Sports
AFCON Qualifiers: Let’s Fight To Beat Egypt, Oliseh Urges Nigerians
Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh giving instructions
Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has asked that Nigerians put behind them recent misgivings so as to forge a united front that will beat Egypt in an AFCON 2017 qualifier next month.
Nigeria will battle Egypt in a decisive AFCON qualifier on March 25 with the reverse leg in Egypt a couple of days later.
Seven-time African champions Egypt are top of the qualifying group with six points, while Nigeria are two points behind with only the group winners assured of automatic passage to the AFCON in Gabon in January 2017.
Oliseh has therefore urged that all be forgiven and forgotten after the country failed to go past the knockout stage of the 2016 CHAN, followed by his YouTube outburst and the fallouts thereafter.
“We have to move on, the interest of our nation should come first,” pleaded the coach, who has already tendered an apology to his employers.
“We have to fight Egypt and not ourselves now. We have to come together. Nigeria comes first.
“We have to be in Gabon (AFCON 2017) and Russia (2018 World Cup).”
Meanwhile, Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner Isaac Semitoje insists the Super Eagles have lost their fear factor on the continent.
Nigeria take on Egypt in a Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header next month on the back of the team’s exit at Rwanda 2016 African Nations Championship at the group stages last month.
And Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has come under heavy scrutiny after the Eagles managed to win just one game in the tournament meant for players playing their trade in their countries’ football leagues.
The beleaguered coach is fighting to save his job after labelling his critics “insane” – and claiming some reporters demanded bribes from him to “write positive stories”.
But former Nigeria defender Semitoje, who expressed his disappointment at the development, says the Eagles must work for victories if they are to again strike fear into their opponents.
He lamented the continuing uncertainty surrounding Oliseh’s job ahead of the crucial two-legged fixture against record seventh-time African champions Egypt.
“I’m disappointed that Nigerian football is not developing,” the former Algiers ’90 Africa Cup of Nations silver medallist told our correspondent on the telephone.
“Teams no longer fear us on the continent because of the problems in our football.
“In fact, smaller teams believe they can beat us, because we have lost our fear factor.”
The Denmark-based coach added, “We must put our house in order if we want any team to fear us. We are not guaranteed victory against Egypt because our team lacks motivation. I believe we will beat them.
“I read somewhere that our players have not been paid their win bonuses and other allowances. And the coaches are being owed salaries. It’s a shame!”
The former Iwuanyanwu Nationale captain called for support for the national team ahead of the games against the Pharaohs.
Semitoje added, “The government or the Nigeria Football Federation must fulfil their promises to the players. We suffered the same fate in our days.
“We were promised houses for winning the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, but those of us who chose to have our houses in Lagos have yet to be given.
“Thompson Oliha was always talking about the issue before he died three years ago.”
Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.
Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.
Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.
Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.
But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.
Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.
It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.
A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.
Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.
“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.
For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.
Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.
His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.
Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.
Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.
The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.
After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.
“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”
Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.
The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.
“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”
He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.
“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”
Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.
The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).
Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.
Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.
Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.
Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.
Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.
Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.
Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.
The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.
