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Tag: Rohr

  • World cup qualifiers: Rohr expresses optimism ahead of Super Eagles tricky tie against Blue Sharks

    World cup qualifiers: Rohr expresses optimism ahead of Super Eagles tricky tie against Blue Sharks

    Super Eagles’ coach Gernot Rohr is confident his team can get a positive result on the Island of Mindelo during their Match Day 2 fixture against Cape Verde on Tuesday.

    Nigeria took command of Group C following a 2-0 home win against Liberia’s Lone Star, courtesy of Kelechi Iheanacho’s brace at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Friday.

    But the team is depleted ahead of playing away to Cape Verde, due to COVID-19 red alert UK restrictions on the Island country.

    Rohr will not have the services of all the Britain-based players, including Leicester City forward Iheanacho who was Man of the Match against Liberia.

    Others who would not be available for Tuesday’s tie include defenders Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers) and William Ekong (Watford FC).

    The rest are midfielders Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers) and striker Alex Iwobi (Everton FC).

    Rohr described his side’s home win against Liberia as heart-warming in spite of “difficult conditions”.

    But he admitted that they have a huge game in their hands against the Blue Sharks at Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena on the island of Mindelo.

    “Some players are leaving because they cannot travel to Cape Verde and it’s not going to be easy to build a new team in two days.

    “We are going to play under two extreme conditions, after playing on a heavy grass due to the rain (at the Teslim Balogun Stadium) and then another game on a dry pitch (against Cape Verde).

    ”We are going to play with another defence, another midfield and without the goal scorer (Kelechi).

    “It is a challenge for the staff and the players but we have to show our solidarity, and with the 20 players going to Cape Verde, we would be able to make a good team.

    “We have to manage the situation without searching for alibis if it is not going well and that our team is able to bring about good performance even when we know it is going to be more difficult,” explained the 68-year-old Rohr.

    Meanwhile, team captain Ahmed Musa will be looking forward to Tuesday’s match with relish since he will be in line for his 100th international cap for Nigeria.

    The 28-year-old winger earned his 99th cap on Friday against Liberia after coming on as a second half substitute for Iheanacho.

    He will be the third Nigerian to reach the 100-cap landmark after former captains Vincent Enyeama and Joseph Yobo

  • Qatar 2022 Qualifiers: Rohr lists 30 Super Eagles for Liberia, Cape Verde

    Qatar 2022 Qualifiers: Rohr lists 30 Super Eagles for Liberia, Cape Verde

    The Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has called up a total of 30 players for next month’s opening rounds of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying competition.

    Nigeria will host Liberia in Lagos on Sept. 3 and visit Cape Verde in Mindelo on Sept. 7.

    Ademola Olajire, the Director of Communications at Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), in a statement on Thursday in Abuja said Rohr has stuck largely with his dependables in this list.

    “Goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho, as well as defenders William Ekong, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem and Leon Balogun, are on this list of players.

    ”We also have midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Oghenekaro Etebo, and forwards Ahmed Musa, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon and Victor Osimhen on the roster,” he said.

    Olajire however disclosed that the situation with the team’s UK-based players, who may not be heading to Cape Verde, has enlarged the roster.

    Cape Verde is on the red list of the British Government with regards to the global coronavirus pandemic.

    “Should the situation remain unchanged, in terms of the matter of exemptions, the eight UK-based players on the list will head back to base after the clash with Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Friday,” he said.

    NAN reports that the team’s 30-player list sees a return for South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Kevin Akpoguma and Greece-based forward Henry Onyekuru.

    Former junior international Kingsley Michael has also been called up, just as Innocent Bonke from Sweden joins the Nigerian camp for the first time.

    The Super Eagles, who have featured in six of the past seven FIFA World Cup finals, host the Lone Star of Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

    The match is scheduled for Sept. 3 with kick-off set at 5 p.m.

    They then travel to the island of Mindelo to tango with the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde on Match Day 2 of the series on Sept. 7.

    Central African Republic (CAR) are the other team in the group, and they will line up for home-and-away encounters with the Super Eagles in October.

    THE FULL LIST

    Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

    Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy)

    Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)

    Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland)

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Samuel Kalu (FC Bordeaux, France); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy)

    Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium)

    SEVEN OTHERS ON STANDBY: Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Henry Onyekuru (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia)

    Innocent Bonke (Malmo FF, Sweden); Valentine Ozornwafor (Sporting Charleroi, Belgium); Tyronne Ebuehi (Venezia FC, Italy); Kingsley Michael (Bologna FC, Italy).

  • 2021 AFCON: Rohr reacts to Super Eagles group opponents

    2021 AFCON: Rohr reacts to Super Eagles group opponents

    Gernot Rohr has reacted to the Super Eagles Group D opponents at next year’s AFCON in Cameroon.

    The Eagles were drawn against seven-time champions Egypt, 1970 AFCON winners Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.

    Rohr’s team will open their campaign against Egypt on January 11, face Sudan on January 15 before taking on Guinea-Bissau on January 19.

    “We have a tough group. Egypt, everybody knows and everybody wanted to avoid. But they are with us, it is okay,” he told ESPN.
    “Sudan also. They have a French coach, a friend of mine, who did a good job since he arrived there, coming out from a difficult group. Also Guinea Bissau is not easy.

    “We will be very, very well prepared. We need to be ready for this first match against Egypt in Garoua.”

    The competition will take place between January 9 2022 and February 6 2022 across five cities in Cameroon.

  • AFCON 2021 Draw: Why we want to avoid Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire – Super Eagles coach Rohr

    AFCON 2021 Draw: Why we want to avoid Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire – Super Eagles coach Rohr

    The delayed TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 to be held between January 9 and February 6, 2022 would not be for the faint-hearted according to Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.

    Palpable fears are coming out of the Cameroonian capital city of Yaoundé as the 24 teams including the hosts will know their fate later today when the draw for the continent’s flagship tournament is made at the Palais des Congrès (Conférence Centre).

    Already in Yaounde for the draws, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr told Nation Sport that all coaches are waiting with bathed breath for the draws , adding none of the six seeded teams would wish to have either AFCON record seven-time winners Egypt or 2015 winners Cote d’Ivoire in their company.

    With Nigeria being one of the six seeded teams including hosts Cameroon, defending champions Algeria, Senegal, Tunisia and Morocco, the exigencies of the draw means the Super Eagles can be drawn against any of the six teams in the so-called second-zone that house Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali Egypt, Guinea and Burkina Faso.

    “I have had good conversations also with my colleagues,” Rohr told NationSport.“ Every one of the top 6 wants to avoid Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire.

    “But we will accept and respect all the teams,” added the German.

    In a related development, CAFOnline.com quoted a Cameroonian sports intermediary Billy Houto as saying that the hosts must avoid both Egypt and Ghana in the preliminary first round to have any realistic chance of progressing further in the tournament.

  • Why only home-based players were invited for Mexico friendly – Rohr

    Why only home-based players were invited for Mexico friendly – Rohr

    Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has explained why only home-based players will execute the international friendly game against Mexico in the United States of America.

    The home-based Eagles friendly game with Mexico is billed to hold at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, on July 4.

    And in a chat with Completesports.com, Rohr said the Super Eagles A team players were on break ahead of their pre season preparations hence the decision to execute the game with the home-based players.

    “The match against Mexico is for home based players because our main Super Eagles players are not free to come, they are in their clubs for pre season ahead of a new season.

    “This is a team from Nigeria, the best local players, some of them are already in our A team. The goalkeeper from Enyimba and a winger, plus Ezenwa who is experienced hand have been capped previously.

    “This is a team for CHAN, it is a good preparation for them. It will be difficult to get a result because Mexico is a very wonderful team. They’ll go there to learn and I will watch and see if I can get other players for the Super Eagles A team.”

    Rohr continued: “You cannot play against Mexico and say you will win it with these home-based players. It is not our A team and it will not count for FIFA rankings. The most important thing is not the results but to test the players discover new players and evolve new tactics.”

    The German coach said that the team will be coached by the duo of Austin Eguavoen who is the technical director at the Nigeria Football Federation with his deputy Paul Aigbogun.

    He said he would be there to watch the players they selected and see if he can pick some of them for the A team.

    “Though I am not the coach of the CHAN Eagles, but I think the players selected for this game stand a good chance of making the CHAN squad. Eguavoen and his assistants picked the team with the aid of Salisu Yusuf, Imama and other top coaches from the domestic league It will be interesting to see these players perform.”

  • [Full List] Rohr Invites 25 Home-based Players For Nigeria vs Mexico Friendly

    [Full List] Rohr Invites 25 Home-based Players For Nigeria vs Mexico Friendly

    Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has invited 25 home-based players for next month’s international friendly against Mexico.

    The 25-man list that has the likes of goalkeepers John Noble, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Anayo Iwuala was announced on Sunday.

    The game which will hold inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, will take place on July 4.

    Invited players are expected to report at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja on Tuesday, 22nd June with their travel documents.

    Only 22 of them will travel to the United States for the friendly.

    The last time the Eagles took on Mexico was in another friendly in March 2014 which ended goalless.

    Next month game will be the fourth straight friendly between both countries with the last three ending in draws.

    The 25 home-based players for Mexico friendly are:

    (Goalkeepers)

    Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland)
    John Noble (Enyimba)

    (Defenders)

    Olisa Ndah (Akwa United)
    Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors)
    Tope Olusesi (Rangers)
    Ifeanyi Anaemena (Rivers United)
    Christopher Nwaeze (Kwara United)
    Enyinnaya Kazie (Rivers United)
    Mohammed Zirkiflu (Plateau United)
    Imoh Ubot (Enyimba)
    Tebo Franklin (Nasarawa United)
    Lawal Oriyomi (Kwara United)

    (Midfielders)

    Anthony Shimaga (Rangers)
    Seth Mayi (Akwa United)
    Uche Nwasonaya (Plateau United)
    Samuel Nnoshiri (Katsina United)
    Ekundayo Ojo (Enyimba)

    (Forwards)

    Anayo Iwuala (Enyimba)
    Stephen Jude (Kwara United)
    Ibrahim Olawoyin (Rangers)
    Charles Ashimene (Akwa United)
    Chinonso Ezekwe (Rangers)
    Auwalu Ali Malam (Kano Pillars)
    Neurot Emmanuel (Plateau United)
    Abdulmutalif Sanusi (Katsina United)

  • Musa, Uzoho, Ozornwafor to start against Cameroon – Rohr

    Musa, Uzoho, Ozornwafor to start against Cameroon – Rohr

    The trio of Ahmed Musa, Francis Uzoho and Valentine Ozornwafor will start for the Super Eagles in Tuesday’s friendly game against Cameroon in Austria.

    This was revealed by Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr after the team’s training session on Monday in preparation for the second friendly against the five-time AFCON champions.

    Uzoho was benched in the first game against the Indomitable Lions on Friday while Musa and Ozornwafor came on in the second half.

    In a chat with the Super Eagles media: “Observations are positive because some of the players who arrived from Nigeria were not so fit for the first game. They have now recovered well and we should be better physically,” he told Super Eagles media.

    “There will be some changes in the team, Francis Uzoho will be in goal, (Ahmed) Musa will start because he is fit, we lost Troost-Ekong so Valentine (Ozornwafor) will come in for the first time.

    “There matches are made to test some players who have not played so much and also to have new organization maybe try something different and we want to win it also because we have never won in Austria after four games.“

    Rohr added that winning the game against Cameroon is not the most important thing for his team but rather to see what the new players can offer.

    “The most important thing is not the result, the most important is to progress to learn to work. We have 16 players who could not come, five central defenders, two defensive midfielders (Joe) Aribo, (Frank) Onyekuru, all the strikers could not come, the wingers, (Samuel) Kalu, Henry (Onyekuru), (Victor) Osimhen, Simy (Nwankwo) and (Umar) Sadiq also could not come because of the play-offs.

    “It is a different camping but we have some experience now, we are interested in the new players and what they can do in this match against Cameroon.“

  • Gernot Rohr hands Onovo late call-up for Cameroon friendly

    Gernot Rohr hands Onovo late call-up for Cameroon friendly

    Gernot Rohr has handed a late invitation to Vincent Onovo ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly between the Super Eagles and Cameroon.

    Onovo, 25, who is already in the team’s camp, plays for Hungarian club Ujpest Football Club.

    He was drafted into the team following injuries to vice-captain William Troost-Ekong and left-back Jamilu Coliins.

    Onovo was a former player of Finnish clubs Inter Turku and HJK Helsinki.

    Meanwhile, according to camp sources , Troost-Ekong has already left camp for checks on his injury.
    The Super Eagles lost 1-0 to the Indomitable Lions in the first friendly last Friday.

    Tuesday’s friendly against the 2021 AFCON hosts and five-time African champions will take place at the Stadion Weiner Neustadt, Vienna.

  • International friendly: Rohr picks Musa, Ekong, 22 others for Cameroon

    International friendly: Rohr picks Musa, Ekong, 22 others for Cameroon

    Coach Gernot Rohr has selected captain Ahmed Musa, deputy captain William Ekong and home boys John Noble and Anayo Iwuala among the 24 Super Eagles who will do battle with five-time African champions Cameroon in a prestige friendly in Austria on Friday next week.

    The list also has goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho, defenders Ola Aina and Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Abdullahi Shehu, and forwards Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon and Simy Nwankwo,

    Turkey –based former U20 defender Valentine Ozornwafor, Denmark –based midfielder Frank Onyeka and Lorient FC of France’s Terem Moffi are also included.

    Nigeria, who have won the Africa Cup of Nations three times but have been bumped by Cameroon in the final of the competition on three other occasions, defeated the Indomitable Lions 3-0 in a friendly in Belgium in October 2015, and have not lost to the Lions in regulation time since a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Yaounde on 27th August 1989.

    THE FULL LIST

    Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

    Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, The Netherlands); Valentine Ozornwafor (Galatasaray FC, Turkey)

    Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Abdullahi Shehu (Omonia Nicosia, Cyprus); Frank Onyeka (FC Midtjylland, Denmark); Abraham Marcus (CD Feirense, Portugal)

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars FC); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Peter Olayinka (Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Anayo Iwuala (Enyimba FC); Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Simy Nwankwo (Crotone FC, Italy)

  • AFCON Qualifiers: Rohr inivtes Captain Musa, 23 others for Squirrels, Crocodiles

    AFCON Qualifiers: Rohr inivtes Captain Musa, 23 others for Squirrels, Crocodiles

    Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has invited 24 players in preparation for 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying battles with Benin Republic and Lesotho scheduled for March 27 and March 30 respectively.

    A statement issued by Ademola Olajire, Director of Media and Communications, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said the Super Eagles who are top of Group E log with eight points would be hosted by the Squirrels of Benin Republic on March 27, in Porto Novo.

    Olajire stated that the team would then return to the country on March 30, to face the Crocodiles of Lesotho, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, for the concluding match of the qualifying series.

    The list of players invited for the double-header included captain Ahmed Musa, deputy captain William Ekong, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Victor Osimhen.

    Also invited are Enyimba FC goalkeeper John Noble, defenders Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo and Olaoluwa Aina, midfielders Oghenekaro Etebo and Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, and forwards Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze.

    Abdullahi Shehu also made the list as a midfielder this time and a first senior call-up for Spain–based forward Sadiq Umar.
    Seven players, including long-time goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, are on standby.

    The Super Eagles could earn a ticket to the finals in Cameroon before kick-off in Porto Novo, should Lesotho and Sierra Leone end their encounter in Maseru in a stalemate.

    The result of the match would be known before the kick-off of the encounter between Super Eagles and the Squirrels of Benin Republic, in Porto Novo.

    It will be recalled that Rohr had steered Nigeria to qualifying for two major tournaments: 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

    THE FULL LIST

    Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

    Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, The Netherlands)

    Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Abdullahi Shehu (Omonia Nicosa, Cyprus); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Unattached); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Sadiq Umar (Almeria FC, Spain); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (FC Girondins Bordeaux, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France)

    Standby: Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Peter Olayinka (Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Michael Olise (Reading FC, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors).