International Football
Nigeria hosts Ghana in decisive World Cup playoff clash in Abuja
A mammoth clash looms as Nigeria host arch-rivals Ghana in the second-leg of the 2022 World Cup playoff on Tuesday with the result deciding which side qualifies for the competition to be played in Qatar later this year.
The West African rivals face off at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja in what is the decider between the two sides after the first-leg failed to produce a result
The Black Stars were held to a goalless draw in Friday’s match at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Kumasi which left the return encounter delicately poised.
Both sides had good chances of winning the game but the two goalkeepers Joojo Wallocot and Francis Uzoho of Ghana and Nigeria respectively, were on top form to prevent the opponent from breaking the deadlock.
Ghanaian youngsters Felix Afena-Gyan, Abdul Fatahu Issahaku and Mohammed Kudus were all denied by Uzoho’s heroics, while Wallocot pulled off an astonishing save to deny Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho
Nigeria must win their match against Ghana in Abuja on Tuesday to be able to qualify for the World Cup which would be their fourth successive appearance at the global tournament.
The Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen admits they must be at their best level to be able to defeat the Black Stars even though they would be playing at home.
“Ghana were on top of their game in the first leg but they didn’t have any clear-cut chances – but we had two clear-cut chances,” Eguavoen said.
“Ghana are not pushovers, they have a lot of talent. We will keep respecting them and I’m very sure the Ghana team will give us a lot of respect.
“We wanted to win the first leg but if we couldn’t win I would have settled for a draw and that’s exactly what happened. Our organisation was very good, we combined well in all the lines.
“But we didn’t react quickly, so that’s something we have to work on because we cannot allow the Ghanaian players freedom on the ball,” Eguavoen added
Nigeria must win their match against Ghana in Abuja on Tuesday to be able to qualify for the World Cup which would be their fourth successive appearance at the global tournament.
The Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen admits they must be at their best level to be able to defeat the Black Stars even though they would be playing at home.
“Ghana were on top of their game in the first leg but they didn’t have any clear-cut chances – but we had two clear-cut chances,” Eguavoen said.
“Ghana are not pushovers, they have a lot of talent. We will keep respecting them and I’m very sure the Ghana team will give us a lot of respect.
“We wanted to win the first leg but if we couldn’t win I would have settled for a draw and that’s exactly what happened. Our organisation was very good, we combined well in all the lines.
“But we didn’t react quickly, so that’s something we have to work on because we cannot allow the Ghanaian players freedom on the ball,” Eguavoen added
The Black Stars, on the other hand, need at least a scoring draw to be able to advance to the World Cup, completely transforming the recent fortunes of the Black Stars.
This follows their unimpressive showing at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations last month where they crashed out at the group stage without winning a match.
Since then, former international winger Otto Addo was appointed as the interim coach to take over from Milovan Rajevac who was sacked following the tournament in Cameroon.
Addo, who is part of the technical team of German side Borussia Dortmund, says the Black Stars want to win the match in Abuja instead of going for a draw.
“The result doesn’t change anything. When we go there we want to win,” Addo said.
“Even though our Africa Cup of Nations was not good this year, you saw we matched Nigeria in the first leg.
“They have high quality players but they’ve got respect for us and I thought the match in Kumasi was equal in terms of performance.”
Ghana have no fitness concerns ahead of Tuesday’s match as youngster Felix Afena-Gyan declared himself fit after being taken off in Friday’s game with a thigh concern.
Nigeria have some injuries worries as midfielder Innocent Bonke picked up a hamstring injury during Friday the game speedy winger Samuel Chukwueze could be unavailable for the reverse fixture due to a muscular injury.
The Black Stars will be chasing their fourth appearance at the World Cup while Nigeria are seeking their fourth World Cup qualification in a row.
-cafonline
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
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International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
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