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…
Author: Peter Noah KC
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…
DR CONGO came from behind to beat Guinea 3-1 and book a semi-final spot at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Mohamed Bayo put Guinea ahead with a 20th-minute penalty after the forward was fouled by Chancel Mbemba, who then fired in from a narrow angle at the other end to equalise seven minutes later. DR Congo had a penalty of their own in the second half when Julian Jeanvier clipped the legs of Silas and Brentford forward Yoane Wissa converted to give the Leopards the lead with 25 minutes left. The West Africans had little in response after going…
ADEMOLA Lookman’s first half goal was enough as the Super Eagles of Nigeria beat Angola to advance to semifinal of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Lookman, scoring his third goal of the knockout stage courtesy of Moses Simon’s perceptive pass during a rare instance of Angola’s defence leaving too much space inside their box. The Super Eagles are the new tournament favourites but their opponents looked confident and created occasional danger. This is the first time Nigeria have won four consecutive matches at a single Afcon edition without conceding a goal. Lookman has become the fourth Nigerian to…
THE Super Eagles of Nigeria are up against Angola in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final game on Friday, aiming to reach the semis of the competition for the first time in five years. Nigeria defeated arch-rivals Cameroon 2-0 in their last game to book a last-eight clash with the Palancas Negras of Angola. On the other hand, the South Africans smashed Namibia 3-0 to reach this stage of the competition. The Super Eagles started the AFCON on a shaky note, drawing Equatorial Guinea before slim wins over hosts Cote d’Ivoire and then Guinea-Bissau to reach the knockouts…
WITH the crunch quarter-final tie between Nigeria and Angola in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations fast approaching, Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, has asked Nigerians to support and pray for the team to come out victorious on Friday. Following the second round win over Cameroon on Saturday, the fitness of the Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali remains a big source off worry to millions of Nigerian football fans. Nwabali was stretchered off with an injury in the second round encounter against Cameroon and was replaced with second choice Francis Uzoho, who completed the game in the 2-0 win over…
SUPER Eagles players worked on their breathing techniques and run-ups for taking penalties should their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash against Angola go to shootouts on Friday. The training session took place at the Police College, Cocody. Jose Peseiro’s team will be facing an Angolan side at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan equally matched for records in the history of the tournament. Both teams have one win each and two draws in their last four meetings at the tournament. Nigerian duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Kenneth Omeruo were the most successful during the practice session as they scored all…
EIGHT teams have so far booked their places in the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as of Tuesday. Angola were the first to qualify after the Parancas Negras (Black Sable Antelopes) thrashed Namibia on Saturday evening. The attacking-sided team will now face the Super Eagles of Nigeria, believed to be one of the favourites of the competition, after beating the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. The surprise of the tournament was the Round 16 match between the hosts, Côte d’Ivoire, and the defending champions, Senegal, as the hosts advanced to the last eight, thanks to Frank Kessie’s penalty that…