AFCON
Super Eagles set to fire full cylinder as Awaziem is back to fitness
Versatile defender Chidozie Awaziem has been confirmed by Super Eagles’ medics to have returned to full fitness, on the eve of the team’s final group phase game of the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations against the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau.
The athletic right back, who can also play in central defence, is likely to get a taste of AFCON action when the three-time champions take the pitch against the competition debutants at the Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua on Wednesday night.
The Alanyaspor FC of Turkey player did not play any part in the team’s two previous games against Egypt and Sudan, and is keen to have a taste of the action in his second Africa Cup of Nations outing, having been part of the bronze-winning squad in Egypt 30 months ago.
Nigeria top Group D with 6 points and are insurmountable going into the last round of matches, with three-pointer Egypt, who are second on the log and also with the arithmetic possibility of ending up with six points, having lost to the Super Eagles in their first match and therefore inferior to Nigeria on the head-to-take rule that takes premium in team ranking here.
Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen reiterated at Tuesday afternoon’s press conference that the Nigeria camp will take nothing for granted as they go in full throttle for the three points, even as some fresh legs may see action on Wednesday night.
“There is no room for complacency. We want to remain at the high level that we have found ourselves and that means putting in the solid shift that will continue to guarantee victory in our matches,” he said.
The match will commence at 8pm.
In the second match of Group D, Egypt’s Pharaohs will contend with Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane. The Sudanese have only one point and would be able to proceed if they snatch all three points from the seven-time champions.
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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