Updated: Super Eagles out of AFCON, lose 0-1 to Tunisia – Newstrends
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Updated: Super Eagles out of AFCON, lose 0-1 to Tunisia

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Tunisia Sunday night beat Nigeria 1-0 at Ominisports Roumde Adjia Stadium, Cameroon, in the round of 16 of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Tunisian team Carthage Eagles went ahead in the early minutes of the second half, and the Super Eagles could not muster a comeback.

Carthage Eagles of Tunisia came into this encounter with several players and their coach out due to COVID-19.

It is the first time the Super Eagles will not reach the quarter-final stage of AFCON since 1982, while Tunisia have advanced to the quarter-finals in four consecutive tournaments.

Both sides were on the offensive from the start, Wilfred Ndidi saw an overhead kick bobbling just wide while Joe Aribo saw a shot deflected for a corner.

The initial rush subsided and chances were hard to come by with Tunisian players throwing themselves to the floor in search of fouls to stop the Super Eagles from stringing an attacking move together.

The North Africans had the last shot of the first half, Hamza Rafia curling well wide as Tunisia kept the score level at halftime.

Tunisia took the lead three minutes after the restart through Msakni, the forward’s tame shot took a slight deflection off William Troost-Ekong and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye could only divert into his net for a shock 1-0 lead.

Coach Austin Eguavoen brought in Alex Iwobi and Peter Olayinka but Iwobi was sent off three minutes after coming on for dangerous play, a VAR review changing his caution to a dismissal.

This spurred the Super Eagles into action, Moses Simon’s shot was saved at the back post while Chukwueze was unable to find the target after a mazy run from Ola Aina. Simon, Ndidi and Sadiq Umar all dragged shots wide as the

Tunisian defence was resolute till the end. The team will face Burkina Faso in the quarter final.

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

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Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday night suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali in a friendly match played in Marrakech, Morocco.

Mali, ranked 19th below the Super Eagles in the FIFA’s latest standings, opened scoring through Atalanta-based striker El Bilal Toure in the first half after Nigeria’s dreadful error resulting from a short goal kick.

Toure could barely believe his luck when defender Chidozie Awaziem tried to play a long square pass under pressure near the edge of the Nigeria box and succeeded only in crossing the ball straight to the Mali striker.

He controlled well on his chest before bundling a finish past goalkeeper Stanely Nwabali.

Nigeria lost Moses Simon to injury when the Nantes star collided with Mali keeper Mamadou Samassa and had to be substituted after appearing to suffer a painful knee injury.

Kamory Doumbia made it 2-0 for Mali with three minutes to normal regulation time.

Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 last Friday in a positive result for interim coach Finidi George, the former Ajax and Real Betis winger, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

The defeat has left the Super Eagles with a lot of concerns before they resume World Cup qualifying in June.

This was the 12th meeting between Nigeria and Mali. Nigeria have the head-to-head advantage, with six wins and three defeats in those games.

Mali’s most recent previous win over the Super Eagles was a 4-1 friendly victory way back in 1975.

Some key stars missed the friendly match due to injury. They are Victor Osimhen, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Boniface, Ola Aina, and Zaidu Sanusi.

Midfielder Frank Onyeka has also withdrawn from the squad.

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Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer €90 million for Napoli star striker, Victor Osimhen, according to Italian newspaper, II Mattino.

Osimhen has a release clause of around €120 million in his contract but Napoli President Aurelio de Laurentiis could accept a bid below that, according to the publication.

Napoli are prepared to part company with the Nigerian at the end of the season despite the forward signing a new contract last December.

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Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG have been persistently linked with a move for the forward.

Intermediaries are reportedly working with the striker’s agent, Roberto Calenda to sort out his future.

Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Ligue 1 club, Lille in 2022, has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances for the Partenopei.

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen

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Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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Finidi George

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

Former World Cup star Finidi George is determined to secure a second consecutive win as he leads the Super Eagles in their clash against Mali today. Appointed as the interim coach for the Nigerian team, George aims to maintain the winning momentum after their recent victory over Ghana.

The encounter between the two West African teams is scheduled at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, where the Super Eagles emerged triumphant in their previous match against arch-rivals Ghana with a 2-1 scoreline.

However, George faces challenges as key players such as defender Calvin Bassey and midfielder Frank Onyeka are sidelined due to injuries, adding to the absence of other notable names like Victor Osimhen, William Ekong, and Olaoluwa Aina.

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Despite these setbacks, George remains optimistic about the team’s prospects against Mali. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a winning mentality and expresses confidence in the players’ ability to replicate their performance against Ghana and secure another victory.

Notably, George himself has a history with the Eagles of Mali, having played against them during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria emerged victorious.

In light of the absences and injuries, George may turn to players such as goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Jamilu Collins, midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to play prominent roles in the upcoming fixture.

Despite the challenges, Finidi George remains determined to guide the Super Eagles to another triumph as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June.

Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today

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