Sports

Super Eagles And The ‘If’ Permutation

Published

15 years ago

July 4, 2010

Football-loving Nigerians at home and in diaspora are sad again, for the umpteenth time. The country’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, have disappointed them again by their unimpressive performance and consequent ouster at the on-going South Africa 2010 world cup.

Like it was in the country’s last appearance at the mumdial in Japan/Korea 2002, the Eagles could only get a draw in three group matches. While the only draw was 2-2 against Korea Republic at South Africa, it was 0-0 against England in 2002.

By their last Group B match against Korea, the Eagles had no point, having lost to Argentina (0-1) and Greece (1-2) in their first two matches.

However, there was the mathematical chance that if they could defeat Korea Republic, and Argentina could do same to Greece, Nigeria could quality.

The scenario reminded close watches of the one on the final day of qualifiers for the on-going World Cup: if the Eagles could defeat Kenya in Nairobi, and Mozambique could do same to Tunisia on home soil, the if permutation.

Luckily, the permutation favoured the Eagles, and they proceeded to South Africa, only to find themselves in the same if permutation scenario again.

Blames have long started pouring in from all angles. As expected, most of the blame is on the players. Yakubu Ayegbeni seen to be the number one culprits for missing that vital goal with an open net staring at him against Korea.

Sani Keita is another culprit. He can hardly be forgotten for attracting the red card that distabilised the already wobbling Eagles team that saw them lose 1-2 to Greece.

Another set of people are also blaming the Eagles’ coach, Lars Lagerback, for not presenting good team at South Africa 2010. Only quite a few people seem to have paused and pondered to view the entire scenario concerning the Nigerian team to South Africa. Only these few seem to have appreciated the fact that the performance of the Super Eagles is only a reflection of their ill preparedness and unfitness.

Surely, if the truth must be told, it would have been a great injustice to the game if the Eagles had gone beyond the first round going by the performances of all the teams that qualified for the last 16 stage.

This has nothing to do with patriotism. In fact, if patriotism should be mentioned in this issue without questioning the patriots in those who manage Nigeria’s football, particularly regarding preparation of teams for major championships, it would amount to a display of high level of ignorance in what it takes to do well at that level of the game.

Sincerely, to have expected the Eagles to do more than they did in South Africa is natural and can only be done out of patriotism considerations, because they really did not merit it.

Not that on a good day the players, individually, are not good, but rather because Nigeria, not the players in isolation, was not prepared for this world cup.

The picture painted here is a parent sending his child to a major examination, knowing that he did not create an enabling environment for the child to study real hard for the exam, but relying on the child’s previous knowledge.

Meanwhile, the parent decides to provide every other thing in abundance to encourage the child on the day of the examination, with high expectation of the child excelling at the end of the day.

For those in this picture, they seem to have forgotten how times have changed even in the football world. So much so that from being a means of entertainment, football has in addition become a huge business.

Also, that world football governing body, FIFA, almost on daily basis does everything possible to make the game more technical and difficult for any unserious country to reap from its benefits, while also making the game more interesting.

In the process, FIFA has gradually changed the game from being more physical, as it was in the early days, to being more scientific. It thus requires more mental work than physical work.

Consequently, the displays we watch on the turf, by which we judge teams, only constitute about 40 per- cent (Probably less) of total work required to enhance success in a championship in the fold of the world cup. A lot of other factors make up the remaining 60 percent.

These factors include such things as the coach/technical adviser of the team, whether he is the right choice, his strategy and how long he has to achieve set goals; the quality of players and their psyche before and during each match; as well as how long members of the team has to function as a team, different from individual performance.

Also, how best these factors turn out is to a large extent a function of how committed the managers of football in a country or team are the extent to which they are committed to ensuring success, and sustaining same.

Again, all of these factors could be in place, and a team can still fail without the element of luck, which is another factor. However, a team can also have only some of these factors and can still succeed with luck.

But it amounts to a misnomer to depend solely on luck because luck thrives better when all other factors are in place.

In the case of the Super Eagles to the South Africa 2010 World Cup, the country, better still, managers of the country’s football, relied on luck because every other factor were either not in place, or there was not enough time for such factors to mature. Lars Lagerback, the Eagles helmsman, may be one of such factors.

To do better in future world cups, therefore, Nigeria must first seek to put that 60 per cent in proper perspective. It will be easier for the 40 per- cent to fall in place after then.

It is what the French did from the mid-eighties that saw them produce a solid team that gave them the world cup tile in 1998. A little painstaking research can do the trick for Nigeria.

Sports

Forest Embarrass Liverpool At Anfield

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.

Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.

Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.

Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.

Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.

It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.

Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.

Sports

Bundesliga: Oliseh Stars As Bayern Rebound To Thrash Freiburg

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.

The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.

Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.

Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.

Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.

England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.

Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.

A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.

Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.

AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)

AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.

Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.

ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.

But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.

This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.

Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.

AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.

The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.

The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.

Sports

Barca Impress On Return To Camp Nou

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga on Saturday with an emphatic win over 10-man Athletic Club in their first match at the Spotify Camp Nou since May 2023.

Robert Lewandowski scored their first goal back in their iconic home, which had been closed for extensive renovations, in the fourth minute.

Ferran Torres then netted twice in the second half, each assisted by wonderful skill from Lamine Yamal, who was aged just 15 in his only previous Nou Camp appearance.

Fermin Lopez also struck in the 48th minute, while visiting midfielder Oihan Sancet was sent off for a crude challenge on Lopez just six minutes later.

Large sections of the Nou Camp remained closed for the game, which was played in front of a 45,157 crowd.

The rebuilding work, which was originally scheduled to be finished in November 2024, will eventually increase the stadium’s capacity to 105,000.

Barca moved to 31 points from 13 games and top on goal difference, but Real Madrid had the chance to replace them, if they won at Elche in their game in hand, late last night.

Poland striker Lewandowski got his side off to the perfect start when he drove his low shot in off the arm of Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon for an eighth league goal of the season.

The home side extended their lead in first-half added time as Yamal’s superb pass off the outside of his foot set up Torres for a good finish.

Lopez made it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, drilling a shot past Simon from near the penalty spot.

Sancet’s tackle from behind on Lopez was initially deemed a yellow card, but upgraded to red after the referee consulted with the video assistant referee (VAR).

And just before full-time, Yamal twisted and turned before sending Torres away to claim his second goal, which was originally disallowed for offside but overturned following a VAR check.

It was a dream return to their ground, with the reigning Spanish champions having mostly played at the 55,000 capacity Olympic Stadium on the city’s Montjuic hill since renovations on the Nou Camp began in June 2023.

They were forced to play two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to their women’s team, this season after failing to get a permit for the Nou Camp through safety reasons.

Pogba Returns To Action In Ligue 1 (6)

Paul Pogba played his first minutes of professional football in more than two years as he came off the bench during Monaco’s 4-1 defeat by Rennes at the weekend.

The 32-year-old was introduced in the 85th minute at Rennes’ Roazhon Park, though his side were already four goals and a player down, following a red card for captain Denis Zakaria.

French World Cup winner Pogba broke down in tears when he joined Ligue 1 club Monaco last summer, after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

Pogba’s last competitive appearance was 811 days ago, when he featured for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli on 3 September 2023. He left Juventus by mutual consent in November 2024.

Pogba was provisionally banned from football for four years after a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, following a doping test in August 2023.

Pogba maintained it was a mistake and that he was given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.

The former Manchester United midfielder was permitted to return to football in March following the decision to reduce his ban.

Pogba watched from the bench as goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo and Ludovic Blas put Rennes out of sight.

Fellow substitute Mika Biereth pulled a goal back for Monaco in the 95th minute, but a second consecutive 4-1 defeat means Sebastien Pocognoli’s side drop to eighth in the table with 20 points after 13 games.