Nigerian Football
OUR AMBITION AT RUSSIA 2018 IS HIGH AND ATTAINABLE, SAYS IGHALO
BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA.
The World Cup is the biggest stage for footballers to exhibit their skills and also a big platform to foster new and greater club ventures.
Nigeria’s point-man, Odion Ighalo is aware of those facts and has vowed never to let the life opportunity slip off when the Super Eagles grace the World Cup for the sixth time at Russia 2018.
The former Watford of England striker, whose goal opened the floodgate that swept off the reigning Africa Cup of Nations defending champions, Cameroon, from the World Cup qualifying series, told www.sportsvillagesquare.com that the Super Eagles would certainly assail their previous levels at the World Cup.
In five previous outings, Super Eagles’ best had been the Round of 16 attained at USA ’94, Korea/Japan 2002 and Brazil 2014. The team’s manager, Gernot Rohr eyes a semi final slot which no African team had ever attained.
Ighalo does not see this as an over ambition. Rather, he added that he would make great efforts not only to make the team, but also attempting a feat no African footballer had attained in the past – contesting for the top scorer’s award for the Golden Boot.
The late Eusebio had been the only World Cup player of African origin to have ever won the top scorer’s award when the Mozambique-born player scored nine goals while featuring for Portugal at the 1966 World Cup in England.
It might be difficult to believe, but Ighalo hopes to score goals that could put him in contention for the top scorers’ award.
“I am not ruling myself out; I believe I can win the golden boot at Russia 2018. All I need is playing time. We have gotten quality players and a world class coach who can make things happen, “Ighalo emphatically told www.sportsvillagesquare.com.
“It is so unfortunate we underrate ourselves as Africans. If the likes of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Mommamed Salah and host of others can keep scoring goals in European top leagues, then why can’t I make an impact during the FIFA World Cup?
“As an attacker, I have gotten the strength, skills and confident to challenge any defence. All I need is support and trust from coaches, team mates and fans. I will do my best to keep working hard so as to win the coach heart ahead of the tournament.” Ighalo told www.sportsvillagesquare.com
He finished the season on high note by scoring 15 goals for his Chinese club side, Changchun Yatai F.C.
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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