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Tag: AFCON qualifiers

  • AFCON 2023: Sierra Leone to host Super Eagles in Liberia

    AFCON 2023: Sierra Leone to host Super Eagles in Liberia

    The Samuel Kayon Doe Stadium, Monrovia  has been chosen to host the Sierra Leone Versus Super Eagles game on Sunday, June 18.

    Samuel Kayon Doe Stadium will serve as home ground for Sierra Leone owing to the non-approval of any of its stadium in the country.

    The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie will be played at a neutral venue following the failure of the Sierra Leone Football Federation to present a suitable stadium in the country.

    The Leone Stars played their previous two home games in the qualifiers at a neutral stadium.

    Super Eagles top Group A of the qualifiers with nine points and need just a point from the game to secure a place in Cote d’Ivoire 2023.

    The Leone Stars presently occupy third position in the group with five points and need a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.

    Second place Guinea-Bissau will take on Sao Tome and Principe in the other game in the group.

    If Nigeria win against Sierria Leone they will qualify to the AFCON to be hosted by Ivory Coast with a game to spare.

  • AFCON Qualifiers: Sierra Leone to host Super Eagles at neutral venue

    AFCON Qualifiers: Sierra Leone to host Super Eagles at neutral venue

    Ahead of the June 18 AFCON 2025 qualifiers, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has told Sierra Leone none of its venue can host the Super Eagles.

    According to CAF, Bio City, the venue chosen by Sierra Venue for the qualifiers does not have the facilities to host the football event.

    Sierra Leone will play the Super Eagles in either Liberia or Morocco.

    The Leone Stars have played all their home games in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers in  Morocco.

    CAF released a list of stadia across the continent that can host matchday five games in the qualifiers on Monday with only Godswill Akpabio listed for Nigeria.

    Sierra Leone is third with five points from the same number of matches.

    Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe are the other teams in the group.

    The top two teams in the group will qualify for the AFCON.

  • AFCON Qualifiers: Super Eagles bounce back, defeat Guinea Bissau 1-0 away

    AFCON Qualifiers: Super Eagles bounce back, defeat Guinea Bissau 1-0 away

    The Super Eagles of Nigeria redeemed their image and kept AFCON qualification hopes alive after defeating the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau 1-0 at the  Bissau Stadium.

    Nantes of France winger, Daddy Moses scored from the penalty spot in the 30 minute to give the Super Eagles a glimmer of hope in the encounter.

    Nigeria surged forward subsequently in the game but couldn’t add to the tally before the center referee sounded his final whistle

    The result meant that the Super Eagles have climbed to the summit of the log and now in a good place to grab qualification ticket.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that  the  Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau climbed to the  top of the group when they came to the MKO stadium Abuja last week friday to shock the Super Eagles in the reverse fixture.

    Both teams are not at par on 9 points but the Super Eagles lead on goal difference.

  • NFF apologizes to Nigerians for U23, Super Eagles’ poor outings

    NFF apologizes to Nigerians for U23, Super Eagles’ poor outings

    The Nigeria Football Federation has apologized to the generality of Nigerians over the poor outings of the U23 Men National Team (Olympic Eagles) and the Senior Men National Team (Super Eagles) in crucial international matches this week.

    The Super Eagles fell 0-1 to Guinea Bissau’s Djurtus in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, two days after the U23 boys failed to beat Guinea in a first leg, final qualifying fixture for the U23 Africa Cup of Nations.

    President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, stated that the Federation was nonplussed by the below-par outings, but would immediately work hard to ensure the teams turn their qualifying games around in a positive way.

    “We tender an unreserved apology to Nigerians for the poor results. We worked and planned hard for good results but things turned out differently on the pitch. Our focus now is on redeeming the situation in the return matches early next week.”

    Gusau expressed confidence the U23 boys will take their chances in Rabat on Tuesday against Guinea to qualify for the U23 AFCON, and that the Super Eagles will win in Bissau on Monday to return to the top of their qualifying group for the 2023 AFCON.

  • Big names don’t play football – Guinea Bissau coach, Baciro mocks Super Eagles

    Big names don’t play football – Guinea Bissau coach, Baciro mocks Super Eagles

    Baciro Cande, the head coach of Guinea-Bissau has mocked the Super Eagles for parading array of stars against his side but still lost to them in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Abuja on Friday evening.

    According to Baciro, big names dont play football but team spirit does.

    The Djurtus recorded one of the biggest upsets in African football with a 1-0 win over the hosts and favourites at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, as fans watched in disbelief, another horrible display by the Eagles under Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro.

    Cande, while speaking at the post-match press conference, said his deserved the win despite the array of “big names” paraded by the Nigerians.

    “This victory is for the Guinea-Bissau people, we respect all the Nigerian players, but big names don’t play football on the pitch.

    “They (Eagles) tried to do everything to beat us and created many scoring chances, but we deserved to win,” Cande said.

    “We are surprised, but the team trained very hard and today they beat Nigeria, a big football country with good players. We feel good about this victory against Nigeria.”

    On his plans for the reverse fixture of the double-header in Bissau on Monday, Cande added, “I will keep the team in focus ahead of the return leg and we will see what is the best strategy to adopt for the next game.

    “I can’t really speak about the strategy we deployed in today’s match because we have another game next week.”

     

  • Iwobi makes promise to Nigerians after loss to Guinea Bissau

    Iwobi makes promise to Nigerians after loss to Guinea Bissau

    Everton and Super Eagles star, Alex Iwobi has made a promise to Nigeria fans, begging them to forgive them after their defeat to the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau on Friday in Abuja.

    Iwobi made this comment shortly after the Super Eagles lost to the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau.

    Ligue 1 side Troyes forward, Mama Balde scored in the 29th minute to give the visitors the lead that eventually resulted to their first win against the visitor.

    Jose Peseiro’s men have now dropped to second position in Group A following the defeat against Guinea-Bissau.

    “First and foremost, as players and staff, we know we’ve got to react to this result,” Iwobi told the media after the game.

    “All we can do is to improve, and to all the fans, all I can say is that they should stick by us and support us because we give 100% not just for ourselves but also for our nation.

    “Next time, we’re going to do our best and make the country proud.

    “We know we’re privileged to wear the shirt, there are a lot of people who want to be in this position.”

    The Everton player added: “I don’t think we played under pressure. Like the coach [Peseiro] said, they scored with the only chance they created in the game.”

    Nigeria will now face Guinea-Bissau in the return leg on Monday.

  • AFCON Qualifiers: Why Super Eagles lost to Guinea Bissau – Tijani Babangida

    AFCON Qualifiers: Why Super Eagles lost to Guinea Bissau – Tijani Babangida

    Former Super Eagles Right winger, Tijani Babangida has stated reasons why the team lost to Guinea Bissau on Friday night.

    According to Babangida, the team was unlucky to have lost to the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau at the MKO Abiola stadium, Abuja.

    Ligue 1 forward, Mama Balde netted the decisive goal in the first half.

    Jose Peseiro’s men created a number of chances in the game but were unable to breach the opposition’s defence.

    “I am really impressed with the performance of the players and I hope they will get the job done in the reverse fixture in order to reclaim top position in the group,” Babangida stated, stressing that he was not happy that the Super Eagles lost 1-0 to Guinea-Bissau “despite the team playing good football.”

    The Super Eagles dropped to second position in Group A following the defeat.

    The two teams will clash again in the reverse fixture in Bissau on Monday.

  • AFCON 2023 Race: In-form Osimhen leads Eagles’ charge for three points against Wild Dogs

    AFCON 2023 Race: In-form Osimhen leads Eagles’ charge for three points against Wild Dogs

    Nigerian ball fans will bank on rave-of-the-moment Victor James Osimhen to bang in the goals as the Super Eagles go up against the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign reaches the halfway mark.

    Top-of-the-table Nigeria square up to second-placed Guinea Bissau at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Friday from 5pm, with both teams eyeing the full marks in order to consolidate on earlier gains towards landing in Cote d’Ivoire.

    Osimhen, with 25 goals in all competitions this season, netted a significant four in a remarkable 10-0 win for Nigeria against Sao Tome and Principe in June last year, days after he had netted the winner in a 2-1 win over Sierra Leone on Matchday 1 at the same Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

    With five goals, the former U17 World Cup winner and record goalscorer (with 10 goals) is among the leading marksmen in the qualifying race, and will grab his opportunities with both hands in the two matches against Guinea Bissau in order to put daylight between himself and other contenders.

    Coach José Santos Peseiro will surely put his best foot forward in only his third match, with the objective of keeping intact his hundred per cent record in competitive matches.

    Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho could start in goal, and there are Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Kevin Akpoguma, Kenneth Omeruo, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi and Bruno Onyemaechi to pick from for the rearguard, as well as England-based quartet Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Joe Aribo in the middle of the pack.

    Captain Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu are available for the fore sector, as the Eagles aim for all six points that will super-pave their pathway to the finals.

    Sierra Leone’s 2-2 draw with Sao Tome and Principe in Agadir, Morocco on Wednesday turned out a boon for the Eagles, as the Leone Stars are stuck on one point after three matches and would no longer be in the contest if Nigeria grab all six points from these two matches.

    Coach Baciro Candé, who has led the Djurtus an impressive four points in their previous two games, said on arrival in Nigeria on Wednesday that his boys will play with confidence and invention.

    Guinea Bissau have featured in three Africa Cup of Nations finals, making an impressive debut at the 2017 tournament in Gabon.

  • Nigeria vs Guinea Bissau: NFF pegs match ticket at N2,000, VIP N10,000

    Nigeria vs Guinea Bissau: NFF pegs match ticket at N2,000, VIP N10,000

    Fans hoping to watch the Super Eagles of Nigeria trade tackles with Drutus of Guinea Bissau  for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match  at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja will pay 2,000  Naira while those hoping to watch from VIP stand would cough out N10,000.

    The match ticket price was fixed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

    The Super Eagles looks good to pick qualification to the 2025 AFCON after raking up six points from two games already. They are expected to book qualification if they defeat the Drutus home and away.

    The tickets for Friday’s tie are at the secretariat of the NFF at Package B, MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, Old Parade Ground, NFF’s former office at Wuse Zone 7, and other designated places in Abuja.

    There were 22 players in the Super Eagles’ John Wood Hotel, Abuja, including striker, Victor Osimhen, who had a stop over in Lagos. Portugal-based defender, Zaidu Sanusi, was still being expected yesterday.

    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.

  • Super Eagles will get better under my tutelage-Coach Peseiro

    Super Eagles Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro has hinted that the team will improve a lot under his directions, adding that his boys played real well at  the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe.

    The three-time African champions started the qualifying campaign with a nervy 2-1 win against Sierra Leone at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

    In the second game of the AFCON qualifiers Super Eagles humiliated Sao Tome and principe by 10-0 in Agadir, Morocco on Monday.

    The win was the biggest recorded in international football by Nigeria.

    The Super Eagles top Group A with six points from two games and in a good position to secure the ticket to Cote d’ lvoire 2023.

    An elated Peseiro took to social media to show his excitement about his team’s achievement.

    “We achieved our goal of points won, grew as a group and conquered a historical record, always based on fundamental values: team spirit and mutual help.

    “We made the Nigerian nation proud. We are focused on improving our work to achieve our goals,” the Portuguese wrote on his Twitter handle on Wednesday.

    The Super Eagles will next host the Djurtus of Guinea-Bissau in their next game in the qualifiers in September.