Sports

Calabar Bubbles As Eaglets Hosts KoreaU-17 World Cup Q/Final

Published

16 years ago

November 9, 2009

Calabar, the Cross Rivers State Capital, is currently bubbing as the U.J. Esuene Stadium today hosts the crucial quarter final match between Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets and their Korean counterparts by 7.00 pm local time, in one of the two matches scheduled for today at the on-going FIFA Under – 17 World Cup.

Spain will take on Uruguary in the other match.

Before leaving her Abuja base for the encounter, the Eaglets coach, John Obuh had expressed confidence and assured Nigerians that his boys would not only beat the Asians, but also retain the trophy they won two years ago in Korea.

The question on the minds of close watchers is whether they can really do it, following their performances in this 13th edition of the championship?

It was a shaky start for the Nigerians, they had to come from three goals down against Germany to end the game at 3-3 with such fighting back spirit and determination that deserves commendation and encouragement.

They struggled to beat Honduras 1-0 in their second match in which but for poor marksmanship, they would have won by a wider goal margin. The Eaglets faced the same problem in their last group match against the Argentines who they beat 2-1, but one sure thing was that their pattern of play improved with each match.

With six points, the baby Eagles emerged winners of their group and so staged back in Abuja to host New Zealand, which had been quite impressive in their own group, beating world powers, Brazil on their way to the last 16 stage.

It was thus surprising that the Europeans fell by a whoopping 5-0 to the Eaglets at the end of 90 minutes, but not only did their coach accept the defeat, it was glaring that New Zealand was no match for the Nigerians as the defending champions dominated the game from start to finish, with an apparent hunger for goals all through.

It thus did not require a soothsayer to say that this final set of Eaglets were ready to fly really high to the apex of the championship.

Home advantage may also be an added advanatage for the Eaglets, though some sports analyst say it does not really matter when it comes to competitions like this.

Contrarily , this is not totally correct, when one considers, for instance, that England won their only World Cup when they hosted the world in 1966. South Korea, which is not recognised as a football power played semifinal when the country hosted in 2002.

Also, little known Burkina Faso, before now went as far as the semifinals of the Africa Nations Cup as host in 1998. So, it would still be a courage to the Eaglets playing on their soil.

Besides, records have also shown that Nigeria is the second best to Brazil globally and the best in Africa when it comes to football at this level having won the trophy three times, all in Asian countries, (1985 in China, 1993 in Japan and 2007 in Korea). The Eaglets were also semi finalists in 1987 and have played in several quarterfinals.

On paper, it is easy to give today’s match to the Eaglets, but modern football has gone beyond big names and the days of underdogs. Ask France what little known Senegal did to them in their opening match at the Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup as defending champions.

The Koreans have also proved that they are not on a jamboree in this World Cup judging by the manner in which they sailed through the group stage, capping their effort with a 5-3 win over more favoured Mexcio via penalty shoot-out after full and extra time ended 1-1 at the group of 16 stage.

Moreover, coach of the Koreans, Kwang Jong Lee, has declared that his team has resolved to give Nigeria the fight of their life.

“Having come this far, my team cannot afford to allow themselves to be cowed by any team, no matter how highly rated and favoured.”

No doubt today’s game promises to be explosive and thrilling knowing that the Koreans also have the never give-up spirit in them, as well as determination and good teamwork which they have demonstrated in their previous games.

But 90 minutes, or, at worst, 120 minutes must determine a victor and a vanquished. Just as Nigerians would be backing the Eaglets all the way, the Koreans will have same, albeit in a less physical manner.

One thing is, however, certain, players of both teams will be prepared to do anything to be in the semi- final.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Arsenal must win trophies to leave legacy – Arteta

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.

Arsenal headede into last night’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a five-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points against Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, respectively on Wednesday.

Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games.

But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.

“No, because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners.

“They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”

The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup

“There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.

“Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.

The defending champions headed to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain a superb side.

The Gunners were without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but were“monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensified his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.

Sports

AFCON: Osimhen, Lookman Threaten Algeria’s Record

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.

Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh tomorrow will not be easy.

Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.

Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.

He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.

“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.

Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.

Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.

“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.

“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.

Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home. But the current Super Eagles appear to be in the mood to get this one over the Algerians.

The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.

Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.

But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four, the most among the eight title hopefuls.

Sports

Palace ready To Sell Guehi For Right Price

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said that the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met.

The England defender is out of contract in the summer and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window.

Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.

City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea.

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by Tidesports source. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”