Sports
2015 AFCON Qualifier: Nigeria In Must-Win Clash In Sudan
Nigeria must beat Sudan
in Omdurman tomorrow to be back in contention for a place at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The African champions are third in Group A with a point from two games and behind Congo and South Africa, who have recorded six and four points, respectively.
The African champions therefore find themselves in a must-win situation in their next qualifying game tomorrow in Sudan.
The Eagles will be without Stoke City forward Victor Moses, who has suffered a recurrence of a thigh problem at his English Premier League club, and Ukraine-based winger Babatunde Michael, who is nursing a knee injury.
Questions rather than praise have greeted Keshi’s invitation for several uncapped players including China-based striker Aaron Samuel and Reading midfielder Hope Akpan.
Skipper Vincent Enyeama has however rejoined the squad after he stayed away to attend to what team officials said were “pressing personal problems”.
Nigeria will also have to cope with boiling temperatures and a late switch for the game to be played on an artificial pitch in Sudan.
”Personally, I prefer playing on natural grass pitch, but we just have to adjust, be smarter and work on our timing when we play on astro turf and we will be okay,” said Monaco defender Elderson Echiejile, who will be visiting Sudan for the first time.
”And as for the weather, we are first and foremost Nigerians and born in Africa and so we should also be able to cope on the day.”
Middlesbrough defender Kenneth Omeruo said there will be no margin for error against Sudan in both games.
“We are aware of the task ahead and so we have resolved to work hard to pick the available 12 points in our remaining qualifiers,” said Omeruo.
”The response of the players from the first day of training speaks loud of our intention ahead of the games. All we ask of Nigerians is their support.
“We also know there are no minnows anymore in African football.”
Both countries have clashed 11 times and Nigeria have won six of these meetings, drawn four times and lost once to the Sudanese.
The only Nigeria loss to Sudan was in 1963, when they fell 4-0 in a 1964 Nations Cup qualifier, while the last meeting was in a friendly in 2008 which Nigeria won 2-0.
Nigeria ran away 4-0 winners on their last visit to Sudan in a 2002 World Cup qualifier 13 years ago with Yakubu Aiyegbeni grabbing a brace.
Sporting have not received an offer for striker Viktor Gyokeres and there is no gentleman’s agreement for him to leave for £59million, says club president Frederico Varandas.
Sweden international Gyokeres, 27, has been heavily linked with Manchester United and Arsenal after scoring 97 goals in 102 matches during two seasons in Portugal.
He has a 100m euro (£85m) release clause in his contract.
It has been widely reported that, after staying at Sporting last summer, Gyokeres and Sporting agreed he could leave for 70m euros (£59m) this summer.
However, Varandas said the club’s only promise to Gyokeres was that they would not demand his full release clause.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.
“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.”
Gyokeres spent three seasons with Coventry City in the Championship before joining Sporting under Ruben Amorim.
Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana was sporting director at Sporting last summer, when Gyokeres’ agent sought assurances about his leaving if a suitable offer arrived.
“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.
“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now.
“For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m eurors or 90m euros.
“In that same meeting the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: ‘It’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. I don’t know if it will be 40m euros, 60m euros or 80m euros. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros.’”
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani has criticised a proposal to expand the 2030 men’s World Cup to 64 teams.
The plans, put forward by South American governing body Conmebol, have also drawn opposition from Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The tournament will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal, after the opening matches are held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada, has already been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
But Conmebol said it wanted to add more participants to mark the competition’s 100-year anniversary.
“I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players,” Montagliani told Tidesports source
“We haven’t even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don’t think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table.”
Concacaf is the governing body of football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The decision to expand the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams was taken in 2017 following a unanimous vote at a Fifa congress.
Fifa’s 75th congress will be held in Paraguay on 15 May, when Conmebol’s proposal could be discussed.
If the proposal is accepted, the 2030 edition would consist of 128 matches, double the number played under the 64-game format used from 1998 and 2022.
In March, Ceferin described the proposal as a “bad idea” while AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa said it would cause “chaos”.
“If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams,” said Salman.
“But someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams. Where would we end up then? It would become chaos.”
Brazil qualified for the 2026 World Cup this week with a 1-0 win against Paraguay in South American qualifying to give Carlo Ancelotti his first win as manager.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jnr scored from close range in the second half, finishing after fine work from Manchester United-bound playmaker Matheus Cunha.
The victory, Ancelotti’s first after a 0-0 draw against Ecuador on his debut last week, means Brazil has now qualified for every edition of the World Cup.
“We needed to win and qualify for the World Cup,” said Vinicius Jr.
“Now the coach will have more time to work. Of course today wasn’t one of our best performances, but the important thing is always to win.
“Now it’s time to celebrate qualifying.”
Elsewhere, World Cup holders Argentina played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Colombia in Buenos Aires.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz opened the scoring with a fine individual goal, dancing through three defenders before finishing past Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Argentina was reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining when Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a high-boot challenge on Colombia’s Kevin Castano.
But Lionel Messi’s side found an equaliser nine minutes from the end through Lyon’s Thiago Almada, leaving Colombia four points clear of seventh-placed Venezuela.
Ecuador, Argentina’s nearest challengers, booked their spot at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States after a 0-0 draw away at Peru.