Sports
Terry, Rooney, Others For Yobo Testimonial
Chelsea captain John
Terry is the latest player from the English Premier League to confirm his availability in Port Harcourt for the Joseph Yobo Centenary Game scheduled for May 27 to celebrate the retirement of the former Super Eagles captain from football.
The centre back, who captained between August 2006 and February 2010, and again from March 2011 to February 2012, confirmed his availability for the game to Yobo last weekend.
“We are really excited by the confirmation of John Terry for the Yobo Centenary Game in Port Harcourt. He’s one big player who is very popular here in the country because of England and Chelsea’s large followership in Nigeria,” observed coordinator of the Centenary Game, Waidi Akanni.
Both Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney are also expected along with a host of other players from Europe.
Also confirmed for the match are top African players like Samuel Eto’o Fils, the Ayew Brothers, Dede and Jordan, Sulley Muntari, Djibrin Cisse and Tresor Lualua amongst others.
Akanni, a former Super Eagles player, said in Lagos that the Yobo testimonial has continued to generate interests from past and present players from around the world.
“In the course of Yobo’s career that saw him clock 100 caps for Nigeria, he built so much goodwill around Europe. Anywhere you mention his name, people remember him with fond memories,” stressed Akanni.
Last weekend, Yobo, who was special guest at Everton’s home game against Bournemouth, was duly hailed by fans who remembered his 10 years adventure there. Chants of ‘Yobo, Yobo, Yobo’ rocked the stands as fans honoured him.
Akanni also commended proprietor of NPFL FC IfeanyiUbah, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, for his support for the Centenary Game.
“Ifeanyi Ubah is fully committed to making the testimonial a memorable one for Yobo and his friends,” the coordinator hinted.
The Joseph Yobo Foundation is in partnership with Rivers State Government for the Centenary Game at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in the Garden City.
Sports
CAA Wants Ghana To Host 2026 Athletics Champions
The Confederation of African Athletics has invited Ghana to bid for the hosting rights of the 2026 African Athletics Championships, following a successful athletics event at the just concluded 2023 African Games.
President of Ghana Athletics, Bawa Fuseini, stated this and expressed confidence in the transformative potential of the Legon Stadium for athletes and Ghana’s bid to host international competitions.
With a capacity of 11,000, the Legon Stadium played a pivotal role in the recent African Games, hosting both the opening and closing ceremonies as well as various sporting events including athletics, football, and rugby.
Fuseini highlighted the success of the athletics events held at the stadium, which contributed to Ghana winning six medals.
“We have already started getting requests from the Confederation of African Athletics to bid for the 2026 African Athletics Championships.
“When they came and saw what we have put in place and the level of organisation, they told me that for the last 20 years, they’ve never seen any organisation like this before. We did three official courses. And the last one, we had 110, all of them passed. We had a lot of officials and equipment.”
Since its establishment in 1979, Ghana has never hosted the African Athletics Championships, with Nigeria being the host country twice, in 1989 and 2018.
This year, Cameroon will take the reins as the host nation, with the event set to be held at the Olembe Stadium.
Sports
‘I’m Not Under Pressure To Coach Eagles’
Finidi George, head coach of the Nigeria Premier Football Leagues side, Enyimba, has stated that he is not losing any sleep over getting the Super Eagles job on a permanent basis.
Early this month, the Nigeria Football Federation declared the position of the Super Eagles’ head coach vacant, following the exit of Portuguese Jose Peseiro, who led the side to a second-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup Nations in Ivory Coast in February.
In an advertisement on its website calling for applications with a March 13 deadline, the football governing body stated that the prospective Eagles coach “must have proven experience at the elite level of football.”
The former Ajax man, who also applied for the job, was appointed Eagles interim coach for the international window with the former winger picking a win and suffering a defeat.
In an interview with Tidesports source, the 52-year-old tactician said he was not desperate for the job permanently.
“I felt really good when I was told to take charge of the team. I have been with the team for almost two years, I know all the players, their strengths, and their weaknesses but I am only here to serve Nigeria the way I know how to do stuff.
“I will just take these two games and go back to my club. Whatever the decision is taken after, so be it. I’m not under pressure to say I must get the role permanently.”
Sports
‘Reasons Why Eagles Lost To Mali’
The friendly games against Ghana and Mali were to serve as an audition for George Finidi, who was in charge of the team on an interim basis, but the Eagles’ lacklustre display in those friendlies has called for his further evaluation.
Finidi kept faith with ex-coach Jose Peseiro’s defensive formation against Mali on the back of his first win (against Ghana) in charge of the team four days earlier.
But this time, his defence was punished following a combination of defensive errors and poor passes.
The Eagles struggled to play out of defence due to the high pressing of the Malians and it was no surprise that the first goal by Les Aigles was a direct result of their aggression.
Chidozie Awaziem, who started on the right of the back three alongside Kenneth Omeruo and Semi Ajayi, lacked composure and was pressured into making a pass across his box straight at Bilal Toure, who made no mistake in getting the ball past Stanley Nwabali. They missed the calming presence of injured William Troost-Ekong.
Vice captain, Kenneth Omeruo, was also culpable of misplaced passes and was beaten for pace when Kamory Doumbia ran past him to seal Mali’s first win in over four decades, firing his shot past a helpless Nwabali, who stood no chance.
Eagles wing backs, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Jamilu Collins also did not do enough to support the team in attack when they had the chance to.
Lack of creativity
Finidi paired Raphael Onyedika and Wilfred Ndidi in a double pivot in midfield. Both players are naturally anchor men and neither is a box-to-box midfielder.
They both do not possess the offensive capability to drive the team’s attack forward, which left the Eagles once again craving for a natural creative midfielder.
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