Sports
Egypt Match Important To Nigeria – Amokachi
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.”
The Ardova Handball Premier League 2025, which began with the first phase in Benin City months ago, before the second phase in Lagos which ends with a finale that the Executive Chairman of Ardova PLC, Dr. Abdulwasiu Sowami, ably represented by the Deputy Managing Director, Ardova PLC, Mrs Abiola Babatunde-Ojo, described as delightful to watch in her speech.
For Safety Shooters, it was a historic moment as they clinched the men’s title for the first time since 2020, completing a dominant campaign that saw them finish top of the table with 57 points from 20 matches while Safety Babes also etched their name deeper into Nigerian handball history, winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive women’s championship, reaffirming their status as the league’s most dominant team, not just in the women’s category but in the history of handball premier league in Nigeria.
In the Men’s Safety Shooters finished the season in style, beating COAS Shooters 43–32 (20–10) to cap off a dominant outing in Phase 2.
Their final-day victory ensured they remained clear at the summit with an impressive 18 wins, one draw, and one loss, totaling a superb goal difference of +214 after scoring 638 goals and conceding 424.
The organisers of the Ikoyi Club Tennis Masters Tournament have earmarked N4 million as the prize money for this year’s edition.
?The Chairman of the tennis section of Ikoyi Club, Diran Famakinwa, stated this at a briefing, highlighting the activities for the second edition of the tournament.
?The tournament, which is in collaboration with MegaMound Investment Limited, is endorsed by the Nigerian Tennis Federation.
?According to Famakinwa, the male and female champions will receive N500,000 each, while the runners-up in both categories will go home with the sum of N350,000 each, with the remaining money to be shared among the semi-finalists and other participants.
?Sixteen players, which includes the eight top ?male and eight top female players, will feature in the one-week event, which started on December 5, and run till Saturday, December 13.
?The female final will be held on Friday, December 12, while the male final will take up on Saturday, December 13.
In a statement released on Saturday, the NSC described the defender as “Captain Fantastic” and praised his decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, highlighting a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty.
“After a decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, Troost-Ekong leaves behind a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty,” the NSC stated.
The commission noted that, as one of the most capped defenders in Super Eagles history with 83 international appearances since his debut in 2015, Troost-Ekong served as a pillar of leadership across multiple tournaments and qualification campaigns.
“His exceptional outing at the last Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored three goals and was named Player of the Tournament, remains one of the most remarkable achievements by a defender in AFCON history,” the NSC added.
The statement further emphasised that Troost-Ekong’s “Nigeria first” mindset, discipline and exemplary conduct set a standard for the next generation of athletes, with his influence within the national team extending beyond the pitch to inspire unity, resilience and professionalism among his teammates.
Meanwhile, Troost-Ekong has dismissed rumours that he was forced to retire by the country’s football administrators as punishment for leading a revolt against the NFF.
The 32-year-old’s announcement came less than a month before the AFCON, and he was named in the 54-man preliminary list. His decision sparked speculation, particularly as he had led a strike in protest against unpaid bonuses during the World Cup qualifying play-offs.
One fan speculated on social media, suggesting that Troost-Ekong was pressured to quit after exposing the NFF. The Al Khoolood defender offered a sharp retort, establishing that he unilaterally made the decision to retire.
“Not true! My own choice/decision and on my own terms. No one ever asked/tried to force me out. If anything, the opposite when I shared my decision. I wish the team all the best and support them together with all Nigerians for the upcoming AFCON to go all the way,” he wrote on X.
The NSC concluded by wishing Troost-Ekong the very best in the next chapter of his career and commending him for representing Nigeria with honour.
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