A year to cherish!
A year ago, we were all in shock and sorrow following the failure of the team to qualify for the 2012 finals that were staged in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, and after the first leg ended 2-2 in Monrovia, I must confess that there were real fears. My biggest appreciation is to His Excellency, President […]
A year ago, we were all in shock and sorrow following the failure of the team to qualify for the 2012 finals that were staged in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, and after the first leg ended 2-2 in Monrovia, I must confess that there were real fears.
My biggest appreciation is to His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) who was personally present at the team’s training session before the first leg match. The President’s challenge to the team that he wants to be in South Africa next year for the Cup of Nations and that only the Super Eagles’ qualification for the finals would made that possible, had a positive motivational effect on players and technical crew.
I must also appreciate the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke (CON), whose magnanimity and uncommon hospitality has seen to the continued progress of the Super Eagles and Golden Eaglets; his adorable wife Barr. Obioma Liyel Imoke who is always at match venues and; the Deputy Governor, Barr. Efiok Cobham; commissioners, traditional rulers, members of the Cross River State House of Assembly special advisers and; the good people of Cross River State.
The Hon. Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has been a pillar of strength in so many areas. I also appreciate the Director General of the NSC, Chief (Dr) Patrick Ekeji and directors in the NSC.
As we flew back from Monrovia in the early hours of Sunday, 9th September, I reminded Coach Stephen Keshi of President Jonathan’s challenge. He nodded and said the team would do everything to qualify.
A number of positives have come out of the way the team approached the match against Liberia in Calabar last Saturday. I am delighted that each time we have our backs to the wall, we are able to fight back hard and do everything to triumph.
The Liberians played a few pranks before flying into Calabar, and engaged in more pranks on arrival simply because they thought they had a chance. You can’t blame them, really.
The Super Eagles had the chance to take the game by the scruff in Monrovia but did not and the Liberians felt they could come here and cause an upset. They definitely did not bargain for what they got.
How best to start such a game than scoring in the very first minute to quickly put a defining line between both teams, as Efe Ambrose did! And when Ahmed Musa scored with some minutes to the end of the first half, the Eagles became a bit more comfortable.
At 6-1, it was difficult to blame the Eagles for wasting a number of chances. And at the end, chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee, Barr. Chris Green met me on the way to the dressing room and said: “President, I told you we would qualify. Congratulations. Now, what we should be doing is to flog these small teams well and they will learn to respect us.”
Nigeria football is definitely gaining its respect back after the unsettling meltdown of Year 2011. It was, to all intents and purposes, an odd year.
This year, 2012, has been a marvelous one, and even the critics of the NFF should rise from their seats and applaud. We started the year with a positive display by the home-based professionals holding Cup of Nations-bound Angola to a 0-0 draw in a senior international friendly match at the National Stadium, Abuja. And then the women teams took over.
The U-17 girls spanked Kenya home and away to reach the second round of qualification series for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and; slammed Zambia also home and away to qualify for the finals in Azerbaijan.
The Super Eagles (home legion) spanked Liberia 2-0 in Monrovia in another friendly, before the team drew 0-0 with Rwanda in Kigali at the start of the 2013 Cup of Nations qualification race.
The U-20 girls walked over Sierra Leone and then tamed Liberia home and away in their own series for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. In the final round, they defeated their counterparts from the Democratic Republic of Congo 7-0 on aggregate to qualify for the finals in Japan.
The Super Falcons then hit Zimbabwe 3-0 in Harare at the start of their series for the 8th African Women Championship. (They would win the return leg 4-0 in Lagos).
At the start of their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, the Super Eagles pipped Namibia 1-0 in Calabar, before drawing 1-1 with Malawi in Blantyre. Back in Calabar, they defeated Rwanda 2-0 to edge into the final round of qualifiers for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
As well, the home-based legion that has been given a sense of belonging in the team has received quality exposure with matches against Egypt, Peru and Niger Republic.
The U-20 girls stormed Japan after good preparation in Korea Republic and impressed everyone, including FIFA President Sepp Blatter, even as they finished fourth at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Back home, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) hosted the girls to a Presidential Dinner and rewarded them with N1 million each.
In Azerbaijan, the U-17 girls were unlucky to lose to France on penalties in the quarter finals despite a record-equalling 11-0 spanking of the host nation in a group phase match.
African champions, Flying Eagles started off their 2013 African Youth Championship qualification race with a 4-1 aggregate win over Tanzania, and then reached the finals by beating South Africa 4-2 on aggregate.
The Golden Eaglets have been on a magnificent run, dismissing Niger Republic 10-1 and then sweeping past Guinea 3-0 in the second round, first leg in Calabar last Sunday.
Above all, the Cup of Nations ticket won by the Super Eagles continues to tickle Nigerian ball fans as it sees a return of our country to the continental football’s biggest party.
Sunshine, You Must Shine In Cairo…
I am not one of those who have given up on Sunshine Stars FC and feels that they are up against an insurmountable mountain against Al Ahly in Cairo tomorrow.
Football is not mathematics and I believe that the second leg of the semi final of the CAF Champions League will only bring out the best in the Sunshine FC boys, if they put their minds to it and believe in themselves.
The strike action embarked upon by the players which meant they had only four days of training before the first leg in Ijebu-Ode was unnecessary. Nonetheless, the 3-3 scoreline makes tomorrow’s tie delicately poised and should Sunshine Stars FC score first, they could just carry the day to the shock of the pundits.
Go for it, boys, you can do it!
NEXT WEEK: The 8th African Women Championship