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Tag: International Friendly

  • Super Eagles to play Portugal in international friendly match

    Super Eagles to play Portugal in international friendly match

    The super Eagles of Nigeria and the A Seleção of Portugal will square up against each other in an international friendly billed to hold in September, 2022.

    The Nigeria Football Federation Secretary General, Muhammad Sanusi disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos.

    The three-time African champions were initially scheduled to play Guinea Bissau in a double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in the FIFA international break.

    But with the qualifiers postponed until March 2023 by the Confederation of African Football last month, the NFF is busy arranging a grade A friendly for the Eagles.

    According to Sanusi, a discussion with the Portuguese FA for the friendly game between Nigeria and Portugal is in top gear.

    “We are working on arranging a grade A friendly game with Portugal ahead of the next FIFA window,” Sanusi said.

    “Following the postponement of the AFCON a friendly game is necessary for the Eagles.

    “Arrangements are in full gear and we are close to finalizing the details. Once that is done a statement will be released by the Nigeria Football Federation.”

    It will be the first time that Nigeria and Portugal will meet at the senior level even though both countries played against each other three times at the U-20 World Cup with Portugal winning all three meetings (twice in 1989 and 2013).

    The September international friendly will serve as a warm-up game for the Europeans who are in the same group as the Black Stars of Ghana who booted Nigeria out of the World Cup race.

     

  • Super Falcons to play Team USA in prestige friendlies

    Super Falcons to play Team USA in prestige friendlies

    Nine-time African champions Nigeria will fly to the United States of America for a two-match tour against the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) in the month of September.

    Both teams, presently competing in their respective continental tournaments, will clash at the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas on 3rd September and then have a go at each other’s jugular once more at the Audi Field in Washington, D. C. on 6th September.

    The USWNT is the most successful team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, having won half (4) of all eight championships competed for so far. The Stars & Stripes were champions of the very first edition in China in 1991, and then won on home soil in 1999, in Canada in 2015 and in France three years ago. The team has also won four Olympic women’s football gold medals and eight CONCACAF titles.

    The Super Falcons, billed to face Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday evening, have won the African championship nine times, played in every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and also played at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic women’s football tournament. They remain the most successful women’s team on the African continent.

    The Children’s Mercy Park is home to Kansas City in the US National Women’s Soccer League and Sporting Kansas City in the Major League Soccer, while Audi Field is utilized by National Women’s Soccer League side Washington Spirit and Major League Soccer team, D. C. United.

    The match in Kansas City will see Vlatko Andonovski, appointed Coach of USWNT at the end of 2019, return to his home area for the second time. It is the sixth time that the USWNT will be playing at the Children’s Mercy Park but it is their first time at the Audi Field, though they have played 10 times previously in Washington – all at the RFK Stadium.

    Andonovski says he’s excited to send out his girls against the Super Falcons: “First, I’m just excited to play two matches against Nigeria. They have some very talented players who will present a lot of different problems for us to solve on both sides of the ball. Secondly, of course we’re looking forward to bringing the team back to one of the best soccer stadiums in the United States in Kansas City, as well as getting to play our first game at Audi Field, which I’ve visited several times for NWSL games and is also a fantastic venue for our team to play in front of our home fans.”

    The USWNT has already qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, becoming the 12th team to reach the finals and the first team from the CONCACAF region.

    Nigeria’s Falcons are also coached by an American, long-time college coach Randy Waldrum – who is aiming for a FIFA Women’s World Cup ticket and first African title with Nigeria in Morocco.

  • Super Falcons to face Japan’s Senior Women Team in Kobe

    Nine-time African champions and FIFA World Cup ever-present Nigeria will take on the Senior Women National Team of Japan in a prestige international friendly match at the Noevir Stadium, Kobe on Thursday, 6th October this year. The date falls within one of the FIFA Women International Windows for this year.

     Nadeshiko Japan, which is the alias of the Women National Team of Japan, are rated 13th in the world, while the Super Falcons are 39th.

     Both teams have clashed only once at competitive level – at the 2004 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament. Nadeshiko pipped the Falcons 1-0 at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on 14th August 2004.

     Two back-to-back friendlies in 2013 were won 2-0 each by Nadeshiko.

     Japan’s entertaining girls won the FIFA World Cup in Germany in 2011, beating Team USA in a pulsating penalty shoot-out after regulation time ended 2-2. Nadeshiko thus became the first team from Asia to win a senior FIFA World Cup trophy.

     The Super Falcons are perennial champions of the African continent and have participated at every FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991, reaching the quarter finals in 1999.

  • Paseiro loses second game as Ecuador pip Nigeria in New Jersey

      President of the Nigeria Football Federation and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick would have wanted a win for the Super Eagles against Ecuador in New Jersey on Thursday, in a game they created so many chances, but would nonetheless took positives from the three –time African champions’ tour of the United States of America, during which they also played perennial CONCACAF champions Mexico.

    “I am happy and I can tell you that we fulfilled our objectives of restoring the spirit of the Super Eagles following the failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. We lost both games against Mexico and Ecuador narrowly but we were up for it and never finished on the back foot. The boys gave a good account of themselves in both games.

    “Given the number of first-team players that were not available, we have to praise the boys who showed up here and gave their all. They have given us confidence going into the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The despondency is over and we can now march forward in sure-footed manner.”

    The 25,000 –capacity Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey was packed to overflowing as the Ecuadorians started the game in rampant manner, advertising silky touches and manifesting so much energy and invention. The boys of Gustavo Alfaro are going to their fourth FIFA World Cup finals and were in high spirit as they filed out against the Super Eagles.

    They were up and running and making life difficult for the Super Eagles on the natural turf, and in the 11th minute, Angel Delgado came close with a sliced shot that went narrowly over the sticks.

    Nigeria thought they had a penalty two minutes later when Terem Moffi was fouled in the box as he tried to get on the end of a sweet exchange between Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi, but the referee thought otherwise.

    In the 22nd minute, Uzoho did a good job to parry over an angled shot by Isaac Caicedo, and at the other end, Cyriel Dessers could not beat goalkeeper Alexander Domingueze when through on goal. Nigeria were rampant in a melee a minute later, with so many touches in the box from a corner, but the ball simply refused to go in.

    Moses Simon sent the ball sky-high from a 22-yard free kick in the 37th minute, and two minutes before recess, Dessers wasted another brilliant pass by Alex Iwobi.

    In the second period, just as they did against Mexico in Dallas on Saturday, the Super Eagles dominated and created a hatful of chances, but this time failed to put any away.  While keeping the dangerous quartet of Pervis, Caicedo, Sebastian Mendez and Enner Valencia quiet, the Eagles created chance after chance, silencing the wholly Ecuadorian crowd.

    Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, Iwobi, substitute Emmanuel Dennis, Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon were bright and bold, but Dessers wasted a couple of opportunities that would have tied the game.

    Next up for the Super Eagles is a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Sierra Leone, at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Thursday, 9th June.

  • Int’l Friendly: Mexico defeat Super Eagles 2-1 in Dallas

    In what was the first match of Coach José Peseiro as Head Coach of the Super Eagles, a largely under-strength squad fought courageously and commendably against CONCACAF ‘s perennial champions Mexico in an entertaining game that ended 2-1 at the iconic AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Saturday night.

     

    Missing so many first-team players including Captain Ahmed Musa and being the first time they were coming together for any session since the disappointment of 2022 FIFA World Cup ticket miss, the three –time African champions were projected to be sitting ducks for the Mexicans to roast in the State of Texas – a jurisdiction that shares a border with Mexico and where Mexico’s lingua franca, Spanish is taught in schools as a second language.

     

    The El Tri, dainty, cohesive, coherent and egged on by over 52,000 roaring spectators in the largest covered arena in the world, bossed the opening minutes with their crisp passes, awesome positional play and nonchalant telepathy. In this pulsating period, they were able to shoot ahead after 13 minutes when Santiago Gimenez found himself all alone with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and steered home despite Uzoho’s valiant efforts to keep the ball away.

     

    The arena, which also has the world’s largest hung-scoreboard (said to be bigger than a basketball court), rocked to its foundation after this, and the Eagles had to summon courage, sense of mission and ambition not to collapse entirely under pressure. Onslaught after onslaught led to several opportunities for the El Tri, but Uzoho and the Nigeria rearguard, with Semi Ajayi, William Ekong and Chidozie Awaziem kept the wolves off the door.

     

    Luis Francisco Romo, Captain Andres Guardado, Rodolfo Pizzaro, Jesus Gallardo, Roberto Alvarado and Gimenez sought to frisk the Nigeria defence now and again, but they could not breach the wall again.

     

    Peseiro opted for a flexible and interesting 3-5-2 formation, with Moses Simon and Calvin Bassey deployed as wing backs, and Joe Aribo, Alex Iwobi and Innocent Bonke serving in midfield. Cyriel Dessers and Terem Moffi searched for the goals.

     

    It was to the consternation of the overwhelming Mexican support and bench, led by Coach Gerardo Martino, when Nigeria equalized in the 54th minute, after Calvin Bassey’s superb in-swinger was nodded home by Dessers, with goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota scrambling in vain.

     

    However, the Eagles, while searching for a winner, conceded an unfortuitous own goal in the 56th minute, as Ekong swept into his own while trying to clear the ball from danger.

     

    Home –based professionals Sani Faisal, Victor Mbaoma, Chiamaka Madu and Ishaq Kayode who came in after the first 45 minutes, also gave good account of themselves.

     

    “I am happy with what we put up out there. It was the first time after the disappointment of the World Cup playoff and you can say this is a makeshift team, while Mexico had their full-strength squad out there. I like what I saw today and I have confidence that we have appointed the right coach that can restore the glory of the Super Eagles and make them start winning once more,” President of the NFF and FIFA Council Member, Amaju Pinnick, said after the game.

     

    Nigeria had eight shots on goal compared to Mexico’s 12, while Uzoho made four saves as against Cota’s one.

     

    The Eagles are scheduled to fly to New Jersey on Sunday morning, ahead of Thursday’s clash with Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison.

  • Nigeria/Brazil: Why international friendly match may not hold

    Nigeria/Brazil: Why international friendly match may not hold

    The much- anticipated international friendly match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Samba Boys of Brazil may be called off.

    Nigeria is billed to tackle Brazil in Singapore on October 13th.

    The match will take place only if the organisers are able to sort out the travelling arrangement of the Nigerian delegation, according to the Nation

    It was learnt that the Nigeria Football Federation’s delegation expected to travel on Tuesday, failed to get necessary travelling documents, including visas.

  • International friendly: Super Eagles to battle DRC in Port Harcourt

    The Rivers State Government has announced its readiness to host the International Friendly between the Super Eagles and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the Adokiye Amasiemaka Stadium, Port Harcourt on May 28, 2018.

    The agreement for the hosting of the Super Eagles and Democratic Republic of Congo in Port Harcourt on May 28, 2018 was reached after a high-profile meeting between the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, President of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinick and Super Eagles Coach, Gerhard Rohr at the Government House Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    Addressing journalists after the meeting at the Government House, Rivers State Sports Commissioner, Boma Iyaye said that the state government will do everything possible to ensure that the Adokiye Amasiemaka Stadium is ready for the International Friendly.

    The State Government thanked the Nigeria Football Federation for their collaboration targeted at the development of football in the country.

    He said: “Governor Wike has done well in terms of funding national sporting events. He hosted the African Wrestling Championship on behalf of the Federal Government. Now he is hosting the Super Eagles and Democratic Republic of Congo on behalf of the Federal Government. This is something that is worthy of commendation”.

    Also speaking, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinick commended the Rivers State Government and the people of the state for their unflinching support for the Super Eagles.

    He said that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is happy with the state of facilities at the Adokiye Amasiemaka Stadium.

    “We are playing on the 28th of May, 2018 against the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the match, the Rivers State Governor will host the two teams to a dinner”, he said.

    He said that the CAF President will watch the International Friendly in Port Harcourt.

    “Everywhere is home to the Super Eagles. Lagos, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Kano, Kaduna or Minna. They are Super Eagles of Nigeria and every part is integral to the development of football “, Pinick said.

    The NFF President outlined the World Cup preparation programme of the Super Eagles, saying that the target of the team is to lift the World Cup.

    Super Eagles Coach, Gerhard Rohr said that the Super Eagles need three major international friendlies to be prepared for the World Cup.

    Rohr said that he expects the Adokiye Amasiemaka Stadium to be fully ready for the Congolese friendly by the next four weeks.

    He said that some key players of the team are injured, adding that those on the injury list will be nurtured to fitness ahead of the World Cup.