AFCON

WITH U-20 WORLD CUP TICKET AT STAKE, NIGERIA, NIGER SET FOR BATTLE OF ALL BATTLES

Published

5 years ago

February 7, 2019

Nigeria and Niger are neighbours. Yet football matches pairing both are few and far in between. At the U-20 level, they are meeting for the third time ever when they file out at the Stade Seyni Kountche Stadium in Niamey on Friday.

The first clash of both teams was on May 26, 2007. Nigeria won 2-0. Such a win is what the Flying Eagles will wish in the clash on Friday. The last time they met was at the WAFU Cup Tournament in Lome, Togo in December 2018. It ended goalless.

Friday’s clash is a destiny-shaping one for both. It is a winner-takes-all-encounter. A win will guarantee a FIFA U-20 World Cup ticket for any of the two sides. Even a draw will be sufficient for Nigeria.

According to information from the media department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Head Coach, Paul Aigbogun said his Nigeria U20 squad will go for nothing less than outright victory.

Aigbogun, alongside assistants Abdu Maikaba, Hassan Abdallah and Suleiman Shuaibu, took the seven –time African champions through their last training session on Thursday evening, at the National Technical Centre, Niamey.

He told thenff.com that focus would be on scoring the goals that would earn Nigeria a FIFA U20 World Cup ticket.

“This is our most important match of the tournament so far. There would be no looking back. We are playing the host team but our minds are made up to go all out. Only a win can guarantee us a place in Poland.

“Of course, we noticed a few things in the first two matches we played. The corrections we have made would help us greatly in Friday’s match.”

The Flying Eagles have to be at their very best against a home team that requires an outright victory as well to be in with a chance of qualification, as they trail Nigeria by two points and are level with South Africa.

Needing the minimum win possible to snatch a World Cup ticket early when they took on South Africa on Tuesday, Aigbogun’s wards made hard work of it, with the match ending 0-0, rather handing the Amajita a chance to remain in the tournament if they overpower Burundi in Maradi on Friday.

Thursday’s training session was high on ball work and diligence.

Goalkeeper Olawale Oremade is likely to keep his place between the sticks, as defenders Mike Zaruma, Ikouwem Utin, Igoh Ogbu and Valentine Ozornwafor.

Their alliance is still unbreached in the championship. Jamil Muhammad and Afeez Aremu could remain in the midfield with Alhassan Adamu in front of them, though Aigbogun may tinker with the strike force, with Ibrahim Abubakar, Aliyu Ibrahim, Nazifi Yahaya, Effiom Maxwell, Adeshina Gata and Sweden –based Onyekachi Paschal all in good shape.

The Group A is delicately poised and goes to the wire. With four points, Nigeria top the pool ahead of Niger and South Africa, with two points each, while Burundi has only one point.

A draw against the Junior Mena would see the Flying Eagles through to the semi finals and a spot at the FIFA U20 World Cup in pocket, and in this case victory for South Africa over Burundi would also see the Amajita through.

Yet, victory for the host nation over Nigeria, and victory for South Africa against Burundi, would eliminate the seven –time champions. Also, if Burundi secures a high-margin win over South Africa, and the Junior Mena overpower the Flying Eagles, Niger Republic and Burundi would go through to the last four and to Poland.

The senior vice president of the NFF, Seyi Akinwunmi, who is Niamey as a member of the CAF Committee on Youth Competitions, visited the Flying Eagles at training on Thursday. He charged them to go all out as it is never wise for any team to play for a draw.

Coach Aigbogun and assistants have the benefit of having played the Nigeriens previously. Both teams fought to a scoreless statement at the WAFU Cup Tournament in Lome, Togo in December 2018.

And on Tuesday, following their 0-0 draw with South Africa, Nigeria’s technical team stayed behind at the Stade Seyni Kountche to watch Burundi come from 1-3 behind to draw with the Junior Mena.

The Flying Eagles have an extra motivation to put on their best on Friday, as officials confirmed to thenff.com that Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr would arrive in Niamey in time to watch the clash with Niger.

Rohr has promised to include one or two of the Flying Eagles in the senior team’s squad for the 2019 AFCON qualifier against Seychelles and the prestige friendly against Egypt, both coming up next month.

As it is, all four of Africa’s flagbearers at this summer’s FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland would be known tomorrow. Senegal, who play Burkina Faso in Maradi on Saturday, have already picked a ticket while the Burkina are eliminated after two losses in as many matches.

Nigeria square up against Niger Republic at the same time as South Africa would be battling Burundi in Maradi. The Nigeria/Niger Republic encounter would give way to the Group B clash between Ghana and Mali. Both have three points each. These three matches will produce the remaining three tickets to Poland.

AFCON

Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 fixtures almost in same pattern with World Cup qualifiers

Published

2 weeks ago

July 12, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Confederation of African Football (CAF) has now released the full fixtures of the qualifying series for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The fixtures for the Nigerian team is almost in the same pattern with that of the 2026 World Cup qualification which has seen the Super Eagles wobbling.

Like that of the World Cup, the Super Eagles will begin their quest for qualifcation for AFCON with a home game in Uyo as they will host Benin Republic.

As it was in the World Cup, they will then head to Rwanda. Last November, their second match was played in Rwanda which hosted Zimbabwe home match. This time the Super Eagles will be facing Rwanda, the same team they will meet when the World Cup qualification series resume in March next year.

On Match Day 3, the Super Eagles will host Libya and will have the reverse fixture immediately after that of Match Day 3.

Later they travel to Benin for Match Day 5 before hosting Rwanda on the last match day.

The Fixtures

September 2 – Nigeria vs Benin Republic; Libya vs Rwanda

September 6 – Rwanda vs Nigeria; Benin Republic vs Libya

October 11 – Nigeria vs Libya; Benin Republic vs Rwanda

October 16 – Libya vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Benin Republic

November 11 – Benin Republic vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Libya

November 15 – Nigeria vs Rwanda; Libya vs Benin Republic

The top two teams qualify for AFCON 2025

AFCON

Rohr roars warning to Benin; Nigeria, Rwanda will not be easy

Published

3 weeks ago

July 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Former Nigeria manager, Gernot Rohr now handling Benin Republic has warned The Cheetahs of Benin not to expect an easy match when the team meet Rwanda and Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.

Last month, he led his team to defeat both Rwanda and Nigeria in World Cup qualifying duels in Abidjan, where Benin Republic are compelled to play their home matches following inadequate facilities at home.

Benin’s 1-0 defeat of Rwanda was Rohr’s first victory with the team. Days later, he followed up with a 2-1 defeat of Nigeria, the first Benin Republic victory in over 65 years.

Those wins have put Benin in the frame of possible qualification for the World Cup. They are now to meet Nigeria and Rwanda again in World Cup qualifiers.

It won’t be easy, remarked Rohr. Hear the Franco-German as he spoke in French but translated into English for the Sports Village Square: “From September we will play against Nigeria before facing Libya and Rwanda.

“These are three difficult opponents. We had already played Rwanda and Nigeria but be careful, it’s not because we won Rwanda and Nigeria that it will be easy matches.

“ We know that it is possible to achieve good performances again. We know that Nigeria with its great players will want to take revenge against us.

“ I think it will probably be an interesting match in Uyo before continuing against Libya. I suppose in Abidjan because in September the Mathieu Kerekou friendship stadium will not be ready.

“Everything will be decided in three months in September, October and November. It’s a difficult group but it’s playable.

“You have to finish in the top two. We had a team that is becoming solid, where the players are like brothers, accomplices. I hope we will recover the players who were absent. We are confident.”

AFCON

Coaches react after intriguing Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Draw

Published

3 weeks ago

July 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The journey towards qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 shifted a gear higher on Thursday, after CAF officially conducted the draw of the qualifiers in Johannesburg South Africa.

A total of 48 nations will vie for the 24 places that will contests the 35th edition of Africa’s most prestigious competition.

This is what some of the coaches has to say in reaction to the draw outcomes.

Emerse Fae, Cote d’Ivoire coach

“I am satisfied because we are going to play against Zambia, a team that we know very well. In our last qualifying campaign, we lost against them. We know what mistakes to avoid.

“I am also satisfied because I did not want to have countries geographically far from Cote d’Ivoire which will lessen the travel load. That said, in Africa, there are no longer small teams. All the teams will want to challenge us because we are the reigning champions”

Leslie Notši

“The draw is very interesting because when you have the host in your group, it means they qualify automatically for the tournament, and you have to double your efforts to secure the remaining qualification spot which will be contested by the three other teams in the group.

“We will work very hard to see to it that we are competitive side and try as much as we can to get maximum points in matches against countries that are with us in our group. It will be very important to do well in our home games and I know all eyes will be on “Morocco as the hosts and a powerhouse in our group. We will draw inspiration from recent games where we played the likes of Nigeria as well as Cote d’voire and were able to frustrate them”

Amir Abdou, Mauritania Coach

“Quite a complicated draw. Egypt will be the big contender for qualification. They have a good track record that speaks volumes.

“Seven times African champions – that’s no small thing. We also have Cape Verde who eliminated us during the last AFCON.

“This team is made up of many quality players. We have Botswana, they are having a good qualifying campaign for the World Cup. We have a pretty strong group. It’s up to us to believe in ourselves. We will do everything we can to achieve our fourth participation in the AFCON”.

Kévin Nicaise, Chad coach

“We are already having the reigning African champions facing the last qualified team in the FIFA rankings. These will definitely be very difficult matches played at high intensity. We will fight to defend our nation’s pride. The group remains relatively open, and we will approach these qualifications with humility and ambition”.

Badou Zaki, Niger coach

“We have every chance of qualifying. For me, Ghana is a football country with a team that is blessed with great professionals. But this is not the team of 5 or 6 years ago. Even at home, they can lose.

“Angola had a good showing at the last AFCON with their beautiful, modern and fast football. It’s a team that shook up the big teams in Cote d’Ivoire.

“I know Sudan very well. They are first in their World Cup qualifying group. They are going to be dangerous, but we know our strengths and we know we can go far”

-CAF