International Football
WILL ARGENTINA SPOIL MIKEL OBI’S 80TH INTERNATIONAL CAP?
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Super Eagles’ skipper, Mikel Obi may this Tuesday get the opportunity of playing his 80th international game when Nigeria face Argentina for the eighth time.
With that, Mikel will become the fifth most capped Nigerian international. Incidentally, all those before him were also skippers of the Nigerian national teams.
Those that attained the 80th match milestone before now were Muda Lawal on June 16, 1985; Nwankwo Kanu on June 20, 2009; Joseph Yobo on September 3, 2011 and Vincent Enyeama on June 5, 2013.
Nigeria did not lose the matches in which those players made their 80th appearance. That is the burden Mikel Obi possibly carry as he is expected to lead Nigeria against a strong opposition like Argentina and also under an inclement weather condition which is expected to drop to almost freezing point.
When Muda Lawal had his 80th cap, Nigeria played a goalless draw with Cote d’Ivoire on June 16, 1985.
The result was the same for Nwankwo Kanu as he came off the bench to replace Kalu Uche in a World Cup qualifying match with Tunisia to earn his 80th cap.
The match played in Rades, Tunisia ended goalless. It was even more remarkable for Joseph Yobo when he earned his 80th cap in Antananarivo, Madagascar, the home country of the current CAF President who was his nation’s FA president at the time.
In the September 3, 2011 Africa Cup of Nations duel, Nigeria did not just have a 2-0 away win, Yobo, a defender opened scoring! When on June 5, 2013 Vincent Enyeama made his 80th appearance for Nigeria in Nairobi, Kenya, he had a clean sheet and Nigeria won the away World Cup qualifier 1-0.
Will Mikel’s 80th cap also be marked on a sweet note for Nigeria? Sports Village Square recalls that the record books are replete with tales of broken dreams in milestone games.
While the likes of Diego Forlan had victories to tell on their milestones as his Uruguay’s 2-1 defeat of Nigeria in the 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup tie at Salvador, Brazil marked his 100th international appearance, that of Yobo was soiled.
It was on the day that Yobo clocked 100th match that Nigeria crashed out of the World Cup just as Enyeama’s 100th cap celebration was spoilt in front of home crowd in Uyo when Uganda shocked Nigeria 0-1.
Only last Thursday, Northern Ireland’s captain, Steven Davis had the marking of his 100th cap spoilt by a home defeat to Switzerland in a European play-off match for Russia 2018. On Sunday, his team eventually crashed out.
MIKEL OBI’S PREVIOUS 79 MATCHES
- August 17, 2005 (F-Tripoli) LIBYA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)
- January 27, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) ZIMBABWE 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (sub) 1 goal
- February 4, 2006 (AFCON-Port Said) TUNISIA 1 – 1 NIGERIA* 5-6 pens
- February 7, 2006 (AFCON-Alexandria) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)
- September 2, 2006 (AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 NIGER. (sub)
- February 6, 2007 (F-London) GHANA 4 – 1 NIGERIA.
- March 24, 2007 (AFCONq-Abeokuta) NIGERIA 1 – 0 UGANDA.
- September 8, 2007 (AFCONq- Warri) NIGERIA 2 – 0 LESOTHO.
- October 14, 2007 (F- Mexico City) MEXICO 2 – 2 NIGERIA.
- January 21, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) COTE D’IVOIRE 1 – 0 NIGERIA.
- January 25, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) MALI 0 – 0 NIGERIA.
- January 29, 2008 (AFCON- Sekondi) BENIN 0 – 2 NIGERIA. (1 goal)
- February 3, 2008 (AFCON- Accra) GHANA 2 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)
- May 27, 2008 (F- Graz) AUSTRIA 1 – 1 NIGERIA.
- June 1, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 SOUTH AFRICA.
- June 7, 2008 (WCq-Freetown) SIERRA LEONE 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)
- June 21, 2008 (WCq- Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 0 EQUATORIAL GUINEA. (sub)
- February 11, 2009 (F-London) JAMAICA 0 – 0 NIGERIA.
- March 29, 2009 (WCq-Maputo) MOZAMBIQUE 0 -0 NIGERIA.
- June 20, 2009 (WCq-Rades) TUNISIA 0 -0 NIGERIA
- September 6, 2009 (WCq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2 – 2 TUNISIA
- November 14, 2009 (WCq-Nairobi) KENYA 2 – 3 NIGERIA.
- January 6, 2010 (F- Durban) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA. (sub)
- January 12, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) EGYPT 3 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)
- January 16, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) BENIN 0 – 1 NIGERIA.
- January 20, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) MOZAMBIQUE 0 – 3 NIGERIA.
- January 25, 2010 (AFCON- Lubango) ZAMBIA 0 – 0 NIGERIA (aet) 4-5 pens
- January 28. 2010 (AFCON- Luanda) GHANA 1 – 0 NIGERIA.
- January 30, 2010 (AFCON- Benguela) ALGERIA 0 – 1 NIGERIA. (sub)
- September 5, 2010 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2- 0 MADAGASCAR (sub)
- March 29, 2011 (F- Abuja) NIGERIA 3- 0 KENYA
- June 1, 2011 ( F- Abuja) NIGERIA 4- 1 ARGENTINA
- June 5, 2011 ( AFCONq- Addis Ababa) ETHIOPIA 2-2 NIGERIA
- September 3, 2011 (AFCONq- Antananarivo) MADAGASCAR 0-2 NIGERIA
- September 6, 2011 ( F- Dhaka) ARGENTINA 3-1 NIGERIA (sub)
- October 8, 2011 ( AFCONq-Abuja) NIGERIA 2-2 GUINEA
- October 11, 2011 (F-London) NIGERIA 0-0 GHANA (sub)
- October 13, 2012 (AFCONq – Calabar) NIGERIA 6-1 LIBERIA (1 goal pen)
- January 9, 2013 (F – Faro) CAPE VERDE 0-0 NIGERIA
- January 21, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) BURKINA FASO 1-1 NIGERIA
- January 25, 2013 (AFCON – Nelspruit) ZAMBIA 1-1 NIGERIA
- January 29, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) ETHIOPIA 0-2 NIGERIA (sub)
- February 3, 2013 (AFCON – Rustenburg) COTE D’IVOIRE 1-2 NIGERIA
- February 6, 2013 (AFCON – Durban) MALI 1-4 NIGERIA
- February 10, 2013 (AFCON – J’burg) BURKINA FASO 0-1 NIGERIA
- March 23, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 1-1 KENYA
- June 5, 2013 (WCq – Nairobi) KENYA 0-1 NIGERIA
- June 12, 2013 (WCq- Windhoek) NAMIBIA 1-1 NIGERIA
- June 17, 2013 (Confed – Belo Horizonte) TAHITI 1-6 NIGERIA
- June 20, 2013 (Confed – Salvador) URUGUAY 2-1 NIGERIA (1 goal)
- June 23, 2013 (Confed – Fortaleza) SPAIN 3-0 NIGERIA
- September 7, 2013 (WCq – Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 MALAWI
- October 13, 2013 (WCq- Addis Ababa) ETHIOPIA 1-2 NIGERIA
- November 16, 2013 (WCq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-0 ETHIOPIA
- November 18, 2013 (F- London) ITALY 2-2 NIGERIA
- March 6, 2014(F- Georgia) MEXICO 0-0 NIGERIA
- June 4, 2014 (F- Pennsylvania) GREECE 0-0 NIGERIA
- June 7, 2014 (F- Florida) USA 2-1 NIGERIA (sub)
- n June 16, 2014 (WC- Curitiba) IRAN 0-0 NIGERIA
- June 21. 2014 (WC- Cuiaba) BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA 0-1 NIGERIA
- June 25, 2014 (WC-Porto Alegre) ARGENTINA 3-2 NIGERIA
- June 30, 2014 (WC- Brasilia) FRANCE 2-0 NIGERIA
- September 6, 2014 (AFCONq- Calabar) NIGERIA 2-3 CONGO
- September 10, 2014 (AFCONq- Cape Town) SOUTH AFRICA 0-0 NIGERIA
- October 11, 2014 (AFCONq – Khartoum) SUDAN 1-0 NIGERIA
- October 15. 2014 (AFCONq – Abuja) NIGERIA 3-1 SUDAN
- November 15, 2014 (AFCONq- Pointe Noire) CONGO 0-2 NIGERIA
- November 19, 2014 (AFCONq- Uyo) NIGERIA 2-2 SOUTH AFRICA
- October 8, 2015 (F- Vise, Belgium) DR CONGO 2-0 NIGERIA. (sub)
- October 11, 2015 (F-Vise, Belgium) CAMEROON 0-3 NIGERIA. (sub)
- November 13, 2015 (WCq- Lobamba) SWAZILAND 0-0 NIGERIA. (sub)
- March 25, 2016 (AFCONq- Kaduna) NIGERIA 1-1 EGYPT.
- March 29, 2016 (AFCONq- Alexandria) EGYPT 1-0 NIGERIA.
- September 3, 2016 (AFCONq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 TANZANIA. (sub)
- October 9, 2016 (WCq -Ndola) ZAMBIA 1-2 NIGERIA.
- November 12, 2016 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 3-1 ALGERIA. (sub, 1 goal)
- September 1, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 4-0 CAMEROON (sub, 1 goal)
- September 4, 2017 (WCq -Yaoundé) CAMEROON 1-1 NIGERIA
- October 7, 2017 (WCq -Uyo) NIGERIA 1-0 ZAMBIA
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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