Sports
Essien, Germany’s Main Threat
Michael Essien is the man Germany has to stop if they are to take maximum points off Ghana in their first competitive meeting at senior level at next year’s World Cup,” Germany’s coach, Joachim Low has said.
That game is billed for June 23 in Johannesburg but Low is in no doubt the Chelsea man is the engine room of Ghana and already plans on getting some inside information on how to derail the man nicknamed the Bison and Train from Germany captain, Michael Ballack who plays alongside Essien at Chelsea.
“Ghana are going to be very difficult to play against due to their physical strength and in Michael Essien they have a real superstar,” Low said.
“I will have to ring Michael Ballack to get some inside info on Essien. The Ghanaians played well at the 2006 World Cup and have improved over the past few years”.
“It’s going to be difficult but it’s an interesting draw. I don’t think we need to fear any of the sides we are up against because we’ve got a very strong squad ourselves”.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.