Sports
NCF Releases List For Africa U-19 Championship
The Nigeria Cricket Fed
eration (NCF) has released a 16-man list for next month’s Africa Male Under-19 Cricket Championship.
About 21 players reported to camp last week in preparation for the championship, scheduled to take place from February 13 to February 20 in Tanzania.
The list given to newsmen by the NCF in Abuja at the weekend includes Okpe Sylvester who will serve as the team’s captain and Adiamo Mojeed the cricket keeper.
Others are Akachukwu Moses, Tay Abiodun, Ahamefule Sunday, Okhide Eboehi, Igbineweka Olaye, Yussuff Mustapha and Ajekun Daniel.
Also in the list are are Olaleye Olayinka, Joseph Tabat, Onwuliri Chukwudi, Simon Samson and Ayinde Babatunde,
Doumotimi Franklin and Adewoye Dimeji.
Five players, including Obesesan Afiz (Ogun), Mgbojikwe Chukwudi (Anambra), Daniel Gim (Kaduna), Onosetale Ofenmu (Edo) and Sadiku Shakiru (Lagos) did not make the final list.
Uthe Ogbimi, Senior National Team Coach of the NCF told newsmen that the players failed to make the list not because of performance but due to their date of “birth matrix.
“Due to the late circular from the ICC concerning age matrix, we find out that out of the 21 players originally invited to camp, five of them have to go.
“Though, the players are U-19 years of age and duly qualified to play in the Africa championship.
“The new rules from ICC means that you will not just be U-19 for this tournament, you have to be U-19 by the time the U-19 World Cup takes place.
“In effect, they are asking countries to go further down the line to get probably 17-year-old players to play u-19 tournaments, this brought the screening out of five of our players.’’
According to Ogbimi who is one of the team’s selectors, Obesesan Afiz, Mgbojikwe Chukwudi and Daniel Gim will be greatly missed at the championship.
Harry Tamuno, the U-19 Head Coach and his assistant Onoja Oche as well as Obalola Tajudeen, the Team Manager will also join the train to Tanzania.
The team was expected to have departed for Kenya on Monday on a pre-tournament tour, from where it will proceed to Tanzania for the championship.
Sports
CAFCL: Finidi Laud Players Over Impressive Performance
Sports
Umuahia Hosts Africa Para- Badminton Championship
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Sports
FIFA U20: Flying Eagles Narrowly Loss to Norway
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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