Sports
AFCON: Why Super Eagles improved under Eguavoen -Moses Simon
Super Eagles attacker, Moses Simon, has given reasons for the improvement in the team’s performance under Austin Eguavoen.
He said this while fielding questions from reporters in Garoua on Friday.
According to him, Eguavoen allows players to display their talents freely.
Nigeria succeeded after a troubled build-up in which German coach Gernot Rohr was fired following an unimpressive World Cup qualifying run and former national star Eguavoen took temporary charge.
Eguavoen’s squad was without forwards Victor Osimhen, Emmanuel Dennis and Odion Ighalo for a variety of reasons, but his team went on the offensive from the kick-off and did him proud against Egypt, winning 1-0.
Speedy winger Moses Simon played a major role when the Super Eagles took the lead at the 30,000-capacity stadium.
READ ALSO:
- I’ve ‘Resigned’ From Impregnating Women — 2Baba
- Woman Attempting To Sell Co-Wife’s Two-Year-Old Child Nabbed In Zamfara
- No Plan To Suspend Umrah Despite New COVID-19 Wave – S/Arabia
Super Eagles will play their second game against the Falcons of Jediane (Sudan) at the Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua.
The Nigeria Football Federation appointed Eguavoen as the Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles on an interim basis after sacking Franco-German Gernot Rohr in December 2021.
Simon explained that Rohr wanted things done in a particular way.
Moses Simon said, “Of course, It was my best performance in the last two years. You know we changed the coach and, of course, the tactics. So every coach has his own mentality and how he impacts players.
“With the previous coach, I played on his instructions, but the current coach gives the freedom and allows us to bring our style of play at our clubs.”
Eguavoen featured for the Nigeria senior team for 11 years, between 1987 and 1998, during which he lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994, held aloft the Afro-Asian Cup the following year, played in three AFCON finals (it could have been six but he missed the 1990 finals in Algeria; Nigeria withdrew from the 1996 finals and; was barred from the 1998 competition) and featured at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals. He won a total of 51 senior caps.
As coach, Eguavoen was assistant to another former captain Christian Chukwu when Nigeria finished third at the 2004 finals in Tunisia, then led the team to win another bronze in Egypt two years later. He is one of only 15 indigenous coaches to have taken charge of the Senior Men National Team of Nigeria, and also one of the 15 African coaches at these finals in Cameroon.
As Head Coach, the hard-as-nails defender has the most win-record with the Super Eagles, winning nine of his 12 matches in charge between 2005 and 2007, and is one of only three coaches to have steered an African country to the top 10 of the FIFA rankings (the other two being Clemens Westerhof and Egypt’s Hassan Shehata).
Punch
Sports
Barcelona go three points clear after beating Osasuna
Barcelona go three points clear after beating Osasuna
Barcelona beat Osasuna in their rearranged La Liga fixture to move three points clear at the top of the table.
The game was meant to be played on 8 March but was called off 20 minutes before kick-off after the death of Barcelona’s first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick criticised the timing of this rescheduled match, coming a day after the end of the international break – with 27-goal Raphinha missing out after travelling back from Brazil duty.
“It’s disrespectful to the club to schedule that match on that date, no matter what club it is,” Barca defender Jules Kounde told DAZN.
“I think that beyond the lack of respect for the clubs, it’s a lack of respect for the players, because we have to understand that we’re not machines.”
Kounde played a full 90 minutes plus extra time and penalties in France’s victory over Croatia in the Nations League on Sunday.
READ ALSO:
- Naira rises to N1,560/$ in parallel market
- How Wande Abimbola rejected IBB’s ING bait, and other stories (2)
- FG declares public holidays for Eid-el-Fitr
On Thursday, the Catalans were comfortable winners at their temporary Olympic Stadium home.
Ferran Torres slid them into the lead from Alex Balde’s cross.
Dani Olmo then won a penalty after being fouled by goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.
Herrera saved Olmo’s spot-kick – but it had to be retaken because an Osasuna player encroached in the box. Olmo scored the second time around, but in a busy first half later had to be replaced because of injury.
Substitute Robert Lewandowski headed in a third goal to cap a swift counter-attack.
Barcelona, who are three points above Real Madrid and seven clear of Atletico Madrid, are next in action at home to neighbours Girona in La Liga on Sunday.
Barcelona go three points clear after beating Osasuna
Sports
Messi-less Argentina thrash Brazil 4-1 to secure World Cup qualification
Messi-less Argentina thrash Brazil 4-1 to secure World Cup qualification
Argentina qualified for the 2026 World Cup with a stunning 4-1 victory over archrivals Brazil in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis MacAllister, and Giuliano Simeone clinched an impressive victory for the world champions, who had already been assured of a World Cup spot following Bolivia’s 0-0 draw with Uruguay earlier Tuesday.
The goalless draw created a joyous mood at the Estadio Monumental before a ball was kicked, and Argentina continued the party with a scorching performance.
Alvarez of Atletico Madrid opened the scoring after only six minutes, latching onto Thiago Almada’s through cross and finishing from close range beyond Brazil goalkeeper Bento.
Argentina’s fortunes improved six minutes later when Chelsea’s Fernandez scored the hosts’ second goal of the night after Brazil’s back four failed to deal with a low cross.
READ ALSO:
- Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo
- Attack on Mufty of Ilorin: Onikijipa Family Charges Stakeholders to Call Sheikh Habibullahi Al-Ilory to Order
- Akpabio has habit of abusing women, says Atiku
Brazil, trailing a surging Argentina, was given a lifeline on 26 minutes when Cristian Romero made a mistake, allowing Mattheus Cunha to score.
Tottenham defender Romero was caught in possession 25 yards from goal, allowing Cunha to break in and shoot low past Emiliano Martinez to make it 2-1.
However, any thoughts of a Brazilian comeback were dashed in the 37th minute with a spectacular goal by Mac Allister.
Almada was once again the provider, lofting a pass into the box, which Mac Allister met with a first-time volley to make it 3-1.
With Argentina in perfect control, Simeone scored his first international goal in the 71st minute, making the score 4-1.
Argentina won without their talisman and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, while Brazil were without their star forward Neymar Jr.
Both players were forced to pull out of the squad last week due to minor injuries, thwarting the chance to see the two ageing stars resume their international rivalry.
Messi-less Argentina thrash Brazil 4-1 to secure World Cup qualification
Sports
Nigeria’s Super Eagles falter in W’Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe, S’Africa lead, Egypt, Morocco qualify
Nigeria’s Super Eagles falter in W’Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe, S’Africa lead, Egypt, Morocco qualify
Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday conceded a last-minute goal that dealt a major blow to their 2026 World Cup qualifying hopes.
While the Nigerian team failed to beat Zimbabwe in their sixth game played in
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Bafana Bafana of South Africa defeated Benin 2-0 to consolidate the top spot.
The South African team leads with 13 points from six rounds, five clear of Rwanda (which drew with Lesotho 1-1) and Benin. Nigeria stayed fourth in the group with just seven points.
Elsewhere, Egypt and Morocco all but booked their places at next year’s tournament.
In the game between Nigeria and Zimbabwe, Victor Osimhen with a powerful header put the Super Eagles on course to claim just their second win in Group C after Friday’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda had rekindled their qualification hopes.
But the 21-year-old Chirewa, a late substitute, equalized in the 90th minute to earn Zimbabwe’s draw.
Eric Chelle, Super Eagles coach, named the same line-up that started the team’s 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday.
Washington Arubi, the Zimbabwean goalkeeper, produced a couple of impressive saves to keep Nigeria at bay.
The goalkeeper clawed out a swerving header from Osimhen before denying the striker a few minutes later with another acrobatic dive to save a shot fizzing into his top corner.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have three more matches in September and October to finally determine their fate for the next World Cup proper.
They are to meet Rwanda, South Africa and Lesotho on September 8, October 6 and October 13 respectively.
Only the nine group winners secure automatic qualification. The four best-placed runners-up will compete to be the African contender in FIFA’s six-country playoff for the last two qualification spots at the World Cup next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
How They Stand Now
South Africa — 13 points
Rwanda — 8 points
Benin Republic — 8 points
Nigeria — 7 points
Lesotho — 6 points
Zimbabwe — 4 points
-
metro1 day agoRivers administrator Ibas fires Fubara’s political appointees
-
metro1 day agoJUST-IN: Ex-Oyo gov Ajimobi’s first child Bisola dies At 42
-
International2 days agoCanada removes bonus ranking points for job offers in Express Entry system
-
metro2 days agoHow ritualists, native doctor drugged, murdered underage sisters in PH – Police
-
Sports2 days agoNigeria’s Super Eagles falter in W’Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe, S’Africa lead, Egypt, Morocco qualify
-
metro1 day agoFG declares public holidays for Eid-el-Fitr
-
metro2 days agoAkpabio has habit of abusing women, says Atiku
-
Africa1 day agoNiger coup leader sworn in as president for five years