TheNewsGuru

Tag: World cup

  • Early arrivals: 6 players hit Super Eagles camp ahead of Ghana vs Nigeria’s WCQ

    Early arrivals: 6 players hit Super Eagles camp ahead of Ghana vs Nigeria’s WCQ

    Six (6) players have arrived in the Super Eagles camp ahead of Nigeria’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier encounter against eternal rivals, Black Stars of Ghana.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the six early arrivals are William Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina, Frank Onyeka and Odion Ighalo.

    The six players are the ones to hit camp earlier ahead of 25 players invited for the encounter, with Ademola Lookman making his first call up for Nigeria.

    The goalkeepers invited for the encounter are Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and Daniel Akpeyi.

    The defenders are Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Balogun, Aina, Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi and Shehu Abdullahi.

    The midfielders are Innocent Bonke used to replace Wilfred Ndidi, who got injured, Joe Aribo, Onyeka, Oghenekaro Etebo and Akinkunmi Amoo.

    The forwards invited are Ahmed Musa, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen, Ighalo, Sadiq Umar, Kelechi Iheanacho, Emmanuel Dennis and Lookman.

    Meanwhile, on standby are Chidozie Awaziem, Jamilu Collins, Chidera Ejuke, Taiwo Awoniyi, Paul Onuachu, Peter Olayinka and Ogenyi Onazi.

    TNG reports Nigeria and Ghana face off in a two-leg fixture for one of Africa’s five slots at Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, first in Cape Coast on March 25 and then in Abuja on March 29.

  • Russia remains suspended from 2022 World Cup qualifiers

    Russia remains suspended from 2022 World Cup qualifiers

    The Russian Football Union (RFU) has failed in a bid to stay the suspension of its national team from World Cup qualifying, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Friday.

    The RFU had wanted a decision from the ruling body FIFA frozen until a full decision from CAS on its appeal against a FIFA suspension in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    The CAS said: “The challenged decision remains in force and all Russian teams and clubs continue to be suspended from participation in FIFA competitions.”

    Russia were originally due to host Poland in a play-off match next Thursday.

    The winners are to advance into a deciding game for a place at the World Cup against Sweden or the Czech Republic on March 29.

    FIFA declared Poland winners by walk-over after Russia’s suspension.

    Poland, Sweden and the Czechs said before the suspension they would refuse to play against Russia.

    The CAS had earlier in the week also rejected a Russian appeal to stay a suspension of its national teams and clubs by the European body UEFA.

    Germany’s RB Leipzig got a walk-over in the Europa League last 16 against Spartak Moscow.

    Arbitration proceedings will now continue, but a date for a hearing is yet to be set while the CAS said that written submissions are being exchanged by the involved parties.

    Russian athletes and those from Belarus have been banned from competing in many sports after the invasion.

  • FIFA kick Russia out of 2022 World Cup qualifiers

    FIFA kick Russia out of 2022 World Cup qualifiers

    Russia have been kicked out from the 2022 World Cup qualifying play-off, which allows scheduled opponent Poland to automatically advance to the Path B final, where they will play either Sweden or Czech Republic.

    The action comes in response to Russia’s recent military invasion of Ukraine, which has been condemned around Europe and led Poland to say they would refuse to play Russia.

    Also related to the invasion, Ukraine’s play-off with Scotland has been postponed until June.

    A statement from FIFA read: “Subsequent to the decision of 28 February 2022 taken jointly with the UEFA Executive Committee to suspend all Russian teams from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice, the Bureau of the FIFA Organising Committee decided that Poland will receive a bye to the final of Path B due to take place on 29 March 2022, in which they will face the winners of the match between Sweden and the Czech Republic.”

  • Flamingoes brush DR Congo in U17 Women World Cup qualifiers

    Flamingoes brush DR Congo in U17 Women World Cup qualifiers

    Flamingoes, Nigeria’s U17 women’s team on Sunday bagged a comprehensive win over their Democratic Republic of Congo counterparts.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Flamingoes won the match 0-3 away in Kinshasa as they began their journey to the FIFA U17 World Cup in India.

    The goals came from Blessing Emmanuel, Oluwatunmininu Adeshina and Taiwo Ajakaye in the 36th, 66th and 76th minutes of play respectively.

    The Flamingoes got the crucial advantage, heading towards the second leg in two weeks time at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

    With the win, the Flamingoes are in pole position to qualify for the third-round in the African qualifying campaign of the FIFA U17 World Cup.

    Nigeria started the game on the front foot, showing their intent as early as the fifth minute, but Ajakaye and Taiwo Afolabi could not convert their chances.

    Seven minutes later, Ajakaye was presented with another chance, but she was denied by Congolese goalkeeper Luleme.

    The chance sprung the home side into action, forcing Flamingoes goalkeeper Omilana into a smart save.

    However, their resistance was finally broken in the 36th minute as Emmanuel fired home from Usani’s cross to put Nigeria ahead.

    Emmanuel’s goal ensured Nigeria went into the break with the lead. The second half resumed the way the first half ended, with Nigeria dominating possession.

    However, they had to wait until the 66th-minute before doubling their lead, courtesy of a fine strike Adeshina.

    Adeshina’s goal killed off any hope DR Congo had left, and it got worse for them when they were reduced to ten girls after Alvine Dah Zossu was sent off for a dangerous tackle.

    Nigeria took advantage of the numerical advantage as they scored their third of the game through Ajakaye, who rounded the goalkeeper for a simple finish.

    Ajakaye’s strike proved to be the final goal of the match as Nigeria secured an emphatic win going into the second leg in two weeks.

  • French football chief suggests Russia be thrown out of FIFA World Cup

    French football chief suggests Russia be thrown out of FIFA World Cup

    French Football Federation president Noël Le Graët has become the first major football official to suggest Russia should be thrown out of the men’s World Cup following the invasion of Ukraine.

    Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic have all refused to play Russia next month in the play-offs for the tournament in Qatar in November and December.

    “That is my first impulse,” Le Graët said on Sunday when asked if Russia should be banned from the tournament.

    “The world of sports, and football in particular, cannot remain neutral. I will certainly not object to Russia’s exclusion.”

    World football body FIFA must make the decision and Le Graët, 80, is on the governing FIFA Council.

    Russia hosted the last men’s FIFA World Cup in 2018.

  • World Cup playoff: CAF shifts Super Eagles, Ghana clash

    World Cup playoff: CAF shifts Super Eagles, Ghana clash

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Monday informed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the Super Eagles will now take on Ghana’s Black Stars on new dates.

    Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, disclosed in a statement that the 2022 FIFA World Cup play-off round fixture between Nigeria and Ghana would not hold on the earlier announced dates.

    The two matches were earlier scheduled for March 24 and March 27.

    “The opening leg of the fixture at the Cape Coast Stadium will now take place on March 25, starting from 7:30 p.m Ghana time, which will be 8:30 p.m in Nigeria.

    “The return leg match will now hold at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on March 29, starting from 6 p.m Nigeria time,” Olajire stated.

    The winners over the two legs will advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup billed for Qatar from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18.

  • Minister hails D ‘Tigress’ qualification for FIBA world cup

    Minister hails D ‘Tigress’ qualification for FIBA world cup

    Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has congratulated the Nigerian national women basketball team, D’Tigress, for picking a ticket to the FIBA Women World Cup.

    The D’ Tigress who are three times Afrobasketball champions beat their Malian opponents 73-69 on Sunday in Serbia to qualify as Africa’s sole representative.

    They had earlier beaten the highly rated, world number five, France 67-65, after losing their opening game to China.

    The minister praised the queens of the court for doing the nation proud and showing dogged determination in all their games.

    The FIBA Women Basketball World Cup will take place on Sydney, Australia in September

  • NBBF president hails D’Tigress as team secures world cup ticket

    NBBF president hails D’Tigress as team secures world cup ticket

    Igoche Mark, the President, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has congratulated D’Tigress over the team’s qualification for the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup.

    D’Tigress on Friday qualified for the 2022 FIBA Women World Cup to be hosted in Australia later in the year after a 67-65 win against world number five-ranked team, France.

    The reigning African Champions had put up a strong resistance but bowed to the superior power of China in their opening game, losing 76-90 to the seventh ranked team in the world on Thursday.

    However, the team led by Coach Otis Hughley did just enough in their second game against France as the D’Tigress rallied back from a 17-point deficit in the first quarter to snatch a win and book their second consecutive world cup outing with a game to spare.

    Second quarter saw a more purposeful and dominant D’Tigress crawl their way back into the game with a 16-10 points win to close the first half 27-38.

    Not comfortable with the scores, the team applied more pressure to win the third quarter 21-14 before another impressive 19-13 points finish in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

    Congratulating the ladies, Mark said that the team showed the true Nigerian spirit by defying the odds to beat the fifth best Women’s Basketball team in the FIBA rankings.

    “Congratulations dear Champions,I have never doubted your abilities.

    “Thank you for putting up a good fight. You have made the federation proud, the country is proud by your performance.

    “You defied every odd to beat one of the best basketball team in the world, that’s the Nigerian spirit.

    “You have conquered one of the best in the world and it is now time to step it up a notch as we stand solidly behind you in your next game against Mali. Keep soaring higher,” he said.

    The NBBF boss also appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, adding that the team’s victory couldn’t have been possible without their continuous and relentless support for the NBBF.

    NAN also reports that second placed Nigeria will face Mali later on Saturday (today), while France will hope to bounce back when they meet China

  • BREAKING: NFF confirms date for final leg of Nigeria vs Ghana 2022 World Cup qualifier

    BREAKING: NFF confirms date for final leg of Nigeria vs Ghana 2022 World Cup qualifier

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) the date for the final leg of the Nigeria vs Ghana FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifier match.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the NFF confirmed the date on Wednesday in a potentially explosive fixture that will be held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Sunday, 27th March 2022.

    However, the Ghana Football Association was yet to confirm whether the first leg inside the Cape Coast Stadium will be on Wednesday, 23rd March or Thursday, 24th March.

    The final leg encounter will be the 59th clash at senior level between both West African giants in a chequered 71-year rivalry.

    It will also be the first game involving the Super Eagles at the country’s premium sporting arena since the Eagles defeated Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane 3-1 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on 15th October 2014.

    Nigeria reached the play-off round after topping a qualifying pool that included Cape Verde, Liberia and the Central African Republic while Ghana emerged from the section that had South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia.

  • World Cup 2022: I won’t go to Qatar if Ghana beat Nigeria – Billionaire, Aliko Dangote vows

    World Cup 2022: I won’t go to Qatar if Ghana beat Nigeria – Billionaire, Aliko Dangote vows

    Nigerian billionaire, Aliko Dangote, has said he will not visit Qatar to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup if Nigeria fails to qualify.

    Dangote, Africa’s richest men said Nigeria qualifying to the world cup will bring pride to the Nation and not only him.

    Speaking on his visit to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, the venue that will host Nigeria’s second leg against Ghana, he highlighted the significance of the Super Eagles qualifying for the World Cup.

    “It is not only important to me, but it is also important to all of us here, that is what will make us proud as Nigerians,” he said as quoted by sunnewsonline.com.

    He continued by adding that, should Nigeria fail to qualify, he has no business in Qatar.

    “If Nigeria does not qualify, I won’t go there,” he added.

    The Black Stars are looking to return to the tournament after missing out in the last edition in Russia in 2018.

    Nigeria who have played in the last three editions of the World Cup will look to qualify for the fourth consecutive time.

    The play-off ties will be played between March 24 and 29, 2022 with exact dates and kick-off times to be confirmed after CAF liaises with the two countries’ associations.