AFCON

Africa Cup of Nations 2023 qualifiers: Peseiro rolls out his army

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2023

Coach José Santos Peseiro

The Nigerian Super Eagles are set for their first engagement since the scandalous 4-0 loss to Portugal in a pre-World Cup friendly match last November.

The Super Eagles have not won any match since their historic 10-0 defeat of Sao Tome last year June in Morocco.

They had amassed two losses to Algeria (2-1) and 4-0 to Portugal and 0-0 with Costa Rica.

Sports Village Square recalls that their 4-0 loss to Portugal on 17 November last year is the widest margin loss since the 5-1 loss to The Netherlands on 5 June 1998, days before the France ‘98 World Cup.

Coach José Santos Peseiro will therefore hope to put the Super Eagles back into winning ways as they prepare to face Guinea Bissau in a back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations 2023 qualifiers in Abuja and Bissau.

Victories in both matches will qualify the Super Eagles as they would have obtained an unassailable leadership of the Group A of the qualifiers of the tournament which finals holds next year in Cote d’Ivoire.

Peseiro has invited team captain Ahmed Musa, in-form forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman as well as 20 other players to the Super Eagles’ camp.

Nigeria and Guinea Bissau clash at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja from 5pm on Friday, 24^th March, and then make it a second date at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in Bissau on Monday, 27^th March, also starting from 5pm.

Spain-based defender Kenneth Omeruo returns, as midfield enforcers Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka, and Portugal-based defender Bruno Onyemaechi gets an opportunity to vie for shirts against Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Kevin Akpoguma and Calvin Bassey.

Portugal-based left back Zaidu Sanusi is also back, and usual suspects Alex Iwobi, Joe Aribo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu are also called.

Captain of the Nigeria U20 side that finished in third place at the recently-concluded Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt, Daniel Bameyi is called alongside team goalkeeper Chijioke Aniagboso. In-form goalkeeper Victor Sochima, one of the reasons Rivers United FC have inched close to a CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final ticket, will contend for the number one shirt with Francis Uzoho.

Players are expected to start arriving at the team camp in Abuja on Sunday, 19^th March. Table-toppers Nigeria are on maximum six points from their defeats of Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe, with the Djurtus in second place on four points from their defeat of Sao Tome and Principe and draw with the Leone Stars.

Italy-based Osimhen, with 23 goals in 28 matches this season (including four goals that has helped his club reach the last eight of the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever), netted four when the Eagles slammed Sao Tome and Principe 10-0 in a record international scoreline in Agadir, Morocco nine months ago.

Egyptian referee Mahmoud Elbana will be in the centre, with his compatriots Youssef Elbosaty, Sami Halhal and Ahmed El-Ghandour to function as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

Prosper Harrison Addo from Ghana will be the match commissioner and his compatriot Kotey Alexander will be the referee assessor.

CAF has also appointed Moroccan referees for the return leg in Bissau. Samir Guezzaz, son of the retired Mohamed Guezzaz, will superintend, with compatriots Zakaria Brinsi, Hamza Naciri and Noureddine El Jaafari in the roles of assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

Massa Diarra from Mauritania will be the match commissioner and Waldabet Koissoual from Chad will function as the referee assessor.

THE ARMY OF JOSE PESEIRO:

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Victor Sochima (Rivers United); Kingsley Aniagboso (Giant Brillars)

Defenders: Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Calvin Bassey (FC Ajax, The Netherlands); Daniel Bameyi (YumYum FC); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Joe Aribo (Southampton, England)

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal CF, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Paul Onuachu (Southampton FC, England)

AFCON

Present and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen

Published

2 days ago

September 12, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.

Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.

Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.

Peseiro left his position after the Africa Cup of Nations

AFCON

Rwanda newspaper gives 5 lessons gleaned from Rwanda-Nigeria clash

Published

2 days ago

September 12, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The goalless outing of Rwanda and Nigeria in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying match has thrown up some lessons, according to New Times, the leading newspaper in Rwanda.

New Times reckons that both teams put up a great show as Amavubi showed their pedigree against one of the giants in African football. It then pointed out the five elements that shaped the game.

Amavubi played with total confidence

No African country comes close to Nigeria in terms of “big players” country. Almost all their players are playing for top clubs in Europe’s top leagues but that did not deter Frank Spittler’s men.

They played with total confidence and self-belief. At a point in the game, Rwanda and APR FC left-back Claude Niyomugabo was mesmerizing former Chelsea and Lazio player Ola Aina who is now with Nottingham forest to the point that he was booked his jersey when he couldn’t match his pace.

Confidence among Rwandan players was high and it helped them to get goalless draw results.

Bizimana, the midfield controller

The Amavubi skipper pocketed Nigerian midfield led by Wilfred Ndidi. He run a one-man show in the middle of the pitch as he was unplayable.

His passes and tackles were superb. He track-backed several times as deep as his own penalty box to win balls.

Lookman’s danger left Rwandan defense shaking

Victor Osimhen is arguably Nigeria’s star man but it is clear that Ademola Lookman is the most dangerous player in the team.

He could hold on the ball, dribble, shoot and pass. The Atalanta winger was the best player for the visitors as he gave Amavubi a tough time before being substituted in the 89th minute for Taiwo Awoniyi.

Amavubi’s attacking problem

“The only problem with my team is in attack. You could see the difference between my attackers and the Nigerian attackers but that is what we have now. Maybe it is the Nigerian attackers who should have played against the Nigerian defenders. We created some chances but couldn’t score.”

These were some of the comments made by Amavubi head coach Torsten Spittler in the post-match press conference.

Rwanda looked solid both at the back and in midfield but the likes of Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha weren’t up to the task in attack.

They wasted three good chances that could have resulted in goals.

Goal scoring is a problem for Amavubi and Spittler is ready to find an antidote. The German gaffer was, however, happy that his team was able to create chances which is a sign of improvement.

Fiacre Ntwari’s heroics

The Amavubi shot stopper was the hero of the day for Rwanda, and he has showed why he is among the best goalkeepers in Africa now.

Against a rampaging Nigerian attack of Victor Boniface, Osimhen, Lookman, Awoniyi and Samuel Chukwueze among others, Ntwari pulled as many as nine superb saves to keep his side in the game.

The Kaizer Chiefs shot stopper was very cool in the posts as he prevented the Nigerian attackers from scoring.

Ntwari, is gradually carving a niche for himself and he is proving to be a key component of the Amavubi set up.

AFCON

Austin Eguavoen remains the ‘Big Boss’, says NFF

Published

3 days ago

September 11, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has clarified the position of interim manager of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen. “He is still in charge”, the NFF Head of Communications, Ademola Olajire told Sports Village Square, this Wednesday.

Austin Eguavoen who is the Technical Director at the NFF was drafted to handle the Super Eagles when the negotiation with Germany’s Bruno Labbadia broke down. Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles player and later coach was drafted to rescue the situation.

It was claimed that having executed the Super Eagles’ immediate assignments, his job was done. But the NFF spokesman has clarified that nothing has changed from the initial announcement concerning Eguavoen.

“He remains with the team and his is an employee of the NFF which has drafted him to the Super Eagles. He remains there until the federation takes another decision.

“He was surprised when we landed from our Kigali trip and I showed the trending news on the social media.”

The Super Eagles’ next assignment will be on MatchDay 3 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month when the team hosts Libya in Uyo.