International Football

NIGERIA’S COMEBACK KINGS OUT TO PROVE THEIR PEDIGREE – FIFA

Published

5 years ago

November 4, 2019

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are on the march again as they face European champions, Netherlands at midnight on Tuesday. The Nigerian side sealed their place in the last 16 with two emphatic comebacks

Three minutes into their debut at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup – a competition that they’ve won an unmatched five times – Nigeria conceded. Gyorgy Komaromi tapped in David Laszlo’s soaring cross at the far post, and Hungary were up on the U-17 juggernauts.

In the second match it looked as if they had turned the tables. Ibrahim Said capitalised on a goalkeeping error to put the Golden Eaglets ahead five minutes after the opening whistle. That lead lasted 51 minutes of match time, until Johan Mina’s penalty goal put the Nigerians in the hole again.

Two matches, two deficits. They were staring at defeat with less than 15 minutes to go on both occasions. And on each, the Africans produced stirring comebacks.

Against Hungary, captain Samson Tijani was the primary difference-maker, netting Nigeria’s first and last goals of a 4-2 victory, the latter coming via free-kick from 30 yards.

“We don’t relent,” Tijani told FIFA.com of his team’s proclivity for late rallies. “We don’t give up easily. We force ourselves to keep pushing until we get the win.”

Said embodied the motto in Nigeria’s second win, completing the only hat-trick of Brazil 2019 thus far with a pair of goals in the 85th and 89th minutes.

His second was the standout, a curling, dipping golazo from outside the left edge of the box. Final score: Nigeria 3, Ecuador 2.

“In my mind, I kept thinking, ‘We should not be losing’,” said Said of the match against La Tri. “It gave me the fire to score a goal like this, along with the help from my team-mates.”

Combining the two wins that ensured their place in the knockout phase, the Golden Eaglets outscored their opponents 5-0 in the final 15 minutes of the match. For Tijani, Said and head coach Manu Garba, when it comes to this competition, Nigeria are special.

“The will to win every game is part of the DNA of every Nigerian team, and my team here in Brazil is no exception,” Garba told FIFA.com before the tournament began.

“It gives us more confidence to push harder, knowing what our country has worked for and that they are behind us,” Tijani said. “So we’ll keep pushing.”

The Nigerians have drawn a formidable opponent in the Round of 16 – one that pulled off a different kind of comeback to reach this stage.

The Netherlands lost their first two matches in Brazil by a combined score of 6-1. Down but far from out, the European champions pummelled USA 4-0 in their final group fixture to burst through.

The Dutch will be coming off their best performance of the tournament when the two sides meet on Tuesday. Nigeria, meanwhile, fell 2-1 to Australia in the their Group B closer. The faith of the Golden Eaglets, however, remains unshaken.

“I know this team and these players possess the effort to keep fighting back, no matter the situation,” said Tijani.

Both of Nigeria’s last-minute triumphs came at Goiania’s Estadio Olimpico. You can guess the location of their showdown with the Oranje.

“We want to bring this World Cup back to Nigeria,” Said said. “I want to make my country proud of the team.”

International Football

BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.

He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m

He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.

The final points are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.

International Football

Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.

The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.

“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.

“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.

“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.

Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.

Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.

“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.

“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.

“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”

Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

-Reuters

International Football

Quitting Portugal never crossed my mind, says Ronaldo

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.

Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.

“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday.

“The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League … We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term.”

Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France.

“Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter,” Ronaldo added.

“What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn’t the case.

“When I’m (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave. But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.”

The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship.

“Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress. It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t,” Ronaldo said.

“So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.

“The people who give their opinions have never been in a locker room, and I often laugh because it’s the same thing as me talking about Formula 1.

“How can I give my opinion on Formula 1 if I don’t know anything about tires, rims or the weight of the car … It’s normal and that’s why for me criticism is good and part of it, it’s no problem at all.”

-Reuters