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SUPER EAGLES MUST LEARN A LESSON FROM HISTORY
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The journey is gradually coming to an end. Fifty four countries began the race to the 2018 World Cup in Russia of which 20 advanced to the final qualifying stage. Of the 20, the boys have been separated from the men as five are already out, leaving 15 still in contention.
The eliminated teams are Guinea and Libya in Group A, Cameroon and Algeria in Group B and Congo in Group E. Of the remainder, Nigeria is nearest to picking a slot this weekend and clock ticks down to the decisive hour. A win over Zambia earns the Super Eagles the ticket to Russia.
It looks easy, considering the Nigerian side playing at home against a team it has defeated away from home.
Yet, it is very dicey considering that football history is replete with tales of teams that stumbled at the cusp of victories.
Perhaps one example should be offered. France playing in UEFA Group 6 qualifying series for USA ’94 needed just a point from its last two home matches against Israel and Bulgaria.
The French team was almost certain to qualify. Then came a shock 2-3 loss to the visiting Israel.
France slipped from brink of picking 1994 World Cup ticket following a shock defeat by Bulgaria in Paris.
That set up a final showdown with Bulgaria in Paris. France needed just a draw to qualify and Eric Cantona gave the team the lead in the 30th minute.
But barely five minutes later, Emil Kostadinov equalized for Bulgaria. The 1-1 score line was still okay for France.
They held on till the 90th minute. Then a miss kick by France David Ginola found Bulgaria’s Emil Kostadinov who lashed the winner almost on the dot of full time.
This is a lesson for the Super Eagles to be cautiously optimistic. The Zambian side beaten at home has since been overhauled and the subsequent results ever since are showing.
The Super Eagles and their handlers as well as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should also take a look at the disciplinary records. In the preceding four matches, at least a Nigerian player is booked. Some of the cautions were avoidable.
Victor Moses was given a yellow card for removing his shirt while celebrating his opening goal in the 3-1 defeat of Algeria last year.
Victor Moses was cautioned in the match against Algeria for indecent exposure just it happened to Emmanuel Amuneke 20 years ago in Nigeria’s World Cup qualification duel with Kenya in Lagos. It is a well known fact that players are not expected to pull off their shirts during matches.
Odion Ighalo was cautioned for showing off inscription in his inner wears after scoring against Cameroon. Messages of any kind are no longer allowed to be displayed while on the field.
It is an age-long rule that even amateurs are aware of. Technical handlers need to inform the players. In the last match with Cameroon, Odion Ighalo was not just cautioned; he was seen arguing with the referee that he never removed his shirt.
What was his offence? He had a written message in his under vest which has also been outlawed.
FIFA has for some time outlawed any form of communication on players’ under vests, be it social, political or religious.
Ighalo had this message written in his inner wears “Thank you Jesus” which he displayed after scoring the opening goal. This must be avoided.
But more importantly is that of crowd behaviour. It is essential to support the Super Eagles with every enthusiasm.
But encroaching on the field incurs fines which roll into millions of naira. Such fine which the NFF is supposed to pay would have been better spent on developmental initiatives and on the players.
Nigerian fans need to change attitudes and give the country a better sporting image.
UEFA appears poised for an emergency vote on suspending Israel from European competition next week, with national federations scrambling to position themselves amid mounting political pressure following calls for action.
The brewing crisis intensified this week when United Nations experts called for Israel’s suspension from international football amid the unfolding genocide in occupied Palestinian territory.
A source confirmed that Europe’s soccer body could potentially decide next week to vote on whether to suspend Israel from European competition.
Should UEFA vote to ban Israel, it would put the organisation on a collision course with the government of the United States — co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup — which is vehemently against such a motion.
“We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup,” a spokesperson for the U.S. state department told Sky News.
But even though UEFA has the power to suspend Israel or its clubs from their competitions, it may not be able to stop them from competing in World Cup qualifiers, which fall under the ambit of global soccer body FIFA.
The general secretaries of all UEFA national associations are meeting this week in Marbella, where Israel is not officially on the agenda, but officials expect UEFA to call an emergency vote next week.
FIFA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment while UEFA declined to comment.
Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub said Israelis should not be allowed to participate in any matches, whether they are under UEFA or FIFA.
“Israel has violated the principles, values and FIFA’s statutes. Therefore, I believe that Israel should be sanctioned,” Rajoub told TV2.
“The sanctions should come from UEFA and FIFA.”
WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Israel’s national team are set to face Norway and Italy, the top two teams in their World Cup qualifying group, next month.
“We don’t have any indications that we are facing such an act (UEFA suspension),” a spokesperson for the Israel Football Association told Reuters.
“We are focusing on our international matches against Norway and Italy.”
Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) is one of the member associations that have been the driving force behind calling for a meeting on the Israel situation. The NFF declined to comment.
Lise Klaveness, the president of the NFF and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, has also been vocal about the crisis in Gaza ahead of her country’s home game against Israel on October 11.
“Neither we nor other organisations can remain indifferent to the humanitarian suffering and disproportionate attacks that the civilian population in Gaza has been subjected to for a long time,” Klaveness said in a statement last month.
“We want to donate the proceeds (from the game) to a humanitarian organisation that saves lives in Gaza every day and provides active emergency aid on the ground.”
The Dutch football federation (KNVB) said it knows nothing about a vote to suspend Israel.
“As soon as the football association receives a message about this, it will take a position,” the KNVB told Dutch outlet NOS.
Last week, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Israel should be banned from international sports competitions. However, officials from the Spanish FA (RFEF) have kept a low profile on the matter.
Israel maintains that its war is not against the population of Gaza but against the Hamas militant group whose fighters led the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and precipitated the war.
The subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people, according to local health officials.
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A hat-trick from George Agha and a sublime free-kick goal from David Edeh ensured a comfortable start for five-time world champions Nigeria in the WAFU-B U17 Championship, as the Golden Eaglets routed Baby Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4 -1 in Yamoussoukro on Wednesday.
Agha converted from the spot three minutes into the game after Boluwatife Thompson was hacked inside the box.
Edeh displayed fantastic football artistry to score from a free-kick in the 5th minute of the encounter.
The Eaglets were in cruise control as Agha bagged his brace in the 14th minute. The charges of Manu Garba were very dominant with a three-goal advantage.
Warris Soumanou in goal for Benin Republic was caught napping and his error of judgement gave the Eaglets another goal after a beautiful exchange of passes and dribbles between Thompson and Edeh, which set up Agha for his hat-trick in the 32nd minute.
It was raining goals and it was the turn of the Beninoise in the 45th minute, as a low drive from Jeremy Zannou gave the Baby Cheetahs a consolation goal.
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Mohamed Salah’s dramatic stoppage-time penalty ensured Liverpool maintained their winning start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory at promoted side Burnley on Sunday.
With British record signing Alexander Isak forced to wait for his Liverpool debut having been left out the squad for the trip to Lancashire, the champions struggled to break down a dogged home side in the first half.
After a regroup at the break, the visitors upped the ante in the second half, with Dominik Szoboszlai finally forcing a fine save from Martin Dubravka in the Burnley goal.
Burnley were holding on for a well-earned point with ease, before the ball agonisingly struck substitute Hannibal Mejbri’s arm in the penalty area and Salah slotted the spot kick into the net in the 95th minute to break home hearts.
Liverpool are still to really get going this season, requiring a winner in the last 10 minutes of all four of their league victories so far. The goal that clinched an undeserved success at Turf Moor was certainly the most fortunate.
After one of the longest transfer sagas in Premier League history finally reached its expected conclusion, Liverpool supporters were forced to wait two weeks for their first glimpse of their 125-million-pound ($169.45-million) goal machine due to the international break.
While coach Arne Slot said this week that Isak would have to be utilised carefully due to his previous injuries and lack of action so far this season, the Swede was still expected to at least be on the bench at Turf Moor.
The wait goes on as, without their expensive new forward, Liverpool mustered just one shot on target in the first half, from left-back Andrew Robertson.
Burnley, who conceded the fewest goals in English football league history last term to earn them promotion, otherwise frustrated the champions with ease. Even Lesley Ugochukwu’s red card for two bookings in the 84th minute did not seem to fluster them.
Even without Isak, Liverpool still had much attacking talent on the Turf Moor pitch but they just could not find that killer pass.
Salah was especially below par but he made no mistake in the most pressurised moment after Hannibal had stuck up an arm to block Jeremie Frimpong’s cross
The champions’ impressive Premier League goalscoring streak stretches to 38 games nonetheless, their longest such run in the competition.
-Reuters
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