30, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) ALGERIA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. September 5, 2010 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2- 0 MADAGASCAR (sub)

 

  1. March 29, 2011 (F- Abuja) NIGERIA 3- 0 KENYA

 

  1. June 1, 2011 ( F- Abuja) NIGERIA 4- 1 ARGENTINA

 

  1. June 5, 2011 ( AFCONq- Addis Ababa)  ETHIOPIA 2-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 3, 2011 (AFCONq- Antananarivo) MADAGASCAR 0-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2011 ( F- Dhaka) ARGENTINA 3-1 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. October 8, 2011 ( AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2-2 GUINEA

 

  1. October 11, 2011 (F-London) NIGERIA 0-0 GHANA (sub)

 

  1. October 13, 2012 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 6-1 LIBERIA (1 goal pen)

 

  1. January 9, 2013 (F – Faro) CAPE VERDE 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 21, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) BURKINA FASO 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 25, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) ZAMBIA 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. January 29, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) ETHIOPIA 0-2 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. February 3, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) COTE D’IVOIRE 1-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. February 6, 2013 (AFCON – Durban) MALI 1-4 NIGERIA

 

 

  1. February 10, 2013 (AFCON –  J’burg) BURKINA FASO 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. March 23, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 1-1 KENYA

 

  1. June 5, 2013 (WCq – Nairobi) KENYA 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 12, 2013 (WCq- Windhoek) NAMIBIA 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 17, 2013 (Confed – Belo Horizonte) TAHITI 1-6 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 20, 2013 (Confed – Salvador) URUGUAY 2-1 NIGERIA (1 goal)

 

  1. June 23, 2013 (Confed – Fortaleza) SPAIN 3-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 7, 2013 (WCq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 MALAWI

 

  1. October 13, 2013 (WCq- Addis Ababa) ETHIOPIA 1-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. November 16, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 ETHIOPIA

 

  1. November 18, 2013 (F- London) ITALY 2-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. March 6, 2014(F- Georgia) MEXICO 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 4, 2014 (F- Pennsylvania) GREECE 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 7, 2014 (F- Florida) USA 2-1 NIGERIA (sub)

 

  1. n June 16, 2014 (WC- Curitiba) IRAN 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 21. 2014 (WC- Cuiaba) BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA 0-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 25, 2014 (WC-Porto Alegre) ARGENTINA 3-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. June 30, 2014 (WC- Brasilia) FRANCE 2-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. September 6, 2014 (AFCONq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-3 CONGO

 

  1. September 10, 2014 (AFCONq- Cape Town) SOUTH AFRICA 0-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 11, 2014 (AFCONq – Khartoum) SUDAN 1-0 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 15. 2014 (AFCONq – Abuja) NIGERIA 3-1 SUDAN

 

  1. November 15, 2014 (AFCONq- Pointe Noire) CONGO 0-2 NIGERIA

 

  1. November 19, 2014 (AFCONq- Uyo) NIGERIA 2-2 SOUTH AFRICA

 

  1. October 8, 2015 (F- Vise, Belgium) DR CONGO 2-0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. October 11, 2015 (F-Vise, Belgium) CAMEROON 0-3 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. November 13, 2015 (WCq- Lobamba) SWAZILAND 0-0 NIGERIA. (sub)

 

  1. March 25, 2016 (AFCONq- Kaduna) NIGERIA 1-1 EGYPT.

 

  1. March 29, 2016 (AFCONq- Alexandria) EGYPT 1-0 NIGERIA.

 

  1. September 3, 2016 (AFCONq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 TANZANIA. (sub)

 

  1. October 9, 2016 (WCq -Ndola) ZAMBIA 1-2 NIGERIA.

 

  1. November 12, 2016 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 3-1 ALGERIA. (sub, 1 goal)

 

  1. September 1, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 4-0 CAMEROON (sub, 1 goal)

 

  1. September 4, 2017 (WCq -Yaoundé) CAMEROON 1-1 NIGERIA

 

  1. October 7, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 ZAMBIA
Related Topics:
blank

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

International Football

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

blank

Published

2 weeks ago

on

October 4, 2024

By

blank
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.

Advertisement

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

Continue Reading

International Football

Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach

blank

Published

2 weeks ago

on

October 2, 2024

By

blank

After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.

But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.

Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.

He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.

Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.

Advertisement

“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.

FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.

The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.

Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.

Advertisement

He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.

He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.

The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.

Continue Reading

International Football

Why  FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o

blank

Published

2 weeks ago

on

September 30, 2024

By

blank

Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.

He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.

According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.

The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and female, across all age groups.

“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.

This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.

Advertisement

During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed