Author: Peter Noah KC

THE 2023 CAF African Cup of Nations ended on Sunday night on a disappointing note for Nigeria’s Super Eagles as they lost the trophy to the host nation, Ivory Coast. The Ivorians won 2-1 against Nigeria, courtesy of goals from Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller who helped The Elephants clinch their third AFCON trophy. Below is the full list of awards given at the AFCON: Ecobank Best Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams – South Africa Air Côte d’Ivoire Fair Play Team award South Africa Puma Golden Boot Emilio Nsue – Equatorial Guinea (5 goals) Puma Silver Boot Gelson Dala – Angola (4…

THE Super Eagles of Nigeria made two changes to the starting lie-up for their AFCON 2023 final encounter with the host Ivory Coast. The Super Eagles recalled Samuel Chukwueze to the line-up while Zaidu Sanusi recovered from injury to make the starting XI. Moses Simon and Bright Osayi-Samuel are the players that were dropped to the bench by Jose Peseiro. It is, however, the usual players on the starting line-up with Victor Osimhen leading the line while Stanley Nwabali remains the man between the sticks. William Troost-Ekong captains the side and also leads his three-man backline that also includes trusted…

AFTER a record number of goals, unrelenting shocks and an apparent capacity for unceasing drama, the Africa Cup of Nations will finish on Sunday when either hosts Ivory Coast or fellow former champions Nigeria will be crowned kings of Africa. The Super Eagles are aiming for a fourth continental crown in Abidjan while the Ivorians are looking to add to their triumphs in 1992 and 2015. The teams will meet for the second time at this year’s finals, 24 days after the Ivorians suffered a first-ever home defeat by Nigeria when they won 1-0 in the group stage. The Elephants…

NIGERIA’s run to this Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final against hosts Ivory Coast is a personal triumph for coach Jose Peseiro, the veteran from Portugal who had been the subject of stinging criticism in the run-up to the tournament. The 63-year-old had been widely written off in Nigeria as the wrong man for the job long before they opened their AFCON campaign with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in Abidjan on January 14. Yet four weeks later he will lead the Super Eagles out at the same Ebimpe Olympic Stadium for a showdown against the Ivorians as Africa’s…

SOUTH Africa took third at the Africa Cup of Nations after beating DR Congo 6-5 on penalties to secure their best finish at a Nations Cup since 2000. Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams was the key man again, as the quarter-final hero saved two spot-kicks. First, DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba had the chance to win it, only for Williams to block, before Meshack Elia’s penalty was also saved. The game, which ended goalless, went straight to penalties after 90 minutes. In the quarter-final win against Cape Verde, Williams saved four penalties in the shootout. In Abidjan’s Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium,…

THE President of the Confederation of Africa Football, Patrice Motsepe, says President Bola Tinubu will attend the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in Ivory Coast. Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast clash in the final of the competition at the Alassanne Ouattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan, on Sunday. Motsepe made this known during a press conference on Friday at the Palace de la Culture in Trechville, Abidjan, after he was asked when Africa could host the World Cup again. He said, “Nigeria must put in a bid. The Nigerian president (Bola Tinubu) is coming to watch the final on Sunday. I…

CAF African Player of The Year, Victor Osimhen, has assured Nigerians that the Super Eagles are fully focused on winning the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, ahead of the final against the hosts. Nigeria reached the final of the 34th edition of the AFCON following a pulsating encounter against South Africa at the Stade de la Paix, Bouke, that saw the Eagles claim a 4-2 win on penalties after 120 minutes of football ended 1-1 on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was the Man of The Match as he saved two Bafana Bafana penalty kicks and during an Instagram…

THE Super Eagles will receive $7m (N8.9bn) if they win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. Nigeria reached the final of the 34th edition of the AFCON following a pulsating encounter against South Africa at the Stade de la Paix, Bouke, that saw the Eagles claim a 4-2 win on penalties after 120 minutes of football ended 1-1. As one of the finalists, the Eagles, alongside the hosts, who they face on Sunday, have already secured $4m. Earlier reported by this newspaper, Dr Patrice Motsepe, Confederation of Africa Football president, had announced a 40 per cent increment…

SUPER Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who plays for Chippa United in South Africa, has reportedly received threats from South African fans following his standout performance against the country. The South African fans reportedly warned him against returning to his club after the AFCON. Former Super Eagles international Idah Peterside revealed the threats while speaking on newsmen on Thursday, stating that some fans have warned Nwabali not to go back to Chippa United in South Africa after the AFCON tournament. While the threat has not been reported, it’s believed that some South Africans are displeased with Nwabali’s role in preventing their…

SUPER Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, expressed his affection for South Africa, stating that he loves the country as much as its fans love him. Nwabali shared this sentiment in a statement on his Instagram account following Nigeria’s advancement to the final of the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. Nwabali, who plays for South African Premier Soccer League, Chippa United, emphasized his passion for the game and his commitment to the team, affirming his admiration for South Africa despite the competitive atmosphere. He wrote, “This is a game I’m born to play. A night to remember!!!…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has celebrated with the Super Eagles after victory over South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 semi-final in Cote d’Ivore. The match finished 1-1 after extra time and the three-time champions will face hosts Ivory Coast or the Democratic Republic of Congo, who meet later, in the final on Sunday. Both regular-time goals also came from penalties with captain William Troost-Ekong scoring after 67 minutes for Nigeria and Teboho Mokoena equalised from a 90th-minute spot-kick. Before the commencement of the match, the vice president was sent by President Bola Tinubu to…

KELECHI Ihenacho scored the winning penalty for Super Eagles as Nigeria dumped Bafana Bafana of South Africa out of Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast (AFCON) 2023. Nigeria opened the scoring in the 67th minute through a penalty after Osimhen made his mark. He gets the ball and runs at three South African defenders only for Mothobi Mvala to step across the striker and bring him down. William Troost-Ekong, the former Watford defender and current Nigeria captain, took charge and scored. Bafana Keeper, Ronwen Williams dives to his left, Troost-Ekong side foots the ball down the middle. It’s not…

SUPER Eagles player, Victor Osimhen has been declared fit for the AFCON semi-final clash against South Africa on Wednesday (tomorrow). The Team Media Officer Babafemi Raji, on Tuesday, disclosed in a press statement that the African Player of the Year joined the team in Bouaké and trained with the squad Tuesday. Raji disclosed that Osimhen has been cleared fit and is available for selection in the game against South Africa. “Victor Osimhen has been declared fit and available for selection in the semi-final clash against South Africa on Wednesday. “He has joined the team in Bouaké and has trained with…

THERE are concerns about the availability of striker, Victor Osimhen for the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash against South Africa. According to a statement by the team on Monday, the Napoli striker is suffering from abdominal discomfort and has not traveled with the team to Bouaké, the city of Wednesday’s clash. The 25-year-old can however join the rest of the squad on Tuesday if he is cleared by the team’s medics. “Members of the team traveled from Abidjan to Bouaké today via a 10 pm Air Cote D’Ivoire flight. Osimhen did not however make the trip as…

TWO people reportedly killed as Yobe State Government confirms attack on Election Collation Centre at Kuareta along Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, about 20 kilometres from Damaturu by elements of insurgent group, Boko Haram. According to the State Security Adviser, Major-General Dahiru Abdulsalam (Rtd), the attack occured in the early hours of Sunday, February 4 during collation of results for the Yobe East Senatorial by-election held on Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. This newspaper gathered that the house of the District Head of Kurareta community was burnt down by the Boko Haram insurgents who launched deadly attack on the Election…

THE Nigeria Football Federation has attributed the Super Eagles’ AFCON quarter-final win to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. It promised that the team would win the trophy for the President. NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, speaking with the newsmen in Abidjan on Saturday, thanked Tinubu for his support, emphasizing the President’s commitment to sports development, particularly football. Following a 1-0 victory over Angola, secured by Ademola Lookman’s goal assisted by Moses Simon, Gusau praised Tinubu’s motivational words to the team. He noted that the President’s support for the team showed how committed he is to sports development, especially football. He…

NIGERIA captain William Troost-Ekong believes his team’s “fighting spirit” will make them Africa Cup of Nations champions for a fourth time. The Super Eagles booked a place in the semi-finals in Ivory Coast by beating Angola 1-0 on Friday. “I believe in the mentality of this team, the fighting spirit and that’s the thing that’s going to make us champions,” Troost-Ekong said. They next play on Wednesday against South Africa. It is 11 years since Nigeria last won Afcon, having previously lifted the title in 1980 and 1994 – and they were pushed all the way by an Angola side…

RONWEN Williams saved four shootout penalties as part of an outstanding goalkeeping display to help South Africa reach the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a gruelling win over Cape Verde following a goalless draw after extra time. Bebe, Willy Semedo, Laros Duarte and Bryan Teixeira were all denied by the inspired Williams, who also made a spectacular late save to tip Gilson Benchimol’s first-time strike against the woodwork with extra time looming during a contest largely characterised by poor finishing. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha also made two exceptional saves in quick succession shortly after extra time…

HOST nation Ivory Coast produced another amazing Africa Cup of Nations escape act as Oumar Diakite’s 122nd-minute winner sent the 10-man Elephants into the semi-finals at heartbroken Mali’s expense. The hosts played the majority of the game at a numerical disadvantage after Odilon Kossounou’s dismissal for two first-half fouls on Lassine Sinayoko and they fell behind to Nene Dorgeles’ classy curler. But the Elephants equalised right on 90 minutes through Simon Adringa’s opportunistic finish – and won it with virtually the last kick of extra time when Diakite diverted home Seko Fofana’s shot. Diakite left the field with mixed emotions,…

NIGERIAN defender, Kenneth Omeruo, has revealed that players of the Super Eagles are yet to be paid their bonuses at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations despite the widely-publicised approval of their competition funding by Nigeria president Bola Tinubu. The Kasimpasa defender also dispelled reports (not in News Point Nigeria) that some senior players are unhappy with squad captain Ahmed Musa, accusing him of not representing their interests and threatening to take their case directly higher authorities. “The report is a joke,” Omeruo told ESPN. Musa showed us at lunch and we laughed about it. “We are focused on…