Author: Peter Noah KC

AS the days to the kickoff match for the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations draw closer, there are quite some fascinating facts to know about the continent’s highly revered football tournament. The tournament which will start on January 13, 2024, with the opening match between the host country, Cote d’Ivoire, and Group A opponent, Guinea-Bissau, will end on February 11, 2024. In this piece, we highlight some facts about the AFCON as shared by CAFOnline.com: * The first AFCON tournament took place in Sudan in 1957. Only three countries, hosts Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia, took part in that…

SUPER Eagles coach Jose Peseiro is keeping his cards close to his chest about his preferred goalkeeper for the Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off on Saturday in Ivory Coast. Nigeria’s first match is against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium. Peseiro has tested all three goalkeepers in his final 25-man squad but was reserved about his conviction after the pre-AFCON friendly game against Guinea on Monday. “Stanley played, I can’t say for anyone who the first 11, I will decide against Equatorial Guinea,” Peseiro told NFF TV. While Nwabali was left out of the 12-0…

SUPER Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has charged Nigerians not to lose trust in the team as they hope to win a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title at the 34th edition of the tournament, which holds from January 13 to February 11 in Ivory Coast. The three-time champions are in Group A, which also has hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. Musa’s wish is coming after the Eagles lacklustre pre-AFCON friendly, which they lost 2-0 to Guinea at the Bani Yas Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Monday. The game marked the end of their one-week training camp…

THE Super Eagles will be without Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the youngster picked up an injury, the second Nigerian player to be ruled out of the tournament.  Leicester City’s midfielder Wilfred Ndidi had been ruled out of the competition over an injury but the latest development means the three-time African champions are heading to the AFCON without one of the most prolific goal scorers in Europe. “U20 Nations Cup got injured 7 days before Nations Cup,” a devastated Boniface wrote on his X account late Monday. “Super Eagles got injured…

DOYIN Okupe, former Director-General of Peter Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organization, has resigned from the Labour Party. Okupe made this known in a letter sent to the leadership of the party on Monday. He attributed his resignation to ideological differences, saying his lifelong alignment as a right-wing and liberal democrat clashed with LP’s left-of-center ideology. “I submit herewith my letter of resignation from the Labour Party with effect from today. You will recall that our flagbearer, Mr Peter Obi, myself and others left the PDP abruptly and had to look for a Special Purpose Vehicle in which to contest the 2023…

FORMER Nigeria defender, Sam Sodje, has said that the Super Eagles need to work on their defending, adding that they will need a solid backline to win the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Sodje claimed that head coach Jose Peseiro named an imbalanced Eagles squad for the AFCON tournament scheduled to hold from from January 13 to February 11 in Ivory Coast. The Portuguese gaffer invited 25 players to camp to prepare the tournament, which starts in eight days. The Eagles are among the favourites to qualify out of Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast for the next round…

FORMER Super Eagles assistant coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, says the three-time African champions are under pressure to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. The gaffer said Victor Osimhen, the CAF Player of The Year, should not be placed under undue pressure to fire the squad to glory. Osimhen, who finished as the top scorer during the AFCON qualifying series with 10 goals, is poised to lead the Eagles star-studded attack at the tournament as the three-time African champions begin their quest for a fourth title in Ivory Coast. According to Amuneke, the Eagles squad is more important than…

THE 2024 Africa Cup of Nations takes place in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11. Some of the biggest names in world football will feature at the tournament, and AFP Sport picks out five to follow: VICTOR OSIMHEN (Nigeria) The prospect of Osimhen leading Nigeria into the AFCON is a mouthwatering one for Super Eagles fans. He heads to Ivory Coast fresh from being named the African player of the year for 2023 off the back of his brilliant form in Napoli’s run to the Serie A title. He scored 26 goals for Napoli last season but has…

A FORMER Chairman of the Gombe Football Association Ahmed Gara-Gombe does not believe in the capabilities of Super Eagles Head Coach Jose Peseiro, describing his appointment as one of the greatest mistakes in Nigerian football. “Since the time of Clemens Westerhof, we never had a transition, a championship without confusion, without uncertainty, turning Nigerians into prayer warriors, praying for somebody to lose before we win; even from the qualification to where we are, I do not have confidence in the system,” he said on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by News Point Nigeria. “In the first place,…

SUPER Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, tops the list of high-profile Nigerian players whose contracts will expire this June. The 31-year-old winger joined Sivasspor on a two-year deal in September 2022 after terminating his contract with Fatih Karagumruk by mutual consent. His current contract lapses this summer and talks of renewal are yet to commence according to reports in Turkey. Musa, who was included in the Eagles squad for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nation which kicks off in nine days in Ivory Coast, is Nigeria’s most capped player having made 108 appearances for the three-time African Champion since his debut…

MULTICHOICE, owners of Digital Satellite Television( DStv) have stated that the Africa Cup of Nations tournament will not be broadcast on its sporting channel, SuperSport. According to the company in a statement, SuperSport channels will not transmit the tournament “because the channel has not secured the rights to broadcast the tournament..” “However, AFCON 2023 games will be available through our partner broadcast stations on Free to Air (FTA) channels.” “Multichoice Africa remains committed to ensuring football fans across Africa continue to enjoy unrivalled access to entertainment and football games available on DStv and GOtv platforms including, the Premier League, LaLiga,…

IN the last few years, Nigeria’s goalkeeping crisis has been well documented and Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has brought on South Africa-based shot-stopper, Stanley Nwabali, as the Portuguese aims to solve the problematic area of his squad. Chippa United safe hands Nwabali was a surprise inclusion in the Eagles 25-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, which begins January 13. Since the forced retirement of Carl Ikeme in 2018 after being diagnosed with leukaemia, several goalkeepers have been tested with none possessing the same quality as the former Wolves goalkeeper. Francis Uzoho’s howlers against Saudi…

THE Super Eagles camp for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has opened in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Coach Jose Peseiro has already named 25 players for the competition which begins mid-January in the West African nation of Cote d’Ivoire. Barring one home-based player, the other invitees are expected in camp from their different European bases. But Samuel Chukwueze of AC Milan, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, William Troost-Ekong, and Sadiq Umar of Real Sociedad have been granted permission to feature for their sides in games later today. They will then hit the camp on Wednesday. Nigeria will be…

FORMER Super Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama, has dropped a cryptic message on Instagram hinting that he could join the technical crew of national team when the camp opens on Tuesday (today) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Enyeama made this known on Monday when he reacted to a post about the team’s AFCON preparationson the official Instagram account of the Super Eagles. They will begin a one-week training camp on Tuesday (today) that will last until January 9. He wrote, “Let’s go, See you in camp. Time for business.” Enyeama unofficial appointment see joins the growing list of ex-goalies Alloy…

CROSS River State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of some passengers around Nde 3 Corners Akparabong Junction in Ikom Local Government Area of the state. The passengers, who were in transit, were said to have been ambushed by gunmen who shot at their vehicles, injuring three, while the gunmen took away an unspecified number. The spokesperson for the command, SP Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the incident, however, declined to give details of the attack but said the incident occurred on Sunday. Ugbo said efforts were on to secure the release of the abducted passengers and also ensure no repeat…

CURRENT all-time highest goal scorer in the Nigeria Premier Football League, Mfon Udoh, has again stated his desire to see his 23-goal record, which he set in 2014, broken this season. Udoh won the NPFL Golden Boot and cemented his name in the history of the league with an unprecedented 23-goal while playing for Enyimba, smashing Jude Aneke’s 20-goal record. Ten years after setting the record, he believes the current leading scorers in the league this season might be able to set a new record. Remo Stars striker, Sikiru Alimi has scored 11 goals this season in 16 games while…

LESS than 24 hours after making the final 25-man AFCON squad, Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, is a major doubt for the Super Eagles for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. Iheanacho was not included in Leicester’s matchday squad for the away win at Cardiff City on Friday night after he sustained a muscle injury in the Foxes 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town on Boxing Day. His manager, Enzo Maresca, revealed after the game that the versatile forward is still being assessed. Maresca admitted that if it proves to be serious, the 27-year-old will not be able…

THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports of a jersey launch for the Super Eagles as they prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament to be held in Cote d’Ivoire next year. Images of a supposed jersey unveiled by popular American footwear and apparel company Nike made the rounds across social media in the week. Reacting to the trend, the NFF disclosed in a statement via X on Friday which read, “We want to inform the general public that this news is not true. “At the moment we have no jersey being launched for the Super Eagles…

SUPER Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has released his 25-man list for the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with captain Ahmed Musa making the cut while Enyimba’s Olorunleke Ojo is the only home-based player. The list, which was released on Friday evening, is headlined by Victor Osimhen and also includes the much-criticized Francis Uzoho. The Nigerian side, gunning for its fourth title, have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea Bissau. The Portuguese manager had in earlier December unveiled a 40-man provisional squad, including three goal-keepers from the local league. However, in the…

REMO Stars striker, Sikiru Alimi has moved one goal clear on top of the Nigeria Premier Football League scorers’ chart, scoring his 11th goal of the season in their 3-1 defeat against Heartland at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri on Thursday, The PUNCH reports. Alimi restored parity in the 69th-minute for the league leaders but the relegation-threatened hosts came up with two goals in stoppage time courtesy of Onyekachi Okafor and Chinedu Ike to end the game 3-1. Alimi’s closest challenger for the Golden Boot, Robert Mizo, who has 10 goals, fired blanks as Bayelsa United lost 2-1 at home…