Uncategorized
Napoleonic War as Eagles Face Napoleon’ Birth Place and Togo
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed the additional friendly match that the Super Eagles will engage in when the players gather later this month in the French mountainous Mediterranean island of Corsica.
Sports Village Square gather from a media release from the NFF that the Super Eagles will play a friendly match with Togo while in camp.
The Togolese FA had earlier dropped hints of the impending friendly match which the NFF is just confirming.
The other friendly match which had been on the card is that with Corsica, one of the 13 regions of France which will serve as the Super Eagles’ base. Sports Village Square recalls that it was in the island of Corsica that the famous French military and political leader, Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769.
In fact, the Friday next week match is holding in Ajaccio, the very town of the island where Napoleon was born.
He rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful military campaigns across Europe.
The friendly match with the island will not count as full international but merely to put the Nigerian players in shape.
The Corsica team, Squadra Corsa di Balo, is an unofficial side of the French island and is neither affiliated with FIFA nor UEFA. The match with the Super Eagles will be the fourth ever against a national side.
It had played France in 1967, Cameroon in the days leading to France ’98 and Congo in 2009.
The NFF informed that Chief Coach, Salisu Yusuf, will lead a contingent of goalkeepers trainer Alloy Agu, home –based players; Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Alhassan Ibrahim, Stephen Odey and Sikiru Olatubosun and backroom staff to Paris on Monday from where they will travel to Corsica.
The three –time African champions will take on the Corsica at the Stade Francois Coty in Ajaccio starting from 8pm on Friday, and then travel to Paris for the game against the Hawks of Togo on June 1.
The match against the Hawks has been scheduled for the Stade Municipal de Saint Leu La Foret, Paris on Thursday.
The Super Eagles will tackle South Africa in the opening match of Group E of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying race at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
Meanwhile, Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has called up Belgium –based forward Henry Onyekuru in place of Austria Wien FC poacher Olanrewaju Kayode, who is being held back by club engagement.
THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah); Dele Alampasu (Cesarense FC, Portugal)
Defenders: Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); William Ekong (KAA Gent, Belgium); Uche Agbo (CF Granada, Spain); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Gijon, Spain); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal); Alhassan Ibrahim (Akwa United FC)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Stephen Odey (MFM FC); Henry Onyekuru (KAS Eupen, Belgium); Isaac Success (Watford FC, England); Noah Serenren-Bazee (Hannover 96, Germany); Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg FC, Germany); Sikiru Olatubosun (MFM FC)
TO JOIN TEAM IN PARIS AFTER ENGLISH FA CUP FINAL
Ola Aina (Chelsea FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England)
Uncategorized
Paris to face major disruption ahead of Games opening ceremony, says police chief
Paris will face major disruption ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony along the Seine on July 26, as organisers ramp up security measures to safeguard the event, the city’s police chief said on Thursday.
Organisers hope the opening ceremony, in which 160 boats carrying athletes from around the world will travel a 6 kilometre route along the Seine river towards the Eiffel tower, will deliver a jaw-dropping spectacle. Some 300,000 spectators will watch from the banks of the Seine as a global audience tunes in on TV.
But the ceremony is also a major security headache, taking place against a backdrop of wars in Ukraine and Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron has already floated the possibility of scrapping the river ceremony and reverting to at least two back-up plans if the security risks become untenable.
Paris residents with a view of the Seine can invite friends to watch the opening of the 2024 Summer Games from their balconies, but should prepare for heavy traffic and limited movement, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said at a press conference.
Adjacent metro stations, most river crossings and all water traffic will be halted in the week before the open-air ceremony, Nunez said, adding that some bridges will remain open “in order not to cut Paris in two halves.”
Everyone who wants to access the immediate surroundings of the Seine in the week before the Games will need to sign up on an online platform, Nunez said. Local residents hoping to access their homes, which are among the most prestigious addresses in France, will need to do the same.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who also spoke at the event said the disruption would impact around 20,000 residents and business owners.
Asked about Macron’s comments earlier this month, Nunez said his teams were still working on the ‘Plan A’ of the river ceremony.
“As of today, we have no reason to be worried,” Nunez said.
-Reuters
Uncategorized
New dawn expected as Nigeria sports ministry partners with Yanga Games
Towards creating a new dawn for Nigerian Sports, the Federal Ministry of Sports has signed a landmark agreement with top lottery company Yanga Games to raise the revenue profile of the Ministry and ensure a new deal for the welfare of athletes.
Speaking during the unveiling of the partnership between the Ministry and Yanga Games in Lagos on Friday, Chairman/CEO of Yanga Games Derrick David Kentebe said: “we are so super excited by this opportunity to work with the Ministry of Sports Development to change the narrative about Sports in the country.
Continuing, he remarked: “We see opportunity for marketing our athletes and sports generally . We shall avail ourselves the best use of this unique and special partnership. We shall pursue this mandate with vigour, passion and unrivaled commitment to bring benefits to all the critical stakeholders.”
The agreement according to Kentebe will provide support for retired athletes, enhance grassroot sports Development and advance the potentials of special athletes.
He assured that ” Yanga Games has the capacity to raise funds on behalf of the Ministry of Sports for athletes Development, endorsement and sponsorship deals for athletes”.
Minister of Sports Senator John Owan Enoh assured that the Ministry has total and absolute confidence in Yanga Games to deliver on the given mandate.
“Gone are the era when we depended solely on government to fund sports development. We are partnering with Yanga Games to bring maximum benefits to the athletes and all critical stakeholders.
“We shall give institutional encouragement and support to the Management of Yanga Games to succeed in this onerous task of rebuilding our sports sub sector.”
Speaking further, Kentebe said ” We shall raise about 34 Billion in the next four years to assist athletes and improve sports in the country.
“We shall help to develop grassroot sports and sustain youth involvement through raffle draws, fund raiser and other avenues.
Uncategorized
Iheanacho and Ndidi on course for return to Premiership as Leicester will not lose points for rule breaches
Leicester City cannot be deducted any points in the second-tier Championship if they are convicted of any violations of the Premier League’s spending rules, the English Football League (EFL) said on Friday.
Nigeria duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi are Leicester players yearning for the club’s return to the English Premiership.
Leicester, who were relegated from the top flight last season, were referred to an independent commission by the Premier League last month for alleged violations of the league’s spending rules.
The Championship’s governing body EFL wrote to the Premier League saying they would apply any sanction handed down on Leicester while they are still in the second tier, a move Leicester opposed.
However, the EFL said they later changed their position in a letter to the English FA’s League Arbitration Panel (LAP).
“EFL has confirmed to all parties that… it does not have the power under the Regulations as currently drafted,” the EFL said in a statement.
Leicester said they will continue to co-operate with Premier League and the EFL with regards to the charges against them.
“Any charges against the Club should be properly and proportionately determined, in accordance with the applicable rules, by the right bodies, and at the right time,” Leicester said.
The LAP said that the Premier League Disciplinary Commission’s proceedings against Leicester will not be expedited to conclude by May 4 due to any possible points deductions not being applicable this season.
Leicester are top of the standings in the Championship with 88 points from 41 matches as they seek a promotion back to the Premier League.
-Reuters
-
Boxing3 days ago
Nigeria sports minister set for ’bout’ with Bash Ali
-
CAF Confederation Cup1 week ago
Nigeria’s Samson Adamu signs Algeria’s USM match forfeiture
-
Nigerian Football1 day ago
NFF cuts Enyimba’ point haul by two
-
Nigerian Football2 days ago
Finidi George becomes Nigeria’s 41st national coach
-
CAF Confederation Cup1 week ago
BREAKING! CAF awards abandoned Confederation Cup semi-finals to Morocco’s RS Berkane
-
Nigerian Football5 days ago
Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title
-
African Games1 week ago
BREAKING! Accra 2023 African Games Chieftain is dead
-
Premier League1 week ago
Five-Star Arsenal hammer Chelsea to move three points clear at the top