International Football
CHAN 2018: To Be or Not To Be for Nigeria?
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Is the old order changing? Will Nigeria miss out from another CAF competition for national teams? Will Nigeria pick a qualification ticket in Kano for the very first time?
These are the three crucial questions begging for answers as the Nigerian home-based national team squares up this Saturday, with counterparts from the neighbouring Republic of Benin.
It is the quest for qualification for the African Nations Championships which finals are holding next January in Kenya. Ahead of the second leg duel in the soccer crazy and densely populated ancient city of Kano, Benin Republic comes with a goal advantage, prompting the poser: Is the old order changing?
Last Sunday’s late and surprised 1-0 defeat of Nigeria was the first time ever in 21 clashes that spanned across 58 years that the Nigerian western neighbours won a match against a Nigerian national team.
Before then, it could have been normal that pre-match thoughts would have been on margin of victory rather than a contemplation of draw, let alone a loss.
In fact, Benin Republic over the last decade or so had to build its national teams around Nigerians who defected. Such was the situation that cerebral Nigerian journalist, Ojeikere Aikhoje once wrote an article titled: “The other ‘Super Eagles’ in Benin Republic”.
He enunciated from goalkeeper to several outfield players and concluded that one day, the national team of Benin, the Squirrels, will one day field a complete ‘Republic of Benin Super Eagles’ against Nigeria’s Super Eagles as there were a dozen of Nigerian-born players who have been drafted into the Benin team.
Sports Village Square recalls the last competitive clash of Nigeria and Benin Republic at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Benguela, Angola. Nigeria struggled to get a 1-0 win over Nigerians-powered Benin Republic which had players like Mouri Ogoubiyi (real name: Muri Ogunbiyi), Razack Omotoyossi (Razak Omotoyosi) among others.
So tough was the encounter that Nigeria was saved by a 42nd minute penalty kick converted by Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Before then, virtually every encounter with Benin ended with unmitigated defeat of the Nigerian western neighbours.
Typical results included the 10-1 humiliation in an Nkrumah Cup encounter on November 29, 1959. Recall another 7-0 defeat of February 14, 1977 when Adokiye Amesimaka, as a Law undergraduate at the University of Lagos made his debut international appearance.
The 7-0 defeat was also repeated on the same date the following year with Amesimaka scoring a brace and defender, Godwin Odiye scoring his only goal for Nigeria to atone for an own-goal he scored barely three months earlier.
Even the Nigerian second string national team had also made a mince-meat of Benin when on August 10, 2005 the Benin national team was beaten 6-0 at the Abuja National Stadium.
But is the old order changing? This explains why the Salisu Yusuf boys more look beyond just a two-goal margin win over Benin. Sports Village Square also recalls that another neighbor, Niger Republic eliminated Nigeria in the quest for the 2011 edition.
Nigeria, beware of your neighbours! Recall that the elimination of Nigeria by Niger was completed in Kano on March 27, 2010. Will another dream be buried in Kano this weekend? The home-based Super Eagles must work hard to eliminate Benin and remove any jinx that any adverse result will bring to the football-loving city of Kano.
It was in that city that the dream for the 2006 World Cup literarily died following a 1-1 draw that gave Angola the edge. Niger Republic also held the home-based Super Eagles to a goalless draw in that city seven years ago after having won the first leg 2-0 at home.
Arise, Ikechuwu Ezenwa and others, Nigeria’s call obey!
Nigeria Previous 21 Encounters with Benin Republic
P W D L F A
Nigeria 21 15 5 1 61 9
Benin Rep. 21 1 5 15 9 61
• 8 Nov.1959 (Nkrumah Cup) Benin 0-1 Nigeria
• 29Nov.1959(Nkrumah Cup)Nigeria 10-1 Benin
• 25Jan.1963 (Nkrumah Cup) Benin1-1 Nigeria
• 2 Feb.1963 (Nkrumah Cup) Nigeria 4-1 Benin
• 2 Jan.1965 (AAGq) Nigeria 1-1 Benin *Abandoned
• 11 December. 1965 (F) Nigeria 1-0 Benin
• 27 Feb. 1966 (F) Benin) 1 -2 Nigeria
• 20 Dec. 1972 (F) Nigeria 3- 0 Benin
• 14 Feb. 1977 (F) Nigeria 7- 0 Benin
• 14 Jan.1978 (3 AAGq) Nigeria 7-0 Benin
• 17 Jan.1978 (3AAGq) Nigeria 2-0 Benin
• 14 Oct. 1979 (F) Benin 1-1 Nigeria
• 4 Nov. 1979 (F) Nigeria 5-0 Benin
• 1 Feb. 1987 (SCSA) Benin 1-1 Nigeria
• 30 Sept. 1990 (ACNq) Benin 0-1 Nigeria
• 27 April 1991 (ACNq) Nigeria 3-0 Benin
• 2 Feb 2004 (ACN) Benin 1-2 Nigeria
• 10 Aug, 2005 (F) Nigeria 6-0 Benin
• 28 Jan.2008 (ACN) Benin 0-2 Nigeria
• 16 Jan. 2010 (ACN) Benin 0-1 Nigeria
• 13 Aug. 2017 (Chanq) Benin 1-0 Nigeria
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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