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Tag: CHAN

  • CHAN: Zubairu charges Eagles to win trophy

    Sani Zubairu, Head, Referees Unit, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Sunday called on the home-based Eagles to aim toward lifting the trophy in the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament.

    Zubairu told the Sport Journalist in Abuja that winning the opening match against Rwanda would keep their hope of lifting the trophy, alive.

    He said that it was time to prove the viability of Nigeria’s league by lifting the trophy.

    “We should do our best in not only defeating Rwanda but other opponents too, in order to lift the trophy.

    “Our players should be focused and also play like businessmen with interest at stake,” he said.

    The NFF official restated the call for all-round victory in the tournament which, he said, was imperative to show superiority of Nigeria’s league in Africa.

    He urged the Eagles to tackle Rwanda with all seriousness and focus expected of potential champions.

    According to Zubairu, there is every need to win this edition of CHAN in order to boost our football image.

    TNG reports that the tournament kicked off on Jan. 13 with Morocco mauling Mauritania 4-0.

    Nigeria will slug it out with Rwanda in their Group C opening match on Jan. 15.

  • Nigeria’s 2018 chan squad to travel to Morrocco on Monday

    Nigeria will fly out of the country on Monday night for the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals taking place in Morocco, 13th January – 4th February 2018.

    Team Administrator, Dayo Enebi Achor told the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official website that the local-based Super Eagles will fly aboard a Turkish Airline flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and connect Rabat from Istanbul on Tuesday morning.

    “The team will train for a few days in Rabat before heading to Tangier on Friday, 12th January,” Achor explained to thenff.com.

    The Super Eagles will take on Rwanda (hosts of the last edition of the competition two years ago) at the Stade Ibn Batouta on Monday, 15th January, starting from 7.30pm (8.30pm Nigeria time).

    Before games against Libya at the same venue on Friday, 19th January (starting from 4.30pm; 5.30pm Nigeria time) and Equatorial Guinea in Agadir on Tuesday, 23rdJanuary (starting 7pm Morocco time; 8pm Nigeria time).

    The team will be under the guidance of Salisu Yusuf, who is also serving as the Nigeria senior national team assistant coach.

    Nigeria are hoping to win the continental tournament for the first time since its inception in 2009.

    africanfootball

  • Ezenwa, Ali, Okpotu, 20 others make CHAN 2018 list

    Head Coach Salisu Yusuf on Tuesday in Abuja released his final squad of the Super Eagles B for the 5th African Nations Championship (CHAN) beginning in Morocco on Jan. 13.

    Goalkeeper and skipper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, as well as midfielder Rabiu Ali and marksman Anthony Okpotu headline the 23-man list.

    Ezenwa is joined for the goalkeeping duties by Oladele Ajiboye and Theophilus Afelokhai, while defensive stalwarts Osas Okoro, Stephen Eze and Kalu Okogbue also made the list.

    Midfielders Ifeanyi Ifeanyi and Ekundayo Ojo and forwards Sunday Faleye and Emeka Atuloma were also listed.

    The team’s players and their officials are expected to fly out of the country in a few days time.

    They are to continue preparations in Morocco ahead of Nigeria’s first match of the campaign against Rwanda in Tangier on Jan. 15.

    The 2014 bronze medallists will also take on 2014 champions Libya at the same Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier on Jan. 19, before facing Equatorial Guinea in Agadir on Jan. 23.

    FULL LIST

    Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba FC); Oladele Ajiboye (Plateau United); Theophilus Afelokhai (Enyimba FC)

    Defenders: Osas Okoro (Rangers International); Daniel James (Plateau United); Kalu Okogbue (Rangers International); Ikouwem Utin (Enyimba FC); Abdullahi Musa (Wikki Tourists);

    Timothy Danladi (Katsina United); Ifeanyi Nweke (Kano Pillars); Stephen Eze (Kano Pillars)

    Midfielders: Ifeanyi Ifeanyi (Akwa United); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Augustine Oladapo (Enyimba FC); Ekundayo Ojo (Sunshine Stars)

    Forwards: Emeka Atuloma (Rivers United); Anthony Okpotu (Lobi Stars); Eneji Moses (Plateau United); Ibrahim Mustapha (Enyimba FC);

    Emeka Ogbuh (Rivers United); Sunday Faleye (Akwa United); Nura Muhammed (El-Kanemi Warriors); Okechukwu Gabriel (Akwa United)

  • CHAN 2018: Peterside task home-based Eagles to win tournament

    Ex-Super Eagles keeper, Idah Peterside on Monday urged home-based Super Eagles to win the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

    Nigeria is in group C with 2014 champions, Libya, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea. The tournament, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will run from Jan. 12 to Feb.4 in Morocco.

    Peterside told TheNewsGuru on the telephone from Johannesburg, South Africa, that the home-based team had potentials to do well in the tournament.

    He urged the team to work hard to win the championship for Nigeria.

    “ In 2014, the home-based Super Eagles won bronze. I believe the present team can do the country proud and they should realize that Nigerians are solidly behind them,” he said.

    Peterside, also an ex-Sharks FC and Enyimba International of Aba keeper, urged the team to win their first match.

    “ There is no perfect team. I believe that they will get better as the tournament goes on. Their first game is key, they must win their first game and they will continue to get better,” he said.

    According to him, players who distinguished themselves in the tournament may be invited to the World Cup team or attract the attention of foreign clubs.

    “ Though the CHAN tournament is for the home-based players in the continent, it is also an avenue to scout for good players. To our team, players with good outings may be invited to the main Super Eagles World Cup team.

    “ Also, foreign clubs will send scouts to monitor players performance during the tournament. The lucky ones may get such clubs. We really do wish the team all the best,” Peterside said.

    The championship is organised for players playing in their domestic league.

  • CHAN Super Eagles have made commendable progress, Yusuf says

    Salisu Yusuf, the Head Coach of Super Eagles Team B, on Friday assured that the team has made commendable progress both collectively as a team and in terms of individual-player development.

    Yusuf told sports Journalist in Abuja that this positive indication was a good measure of the team’s level of preparations for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN).

    TNG reports that the Super Eagles Team B, otherwise known as home-based Eagles or CHAN Eagles, are presently preparing for the 2018 CHAN billed for Morocco in January.

    The coach said the preparations the team had undergone, especially in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Super 6 Invitational, have served as a viable platform for the players’ elevation.

    “Our team (home-based Eagles) has served very well as a platform for the likely sale of Nigeria-based players to bigger clubs in Europe.

    “Some players, such as Chima Akas, have benefitted from the progress of our team and many more will benefit,’’ Yusuf said.

    The coach however restated his confidence in the team, saying it would make Nigeria proud in Morocco.

    He told TNG that the team had sustained their progress with hard work and team spirit for greater glory, and urged the players to utilise the opportunity the team offered them.

    “I am proud of the players’ progress because the dream of everyone is to grow from height to height,’’ Yusuf said, while describing the team as very gifted.

    Nigeria’s Chima Akas was until his move to Sweden a defender with Enyimba International Football Club of Aba and also a key player in the CHAN Super Eagles.

  • Salisu Yusuf to name CHAN Squad Next Week

    Nigerian national team coach for the locally-based players, Salisu Yusuf, is expected to name his final 23-man squad for the African Nations Championship next week.

    Media reports in the country reveal that the coach will name his squad ahead of the team’s departure for a training tour in Morocco on January 2.

    The Super Eagles, who won the Nigeria Professional Football League invitational tournament in Kano on Sunday, are currently in Abuja for the second phase of their preparation for the CHAN.

    Meanwhile, Yusuf has already named a 30-man squad for the NPFL invitational and extended a late invitation to Nasarawa United goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso on Wednesday.

    “We will be leaving for Rabat, Morocco on January 2nd for the final stage of our preparation for CHAN 2018,” a source told Completesportsnigeria.com.

    “Before then, the final 23-man list for the competition will be made known to the public. All things being equal, the final list will be out next week.”

    The home Eagles who had a disappointing showing at the last edition of the CHAN in 2016 in Rwanda, will face Amavubi in their first Group C game in Tangier on January 15.

    The 2014 champions Libya and debutants Equatorial Guinea are the other teams in the group, the tournament is set for January 12 to February 4 in Moro

    Africa Football

  • CHAN: Salisu promises to strengthen team, correct mistakes

    After overcoming MFM FC 3-2 in the final of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Invitational Super Six Tournament in Abuja on Sunday, Chief coach of the Super Eagles, Salisu Yusuf has revealed that the team would intensify their preparation ahead of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco, slated for 13th January.

    The team were held 0-0 by Plateau United before managing a narrow 1-0 win against Enyimba in the second match.

    However, Salisu Yusuf told thenff.com that preparations would move into the second phase where some of the lapses seen in the team would be corrected and some fresh players called up.

    “I am very impressed with the team. We did not have any elaborate preparation before the Super Six tournament and yet these boys raised their game, improved with every match and won the trophy. I congratulate them but this is the beginning of real hard work for us.

    “We will begin the next phase of preparations immediately. We want to also see some new
    players in certain positions and correct some mistakes we made during some of our games in
    Kano while strengthening and consolidating on our strong areas.”

  • CHAN Eagles edge out MFM in thrilling NPFL Invitational final

    African Nations Championship (CHAN) bound Super Eagles claimed the 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with a 3-2 win over MFM FC at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on Sunday.

    Last season’s top scorer in the NPFL Anthony Okpotu scored twice and his Lobi teammate Kingsley Eduwo added a third for the Super Eagles before MFM made it a nervy last five minutes through goals from Jonathan Zikiye and Chuka Uwaga.

    The showpiece game of the pre-season tournament was already looking like a borefest that will not produce goals until the stroke of half time when Okpotu expertly lobbed the ball from Peter Eneji’s inch perfect pass over MFM goalkeeper Abayomi Folarin.

    However before then the MFM goalkeeper had to deny Rabiu Ali on two occasions inside the last 15 minutes of the first period. First he blocked Ali from close range and then followed up with a finger tip save to deny the Eagles midfielder from toe-poking the ball beyond him.

    But Folarin could not keep out the Eagles attack for long. Twenty four minutes into the restart Okpotu scored his second of the contest to put day light between Salisu Yusuf’s men and MFM after calming picking his spot off Nura Mohammed’s pass.

    Okpotu then made way for Eduwo, who needed just four minutes of his introduction to the game to score a third for the Super Eagles. Again, Nura Mohammed was the provider as the Eagles looked home and dry.

    MFM head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu turned to one of his youngsters Abayomi Lawal and the attacker’s pace did unsettle the Eagles’ defence.

    The late surge began on 86 minutes when left-back Jonathan Zikiye who was impressive throughout the game pulled one back for MFM and fans watching from the stands felt it was too little, too late.

    Ilechukwu’s team were not done yet. On 90 minutes, Uwaga popped up to head in from the near post past Eagles goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai off a corner to set up a nervy end in stoppage time.

    MFM had one last chance to level matters in Kano but Lawal just could not keep his attempt on target as the Super Eagles head off to CHAN billed to hold in Morocco as champions of the NPFL Invitational.

  • Super 6 tournament will help home-based Eagles ahead of CHAN, Yusuf says

    Salisu Yusuf, the Super Eagles Assistant Coach, has said the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Super 6 Tournament was an avenue to test and improve the home-based Eagles team.

    Yusuf told the NewsGuru in Abuja on Wednesday that the event would also help in the discovery of new and talented players for the team.

    “It will help improve the form of the home-based Eagles, as well as the players’ performance and quality,’’ he said.

    TNG reports that Yusuf, who is the home-based Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, has been preparing the team for the 2018 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) billed for January in Morocco.

    The coach pointed out that Nigerian clubs were blessed with talented and young football players who were yet to be given opportunities to show their worth at the national team.

    “The Super 6 tournament will help us to see some young players from these clubs here in Nigeria and it will also help us build a better team,’’ he said.

    Yusuf expressed optimism in the capability of his payers to be better shaped by the tournament for greater results.

    The six teams at the tournament are the home-based Super Eagles, Enyimba FC of Aba, Plateau United of Jos, MFM FC of Lagos, Akwa United of Uyo and hosts Kano Pillars.

  • Super Eagles begin build-up for CHAN with Super Six

    The home –based Super Eagles contingent arrived the ancient city of Kano on Saturday afternoon as Head Coach Salisu Yusuf and his crew countenance the beginning of preparations for the 5th African Nations Championship scheduled for Morocco 13th January – 4th February 2018.

    Yusuf, also Chief Coach of the Russia-bound A squad, has called up 30 players for the first phase of the preparations, in which the 2014 CHAN bronze medallists would test strength with the nation’s leading domestic clubs in the annual Super Six Tournament.

    Super Eagles A team’s safe hands Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Stephen Eze, Osas Okoro and Adeleye Olamilekan, midfielders Afeez Aremu, Rabiu Ali and Ifeanyi Ifeanyi as well as forwards Kingsley Eduwo, Sikiru Olatubosun and Anthony Okpotu are among those who will battle for shirts.

    The glamour Super Six Tournament, traditionally organized to set Nigeria’s flag-bearers in continental competitions in battle mood after the lull and inactivity of the post –season break, will this year welcome NPFL reigning champions Plateau United, MFM FC, Akwa United FC, homers Kano Pillars and Enyimba FC, as well as the Super Eagles B.

    The first matches are slated for Monday at the Sani Abacha Stadium, where the Eagles overpowered their counterparts from Benin Republic 2-0 on 19th August to qualify for the 5th African Nations Championship.

    Nigeria will tackle 2014 champions Libya, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea in the group stage at the 5th African Nations Championship. The matches of Group C will be played in Tangier.

    Libya shocked the African football family by winning the 2014 edition in South Africa at the expense of Ghana, despite the North African nation being embroiled in political turmoil at the time. Rwanda was the last team to qualify for the finals, after edging Ethiopia 3-2 on aggregate in a play –off that was necessitated by Egypt’s decision to forfeit her slot at the championship. Equatorial Guinea qualified for the finals following the withdrawal of Gabon.

    Hosts Morocco, Guinea, Sudan and Mauritania are in Group A, in the event pitting the Atlas Lions against Mauritania in the opening match of the competition, at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca on 13th January.

    Hosts of the inaugural edition of the competition in 2009, Cote d’Ivoire head Group B that will be based in Marrakech, and have Zambia, Uganda and Namibia as group mates.

    Group D, based in Agadir, has 2011 runners-up Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Burkina Faso.

    GROUP A (CASABLANCA)

    Morocco

    Guinea

    Sudan

    Mauritania

    GROUP B (MARRAKECH)

    Cote d’Ivoire

    Zambia

    Uganda

    Namibia

    GROUP C (TANGIER)

    Libya

    Nigeria

    Rwanda

    Equatorial Guinea

    GROUP D (AGADIR)

    Angola

    Cameroon

    Congo

    Burkina Faso

    30 CHAN EAGLES FOR SUPER SIX

    Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa; Dele Ajiboye; Theophilus Afelokhai

    Defenders: Stephen Eze; Osas Okoro; Daniel Itodo; Adeleye Olamilekan; Kalu Orji Okogbue; Ifeanyi Nweke; Nasiru Sani; Timothy Danladi

    Midfielders: Afeez Aremu; Raphael Ayagwa; Ifeanyi Ifeanyi; Rabiu Ali; Destiny Ashadi; Dayo Ojo; Emeka Atuloma; Douglas Achiv; Austine Oladapo; Abdulkadir Zango

    Forwards: Sikiru Olatubosun; Kingsley Eduwo; Peter Eneji; Anthony Okpotu; Joseph Osadiaye; Sunday Faleye; Victor Mbaoma; Mustapha Ibrahim; Gabriel Okechukwu