Sports

Egypt Match Important To Nigeria – Amokachi

Published

17 years ago

January 10, 2010

Nigeria assistant coach Daniel Amokachi has described group rivals Egypt, back to back African champions, as being in a ‘recession’ and says that Nigeria can win the Nations Cup.

“It is important for us to win the Afcon as it will be important for our preparations for the 2010 World Cup. We have the players and technical support to ensure we do well. All that we can ask for now is for the Nigerians, and those who are not in the Afcon, to back us up,” Amokachi wrote in his blog on SuperSport’s African Nations Cup page.

The former Super Eagles striker concedes, though, that the opening match will be tough.

“The match against Egypt is going to be tough. They have won the Afcon twice in succession and as defending champions, they will definitely want to do well. But the way I see it, you could say they are in a recession and this game comes at the right time for us,” Amokachi wrote.

Unlike past years, the Super Eagles go into this year’s African Nations Cup with hugely lowered expectations from their fans, following their tortuous qualification for the World Cup, but Amokachi insists that the team has prepared well enough and have the squad to do well, starting with a win against Egypt.

“We have just had a wonderful training camp in Durban in preparation for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and we are now on our way to Angola where we play our first match of the tournament against Egypt in Benguela.

“We have to win and I think we will win the game against Egypt. Our players are in good form and ready to do the Nigerians proud. This is probably one of the best Afcon line-ups we have had in a long time and I am sure the general public will not be disappointed with the quality of football.”

Benin is next for the Super Eagles and Amokachi warns that they could be dangerous.

“After Egypt, we play Benin on January 16 and many people might think this will be a walk in the park. Yes, we have had some good results against Benin in the past, but this time around close to 80 per cent of their players are Nigerians and they will have a point to prove. As such we will not underestimate them.”

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

4 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.