International Football
CHIAMAKA NNADOZIE LEADS SUPER FALCONETS’ CHARGE FOR GOLD AT AFRICAN GAMES
After recent impressive showings including being crowned as African champions along with Super Falcons at the last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2018, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie would possibly be Nigeria’s talisman as the 12th African Games women’s football tournament in Morocco holds between 16 and 29 August in Rabat, Morocco.
The Nigerian girls won Gold at the inaugural then All African Games women’s football tournament on home soil in 2003 and easily defended their crown four years later in Algiers. But the West Africans failed to qualify for the following continental showpiece held in Maputo in 2011 before finishing fourth four years ago in Brazzaville.
“I’m so happy to be part of this team going to the African Games in Morocco,” Nnadozie who had previously represented Nigeria at all levels bar the Olympic Women’s Football Tournament told CAFOnline.com.
“It has been a privilege to have represented Nigeria at the U-17, U-20 and senior level with the Super Falcons but I’m also happy to be included in this team going to compete at the African Games; this is going to be a new experience for me.”
For the women’s football tournament at Morocco 2019, all the eight teams according to the rules and regulations by CAF will be represented by their U-20 women’s sides instead of the seniors hence the inclusion of experienced 18-year-old Nnadozie would give Nigeria a head start.
“We have a good team and an experienced manager in coach Chris Danjuma but at the same time we need luck to win the competition in Morocco,” noted Nnadozie who made history as the youngest ever player goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet after helping Nigeria beat Korea Republic during the recently FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019.
“ We did well at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France; though we lost in the Round of 16 to Germany, I’m proud of my teammates and what I achieved personally.”
Nnadozie has been constant like the northern star for Nigeria in recent time and was in the Super Falcons squad that won record ninth AWCON title in Ghana last year.
She was in goal when Nigeria came third at the China Four-Nation Invitational Tournament before France 2019.
Earlier on, she was a fulcrum of the team (Falconets) to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018 where she earned the ‘ Dare to Shine’ player of the award for her outstanding performance against Haiti; as well as being part of the ill-fated team (Flamingoes) that finished bottom of their group at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016.
“The truth is that I love to win and I’m not happy when I lose matches,” noted Nnadozie who has won three successive Nigeria’s National Women Cup with Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt between 2016 and 2018.
“I’m really happy with my progress since I joined Rivers Angels in 2016 because it was not easy initially to convince my parents; they felt football was not meant for a girl-child but I have been able to convince them with my achievements at club and national team levels.”
Meanwhile, Nigerian women’s football legend Maureen Mmadu believes Nnadozie’s exposure and experience is a plus to the coach Danjuma-led side as the Falconets challenge for the Gold at Morocco 2019.
“Chiamaka is tall and strong but apart from her physique, she is very confident of herself when she is on the goalpost,” explained coach Mmadu who made more than 100 appearances for the Super Falcons during her heyday.
“She did well at the recently concluded FIFA Women’s World Cup in France; she has great qualities and she is very hungry for success and I think her experience would help the U-20 team succeed at the All Africa Games in Morocco.”
Incidentally, Nnadozie and teammates already have their work cut out in the African Games women’s football tournament since the Falconets are pooled together along with perennial rivals South Africa, Cameroon and Zambia in Group B while the hosts Morocco are in Group A along with Mali, Algeria and Equatorial Guinea.
“We have to go out and show we are hungry to win in Morocco “reiterated Nnadozie, who is the last born in a family with five other siblings.
“The good thing is that we are like a family in this team and this gives me confidence that we can succeed in Morocco.”
In the meantime, hosts Morocco will kick off their campaign against Algeria at Stade Boubker Ammar in Sale while Mali will face Equatorial Guinea in the other Group A’s fixture at the same venue on 17th August.
In Group B, Cameroon will start off against Zambia while Nigeria face rivals South Africa with both matches slated for 18th August at Stade Academie Mohamed VI.
-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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