Sports
2014 World Cup Qualifier: Mixed Reactions Trail Eagles 2-1 Victory
Football fans and adminis
trators in Nigeria have hailed the victory of the Super Eagles over the Ethiopia national team in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier in Addis Ababa.
Harrison Okagbue, a former coach of the Ugandan national side, said the Super Eagles gave a good account of themselves as they were able to withstand the strong Ethiopians.
Okagbue however faulted the Eagles technical crew’s decision to employ space marking in the team’s defensive approach, saying “contact marking’’ would have been a better approach.
“I like what happened. The match was alright, and we got the win which we most desire,’’ he said.
The coach however advised that the team’s handlers should prepare the players better for the Ethiopians.
“In our next match, we have to check their (the Walya Antelopes) energy by not giving them space to operate.
“If we employ contact marking, their power will reduce and our victory in Nigeria will be assured.
“However, I congratulate them (the Eagles) for doing us proud,’’ he said.
Victor Nwangu, a Match Commissioner with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), said the ability to come from behind to clinch victory on away ground showed the team’s character and discipline.
He said while there were some questionable refereeing decisions during the match, the Nigerian players’ determination gave them victory.
Former national team goalkeeper, Emmanuel Okala, in his reaction said the result was a product of good preparation.
“It was a great match, and I saw it coming because they prepared well. The weather conditions did not affect them so much, as they are a good side.
“However, in their next match, coach Stephen Keshi should bring out the best boys in the team and seal victory in Calabar,’’ he said.
Also, Football fans in Ebonyi attributed the Super Eagles’ 2-1 victory over the Walya Antelopes in Addis Ababa in a 2014 World Cup Qualifier to divine intervention.
A cross-section of the fans told newsmen after the match that God saw Nigeria through.
They said this was in spite of “obstacles such as unfavourable weather, high altitude and the poor state of the pitch’’.
Joseph Eworo, the Abakaliki Township Stadium Manager, said the Eagles won the match “due to God’s Grace as the Ethiopians had an upper hand’’.
He said the Eagles only rediscovered their focus when the Ethiopians scored their goal.
Moses Uguru, a sports administrator, however urged fans to bear with the Eagles as they played under unfavourable weather condition.
“The high altitude adversely affected the players, which accounted for their poor play in the first half, as they appeared sluggish in their approach.
“The poor state of the pitch also contributed to their unconvincing approach to the game, as the players who mainly play on smooth pitches in Europe struggled to control the ball,” he said.
Bismarck Okwum, an Ebonyi Stars FC defender, however congratulated the Eagles for the victory.
“Nigerians should be happy that the team won the match in the end and not be bothered about the overall performance of the team during the game,” he said.
Mrs Grace Ogbonna, a Physical Health Instructor called on the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and Nigerians to continue to support the Eagles until the 2014 World Cup ticket was secured.
Sports
NPFL: 3SC End Winless Run …As Insurance Settle For Draw
Coach Gbenga Ogunbote and 3SC can heave a sigh of relief after ending their four-game winless run in the 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Plateau United in Ibadan on Wednesday, Tidesports source reports.
The Oluyole Warriors have struggled to get results at home this season, and they found themselves behind after 29 minutes against their visitors in the match-day 11 encounter.
Samuel Ayanrinde, however, stepped up for Ogunbote’s side again, equalising before halftime, before putting them ahead minutes into the second half.
Defender Ghali Falke added the third for 3SC in the 59th minute, but there was still enough time for Plateau United to pull one back as the game ended 3-2. The result saw Plateau United drop to fourth on the table while 3SC moved up to seventh.
Meanwhile, there will be no change in the top-two as Group A leaders Bendel Insurance were also forced to a 1-1 draw by second-place Akwa United in Benin City.
In-form striker Osarenkhoe Imade was in the right place at the right time to poke home the lead for the Benin Arsenal and his eighth goal of the season inside two minutes, but the Promise Keepers levelled matters on the half hour mark through Cyril Olisema.
Elsewhere in Aba, Enyimba failed to close the gap on the top two teams as they dropped points at home for the second game running in their 1-1 draw against Nasarawa United.
League top scorer Emeka Obioma found the back of the net from the spot again to give Enyimba the lead and take his tally to nine, but the Elephants were undone by an Emmanuel Ogbole’s 76th minute equaliser. They, however, managed to leapfrog into third place, thanks to 3SC’s defeat of Plateau United in Ibadan.
Sports
NDSS Holds Inter-House Sports Competition …As Green House Emerge Winners
Director of Niger Delta Science School, Rumuola Port Harcourt, Emmanuel Egbuchiem has stated that the essence of organising an Inter-House Sports competition among students was not basically about winning laurels but to ensure that students develop the spirit of sportsmanship that will help them excel in all their endeavors.
Mr. Egbuchiem who made this remark at the 23rd Annual Inter-House Sports Athletic Competition of NDSS held recently at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Football field firstly thanked God for his mercy towards making the hosting of the Inter-House Sports Competition a recently despite the prevailing situation in the country, especially the challenge posed by the Naira design and the ongoing general election exercise.
Though, this years edition of the competition was held on a low key as a result of the liquidity of cash in the country, nevertheless, I must not fail to express my profound thanks to the Rector Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Rumuola Dr. Sam Kalagbor for his approval and willingness at all time in supporting the NDSS in all her endeavours to host the competition which according to him was not easy to organize.
The School Director also commend parents for their untiringly efforts and sacrifices made to ensure that their children continued to attend the NDSS consistently even in the face of the current financial difficulties, not minding other skeptics and discouraging words from the mischievous ones in the society.
While commending the students of NDSS for being punctual in school irrespective of the long distance they covered in trekking down to the college, the Director equally reminded all the participants in the competition that what is paramount in the competition is the zeal and energy each of them put in the practice
On his part, the Chairman of the occasion Dr. Bobo Moses noted that it was not a contestable fact that the inter-house athletic sports being parts of the sporting activities organised every year in schools will not only help to bring the students together to work as a team but will also help to enhance their mental development to excel in their endeavours in life.
Sports
Eguma Pledges To Work On Players Fitness
The Technical Manager of Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt, Stanley Eguma has said that he will work on the players fatigue before next League game.
He stated that fatigue adversely affected his players performance in the Nigeria Professional Football League, (NPFL) particularly the game against Abia Warriors in the match day 10 last Sunday.
Eguma said this on Sunday in a chat with Sports journalists shortly after his side forced the visitors to one all draw in the NPFL at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.
He described the game as a difficult one but expressed joy for securing draw at the end of the day.
“ It is a game of football. It was a fair game but it was a difficult one for us.
“We missed a lot of chances in the first half but I thank God we were able to secure a draw.
“ We have managed the fatigue in the team, you can see the result of today’s game but we are going to improve on our games subsequently.
“ We will go back to the drawing board and see what we can do in our next outing.
“ You can never tell today’s result was very difficult but we are going to plan to improve in other games”, Eguma said.
By: Kiadum Edookor
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