Sports
Super Eagles Wobble Into 2022 World Cup Play-off
Nigeria’s Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the Qatar 2022 World Cup play-off after playing out a 1-1 draw with Cape Verde at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday.
The result, although very disappointing to millions of Nigerian football fans, proved enough to earn the three-time African champions a place in the final round of qualifiers for the global showpiece event.
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The Gernot Rohr-led squad made a promising start to the game as in-form Napoli striker Victor Osimhen controlled a cross from Moses Simon and slotted home in the opening minute, but the islanders hit back four minutes later when defender Stopira headed in a corner kick and the remaining 84 minutes of the match was a nerve-wrecking encounter.
Cape Verde keeper Vozinha made several saves in the first half to deny the hosts and the Blue Sharks almost pulled off an upset – with Nigeria defender Chidozie Awaziem making a crucial late block.
Nigeria needed just a draw while Cape Verde had to win out rightly for a chance to qualify to their first World Cup.
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The first half was nervy as both sides sought to score the second goal but that was not to be with the game being a nerve-wrecking encounter.
Despite the 66% possession and with four shots on target, the Nigerian side were unable to increase the scoreline.
Nigeria has participated in all FIFA World Cup final tournaments since its debut in 1994 in the United States of America except the 2006 finals in Germany that she missed narrowly after FIFA opted to use the head-to-head rule in the qualifying campaign, which favoured Angola.
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Sports
Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match
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.
Sports
Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for 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
Sports
Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today
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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